Sailor Saturn

Sailor Saturn
Sailor Moon character
Hotaru as Sailor Saturn in her original uniform, with her Silence Glaive, as drawn by Naoko Takeuchi.
First appearance	(See below)
Created by	Naoko Takeuchi
In-universe information
Alias	Hotaru Tomoe Princess Saturn Mistress 9 (when possessed) Miss Dream (musicals only) Kon (musicals only)

Sailor Saturn (セーラーサターン, Sērā Satān) is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. Her civilian name is Hotaru Tomoe (土萠 ほたる, Tomoe Hotaru), a sickly schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the Sailor Senshi. She is the only human protagonist whose name's spelling was not modified in the English dub, although the e sound is silent in the dubbed version.

She is known for making the fewest appearances in the anime, especially in her Senshi form, and has never appeared in any of the animated Sailor Moon films.

Profile

Hotaru is introduced first as a friend to Chibiusa, but often experiences seizures due to a sickness. It is only much later that she is discovered as a Sailor Soldier, being the very last of this solar system's soldiers to fully realize her powers. Hotaru tends to be very logical, dependable and loyal. She is also very independent and did not have friends until she met Chibiusa and Usagi. She was said by Naoko Takeuchi, her creator, to be quiet and precocious as well as expressionless. In the anime she was not popular with her classmates because of her powers and her strange seizures as well as personality changes for being the host of Mistress 9, the evil entity that lived in her after the age of 5.

She dresses predominantly in grey and black, although sometimes she wears a cobalt blue coat and a red cap. She is also seen with a garment around her shoulders in her predominant black outfit, and occasionally wore a brown coat. Because of her cyborg attachments, she always wears complete clothing to cover up her body. Even after her rebirth she continues the practice, though she begins to wear brighter colors.

In the manga, Hotaru's mother Keiko died in a lab accident. Hotaru, in turn, was critically injured. Souichi Tomoe, Hotaru's father rescued her by making her body partially cybernetic, and making a deal with Master Pharaoh 90. He planted one of the Master's eggs in her body, hoping to give rise to a truly powerful Vessel. From then on, her father became completely malevolent. After Saturn is stopped by Sailor Moon all of the cybernetic material disappears and she is reborn as a baby and has no cybernetic material attached.

Hotaru Tomoe, as seen in the anime. Her character design centers around dark colors, especially purple and black, to emphasize the gloomy nature of her past as well as her destiny as Soldier of Destruction.

In the anime version she is not cybernetic, merely an outcast because of her strange seizures. Her mother is shown in shadow in one episode, but is never given a name like the manga, nor much of a background. Her father does not die like in the manga, but lives long enough to take care of his child until Sailor Pluto asks for her in the first part of Sailor Stars.

Hotaru's age fluctuates during the series, since she was first introduced at age 13, and was later reborn as a baby, then grew back to about the resemblance of a 5 year old, then grew into a 13 year old again.

As Sailor Saturn, Hotaru can destroy a planet by dropping her weapon, the Silence Glaive. Her powers awaken once the three Talisman of Sailor Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto gather and resonate. Though a terrifying ability, Saturn reveals in the Infinity (Sailor Moon S) arc of the manga that this power is necessary, because rebirth cannot happen without death. It was Saturn who destroyed the remnants of the war-torn Silver Millennium kingdom, allowing a new world to be born. At first, knowledge of her disturbing powers caused the other Outer Senshi to attempt to kill her unawakened form. However, Saturn's awakening ultimately saved the world by forcing Master Pharaoh 90 to escape to his former universe before being destroyed with Earth. Sailor Pluto then sealed the gateway to their dimension so that he could never return, and Super Sailor Moon used her powers as Neo-Queen Serenity to resurrect all that had been destroyed. Therefore, it can be inferred that Saturn will only awaken and destroy Earth when it is doomed, allowing the holders of the Silver Crystal to subsequently revive it.

Hotaru wants to be a nurse one day, probably because of her talent at injury treatment. Due to the state of her health in both the anime and manga, her hobbies require no physical exertion and include reading and collecting lamps. She enjoys her World History class, but dislikes Physical Education and has difficulty with marathons. She also hates milk. Other favorite things include soba (buckwheat) noodles, panthers, and the color purple. Her blood type is AB, and her height fluctuates throughout the series depending on her present age.

In the manga, after Professor Tomoe's death, Hotaru essentially becomes the adopted daughter of Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaioh, watched over by Setsuna Meioh. She refers to them as Haruka-papa (despite Haruka being female), Michiru-mama and Setsuna-mama. After she grows out of her toddler form, she becomes happier and less reserved, smiling and laughing more often as she adjusts to her now-normal life. In the anime, her father is healed, and she lives with him as an infant for a time before the others return for her. After the battle with Sailor Galaxia, Hotaru is still with them; it is unknown if she returns to her father.

In the musicals, Professor Tomoe is only present in a few stages, though Sailor Saturn appears in every musical from the third on. In musicals where Tomoe is absent, Hotaru is presented as being in the care of Haruka and Michiru.

Aspects and forms

First appearance

Form	Manga	Anime
Hotaru Tomoe	Act 24	Ep. 111
Mistress 9	Act 30	Ep. 123
Sailor Saturn	Act 30	Ep. 125
Second (Super) form	Act 39	Ep. 167
Princess Saturn	Act 41	--
Third Senshi form	Act 42	--

As a character with different incarnations, special powers, transformations and a long lifetime virtually spanned between the Silver Millennium era and the 30th century, Hotaru gains multiple aspects and aliases as the series progresses.

Sailor Saturn

Hotaru's Senshi persona, often appearing as somehow separate from Hotaru. She wears a uniform colored in purple and maroon, and which in its initial form is unlike any of the others', with petal-shaped sleeves, a star brooch and choker jewel (resembling the "Pure Heart Crystals" that appear in the third story arc), more elaborate gloves, and knee-high, laced-up stiletto boots. She is given various specific titles, including Soldier of Silence, Soldier of Destruction, and Soldier of Ruin and Birth.

Sailor Saturn is especially recognizable for the Silence Glaive she carries, which she may use to bring about the cataclysmic destruction of a world or worlds. However, she has the ability to heal minor wounds in both her civilian and Senshi forms.

Planetary symbol of Saturn

In the anime, all of the Senshi (including Saturn) had lives in the Moon Kingdom and their represented planets, and were all reborn with Princess Serenity and her court. In the manga, however, Sailor Saturn is said not to have lived among the other Senshi. In fact, her coming had always been prevented by the Outer Senshi, as it was thought that allowing her to come into existence would mean the destruction of their worlds. Her awakening as a Senshi only occurs when the Talismans are gathered together. In the time of the Silver Millennium, this did not occur because Pluto, Uranus and Neptune were to never leave their posts. Additionally, the Outer Senshi were not supposed to be reborn when the Kingdom was destroyed, but they gathered together because of its destruction, and their Talismans reacted and accidentally awakened Saturn from her sleep. She then killed the remnants of the Silver Millennium and they were all reborn on Earth. After their rebirth, the Talismans, which were never meant to be on the same planet, reunited and ended up awakening Sailor Saturn in the present-day.

As she grows stronger, Sailor Saturn gains additional powers, and at key points her uniform changes to reflect this. The first change takes place in Act 39 of the manga, when she obtains the Saturn 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 168 of the anime, and she is given the name Super Sailor Saturn. A third, manga-only form appears in Act 42, also unnamed but analogous to Eternal Sailor Moon (sans wings).

Princess Saturn

In the manga, like the other Senshi, Sailor Saturn is pictured as having been a princess during the time of the Silver Millennium. As Princess Saturn, she dwelt in Titan Castle and wore a purple gown--she appears in this form in the original manga Act 41, as well as in supplementary art.

Mistress 9

Main article: Mistress 9

During the third story arc of both anime and manga, Hotaru's body was possessed by an alien known as Mistress 9. She was used as a tool of the Death Busters during this time. Mistress 9 was used to bring the demonic Pharaoh 90 to Earth so that he could destroy it. He was only stopped by the reawakened Sailor Saturn.

In the musicals

In the musical Yume Senshi - Ai - Eien ni... and its revision, Yume Senshi - Ai - Eien ni... Saturn Fukkatsu Hen!, Hotaru takes the alias of "Miss Dream" while under the control of the Dead Moon Circus, who beat and ridicule her. Her memories are seemingly erased and she is given the powers to enter and alter people's dreams. Only the other Outer Senshi realize who she really is. In the original musical, it is only implied that she is Hotaru (she is listed as "Mysterious Girl"), and it is stated but not shown that she is Sailor Saturn. In the revision, her identity as Hotaru is stated plainly, and she awakens on-stage as Saturn after being saved by the other Senshi. The name Miss Dream comes from the song she sings of the same name.

In all four of the Kagyua Island musicals, Hotaru is possessed by a spirit named Kon, who speaks through Hotaru to the other Senshi. When Hotaru awakens she has no memory of what happened while Kon possessed her body. Kon is the remnant of stars destroyed by Dark Plasman and the comet Coatl. In the first two of these musicals, she gives her power to Sailor Moon in the final battle to allow her to transform into Eternal Sailor Moon. Kon was given the song "Hitosuji no Hikari no Kokoro" in her appearances.

During Last Dracul Jokyoku, Hotaru is presented in the care of Professor Tomoe, knowing of the existence of the Senshi, yet not awakening as Sailor Saturn until halfway through the musical.

Special powers and items

File:Saturn24.jpg

In her second, upgraded uniform, Super Sailor Saturn blocks a powerful attack with Silent Wall.

While several Sailor Senshi have unusual powers as civilians, Hotaru's are by far the most numerous and varied. Some of these are portrayed only in the third story arc, when she is possessed by Mistress 9; these include forcefields and energy beams that arise when she is in danger, seemingly involuntarily. As shown in that arc, she also has the ability to heal minor flesh wounds. In both the manga and anime she is reborn as an infant immediately upon fulfilling her task as Sailor Saturn, and later, when she is needed in that role again, grows to her former age in a matter of days. Eventually she is visited by an image of herself in Senshi form, who rebestows power on her.

In the anime, Hotaru is still a baby when her power floods Sailors Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto, upgrading them and herself to their Super forms. In the manga this does not happen until she has regained her older body; they do not become "Super" per se, but she does give them their Sailor Crystals and they all gain their second outfits. In either case, when Hotaru is a young girl, she creates a small projection of the galaxy which hovers in the air in her room, simulating astronomical history at high speed. In the manga, Haruka stays with her while she does this to help keep her power in check. Hotaru often has visions of coming events, especially of danger, and can project these visions to other people.

Her transformation into Sailor Saturn is comparatively rare because of the nature of her powers and duties, and is usually caused by some sort of extraordinary circumstance that requires her presence. The change into her primary Senshi form is never shown at all in the main series, although one of the video games included a shortened anime-style transformation sequence, which she initiated by raising her hand in the air (like the Guardian Senshi) and shouting "Saturn Planet Power, Make up!" (like the Outer Senshi). In the manga she eventually gains her Saturn Crystal and does transform in front of the other Senshi, evoking Saturn Crystal Power. In the anime, although she upgrades to Super Sailor Saturn, the Crystal is never mentioned and her transformation is again not shown on screen.

Sailor Saturn's powers are mostly based on Roman mythology, in which Saturn is the god of the harvest. As such, her primary role is that of the destroyer, wiping out planets that have run their course, and her coming is greatly feared by the other Senshi. When she finally arrives, it is revealed that part of her duty is to clear the way for rebirth, which can only be brought about by Sailor Moon. Her first act upon arrival is to assault Master Pharaoh 90 with the attack "Death Reborn Revolution." The kanji used with this maneuver translate to "death world revolution" (死世界変革), with the intended pronunciation given in furigana.

The item most associated with Sailor Saturn is her iconic Silence Glaive, which, apart from its capacity as a bladed weapon, figures in many of her named attacks. It is referred to once as the "scythe of the Goddess of Death," and the act of lowering its point to the ground is all that is required for her to "bring ruin to the world." No incantation is spoken, and this action is clearly separated from "Death Reborn Revolution" by the dialogue given in between the two maneuvers. In the anime, it is implied that Sailor Saturn will die if she uses this ability, and Super Sailor Moon risks her life to prevent Saturn from doing so, defeating Master Pharaoh 90 herself. In the manga, Sailor Saturn deliberately allows herself to be sucked into Master Pharaoh 90's dimension while he is escaping. In both cases, she is reincarnated on Earth again as an infant almost immediately afterwards.

When Sailor Saturn returns near the end of the fourth story arc (which overflows into the beginning of the fifth anime series), several more attacks are introduced. She defends herself and her allies with Silence/Silent Wall (不動城壁, "motionless rampart"), a dome of dark energy that deflects attacks, and attacks with Silence Glaive Surprise (沈黙鎌奇襲, "silence sickle surprise attack"). In the anime this attack is used against Nehellenia; seeing no other way to defeat her, Saturn intends to bring down her Glaive and destroy everything, but before she manages to strike the ground Sailor Chibi Moon throws herself at Saturn to stop her from completing the action and sacrificing her life, nevertheless, the Glaive releases massive power that destroys most of Nehellenia's palace.

In the manga series, the Death Busters use a power source called the Tioron Crystal, which was once worn by Hotaru's mother, Keiko Tomoe. After her death, Professor Tomoe gives it to Hotaru in order to ease the pain she must frequently endure. The Saturn Crystal is perhaps her most important possession, as it is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all her power, which becomes especially important in the fifth story arc.

Development

The kanji of Hotaru's surname translate as "earth" (土, to) and "sprouting" (萠, mōe). The former comes from the name of her planet in Japanese, Dosei (土星). Her given name is in hiragana hotaru (ほたる) and so its meaning is not inherent, but the word itself means "firefly", and this meaning is used at least once as a pun. Fireflies are associated with spirits of the dead in Japanese mythology, referring to her status as the Senshi of death and rebirth. In the Mixx (now Tokyopop) manga, Hotaru was once named Jenny; Mixx later admitted this was a mistake and changed her name back. In the original character sketches, Takeuchi drew Sailor Saturn with a brown staff rather than her Silence Glaive.

Reception and influence

The official Sailor Moon popularity polls listed Hotaru Tomoe and Sailor Saturn as separate characters. In 1994, with fifty one choices, Sailor Saturn was the third most popular character and Hotaru was the fourth. In early 1996, with fifty one choices, Saturn was the sixth most popular character, and Hotaru was the seventh.

It has been suggested that moe comes from a contraction of her last name, but this is considered a false etymology.

Actresses

In the Japanese anime series and movies, Hotaru Tomoe is voiced by Yūko Minaguchi. In the English-language dub, her voice is provided by Jennifer Gould.

In the stage musicals, Hotaru has been played by 9 actresses: Keiko Takeda, Chihiro Imai, Asami Sanpei, Mao Mita, Mario Tomioka, Ayami Kakiuchi, Ruria Nakamura, Yui Iizuka, and Eriko Funakoshi.

Hotaru does not appear in the live-action series.

See also

• Saturn (planet)
• Saturn (mythology)
• Cronus