In the name of the moon, Sailor Moon has been righting wrongs and defeating evil for nearly three decades. She started off as the titular hero of Naoko Takeuchi's seminal 1992 manga, which was a spin-off of her series Codename: Sailor V. Then, the manga was adapted as an animated series that has since become one of the most recognized anime today.
In her own series, Sailor Moon is recognized for courage under fire in spite of some ample moments of clumsiness and ineptitude. Something else she's known for is her traditional, introductory pose that she uses to psych out enemies. It's hard to forget. And now, we've ranked ten of Sailor Moon's best poses from the 1990s anime.
10 A Leap in the Dark
In episode 28, Zoisite extracted a Rainbow Crystal from painter Yumemi Yumeno and then turned her into a Super Yōma named Binah. Unable to wait for the other Guardians to show up, Sailor Moon went after the enemies on her own. She appeared above her foes at a construction yard before leaping down and giving them the speech we all know and love.
Zoisite has little patience for anything, much less the Sailor Guardians. As Sailor Moon brings her speech to a close, Zoisite glibly says he does not care who she is. He proceeds to sic Binah on her, who proves to be a nuisance before Sailor Moon can turn her back into a normal human.
9 Curtain Call
When Jadeite's minion, Derella, takes over a talent contest in episode 8, Usagi has to confront her. And she does so with an unforgettable curtain call. As Derella celebrates her victory a bit too early, Sailor Moon dramatically draws the stage curtains. Derella is caught off guard by the sailor-suited Guardian of Love and Justice, who is now braver than she was several minutes ago as she cowardly hid in the restroom.
It's a theatrical entrance, but we would not expect anything less from Sailor Moon. She still in training at this point, but she knew how to strike fear and intrigue into the enemy's heart from day one.
8 Silhouetted Goodbye
This pose actually comes at the end of episode 18 once the battle has ended. Shingo's best friend, Mika Kayama, is a young, famous dollmaker who unwillingly becomes Nephrite's next victim. After he hexes one of her dolls with a yōma, Mika becomes mean towards Shingo and her mother. Her energy level eventually peaks and the yōma, Jumeau, surfaces during Mika's doll show. Luckily, Sailor Moon and her fellow Guardians are in attendance.
As soon as Sailor Moon destroys Jumeau, she goes to check on her brother and Mika inside the gallery building. All they can see is her silhouette in the window, but it's unmistakably their hero, Sailor Moon. The rustling curtains are a nice touch.
7 A Magical Glow-Up
In episode 187, Sailor Aluminum Siren learned the identity of both her pesky enemy and the keeper of a true Star Seed: Usagi. She attacked her during the school's baseball game, which led to Chibi-Chibi having to unlock a new ability within the Eternal Tiare. After accepting Chibi-Chibi's inscrutable yet necessary power boost, Eternal Sailor Moon purified Aluminum Seiren's phage, who was originally Usagi's classmate.
The pose Eternal Sailor Moon makes as she holds her glowing Eternal Tiare is admittedly simple, but it's also evidence of how assertive she had become over the years. She wielded her wand, ready to take on whatever comes next.
6 Fire, Love & Moon
In episode 37, Kunzite's latest scheme to draw out Princess Serenity involved usurping an English aristocrat's princess seminar. Unaware, Usagi enrolls in the class so she can become a better heir of the Legendary Silver Crystal. As we expected, Usagi pretty much fails every test the host, Countess Rose, hands her. Although in this case, her failure is really proof she could be the Moon Princess. Insulting, no?
Makoto and Ami turn out to be princess material after they and Rei and Minako crash the party. Their success, however, leads to Countess Rose, who has since been turned into a yōma named Shakōkai, encasing Makoto and Ami in wax. This leaves Moon, Mars, and Venus to deal with the bad guy. Before things go south battle-wise, Moon gets a pose assist from her two Sailor Guardians on the mansion's balcony.
5 Back in Action
In episode 51, during a picnic to celebrate the blossoming of the local cherry blossoms, Ail and An unleash a vicious cardian. The monster neutralizes Usagi's friends, forcing her to fight alone. This did not end well for her as the cardian, Reci, was formidable.
Sailor Moon's lack of resolve in fighting again as a Sailor Guardian after defeating the Dark Kingdom resulted in her finishing move being useless against enemies. Her low confidence was her downfall as Reci shattered Sailor Moon's transformation brooch, thus de-powering her. Usagi was finally sucked into a portal with Luna, thought to never be seen again.
As luck would have it, Usagi's time in what seemed like purgatory was brief. The spirit of her past-life mother, Queen Serenity, returned the lost Silver Crystal to her daughter, and she upgraded the brooch. Before Sailor Moon saved the day and debuted a new attack, her mystical, cherry blossom-laden ingress was also awe-inducing.
4 Raise Your Wand
In episode 96, Makoto was attacked by Kaolinite's daimon, Scar. Ami and Usagi spotted the ordeal and they hurried over to help after transforming. Against a completely bright white background, Sailor Moon wowed us with her adroit baton-twirling technique. She aimed her latest wand, the Spiral Heart Moon Rod, with ferocity at the monster that had ambushed her best friend. Sailor Mercury had already intervened with an icy blast of water so Scar was taken by surprise.
Outnumbered and possibly a bit scared, Scar understandably escaped without Makoto's Pure Heart Crystal in tow.
3 Double Moon
With SuperS focusing so much on Chibi-Usa and her bond with the mysterious Pegasus, it was no wonder she was more front and center. Sailor Moon's stock speech from the third season was altered for the corresponding film: She's joined by Sailor Chibi-Moon, who mimics her mother's signature pose.
The sequence was reused in episode 128 when the pair first meets Tiger's Eye, one of the Dead Moon's Amazon Trio. He has captured Usagi and Chibi-Usa's friend Unazuki, who he suspects of containing the Dream Mirror that houses the elusive Pegasus. His assumption is wrong, but, nevertheless, he has to contend with the bothersome Sailor Guardians from now on.
2 Spotlit Speech
Usagi, Chibi-Usa, and Mamoru were spending a day at a botanical garden with Hotaru in episode 116 when Mimete showed up in search of her newest target. One thing led to another, and Mimete unboxed her on-the-go monster-of-the-day, U-Baulla. This rose-themed daimon made quick work of Sailor Chibi-Moon until Tuxedo Mask stepped in. He then ushered in the star of the show, Sailor Moon.
Arms crossed and standing confidently, Sailor Moon was basked in a trio of spotlights from an unknown source. It's excessive, but it makes for good drama, too.
1 Double the Trouble
Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi-Moon were a package deal in the fourth season as their powers relied on one another. So, if Sailor Moon was going to show up to a fight, Chibi-Moon was there, too.
In episode 146, Hawk's Eye set his sights on Princess Rubina, a visiting ambassador for the fictional Amethyst Kingdom. She had spurned the enemy's lecherous advances, but Hawk's Eye ultimately caught up with her on a tennis court and took a gander inside her Dream Mirror. This was when Super Double Moon came to the princess' rescue. They stood boldly on a nearby set of umpire chairs as fireworks blasted in the summer night sky.