From Sailor Galaxia to Mistress 9, the Sailor Moon the franchise contains intense storylines with powerful enemies that the Sailor Guardians must face. Some battles can be rather simple and defeated in the span of a single episode, while other villains are a much tougher fight and can only be defeated at the end of an arc. Regardless, the power of the Sailor Senshi prevails and allows the team to defeat evil for the good of the galaxy.
Alongside the main enemies of an arc are the secondary enemies which are of great importance themselves. Depending on the character, a certain adversary may represent high stakes for the cast or simply be a source of comedy. Regardless of their role, there are several enemy characters in the franchise that remain well-known to fans today.
10 Mimete also acts as comic relief
A Popular Idol Is Actually a Hidden Villain
Debuting alongside the rest of the Death Busters, Mimete is the second member of the Witches 5, a group of magic users working for Professor Tomoe and the other leaders. Despite being the weakest member, Mimete enjoys using her powers and does not hesitate to use her best attacks in combat. She also takes the alias Mimi Hanyuu, a popular idol, in order to steal the souls of unsuspecting civilians.
In the original anime, Mimete is developed as a character. When the magic user isn’t using her idol character, she’s using another civilian disguise to go on missions, often with hilarious results. Mimete’s true identity is later revealed by Sailor Venus, and the magic user is subsequently defeated by the powers of Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.
9 Sailor Iron Mouse is the first of the Sailor Animamates
Sailor Galaxia recruit on the planet Chuu
Although its appearance was brief, Sailor Iron Mouse had one of the most adorable designs seen in the list of villains; however, his actions are far from angelic. Coming from the planet Chuu, she assassinates its leader, Sailor Chuu, in order to gain her Sailor Crystal. From there, Sailor Iron Mouse became a follower of Sailor Galaxia after her homeworld was destroyed.
Sailor Iron Mouse is the first of the Sailor Animamates to face Earth’s Sailor Senshi. Despite having several experienced Senshi, she is very happy to be in the presence of so many Sailor Crystals and uses her attacks with joy. Unfortunately for Sailor Iron Mouse, her presence is noticed by the Sailor Starlights and is quickly defeated.
8 Sailor Lead Crow betrays her former training partners
Phobos and Deimos meet their partner in an old acquaintance
The third of the Sailor Animamates, Sailor Lead Crow disposes of her home planet’s Sailor Senshi to gain favor with Sailor Galaxia. After the death of Sailor Coronis and the fall of her homeworld, Sailor Lead Crow sets her sights on Sailor Moon. However, she first heads to Hikawa Shrine, where Sailor Mars and her family live.
In a surprising twist, Sailor Lead Crow is revealed to know Phobos and Deimosthe twin ravens belonging to Sailor Mars. When the planet Coronis and its resident Senshi still lived, the three had once trained together. No longer holding onto her past loyalty, Sailor Lead Crow defeats her former friends, pledging allegiance to Sailor Galaxia.
7 Fish Eye fights against Sailor Mercury
Ami is almost lost in the mirror world
One of the villainous characters in Eternal Sailor Moon film, Fish Eye is part of the Amazon trio working for the Dead Moon Circus. Corrupted Sailor Senshi Sailor Pallas is pretending to work at a tropical fish store when Ami, also known as Sailor Mercury, stops by the store. With Fish Eye in her fish form, Ami is unaware that the new pet she bought is an enemy spy.
Using his powers and the fate of the Lemures, Fish Eye tries to trap Ami in a mirror worldwith the intention that she will be safe from rejection forever. However, Guardian Mercury appears to aid the Sailor Guardian, helping Ami remember that there are people who love and care about her. After transforming into Super Sailor Mercury, Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon appear and defeat Fish Eye. Although its role in Eternal Sailor Moon Long story short, Fish Eye had an expanded character arc in the original anime.
6 Petz plans against his own parents
The eldest of the Specter Sisters, Petz and her relatives work for the Black Moon clan and are tasked with capturing Chibiusa. His time in the manga and Sailor Moon Crystal is short, although the original anime sheds a bit more light on his character. Believing herself to be the strongest of the Ghost Sisters, her bitterness turns to vengeance as his own magic weapon leads Petz to try to kill the other Ghost Sisters.alongside the Sailor Senshi.
When she learned that her master, Rubeus, was cheating on her, she soon realized the error of her behavior when she was no longer affected by her magic weapon (known simply as the Staff). Petz was also able to open up to Prince Sapphire and cried for him when she thought his life was in peril. Sister Ghost would soon end up taking a human life, improving her relationship with her siblings.
5 Prince Sapphire discovers Wiseman’s true motives
Prince Demande’s brother discovers a dark reality
The younger brother of Prince Demande, Prince Saphir’s storyline is expanded upon in the original anime, similarly to that of his lover Petz (as their relationship is stated in the adaptation). As he is unwaveringly loyal to his brother, Sapphire uses the evil black crystal for whatever Prince Demande wishes the gem to be. However, he becomes increasingly suspicious of Wiseman, who feeds the eldest prince misinformation for his own greed.
Once Saphir realizes Wiseman’s true intentions to kill her older brother, the youngest prince opposes the Black Moon clanattempting to steal the dark microchip that powers the castle. Although seriously injured, Saphir finds Petz in the past and vows to save her brother. However, Saphir soon meets her end, not without reforming herself to become a better being. Some of Sailor Moon’s best villains achieve redemption before meeting their untimely demise, giving them a much more complex character arc for viewers to return to and analyze in the future.
The last Sailor Animamate threatens to burn Sailor Moon
As the final Sailor Animamates, Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon possesses a calmer demeanor than her fellow Senshi. Working under the leadership of Sailor Galaxia, the butterfly-like Senshi watches over the graveyard before the empire. Despite her collected nature, the Fifth Sailor Animamate is far more bloodthirsty than the rest of her group, as Sailor Moon and her allies discover upon reaching Shadow Galactica’s headquarters.
When Sailor Moon and her allies face Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon, the latter holds them back and summons her fire butterflies. Intending to see them burn, Sailor Heavy Metal Papillon exclaims that she is happy to see her enemies perish, having a sadistic streak for causing suffering. However, the cruel Senshi’s plans die with the arrival of Sailor Chibi Moon and her allies, who dispose of the butterfly-shaped Sailor Guardian.
3 Sailor Tin Nyanko faces dire consequences if he fails
The treacherous inhabitant of the planet Mau meets a grisly end
Arriving at Juban High under the pseudonym Nyanko Suzu, the new student possessed an unusual attachment to Usagi. Despite her best intentions, Nyanko Suzu’s disguise ultimately did not work, as Luna and Artemis reveal her true identity. A former inhabitant of the planet Mau, Sailor Mau herself was killed by Sailor Tin Nyanko, who wished to gain favor with Sailor Galaxia.
Although her attacks weaken the cats, Sailor Tin Nyanko is unable to defeat Sailor Moon. She returns to Shadow Galactica headquarters in shame and laments her failures to her leader. Sailor Tin Nyanko is then killed by Sailor Galaxiawho wants to punish her for fleeing the fight. Falling at the hands of one of the most powerful villains in anime history always makes for a memorable moment, even if the character is a villain in his own right.
2 Sailor Lethe desires peace after losing her home
The guardian of the desert river desperately seeks peace
Compared to the other members of Shadow Galactica, Sailor Lethe is not violent by nature. In fact, she and her sister, Sailor Mnemosyne, saw their twin planets collapse due to endless war and conflict. After their planets were destroyed by Sailor Galaxia, Sailor Lethe and Sailor Mnemosyne were forced to join the Shadow Galactica.
Despite her sister’s protests, Sailor Lethe acts as the violent guardian of the Desert River, almost killing Usagi. In her eyes, people other than those closest to her are sources of pain, and the only way to end the suffering is to accept what Sailor Galaxia wishes. Sailor Mnemosyne, just in time, stops Sailor Lethe from delivering the final blow, allowing the Sailor Guardians of Earth and the Desert River to recognize each other.
1 Professor Tomoe just wants to save his daughter
Mad Scientist’s Intentions Are Tragic in ’90s Anime
Hotaru Tomoe’s father, Professor Souichi Tomoe sadly lost his wife Keiko and almost his child when a horrible fire broke out in his laboratory. Passionate about research in astrophysics and even bioengineering, Professor Tomoe was able to save Hotaru’s life using such machines. However, Hotaru will then become Mistress 9’s host after her father is possessed by Germatoid, the hidden leader of the Death Busters group.
Professor Tomoe’s ending differs between the original anime and the manga/reboot anime. In the original manga, as well as in Sailor Moon Crystal, Professor Tomoe is overtaken by Germatoid and perishes. However, Professor Tomoe is redeemed in the original animewhere instead of wanting to use Hotaru to destroy the world, he joined the Death Busters in order to save his daughter. This change highlighted his importance as a villain, even though few Sailor Moon fans have him at the top of their list when thinking about some of the series’ main antagonists.