Shitennou (Sailor Moon)
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 Nephrite, Zoisite, Jadeite, and Kunzite in the manga. |
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| Shitennou (Four Heavenly Kings) | |
|---|---|
| Story arc: | Sailor Moon (first arc) Live-action series |
| Dub name: | Dark warriors |
| Leader: | Queen Beryl, Prince Endymion (past life) |
| Part of: | Dark Kingdom |
| Key figures: | Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite, Kunzite |
| Tools: | Disguises, Black Crystal |
The Shitennou (四天王 Shitennō?, Four Heavenly Kings) are a group of villains from the Sailor Moon metaseries. They are sub-leaders of the very first villain group, the Dark Kingdom, working directly under Queen Beryl, and provide the major antagonistic force for the beginning of every version of the series.
The group's title, shitennou, comes from Buddhist mythology. They are frequently referred to among fans as the "Generals," a term which never appears in the series, but which references their position in the Dark Kingdom. Each member has epaulettes on his uniform, which can be used to deduce their respective ranks.
In the manga, the Shitennou originally functioned as the four guardians of Earth's crown prince, Endymion. They were led astray during the time of the Silver Millennium, finally selling their souls to the Dark Kingdom and becoming Queen Beryl's servants. When reincarnated in the 20th century, they again fall prey to her and obey her every command, but retain a sense that they need to seek out their real master and aid him. This backstory was not included in the anime, but was reintroduced and built upon for the live-action series.
In DiC's English adaptation of the anime, the Shitennou were human-like beings from the Negaverse, an alternate dimension of evil, and had only a vague understanding of human ways. From dialogue between Nephlyte (Nephrite) and Zoycite (Zoisite), they were even required to take classes in human psychology to blend in.[1]
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[edit] Jadeite
Jadeite (ジェダイト Jedaito?, called Jedite in the English anime) is the first of the Shitennou to appear, and the lowest in rank. In her Materials Collection, Takeuchi describes him as being about 18 years old in appearance,[2] making him the second-youngest, while in the live-action series he is the youngest. He is the head of the Dark Kingdom's Far-Eastern Division[3] and is named after the mineral jadeite.
[edit] Manga
In the manga, Jadeite's mission was to track down the Silver Crystal but eventually led to gathering life energy to awaken Queen Metaria. Jadeite had very little interaction with his fellow Shitennou in the manga and was only seen with Nephrite who would ridicule the first king when his grand schemes failed. Nevertheless, when Jadeite was killed at the hands of the newly awakened Sailor Mars (whom he expressed at least a physical attraction to) Nephrite vowed to avenge his fallen comrade. In the later sidestory Casablanca Memories, a stranger appears, also trying to avenge Jadeite.
When the power of the Silver Crystal was finally revealed Jadeite was briefly returned to life with his fellow Shitennou and pledged his loyalty to Prince Endymion, his former master, once again. Unfortunately he and the rest returned to their native crystal forms shortly afterward. Later in the manga series Jadeite and the other Shitennou would appear in visions to Endymion to counsel and advise him in times of trouble.
In the first official Sailor Moon popularity poll, Jadeite was ranked the twentieth most popular character out of thirty eight choices.[4]
[edit] Anime
Jadeite's mission was essentially the same as in the manga though expanded to cover a number of new plots. He was subservient to Beryl to a fault and endured each successive punishment for his failures with the resolve to reform his tactics to better please the queen. He was also considerably more sexist against women in the anime than in the manga, often remarking how women and girls could not match his power nor comprehend his methods. However, this sexist attitude would only be toned down in the English dub, in favor of a rivalry between him and the Scouts instead. In the dubbed Episode 12, he even flirts with "Serena" where he had not done so in the original vesion.
Jadeite used disguises to great extent becoming all manner of personas including a radio DJ (called J-Dite as a sort of pun), captain of a cruise ship, a security guard at a dream-themed amusement park (with his Youma at the time posing as the park's mascot, the Dream Princess), the owner of a women's gymnasium, and even a member of Rei's temple among other guises. In the English dub, his name is altered to "Jedite", and is invariably referred to as "Jed" when in his disguises. His power was formidable and manifested itself through illusions and telekenetic manipulation. Jadeite was able to control Sailor Moon's tiara and render it harmless. He also apparently loved conjuring new and exciting ways to traverse vast distances through teleportation.
Inevitably his failures led to the Queen's loss of faith in Jadeite and he was issued an ultimatum: destroy the Sailor Senshi or face the punishment of Eternal Sleep. Jadeite poured all his effort into the final assault, threatening the destruction of Tokyo should the Senshi not agree to his duel. In a final showdown Jadeite threw down Tuxedo Mask and very nearly succeeded in destroying the Senshi though in the end their teamwork and a well-placed curse from Rei rendered Jadeite the victim of his own trap. Upon returning to the Dark Kingdom with the news that he had learned the secret identities of the Senshi on his lips, Queen Beryl encased him in an impenetrable ice crystal and condemned him to his restless Eternal Sleep. He is not seen again, and is presumably still encased in crystal after the end of the story arc.
[edit] Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
All of the Shitennou had their roles expanded greatly in the live action series yet Jadeite remained largely as he had in all previous incarnations. He was deeply loyal to Queen Beryl, and at many points in the series she would refer to Jadeite as the only one she could trust within the ranks of the Shitennou. He was in almost constant competition with Nephrite for the affections of the Queen though Jadeite remained in her favor for his entire length of service. Jadeite was entrusted with missions ranging from gathering energy to spying on his fellow warriors to attacking the Senshi. His powers were formidable though as it was shown in a duel with Kunzite he was certainly the least seasoned of the group (Zoisite tells that he was the youngest of the Shitennou during the Silver Millennium, and as a result was treated like the little brother of the team). He preferred the use of twin daggers in hand-to-hand combat and his projectile energy attacks were violet in color.
Faced with the task of destroying Sailor Moon he sought aid in Zoisite who guided the younger king on his first mind-flight; a process which gravely injured him and led to Jadeite reverting to his native crystal form to heal himself and regain his full power until midway through the series when he was revived again by Metaria's growing power. Jadeite was torn between loyalties when Endymion came to the Dark Kingdom but continued to be Queen Beryl's go-to guy. At the end of the series, with the Dark Kingdom collapsing around them, Beryl released Jadeite from her mind controlling spell and urged him to flee for his life. Jadeite refused, declaring that Beryl remained his master by choice. However, at the near-end of Act 49, he again calls Endymion his master and friend. In the Special Act, he assisted in the battle against the Pierrot monsters and attended his master and Usagi's wedding. He is portrayed as much more playful and relaxed than in the main series.
[edit] Nephrite
Nephrite (ネフライト Nefuraito?, called Nephlite[5] in the English adaptations) is the second of the Shitennou to appear, and the second-highest in rank. Takeuchi describes him as cocky and emotional, saying he will probably get himself killed right off, which he did in the manga. He is the second-oldest, estimated at about 19 years old,[2] and is in charge of the Dark Kingdom's North American division.[6] He is named after the mineral nephrite.
[edit] Manga
Nephrite's primary goal was to locate the Silver Crystal. The loss of the first king enraged Nephrite and the desire to avenge his fallen companion was the main driving force behind Nephrite's efforts. Nephrite would use a "shadow" of himself to attack his victims which would possess them and allow his control over their bodies, simultaneously draining their energy in the process. His final and only scheme involved the possession of Motoki who in turn passed this corruption on to Makoto. Mamoru rescued them from the Shadow and in revenge Sailor Jupiter struck down Nephrite and killed him.
[edit] Anime
Nephrite took over Jadeite's position after the latter was banished into Eternal Sleep by Queen Beryl. He criticized Jadeite's methods of collecting energy explaining that he tried to attack too many people at once. Nephrite hypothesized that he could gather more energy from a single person than Jadeite could from a hundred based on a person's intonation with the stars. Nephrite could tap into this natural rhythm to find people who were reaching their maximum "energy potential" and then drain it for Metaria.
Nephrite used an alter ego Masato Sanjouin in the anime. His initials appear prominently on some personal belongings as M.S. To match this, he was given the pseudonym Maxfield Stanton in the English dub. He looks identical in this form (with a slight change in the tone of his voice in the English Dub), but assumes the identity of a wealthy businessman/socialite and drives a red Ferrari 512TR Testarossa. Although he does act as a typical human, he does occasionally demonstrate some super-human abilities, such as easily leaping over the fence of a tennis court. Over the course of his missions, he inadvertently attracts the attention and affections of Naru, which eventually reforms him.
After many attempts to simply gather energy, many of which were deemed successful by Queen Beryl, he resigned his efforts to locating the Ginzuishou. This infuriated Zoisite, the third king, who would relentlessly taunt and ridicule him. Nevertheless Nephrite was able to develop a homing device that would track down the Ginzuishou—in the form of a Black Crystal (Kurozuishou). Oddly enough, the Black Crystal would only react to the presence of Naru and Nephrite correctly assumed it was reacting to the power of her love for the king.
In the end Nephrite also developed feelings for the redhead which gave Zoisite the necessary edge to eliminate the former king. Zoisite's minions captured Naru whom Nephrite summarily rescued. In the process he admitted his feelings for the girl and gave a genuine smile, as well as a good laugh. Then, Zoisite's minions attacked again and Nephrite took a piercing vine through his shoulder to protect Naru as well as a direct attack from another of the assassins. In the midst of the attack, Nephrite dropped the Black Crystal, which Zoisite then obtained. The Sailor Senshi arrive to destroy the minions, but Nephrite is already too far from saving, professing his regret for lying to Naru so much and soon died in her arms.
[edit] Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Nephrite was Jadeite's main rival for the admiration of Queen Beryl. Rather than being the skilled tactician that he was in the anime, Nephrite is almost comically hot-headed and violent and loses his temper on a regular basis. Perhaps because of his inability to control himself, Nephrite became something of the black sheep in the Dark Kingdom, acting as Beryl's whipping boy and favorite target of Kunzite's ridicule. Queen Beryl herself even declared Nephrite useless and at one point noted off-handedly that he should do something to prove his continued existence would be worthwhile.
Nephrite was humiliated by the Senshi time and time again and was all but banished by Queen Beryl for it. During this time Dark Sailor Mercury came onto the scene. She found Nephrite depressed and lonely in a corner of the Kingdom, then she mentioned it bothered her to see anyone in his emotional state. She also fixed his torn cape, a gesture he would later repay when he shielded her from Kunzite's sword after she escaped the Dark Kingdom.
Later, Beryl welcomed Nephrite back into the fold when the memories of the Shitennou began to reemerge. In an effort to lure Mamoru to the Dark Kingdom, Beryl used the Shitennou against him, taking control of their bodies and forcing them to level weapons at themselves. She declared that unless Mamoru came to the Dark Kingdom and submitted to her power that the Shitennou would commit suicide. Mamoru agreed and Princess Serenity finally revealed herself as Usagi. Beryl ordered Mamoru to destroy her or face the consequences. To demonstrate her power over him she forced Nephrite to impale himself on his sword and he fell dead.
Somehow, Nephrite is reborn in Tokyo as a normal human with all his memories of the Dark Kingdom and Beryl intact. He begins working with Motoki at the Crown Karaoke bar, though he almost constantly loses his temper. Nephrite also forges a tenuous friendship with Ami Mizuno, feeling the need to return the favor to her from when she was Dark Sailor Mercury (a favor which Ami does not remember at all). Despite this she makes efforts to be kind to him, empathizing with his loneliness.
When Princess Serenity destroyed the Earth at the series finale, Nephrite was seen disappearing along with the others. When Serenity and Endymion restored the earth again, Nephrite was not seen alive on the earth. Instead, he and his other Shitennou companions appeared to Mamoru, professing his loyalty to him and promising that they will appear when they are needed. This proves true in the Special Act when he and the other Shitennou were revived and assisted in the battle against the Pierrot monsters, later attending his master and Usagi's wedding.
[edit] Zoisite
Zoisite (ゾイサイト Zoisaito?, called Zoycite in the English anime) is the third of the Shitennou, and is second-lowest in rank. Of the four, his character has undergone the most drastic changes from version to version of the story. He is the youngest, at about 16-17 years of age, as well as the least mature and most effeminate.[2] He manages the Dark Kingdom's European Division[7] and is named after the mineral zoisite.
[edit] Manga
In the manga Zoisite first appears as Jadeite is being reprimanded by Queen Beryl following a failed mission. He later appears after Nephrite's demise and his emotions overcome him as he shrieks out the name of the lost king in sorrow. Kunzite then makes his entrance counselling Zoisite and offering the advice to "use his head" more than the other two failed kings.
His first mission was to locate the Ginzuishou and follows several leads through news reports and press releases. In the end Tuxedo Mask's involvement was revealed and nearly the whole population of Tokyo was out looking for the mythical Silver Crystal so Zoisite switched his tactics to gathering energy instead. He does this in a spectacular way by using the Tokyo Tower to drain the energy of everyone in the city who was in contact with the video waves emanating from the tower.
Kunzite is almost always shown with Zoisite, but they are not in a relationship as in the anime. They strategize together and Zoisite expresses concern about his own abilities and of those of the Senshi. Zoisite eventually devises a scheme to steal energy using electronic means, specifically rental movies that brainwash and hypnotize their victims. The Senshi arrive on the scene to confront Zoisite who in turn defeats them with almost startling ease. He is about to kill Sailor Moon when a curious Crescent Boomerang, care of the newly-arrived Sailor Venus, quite literally cuts him to shreds.
[edit] Anime
Zoisite appeared the same time Nephrite came to power. The former king would cajole and ridicule the latter, often citing Jadeite's failures and comparing the two men on an intellectual level. His abilities are centered around nature, using fire, ice, and sakura petals in battle. Other abilities include teleportation (with additional weight), telekinesis, illusionary disguise, limited clairvoyance and supernatural strength and speed. Zoisite was resentful that Nephrite was chosen to replace the fallen king, feeling that it was his right to pick up where Jadeite had failed. The rivalry escalated from there with Zoisite taking every possible opportunity to make Nephrite look foolish, often in sight of the Queen. (In DiC's adaptation, the Negaversal "Zoycite" enjoyed taking classes in human sarcasm to better insult her rival.)[1]
Worried that Nephrite would achieve his goal of the Silver Crystal, Zoisite sought counsel with the fourth king, Kunzite, with whom he shared a more than passing affection. Kunzite advised his lover to keep an eye on Nephrite's progress and his newly developed Black Homing Crystal. Zoisite watched first hand as the crystal led Nephrite to Naru and his dormant human emotions began to emerge, saving the girl time and time again from danger. Finally Zoisite sprung a trap and kidnapped the human girl and forced an exchange for her life: Naru for Nephrite's Black Crystal. Nephrite refused, rescued her and took her to a park. Soon after, one of Zoisite's three youma assassins dealt him a mortal wound, Nephrite dropped the Black Crystal and Zoisite snatched it up. Zoisite then teleported away, leaving Nephrite to die in Naru's arms.
Completely unfazed Zoisite then took control of the search for the Ginzuishou. It was revealed that the Mystical Silver Crystal had been split into seven component parts known as the Nijizuishou, or Rainbow Crystals. Competing against both the Senshi and Tuxedo Mask, Zoisite managed to collect five. To win the final two the king challenged Tuxedo Mask to a duel, circumstances of which led to the masked hero learning Sailor Moon's true identity and vice-versa. Using several underhanded tactics Zoisite secured the seven crystals and, in defiance of Queen Beryl's orders, attempted to kill Tuxedo Mask.
Unfortunately for the third king the wound he dealt to Mamoru caused the long dormant memories of the Moon Princess to awaken within Usagi. The tears she shed over her fallen love caused the seven Rainbow Crystals to merge back together into the Silver Crystal. This caused her to transform into the Moon Princess, Serenity. Zoisite was powerless against the Princess and fled to the Dark Kingdom where instead of asylum he was met with Queen Beryl's wrath. Angered beyond belief at his attempt to murder Tuxedo Mask, Queen Beryl mortally wounded the king as punishment. Zoisite begged his love Kunzite to grant his final wish and allow him to die beautifully. He died in Kunzite's arms amidst a hail of his beloved sakura (cherry blossom) petals.
It is interesting to note that in the American dub both Nephrite and Kunzite pronounce Zoisite's name properly, phonetically the way the name of the mineral is spelled. All other characters including the Senshi and Queen Beryl pronounce it with the new spelling of "Zoycite", stressing the first syllable "Zoy" heavily. Why the spelling of a legitimate word was changed is unknown. Also in the English version, and in several other countries, Zoycite was changed into a woman, perhaps as a means of disguising both his relationship with Kunzite/Malachite and his penchant for using female disguises.
[edit] Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Zoisite was by far the most enigmatic of the Shitennou in the live action version. Many of his powers were effected as he played his piano, including an early attempt on the hidden Moon Princess' life through his composition, "Requiem for a Princess." He would often play commonly recognized compositions including Chopin's "Fantasie Impromptu," and Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."
Early in the series, he came face to face with Tuxedo Mask whom he recognized from his past life as his master, Endymion. Shortly thereafter, he was defeated by Sailor Venus and reverted to a zoisite stone. Like Jadeite, he was revived later in the series as a sign of Queen Metaria's growing power. Zoisite retained his memories of the Silver Millennium and would attempt, through his music, in a kind of astral projection, to reach out to Endymion, reborn as Chiba Mamoru. He would also use this music to attempt to awaken the memories of his fellow Shitennou with which he had varying degrees of success.
When Kunzite arrived in the Dark Kingdom he confronted Zoisite about his efforts to revive the memories of Endymion. Kunzite threatened him, preferring Mamoru to remain ignorant, making Kunzite's plans for revenge against his former master that much easier. Zoisite shrugged off Kunzite's threats and continued as he had, often enduring punishments from Queen Beryl to whom he held no loyalty. Even so, he was often shown as being the most intelligent and skillful of the Shitennou such as when he assisted Jadeite with his first "mind flight" though the process seriously injured the younger king and set him dormant for a time. He attempted to reawaken Nephrite's past memories, but Queen Beryl's hold proved too strong and he recovered no more than the understanding that Endymion had been his master in the past. During the course of all these events Zoisite would appear to Mamoru and it was his counsel that convinced Mamoru to accept his past life as Endymion and fight for the well-being of the planet again.
Later, Mamoru himself was brought to the Dark Kingdom and Zoisite continued to defend him against both Queen Beryl and Kunzite. Because of a stone implanted in Mamoru's body by Queen Beryl, he would fall gravely ill and his lifespan would shorten every time he thought of Usagi. Zoisite offered to trade his life for Mamoru's which Queen Beryl rejected. However, she suggested that she would perhaps accept the life of the Princess (Usagi) instead. Zoicite then sent his youma to kill Usagi. He would have succeeded had the words of Mamoru not swayed him. His master explained that he had remained captive in the Dark Kingdom for the sake of the Shitennou and to keep the planet safe and were their places exchanged, would Zoisite not have done the same? In the end Zoisite died, protecting Sailor Moon from the Metaria-possessed youma while the other Sailor Senshi were occupied with his own youma. With his dying breath, he reached out to his master and his fellow Shitennou again with his music before his piano finally fell silent and the king died.
However, Zoisite's noble spirit lived on and he pledged his loyalty to Endymion once more near the end of the final act. Years later with the return of Kuroki Mio the Shitennou were once again called upon to serve their master and Zoisite fought at Endymion's side, later attending the wedding of Mamoru and Usagi.
[edit] Kunzite
Kunzite (クンツァイト Kuntsaito?, called Malachite in the English anime) is the fourth and final member of the Shitennou. He carries a shortsword, and Takeuchi describes him as the greatest of the four, with the majesty of an Arabian king. She also admits to being very fond of him as a character. He is about 25-26 years old,[2] leads the Dark Kingdom's Middle Eastern Division,[8] and is named after the mineral kunzite (or, in the dub, malachite).
[edit] Manga
Kunzite is first shown acting in an advisory role to Zoisite, often helping the younger, less experienced king formulate plans of attack for gathering energy. Kunzite showed little regard for the fate of his fellow Shitennou and indeed seemed rather impassive when Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite were killed off. Even so, Queen Beryl tells Kunzite that if they recover the Ginzuishou the fallen Shitennou could then be revived. As per Queen Beryl's orders, Kunzite attacked the Sailor Senshi at the Tokyo Tower and defeated them swiftly. Sailor Moon was about to be destroyed by Kunzite's attack when Tuxedo Mask jumped in and took the hit for her, nearly killing himself in the process. Her heart broken by his sacrifice, she regained her memories as the Moon Princess and the Ginzuishou appeared, the light washing over everyone including Kunzite.
In this moment he too regained his memories of the past and was torn between his loyalty to Beryl and Endymion. He witnessed the brief rebirth of his fellow Shitennou but they quickly decomposed into their mineral forms again. Beryl then ordered Kunzite to capture the Princess and her Silver Crystal. Confused by his emotions and newfound memories Kunzite instead takes Mamoru with him back to the Dark Kingdom. Upon questioning Beryl about the Shitennou and Endymion, she tells him that they cannot be revived now that their bodies have turned to stone. Also, upon hearing Kunzite call Mamoru by his true name, Endymion, she ramps up her brainwashing and implants a shard of kunzite crystal into his forehead. This leaves Kunzite little more than a zombie. In a blind rage Kunzite again attacks the Senshi, singling out Sailor Moon and attempting to wrestle the Ginzuishou away from her. They fly up into the atmosphere where they battle ferociously but in the end Kunzite is defeated by a Sailor Planet Attack, leaving only the piece of kunzite stone behind.
In the final battle against Queen Metaria it was Kunzite who traversed the dimensions and appeared to Mamoru to inform him that the creature's weakness lay in a point on its forehead, which he and Usagi managed to exploit and end the demon queen's plans of conquest for good.
[edit] Anime
Kunzite was first shown with Zoisite plotting against the second king, Nephrite. The two were quite obviously lovers and Zoisite would cling to Kunzite for support and guidance. Together they managed to collect all seven of the Rainbow Crystals but just when things were looking up for the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite made a grave mistake and attacked Tuxedo Mask with an ice crystal. This cost him his life and revealed Sailor Moon as the Moon Princess, also awakening the power of the Ginzuishou. Zoisite was killed for his disobedience and Kunzite fell into a depression, though his loyalty to Queen Beryl did not waver in the slightest.
He took the injured Mamoru back to the Dark Kingdom as per Beryl's instructions and he was transformed into an agent of the Dark Kingdom. Kunzite greatly resented being forced to work with Endymion but nevertheless carried out his assignments out of obedience. He grew increasingly suspicious of Endymion because he would foil Kunzite's plans and continue to, in a somewhat macabre way, protect Sailor Moon and the senshi, believing that innocent humans need not be harmed in the process of achieving their goals. Beryl herself began to doubt Endymion's loyalty and gave Kunzite the task of keeping tabs on Endymion.
After many defeats Endymion was cured of Beryl's brainwashing, albeit temporarily, then whisked away to the Dark Kingdom again. The Senshi resolved to find the entrance to the Dark Kingdom, recover Mamoru, and end the threat once and for all. Kunzite met them in battle at the D Point during which the Senshi's past memories of the Moon Kingdom were restored. Kunzite lashed out with an energy boomerang attack that took out all the senshi except for Sailor Moon. In a last defiant effort Kunzite attacked her but the projectile was deflected back at him and pierced him. He died crying out to Zoisite, begging his love to meet him on the other side.
[edit] Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
The fourth and final king acts extremely independently and seems to hold very little loyalty towards Queen Beryl. He is first introduced in the form of a kindly human named Shin who recovers Motoki's missing pet turtle. He confesses to Usagi that he has amnesia and doesn't know anything about his own identity, which reminds her of Tuxedo Mask. She tries to help him remember by buying him a gift that will remind him of the things he loves. However, with Jadeite and Zoisite temporarily indisposed, Beryl decides to transform Shin back into his old self. Newly reawakened, Kunzite places himself in charge of reviving Metaria, intent on having its power for himself.
Zoisite attempts to return his memories through his piano playing, which works better than the rest of the Shitennou. Kunzite feels extreme contempt for Prince Endymion, who he believes betrayed them in ages past and left them for dead. He resolves to exact his revenge on Endymion by usurping the power of Metaria. Nevertheless, he continues to serve Queen Beryl, sending out youma and assisting the other Shitennou, Jadeite in particular.
At one point he manages to use his considerable psychic powers to turn Ami Mizuno into Dark Sailor Mercury. She tends to act of her own will even while she is under Kunzite's control and he seems to exhibit at least a passing fancy for her. His motives for luring her to the Dark Kingdom are unclear, though it does give him the upper hand when dealing with the Senshi. After a brief period Dark Mercury is returned to normal by the strength of Usagi's friendship and Kunzite returns to plotting his revenge against Endymion.
The chance eventually presents itself when Mamoru comes to the Dark Kingdom. Kunzite greets him with the tip of his sword, the rest of the Shitennou trying to figure out who to side with. Jadeite, under orders from Queen Beryl, attempts to kill Endymion but at the last moment Kunzite throws himself between the two men and takes the hit. He collapses in Endymion's arms and professes his loyalty to his former Master again before finally dying.
Years later in the Special Act, with the return of Kuroki Mio the Shitennou were once again called upon to serve their master and Kunzite fought at Endymion's side, later attending the wedding of Mamoru and Usagi.
[edit] Musicals
The first musical Sailor Moon - Gaiden Dark Kingdom Fukkatsu Hen and its revision featured all four Shitennou. During a ball, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion sang Waltz ni Koi wo Nosete, and the Shitennou were paired with their respective partners. However this romance was short-lived as Sailor Mars, Sailor Jupiter, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Venus were each forced to fight Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite and Kunzite respectively. While the Inner Senshi won in each case, the Shitennou used lies and trickery to harm each of the soldiers, resulting in members of both sides dying.
In the 1997 musical Eien Densetsu, only Kunzite and Zoisite appear. Zoisite flirts with Ami, and even sings a duet with her (Itsuwari no Forevermore, lit. Lies Forevermore). Ami only responded to Zoisite's flirting because he subtly brainwashed her. They would have shared a kiss if they weren't interrupted.[9]
In Starlights - Ryuusei Densetsu, the implied romance between the Shitennou and Inner Senshi can be seen in various situations. The Shitennou are sent to flirt with the Inners to make them distracted. The Shitennou in their human identities protect the Inners who are also in their civilian identies from Sailor Galatica.[10] They can also each be seen flirting in their respective couples, as the Shitennou presents gifts to the Inners in a park.[11][12]
The musical Kakyuu-Ouhi Kourin had a group that which called themselves the Neo Shitennou. The members of the Neo Shitennou were Kunzite, Hematite, Hiddenite, and Kalunite. There was no explanation for changing their names, but Hematite, Hiddenite, and Kalunite looked identical to Zoisite, Nephrite and Jadeite respectively. The group worked with the reborn Queen Beryl under Sailor Galaxia, though the five of them were plotting to get out of Galaxia's rule.
[edit] Actors
- In the original Japanese anime, Jadeite is voiced by Masaya Onosaka, Nephrite by Katsuji Mori, Zoisite by Keiichi Nanba, and Kunzite by the late Kazuyuki Sogabe.[13]
- In the English-dubbed anime, Jedite is voiced by Tony Daniels, Neflyte by Kevin Lund, Zoycite (as a woman) by Kirsten Bishop, and Malachite by Dennis Akayama.
- In the live-action series, Jadeite is portrayed by Jun Masuo, Nephrite by Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Zoisite by Yoshito Endou, and Kunzite by Akira Kubodera.
- In the musicals, Jadite has been played by an actor (Susumu Futabashi) and an actress (Yuhka Asami). Nephrite has been played by two actors (Toshikazu Seike and Shuusuke Yoda). Zoisite has been played by 4 actors (Toshitaka Akita, Misao Idono, Akira Tomemori and Kaname Aoki). Kunzite has been played by three actors (Yuuta Mochizuki, Ryuji Kasahara, and Hideka Asano) and an actress (Miki Kawasaki).
[edit] References
- ^ a b Dubbed Episode 17, "An Animated Mess". Equivalent to original Episode 21.
- ^ a b c d Takeuchi, Naoko (October 1999). Materials Collection. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-324521-7.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (July 6, 1992, September 5, 1996). "Act 2", Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 1. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178721-7.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (April 6, 1993). Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 3. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178744-6.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (October 2000). Sailor Moon Scout Guide - Meet Sailor Moon: Crystal. Tokyopop Press. ISBN 1-892213-32-x.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (July 6, 1992, September 5, 1996). "Act 3", Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 1. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178721-7.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (September 6, 1992, April 6, 1996). "Act 6", Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178731-4.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (September 6, 1992, April 6, 1996). "Act 8", Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178731-4.
- ^ Sailor Moon Musical, 1997 Eien Densetsu, during Itsuwari no Forevermore
- ^ Sailor Moon Musicals, 2003 Starlights - Ryuusei Densetsu, before Prince of Earth
- ^ Sailor Moon Musicals, 2003 Starlights - Ryuusei Densetsu, after Dream Yume wa Ookiku
- ^ Sailor Moon Musicals, 2003 Starlights - Ryuusei Densetsu, after Seishun no Shoumi Kigen
- ^ Doi, Hitoshi. Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon. Retrieved on October 6, 2006.
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