The Anime of V

Before the concept of Sailormoon was completed, there was talk of there being a Codename Sailor V OVA, but the people at Toei Animation pushed Naoko to make a new series with a team of five instead of just one. As soon as Sailormoon was underway, all plans for a Sailor V anime were scrapped.

However, remnants of the would be project were used in Sailormoon episodes 21 and 42.

In episode 21, Usagi, Ami and Rei visit an anime studio, that is supposedly making a Sailor V movie. However the Senshi are overshadowed by the victims of the day, young animators Hiromi Matsuno and Kazuko Tadashita. The episode focuses so intently on these two (whom are never seen again) that rumors still abound that Toei Animation meant to use this episode as a vehicle for a spin-off series about the duo.

Images of Sailor V are all over the place in the episode:

Minako's past as Sailor V was never shown as it was in the Sailormoon anime. Instead, a sad and short tale was spun in episode 42.

Her anime tale begins with Minako (aged 13) living in England for one year. There she helps an Interpol policewoman named Katarina.

She is first seen aiding Katarina by defeating a youma, whom has kidnapped a little girl:

Soon Katarina and Minako become friends, and Minako calls her "One-chan".

Soon Minako has an older boyfriend named Alan, and I can't help but notice a few things:



Life seems easy for Minako, who is enjoying life with Katarina and Alan. But soon, Alan and Katarina begin seeing each other behind Minako's back.

But the happy teen doesn't realize what's going on until one fateful day...

While trying to stop a bandit, Sailor V runs into a shack. The bandit sets off a bomb while she's inside.

Sailor V survives, but is badly wounded.

While in an alley, Sailor V discovers the truth between Alan and Katarina:

Seeing that the two now feel free to love each other in the open, since they think Minako has died, Sailor V sits weeping in the alley.

She returns to Japan, silently. Letting them believe she is dead. Artemis gives her a new pen and she is now Sailor Venus.

By this time, Minako is 14 and has been joined by Luna and the other Sailor Senshi. But soon she catches up with Katarina, who takes her to a hotel room, to rekindle a friendship:

But Katarina is possessed by Kunzite, and has become a Youma, Papillion:


After hearing the tale, Sailor Moon offers to kill Katarina outright while she’s still a Youma, but Sailor Venus begs her to heal her former friend instead. Sailor Moon reluctantly agrees, and Katarina is saved. Katarina apologizes for not knowing how wrong it was for her to take Alan from Minako, and soon she leaves.

Minako later releases her last photo with Alan, but still thinks of him until the end of Sailormoon R.

Why this sad story replaced the original is beyond most fans. Maybe this was meant to add depth to Minako's character? Who knows. But it is largely rumored that Katarina was LOOSELY based on Natsuna, and that Alan was meant to replace both Ace and Wakagi. Another interesting note is that while in the anime, Minako works with Interpol, in the manga she never works with the police, but does consider an offer from Natsuna.

For the record, in the Sailormoon manga series, Minako HATES all cops.

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