Vol.2 Minako in "Game Center Crown" is the 2nd chapter of Codename: Sailor V manga series. It was written and illustrated by Naoko Takeuchi.
Summary[]
Even though Minako Aino is now a Guardian of Justice, she still slacks off and disregards her new duties. At a loss of what to do, Artemis isn't entirely sure how to train his new pupil. However, after discovering Minako's proficiency in gaming, he brings in a new game for Minako to play.
Plot[]
Artemis introduces himself and explains that his master is the incarnation of Venus, Sailor V. However, the girl who became his master and Sailor V, Minako Aino, is nothing more than an ordinary, lazy student, making her quite the opposite of the Guardian of Justice that she can transform into. Minako and Artemis bicker about Minako's new responsibility before she leaves to go to Game Center Crown.
After saying hello to Motoki Furuhata, an older guy who works at the arcade, Minako starts furiously playing one of the arcade games, with Artemis sitting right behind her. He comments on how some of her behavior resembles that of a boy, eliciting Minako to snap at him, calling him a cross-dressing cat. At Artemis' confused repeating of the phrase, Minako explains that Artemis was the Goddess of the Hunt and the Moon. Amazed at Minako's knowledge, Artemis compliments her only for Minako to reveal that the game she was currently playing had that Goddess appear as a character. Frustrated, Artemis yells at her that she's no longer allowed to come to the arcade ever again and that she needs to start studying. Minako accosts him for his lapse of judgment; if he talks in public, he'll surely be taken away for scientific study.
Minako soon moves on to another game called "Lovely Fight", the entire reason she stopped at the arcade. She aimed to beat another player's— someone by the name of "Taku"— high score. Unfortunately for her, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get anywhere near this mysterious player's score. Crestfallen, she abandons the game to go ask Motoki for some change.
Meanwhile, a mysterious man notices Minako, saying that her presence is unwelcome. He laments the fact that a retreat for unlucky men has now turned into a hotspot for lovers and that more and more "lame" games are being made.
A woman asks the man she's with to get her a stuffed animal from a claw machine. Nearby at another claw machine, Minako can nab a stuffed cat in one go. The mysterious man remarks that Minako has an alarming talent.
Noticing Minako's skills, Artemis comes up with a plan to train Minako as a Champion of Justice while having her retain those lessons. With Boss backing him up, he begins to set his plan in motion.
Soon enough, people start to notice that a new game has been released, but no one knows who the character is. The game garners Minako's attention and she starts to play it avidly, much to the other costumer's detriment.
Noticing the other players, she realizes that she was hogging the game and offers it up for other people. Going back to "Lovely Fight", she's surprised by how easy it is, defeating the bad guys right and left. She finishes the game with her name at the top of the scoreboard, having finally defeated the mysterious "Taku."
In a dark corner of the arcade, a man cries out that Minako's accession is intolerable. He reveals that he is "Taku", his full name being Takurou Ootaku.
Thinking that Minako is a man in disguise, he chases after her, saying that he'll be the one to show everyone "her true identity". Bewildered and stunned, Minako runs from him. Artemis wonders if Takurou is an enemy, but Boss is thoroughly unconvinced.
To Minako, Boss informs her that her compact has the power to transform her into anyone she wishes, regardless of age, personality, career, or social status. Elated, she immediately holds the compact above her and tells the compact to change her into an armored warrior.
Takurou, thinking that she's a video game character comes to life, tackles Minako to the ground and starts to sniff her. She tries to get him off, but the armor is too heavy for her to move freely. Holding up her pen, she transforms into Sailor V, earning the adoration and awe of nearby spectators. Minako likes the attention, thinking that maybe being a Guardian of Justice isn't so bad after all. Her moment is ruined when Takurou peeks under her skirt to further study the details of her outfit. This earns him a swift kick to the chin, knocking him unconscious. Belatedly, Minako remembers that he wasn't an enemy.
Before Artemis can accost her, she grabs him and dashes away from the arcade
First Appearances[]
Characters[]
Locations[]
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Items[]
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Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The stuffed cat that Minako obtains from the claw machine game looks very similar to how Artemis and Luna would end up looking in the anime.
- The armor that Minako transforms into looks similar to the female warrior armor from "Lovely Fight".
- This chapter doesn't have Minako fight or defeat any enemy associated with the Dark Agency.