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home There is a lot of symbolism in Sailormoon, and some of it you might not even realize. This page takes a detailed look into everything that Naoko Takeuchi put into her story. We will analyze everything, not only things related to Chibi Usa. BTW, it is impossible to talk about symbolism without going into mythology. ^_^;

RABBIT Example 1: Rabbit The rabbit comes from the Japanese legend of "The rabbit in the moon" (See Mythology Moon, What's in a Name?). The rabbit is often associated with the moon, and the moon goddess, Selene. It also symbolizes lust, and fertility. This makes sense, since in Greek Mythology, Selene had an affair with the King of Earth. It is also innocent, and full of energy.

MOON Example 2: Moon The Moon is a feminine symbol, possibly the reason why there is a moon goddess and not god, and why in Sailormoon, the rulers of the moon are always women. the Moon controls the tides on earth, thus "controlling" earth a little (the Moon is the center of the Silver Millennium). It is the middle ground between light and dark, the conscious and unconscious. It has a dark side, like humans (Black Lady anyone?).

WOMAN
Example 3: Woman The Woman represents mother, the earth, and the moon. She is protective, nurturing, passive, and loving (this fits, since Neo-Queen Serenity is the the queen of Earth, goddess of the Moon, a mother, and protector to the whole human race). The Woman could also be a sign of seduction, such as in Black Lady. This symbol fits the story well, as Chibi Usa becomes a woman for a while, and seduces Mamoru. Her original dream was to be a woman like her mother, who was a beautiful, loving, protector, and guardian.

WINGS Example 4: Wings Wings represent freedom, angels, demons (black wings), spirituality, and even improvement. Sailormoon and the senshi are considered saviors, and the story of Sailormoon is very spiritual, involved with Christian as well as Japanese religion. The Holy Grail (the chalice that Jesus used during the Last Supper) plays a key part in the story, so it is not surprising that wings would be a common symbol seen in the art, and on Eternal Sailormoon's fuku.

PILLAR Example 5: Pillar The Pillar stands for the connection between heaven and Earth, the "bridge" between the two realms. It is strong, and stable, and secure, although a broken pillar represents mortality, and often, death. in Hebrew and Christianity, a pillar of fire, or smoke symbolized the presence of God. Some pillars are very detailed, used as a form of art, and decoration. Pillars were common in Ancient Rome, Egypt, and other countries, used in architecture.

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