Hotaru Tomoe
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Hotaru Tomoe (土萠ほたる Tomoe Hotaru) is a character in the Japanese manga and anime Sailor Moon. She is the only Sailor Senshi whose name was not actually modified in the English dub, although some fans cited an oft held rumor it was because she debuted as an apparently evil character (In the Mixx (now TokyoPop) manga, she was once named Jenny; Mixx later admitted this was a mistake and changed her name back to "Hotaru".). She is also notable for carrying the Silence Glaive (contrary to the name, it is neither), often playfully referred to by fans as resembling a giant can opener.
Adding to the mystery, her violet-clad, Sailor Saturn persona is also rarely seen in the series, and she has no proper henshin sequence or named attacks.
She lives with her demon-possessed father (who is depicted as genuinely malevolent in the manga) while her mother is deceased. Hotaru is known for her extreme shyness, and weak constitution. She is also known for occasional abnormal body growth after her (supposed) temporary death, which makes her actual age moot. She is usually depicted as younger than the current run of typical senshi.
In the manga, the threat of Saturn actually doing damage is more overtly implied and she is frequently cited as able to destroy the world (and in fact destroyed the leftovers of the ruined Silver Millennium kingdom). Based on this somewhat disturbing information the "Outer Senshi", who are only somewhat aware of her reawakening, consequently make it part of their mission to 'deal' with her, causing the initial friction between them and Sailor Moon, who resolutely believes Hotaru can be saved.
The anime is slightly vaguer in its allusions, largely due to the darker aspects of Hotaru's personality being affected by an evil entity. Sailor Saturn herself (who unlike other senshi, often is depicted as a completely different aspect) describes the position as the 'Senshi of Death and Rebirth'.
Hotaru herself dresses predominantly in black and much art of her features a superficial gothic style. In the manga this was explained as disguising the extensive prostethics her father implanted to keep her alive. They later disappear after her rebirth but she (or the mangaka) seems to have kept the habit.
She also enjoys poetry and collecting lamps ("hotaru" means firefly in Japanese). After her father's death in the manga (the anime is somewhat contradictory about later aspects) she essentially becomes the adopted daughter of Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaioh, an atypical situation enjoyed by several fanfiction writers.
Because of her rather ignoble and sympathetic treatment in the series, Hotaru has few detractors in fandom, though ironically her best friend (and in certain fanfics occasional girlfriend) is Chibi-Usa, one of the most disliked characters in the show's American fandom.
Profile
- Birthday: January 6th
- Astrological Sign: Capricorn
- Blood Type: AB
- Hobbies: Reading, and collecting lamps
- Best Friend: Chibi-Usa
- Favorite Animal: Panther
- Favorite color: Purple
- Favorite Subject: World History
- Worst Subject: Physical Education
- Favorite Food: Japanese Buckwheat noodles
- Least favorite Food: Milk
- Has trouble with: Marathons
- Strong Point: Injury Treatment
- School: Mugen Gakuen
- Dream: To become a nurse
- Favorite Gemstone: Fluorite
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| Protagonists | Usagi Tsukino | Ami Mizuno | Rei Hino | Makoto Kino | Minako Aino | Setsuna Meioh | Michiru Kaioh | Haruka Tenoh | Hotaru Tomoe | |||
| Mamoru Chiba | Chibiusa | Chibi Chibi | Sailor Starlights | Princess Kakyuu | Luna | Artemis | Diana | Queen Serenity | ||||
| Manga and Anime Villains | "Dark Kingdom" Sailormoon/ Sailormoon: Queen Metallia | Queen Beryl | Shitennou ("Four Kings") | |||
| "Doom Tree" (Does Not Appear/R (Return)) : Ail (Alan) | En (Ann) | Makaiju (Doom Tree)
"Black Moon" (Black Moon/ R(Romance)): Death Phantom | Demande | Saphir | Esmeraude | Rubeus | Ayakashi Sisters | ||||
| "Death Busters" (Infinity Arc/ Super): Pharaoh 90 | Mistress 9 | Professor Tomoe | Germatoid | Kaolinite | Witches 5 | ||||
| "Dead Moon Circus" (Dream Arc/ SuperS): Nehelenia | Zirconia | Zircon | Amazon Trio | Amazoness Quartet | ||||
| "Shadow Galactica" (Stars Arc/ Sailorstars): Chaos | Sailor Galaxia | Iron Mouse | Aluminum Siren | Lead Crow | Tin Nyanko | Heavy Metal Papillon | Sailor Lethe | Sailor Mnemosyne | Sailor Phi | Sailor Chi | Sailor Chaos | ||||
| Live Action and Myuu Villains | "Sera Myuu" (Musicals) : | Pewter Fox | Titan Kerokko | |||
| "Pretty Guardian Sailormoon" (Live Action Sailormoon): | Mio Kuroki | ||||
| Support Cast | Shingo Tsukino | Ikuko Tsukino | Kenji Tsukino | Naru Osaka | Gurio Umino | Haruna Sakurada | Motoki Furuhata | Unazuki Furuhata | Yūichirō Kumada | |||
External Links
- Hotaru Tomoe Forums (http://s10.invisionfree.com/Hotaru_Tomoe/): A Hotaru Tomoe Fan Forum. Fans of all Sailor Moon welcome.