Sailor Moon

Popular shoujo(girls') Manga and Anime series created by Naoko Takeuchi. The story revolves around the reincarnated defenders of a destroyed kingdom that spanned the universe, and the evil forces that threaten Earth.

Takeuchi combined many seemingly disparate themes in the creation of Sailor moon. Combining her love of space with Greek Myth, magical girls, Japanese elemental themes and Meiji-era sailor-fuku school uniforms, she managed to create a completely new and original idea that subsequently made her a metric ton of money.

The premise is as follows: lazy, stupid and immature school student Usagi Tsukino discovers that she is in fact the reincarnation of the princess of the Moon kingdom. Her role as defender of the universe has been reissued to her in light of the reemergence of the evil force that destroyed the kingdom a few thousand years ago. As the series progresses, she is reunited with other reincarnated defenders of the universe, guardian knights to the princess and themselves princesses of the respective planets they represent. She is also reunited with her lover, the prince of Earth, who serves equally as romantic interest and primary protector.

Protagonists

Inner Senshi - The inner senshi are the first senshi introduced in the series. They function as protectors of the kingdom against threat

• Usagi Tsukino (Sailor Moon, princess of the Moon and the Moon kingdom)

• Ami Mizuno (Sailor Mercury)

• Rei Hino (Sailor Mars)

• Makoto Kino (Sailor Jupiter)

• Minako Aino (Sailor Venus)

Outer Senshi - The outer Senshi seemed to originally function as protection of the kingdom from external threats. They also might have some resonsibility for protecting ChibiUsa, the Moon princesses daughter. They are introduced later in the series.

• Hotaru Tomoe (Sailor Saturn)

• Michiru Kaiou (Sailor Neptune)

• Haruka Tenou (Sailor Uranus)

• Setsuna Meiou (Sailor Pluto, defender of the gates of time)

Star Senshi - I don't know crap about these people. They are androgynous idol singers in hotpants who are introduced towards the end of the series.

• Yaten Kou (Sailor Star Healer)

• Seiya Kou (Sailor Star Fighter)

• Taiki Kou (Sailor Star Maker)

Other characters, important and otherwise

• Mamoru Chiba (Tuxedo Kamen, prince of Earth, Moon princesses betrothed)

• ChibiUsa (Sailor Chibi Moon, daughter of the Moon princess)

• Luna (a cat, mentor to Usagi)

• Artemis (a cat, partner with Sailor Venus)

• Diana (a cat, offspring of Luna and Artemis)

• Helios

• Chibi Chibi (Sailor Chibi Chibi, giant headed freak)

• Princess Kakkyu

There are also four Senshi(?) that represent the four largest asteroids in the asteroid belt. They were initially evil, but at some point became good and became defenders of Chibiusa and the infantized Hotaru? I don't know what their names were, but I know they represented Ceres, Pallas, Vesta and Juno.

Enemies

• Metalia (queen of the Dark kingdom)

• Beryl (queen of the Dark kingdom too, gets power from Metalia)

Underneath Beryl there are four generals of the Dark kingdom. They used to be friends of Endymion, prince of Earth, and generals for the Moon kingdom, but were somehow corrupted by Beryl. They actually have designated sections of Earth that they are responsible for conquering. For example, I seem to recall Jadeite in charge of Japan and the Middle East. They are named after minerals, and after the Dark kingdom is defeated, they revert to good again. Their essences are trapped in stones that Mamoru occassionally talks to for support

• Jadeite

• Nephrite

• Zoisite

• Kunzite

More info on later villains here

• Wise Man

• Rubeus

• Queen Galaxia