Sailor Neptune

<!--Do no change the spelling of her family name. This is the way it is officially written in romanji on Japanese materials-->{{Infobox animanga character
| color        = #20d0b0
| name         = Sailor Neptune
| series       = Sailor Moon
| image        = [[Image:sailorneptune.jpg|220px]]
| caption      = Michiru in her Super Sailor Neptune form as seen in the anime.
| first        = [[#Aspects and forms|(See below)]]
| creator      = [[Naoko Takeuchi]]
| voiced by    = 
| oaux1 name   = Played by
| oaux1        = [[#Actresses|(See below)]]
| alias        = Michiru Kaioh <br /> Princess Neptune
| paux1 name   = Affiliations
| paux1        = [[Sailor Team]] <br /> [[Shadow Galactica]]
| paux2 name   = Abilities
| paux2        = Can manipulate energy drawn from the forces of the ocean; has some precognitive abilities. 
| divider      = English adaptation
| aux1 name    = Name
| aux1         = Michelle Kaioh (anime only)
}}

{{nihongo|'''Sailor Neptune'''|セーラーネプチューン|Sērā Nepuchūn}} is one of the central [[Character (arts)|characters]] in the ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' [[metaseries]]. Her civilian name is {{nihongo|'''Michiru Kaioh'''|海王 みちる|Kaiō Michiru|or '''Michelle Kaioh''' in the [[Sailor Moon (English adaptations)|English anime]]}}, an artistic schoolgirl who can transform into one of the series' specialized heroines, the [[Sailor Senshi]]. <!--Do no change the spelling of her family name. This is the way it is officially written in romanji on Japanese materials-->

Introduced in the third story arc, Sailor Neptune fights alongside her partner and lover [[Sailor Uranus]] in defending the Solar System from outside threats. In both versions of the story, she is elegant, sophisticated, capable of sharp anger, and sometimes cold. She is fully dedicated to her duty as a Senshi.

==Profile==
Michiru is formally introduced in the third story arc, although she appears in silhouette alongside Sailor Uranus in episode 89, a "teaser" to Sailor Moon S.

She is portrayed as a very polite, calm character in the series. She dislikes being patronized even if not doing so would hurt her feelings, and subsequently will not indulge people. This is alluded to in her backstory, explaining that she was congenial but generally not social. Michiru is also graceful and delicate, with an aura of sophistication. She is clearly intelligent, and this usually manifests itself through art and music. [[Sailor Moon (character)|Usagi]] (to whom this observation is especially relevant) once commented that Michiru was the ideal example of a princess.

Michiru attends Infinity Academy with Haruka (and the younger [[Sailor Saturn|Hotaru Tomoe]]) when she is first introduced. In the manga, after Infinity is destroyed, she and Haruka later attend the same high school as Usagi and the other girls. It is never mentioned where they go after this in the anime, but the two of them are shown driving away in their last appearance in ''Sailor Moon S'', and during a made-for-TV special set during the following season, they are shown staying at a hotel elsewhere in Japan. According to the musicals, Michiru had experience studying abroad.<ref>Sailor Moon Musical, 1998 ''Eien Densetsu kaiteiban'', Stage 1, after ''Dream wa Ookiku'' everybody congratulates Ami on studying abroad and Michiru says, "If you go abroad, rely on me, I'm experienced with that."</ref>

Michiru's closest bond is with [[Sailor Uranus|Haruka]], and Takeuchi has explicitly stated that the two are in a lesbian relationship in both the manga and the anime<ref>[http://www.theblackmoon.com/Naoko/take.html BLACK MOON - Sailor Moon, created by Naoko Takeuchi]</ref> as well as the musicals. This was changed in the American dub done by Cloverway (see Censorship).

[[Image:MichiruCello.jpg|left|thumbnail|Michiru with a [[cello]], as drawn by [[Naoko Takeuchi]]. Femininity and music are emphasized in her character design, and here she is half-submerged in water, reflecting the nature of her Senshi form.]]
In the anime, Michiru briefly flirts with [[Sailor Starlights|Kou Seiya]], at that time a man, asking him to help her unzip her dress. Her stated intention, earlier in the episode, is to learn Seiya's motives out of fear that he is a threat to the planet.<ref>[[List of Sailor Moon episodes#Sailor Moon Sailor Stars|Sailor Moon episode 180 - "The Brightness of the Calling Stars! Haruka and Company into the War"]]</ref> This flirtation does not occur in the manga, where Seiya is always a female and plays a much more minor role. However, in the [[Sailor Moon S|''Infinity'']] arc, Michiru appears as temptation for Mamoru, paralleling Haruka being used as temptation for Usagi. Though she never makes any of the advances on Mamoru that Haruka makes on Usagi, Usagi is jealous of her because she sees them together.

Michiru is deeply artistic and is the Senshi most associated with the arts. Her known skills include the [[violin]], [[human swimming|swimming]], and [[painting]]; of all her skills, her strongest is as a [[violin]]ist, which is also her greatest dream.<ref name="vol 10">{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | authorlink = Naoko Takeuchi | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 10 |chapter= Back of volume |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= June 6, 1995 |isbn= 4-06-178806-X}}</ref> She likes all her classes, especially music, and belongs to the Music club at school as well as the Swimming club.<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 16 |chapter= Act 43 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= September 6, 1996 |isbn= 4-06-178841-8 }}</ref> In the manga, she collects cosmetics; in the anime, she loves to swim, often using the water as a way to relax.<ref>This hobby can be seen in [[List of Sailor Moon episodes|Sailor Moon episode 097]], [[List of Sailor Moon episodes|Sailor Moon episode 110]].</ref> Her favorite food is [[sashimi]], while her least favorite is [[kikurage mushrooms]]. She also dislikes [[sea cucumbers]] for unclear reasons, and her favorite color is [[Teal (color)|Marine blue]].<ref name="vol 10" />

== Aspects and forms ==

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

{| class="wikitable" border="1" style="clear: both; float:right; width: 19em; margin-left:1em;"
|colspan="3" style="background:#2E8B57; text-align:center;"| '''First appearance'''
|-
! Form !! Manga !! Anime
|-
| Sailor Neptune || ''Act 24'' || ''Ep. 90''
|-
| Michiru Kaioh || ''Act 24'' || ''Ep. 92''
|-
| Super Sailor Neptune || ''Act 39'' || ''Ep. 167''
|-
| Princess Neptune || ''Act 41'' || align=center|''--''
|-
| Third Senshi Form || ''Act 42'' || align=center|''--''
|}
===Sailor Neptune===
Michiru's Senshi identity. She wears a [[sailor fuku|uniform]] colored in [[Teal (color)|teal]] and [[cerulean]], and unlike most of the other Senshi, her gloves extend only to mid-forearm and has a jewel on her choker. She is given specific titles throughout the various series, including Soldier of the Deep Waters<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 8 |chapter= Act 26 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= November 2, 1994 |isbn= 4-06-178790-X}}</ref> (or "Depths" in the English manga), Soldier of Embrace,<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 14 |chapter= Act 39 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= March 6, 1996 |isbn= 4-06-178826-4}}</ref> Soldier of Affinity,{{Fact|date=January 2008}} and Soldier of Comprehension.<ref>1997 Winter Special Musical - ''Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon Sailor Stars'' (Revised)</ref> Her personality is no different from when she is a civilian, although certain powers are unavailable to her in that form.

[[Image:Neptune symbol.svg|thumb|80px|left|Planetary symbol of Neptune]]
Sailor Neptune uses ocean-based attacks (not just [[Sailor Mercury|water]]),<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 9 |chapter= Act 29 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= February 6, 1995 |isbn= 4-06-178797-7}}</ref> and carries one of three [[Talisman (Sailor Moon)|Talismans]] carried by the [[Outer Senshi]]; Neptune has the Deep Aqua Mirror, which always reveals the truth. She takes a black-and-white approach to her role as a soldier, one shared by Sailor Uranus, who is virtually always at her side.

As she grows stronger, Sailor Neptune 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 Neptune 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 Neptune. A third, manga-only form appears in Act 42, also unnamed but analogous to Eternal Sailor Moon (''sans'' wings).<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | authorlink = Naoko Takeuchi | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 15 |chapter= Act 42 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= July 5, 1996 |isbn= 4-06-178835-3 }}</ref>

===Princess Neptune===
During the [[Silver Millennium]], Sailor Neptune was also the Princess of her home planet. She was among those given the duty of protecting the solar system from outside invasion. As Princess Neptune, she dwelt in Triton Castle and wore a [[:Image:SenshiPrincesses.jpg|sea-green gown]]. She appears in this form in the original manga Act 41, as well as in supplementary art. It is unknown whether she had a romantic relationship with Princess Uranus at that time.

==Special powers and items==
[[Image:DeepSubmerge.jpg|right|thumbnail|In her first Senshi uniform, Sailor Neptune demonstrates her ocean-based powers with ''Deep Submerge''.]]
Even in civilian form, Michiru has some precognitive gifts, as she occasionally states that "the sea is stormy" when there is an evil presence at work. She is not shown using any other special powers in her civilian form, and must first [[henshin|transform]] into a Sailor Senshi by raising her hand or a special device into the air and shouting a special phrase, originally "Neptune Planet Power, Make-up!"<ref>First used in Act 27 of the manga (she raises her hand) and Episode 106 of the anime (she raises the Lip Rod). In the English anime, "Michelle" does not say 'Make up' when transforming, and the phrase "Neptune Star Power" is usually used instead.</ref> In the manga she eventually gains her Neptune Crystal and this phrase changes to evoke ''Neptune Crystal Power''.<ref>"Crystal Power" starting in Act 39, when she acquires her second uniform. No new phrase is used for her third uniform.</ref> In the anime, although she does upgrade to Super Sailor Neptune, the Crystal is never mentioned and her transformation is never shown on screen after the upgrade.<ref>She does say the phrase "Neptune Crystal Power, Make up!" in her ''[[Sailor Stars]]'' image prologue. {{cite web |url= http://sailormusic.net/lyrics/neptune.html |title= SailorMusic.net |accessdate= 2007-04-13}}</ref> Her transformation sequence involves a pillar of seawater encircling her body and swirling around her as her uniform appears.

Sailor Neptune's powers are inspired by [[Roman mythology]], where [[Neptune (mythology)|Neptune]] is the god of the ocean. She never uses the element of [[water]] in a general sense, that being [[Sailor Mercury]]'s domain; instead, she draws energy from the "deep waters" and blasts this at her foes (rather than attacking with physical ocean water). She is given three major attacks in the series, and although they all have English names (like those of the other [[Sailor Senshi]]), each is also given [[kanji]] in the manga to denote the meaning to Japanese readers. For example, her first attack, ''Deep Submerge'',<ref>First appears in Act 26 of the manga and Episode 92 of the anime. In the English anime, the word ''Neptune'' is sometimes added at the beginning.</ref> is given kanji which translate precisely to {{nihongo|"deep"|深<!--|fuka-->}} and {{nihongo|"submerge"|水没<!--|suibotsu-->}}.<ref name="act39">{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 14 |chapter= Act 39 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= March 6, 1996 |isbn= 4-06-178826-4}}</ref> The intended English pronunciation is given in [[furigana]]. This is Sailor Neptune's primary attack for most of the anime series.

In the manga, Michiru owns a special [[hand mirror]] which supplements her precognition.<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 7 |chapter= Act 24 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= July 6, 1994 |isbn= 4-06-178781-0}}</ref> This turns out to be the Deep Aqua Mirror, one of three powerful [[Talisman (Sailor Moon)|Talismans]], the other two of which are carried by [[Sailor Uranus]] and [[Sailor Pluto]]. In the anime, she does not gain the mirror until she is revealed as one of the Talisman bearers;<ref>Episode 110.</ref> in either case, it is used in her second attack, ''Submarine Reflection''<ref>First appears in Act 31 and the [[SuperS movie]].</ref> {{nihongo||深海鏡射|<!--shinkei kagami zenmei-->|"deep sea mirror shoot"}}.<ref name="act39"/> In the anime, Michiru can use it through and dispelling illusions, as seen in the SuperS movie. In the manga, she can use it for [[astral projection]],<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 11 |chapter= ''The Lover of Princess Kaguya'' |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= July 6, 1995, August 8, 1995 |id= ISBN 4-06-178809-4 }}</ref> and lends it to [[Chibiusa]] while she and the other [[Outer Senshi]] are away. Chibiusa invokes the mirror's power by stating its name and is able to teleport to Sailor Neptune's location.

Michiru's [[violin]], a [[Stradivarius]] worth some five million dollars<!--Five hundred million yen, to be precise-->, is called the Marine Cathédrale and is named after "the temple of the sea".<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 8 |chapter= Act 26 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= |isbn= 4-06-178790-X}}</ref> Aside from playing it in concert, she uses it in her third and final attack, which (like the instrument itself) has a [[French language|French]]-inspired name: {{nihongo|''Submarine Vio<!--NOT VIOLIN-->lon Tide''|深海提琴潮流|<!--shinkei teikin chōryū-->|"deep sea violin tide"}}.<ref>Act 43. This attack is also used by the evil Sailor Neptune in Act 50, where it is renamed ''Galactica Violon Tide''.</ref>

The Neptune 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 [[Sailor Stars|fifth story arc]]. It is given to her by [[Sailor Saturn]].<ref name="act39"/>

==Development==
The character of Sailor Neptune was not developed until partway through the ''Sailor Moon'' series, after the [[Guardian Senshi]] were well-established. She was created in tandem with [[Sailor Uranus]], as a pair of "complementary but opposite characters",<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 9 |chapter= Act 29 |page=31 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= February 6, 1995 |isbn= 4-06-178797-7}}</ref> and meant from the beginning to work alongside [[Sailor Pluto]]. Creator [[Naoko Takeuchi]] has said that she was shocked by the changes made to Michiru's personality in the anime series, but that she was glad fans still liked the character.<ref name="artbook3">{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Volume III Original Picture Collection |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= September 1996 |isbn= 4-06-324518-7}}</ref>

Sailor Neptune's visual design is intended to evoke images of her element, from the choice of colors to the wavy quality of her hair, which Takeuchi even joked might be thought of as [[seaweed]] hair. In street clothes, Michiru is supposed to be an "artist type" and to dress accordingly; in fact, initial drawings are extremely elegant and "adult", because she was originally intended to be involved in the all-female [[Takarazuka Revue]] with Haruka.<ref name="materials">{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Materials Collection |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |year= 1999 |month= October |isbn= 4-06-324521-7}}</ref> Although this was not included in the series itself, Takeuchi stated in an interview that she feels Takarazuka is "the maximum level of feminine emancipation," that as such it was her inspiration for the character of Haruka, and that it seemed natural for Haruka to fall in love with another woman&mdash;namely Michiru.<ref>''Kappa'' magazine, September 1996. http://www.kicie.net/realm/naoko.htm</ref>

Certain background details of Michiru's character were chosen symbolically&mdash;for instance, her Western astrological sign is given as [[Pisces (astrology)|Pisces]],<ref name="vol 10"/> which in [[astrology]] corresponds to the planet Neptune. In reference to a popular [[Japanese blood type theory of personality|Japanese belief]], her [[blood type]] is given as O,<ref name="vol 10"/> supposedly indicating an agreeable and vain nature.

The [[kanji]] of Michiru's surname translate as {{nihongo|"sea"|海|kai}} and {{nihongo|"king"|王|ō}}. Together, they constitute most of the name of the planet Neptune in Japanese, {{nihongo||海王星|Kaiōsei|"Sea King Star"}}. Her given name is in [[hiragana]] {{nihongo||みちる|michiru}} and so its meaning is not inherent, but the word itself means "to rise". The packaging of [[Irwin Toy|Irwin]] dolls released in [[Canada]] in 1998 called Michiru by the name Nerissa.

==Censorship==
In the Italian dub, Uranus and Neptune were merely close friends who had a sister-like relationship.

In the French dub, the relationship was explained that Uranus poses as a man in civilian form, and Neptune only pretends to be "his" girlfriend, to help protect their identities.

Most European dubs portrayed their relationship to be merely [[Platonic love|platonic]]. The Taiwanese dub also toned down the relationship.

In the North American anime, her relationship with Sailor Uranus was redefined as being cousins, and an ex-boyfriend was mentioned, further defining her as [[heterosexual]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://smuncensored.com/comparison.php?episodeid=93 |title= Sailor Moon Uncensored |accessdate= 2007-03-11 |last= Wheeler |first= Robert |coauthors= Bednarski, Dan; Wood, Tiffany }} Full list of changes made for English dub</ref>

==Reception and influence==

The official ''Sailor Moon'' popularity polls listed Michiru Kaioh and Sailor Neptune as separate characters. In 1994, with fifty one choices, Sailor Neptune was the seventh most popular character, receiving almost eight thousand votes more than Michiru, who was the ninth.<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 10 |pages=138–139 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= June 6, 1995 |isbn= 4-06-178806-X}}</ref> In early 1996, with fifty one choices, Michiru was the sixteenth most popular character, and Neptune was the twenty second.<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 15 |chapter= |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= July 5, 1996 |isbn= 4-06-178835-3 }}</ref>

[[Fan fiction]] featuring Haruka and Michiru is among the most searched-for fan fiction on the Internet,<ref>{{cite news|last =Hurd|first =Gordon|title =Fantastic Fiction|publisher = [[Yahoo!]] Buzz|date= 2007-03-20|url = http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/67161/fantastic-fiction|accessdate = 2007-07-05}}</ref> and Erica Friedman of [[Yuricon]] has described Haruka and Michiru as being "one of the most romantic, funny, and fun yuri couples, ever."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://okazu.blogspot.com/2004/01/yuri-animemanga-sailor-moon.html|title=Yuri Anime/Manga: Sailor Moon|last=Friedman|first=Erica|date=January 29, 2004|work=Okazu|accessdate=2009-07-26}}</ref>

It has been suggested that Sailor Neptune "probably would not tolerate an unkempt, inconsiderate male 
as her romantic partner."<ref>http://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1186&context=theses p. 33</ref>

==Actresses==
In the Japanese anime series and movies, Michiru Kaioh is [[seiyū|voiced by]] veteran voice actress [[Masako Katsuki]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.usagi.org/doi/smoon/index.html |title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon |accessdate= 2009-12-31 |last= Doi |first= Hitoshi | authorlink = Hitoshi Doi }} → {{Wayback|url=http://www.usagi.org/doi/smoon/index.html|title=Archive copy}}</ref> In the English-language dub, the voice of "Michelle Kaioh" is provided by [[Barbara Radecki]], who had previously played [[List of minor Sailor Moon characters#Ikuko/Mama|Usagi's mother]] and [[Silver Millennium#Queen Serenity|Queen Serenity]]. Many fans believe this was due to her resemblance to Ikuko.

In the [[Sailor Moon musicals|stage musicals]], Michiru has been played by 8 actresses: [[Kaoru Sakamoto]], [[Chikage Tomita]], [[Miyuki Fuji]], [[Hiroko Tahara]], [[Sara Shimada]], [[Yuhka Asami]], [[Tomoko Inami]], and [[Takayo Oyama]]. Asami, the longest-running of these actresses, knew nothing about ''Sailor Moon'' when she was given a role in the musical, but came to greatly admire the character of Michiru after reading the manga and watching the anime. [[Nao Takagi]], who played opposite her as Sailor Uranus, has stated that certain scenes were specially created just for the two of them.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.destinedcouple.com/harshdomain/translations/hhobby26.htm|title=Hyper Hobby Interview|accessdate=2007-12-09}} Nao: "Some of the scenes were created for the two of us"</ref> 

Michiru does not appear in the [[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon|live-action series]].

==References==
{{reflist|2}}
== See also ==
* [[LGBT themes in comics]]
* [[Neptune in fiction]]
* [[Neptune (mythology)]]
{{Sailor Moon}}


[[es:Michiru Kaiō]]
[[fr:Michiru Kaioh]]
[[ko:카이오 미치루]]
[[it:Michiru Kaiō]]
[[hu:Kaió Micsiru]]
[[ja:海王みちる]]
[[pl:Michiru Kaiō]]
[[pt:Michiru Kaiou]]
[[ru:Сейлор Нептун]]
[[th:ไคโอ มิจิรุ]]
[[vi:Thủy thủ sao Hải Vương]]
[[zh:海王满]]