To create the Sailor Moon characters, Naoko Takeuchi fixed her gaze on the stars in order to grant them their destinies.
Of all the Sailor Moon characters, there is no one who has captivated us with their beauty and joy like Minako Aino. To bring it to life, Naoko Takeuchi made use of her knowledge in philology, history, and psychology, which reflects very well the depth that there is in Sailor Venus, and for you to see, below we show you all the inspirations of the mangaka after the creation of this mighty warrior.
Word games
Minako Aino’s name was not chosen at random by Naoko Takeuchi but was selected with the intention of representing the personality and powers of this powerful Sailor Senshi. In Spanish, the Japanese words Ai no Minako are literally translated as “beautiful girl of love”, it makes a lot of sense if we consider that love and beauty are the biggest concerns of this teenager.
Greco-Roman mythology
In Greek mythology, Aphrodite (Venus for the Romans) was the Goddess of love, beauty, and passion. These elements were taken into account by Naoko Takeuchi when creating Minako Aino, and it was for this reason that he made Sailor Venus a beautiful student, passionate in her battles, who in addition to worrying about the villains only think about love.
Astrology and astronomy
The vast majority of the heroes and villains that we have seen in Sailor Moon were created by Takeuchi based on his astrological and astronomical studies. So much so that the Sailor Scouts are presented as champions of each orb found in our solar system (Minako Aino is Sailor Venus, in this case). But it doesn’t stop there: in the specific case of Minako Aino, the mangaka turned her Libra, a sign that represents charming, attractive, and very explosive people.
Color psychology
The psychology of color studies how color affects the behavior of human beings. In this sense, discoveries have been made that orange is a color that conveys joy and originality, and that it encourages extraversion. Now do you understand why all Minako Aino’s outfit is this color?
Code Name Wa Sailor V
Minako Aino is remembered not only for her incredible design, she is also remembered for being the first Sailor Senshi that Naoko Takeuchi brought to life. This vigilante first appeared in the 1991 manga Code Name Wa Sailor V, the prototype story from which the entire Sailor Moon series would start. It is worth mentioning that the mangaka reused this character without having changed anything at all what she had told us about her.
Without the presence of Minako Aino, we would hardly have been able to see the other Sailor Guardians. Fortunately, when an artist has a great idea, they fight to the end for it without giving in, and in this sense, Naoko Takeuchi did not stop fighting to see published the work that has shaped our dreams: Sailor Moon.
