Character Analysis

I understand well that there is no such thing as one true perspective, but I like to believe that I'm not too far from what Takeuchi Naoko wanted Mamoru to be.

Mamoru was first introduced very early in the series. Unexpectingly when Usagi throws her test paper behind her, we witness, from wearing a tuxedo in broad daylight to insulting a complete stranger, a cocky and arrogant jerk; however, in spite of first impressions, compassion, benevolence, and patience turn out to be his most distinguished qualities.* The way he so easily submits to his future wife and child...he's a push-over, really.

"When I have my own daughter, I'm displining her...I'm begging you [two], get to bed!"¹

It is not lost upon him when he is taken advantaged of. Yet despite this awareness, no resistance is ever shown when Chibi-Usa insists that he carries her or when Usagi demands to sleep over. Not that resistance will do much, considering how simply helpless he is when Usagi and Chibi-Usa is involved.

And with children, stoic Mamoru is just another silly individual who would go through great lengths to bring a smile. Accompanied by Asanuma, he spends the day with his spoiled brat of a daughter and all her friends her class in an amusement park. So imagine, a driven academic -- and a teenager -- in an amusement park with kids going, "Daddy, daddy, daddy!" all day. Catering to their needs, putting up with their constant whining and he still manages to smile.

When it comes right down to it, his compassion extends beyond Usagi and Chibi-Usa. It extends to the senshi, the cats, his peers, the shitennou, (H)elios, children and his planet and its people. I have no doubt that his heart has a capacity just as great as Usagi's but he isn't as...pure.

I see another side of him that is much more serious and intense, but it's subtle. It's this complexity of his, that attracts me to him so. He is a dark character who most certainly has the potential to be a ruthless warrior. During the Dark Kingdom arc, killed by Kunzite, Mamoru is revived and brainwashed to become Endou. Endou kills Motoki's best friend and manipulates him to believe that he is his best friend. I see this as a window to what Mamoru can be. Toying with his opponents, Endou is cold, indifferent, powerful and even cruel. I once was told that it takes courage to do something, but at the same time, it also takes great courage to stand idle. It amazes me that even though he's been through so much as a child, he isn't brazenly bitter. Having the potential to become Endou, he exibits the courage to be Mamoru.

"Prince! He left that nightmare on his own?!"²

But even as Mamoru, there's a touch of intensity to his character. Earth submerges in darkness as Nehellenia breaks from her seal and our warriors are trapped in a nightmare. Luna and Artesmis hopes that the Senshi will pull through. *SLAP* To everyone's suprise (including Setsuna's), Mamoru slaps them awake. Mamoru. The guy who has been subjected to weeks of restless nights with some faceless girl calling for him. The guy who, after being killed and brainwashed and brainwashed again, is going through first year university in medicine in JAPAN. After all those will-wearing experiences, you'd think he would have lost his sanity by now. And here he is, breaking free of a nightmare that even the Senshi of the outer solar system can not escape from. Unaided and with ease. The nightmare didn't even phase him. Perhaps, he is all too familar with illusions of the mind.

"Since the distant past, you have protected this planet all alone. Noble Prince Endymion."³

As opposed to his Dark Kingdom counterpart, Endymion is a nobler form of the man as a warrior. Helios has never personally met Endymion, yet he praises him to no end. Chivalrous Endymion, we saw for ourselves how he went against his whole kingdom to defend what he believed was right even though he knew he was fighting a losing war.

Endymion fought for all that he held precious. But the enemies were percisely the people who he was fighting for. To fight against his friends, to fight against his kingdom...that's beyond simple courage.

"...only the young, strong Prince Endymion was not deceived, and he fought hard to protect the people."⁴

The Shitennou also shines light on what the Earthian Prince was like. This is the person that the men have crossed lifetimes to protect. I personally don't believe that duty was the only driving factor.

"We were reincarnated to find our master..."⁵

I like to think that their relationship was along the lines brotherhood. Although they address him as their 'Master', he doesn't seem the least bit governing. It can very well be the fact that Endymion was raised to ascend the thrown and Mamoru grew up as an orphan. Despite the impression that he gives off, as a confident, atheletic and sexy intellectual, he has little friends to speak of. Of course, it is natural for him to be wary of personal relationships having gone through all trials alone at the tender age of six. Yet, after regaining his memories, learning of his guardians' betrayal (which has more or less contributed to the fall of his Kingdom) of the past and what they have done this lifetime, he has never blamed or reproved them. In fact, as if nothing had happened and as if they had been with him since present-day childhood, he betrusts upon them his innermost insecurities. The scene in which he communicates with the Shitennou opens up another window.

"Master," Kunzite says. "We will support your power. And with your power, protect her. The princess."

"My power...? I have no power... That's how I feel sometimes. Why was I reborn here? Protecting her... That's what the four soldiers are for. But they need me to do it. I'm powerless. I can't protect her. I don't know what's happened to me."

"Master... We believe in you. In your strength. You were reincarnated. The princess will become queen, and you will become king. That is the path you have begun. Don't forget that. You must not lose your confidence. The princess depends on you."⁶

No longer that confident the man we first met. I find it interesting for Kunzite to remind him that Usagi depends on him as a way of encouragement. In indicates that his need to be strong for those he care about is significantly greater than his need to be strong for himself. And Kunzite knows this. Even after a millenium. Kunzite may very well know Mamoru more than Mamoru knows himself.

Aside from his shaky confidence in his ability, he isn't all that secure about his relationship with Usagi either. Hakura and Michiru makes a very interesting entrance to the scene. Their appearance causes both Mamoru and Usagi to question each other. Mamoru watches silently as Usagi encounters Hakura, as Usagi shares her concert tickets with the girls and as Haruka leans in to kiss her. But instead of confronting her, he keeps quiet. Even when Chibi-Usa asks if Usagi had cheated on him, not wanting to discuss it, he changes the subject. It was not until Usagi admits that she was jealous of Michiru did Mamoru confess his feelings. He is a natural introvert; in the shadows, he contemplates alone and silently. I suspect, that if Usagi did not bring up the subject, he would have pretended that nothing had happen.

"I've been such a burden on you...I feel like I'll just be getting in the way of your bright future. I often feel that way."⁷

Why is he so afraid? An affection spanning two lifetimes, and as if that isn't enough, he has a future daughter as insurance. Yet, he is far from assured. In the dream arc, lying in bed ill, he reveals that he often feels as if he is unworthy of Usagi, that he is a burden, that he is not good enough for her. Despite his deteriating health, his utmost concern is Usagi and his planet. He guilts that he can not protect her, that he can not protect his planet. One of the most captivating traits of Mamoru is his incredible selflessness. He cares very little about himself. He has very little faith in his abilities, thus making him incredibly vulnerable, especially to those he cares deeply about.

His insecurity and his selflessness will be his downfall. It is the gravity point of his character. But on the other hand, if channelled wisely, it can also his greatest strength. He is admirable in that, being as self-conscious as he is, he never fails to give what little he believes himself to have.

Recall the final battle against Beryl on the Moon and the fight against Nehellenia. Countary to popular belief, and even though he believes it himself, Mamoru isn't a rose-throwing pansy. His strength is mentioned by a number of people in a number of different occassions.

Unlike the Sailor Soilders, Mamoru only has one attack and it is developed much later in the series. His Golden Crystal, is revealed even later. His greatest, or most evident, show of power occurs in the Dream arc. The Coronation. In this short span of time, we see the man awaken, harness and yield the Golden Crystal. Notice that Mamoru is Usagi's equal and keep in mind that this is his first time using the crystal. Power comes to him so naturally that you would have never guessed that he had been useless all this time! He's a fast learner and a natural at that.

Although the Coronation was his greatest show of power, it does not mean that his strength was nonexistant up till that point. Associated with the Sun and the Earth, Mamoru's senshi-like powers is physchometry -- a gift that is much more subtle than his comrades. He has the ability to locate anything and anyone on this planet and to transmit that knowledge (or sensation) to others, to heal himself, to connect his heartbeat to someone else. He has premonitions, he can connect to another world, even. With the touch of his hand, he can gain information about an object or a person. Mamoru is quite an empathic creature.

"This man always gives me strength."⁸

"He spoke with such confidence and composure...Mamoru-senpai filled me with strength then..."⁹

More often than not, Mamoru is said to be a giver of strength, rather than an embodiment of it. He gives off an aura, as Usagi describes it, like "the light of the sun." From constantly reassuring Usagi, Mamoru goes as far as to reassure Asanuma, whom at the time, was a complete stranger. "I'm certain you'll pass." Such a simple gesture, but it was enough to instill confidence and provoke the highest respect.

The things that he do are not flauntingly impressive. He can't call upon fire nor stop the flow of time. Neither can he ask the Gods for lightning nor spontaneously create tidal waves. But as an aspiring doctor, a prodigious intellect and a strong-willed individual, he does not need sparkly magic powers to separate him from the rest.

Chiba Mamoru appears in many different forms in the original. And from the original, we get the subbed and dubbed animes, sera myus and the live action, PGSM. Whatever the variation, they all reflect the man in the manga in one way or another. Okay...scrap that. I wish I can write something awesome, and I wish I can put all that I want into words and put together an analysis detailing every little aspect and possiblity. But since I can't, I'll put things simply: love him or hate him, Chiba Mamoru is an extraordinary character who has his strengths and shortcomings.

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* ~ Elysa (December 7th, '04) <3 <3
¹ Mamoru. Sailor Moon SuperS #1
² Senshi of the Outer Solar System. Sailor Moon SuperS #4
³ (H)elios. Sailor Moon SuperS #2
⁴ Queen Serenity. Sailor Moon Volume 3 (re-printed)
⁵ Kunzite. Sailor Moon Volume 2 (re-printed)
⁶ Dialogue between Mamoru and Kunzite. Sailor Moon Volume 4 (re-printed)
⁷ Mamoru. Sailor Moon SuperS #1
⁸ Usagi. Sailor Moon Volume 3 (re-printed)
⁹ Asanuma. Sailor Moon Volume 3 (re-printed)

Works Cited
- Usagi and Mamoru (http://www.usagiandmamoru.com)
- The Manga of Takeushi Naoko (http://www.kurozuki.com/takeuchi/)
- Dies Gaudii (http://www.absoludicrous.net/antares7/)

Many thanks to Spirit-hime, Carissa and AngelAnne.
Your works and feedbacks has been a great deal of motivation. <3 <3