Sailor Starlights
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The Sailor Starlights are fictional characters and Sailor Senshi, introduced in the final story arc of Sailor Moon. The group is composed of Sailor Star Fighter, Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker, known on Earth as Kou Seiya, Kou Yaten, and Kou Taiki respectively. They come from the fictional planet Kinmoku, which has been destroyed, and disguise themselves as male pop stars (The Three Lights) in order to hide their true identities as they search for their lost princess, Kakyuu.
Their exact relationship to each other is unknown; according to the manga they are not siblings.[1] [2] Fanon long believed otherwise, likely due to confusion over the fact that they all share the same first name, Kou, which was probably often mistaken for their family name despite coming second (as Japanese name order would place it) whenever they are called by their full names in Japanese. "Kou" translates to "light," making the name "Three Lights" a pun.
The name "Three Lights" is taken from the Shinto concept of san hikari (literally "three lights"). These three lights are the sun, moon, and stars, each with a specific color and properties. [3] The roses worn by the Three Lights while in concert correspond to these three colors: the sun is red (Seiya's rose), the moon is white (Taiki's rose), and the stars are yellow (Yaten's rose). There is also fan speculation that the Starlights may be connected to the Hindu Trimurti (trinity) of the creator, preserver, and the destroyer: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. [4]
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[edit] Profile
In the manga, the Three Lights are an all-female trio are cross-dressers who pose as male idol singers, but in the anime Sailor Stars they actually gained the bodies of males in their Earth forms, becoming women again in their Sailor Senshi forms. Sailor Moon's creator and manga artist Naoko Takeuchi was annoyed at the change and that it contradicted her intention that all Sailor Soldiers be female. [5] The change was directly overseen by director Takuya Igarashi.
While on Earth, they all attend Jūban High School. As humans, all three are very popular with the Juban students. Several episodes feature the Three Lights having to deal with fans. As Starlights, they distance themselves from the other senshi, deeming Earth as not being their responsibility. They come into conflict with the Outer Senshi on multiple occasions, as the Outer Senshi view them as invaders from outside. The two groups only reconcile after Uranus and Neptune are mortally wounded by Galaxia, when Uranus charges Star Fighter with protecting Sailor Moon and then dies alongside Neptune.
The Starlights prove to be very resilient and exceptionally powerful, surviving multiple direct battles with Galaxia herself. In all, they clash with Galaxia three times: once soon after Kakyuu's death in which they're saved by Chibichibi; again after the deaths of Uranus and Neptune; and a third time to defend Eternal Sailor Moon, in which they become pure energy to battle Galaxia across space itself. Apart from Sailor Moon, they are the only other beings in the galaxy to survive all the way through to the end.
[edit] Kou Seiya
Kou Seiya (星矢光?) is the leader of the Sailor Starlights and the lead vocals for the Three Lights. In general, Seiya acts arrogant and tends to be, at least on the surface, confident in his own abilities.
In the manga, Seiya beats Haruka Tenoh in American football and raises the suspicions of the Sailors as to her identity. Seiya also develops a deep respect and friendship for Usagi because she is a princess, much in the same way Seiya respects Kakyuu for being a princess. [citation needed]
In the anime, Taiki and Yaten consider him prone to bouts of childishness (such as when he shows off) his basketball skills in front of the school [6], but generally follow his lead. He hates losing or being told he's not good enough. He also behaves arrogantly, saying once, "Usually girls are happy when they see me. Because I'm cool."
Over the course of the series, Seiya develops strong feelings for Usagi and his attempts to forge a bond with her provides the primary romantic tension of the season. From their first meeting on, Seiya calls Usagi odango, like Mamoru does. The two go on a date at an amusement park, which prematurely ends when Sailor Iron Mouse attacks. Seiya makes his interest in her clear when they spend time together practicing softball, telling her, "I like your light." However, Seiya's feelings are not fully reciprocated and he acknowledges the one-sided romance. After Galaxia's defeat, before leaving earth, Usagi tells him that they will always be friends.
[edit] Statistics
- Sailor Name: Sailor Star Fighter
- Earth Name: Kou Seiya
- Name Meaning: Starfield Light
- Age: 16
- Birthday: July 30
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Blood Type: A
- Hair Color: Black
- Eye Color: Blue
- Height: 5'5"
- Hobby: American Football
- Club Membership: American Football Club
- Responsibilities: Lead Vocal (Keyboard, Writing Lyrics, Composing Music)
- Has Trouble With: Girls
- Favorite Color: Red
- Favorite Gemstone: Ruby
- Favorite Food: Hamburgers
- Favorite Subject: Physical Education
- Worst Subject: Literature
[edit] Actresses
- In the anime, Kou Seiya is voiced by Shiho Niiyama, who has died since.[7]
- In the musical version, Kou Seiya has been played by 2 actresses: Sayuri Katayama and Chinatsu Akiyama.
[edit] Kou Taiki
Kou Taiki (大気光?) is the most intellectual. His abilities rival that of Ami Mizuno (see below), though he considers her romantic notions foolish. Ami's appeal for him to see the good in dreaming does begin to have an effect, however. In combat with a phage, he is the first of the Starlights to allow Sailor Moon to heal the monster rather than kill it outright. He spared the monster only because it had been a teacher who Ami respected. [8] Later in the series, as he is beginning to lose hope in finding Princess Kakyuu, he visits a sick girl in the hospital. She shows him a drawing of the Princess that she sees when she listens to the Three Lights play. [9] With renewed hope, Taiki returns to the Three Lights.
[edit] Statistics
- Sailor Name: Sailor Star Maker
- Earth Name: Kou Taiki
- Name Meaning: Atmospheric Light
- Age: 16
- Birthday: May 30
- Zodiac Sign: Gemini
- Blood Type: AB
- Hair Color: Brown
- Eye Color: Blue
- Height: 5'7"
- Hobby: Reciting Poetry
- Club Membership: Literary Club
- Responsibilities: Guitar (Keyboard, Writing Lyrics)
- Has Trouble With: Arguments
- Favorite Color: Yellow
- Favorite Gemstone: Emerald
- Favorite Food: Sushi
- Favorite Subject: Literature
- Worst Subject: None
[edit] Actresses
- In the anime, Kou Taiki is performed by Narumi Tsunoda.[7]
- In the musicals, Kou Taiki has been played by 2 actresses: Hikari Ono and Akiko Nakayama.
[edit] Kou Yaten
Kou Yaten (夜天光?) is often distant and cynical about everything. Yaten does not like to socialize or do sports. Yaten's remarks are often sharp-edged and blunt, which further separates Yaten from the world. In one episode, the other Starlights even chastise him for behaving in a way that might reduce the number of fans. [10] However, Yaten and Luna get on well. At one point during that episode, Luna inspires Yaten to keep on fighting.
In the manga, Yaten is a female that dresses up as a male. Blunt, and to the point, for example antagonizing Michiru Kaioh for her choice of lipstick. Yaten doesn't interact with the people around her much. She wants to focus on the mission most of all.
In the anime, he has the most spiritual awareness of the Starlights, as he's able to feel it when Mamoru's Golden Starseed is taken by Galaxia. He views humans as untrustworthy and wants to find Princess Kakyuu and leave Earth quickly.
[edit] Statistics
- Sailor Name: Sailor Star Healer
- Earth Name: Kou Yaten
- Name Meaning: Night Sky Light
- Age: 16
- Birthday: February 8
- Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
- Blood Type: B
- Hair Color: Silver
- Eye Color: Green
- Height: 5'0"
- Hobby: Photography
- Club Membership: Returning home [2] (after school; ie. no club)
- Responsibilities: Keyboard (arrangement)
- Has Trouble With: Physical Exertion
- Favorite Color: Light Blue or Light Green
- Favorite Gemstone: Amethyst
- Favorite Food: Caviar
- Favorite Subject: Art
- Worst Subject: Physical Education
[edit] Actresses
- In the anime, Kou Yaten is performed by Chika Sakamoto. [7]
- In the musicals, Kou Yaten has been played by 2 actresses: Momoko Okuyama and Mikako Tabe.
[edit] Musicals
The Starlights are featured in several of the musicals (4, 5, and 12). As in the manga, they are portrayed as women dressed as males, though their personalities are clearly from the anime. Seiya is portrayed as being eager to assist the Earth's senshi in their battle with Galaxia, while Yaten and Taiki are more reluctant. However, Yaten is portrayed as being less cynical and more airheaded, often behaving similar to Minako Aino. Taiki is also more of a womanizer, several times hitting on Michiru by telling her he's a big fan of her music, to which Yaten says, "You say that to every girl you meet!" Seiya is also explicitly referred to as "Leader" by the other two. In their songs, the Starlights refer to themselves as "Soldiers of Space."
Of the pairings implied and explicit in the anime, only Seiya and Usagi's relationship is at all presented in the musicals. Of the three musicals with Starlights, only the 5th includes Usagi and Seiya's interactions as a romantic subplot similar to the Sailor Stars anime. The 4th musical touches on a special bond between Seiya and Usagi, but it is not as deeply explored. In the 12th musical, Mamoru is not killed by Galaxia, so there is no romantic interplay between Usagi and Seiya (though Usagi does make Mamoru jealous several times by saying Seiya is better looking than him).
In all three musicals, Minako and the other Inner Senshi are fans of the Three Lights, as in the anime. The Outer Senshi are still suspicious of the Starlights, though the Haruka and Seiya rivalry is generally absent. In two of the plays, Haruka and Michiru are the first to realize that the Three Lights are also senshi. In all three musicals, it is the Starlights who tell the other senshi who they really are - the Starlights always seem to know the civilian identities of the Inners and Outers without needing to be told, though Moon's ownership of the Silver Crystal is sometimes revealed by Kakyuu.
After the Starlights find Princess Kakyuu (which only happens in the 5th and 12th musicals), they travel with the others to the Galaxy Cauldron as in the manga.
As in the anime, the Starlights are never killed by Galaxia and help protect Sailor Moon after the others are (temporarily) destroyed. Unlike the manga and anime, the other senshi do not always die fighting Galaxia and when they do they are always resurrected before the final battle. In some versions of the musicals, the Starlights are the only senshi other than Sailor Moon who successfully wound Galaxia via a combined attack, as in the anime.
In the 6th musical, which features Galaxia but not the Starlights, the Amazon Trio fills the Starlight's role in protecting Sailor Moon from harm until the final conflict.
[edit] Attacks and transformations
- Star Serious Laser — Sailor Star Fighter's attack, a focused light blast.
- Star Gentle Uterus — Sailor Star Maker's attack, an explosion of lights. It was changed by Tokyopop to Star Gentle Creator.
- Star Sensitive Inferno — Sailor Star Healer's attack, a circular blast of light.
- Star Fusion Tempest — A special combined attack from all three Starlights and the only physical attack other than the Sword of Sealing able to physically hurt Sailor Galaxia; it is seen in episode 199, but is only named in the musicals.
- Fighter Star Power, Make-Up! — Changes Seiya into Sailor Star Fighter.
- Maker Star Power, Make-Up! — Changes Taiki into Sailor Star Maker.
- Healer Star Power, Make-Up! — Changes Yaten into Sailor Star Healer.
[edit] Items
- Star Yell — The palm sized star-shaped device used by the Starlights to launch their attacks. It is also sometimes called the Sailor Star Yell. It only appears in the anime.
- Sailor Change Star — According to Bandai, this is a two piece set of the microphone and brooch used by the Starlights to transform. According to Naoko Takeuchi's own notes, the brooch contains the starseeds of the Starlights.
[edit] Music
- "Ginga Ichi Mibun Chigai na Kataomoi" (A Galaxy of Difference: One-Sided Love) - Seiya's anime image song. [1]
- "Chikara wo Awasete" (Combining Strengths) - Taiki's anime image song.
- "Mayonaka Hitori" (Alone at Midnight) - Yaten's anime image song.
- "Todokanu Omoi" - A group song from the anime, also released as a CD single.
- "Nagareboshi he" - A group song which figures in the plot of both the anime and manga.
- "Chasin' After You" - A song from the musical. Two versions exist, as the instrumentals were remixed for the 12th musical.
- "I Miss You" - Explicitly states Seiya's romantic feelings to Usagi, juxtaposed against Usagi's longing for the missing Mamoru.
- "Knockin' Down Hesitation" - A song for which the Three Lights provide background vocals
- "Yume no Naka e" - Actually the ending theme to Kare Kano. In the final performance of the 5th musical, Yaten and Taiki's actresses gave an impromptu performance of this song.
- "A Shooting Star Light" - A song from the 12th musical. It serves the Starlight's battle cry.
- "Kakyuu to Three Lights" - A piece focusing on their interaction with Princess Kakyuu, in which she advises the Starlights to fight alongside Sailor Moon.
- "Sailor War Supreme" - A production number combining many Senshi themes, including parts of "Chasin' After You" used as a leitmotif.
- "See Me, Bokutachi No Jidai" - A group song from the musicals, often sung for Three Lights performances
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (September 6, 1996). “Act 44”, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 16. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178841-8.
- ^ a b Takeuchi, Naoko (October 1999). Materials Collection. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-324521-7.
- ^ Yamamoto, Guji Yukitaka. Kami no Michi 10. Retrieved on October 6, 2006.
- ^ Starlight Pops The Hindu Trimurti. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
- ^ BLACK MOON - Sailor Moon, created by Naoko Takeuchi. Retrieved on October 6, 2006.
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars episode 174. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
- ^ a b c Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. Retrieved on October 6, 2006.
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars episode 177. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars episode 185. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Sailor Stars episode 178. Retrieved on October 28, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Starlight Pops - Additional information for each senshi, including themes and symbolism
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