TheBlack Moon Clan(ブラックムーン nhất tộc,Burakku Mūn Ichizoku)is a group of fictional characters in theSailor Moonmanga series byNaoko Takeuchi.It comprises the main villains of the second major story arc, which is called theBlack Moonin the manga andSailor Moon Crystal,and which fills most ofSailor Moon Rseason of the first anime adaptation. They are first introduced in chapter #14 "Black Moon Kōan – Sailor Mars", first published inNakayoshion March 3, 1993. In the DIC English adaptation, their name is changed to the "Negamoon Family".
Black Moon Clan | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | Kodansha |
First appearance | Sailor Moonchapter #14:Black Moon Kōan – Sailor Mars(March 3, 1993) |
Created by | Naoko Takeuchi |
In-story information | |
Base(s) | Planet Nemesis |
Leader(s) | Prince Demand Wiseman |
Member(s) | Crimson Rubeus Green Esmeraude Blue Saphir Black Lady Specter Sisters Boule Brothers Droids |
Members of the Black Moon Clan are descendants of anarchists who opposed Crystal Tokyo, claiming that the governing group was corrupt and the resulting increase in human longevity by theSilver Crystalwas a crime against nature. The founding leaders of the Black Moon were guided by Wiseman to the PlanetNemesis(Túc địch,Shukuteki),a phantom planet that can conceal itself from anything saveX-Raysand produce shards of the Malefic Black Crystal(Tà hắc thủy tinh,Jakoku Suishō).All members of the Black Moon Clan have black, upside-downcrescentson their foreheads (the inverse of the marking of Silver Millennium). They wear earrings which, according to theMaterials Collection,are made of Black Crystal and allow them toteleport.[1]
Creation and conception
editSeries creatorNaoko Takeuchioriginally intendedSailor Moonto last one season, but due to its popularity,Toei Animationasked her to keep drawing the manga series. Takeuchi stated she had difficulty developing a story for the second arc, and the whole idea ofSailor Moon's daughtercoming from a future attacked by the Black Moon Clan came from her editor, Fumio Osano.[2]To give Takeuchi enough time to develop the second arc, Toei introduced in the anime theHell Tree aliens,thus the Black Moon Clan does not feature in the first thirteen episodes ofSailor Moon R.In the DIC English adaptation of theanime,the Black Moon Clan is called "Negamoon Family".[3]The term "Nega-" was also used for the "Negaverse" (theDark Kingdom) in this adaptation, implying that the Black Moon Clan is related in some way to Queen Beryl and her cause, since the Dark Kingdom members use the term "Nega-" as a common prefix (e.g. "negapower", "negahistory" or "negamonsters" ).
The Black Moon Clan members follow the pattern of the Dark Kingdom of using minerals as namesakes. Four key figures of the Clan use the fourprecious stones:ruby,emerald,sapphireanddiamond.The Specter Sisters are named aftermineralskermesite,berthierite,petziteandcalaverite.The Boule Brothers do not follow this pattern; instead, they are named after the scientific termschirality and achirality.However, the term 'boule' (sounded out inkatakana) is accompanied by thekanji'Nhân tạoĐá quý', literally meaning a "man-made gemstone";synthetic/artificialgemstones; and the English term'boule'means "A singlecrystalingotproduced by synthetic means ".
Key figures
editPrince Demand
editPrince Demand(プリンス・デマンド,Purinsu Demando,also Prince Demande/Dimande, Prince Diamond)is the leader of Planet Nemesis in the 30th century. He is the older brother of Saphir.
Because of the Black Moon Clan's beliefs that the Legendary Silver Crystal is a corruptive force, Wiseman sought Demand out and convinced him to use the Malefic Black Crystal's power against Crystal Tokyo. Demand and his allies initially plan to use the Black Crystal's time manipulative powers to travel back in time to the 20th century as part of "Operation: Replay", intending kill the past versions of the "White Moon" members who established Crystal Tokyo: The Sailor Guardians and Mamoru. But Demand, wanting to see the Legendary Silver Crystal's power for himself, launched an attack that wiped out most of Crystal Tokyo in a display of power. It resulted with Demand encounteringNeo-Queen Serenityas she rushed out of the Crystal Palace in search of her daughter,Chibiusa.This led to Demand becoming obsessed with Neo-Queen Serenity, which extended to her past self Usagi Tsukino as he abducted her during her visit to the 30th century. Demand intends to force Usagi to submit to him, but she eventually manages to escape. Demand later turns on Wiseman upon realizing that he used him and the rest of the Black Moon Clan, and is forced to kill Saphir as his brother is under Wiseman's spell. Demand then steals the Silver Crystal of the present from Usagi and the one of the future from Black Lady, and attempts to bring them together to destroy the time-space continuum. ButSailor Plutouses her forbidden Time Stop attack and prevent, with Demand attacking Usagi before she and Tuxedo Mask combine their powers to destroy him.
In the first anime adaptation, Demand has a similar story, with some differences. He initially intends to reason with Neo-Queen Serenity, explaining that he and his people are descendants of criminals, not criminals themselves. It is Wiseman, and not Demand himself, who kills Saphir, because the latter told his older brother that Wiseman has been manipulating them. In the final confrontation, Usagi too tries to persuade Demand to see that he is being manipulated by Wiseman. Between what Sailor Moon said and what he remembered Saphir trying to tell him, Demand is then positive that Wiseman was using him. When Wiseman tries to kill Usagi, Demand shields her from Wiseman's damage. Though fatally injured, he musters up enough strength to temporarily subdue Wiseman. Demand begged Usagi for forgiveness and asked her to watch over the remaining inhabitants of Nemesis, later dying in her arms.
In the anime rebootSailor Moon Crystal,Demand's story closely follows that of the manga, but his death is similar to the first anime as he shields Sailor Moon from Death Phantom's attack. While openly stating his reason to personally kill her, Demand accepted her as his queen before being imploded by Death Phantom's power.
In theSailor Moon: Another Storyvideo game, Demand is encountered in the Moon Kingdom during Queen Beryl's invasion and ends up kidnapping Sailor Moon. Esmeraude mentions that Demand had the Barazuishou. When the Sailor Guardians catch up to Demand, the group is attacked by Sin. When the Guardians repel Sin, she manages to make a fatal blow on Demand quoting "That was for my mom and dad." Demand states that this is not the destiny he wanted and if he could have changed, it would have been so that there would not be any battles between the Black Moon Clan and Crystal Tokyo. Before he dies, he tells the Guardians to head to the future for if the future does not change, the present will.
In the Japanese series, Prince Demand is voiced byKaneto Shiozawauntil episode 41 ofSailor Moon R,[4]and byMamoru MiyanoinCrystaland all media since. In the DIC English adaptation, his name is changed to Prince Diamond and is voiced byRobert Bockstael.In the Viz Media English adaptation, he is voiced byMatthew Mercer.In the musical adaptation, he has been played by Hikari Ono. Hikari jokingly commented that she was given "this completely unfeminine prince role",[5]due to the fact that among cast members,[6]Hikari was known for playing male or androgynous roles. These includeHawk's Eye,Kou Taiki,and Loof Merrow.[7]
Rubeus
editCrimson Rubeus(Hồng の ルベウス,Kurenai no Rubeusu)is a red-haired human and the first member of the Black Moon Clan to appear in the 20th century. Introducing himself as the Black Moon's military commander, he is charged with the capture of Chibiusa after she fled into 20th Century Tokyo while sending theSpecter Sisterson missions to ensure the operation's success. Though the Specter sisters are killed off, Rubeus manages to bring the captive Sailors Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter to Nemesis. Despite being loyal to Demand, his suspicions gaining further incentive when Neo-Serenity channels herself through Sailor Moon. Rubeus expresses distrust towards Wiseman, which results with Rubeus being strangled to death by Wiseman when he attempts to flee during the meltdown of Malefic Black Crystal Reactor.
InSailor Moon R,using an actual UFO rather than a time-space portal, Rubeus is presented in a more negative light as he is less sympathetic to the Specter Sisters and uses their love to take advantage of them as his expendable pawns. After the Specter Sisters were purified by Sailor Moon, warned by Esmeraude that Demand is losing his patience with him, Rubeus captures Usagi's protectors to force her into handing over the Silver Crystal. In the ensuing battle, Chibiusa destroys the crystal controlling his ship, freeing the Sailor Guardians as they return to Earth as the ship starts to explode. When Esmeraude shows up, Rubeus begs her to save him before his ship explodes. Esmeraude reminds Rubeus that he has failed too many times and that she is assuming command, before leaving Rubeus to die in the explosion.
Rubeus appears as a Boss in theAnother Storyvideo game. He is encountered in the past outside of the Ark near the Temple of Venus in Rias.
InSailor Moon Crystal,Rubeus' role is the same as the manga.
In the anime, Crimson Rubeus was voiced byWataru Takagiand byHiroki TakahashiinCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, he was voiced byRobert Tinkler.In the Viz Media English adaptation, he is voiced bySteve Cannon.In themusicals,Rubeus was portrayed by Hiroyuki Ichikawa and Riona Tatemichi.
Esmeraude
editGreen Esmeraude(Thúy の エスメロード,Midori no Esumerōdo)is a green-haired woman and the second of the Black Moon Clan to appear. She is a selfish, vain woman with an obsessed infatuation with Prince Demand, emulating agoddess-like appearance by wearing an elegant, tight-fitting dress along withopera-length glovesand knee-high stiletto boots. She has a distinctive laugh, loud and piercing, and is the most comedic member of the Black Moon. After she and her subordinatesChiral and Achiral,fail to kill Sailors Moon and Venus when they, Tuxedo Mask, and Chibiusa reach Crystal Tokyo, Esmeraude undertakes the mission "Code: Extra, Operation: Relax" to personally kill Chibiusa. When the two Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask intervene, Esmeraude uses the Beast Arms ability she received from Wiseman to overwhelm them. But King Endymion's spirit appears behind Tuxedo Mask, allowing him to channel his future self's power to kill Esmeraude with a Tuxedo La Bomber attack.
In the first anime adaptation, warning Rubeus that Prince Demand is getting impatient and later leaving him to die, Esmeraude takes over the attacks on 20th Tokyo while expressing her disdain for Demand's obsession with Neo-Serenity/Sailor Moon. Consumed by her jealousy and greed, Esmeraude receives a magictiarafrom Wiseman that will give her the power to kill the Guardians after they arrive to Crystal Tokyo. But Esmeraude ends up being transformed into a green bipedaldragon,battling the Guardians when she attacks the Crystal Palace and is defeated by Sailor Moon. Reverted to her original state, Esmeraude plunges into a black void to her doom while her last words reach Demand.
Esmeraude appears as a Boss in theAnother Storyvideo game. She is encountered in the past at the Kainess Ice Caves an optional Boss where the Guardians fight her in dragon form and then in normal form. She mentions that Prince Demand has the Barazuishou.
She is voiced byMami Koyamaand byHouko KuwashimainCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, her name is changed to Emerald and is voiced byKirsten Bishop.In the Viz Media English adaptation, she is played by Rena S. Mandel. In the musical, she is played by Miki Kawasaki and Mitsumi Hiromura.
Saphir
editBlue Saphir(Thương の サフィール,Ao no Safīru,also Blue Sapphire)is the Black Moon's alchemist, and the loyal younger brother of Prince Demand. He is more cautious and rational than his companions. He is the only member of the Clan that does not wear earrings made from Black Crystal, despite having invented them.[1][8]
Saphir prefers to work with droids creations and maintaining Nemesis's Malefic Black Crystal Reactor, which he compared to his brother in being unpredictable. While Saphir questioned Wiseman's intentions and Demand's lack of reasoning as on the grounds that the latter's reasoning is being eroded, he only got his brother's disdain to be being by accused of wanting the power for himself. When Demand brings Usagi to Nemesis and she stumbled into the reactor room, Saphir admits that their plans were insensible and that she was guiltless yet tries to kill her on the grounds that she and the Silver Crystal are still a source of conflict. But the 20th century Silver Crystal activates and its energies cause the reactor to meltdown, with Nemesis undergoing an evolution while Saphir and Demand are rescued by Black Lady and brought before Wiseman. Wiseman uses his power to place Saphir under his control and bestows with Beast Hands, only for Saphir to be killed off by a reluctant Demand who apologizes for his earlier remarks about his brother's loyalty to him.
In the first anime adaptation, Saphir grows up on Nemesis with Demand, who promised him that they will go to Earth one day and see real flowers. When Saphir overhears Wiseman's plans, he barely escapes with use the stolen Malefic Black Crystal to travel to 20th Century Earth where his wounds are tended to by Petz before the Sailor Guardians come to his aid. When Demand appears, Saphir attempts to warn him before Wiseman kills him in midsentence. Demand carries his brother's lifeless body, with the Black Moon no longer on his forehead, away to be properly buried.
In theAnother Storyvideo game, Saphir is encountered in the Moon Kingdom during Queen Beryl's invasion. He directs the Guardians to the basement of the Moon Palace where Prince Demand is holding Sailor Moon, later sacrificing himself to protect his brother from Sin.
Blue Saphir is voiced byTsutomu Kashiwakuraand byTsubasa YonagainCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, his name is changed to Sapphire and he is voiced by Lyon Smith. In the Viz Media English adaptation, he is voiced by Greg Felden. In themusicals,he is played by Yuri Kuroda and Sora Manami.
Death Phantom
editDeath Phantom(デス・ファントム,Desu Fantomu),acting under the identity ofWiseman(ワイズマン,Waizuman),is animmortalform ofChaosfrom the future.[9]: Act 59 Before the events of the series, Death Phantom was originally a human who lived in the city Crystal Tokyo, and possessed dark powers which he used to reintroduce chaos and mayhem to the utopia with powers like his extending Beast Hands and his hypnotic Evil Sight. Death Phantom was later defeated by Neo-Queen Serenity, who banished him to the planet Nemesis where he will live out the rest of his days. But when Death Phantom died, his spirit and consciousness integrated into Nemesis, becoming the planet itself. He cloaked his decayed and crumbled human body to serve as a puppet and returned to Earth under the identity of Wiseman to find discontent among humans, recruiting the founding members of the Black Moon Clan whose hate towards 30th-century utopia of Crystal Tokyo and the Silver Crystal he exploited for his own. Wiseman provided the Black Moon with his Malefic Black Crystal, orchestrating their attack on Crystal Tokyo and 20th century Tokyo to shatter the Silver Crystal while exacting his revenge on Neo-Queen Serenity. Wiseman later acquires the future Silver Crystal from Chibiusa whom he corrupted into Black Lady to take the 20th century Silver Crystal as well, revealing his true colors and form as Death Phantom. But Death Phantom is destroyed when Sailor Moon and the recently awaken Sailor Chibi Moon use their Silver Crystals to obliterate the entirety of Nemesis.
In the anime adaptation, the Black Moon Clan were the descendants of evil people who fled to Nemesis after having attacked Crystal Tokyo centuries before. Posing as Wiseman, Death Phantom approached Prince Demand and Saphir when they were younger. He manipulated the clan into gathering power for him, with the ultimate goal being the opening of the Dark Gate. He promised he could give them the power and ability to go to Earth and conquer it to avenge their ancestors whom Wiseman claimed had been shunned away to Nemesis by the people of Earth. Wiseman's influence warped the minds of his pawns until they carried out his true plan for the ultimate destruction of the planet Earth. Wiseman counsels Rubeus during his mission for a long time, but is unconcerned about his death. He humiliates Esmeraude when she comes to him asking to be the queen of Nemesis, and brings about her transformation into a dragon and, ultimately, her doom at the hands of Sailor Moon. He manipulates Chibiusa's childhood memories to make her believe that her past was unhappy and that she is always alone (this is a lie), turning her intoBlack Lady.Wiseman kills Saphir when Saphir realizes that he and his brother have been lied to. He ultimately kills Prince Demand when the man shielded Sailor Moon from his energy-blade. In the end, Death Phantom is killed, but Nemesis and its remaining inhabitants are saved.
He is voiced by Eiji Maruyama in the original series and byHiroshi IwasakiinSailor Moon Crystal.In the DIC English adaptation, Wiseman is voiced byTony Daniels.In the Viz Media English adaptation andSailor Moon Cosmos,he is voiced bySteve Kramer.In the 2000 musicalTanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady,he was portrayed by Kenji Tominaga.
Black Lady
editBlack Lady,also known asWicked Ladyin the first American dub, is the evil form thatChibiusaassumed under Wiseman's influence with a lie, using her frustration of finding her place in the 30th Century to bring out her dark, malicious side and serve as his right hand. As Chibiusa's dream was to finally grow up and become a beautiful lady like her mother, Black Lady's form is something like afemme fatalewith an overblownElectra complex.
Like her original self, she is voiced byKae Arakiin the first series and byMisato FukueninCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, Black Lady's name is changed to Wicked Lady and is voiced by Liz Brown. In theViz Mediaadaptation, she is voiced bySandy Fox.
Specter Sisters
editTheFour Specter Sisters(あやかし の bốn tỷ muội,Ayakashi no Yon Shimai)are a group of women that serve under Rubeus, each possessing a supernatural ability. They serve as the Black Moon's first line of offense in their attack on 20th Century Tokyo, their primary missions being the removal of Sailor Moon's four protectors and the capture of Chibiusa.
In the first anime adaptation, the Specter Sisters appear more frequently and their characters are expanded as shallow while eventually regretting their upbringing on Nemesis. Their mission is slightly altered to target strategic points that would be essential to Crystal Tokyo in the future. Compared to the manga andCrystal,the Specter Sisters are purified and allowed to remain in the 20th century while running a makeup stand.
The Specter Sisters appear as Boss es on a spaceship in theAnother Storyvideo game.
Kōan
editKōan(コーアン)is the youngest of the Specter Sisters and represents a counterpart ofSailor Mars.Her name is short forkōankō(Hồng an 鉱,kermesite)and her attack is "Dark Fire", which is called "Ice Fire" in the original dub. Sensing Mars, Kōan receives Rubeus's blessing to "Code: 001, Operation: Recruit": Posing as a T.A Girls Academy student who is president of the supernatural club called the Black Moon. Kōan uses herfortunetellingability to predict the impending deaths of people to recruit those she promises will die painlessly for the Black Moon's cause. She also uses her Dark Fire to incinerate others under the cover ofSpontaneous human combustion.Rei confronts Kōan so she reveals her true self, while Rei transforms into Sailor Mars. In the ensuing battle, Kōan traps Sailor Mars in a fire barrier but is killed by Sailor Moon when she first acquired the Cutie Moon Rod.
In the first anime, Kōan is very vain about her appearance to the point of swearing death upon anyone who smudges her make-up or ruins her hair, and she relies on her charms to get what she wants. She thinks that she and Rubeus are in a relationship, and competes with her sisters for his love. Kōan directly fights Sailor Mars and the others several times, with the climactic battle taking place at the Hikawa Shrine. After Kōan fails to capture Chibiusa, Rubeus reveals that she is a pawn and that he never loved her. Kōan snaps and attacks everyone in a blind rage, until Sailor Mars saves Kōan from getting hit by Sailor Jupiter, and convinces her that she is a good person that has been caught in a life of evil and that she deserves a second chance. She becomes the first sister purified with Sailor Moon's Silver Crystal. She later convinces each of her sisters to let Sailor Moon purify them.
In Japanese, Kōan is voiced byWakana YamazakiinSailor Moon Rand bySatsuki YukinoinCrystal.In the DiC English adaptation, her name is changed to Catzi and is first voiced by Alice Poon and later Mary Long. In the Viz Media English adaptation, she is voiced byEden Riegel.In the musicals, she is portrayed bySeiko TakumaandHinami Someya.
Berthier
editBerthier(ベルチェ,Beruche)is the second youngest sister and represents a counterpart ofSailor Mercury.Her name is based on the mineralberthieriteand her magical attack is "Dark water", carrying adowsing pendulummade of Malefic Black Crystal. Berthier is sent by Rubeus to enact "Code: 002, Operation: Remove" to eliminate all opposition to the Black Moon which includes the Sailor Guardians. Berthier disguises herself as a normal human and wows people with her dowsing abilities prior to finding Ami Mizuno and deducing her as Sailor Mercury when she used her power to find a leak in a pipe at the school. Skilled at chess, Berthier goes on television to challenge Ami to a chess match. After losing the match despite having the advantage, a fight breaks out as Berthier manages to capture Mercury in a water barrier for the Black Moon before being killed by Sailor Moon.
InSailor Moon R,Berthier has a very darkly playful personality, but is shown to have great respect for all of her sisters. She is the only one shown to be upset when Kōan is purified by the Silver Crystal. As with Ami, she is also a strategist and is incredibly talented at chess, though she apparently also cheats. She confronts Sailor Mercury in a game of chess. However, she is mocked for her failure by Calaveras and Petz, but Kōan persuades her that she is still loved and has a second chance. Berthier allows Sailor Moon to heal her. Later, she and Kōan, along with the Guardians, are able to convince their other two sisters to join them and become normal women.
She is voiced byYuri AmanoinSailor Moon Rand byRumi KasaharainCrystal.In the DiC English adaptation, her name is changed to Bertie and she is voiced byKathleen Laskey.In the Viz Media English adaptation, she is voiced byCindy Robinson.She is the only sister that does not appear in the first version ofAnkoku no Princess Black Ladymusical,but does she appear in the revision portrayed byManami Wakayama.
Petz
editPetz(ペッツ,Pettsu)is the oldest of the four sisters and is a counterpart ofSailor Jupiter.She is named for the mineralpetziteand her attack is "Dark Thunder". Petz asks Rubeus to allow her the chance to avenge Kōan and Berthier by enacting "Code: 003, Operation: Renew": infecting those among Tokyo populace with a debilitating cold so they can be replaced with Droids. Makoto is infected by one of the viruses and destroys a Droid double that attacks her while she starts to pass out in her apartment. Petz manages to take advantage of Jupiter's weakened condition to capture her in a barrier before being obliterated from behind by Sailor Moon.
InSailor Moon R,Petz often clashes with Calaveras, but the majority of both women's operations end up with them working together. She is very proud and is willing to step on others to achieve personal glory and power. She also appears bitter over a past relationship and reacts strongly when Calaveras teases her about it. After the treachery of Kōan and Berthier, Rubeus gives her a stick and instructs her to use it to kill the Sailor Guardians and reconvert her fallen sisters. The stick dramatically increases Petz's powers and also corrupts her personality; however, the Guardians intervene. Rubeus appears and reveals he did not expect Petz to defeat the Guardians and activates the stick to create a massive time-vacuum that threatens to pull in everyone around it. No longer possessed, Petz decides that she has enough power in her body to destroy the stick and jumps into the vortex to sacrifice herself to stop it. However, she is stopped by her other three sisters who convince her that they still love her. After the vortex is destroyed by the Guardians, Petz is purified along with Calaveras. Later, Petz and her sisters soon discover a woundedSaphir,whom Petz tends to even though she at first thinks he came to punish her sisters. It is then that Petz and Saphir are revealed to have been romantically involved, and that Saphir is the person who caused Petz to be embittered about men. After Saphir is killed by Wiseman, Petz senses his death and is heartbroken, but remembers how he smiled for her.
In Japanese, Petz is voiced byMegumi OgatainSailor Moon R,[10]and byWasabi MizutainCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, her name is changed to "Prizma" and is voiced by Norma Dell'Agnese. In the Viz Media English adaptation, she is voiced by Jessica Gee. Petz is one of two female characters in themusical seriesto have been portrayed by trans woman actress Karen Yoda,[11]and in another musical she is portrayed by Ai Ikegami.
Calaveras
editCalaveras(カラベラス,Karaberasu)is the second oldest of the sisters and is a counterpart ofSailor Venus.She is named for the mineralcalaveriteand her attack is "Dark Beauty". The last of the Specter Sisters to attack, Calaveras is sent by Rubeus to enact "Code: 004, Operation: Rebirth": using her powers ofMediumshipto have Rubeus speak through her during a televised interview to promote a televised gathering of people the following day. The plan was for Calaveras to use her channeling powers to brainwash everyone at the event into joining a cult dedicated to the Black Moon. When Minako confronts her at the channeling, Artemis taking out TV cameras to prevent their enemy's influence from extending to the worldwide audience, Calaveras channels the three captive Sailor Guardians through the hypnotizedNaru Osaka,Ittou AsanumaandKotono Sarashina.Calaveras then uses her captives to channel the spirits of her sisters to use a Spirit Attack against Minako with the intend to kill, revealing that Rubeus is going after Usagi and Chibiusa at that moment. But Rubeus fails in eliminating them and Calaveras is killed by Sailor Moon when she comes to Sailor Venus's aid.
InSailor Moon R,Calaveras is a petty woman who indulges in relentlessly teasing her other siblings, especially Petz. She also appears unwilling to do anything for herself. She never accepts a single mission and instead tags along on several of Petz's missions. Even her final mission is one of Petz's, in which the elder sister was asked to use a powerful stick to kill the Guardians and reclaim her now purified siblings Kōan and Berthier. While on the mission, Petz, corrupted by the stick, attempts to kill everyone, Calaveras included. Shocked by Petz's treachery, Calaveras is shown pity by Sailor Moon and eventually comes to understand human love. She then tells the other Guardians about the stick's power. When Rubeus arrives and uses the stick to create a time-vacuum on the bridge, Calaveras stops Petz from falling into the vortex by catching her sister using her whip. After the Guardians destroy the stick, Calaveras accepts purification and becomes a normal human woman.
In Japanese, she is voiced byAkiko HiramatsuinSailor Moon R,and byTomoe HanbainCrystal.In the DIC English adaptation, her name is changed to "Avery" and is voiced by Jennifer Griffiths. In the Viz Media English adaptation, she is voiced byCassandra Lee Morris.In the musicals, she is portrayed byAdo Endoh.
Servants
editBoule Brothers
editThe Boule Brothers(Nhân tạo đá quý ブラザーズ ( ブールブラザーズ ),Būru Burazāzu)Chiral(キラル,Kiraru)andAchiral(アキラル,Akiraru)are two Black Moon Clan members who are under the service of Esmeraude, even appearing on her page in theMaterials Collectionart book.[1]The brothers' mission is "Code: 005, Operation: Remake." They greet the Sailor Guardians when they arrive in Crystal Tokyo. They create a replica of the Crystal Palace as a trap. When Sailor Moon attacks them, she is paralyzed by a magnetic field from a man-made crystal at her feet. Tuxedo Mask destroys the crystal by willing it to break, and the brothers are killed.
InSailor Moon R,the brothers grow "Dark Henges" at Jūban Park and Jūban Elementary School. They cause all of the pupils and teachers at the school to fight each other. They attack Chibiusa's best friend,Momoko Momohara.The Guardians fight off Chiral and Achiral, but are at a disadvantage until Chibiusa unleashes her power and attacks them after Momoko takes a hit while trying to protect Chibiusa. They are finally destroyed by Sailor Moon with her Moon Princess Halation attack. In the DIC English dub, they are called "Doom and Gloom".
Chiral and Achiral are respectively voiced byMasashi EbaraandRyōtarō Okiayuin the original series, and byWataru HatanoandKazunari TanakainSailor Moon Crystaland all media since. In the Viz Media English adaptation, Chiral and Achiral are voiced byDoug ErholtzandKyle Hebertrespectively.
Musical-only characters
editThe musicalTanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Ladyintroduced three new characters exclusive to this continuity:Spotted Tilmun(Đốm の ティルムン,Mura no Tirumun),a male servant of the Clan, and twin girlsAaron(アロン,Aron)andManna(マナ,Mana).Tilmun shares a friendship with the twins because all three of them are misfits within the Clan, with Tilmun having a half crescent black moon on his forehead, and Aaron and Manna not having any at all. When Wiseman begins killing the Black Moon members, Tilmun died protecting Aaron and Manna, while the girls are killed by him after Black Lady is reverted to Chibiusa.
Tilmum was played by Ikuya Moro, Aaron was played by Nagisa Adaniya, and Manna byKasumi Suzuki.
Droids
editTheDroids(ドロイド,Doroido)are the Black Moon Clan's army ofmonsters of the week.The droids arerobot-like creatures resembling sand figurines; they have no eyes or mouths, and they can only produce screeching noises rather than words.[1]The droids were manufactured by Saphir, using the power of the Black Crystal, and are all similar in shape and form; however, they are able to take on the guise of humans.
In the first anime adaptation, all of the droids are individuals with feminine forms, and all can talk. When they are destroyed, they dissolve into a pile of sand, implying that they are similar to their manga counterparts, though they also produce a gemstone with the Clan's moon on it that fades away after its defeat. The musicals also feature individual droids, though they are characters originating in these adaptations.
The video games feature droids from both the manga and the anime as common enemies, with the manga versions of the enemies referred to as "Shade". Jakoku, the droid that attacks Chibiusa in her nightmare during episode 75, appears as a Boss inAnother Story.
Veneti and Aquatici
editVeneti(ヴェネティ,Veneti)andAquatici(アクアティキ,Akuatiki)are a pair of Droids that appear in the manga, the musicals, andSailor Moon Crystal.They are considered perfect creations by Saphir. Usagi stumbles onto the Black Crystal Reactor where she is attacked by Veneti and Aquatici alongside Saphir. The two Droids are destroyed by the overflowing energy of golden light from Usagi and the crystal encasing Neo-Queen Serenity. In the manga, unlike all other droids, Veneti and Aquatici are wisp-like beings, while in the musicals they are humanoid. Veneti has a masculine form in the manga while Aquatici has a feminine form, but it is unknown if they have genders. They are both female, or at least played by female actors, in the musical.
InCrystal,they are voiced respectively by Yukiko Morishita and Hitomi Oowada, whileTara Sandsvoices both of them in the English adaptation. In the musicals, Veneti was played byIzumi Oginoand Aquatici was played byYuka Kuwahara.
Reception
editThe members of the Black Moon Clan are called by Navok and Rudranath "a separatist faction" that not only refused to live under the reign of Neo-Queen Serenity, but were also manipulated by Wiseman into destroying Tokyo in the past in order to prevent the founding of Crystal Tokyo.[12]The authors also compare Black Moon's attack on Crystal Tokyo with theatomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.[13]On an article onshinto,feminism and anime, author Sarah Reeves considered that Black Lady's overall misconduct and strategies are the result of a lack of husband and children, which can be explained by Chibiusa herself not being an adult and her platonic love not being requited by Tuxedo Mask.[14]
Rebecca Silverman reviewed theSailor Moon Rblu-ray + DVD combo pack forAnime News Networkand liked the fact that Black Moon members were given character development and were not just "one-off monsters, with the Specter Sisters being particularly good examples of this." She particularly focused on the relationship between Petz and Saphir, describing their scenes together as "touching and depressing", while serving as a "counterpoint to Usagi and Mamoru's relationship." The author noted the contrast between humorous scenes like that of Esmeraude showing up to battle in her bathrobe, and the transformation sequence of Chibiusa into Black Lady where her breasts and buttocks surprisingly enlarge, which she considered "nice, albeit awkward". Silverman praised voice actress Rena S. Mandel for her role as Esmeraude, saying she did a good English equivalent job of the Japanese good old "Oh ho ho ho" laugh.[15]
While reviewing the second season ofSailor Moon Crystal,IGNwriter Meghan Sullivan compared the Black Moon Clan to the previous villain group, theDark Kingdom,and said that "PrinceDiamond(Demand)’s court seems far deadlier than Metalia and her generals. "[16]In a later episode review, Sullivan admitted that while Esmeraude strangling Chibiusa or Demand kidnapping Usagi was "pretty darn disturbing", she was actually enjoying Black Moon's more aggressive tactics, as "it makes them feel like a legitimate threat, which in turn will make the Sailor Guardians' final victory over them all the sweeter."[17]Regarding Demand's motivations, Sullivan asked "He attacked Earth because he thinks peace and longevity are unnatural? That didn’t make much sense to me, given how he murdered the entire population of Crystal Tokyo and tried to alter history."[18]Commenting on Wiseman, Sullivan described the revelation that he is actually Planet Nemesis itself as a "planet-sized bomb",[19]and in the next episode review, she gave him "props for being tenacious" after showing yet another form: Death Phantom.[20]
In the second officialSailor Moonpopularity poll, out of fifty choices, Black Lady was ranked the thirteenth most popular character in the series, Berthier was nineteenth, Esmeraude was twenty-fourth, Demand was twenty-eighth, Kōan was thirtieth, Saphir was thirty first, Calaveras was thirty-third, Petz was thirty-fourth, Wiseman was thirty-fifth, Rubeus was fortieth, Aquatici was forty-fourth, Veneti was forty-fifth, Chiral was forty-sixth, and Achiral was forty-seventh.[21]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^abcdTakeuchi, Naoko (October 1999).Materials Collection.Kodansha.ISBN4-06-324521-7.
- ^Takeuchi, Naoko (October 23, 2003). "Punch!".Bishōjo Guardian Sailor Moon shinzoban vol. 3.Kodansha.ISBN4-06-334783-4.
- ^"The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search".
- ^Doi, Hitoshi."Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-09-02.Retrieved2006-10-06.
- ^Sailor Moon Musical, 2001Tanjou! Ankoku no Princess Black Lady Fan Kansha Event( Fan Appreciation Event) - AfterAnkoku no Sonnet,Hikari Ono's one day service performance
- ^Sailor Moon Musical, 2001 500kai Kouen Video (500th performance commemorative video) - Fumina Hara's stage narrative by Yuuta Mochizuta and Nao Takagi - Yuuta: "She's a good guy (Hikari as Loof Merrow the female pirate)", Nao: "Girl, girl"
- ^Sera-Myu - Ono Hikari
- ^Takeuchi, Naoko (September 1999).Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Volume V Original Picture Collection.Kodansha.ISBN4-06-324521-7.
- ^Takeuchi, Naoko (April 4, 1997).Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon: Volume 18.Tokyo: Kodansha.ISBN978-4-06-178858-9.
- ^Doi, Hitoshi."Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon".Archived fromthe originalon September 2, 2006.RetrievedOctober 6,2006.
- ^Yoda, Karen."Profile".Administrative Scrivener Karen Yoda Office.Archived fromthe originalon 7 March 2016.Retrieved24 February2016.
- ^Reeves, Sarah (December 1, 2016).""Bishōjo Senshi Sērā Mūn": Where Shinto, feminism, and animation intersect ".Southern Connecticut State University, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing:35.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Silverman, Rebecca (January 22, 2016)."Review: Sailor Moon R BD+DVD - Season 2 Part 2".Anime News Network.RetrievedOctober 7,2019.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (February 7, 2015)."Sailor Moon Crystal:" Episode 15 - Infiltration, Sailor Mars "Review".IGN.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (April 21, 2015)."Sailor Moon Crystal:" Act 20 - Crystal Tokyo, King Endymion "Review".IGN.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (May 4, 2015)."Sailor Moon Crystal:" Act 21 - Complication, Nemesis "Review".IGN.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (June 20, 2015)."Sailor Moon Crystal:" Attack, Black Lady "Review".IGN.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Sullivan, Meghan (July 4, 2015)."Sailor Moon Crystal:" Showdown, Death Phantom "Review".IGN.RetrievedSeptember 23,2019.
- ^Takeuchi, Naoko (July 6, 1994).Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 7.Kodansha.ISBN4-06-178781-0.
Works cited
edit- Navok, J; Rudranath, S.K. (2005).Warriors of Legend: Reflections of Japan in Sailor Moon.BookSurge, LLC.ISBN978-1419608148.
External links
edit- Green Jealousy- Contains information on the Green Esmeraude and her relations.
- Brilliantly Blue - Sapphire's Shrine- Contains information on the various versions of Blue Saphir, including the musical version.