Why was Makoto one of the least popular guardian senshi, and why was she so irrelevant to storylines in the musicals? Is it because she was a poor role model for children? Is it because she was not superficially feminine and had a confusing personality? Or is it because she's the green one ;_;

Yes, she is not intellectual like Ami; not innocent and silly like Usagi; not elegant and spiritual like Rei; or insane and fun like Minako, but Makoto is so unique and such an amazing character and it was never fully fleshed out especially in the musicals. The closest she got was a few short scenes in which she was about to be a vampire in Transylvania no Mori and even then she had to share it with Rei and Haruka.

So many things could have been explored:
Makoto's problem with love (too tall, bad reputation, obsession with her senpai)
Makoto's dreams
Makoto's history, her parents (sooo much could have been done on this)
Makoto's current lifestyle and how she copes with everyday life and her incredible maturity to be able to live alone at such an early age.

Poor Makoto

It would have been harder for girls to associate with Makoto due to the age of the anime audience. As for the musicals, quite frankly. There was no Makoto that became notable enough for the audience to care too much and for the director's to use this into a storyline. Kanoko left just before she could have gotten one, Emi Kuriyama received a minor storyline, lucky her and Mai Watanabe was outshone by both Marina Kuroki and Manami Wakayama. I don't think anyone saw Makoto Kino as a role beneficial to their career.
Makoto had adequate screentime in the anime, manga and especially PGSM. But like Rei, she was phased out for Sailor Stars... simply because there wasn't time.

The thing that made me angry was the fact that Kanoko wasn't recognised as being AMAZING. To be honest she's better at most things than ayako morino.

UndergroundSources wrote:

It would have been harder for girls to associate with Makoto due to the age of the anime audience.

I would have to agree with that statement. It's only now at my age that I relate to Makoto because she was always more mature than the other girls. She cooked, cleaned, lived on her lonesome - she's like a tough mother hen. I never understood much of her dialogue when I was younger but now my friend and I are always quoting her...

"He looks just like my old boyfriend!"

I really appreciate and admire Jupiter so much more now.

I love Makoto! She used to be my favorite solider because I thought she rocked! Also I loved how she was not a total tomboy like me! Like her I'm tomboish, but yet I'm a girlish at the same time! We're both in between! Then I saw Minako funny in S and I fell in love with her. So Minako became my favorite and Makoto became my second.

I always loved the way Mako would be soo tough yet very loving to does that gave her the chance to be so. I remember alway looking foward to see her back when I was a kid more than the others from the momment she debuted protecting Usagi from those thugs.

Makoto will always be my favorite! She had to be independant because of the death of her parents. I wish this had been elaborated on more in the anime but it wasnt .

I didn't really like her when I was younger, but I didn't really like alot of the senshi when I was younger. I'd say 5-10 is really the target age of this anime (at least in America) & I know that personally as a young child, I could never connect to her or understand her you know?

Watching PGSM changed my mind on her & Rei though. I feel like I can understand her character better because of watching it.

Makoto is more like a big sister in the series.but I could never like Makoto when I was little. she strong but she also sweet too.

well, i guess it's because most girls just aren't looking at themselves as tomboys. but she has always been my favorite due to her tomboy thing(which is very similar to me, ever since i was a child)

I think, in the anime at least, it was largely due to the order of the scouts.

First, Ami came in and we saw got to see a lot of focus on her because she was the first Sailor Scout besides Sailor Moon. With Rei, the whole concept of other Sailor Scouts was still new and exciting, but they didn't exploit it as much. By the time Makoto comes in, it's like, okay okay we've had enough of the process of becoming a Sailor Scout, so there's not much about her development. Of course Venus trumps everyone with the huge spotlight put on her, otherwise they would have shown even less of her.

A lot of people say they wish there was more Makoto because she got ignored, but I don't know, I don't really see that. If I had to compare how much attention all of the girls got, I guess she would be the one who got the least, but I don't think it would be by much. I don't know, maybe that's just me.

Well this discussion was mostly about the muscials and after watching several musicals, you will immediately noticed how Jupiter doesn't really get much character development or huge moments in comparison to other characters.

Anime does a so-so job with her.

PGSM does the best! I love Mako in PGSM. She is so awesome!

Small Lady wrote:

PGSM does the best! I love Mako in PGSM. She is so awesome!

I completely agree! I loved Makoto in PGSM! She was so strong but so caring. When I watched the show she started to become one of my favorite Senshi. I desparately wanted a friend like her! (and not just because she could cook! )

yeah, on the PGSM she was super important!
I think it was to compensate for anime/musical and all... but Azama Mew was one of the best actresses(IMO, losing only to Kitagawa Keiko), so that really helps =)