Minako Aino
The cheerful schoolgirl who became the Soldier of Justice: Sailor V.
Minako Aino is a 13-year-old middle school student who is slightly distracted, out-spoken and dreams about someday finding her true love and boyfriend. She is the protagonist of the manga series Codename: Sailor V, which is best known as the basis for its sequel, Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon. Minako discovers she has magical powers that she must use to protect the people of the Earth, and is called "Sailor Venus" by the talking white cat Artemis. She later decides to search for the other four Sailor Soldiers and the Moon Princess, leading to the events of Sailor Moon.
Quick Facts
- Planet association
- Venus
Lore & Background
Minako Aino first appears in the one-shot of Codename: Sailor V published in August 1991, and returns as a serial that ran until July 1997. She encounters a talking white cat with a crescent moon on its forehead named Artemis, who reveals that Minako possesses the magical ability to transform into a much stronger, more powerful, and more beautiful girl than anyone. Artemis calls Minako "Sailor Venus" and tells her she has a mission to protect Earth in the name of her guardian planet Venus.
Artemis gives her two items: a crescent moon shaped compact case and a magical pen. The magical pen allows her to transform into the Soldier of Justice: Sailor V. Minako begins fighting the evil agents known as the Dark Agency, who fight under Danburite's command. She later gains the aid of Saijyo Ace, who she develops romantic feelings towards. Eventually, it is revealed that Saijyo Ace is the assumed guise of Danburite.
In the ensuing battle, a heartbroken Minako mortally wounds Danburite, who before dying, curses Minako to never find love again. Afterwards, Minako realizes that her duty is more important than romance and discovers her true identity as Sailor Venus.
Reader's Guide
Minako Aino is the main character of Codename: Sailor V, a manga series created by Naoko Takeuchi. She is a cheerful schoolgirl who discovers she has magical powers that she must use to protect the people of the Earth. Her guardian planet is Venus, and she is called "Sailor Venus" by Artemis. She transforms using a magical pen into the Soldier of Justice: Sailor V. Her primary enemies are the Dark Agency, led by Danburite, who sends talented idols to enslave the public.
Minako gains the aid of Saijyo Ace, who she develops romantic feelings for, but later learns he is Danburite in disguise. After mortally wounding Danburite, she is cursed to never find love again. She then realizes her duty is more important than romance and decides to search for the other four Sailor Soldiers and the Moon Princess. The series is best known as the basis for Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon, which began serialization in December 1991.
The manga has been reissued in several new editions with revised art and dialogue by Takeuchi, including a Shinsōban (2004), Kanzenban (2014), and Bunkoban (2019). An English translation was published in North America in 2011.
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Elsewhere in Sailor Moon
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