Revision as of 21:39, 29 March 2007 edit65.184.99.46 (talk)No edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 21:43, 29 March 2007 edit undoJuJube (talk | contribs)44,091 editsm um. you mean Hinata is like Ami. n00b. :PNext edit → | ||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
SHe is like HINATA!!!! from naruto!! WOO!! | |||
{{Sailor Moon character | {{Sailor Moon character | ||
| Color = background-color: #6090EE; | | Color = background-color: #6090EE; |
Revision as of 21:43, 29 March 2007
Template:Sailor Moon character Ami Mizuno (水野亜美, Mizuno Ami, or Amy in the English versions) is one of the central characters in the Sailor Moon metaseries. She is best known by the name Sailor Mercury, one of the series' primary heroines — the Sailor Senshi.
Ami is the first member of the Sailor Team to be discovered by Sailor Moon, and serves as the "brains" of the group. Her powers are associated with phases of water, and she can use her supercomputer to quickly analyze a foe in battle.
She is frequently cited as one of the series' most popular characters, especially among Japanese audiences.
Aside from the main body of the Sailor Moon series, Ami features in her own short story in the manga, called "Ami's First Love." Originally published in Volume 14 of the manga, this was the only one of three "Exam Battle" stories to be made into a "Special" for the anime series. In addition, a number of image songs featuring Ami's character have been released, including the contents of three different CD singles.
Profile
Ami's most-emphasized character trait is that she is enormously intelligent. Her peers view her with a mixture of awe and distaste, misinterpreting her inherent shyness as snobbery, and so she tends to have a difficult time making new friends. Naoko Takeuchi gave Ami genius-level intelligence to give the impression that Ami was not quite human, but her editor objected and this inhuman trait was later toned down. Ami is depicted as sweet, gentle, and loyal, as well as slightly insecure. Early on she relies somewhat heavily on the approval of her mother, teachers, and friends, but as the series progresses she becomes stronger and more confident in herself. She is generally the most sensible of the main characters, and is often the only one embarrassed when the group has a dull-witted moment. As the story begins, she attends Azabu Jūban Junior High along with Usagi Tsukino and Makoto Kino.
Throughout the series, much of Ami's free time is spent studying. She loves to read, and dreams aloud of one day being a doctor like her mother. She has great appreciation for art as well as science, and contrary to the usual depiction of a bookworm, even enjoys pop culture and romance novels (though she is usually embarrassed to admit it). In the manga, Ami also has something of a crazy streak — she often scolds Usagi and the others for not doing their homework, and she can become obsessive about being the best student. She sometimes displays attraction to boys her age, and other times aversion to the idea. Love letters are listed as the one thing she has most trouble with, and when she later receives one, it gives her a rash.
Besides reading, Ami is also shown playing chess and swimming in order to relax. As the team scholar, computers are listed her strong point; she even belongs to the club at school. She loves all her classes, especially mathematics. Her favorite foods are given as sandwiches and anmitsu, with her least favorite being yellowtail. Other loves include cats and the color aquamarine. Ami stands approximately 158 centimeters tall (5 ft 2 in), though this varies slightly according to the version of the story and passage of time. She is blood type A.
Ami is one of the few girls in the series whose family situation is explicitly mentioned in the anime. Her parents are divorced, and she lives with her mother, a busy doctor who is not home very often. They look very similar, and Ami very much admires her mother and longs to live up to her example. Besides her workaholic tendencies, Ms. Mizuno is portrayed as a good person who openly resents not having more time to spend with her daughter. Ami's father is never named, but is stated in the manga and anime to be a painter. The manga says that he never visits them, having decided one day not to come home from the forest where he was relaxing and painting, but he sends her postcards on her birthday. Thinking about this, Ami sometimes resents her parents' selfishness in separating, partly because divorce in Japan is taboo. However, in the anime Ami seems to appreciate her father and seems to share some of his artistic traits, even composing a song at one point. In the manga, Ami's mother is revealed to be fairly rich, as they live in a condominium. Ami is shown testing the strength of a sword that the Sailor Senshi received on the moon by using it to chip a diamond ring. (Classically, a diamond is the hardest mineral.) When the girls panic, she calms them by saying that her mother has many more.
In the live-action series, Ami is especially shy and usually wears glasses while in public, even though she does not need them. At her middle school, she has no friends before meeting Usagi and always eats lunch alone on the roof so she can study. Usagi seems to be the only one to realize that Ami is merely shy, not truly standoffish, and in befriending her gradually helps Ami to learn that she is more than just a bookworm. By Act 34, when Ami's mother attempts to transfer her to another school because she thinks Ami's friends are bad influences, Ami rebels, avoiding the admission interview and spending the night at the Senshi hideout with Rei Hino. Later she tells her mother that what she's doing in her life right now is more important than studying, and her mother understands.
The kanji in Ami's name translate as "water" (水, mizu), "field" (野, no), "Asia" (亜, a), and "beauty" (美, mi). It is structured as a pun, as the syllable "no" indicates a possessive, so that her name can also be understood as "Ami of Water." It is frequently mistranslated as "Friend of Water" because of the French word ami, which is included in some Japanese dictionaries. In the English versions of the series, "Amy" mostly retains her family name of Mizuno. One early episode of the anime, however, shows her answering the phone in her house by saying "Anderson residence." DiC may have intended this as her last name, but she is reverted to Mizuno by Cloverway in the series' third season. In an early DiC promotional tape that advertised Sailor Moon to television stations, Ami was given the name Blue.
Aspects and forms
First appearanceForm | Manga | Anime | Live-action |
---|---|---|---|
Ami Mizuno | Act 2 | Ep. 8 | Act 1 |
Sailor Mercury | Act 2 | Ep. 8 | Act 2 |
Dark Sailor Mercury | -- | -- | Act 22 |
Second (Super) form | Act 35 | Ep. 151 | -- |
Princess Mercury | Act 41 | -- | -- |
Third Senshi form | Act 42 | -- | -- |
As a character with different incarnations, special powers, transformations and a long lifetime virtually spanned between the Silver Millennium era and the 30th century, Ami gains multiple aspects and aliases as the series progresses.
Sailor Mercury
Ami's Senshi identity. She wears a uniform colored in shades of blue, and is given specific titles throughout the various series. These include Soldier of Water and Intelligence, Soldier of Wisdom, and Soldier of Justice and Wisdom. Her personality is no different from when she is a civilian, although certain powers are unavailable to her in that form.
In Japanese, the name for the planet Mercury is Suisei (水星), the first kanji meaning 'water' and the second indicating a celestial object. Although the Roman planet-name is used, Sailor Mercury's abilities are water-based due to this aspect of Japanese mythology. Initially most of her powers are strategic rather than offensive, and she possesses various pieces of computerized equipment to help her study the enemy.
As she grows stronger, Sailor Mercury gains additional powers, and at key points her uniform changes to reflect this. The first change takes place in Act 35 of the manga, when she obtains the Mercury Crystal and her outfit becomes similar to that of Super Sailor Moon. She is not given a new title. A similar event takes place in Episode 151 of the anime, and she is given the name Super Sailor Mercury. A third, manga-only form appears in Act 42, also unnamed but analogous to Eternal Sailor Moon (sans wings).
Dark Sailor Mercury
In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Ami is briefly taken over by the power of the Dark Kingdom and becomes Dark Sailor Mercury. This form first appears in Act 22, as a servant of Kunzite. Her sailor fuku has black tulle and lace on the back bow and sleeves, and tribal designs appear on her tiara and boots. She also gains a chain with a black charm on it around her waist. Her transformation phrase is Dark Power! Make-up! and is said in a much darker tone than her normal one. She wields a sword fashioned from an icicle, which she creates herself the first time her transformation is displayed. In promotional photos prior to her premiere, she was shown with a different sword, which seemed to have strings on it like a harp or violin; the latter seems more likely, as she is also seen holding a bow.
Dark Sailor Mercury is created when Kunzite manages to kidnap Ami in a moment of vulnerability while the other Senshi are busy. He exposes her directly to the power of Queen Metaria, causing drastic personality changes as well as the alterations to her uniform. She is self-confident to the point of egotism, and continues to attend school in civilian form, mainly to antagonize Usagi by brainwashing all of her former friends. Dressing predominantly in black, evil-Ami tends to move about slowly and dramatically, and when confronting the Senshi gives a sense of sadistic glee.
Dark Mercury seems to have no intention of being a follower to anyone, and is always trying to pursue her own agenda, which is to kill her friends and become as strong as possible. She shows blatant disrespect to Kunzite and the other Shitennou, even to Queen Beryl, perhaps because, unlike even the Shitennou, she had been directly exposed to Metaria's power during her conversion, as opposed to having Queen Beryl or another intermediary filtering it.
Despite these alterations, certain aspects of the real Ami still remain. She still wants to do well in school, and wants friends, hence the brainwashing of her classmates. She also seems to retain a sense of sympathy, which is evident when she repairs Nephrite's cape for him, stating that she does not like to see him alone.
Periodically, Sailor Moon attempts to heal her friend with the power of the Silver Crystal. Mercury is always snatched away before this can be completed, but it has some effect, ultimately resulting in her recovery. In Act 28, the catalyst for her finally reverting back to normal is when, having defeated Sailor Moon in battle, the sight of her injured friend causes her to realize she cares about Usagi, and to remember who she really is. After being healed, she has no memories of what happened while she was Dark Sailor Mercury.
See also: Dark Kingdom § Dark Sailor MercuryPrincess Mercury
According to the manga, during the Silver Millennium, Sailor Mercury was also the Princess of her home planet. She was among those given the duty of protecting Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom. As Princess Mercury, she dwelt in Mariner Castle and wore a light blue gown — she appears in this form in the original manga and in supplementary art. Naoko Takeuchi once drew her in the arms of Zoisite, but no further romantic link between them was established in the manga or anime. In the musicals, this relationship is played with a bit, most notably in Eien Densetsu, where Ami and a disguised Zoisite share a duet, "A Fabricated Forevermore" (偽りのForevermore, Itsuwari no forevermore).
Special powers and items
Ami is not shown using any special powers in her civilian form, and may not be able to. She must first transform into a Sailor Senshi by raising a special device (pen, bracelet, wand, or crystal) into the air and shouting a special phrase, originally "Mercury Power, Make-up!" As she becomes more powerful and obtains new transformation devices, this phrase changes to evoke Mercury Star, Planet, or Crystal Power. In the anime, Sailor Mercury's transformation sequence evolves slightly over time, whether to update the background images or to accommodate changes to her uniform or a new transformation device, but the animation remains essentially the same. They all involve a rope of water which she whirls around her body as she spins, forming her outfit with a ripple effect.
Sailor Mercury has the power to manipulate water. For the entire first story arc, she uses her powers only to create dense clouds of mist, chilling and blinding the enemy while her allies prepare more direct attacks. In the manga she usually does this without speaking, while in the anime it is given the name Shabon Spray. The live-action series gives her an offensive power right away, namely Mercury Aqua Mist, which is a beam attack capable of destroying weaker enemies. She uses a total of five attacks in this series, most of which are variations on the first.
Sailor Mercury's first major offensive attack is Shine Aqua Illusion, introduced in the second story arc. Aside from variations on her other powers (mostly improving their strength with the addition of "freezing" or "snow"), her next named attack is Mercury Aqua Mirage, used during the third arc of the manga and again in the special side-story "Ami's First Love" (manga and anime). Her final and most powerful power comes in the fourth story arc, when she takes on her second Senshi form (Super Sailor Mercury in the anime). At this stage she acquires a special weapon, the Mercury Harp, and with it Mercury Aqua Rhapsody, which is her primary attack for the duration of the story.
In addition to her own powers, Sailor Mercury has more non-magical items than any other Senshi. Early on in the series she makes frequent use of an extremely powerful "Micro-miniature Super Computer" that enables her to make special calculations, scan her surroundings, track the movements of allies as well as foes, and determine her enemies' weak points. The computer also works in sync with her Mercury Goggles which analyzes the area around her and displays information in front of her eyes and on the Computer. The visor may be a hologram of some sort; that materialize across her face when she touches her earring. The manga also sometimes shows her wearing a small microphone connected to her earring, the utility of which is never explained. All of these devices gradually fall out of use as the series progresses. In the live-action series, like most of the other Senshi, she receives a tambourine-like weapon called the Sailor Star Tambo. She is one of two Senshi to use it for a named attack (Mercury Aqua Storm).
In the manga, the Mercury Crystal and Mercury Harp are among her most significant magical possessions. The former is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all of her power, which becomes especially important in the fifth story arc. The latter has a will of its own and can even speak. Its form is actually that of a lyre, a stringed instrument smaller than a harp, which according to Roman myth was invented by the god Mercury.
Actresses
In the original anime production of Sailor Moon, Ami is voiced by veteran voice actress Aya Hisakawa. For the English-language dub, the voice of "Amy" is provided first by Karen Bernstein, for the original and R series and the movies, and later by Liza Balkan for the S and SuperS series. Shandi Sinnamon provides the English vocals for a song attributed to Amy's character in the second story arc.
Ami has been portrayed by 6 actresses in the stage musicals: Ayako Morino, Yukiko Miyagawa, Hisano Akamine, Mariya Izawa, Chieko Kawabe, and Manami Wakayama.
In the live-action series, she is played by Chisaki Hama. Child actress Kanki Matsumoto portrays Ami in flashback sequences and childhood photographs.
See also
References
- Takeuchi, Naoko (September 1999). Materials Collection. Kodansha. pp. p. 12. ISBN 4-06-324521-7.
{{cite book}}
:|pages=
has extra text (help) - Edwards, Michael J. "rec.arts.anime".
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|accessmonthday=
ignored (help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=
ignored (|access-date=
suggested) (help) The November 1992 issue of Animage magazine is mentioned as listing Ami as the most popular character. - ^ Takeuchi, Naoko. "Exam Battle: Ami-chan no Hatsukoi". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 13. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178820-5.
{{cite book}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=
(help) - ^ Bacon, Michelle (September 9, 2006). "SAILORMUSIC.NET". Retrieved 2006-10-01.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (July 6, 1992, September 5, 1996). "Act 2". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 1. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178721-7.
{{cite book}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - Takeuchi, Naoko (October 23, 2003). "Punch!". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Shinzoubon Volume 3. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-334783-4.
- Doi, Hitoshi (1994-05-29). "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon S episode 97". Retrieved 2006-11-18.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
vol 10
was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - Takeuchi, Naoko (September 6, 1996). "Act 43". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 16. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178841-8.
- Bobagirl. "Bandai Mercury". Retrieved 2006-11-18., from http://www.bobagirl.com/, uploaded on request for the Sailor Moon Wikiproject. Lists other stats as well.
- "Chapter 1: Stage". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon album I. Kodansha. April 1993. ISBN 4-06-177734-3., The height is guessed at from page 103, and V2, page 94 and 111 since Usagi's height is given
- Aromdee, Ken. "Sailor Moon FAQ". Retrieved 2006-10-17., estimates of heights from here.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (September 6, 1995). "Act 35". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 12. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178814-0.
- Bumiller, Elisabeth (October 29, 1996). The Secrets of Mariko: A Year in the Life of a Japanese Woman and Her Family. Vintage. ISBN 0-679-77262-6.
- ^ Petrow, Joe (1996-04-21). "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Supers Episode 151". Hitoshi Doi. Retrieved 2006-11-18.
- ^ Takeuchi, Naoko (April 6, 1993). "Act 11". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 3. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178744-6.
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Act 5.
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Act 2 et seq.
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Acts 33 and 34.
- "Jeffrey's Japanese <-> English Dictionary". Retrieved 2007-02-23. is one commonly-used online dictionary which includes some French words, including ami, as in this search.
- Tyler L. "Toonami Digital Arsenal". Retrieved 2006-11-02.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - Takeuchi, Naoko (September 22, 2003). "Act #". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Shinzoubon Volume 1. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-334776-1. Also included in her Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon introductory speech, Act 2 et al.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (July 6, 1994). "Act 23". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 7. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178781-0.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (July 5, 1996). "Act 42". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 15. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178835-3.
- Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Act 24.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (July 5, 1996). "Act 41". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 15. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-178835-3.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (September 1996). Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Volume IV Original Picture Collection. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-324519-5.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (August 1994). Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon Volume I Original Picture Collection. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-324507-1., Naoko Takeuchi quote about it from the artbook: "This is the title page for the conclusion of the first series of Sailor Moon. It had a great deal of impact on the first series. Probably because the four couplings on the right side were very unexpected. I was thinking of love stories of the previous lives of these couples. I'd like to be able to draw that someday..."
- In Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Episode 31, Usagi asks Ami to transform in order to produce some water.
- First used in each of Sailor Mercury's first appearances, except the manga, where it is delayed to Act 3. In the English versions, Ami does not say 'Make up' when transforming.
- "Star Power" starting in manga Act 15, anime Episode 62, when she acquires the Star Power Stick. "Planet Power" starting in Act 24 of the manga only. "Crystal Power" starting in Act 35, when she acquires the Mercury Crystal and her second uniform, and in Episode 151, when when she acquires the Crystal Change Rod and becomes Super Sailor Mercury.
- ^ Carroll, Elizabeth (September 9, 2006). "The Oracle". Retrieved 2006-10-01.
- Takeuchi, Naoko (September 22, 2003). "Act 2". Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Shinzoubon Volume 1. Kodansha. ISBN 4-06-334776-1.
- Shabon is the Japanese spelling of Sabão, the Portuguese word for soap. In English this power is called Mercury Bubbles Blast.
- Her named PGSM attacks are: Mercury Aqua Mist, Shining Aqua Illusion, Mercury Aqua Storm (with Tambo), Mercury Aqua Cyclone, and Mercury Aqua Blizzard. Carroll, Elizabeth (September 9, 2006). "The Oracle". Retrieved 2006-02-13.
- Shine Aqua Illusion first appears in Act 14 of the manga and Episode 62 of the anime. It is sometimes called by this name in the English anime, but sometimes Mercury Ice Storm Blast. When she is Super Sailor Mercury in English this becomes Super Aqua Illusion, except in the SuperS movie, where it is Mercury Gas.
- The name "Microminiature Super Computer" (超小型スーパーコンピューター) is shown in TV manga Volume 2, and is said by Luna in Episode 9.
- This name is given in singular form on page 49 of the BSSM Authorised TV Magazine. It is called the "VR Visor" in the English anime.
- Doi, Hitoshi. "Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon". Retrieved 2006-10-31.
- Chiang, Jackie. "The Sailor Senshi Page: North American Dub". Retrieved 2006-10-31.
- "eternal.legend". Retrieved 2006-11-04.
{{cite web}}
: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=
(help) - Nae. "Shingetsu". Retrieved 2006-10-31.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - "Sailor Dream". Retrieved 2006-12-22.. Matsumoto appears in Act 34.
Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Media | |||||
Anime | |||||
Films | |||||
Video games | |||||
Soundtracks | |||||
Characters |
| ||||