I made each Princess her own unique name so I decided to to the same for their (theoretical) mothers! We see Princess Serenity’s mother (also named Serenity) so I’ve always liked to imagine the other planets each have their own Queen, it’s just that the Moon Queen rules over them all. I also like to imagine that these Queens used to be the first Serenity’s guardians at one point, just like the Inners watch over Princess Serenity. :P

Unlike with the Princesses, I decided to give each Queen a mythological name. 

Queen Athena, Ruler of Mercury

Athena isn’t related to Mercury/Hermes, but Sailor Mercury is the Solider of Intelligence and Wisdom and I imagine the inhabitants of Mercury place a high value on both of these. So their Queen is named after the Goddess of Wisdom.

Queen Anat, Ruler of Mars

Anat is an important Semitic war goddess. I have a feeling that all of the Martian queens are named after war deities. 

Queen Hippolyta, Ruler of Jupiter

Hippolyta was the Queen of the mythological all-female warrior race, the Amazons. The Amazons were widely known for both their strength and their femininity, just like Makoto. I assume her mother is likely the same (and maybe this is even a trait for all Jovians) so I gave her the name of the Amazon Queen. 

Queen Aphrodite, Ruler of Venus

Self-explanatory, Aphrodite is the Greek Equivalent of Venus. Not terribly creative but it suits her well! :P

Queen Proserpina, Ruler of Pluto

Proserpina is the Latin equivalent of Persephone, Queen of the Underworld. Pretty self-explanatory.

Queen Theia, Ruler of Uranus

Theia was a Titaness, goddess of sight and the shining light of the clear blue sky. 

Queen Amphitrite, Ruler of Neptune

Amphitrite was the wife of Poseidon (Neptune) in myth and an important sea goddess.

Queen Morana, Ruler of Saturn

Morana is a Slavic goddess associated with seasonal agrarian rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of the nature. She is associated with death and winter and often described as the goddess of death. All of this ties in heavily with Sailor Saturn and her role.

silvermoon424:

In Greek/Roman myth:

Venus was a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths. Venus is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. she was born when Saturn cut off Uranus’ genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam arose Venus.  Myrtles, doves, sparrows, horses, and swans are sacred to her. (Taken from Wikipedia)

She was perhaps the most beautiful goddess of all and was desired by all. She was married to Vulcan (Hephaestus), but carried out countless affairs, most notably with Mars (Ares), the passionate god of war. Although she was very beautiful and sought to help many with their love lives, Venus was also very petty and jealous goddess who refused to let any other woman be as beautiful as her. 

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Venus, aka Minako Aino, was the fifth and final addition to the Inner Sailor Team, although she was actually the very first to awaken. Sailor Venus uses light and energy based powers, many of which connected to love. Minako awakened a full year before Usagi and fought crime under the codename, Sailor V and even starred in her own series before Sailor Moon. Her parter is the cat Artemis. Even though Minako is fun-loving, hyper and a bit scatter-brained, she never fails to lead the other senshi in a crisis.

Similarities:

*whistles* In my opinion, out of all the mythological references for the Senshi, Minako takes the cake. Here are just a few examples of references found in the series, most of which from Codename: Sailor V:

This is just the references I could find on short notice! Codename: Sailor V seems to actually imply that she is the incarnation, or avatar, of Venus herself. Minako often refers to herself as the “goddess of love”, but this may very well be just a saying or catchphrase she has developed, not actually naming herself Venus. 

Venus was incredibly beautiful and was stated to have long blond hair. Minako is also very beautiful and is blond. Venus had a myriad of affairs and love interests, and Minako has had countless crushes, probably as a reference to this myth. Venus had a long-lasting affair with a youth named Adonis. In Codename: Sailor V, a youth named Adonis was in love with Sailor Venus. Venus was the goddess of love and beauty, and one of Sailor Venus’s titles is “Soldier of Love and Beauty.” Also, Sailor Venus’s final and most powerful attack “Venus Love and Beauty Shock” is a reference to this. Another thing I picked up that might be mythology related is the fact that Minako and Rei are best friends in the manga; perhaps this is in reference to the love between Venus and Mars.

silvermoon424:

In Greek/Roman Myth:

Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions. 

Under the influence of Greek culture, Mars was identified with the Greek god Ares, whose myths were reinterpreted in Roman literature and art under the name of Mars. But the character and dignity of Mars differed in fundamental ways from that of his Greek counterpart, who is often treated with contempt and revulsion in Greek literature. Mars was a part of the Archaic Triad along with Jupiter and Quirinus, the latter of whom as a guardian of the Roman people had no Greek equivalent. 

Although Ares was viewed primarily as a destructive and destabilizing force, Mars represented military power as a way to secure peace, and was a father (pater) of the Roman people. In the mythic genealogy and founding myths of Rome, Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus with Rhea Silvia. His love affair with Venus symbolically reconciled the two different traditions of Rome’s founding; Venus was the divine mother of the hero Aeneas, celebrated as the Trojan refugee who “founded” Rome several generations before Romulus laid out the city walls. Mars also is deeply connected with passion. (Taken from Wikipedia.)

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Mars, aka Rei Hino, was the third addition to the Sailor Team. Her powers are creating and manipulating fire and heat. She also a miko (priestess) and displays very acute psychic powers even when untransformed. Rei is very passionate and outspoken, and is fearless when facing enemies. 

Similarities: 

There are a few obvious similarities that can be drawn from Mars and Sailor Mars. Mars is the god of war, and one of Sailor Mars’s titles is “Soldier of War”, referencing this. Also, just as Mars was portrayed as a very passionate god, Sailor Mars shows passion in everything that she does and is even referred to as the “Soldier of Passion.” In addition, perhaps Rei and Minako’s very close friendship is a reference to the affair between Mars and Venus.

silvermoon424:

In Greek/Roman Mythology:

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove was the king of the gods, and the god of sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. (Taken from Wikipedia)

He was the brother of Vesta (Hestia), Ceres (Demeter), Juno (Hera), Pluto (Hades), and Neptune (Poseidon), and the son of Saturn (Cronus) and Ops (Rhea). Saturn had swallowed all of his children, save for Jupiter whom Ops had hid, in fear that they might one day overthrow his position as king. Jupiter grew up, rescued his siblings, overthrew the Titans, and became king of the gods with Juno as his queen. He sired many illegitimate children, much to the dismay of Juno.

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Jupiter, aka Makoto Kino (Mako-chan to her friends), was the fourth addition to the Sailor Team. Her powers are nature-based, and she is able to manipulate lightning and use some plant-based powers. She is the “muscle” of the group and by far the most physically strong. Mako is simultaneously the most masculine and the most feminine of the group. She is tall, strong, and can beat almost anybody up, but is also an excellent cook and likes “girly” things.

Similarities:

The similarities between the two are very obvious here! Almost all of Sailor Jupiter’s powers are taken from the myths about Jupiter being the god of lightning. Also, Sailor Jupiter’s final attack, “Jupiter Oak Evolution”, is a reference to one of Jupiter’s symbols, the Oak. Perhaps, much like Jupiter was a father to many daughters and sons, Makoto acts as the mother figure of the inner senshi and is very protective of her friends. Jupiter was known for his countless affairs with beautiful women, and, in the anime particularly, Mako has many crushes. 

In Greek/Roman Myth:

In Greek mythology, the Sirens were dangerous creatures, portrayed as seductresses who lured nearby sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. Famously, they appear in The Odyssey, when they attempt to wreck Odysseus’s ship. The Sirens of Greek mythology are sometimes portrayed in later folklore as fully aquatic and mermaid-like. They have also been portrayed as being birdlike (birds were chosen because of their beautiful voices)

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Aluminum Seiren (or Siren), also known by her pseudonym Reiko Aya, was the second Sailor Animamate to be introduced. Despite being a villain, she was actually very sweet, scatterbrained, and polite. Seiren’s lightheartedness and ditziness frequently rubbed her partner Sailor Lead Crow the wrong way, but despite that, the two were actually very close friends and shared a deep and caring relationship with one another under the masquerade of being “rivals.” In the end, annoyed by her constant failures and encouraged by Sailor Tin Nyanko, Sailor Galaxia killed Seiren by removing her bracelets (since Galaxia took her star seed, the bracelets were her source of life), devastating Crow.

Similarities:

There are a few similarities between Sailor Aluminum Seiren and the Sirens of myth. First of all, the Sirens were later portrayed as being mermaid-like beings; In the manga, it’s said that Aluminum Seiren originated from a planet called Mermaid. In the Materials Collection, Naoko Takeuchi states that Aluminum Seiren “has the power to manipulate people through song”, which is a clear reference to the Sirens of myth using their beautiful voices to manipulate sailors into crashing their ships. The Materials Collection also mentions that Aluminum Seiren enjoys ballads, which is another allusion to Sirens being songstresses. 

silvermoon424:

In Greek/Roman myth:

Venus was a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths. Venus is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. she was born when Saturn cut off Uranus’ genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam arose Venus.  Myrtles, doves, sparrows, horses, and swans are sacred to her. (Taken from Wikipedia)

She was perhaps the most beautiful goddess of all and was desired by all. She was married to Vulcan (Hephaestus), but carried out countless affairs, most notably with Mars (Ares), the passionate god of war. Although she was very beautiful and sought to help many with their love lives, Venus was also very petty and jealous goddess who refused to let any other woman be as beautiful as her. 

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Venus, aka Minako Aino, was the fifth and final addition to the Inner Sailor Team, although she was actually the very first to awaken. Sailor Venus uses light and energy based powers, many of which connected to love. Minako awakened a full year before Usagi and fought crime under the codename, Sailor V and even starred in her own series before Sailor Moon. Her parter is the cat Artemis. Even though Minako is fun-loving, hyper and a bit scatter-brained, she never fails to lead the other senshi in a crisis.

Similarities:

*whistles* In my opinion, out of all the mythological references for the Senshi, Minako takes the cake. Here are just a few examples of references found in the series, most of which from Codename: Sailor V:

This is just the references I could find on short notice! Codename: Sailor V seems to actually imply that she is the incarnation, or avatar, of Venus herself. Minako often refers to herself as the “goddess of love”, but this may very well be just a saying or catchphrase she has developed, not actually naming herself Venus. 

Venus was incredibly beautiful and was stated to have long blond hair. Minako is also very beautiful and is blond. Venus had a myriad of affairs and love interests, and Minako has had countless crushes, probably as a reference to this myth. Venus had a long-lasting affair with a youth named Adonis. In Codename: Sailor V, a youth named Adonis was in love with Sailor Venus. Venus was the goddess of love and beauty, and one of Sailor Venus’s titles is “Soldier of Love and Beauty.” Also, Sailor Venus’s final and most powerful attack “Venus Love and Beauty Shock” is a reference to this. Another thing I picked up that might be mythology related is the fact that Minako and Rei are best friends in the manga; perhaps this is in reference to the love between Venus and Mars.

silvermoon424:

In Greek/Roman Mythology:

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Saturn was a major god presiding over agriculture and the harvest time. His reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace by many Roman authors. In medieval times he was known as the Roman god of …

In Greek/Roman Mythology:

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Saturn was a major god presiding over agriculture and the harvest time. His reign was depicted as a Golden Age of abundance and peace by many Roman authors. In medieval times he was known as the Roman god of agriculture, justice and strength. He held a sickle in his left hand and a bundle of wheat in his right. His mother was Terra and his father was Caelus. He was identified in classical antiquity with the Greek deity Cronus, and the mythologies of the two gods are commonly mixed.

Saturn’s wife was Ops (the Roman equivalent of Rhea) and Saturn was the father of Ceres, Jupiter, Veritas, Pluto, Neptune, and Juno, among others. Saturn had a temple on the Forum Romanum which contained the Royal Treasury. Saturn is the namesake of both Saturn, the planet, and Saturday (dies Saturni).

Saturn is often identified with the Greek Cronus. In Hesiod’s Theogony, a mythological account of the creation of the universe and Zeus’ rise to power, Cronus is mentioned as the son of Uranus (the Greek equivalent of Roman Caelus), the heavens, and Gaia (the Greek equivalent of Terra), the earth. Hesiod is an early Greek poet and rhapsode, who presumably lived around 700 BC. He writes that Cronus seizes power, castrating and overthrowing his father Uranus. However, it was foretold that one day a mighty son of Cronus would in turn overthrow him, and Cronus devoured all of his children when they were born to prevent this. Cronus’s wife, Rhea (often identified with the Roman goddess Ops), hid her sixth child, Zeus, on the island of Crete, and offered Cronus a large stone wrapped in swaddling clothes in his place; Cronus promptly devoured it. Zeus later overthrew Cronus and the other Titans, becoming the new supreme ruler of the cosmos. (taken from Wikipedia)

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Saturn, aka Hotaru Tomoe, and the last addition to the Outer Senshi. Sailor Saturn has frightening destructive powers on a planetary scale, but can also heal minor injuries and put up energy barriers. Hotaru was a kind but lonely girl with no friends until Chibiusa came along. She had a very weak body and suffered from countless seizures because an alien entity, Mistress 9, had been implanted inside of her body. As if that weren’t enough, Hotaru was also the reincarnation of Sailor Saturn, the most feared Sailor Senshi, whose awakening brought about destruction and silence. After a very long and arduous battle, where Saturn ended up losing her life, she was reborn into a normal baby to be raised by the Outers (in the manga and Stars season) or her father (in the anime). She later grows up to be a much happier girl and now works alongside the Senshi instead of being feared by them.

Similarities:

First and foremost, I want to point out that a common misconception in the fanbase is that Takeuchi mixed up the powers of Sailors Pluto and Saturn, as Saturn was considered a god of time and Pluto was the god of death. However, its clear that this was intentional on Takeuchi’s part and she actually did much research. You can read a wonderful article on this by Genvid. I highly recommend it!

Sailor Saturn’s Silence Glaive is a scythe-like object obviously referencing the scythe Saturn uses.

The history of Saturn is double in nature. The original Saturn was the Italian god of agriculture and prosperity. The Romans later identified him with Cronos, the oppressive Greek god of time and gloom. The Romans were conscious of Saturn’s dual nature. In fact, two English adjectives derived from Saturn, Saturnian and Saturnine, are direct opposites: the former meaning happy and prosperous, the latter meaning gloomy and sullen. Duality reflected, possibly by coincidence, in the happy child Hotaru, and the cold, gloomy Messiah (Sovereign) of Silence. (Taken from Tripod)

In Greek/Roman myth:

Neptune was the god of water and the sea in Roman mythology and religion. He is analogous with, but not identical to, the Greek god Poseidon. In the Greek-influenced tradition, Neptune was the brother of Jupiter and Pluto, each of them presiding over one of the three realms of the universe, Heaven, Earth and the Netherworld. He is also the god of horses and earthquakes. (Taken from Wikipedia)

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Neptune, aka Michiru Kaioh, is a member of the Outer Senshi. Sailor Neptune used ocean-based attacks and possesses some precognitive abilities. Michiru is a lesbian and the partner and lover of Sailor Uranus, aka Haruka Tenoh. She is deeply artistic, being a renowned violinist and a famous artist. Michiru is elegant, sophisticated, polite, graceful, and fully dedicated to her duty as a Senshi.

Similarities:

The only real similarities between Neptune and Sailor Neptune is having the powers of the ocean. Sailor Neptune’s “Deep Submerge”, “Submarine Reflection”, and “Submarine Violin Tide” are all references to the ocean, which was Neptune’s domain. Her Senshi titles are “Soldier of the Sea”, and “Soldier of Deep Waters”, all direct references to Neptune being the god of the Sea. Also, like his brother Jupiter, Neptune has many affairs, which may be why Michiru has a flirty attitude.

In Greek/Roman myth:

Venuswas a Roman goddess principally associated with love, beauty and fertility, who played a key role in many Roman religious festivals and myths. Venus is the equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. she was born when Saturn cut off Uranus’ genitals and threw them into the sea, and from the sea foam arose Venus.  Myrtles, doves, sparrows, horses, and swans are sacred to her. (Taken from Wikipedia)

She was perhaps the most beautiful goddess of all and was desired by all. She was married to Vulcan (Hephaestus), but carried out countless affairs, most notably with Mars (Ares), the passionate god of war. Although she was very beautiful and sought to help many with their love lives, Venus was also very petty and jealous goddess who refused to let any other woman be as beautiful as her. 

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Venus, aka Minako Aino, was the fifth and final addition to the Inner Sailor Team, although she was actually the very first to awaken. Sailor Venus uses light and energy based powers, many of which connected to love. Minako awakened a full year before Usagi and fought crime under the codename, Sailor V and even starred in her own series before Sailor Moon. Her parter is the cat Artemis. Even though Minako is fun-loving, hyper and a bit scatter-brained, she never fails to lead the other senshi in a crisis.

Similarities:

*whistles* In my opinion, out of all the mythological references for the Senshi, Minako takes the cake. Here are just a few examples of references found in the series, most of which from Codename: Sailor V:

This is just the references I could find on short notice! Codename: Sailor V seems to actually imply that she is the incarnation, or avatar, of Venus herself. Minako often refers to herself as the “goddess of love”, but this may very well be just a saying or catchphrase she has developed, not actually naming herself Venus. 

Venus was incredibly beautiful and was stated to have long blond hair. Minako is also very beautiful and is blond. Venus had a myriad of affairs and love interests, and Minako has had countless crushes, probably as a reference to this myth. Venus had a long-lasting affair with a youth named Adonis. In Codename: Sailor V, a youth named Adonis was in love with Sailor Venus. Venus was the goddess of love and beauty, and one of Sailor Venus’s titles is “Soldier of Love and Beauty.” Also, Sailor Venus’s final and most powerful attack “Venus Love and Beauty Shock” is a reference to this. Another thing I picked up that might be mythology related is the fact that Minako and Rei are best friends in the manga; perhaps this is in reference to the love between Venus and Mars.

In Greek/Roman Mythology:

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Jupiter or Jove was the king of the gods, and the god of sky and thunder. He is the equivalent of Zeus in the Greek pantheon. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. (Taken from Wikipedia)

He was the brother of Vesta (Hestia), Ceres (Demeter), Juno (Hera), Pluto (Hades), and Neptune (Poseidon), and the son of Saturn (Cronus) and Ops (Rhea). Saturn had swallowed all of his children, save for Jupiter whom Ops had hid, in fear that they might one day overthrow his position as king. Jupiter grew up, rescued his siblings, overthrew the Titans, and became king of the gods with Juno as his queen. He sired many illegitimate children, much to the dismay of Juno.

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Jupiter, aka Makoto Kino (Mako-chan to her friends), was the fourth addition to the Sailor Team. Her powers are nature-based, and she is able to manipulate lightning and use some plant-based powers. She is the “muscle” of the group and by far the most physically strong. Mako is simultaneously the most masculine and the most feminine of the group. She is tall, strong, and can beat almost anybody up, but is also an excellent cook and likes “girly” things.

Similarities:

The similarities between the two are very obvious here! Almost all of Sailor Jupiter’s powers are taken from the myths about Jupiter being the god of lightning. Also, Sailor Jupiter’s final attack, “Jupiter Oak Evolution”, is a reference to one of Jupiter’s symbols, the Oak. Perhaps, much like Jupiter was a father to many daughters and sons, Makoto acts as the mother figure of the inner senshi and is very protective of her friends. Jupiter was known for his countless affairs with beautiful women, and, in the anime particularly, Mako has many crushes. 

In Greek/Roman Myth:

Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions. 

Under the influence of Greek culture, Mars was identified with the Greek god Ares, whose myths were reinterpreted in Roman literature and art under the name of Mars. But the character and dignity of Mars differed in fundamental ways from that of his Greek counterpart, who is often treated with contempt and revulsion in Greek literature. Mars was a part of the Archaic Triad along with Jupiter and Quirinus, the latter of whom as a guardian of the Roman people had no Greek equivalent. 

Although Ares was viewed primarily as a destructive and destabilizing force, Mars represented military power as a way to secure peace, and was a father (pater) of the Roman people. In the mythic genealogy and founding myths of Rome, Mars was the father of Romulus and Remus with Rhea Silvia. His love affair with Venus symbolically reconciled the two different traditions of Rome’s founding; Venus was the divine mother of the hero Aeneas, celebrated as the Trojan refugee who “founded” Rome several generations before Romulus laid out the city walls. Mars also is deeply connected with passion. (Taken from Wikipedia.)

In Sailor Moon:

Sailor Mars, aka Rei Hino, was the third addition to the Sailor Team. Her powers are creating and manipulating fire and heat. She also a miko (priestess) and displays very acute psychic powers even when untransformed. Rei is very passionate and outspoken, and is fearless when facing enemies. 

Similarities: 

There are a few obvious similarities that can be drawn from Mars and Sailor Mars. Mars is the god of war, and one of Sailor Mars’s titles is “Soldier of War”, referencing this. Also, just as Mars was portrayed as a very passionate god, Sailor Mars shows passion in everything that she does and is even referred to as the “Soldier of Passion.” In addition, perhaps Rei and Minako’s very close friendship is a reference to the affair between Mars and Venus.