First serialized in 1991, Sailor Moon follows Usagi Tusukino, an ordinary teenage girl who discovers that she’s actually the reincarnation of Princess Serenity, the last princess of the Moon Kingdom. Princess Serenity tragically perished at the end of the Silver Millennium, when the Dark Kingdom’s Queen Metalia invaded. Guided by her mentor and friend, the black cat Luna, Usagi dons the mantle of Sailor Moon. Alongside her fellow Sailor Guardians, Sailor Moon fights for love and justice, with the friends battling extraterrestrial and Earthly villains who seek to harm humanity for their own nefarious purposes.

Sailor Moon blends fantasy, romance and action, creating a captivating story that’s resonated the world over, thanks to its heartfelt story and compelling characters. Over the years, it has earned accolades as one of the best romance action anime series of all time. Usagi’s story builds heavily on the relationships she makes, with those connections helping transform a clumsy, carefree schoolgirl into a responsible, courageous, and powerful leader. From the tragic love story that Usagi shares with Mamoru (the reincarnated Prince of Earth, Endymion,) to the bonds of friendship and sisterhood that Usagi shares with the Sailor Guardians, Sailor Moon places its relationships front and center.

That being said, Usagi’s familial relationships tend to be downplayed in favor of the connections she shares with her romantic interest and her cohort of Sailor Guardians. Even so, these familial bonds shape Usagi into the superhero and fearless leader she embodies. One could even argue that her family bonds have an even stronger impact on her characterization than her romantic relationship and friendships. Throughout the three stages of Usagi’s life — from sorrowful princess of the past to eventual ruler of the world’s most prosperous kingdom — family plays a pivotal role in Usagi’s story.

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Princess Serenity’s Family Rules the Moon Kingdom During the Silver Millennium

Queen Serenity was Princess Serenity’s Mother and Ensured her Reincarnation

Long before she was born as Usagi Tsukino, Sailor Moon’s main character was Princess Serenity, the beloved daughter of Queen Serenity and heir to the lunar throne of the Moon Kingdom (yes, they’re both named Serenity and feature strikingly similar character designs). As royalty and heir apparent to the throne, Princess Serenity lived a life of elegance and privilege, surrounded by her loyal bodyguards and friends, the Inner Sailor Guardians. Not much is known about her previous life, given her untimely demise at the hands of Queen Beryl and Queen Metalia of the Dark Kingdom, who sought to destroy the Moon Kingdom and steal its powerful Silver Crystal for themselves. Viewers can rest assured that the Princess Serenity of the past held herself with the comportment and grace typical of a princess.

Princess Serenity’s most significant relationship was with her mother. Embodying the essence of a fair and impeccable ruler, Queen Serenity governed the Moon Kingdom with compassion and wisdom, leading them into a time of unparalleled peace and prosperity that came to be known as the Silver Millennium. During this time, Queen Serenity wielded the legendary Silver Crystal, a mystical artifact of restoration and healing that she used to maintain peace throughout the solar system.

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Unfortunately, Queen Serenity perished during the Dark Kingdom’s attack on the Moon Kingdom. The onslaught proved devastating, with the attack wiping out much of the Silver Millennium and noticeably causing the deaths of Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion. In a final, desperate act of love and sacrifice, Queen Serenity used the last of her life force and strength to tap into the power of the Silver Crystal. She ensured that her daughter, the Sailor Guardians, and Prince Endymion would be reincarnated on Earth at a later time, and that Queen Metalia would be sealed away. Though Princess Serenity lost her mother and her kingdom, this noble, final act of Queen Serenity ensured that the others would have a chance at a new life, even if Queen Serenity herself was not around to see it.

Usagi Balances her Life with the Tsukino Family Alongside her Duties as Sailor Moon

Princess Serenity was Reborn on Earth as Usagi Tsukino

Thanks to the sacrifice Queen Serenity made aeons before the series takes place, Princess Serenity was reborn as Usagi Tsukino on Earth, in a society and time that does a faithful representation of life on Earth during the 1990s. Usagi grew up in a typical, ordinary life – instead of the poise and grace of a moon princess – living her life as an average middle school student in Tokyo. Much like her previous life, Usagi grew up in a loving home environment, though her family expanded from just Queen Serenity in her past life to her present life mother, Ikuko, father Kenji, and younger brother Shingo. Overall, Usagi’s home life appears to be stable and supportive, which channeled Usagi’s personality into that of a typical teenage girl.

Ikuko Tsukino is a housewife, and as such, she and Usagi tend to interact more frequently. While she does possess a nurturing and caring personality, she is often exasperated with Usagi’s immaturity and her poor test grades. She does appear periodically throughout the series, especially within the first few seasons, offering advice and encouragement to Usagi as she navigates life, making her one of the series’ best side characters.

Usagi’s father, Kenji Tsukino, is an average office worker or salaryman in his editorial career. He appears to be a hard worker, with the care of his family fueling his dedication and drive at work. He is overprotective when it comes to his children, as seen when he despairs at the idea of Usagi having a boyfriend ,or when a youma attacks his family. Like Ikuko, he appears more frequently in the first half of the series, with him not making an appearance as the plot transitions away from Usagi’s dual life as a teenager and a Sailor Guardian, to focusing more strictly on her life as Sailor Moon.

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Usagi’s younger brother, Shingo Tsukino, is the typical younger brother, not always getting along well with his older sister. Shingo is often disrespectful or condescending toward Usagi, especially when comparing her to Sailor V or Sailor Moon (he doesn’t know that Usagi and Sailor Moon are the same person). Despite his nature, Shingo’s snarky demeanor hides his genuine love and appreciation for his family, including his older sister.

The Tsukino family had no awareness of Usagi’s celestial origins or her duty as Sailor Moon, with them humorously comparing Usagi’s own behavior to Sailor Moon’s on multiple occasions. Instead, they saw her as an average, somewhat clumsy girl who struggled in her academics but had a big heart. In the first half of the series, the Tsukino family provided a safe harbor for their daughter, one that she could return to once the duties of Sailor Moon had been completed. As the series progressed, Usagi continued to fight to protect her family from the evil threats invading Earth, but their presence on-screen lessened. The implied impression suggests they are alive and well, oblivious to the weight of responsibilities on Usagi’s shoulders.

Usagi Eventually Rules Crystal Tokyo as Neo Queen Serenity

The Moon Kingdom has Been Revived as of the Thirtieth Century

In the distant future, and thanks in large part to the groundwork she laid during her time as Sailor Moon, Usagi eventually ascends to the throne as Neo Queen Serenity, ruler of Crystal Tokyo. This future version of Usagi is more mature and composed, having fully embraced her power and destiny as a queen and defender of Earth. She rules alongside her husband, King Endymion, who was formerly Mamoru Chiba during the present time when Usagi first stepped into her mantle as Sailor Moon. Together, they usher in an era of peace and prosperity that rivaled the old Silver Millennium, thanks to the power of the Silver Crystal.

Usagi’s new family includes herself, King Endymion, and their daughter, Small Lady (who also goes by the nickname Chibiusa, especially when she travels from the thirtieth century to the present). Chibiusa, like Usagi did when she first became Sailor Moon, struggles with the weight and expectations placed upon her as a princess, and especially as the descendant of the heroic Sailor Moon. Suffocating under the pressure of trying to live up to her mother, events lead her to travel back in time to meet Usagi as a teenager, with Chibiusa learning more about herself through their interactions and arguably setting the stage for one of the most problematic storylines in the series.

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Over time, Chibiusa grows into her role as Neo Queen Serenity’s daughter and a Sailor Guardian, awakening her powers as Sailor Chibi Moon. Her relationship with Usagi is a complicated one, full of complex layers, as she regards Usagi and Neo Queen Serenity with different regards. Despite being her mother, she sees Usagi more like a sister, while Neo Queen Serenity seems more like a lofty ideal to strive toward.

While the Tsukino family from Usagi’s past life isn’t mentioned within the context of Crystal Tokyo, the name change from Usagi to Neo Queen Serenity implies a connection that has faded with time. As Neo Queen Serenity, she has moved beyond her mortal life as Usagi Tsukino, embracing her new identity and power as a ruler. Even her demeanor tends to mirror that of the previous Queen Serenity, rather than Usagi as a teenager, showing once again that she’s shifted from the Tsukino family to her new life as Neo Queen Serenity.

This shift is further seen in Chibiusa’s own loneliness, as she never mentions having grandparents or an uncle. Fans of the series can then assume that, for whatever reason, the Tsukino family perished long before Crystal Tokyo came into being, with the longer lifespan reserved for Sailor Guardians or those previously reincarnated by Queen Serenity’s sacrifice. While series creator Naoko Takeuchi hasn’t explicitly stated one way or the other the fate of the Tsukino family, fans can assume that they died generations ago, and that Neo Queen Serenity’s dropping of her Tsukino name hints at their demise.

Sailor Moon

Release Date

March 7, 1992

Directors

Junichi Sato, Kunihiko Ikuhara