Sailor Mars’ Love Life Likes to Stir Controversy, But It Made Sailor Moon Even Better

It is probably safe to say that the majority of Sailor Moon fans outside of Japan are more familiar with the original ’90s anime than the manga. But those who were actually introduced to Sailor Moon through the original manga will likely have found Sailor Mars‘ portrayal frustrating. The anime adaptation’s depiction of Sailor Mars aka Rei is very different and easily diverges from her manga counterpart more than any of the Sailor Scouts. The most excessive changes are Sailor Mars’ love life. It’s essentially nonexistent in the manga, save for her relationship with Kaido, which the anime also embellished.

However, the most important difference that takes place in the first season of the Sailor Moon anime that never happened in the manga is Rei’s relationship with Mamoru aka Tuxedo Max. Manga enthusiasts undoubtedly seethed when the anime introduced that massive change to her character, in part, because many readers saw Rei’s lack of interest in men as a strength, especially in comparison to the other Sailor Scouts, who were oftentimes devastated by past relationships and suffered a great deal in the present day. Sometimes, their feelings contributed to losses or even death.

Without Sailor Mars and Tuxedo Max’s Relationship, Sailor Moon Just Has Usagi and Mamoru

Usagi and Mamoru’s Story Is Just Ironic Without Rei

By the time the anime later introduced Kaido, the fact that Rei fell for him much harder than she ever did in the manga was no longer a travesty to those who preferred her depiction in the original manga, since her relationship with Mamoru had already ruined her character in their eyes. But Rei’s feelings for Mamoru helped to improve the important storyline when the Sailor Scouts slowly begin to remember their past lives before being born again on Earth as normal people. More directly, it embellished the entire twisted dynamic between Sailor Moon aka Usagi and Mamoru.

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Without Rei’s involvement, the whole twist between Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Max was how the two viewed each other as Usagi and Mamoru. As normal people, Usagi and Mamoru did not get along at all. Mamoru was always rude to her, mocking Usagi’s poor grades and immaturity, even making fun of her hair by referring to her as “Bun Head.” As a result, Usagi never viewed him in high regard and constantly rejected the Sailor Scouts’ belief that he could be Tuxedo Max.

That’s because Usagi was head-over-heels for Tuxedo Max, who clearly cared for her Sailor Moon, always saving her whenever she was in trouble and doing his best to help her become a better hero. So the fact that the two hated each other as civilians was ironic. Their love story then became incredibly touching as they began to not only fall for each other, but after they realized they were lovers in their former lives, cementing their feelings even more.

Sailor Moon’s Suffering Introduces Tragedy and Heartbreak

It Also Leads to Incredibly Touching Moments Between Usagi and Rei

Although this is a very powerful dynamic on its own, adding Rei to the equation makes everything so much more nuanced and complex. Before, Usagi and Mamoru’s relationship was heartwarming, but the anime’s adaptation of Rei introduced tragedy and heartbreak to the equation. Even before Mamoru and Usagi learned the truth about their past lives, the anime masterfully laid the foundations for what would eventually lead to the end of Rei and Mamoru’s relationship. In fact, that storyline made one of Sailor Moon‘s most despised episodes secretly genius.

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In one scene of the aforementioned episode “Loved and Chased: Luna’s Worst Day Ever,” Mamoru can be seen drifting away from Rei as he ignores a call from her that she leaves on his answering machine. He was thinking about finding out the truth about his past, which would naturally bring him into Usagi’s arms. Although Rei eventually begins falling for the anime-only character Yuuichirou, which that same despised episode explores, it doesn’t minimize Rei’s suffering.

One of the more heartbreaking scenes takes place in the episode “Usagi’s Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil?” when Rei can be seen staring off sadly into a pond. The only time she snaps out of her depressing reverie is when she uncharacteristically comes to Usagi’s defense about her being depressed at Tuxedo Max being captured, and it is only because Sailor Mars says she understands what it’s like to lose the person you love. Later in that same episode, she’s quite happy to see Tuxedo Max again when he shows up momentarily, obviously still infatuated with him.

Although she eventually moves on, Rei’s plight makes it possible for her to have an incredibly important discussion about Mamoru with Usagi in the otherwise incredibly out-of-place episode, “The Snow, the Mountains, Friendship and Monsters.” This reconciliation was never able to happen in the manga. So, while the Sailor Moon anime may have made Sailor Mars‘ character more susceptible to love and heartbreak, it made the series’ already compelling twist between Usagi and Mamoru even better, and that, in and of itself, is already impressive.