Green is not always for envy! -- Sometimes it's for Jupiter

(Guest post by Mike H)

Let’s be real here, the color green gets a bad rap. The color green has somewhat of a troubled past. It is often associated with evil (like Maleficent’s magic aura, or Ursula’s lair from The Little Mermaid) poison, sickness, or the attribute of envy, but green is also the color of plant life and new beginnings. However, green has also represented nature, and life. Not to mention that green is also for the color of luck (Hello St. Patricks Day and 4-Leaf clovers!) Green is also the color of one of the most underrated Sailor Scouts, Sailor Jupiter!

Who doesn’t love Mako-chan? The tomboyish lightning/plant based scout is a great cook, and has aspirations of opening her own bakery. To say she is wholesome would be an understatement. Being the tallest (and strongest) of the original Sailor Scouts, one could assume that she is a little rough around the edges, but that couldn’t be more false. In fact, we are introduced to Mako-chan when she saves Usagi from a group of punk boys in the original series, and from a car in the Crystal adaptation. I have no doubt that if Mako-chan were alive in our day, she would be filmed helping others, and not be the one holding her cell phone up filming people in need.

Sailor Jupiter, during the series is always loyal, and willing to sacrifice herself for her friends. We can learn a lot from Mako-chan on how to be a good friend, and companion. I often wondered why she was so different than the other scouts. Mercury was always keenly focused on her studies, Mars was always so pious, Venus tended to be silly, and Usagi well….she is unique. Mako-chan however always seemed to have “it” together. Could it be perhaps because she needed to grow up so quickly?

Many Sailor Moon fans may not know, but Mako lost her parents in a horrific airplane crash when she was young. Imagine being a young girl and needing to cook and clean for yourself. Some adults have issues with these basic functions! Unlike Usagi’s parents are seen often in the show, Mako-chan’s parents were never spoken about in the English dub of the show or the original Japanese anime. Unless you read the manga, her parents tragic ending was never mentioned. It is ironic how such an important life event was kept from the viewers of the show, especially since her independence and rough nature was developed by needing to raise herself. I wonder if perhaps the shows creators believed the topic of parental death was too much for younger viewers, but lets be real here, we are talking about a show that deals with aliens, sorceresses and evil beings from other worlds coming to destroy all mankind. Regardless of the reasons this key information about Mako-chan’s past is withheld from us in the original show, the effect on who Mako-chan character is evident. 

While William Shakespeare may have coined the term “Green-eyed Monster,” we can always keep Mako-chan near to our hearts as the strong-willed, selfless scout who would always help those in need. While many people are celebrating Saint Patrick’s day dressed as leprechauns, I prefer to make a bento in memory of Mako-chan, our great Sailor Scout who gives green a good name.