Ok so, in the anime, they have it pretty much balanced out. Everyone equally loves Usagi, they share amazing feelings, blah blah blah. However, we see very clearly in the manga that Minako and Usagi/Serenity had a very deep friendship. In Code Name Sailor V, Minako has dreams about her from her past life as a senshi. I mean, wow, they others didn't even remember ANYTHING until Usagi fully awakened. Plus in the manga, Minako tries her best to prevent misfortune. She SCREAMS as she sees Serenity take her own life. Not to mention we see her constantly watching over the Princess, even when she was small. Also, in the Sailor V manga, Minako runs into her destined lover, Adonis, who even tells her that because of her own love and duties to her princess, that she will never truly love someone other than Serenity. Also, in the stars arc, she admits this herself to the starlights. It's rather sad that Minako forsakes true love for her Princess, but it's also endearing and sweet.

I've noticed that after the "big" battles, Minako is the one Usagi always hugs first.




There are more, but I can't find them...

I always felt that Rei and Mina had their roles reversed in the anime and manga, at least in terms of relationship to Usagi. In the anime, Rei does a lot of the same thing you guys are talking about here- she's the closest to Usagi, she's always the first one Usagi confides in (remember Stars- Rei was the only person Usagi told about Mamoru's disappearance). That's probably why Rei's my favorite in the anime and Minako's my favorite in the manga xD

But do they all equally love Usagi in the anime? I think all of them love her, but Rei and Haruka (who is fiercely protective of Usagi), come across as loving her more than duty and best friendship. Maybe they are the most protective and that's what I'm seeing.... not sure how to word it.

I agree that Minako and Rei's positions seem to be reversed in the anime versus the manga. I hadn't thought of it before but I totally see it now. When Mina starts going to the same school as the others in Stars in the anime, you can see she and Usagi's friendship really deepen because they are together all the time, but still, she always goes to Rei, but that might be too because Rei is so more level headed and easier to confide to for advice.

Ella, I agree with you on the role reversal from the manga to the anime. It's also another reason for me to favor Sailor Mars (because the anime has always been my main source for SM).

And Jamie, I agree with you also. Each of the soldiers are protective of Usagi and harbor a love for her as a friend. However, with Mars that sense of duty and feelings of love seem to be heightened. She's also the only character to address Usagi without an honorific.

Haruka I don't see so much but that's because I have a grudge against her and Michiru for trying to defeat Usagi after the Mistress 9/Pharaoh 90 debacle.

And since you brought up the Stars Arc... I'll link to one of my favorite clips XD

https://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b82/GoodBreakingYellowDay/?action=view¤t=GuardiansfromEp194.mp4

All the senshi are dedicated to protecting her but Mina and Rei take an extra measure by escorting her to school. And then Rei with that whistle of hers ... hilarious!

Reiko wrote:

Haruka I don't see so much but that's because I have a grudge against her and Michiru for trying to defeat Usagi after the Mistress 9/Pharaoh 90 debacle.

I hate that episode! When I occasionally throw in that arc I always skip it. It was such filler and so out of character, Uranus and Neptune BELIEVED in her during the fight with Pharaoh 90, that was how they lent her their power so she could jump into the black hole and rescue Saturn. They wouldn't question her about it after by challenging her to a ridiculous fight.

The only thing I did like about that episode was it showed how Usagi was truly strong and truly the princess. But for the most part i dislike that too.

I think a good episode that shows Minako's caring of Usagi in the anime is the one in the first season where they go to the hair salon right after Usagi finds out she's the princess and loses endymion. It reminded me of how Minako is the one that brushes and fixed Usagi's hair when they went to visit her. Its a sweet episode.

I definitely ship Minako and Usagi together in the manga. I feel like by the final season in the anime, Minako was Flanderized into someone to serve as Usagi's double in the less serious scenes. Even in the early anime, she was more ditzy and immature than in the manga. Everyone points to the episode about her past as showing more depth to her character, but I was always irritated how she thought that letting Alan and Katarina think she was dead was nicer than at least letting them know she was alive before leaving. I think "Codename: Sailor V" did a much better job of exploring her character.

Then again, Minako was only 13 in that episode. Young teens aren't always the best at making decisions.

I'm intrigued by that picture of Usagi and Minako...You can see it here: http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/12900000/Sailor-Moon-Yuri-yuri-manga-and-anime-12904154-640-484.jpg

I wonder what Takeuchi was thinking when she drew that picture. Was it an idea she had considered exploring? Was she just doodling? Did she feel that Minako's feelings for Usagi were more than friendship? I wish Takeuchi weren't so elusive. Or maybe I just feel like she's elusive because the manga is so old.

What I wouldn't give to know what was in her head at that time.

Takeuchi is definitely given to some enigmatic art which raises questions about the relationships between certain characters. To be honest, I wasn't aware of how Usagi and Minako were portrayed to be so close in the manga. The piece of art Rachael just linked is a first viewing for me, and I too wonder what Takeuchi was thinking (in general sense, not pejorative) when she drew that piece.

I'm also in total agreement about Minako in the anime. She was practically reduced to a comic relief character, a shame given the hint at the depth she possessed when she first arrived. I'm hard pressed to recall a Minako-centric episode after her introduction wherein she plays a primarily serious role rather than that of the comic foil among the Senshi alongside Usagi. It's a bit strange since in the beginning of Stars, when the Sailor Senshi are negotiating Nehellenia's nightmare world, Pluto makes a comment about how Venus is the leader of the Inner Senshi protecting the princess. Given Minako's behavior over the course of the anime, I'm hard pressed to agree with Pluto in that assessment.

I think the animators were trying to make a throwback to the manga by having Pluto say that Venus was the leader of the Inner Senshi. Although, given the actual CONTENT of the anime, it seems to me like Mars is more of a leader than Venus is. The only prime example of the leadership of Venus was in the R movie.

Rachael wrote:

http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/12900000/Sailor-Moon-Yuri-yuri-manga-and-anime-12904154-640-484.jpg

Ahhh this image. There are times where I think Naoko just wanted to draw sexy characters. I remember while reading the manga, in her side blurbs, she talked about how she wanted to create a sexy heroine. Sometimes I think she'd draw things like this just to have some slight provocative sexy characters. There are many times where she's drawn the girls to look very "sexy", if you will. I think its a preference and possibly deep inside Naoko would have liked some more lesbian pairings in the manga.

I feel like it might be similar to how I'm a bit more biased to drawing women as well. I've had no qualms for serious drawing projects for school to draw some real provocative stuff (except my stuff was always real explicit). I think Naoko probably has a tendency to want to draw things like that too.

Frankly it seemed that most of the Rei/Usagi friendship was forced. You know, the pointless mind boggling stupid arguments. It had no point and it was sooo random. They should have left it as it was in the manga. As for Haruka being more protective of Usagi in the anime, I actually rather liked that. It was cute. However, the Rei and Minako switching roles things really bothers me. I didn't like that at all. :/ Oh and the fact that Rei was boy crazy in the anime, when it was really just Makoto, Minako, and Usagi. Rei was portrayed better in the manga, and that's why I really liked the manga version of Sailor Moon a lot better.

Brit-chan wrote:

I think a good episode that shows Minako's caring of Usagi in the anime is the one in the first season where they go to the hair salon right after Usagi finds out she's the princess and loses endymion. It reminded me of how Minako is the one that brushes and fixed Usagi's hair when they went to visit her. Its a sweet episode.

I love that episode! For the very reasons you stated. It really did show how caring Mina was, and perhaps, other than Makoto, she was the only one who understood how it was to lose somebody you loved.

I always liked the dynamics or Usagi/Rei in anime and Usagi/Minako in manga. they switched roles, obviously, but then think about it- even though Venus is a "twin" planet of Earth, Mars is the only one with possible life existance (and it is also very earth-like). so, it is not that unnatural after all...
Plus I always found it touching that in any battle or crisis (in anime) Mars is the last one standing between the evil and Sailor Moon. (and she dies last. and before she does she manages to give an Usagi-supportive speach. And she is the only one who's been given an honor to keep the Silver crystal).
And even though they argue a lot, i see it as a manifestation of their love for each other. just like Usagi and Chibiusa.
I even think that Mars had a lot of influence on Chibiusa. May be even played a role of surrogate mother to her while Serenity had to deal with "defrosting" of the planet (that would actually explain pinkish color of Chibiusa's costume and her garnet eyes).
I would actually love to see in anime both Minako and Rei being the closest to the princess and their dynamics- Usagi and Minako's closeness based on their similarities, and Usagi and Rei's closeness based on their differences - disguised in quarrels. And may be even Rei vs Minako 's "battle of wills" about who's closer to Usagi. And Usagi being completely oblivious to all that. XD

Sinclaire wrote:

I would actually love to see in anime both Minako and Rei being the closest to the princess and their dynamics- Usagi and Minako's closeness based on their similarities, and Usagi and Rei's closeness based on their differences - disguised in quarrels.

I know; that's one of the dynamics I love the most!

Brit-chan wrote:

Ahhh this image. There are times where I think Naoko just wanted to draw sexy characters. I remember while reading the manga, in her side blurbs, she talked about how she wanted to create a sexy heroine. Sometimes I think she'd draw things like this just to have some slight provocative sexy characters. There are many times where she's drawn the girls to look very "sexy", if you will. I think its a preference and possibly deep inside Naoko would have liked some more lesbian pairings in the manga.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think she was necessarily putting forth the idea of Minako and Usagi in a relationship, but at the very least, she felt they were compatible enough to draw them together. She did seem to have a tendency to sort of blur the lines between friendly admiration and romantic adoration and even sexual attraction. For example, Usagi gets hearts for eyes when she first sees Rei, and a lot of people sense some unspoken feelings between Rei and Minako. I think that subtlety is another thing I love in Naoko's work, and is one of the reasons why I get the urge to write yuri when I read the manga.

Or who knows? Maybe she just wanted to tease us.

It's interesting to point out that

the Minako / Usagi relationship seems strongest in manga but this was changed to Rei / Usagi in the anime... even then the musicals seemed to favour Ami / Usagi , PGSM seems to favour equally, but I suppose you might be able to point out a stronger, Makoto / Usagi there since Ami and Rei tend to have other stuff going on.

Several of my favorite Usagi and Minako pictures. Couldn't get the text on the post with the pictures. Forgive me for the double post.
*Disclaimer. 3 of the gifs I found on www.themoonprincess.tumblr.com. All are watermarked by the poster.* Check out her page if you get the chance. It's a treasure trove of high quality and sometimes hard to find gifs of Sailor Moon.

AND I EFFING WANT THAT FIGURINE OF MINAKO BRUSHING USAGI'S HAIR!!!

Ella wrote:

In the anime, Rei does a lot of the same thing you guys are talking about here- she's the closest to Usagi, she's always the first one Usagi confides in (remember Stars- Rei was the only person Usagi told about Mamoru's disappearance).

I don't really see Rei in anime as the closest to Usagi. I see all friendships as equal though different. Rei and Usagi became friends with time. I believe that Usagi had at this moment to tell somebody about Mamoru and Rei just happened to come upon (and Rei's intention was to chide Usagi about Seiya).

Sinclaire wrote:

I would actually love to see in anime both Minako and Rei being the closest to the princess and their dynamics- Usagi and Minako's closeness based on their similarities, and Usagi and Rei's closeness based on their differences - disguised in quarrels. And may be even Rei vs Minako 's "battle of wills" about who's closer to Usagi. And Usagi being completely oblivious to all that. XD

They actually played on this somewhat in PGSM where they had Rei playing the role of a temporary leader for the Sailor Guardians when Minako should be the official leader but Rei doesn't trust Minako and seems to try and keep her away from Usagi and the others and having a rivalry with each other.

Adding to this...

Though Minako seems to be closest to Usagi in the manga and Rei in the anime, Ami is the closest in the musicals and it seems Makoto and Usagi are always off to do something together in PGSM. So everyone got a fair chance. Who will it be in the new series? Minako again?

Maybe they'll do a scene for scene adaptation of the manga like FMA Brotherhood and Minako will be closer to her manga persona.

Minako was also the only senshi that wasn't taken captive by the Black Moon in the second arc. She and Usagi were the only senshi left so I can see why they might have become closer during those times.

I've always thought that Naoko had a soft spot for Minako and Usagi because Sailor V came first and was on her own and then Sailor Moon is well Sailor Moon. Usagi and Minako are also rather alike, long blonde hair, blue eyes, and similar personalities.