Sailor Pluto
Sailor Pluto | |
---|---|
Sailor Moon character | |
First appearance | Sailor Moon chapter #19: "Time Warp – Sailor Pluto" (1993) |
Created by | Naoko Takeuchi |
Voiced by | Japanese: Chiyoko Kawashima Ai Maeda (Sailor Moon Crystal) English: Sabrina Grdevich (DiC dub) Susan Aceron (CWi dub) Veronica Taylor (Viz Media dub) |
In-universe information | |
Alias | Setsuna Meioh Princess Pluto |
Affiliations | Sailor Guardians Shadow Galactica (manga and Sailor Moon Crystal) |
Powers and abilities | Manipulation and control of spacetime Time Wave Generation Teleport others over short or vast distances Open rifts or doorways in space through different eras Freeze all of time (forbidden) Erect a shield of time-space energy |
Sailor Pluto (セーラープルート, Sērā Purūto) is a fictional character in the Sailor Moon manga series written by Naoko Takeuchi. The alternate identity of Setsuna Meiou (冥王 せつな, Meiō Setsuna, renamed "Trista Meioh" in some English adaptations), she is a member of the Sailor Guardians, female supernatural fighters who protect the Solar System from evil.
She is unique among all the characters in that she is stationed at the Door of Space-Time, with the specific duty of forbidding anyone to pass through it without permission. She possesses powers that are associated with time, space, the underworld, and darkness. She was one of several new characters introduced in the series' second arc (called "Black Moon" in the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal, and Sailor Moon R in the first anime adaptation), which was comparable to a retool to continue Sailor Moon past the point it was originally supposed to end.
Her role and importance differ greatly between the first anime and manga (though her personality in the two media is mostly the same). A major part of the second arc in the original manga is Pluto and Chibiusa's relationship, thus the two of them are important characters. In the anime, this relationship is not focused on and Pluto loses her prominence.
Profile
Sailor Pluto is not introduced until late in the Sailor Moon R series, though she appears earlier in the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal, in the chapter/episode named after her, though this is still at the halfway point. She is the Guardian who guards the Gates of Time. She is first seen contacting Chibiusa through Luna-P in the anime; this does not happen in the manga or Crystal. In fact, this ability of Luna-P's is anime-only. Sailor Pluto refers to Chibiusa as "Small Lady." Chibiusa usually calls Sailor Pluto by the nickname "Puu". She acts as Chibiusa's guardian in the anime,
After the events of the second
Even in her civilian form, Setsuna is the oldest of the girls, around her late teens or older.[2] Her personality has been described as distant and somewhat lonely; however, she does consistently display warmth and affection for Chibiusa.[3] When she reincarnates, she becomes more friendly, but is still not very emotional, although there are moments in the manga where she expresses much more emotion than the anime (she loosens up enough that she brings alcohol to a minor's birthday party). She later cares for Hotaru along with Michiru and Haruka; this happens at the end of the Infinity arc in the manga, but not until the fifth and final arc in the anime (which was shorter than the previous four arcs).
She does not seem to have any non-Guardian contacts in the anime, which is in sharp contrast both to the other Guardians in that continuity and the manga and Crystal. In the latter, she befriends
Unlike the other Guardians (excluding Sailor Venus, who has been described as a goddess before), it is questioned whether she is fully human—she has been described as "a goddess, eternally guarding the Portal of Space and Time." She was born under the sun sign Scorpio, whose modern ruling planet is Pluto,[4] though sometimes Pluto is said to co-rule with Mars, Scorpio's traditional ruling planet.
In the anime, Sailor Pluto appears in relatively few episodes (despite being the sixth Sailor Guardian introduced) and does not really do anything of consequence, even her sacrifice comes off as existing simply because it was in the manga and the writers felt the need to include it, despite the circumstances not being as dire and heart-wrenching. Unlike Sailor Neptune and Sailor Uranus, she is sympathetic toward the Inners and assists them on several occasions. During the second story arc, she allows them to travel through time even though this is not ordinarily allowed.
Sailor Pluto has additional, less cited spheres of dominion in her manga and Crystal incarnation, influences that are vaguely suggested in the anime, but never made explicit. Sailor Pluto is much darker in the black-and-white manga than in color illustrations and both anime series (something which has not gone unnoticed by the Western fandom; her skin color also is not consistent among seasons with her appearance in R as being extremely pale, as a bit darker in S, and lastly flat-out orange in Stars. In Crystal, she is dark enough to tell she is not the same shade as everyone else which is fairly consistent with how Takeuchi draws her in her color pictures). She is identified as the "Guardian of the Underworld" wearing a black-themed sailor suit. She is also stated to be the daughter of Chronos, the god of time.[8] She is ruthless and follows rather exacting laws, executing any intruders who dare violate the underworld in search for the Gates of Time. She nearly kills Sailor Moon before realizing who she is, stating that "all who break the taboo must be eliminated."[9] Luna also states to the others that no one is to even know that Sailor Pluto exists, due to her dominion and nature, and that to her knowledge no one has ever seen her. Luna calls her a "lone warrior," noting the sadness in her eyes.[9] In the manga and Crystal, not even the cats know she exists at first.
In the manga and Crystal, Pluto's death scene vaguely implies a romantic interest in
A small quirk occurs in continuity between the manga and anime. Sailor Pluto (temporarily) expires in both, but at different times; her death in the manga and Crystal occurs much earlier and reawakens the good side of Black Lady, a corrupted Chibiusa, due to remembering her friendship with Pluto as she watches her die. This is also the point where Sailor Chibimoon appears, again much earlier than in the anime. However, for all intents and purposes, in the manga and Crystal the technicality of Sailor Pluto existing outside of time means she is able to be reincarnated as a normal woman while still existing back at her post at the Time Gate (though this does not cause problems in the manga and Crystal continuity to begin with). Alternately, she reincarnates backwards, so the Setsuna known in seasons 3-5 will become the Sailor Pluto seen in season 2.
Aspects and forms
As a character with different incarnations, special powers, transformations, and a long lifetime spanning the Silver Millennium and the 30th century, Setsuna gains multiple aspects and aliases as the series progresses.
Sailor Pluto
Setsuna's primary identity is that of a Sailor Guardian. Her
Sailor Pluto has power over both time and space[12] and is ordinarily stationed at the Space-Time Door (a time travelling gate) to prevent its use. When charged with this duty by Queen Serenity, she was given three "taboos", rules which she was forbidden to disobey: she must not travel through time, she must not abandon her post at the Door, and she must never cause time to stop. If she does stop time, her life is forfeit.[13] Throughout the course of the series, Sailor Pluto breaks all three of these rules.
As she grows stronger, Sailor Pluto gains additional powers and at key points her uniform changes to reflect this. The first change takes place in act 44 of the manga, when she obtains the Pluto Crystal and her outfit becomes similar to that of Super Sailor Moon. She is not given a new title. A similar event takes place in episode 167 of the anime and she is given the name Super Sailor Pluto. A third form appears in Act 49 of the manga, unnamed but analogous to
Princess Pluto
In Silver Millennium, Sailor Pluto was also the princess of her home world. She was among those given the duty of protecting the Solar System from outside invasion. As Princess Pluto, she dwelt in Charon Castle and wore a black gown—she appears in this form in manga act 48 as well as in supplementary art.
Special powers and items
Setsuna is not shown using any special powers while in civilian form. She must first transform by either raising her hand or using a special device called the Lip Rod in the anime into the air and shouting a special phrase, originally "Pluto Planet Power, Make up!"[16] In the manga she eventually gains her Pluto Crystal and this phrase changes to evoke "Pluto Crystal Power".[17] In the anime, although she does upgrade to Super Sailor Pluto, the Sailor Crystal is never mentioned and her transformation is not shown on screen.
She wields the Garnet Rod, a gigantic key which is topped by the Garnet Orb and a heart. The orb is one of three items necessary for Sailor Saturn's awakening and a reference to one of Japan's Imperial Regalia: the jewel. The reason for garnet specifically being associated with Sailor Pluto is probably due to an elaborate pun regarding her underworld-based powers and mythology. The Japanese name for garnet is "pomegranate stone" and pomegranates were the food of the underworld in the Greek myth of Persephone becoming Hades' (aka Pluto's) wife. Therefore, the Guardian of the underworld king planet (Pluto) incorporates garnet into her outfit and weapon. However, there being a heart-shaped region on Pluto was an accident as there was no way for Takeuchi to know what Pluto looked like in real life until 2015. The Time Keys around her waist look like mini Garnet Rods; these keys are the only way to travel through time.
Sailor Pluto's powers over time and space are somewhat tied with the destructive power of Sailor Saturn for astrological and mythological reasons.[18] The names of Sailor Pluto's attacks include frequent reference to the underworld (in Act 32 of the manga, she states that she "carries the protection of the planet of the underworld, Pluto."), which was the province of Pluto in Roman myth; this is evident in her first named power, Dead Scream (破滅喘鳴, Deddo Sukurīmu),[12][19] which is her primary attack throughout the first anime. Unlike any other attack in the series, its name is whispered rather than shouted when she uses it.
In the manga, Sailor Pluto demonstrates a few other named powers, including Chronos Typhoon (時空嵐撃, Kuronosu Taifūn)[12][20] and the defensive force field Garnet Ball.[21]
Sailor Pluto has enough power over time to stop it entirely and although she is forbidden to do so, she uses this power one time each in the anime and manga. In the manga, Crystal, and the musicals Tanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady and its revision Tanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady (Kaiteiban)-Wakusei Nemesis no Nazo, she uses it to stop
In addition to these powers, when the Space-Time Door has been misused, Sailor Pluto is able to close off passage to other worlds. At the end of the manga's Infinity arc (corresponds to the anime's S season), Sailor Saturn asks her to seal off forever the gateway to the world Pharaoh 90 had come from. This is done with Dark Dome Close (冥空封印, "dark sky seal").[24]
All of Sailor Pluto's attacks require the use of the Garnet Rod, which is shaped like a giant key as a symbol of her stewardship over the Door of Space-Time. In Roman mythology, it is stated that the god Pluto holds a key because "they say that what is called Hades has been locked up by Pluto, and that nobody will return back again therefrom."
Development
The statistics listed for Setsuna in the back of manga volume 10 are unusual in that most of them never come up in the series itself. Her favorite school subject is given as
The kanji of Setsuna's surname translates as "dark" (冥, mei) and "king" (王, ō). Together, they constitute most of the name of the dwarf planet Pluto in Japanese: Meiōsei (冥王星, "dark king star"). Her given name is setsuna (せつな) in hiragana which is a loanword from India ksana, means "moment" (刹那), fitting in with her time-based powers.
The packaging of Irwin dolls released in Canada in 1998 called her by the name Celia. When her civilian form debuted in the third season originally dubbed by Cloverway Inc., she was instead called Trista (while her last name was kept as Meioh).
Actresses
In the Japanese dub of the first anime, she is voiced by Chiyoko Kawashima.[31] In the Japanese dub of Crystal and all media since, she is voiced by Ai Maeda.
In the stage musicals, Setsuna has been portrayed by Miwa Hosoki, Rei Saitou, Yuki Kamiya, Seiko Nakazawa, Teruyo Watanabe, Yuko Hosaka, Yukiko Nakae, Miho Yokoi, Mikako Ishii and Chisato Minami . In one show, Usagi * Ai no Senshi e no Michi, she appeared only as a silhouette and was portrayed by Noriko Kamiyama.[32]
In the DIC Entertainment English dub, when her voice is heard through Rini's Luna Ball, her voice is provided by Luna's voice actress Jill Frappier (the dubbers may have mistakenly thought Luna was talking instead of a new character). Sabrina Grdevich voices her during her physical appearances in Sailor Moon R and the two movies she appears in, where she sounds like a valley girl very much out-of-character with how Pluto is portrayed in the Japanese dub and manga. In the Cloverway English dub, she's voiced by Susan Aceron. In the Viz Media English dub, she's voiced by Veronica Taylor.[33]
Reception and influence
The official Sailor Moon character popularity polls listed Setsuna Meioh and Sailor Pluto as separate entities. In 1994, with fifty one choices, Setsuna was the thirteenth most popular character and Pluto was fifth.[34] In early 1996, with fifty one choices, Setsuna was the twenty-ninth most popular character and Pluto was the twenty-first.[35]
In her reviews of the second season of Sailor Moon Crystal,
See also
References
- OCLC 50898281.
- ^ In act 27 of the manga and 30 of Crystal, she identifies herself as a university freshman.
- ^ Episodes 68, 82, 115. Sailor Moon SuperS: The Movie.
- OCLC 50898281.
- ^ Episodes 82 and 85.
- ^ In Episodes 110 and 111, she helps Usagi locate Uranus and Neptune so that Usagi will be present to get the Holy Grail. In episode 119, she reveals her knowledge of the Death Busters' plan, claiming that she could not continue without telling them the whole truth. She also joins Sailor Moon, Sailor Chibi Moon, and Tuxedo Mask in battle in episode 121.
- ^ Episode 182.
- ^ When Chibiusa travels through time, she calls on Chronos, referring to him as the "almighty god of time, the time guardian's father." This incantation is first used in manga and Crystal act 18 and in anime episode 82. Pluto herself states in the stage musical song "Forbidden Hades" that Chronos' blood runs through her veins.
- ^ a b Episode 82.
- ^ "Onna No Ronsou". Retrieved 2006-08-06.
- ^ Sailor Moon Musical 1998 Eien Densetsu kaiteiban (Senshuuraku)-Eikyuu Honzonban Video-FanKansha Event(Fan Appreciation Event)
- ^ ISBN 4-06-178826-4.
- ^ Acts 22-23.
- ISBN 4-06-178835-3.
- ISBN 978-4-06-522736-7.
- ^ First used in the manga short story The Lover of Princess Kaguya.
- ^ "Crystal Power" starting in act 39 when she acquires her second uniform. No new phrase is used for her third uniform.
- ^ Cronus/Saturn carried a sickle to signify the harvest, which was a tie-in to death. Note the confusion between Cronus/Saturn, god/Titan of the harvest, and Chronos, god of time. Sailor Pluto mentions Chronos as her father several times during the course of the series. Current astrology has it so that Pluto and Saturn are linked for these reasons.
- ^ Uses the Garnet Rod. First appears in act 18 of the manga and episode 112 of the anime.
- ^ Uses the Garnet Orb. First appears in act 31. When Sailor Pluto and the other Soldiers are controlled by Galaxia in act 50, she uses Galactica Chronos Typhoon. She also joins with Sailor Saturn for Galactica Cannon.
- ^ Used in act 32.
- ^ Act 23; she shouts "Time! Stop!!" (Jikan yo! Tomare!!). This part of the story was also featured in the Tanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady stage musical and its revival.
- ^ Episode 124.
- ISBN 4-06-178806-X.
- ^ Pausanias 5.20.
- ^ Natale Conti, Mythologiae 2.9, edition of 1651, pp. 173–174.
- ^ ISBN 4-06-178806-X.
- ISBN 4-06-324518-7.
- ^ Picture Collection vol. 3.
- ^ Picture Collection vol. 5
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon". Archived from the original on 2006-10-28. Retrieved 2006-10-31.
- ^ "eternal.legend". Retrieved 2006-11-04.
- ^ "Sailor Moon R English Dub Casts Sandy Fox as Chibi Usa, Veronica Taylor as Sailor Pluto". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2017-07-14.
- ISBN 4-06-178806-X.
- ISBN 4-06-178835-3.
- ^ Sullivan, Meghan (April 6, 2015). "Sailor Moon Crystal: "Act 19 - Time Warp, Sailor Pluto" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Sullivan, Meghan (May 4, 2015). "Sailor Moon Crystal: "Act 21 - Complication, Nemesis" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Sullivan, Meghan (June 20, 2015). "Sailor Moon Crystal: "Attack, Black Lady" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- ^ Sullivan, Meghan (July 4, 2015). "Sailor Moon Crystal: "Showdown, Death Phantom" Review". IGN. Retrieved September 23, 2019.