The Sailor Moon series has fans around the world, but many don't realize that Usagi Tsukino wasn't the original Sailor Senshi. That honor goes to Minako Aino, who, before becoming Sailor Venus, actually started the franchise with her own series: Codename wa Sailor V.
With the help of her white cat, Artemis, Minako transforms into the superheroine Sailor V and fights evil. The series shows a surprising history of Sailor Moon, featuring early versions of some of the more famous characters in the later series and even answering questions fans have had for years.
10 The Sailor Senshi Make Cameos Throughout The Series
While Sailor V technically came first, the two series actually ended up running alongside each other, with Sailor V getting a slower release than Sailor Moon. Thanks to this, many of the main characters from the Sailor Moon series made cameos throughout the series.
One of the more famous shout-outs to Sailor Moon came in chapter 12, where Minako is shown to be a fan of the fictional "Aurora Wedding" series. The series features a group of sisters who transform into warriors and fight evil at night, and there is even a love interest named "Coattail Mask." When the sisters appear in silhouette, their designs are based on the famous Sailor Scouts.
9 Sailor V Had Quite A Few Unique Attacks
In her independent series, Sailor V seemed to have just as many physical attacks as she did magical ones. Some of the former included "Sailor V Kick," "Sailor V Chop," "Venus Iron Muscle Punch," and "V-chan's Sword," the latter of which saw Sailor V attack with an uchigatana.
Sailor V also had a few episodic attacks that were unique to the story, like "Venus Sulfur Smoke," "Venus Ten-Billion Volt Rockin' Rouge," "Venus Brand: Mosquito Incense Typhoon," and "Ultimate Attack: Diphenhydramine Dispersal."
8 Minako's Crescent Beam Also Got Its Start Here
Minako's "Crescent Beam" attack, which would later appear in the '90s Sailor Moon anime where it functioned as her signature attack for the first few seasons, also got its start here. She uses it in the first story to defeat the villain Narkissos.
Variations of the attack would appear in the video games, musicals, and even the live-action show, although it was sometimes given different names. Interestingly enough, it never actually appeared in the Sailor Moon manga proper.
7 There Was An Early Version Of Ami Called Hikaru
Back when she was Sailor V, Minako's best friend was a girl named Hikaru Sorano, who she knew since elementary school. Kind and hardworking, she was the vice president of a volunteer club and once roped Sailor V into helping her with a blood drive.
Although she was unaware of her best friend's double life, Artemis had actually expressed a desire for Hikaru to become a Sailor Senshi, finding her far more responsible than Minako. In fact, Hikaru was originally planned to become a Sailor Senshi in what would become the Sailor Moon series, but she was instead replaced by Ami Mizuno, who greatly resembles her.
6 There Was Also An Early Version Of Umino
Sailor Moon fans are familiar with the running joke of characters who happen to look like Usagi's classmate, Umino: Princess D, Chibiusa's classmate Sorano, Mercurius, and arguably even Dr. Tomoe. But before Umino, there was Gurikazu Amano, Minako's bespectacled classmate who had a crush on her.
Similar to Hikaru, Amano was originally going to appear in Sailor Moon before being replaced with an identical character. And just like Umino, Amano is supposed to be quite handsome without his glasses.
5 Sailor V & Artemis Worked For A Mysterious 'Boss'
In the early Sailor V stories, Artemis and Minako are in contact with a mysterious figure called "Boss," who gives them orders and advice, communicating unseen through Minako's transformation pen.
Some fans debate over who this mysterious "Boss" character was supposed to be. Some suspect it was Luna, although this seems to contradict Luna's memories being altered in the manga so she wouldn't recognize Usagi as Princess Serenity. Other fans suspect the character was Queen Serenity or simply a character that was dropped from the story.
4 Sailor V Had Much More Of A Moon Theme
Sailor Moon fans know that Sailor V is really Sailor Venus and that the Earth's Moon would end up with a Sailor Scout of its own, but Minako had a strong moon theme during her original series. Her original transformation phrase was "Moon Power, Transform" and she could disguise herself by saying "Crescent Moon Power, Transform." She also bore a crescent moon on her forehead and on her choker, and had a moon-shaped compact mirror that recharged in the moonlight.
This moon theme would prove rather fitting since Minako would pose as the decoy Moon Princess when she first appeared in Sailor Moon, only to reveal herself as Sailor Venus later on.
3 Fans Got A Rare Glimpse At Minako's Parents
Although they rarely appear in the later Sailor Moon series, two characters who appear regularly in the Sailor V stories were Minako's parents. Minako's mother, who greatly resembled Usagi's mother, Ikuko, wore her hair in a ponytail and often scolded her daughter over schoolwork and for being unladylike. Minako's father also greatly resembled Usagi's father, Kenji.
It's likely these similarities are the reason the two don't often physically appear in the Sailor Moon universe, as they might get confused with Usagi's family.
2 Minako Had A Doomed Love Interest: Phantom Ace
Towards the end of the Sailor V stories, Minako had a love interest of sorts: a mysterious protector akin to Tuxedo Mask called Phantom Ace. Of course, his absence in Sailor Moon foreshadows that they wouldn't get a happy ending together.
He's actually the villain Danburite and the leader of the Dark Agency, a sub-division of the Dark Kingdom, but he had fallen in love with Princess Venus in her former life when he was her foot-soldier, Adonis, sharing a name with the doomed lover of Aphrodite. Dying at her hands, he muses that Minako will always choose duty over love.
1 There Was Going To Be An OVA
There had been plans at one point to create an OVA starring Minako as Sailor V. As mentioned, Minako's friend Hikaru would have become a Sailor Senshi, functioning in a similar role to Ami Mizuno. Although they never appear in the Sailor V series proper, two prototypes of Rei Hino and Makoto Kino appear called Miyabi Yoruno and Mamoru Chino, whose name would later be modified for Usagi's love interest. Mamoru was a genuine delinquent, unlike Makoto who is simply mistaken for one.
The five girls would also be searching for a fifth girl, a mysterious princess named "Artemis," who likely served as the prototype for Princess Serenity. While ultimately canceled, the project would eventually turn into Sailor Moon.
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