Sailor Moon is perhaps one of the most popular and beloved anime shows out there. Easily recognizable from its iconic Sailor Scouts and talking cats, the show is a home to many long-time, and brand new anime fans. The series featured a team of magical girls and their leader Sailor Moon who fought off bad guys to protect the Earth, using their respective planet powers.
Usagi, or Sailor Moon, was a relatable character who almost anyone could identify with, especially when it came to her junk food habits and bad grades. While this show had a majority of female characters, especially as protagonists, there is one man who fought alongside Sailor Moon every step of the way.
Tuxedo Mask was a dashing, mysterious prince who always seemed to show up right when Usagi needed him. To some, he may have been a very over dramatic love interest, but Tuxedo Mask was actually a very well-thought out character with a lot of hidden secrets. Throughout the manga, the original anime and the recent reboot Crystal, Tuxedo Mask has gone through everything from design changes to massive character development.
His appearance left lasting impacts not only on Sailor Moon, but also on the audience watching. The more we learned about his personal life as a wealthy young man living in the city, who just so happens to fight crime in an expensive suit at night, the more we fell in love.
But who really was Mamoru Chiba? Here’re 25 facts about his character!
25 Dangerous Romance
In the manga, Tuxedo mask didn’t actually have weaponized roses. This design concept was the work of the original animators, who wanted to add something both romantic and dangerous, considering his relationship with Sailor Moon.
Where do you get roses like this?
We’re not entirely sure where Mamoru was buying such sharp-ended flowers, but we do know that they were often used as a sort of weapon or warning sign in the original anime, complete with his handsome ensemble and fun entrance music. Many times, the rose signaled his arrival to the scene of a fight, and let Sailor Moon know he was there to either help or encourage her. Some people seem to criticize that this was all Tuxedo Mask really did, but again, the original creator, Naoko Takeuchi, didn’t actually confirm this.
Art by Foxninja18.
24 Just Like The Girls
One of the most iconic things to come out of Sailor Moon was the transformation sequence each sailor scout had when they’d turn into their magical warrior personas. These scenes have always been true to form, showing just how amazing and magical each girl is, but what about Tuxedo Mask?
He’s a crime fighter with an identity to hide, shouldn’t he also get an amazing transformation scene?
The original animators seemed to think so and gave him one that really fit his persona, including a sweet cape swish and hat throw. This was yet another animation decision, much like the roses, and unfortunately, it seems we won’t be getting one in Sailor Moon Crystal. It was super fabulous while it lasted though!
23 A Message?
Tuxedo Mask has been criticized for not really helping out with the fight. Rather, in the original anime, it seemed that all he could manage was to throw a rose and let Sailor Moon do all the work. In all fairness, Tuxedo Mask hasn’t always been the one to get in a tussle he knows Usagi can handle on her own, but it doesn’t mean that it’s not strange for him to just show up anyway.
This "message" was usually words of encouragement.
Often, he would show up to give Sailor Moon a “message”, where he’d give her words of encouragement that sometimes lifted her spirits enough to continue fighting. There’s a lot of fan speculation as to why he does this. Maybe he’s uncomfortable with his place in the fight or he believes Sailor Moon is more powerful, but it doesn’t make him less awkward in the viewer’s presence.
22 Such A Know-It-All!
Speaking of his little “messages”, Tuxedo Mask also sometimes “helped” by advising Sailor Moon on what to do during a fight. A little strange, seeing as he often would never end up in the fray himself, but he nonetheless offered.
What’s even more hilarious is that Usagi rarely ever seems to listen to him, and she still ends up winning the fight on her own.
A good example of this is her first fight ever! She feels powerless and scared against an enemy, but then a dashing man in a cape and mask appears to tell her not to cry and to keep on fighting! As she watches him with tears in her eyes, Sailor Moon refuses to take advice from strange men. She wails so hard that she actually figures out that it’s a power of hers, and she utilizes it to defeat the enemy.
21 A Big Star!
The original animation had a lot of small-time voice actors from Japan who got big after Sailor Moon rose in popularity. However, Tuxedo Mask’s original voice actor was already a popular name! Tōru Furuya was the most recognizable name in the original Sailor Moon. He’s had prominent anime roles as Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam, and as Tamcha in Dragon Ball.
Furuya had been in the game for a while before doing Tuxedo Mask.
Furuya had been an actor, voice actor and narrator for a while before playing Tuxedo Mask, but most of the other actors were either just starting out or had not yet made a name for themselves. Sailor Moon’s original voice actress actually became increasingly popular after her role as Usagi flourished. She went on later to voice in other popular anime shows such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Mobile Suit Gundam SEED.
20 Hints Of A Secret Identity
There are actually several hints that Mamoru Chiba is in fact Tuxedo Mask. Of course, the haircut and facial features should be enough for most viewers to draw this conclusion, but Mamoru has sort of been the Clark Kent of the Sailor Moon universe.
Apparently, a mask that only covers a small portion of your face seems to do the trick.
Several of these clues include the slippers he has in his house —which are black with small white masks on them, the fact that he wears a suit when he meets Usagi and that he uses the same nicknames for her whether he’s Tuxedo Mask or Mamoru Chiba.
A fun fact: the nickname “bun-head” only appeared in recent English translations. Originally, he used to call her “dumpling head”, but the English animators weren't sure it’d be relatable enough, and changed it to “meatball head”.
19 Weird Puppets
Along with many of the other strange, ego-boosting things Mamoru owns, he also has a Tuxedo Mask puppet. This means he actually has a puppet of himself. We could probably let the slippers pass, but a full-on puppet seems a little over the top, don’t you think?
Where do you even get a puppet of yourself, Tuxedo Mask?
This little guy makes his appearance in an episode where Chibi Usa is having a rough go of it. Seeing his future daughter upset, Mamoru tries to cheer her up and introduces us to this weird item he not only owns, but knows exactly where it is in his house at all times. There’s never any explanation as to where it came from or why he has it.
Perhaps this is yet another thing that makes Tuxedo Mask so mysterious.
18 A Magician’s Wand?
Another weird item Tuxedo Mask owns is the magician’s wand or cane, but it really seems to not do anything. Of course, it appears he can use it for some defensive maneuvers but not much else beyond that, since we don't see him make use of it in any enchantments or spells.
This might be the reason people tend to think his character is some sort of magician or warlock. But alas, a top hat and cane don’t seem to be enough to make it so. It appears that even Tuxedo Mask’s roses are more effective than his magician’s wand.
We’re unsure of why it’s there, but it does make quite a few appearances in almost all his incarnations. It does sort of pull his look together though, so it could be a character design decision.
17 His Name Makes No Sense
Everything you know is a lie, including the fact that Tuxedo Mask isn't even wearing an actual tuxedo. The suit he's wearing is actually called a "dinner suit". The rules of white tie are very strict, so it’s pretty easy to unknowingly break a rule. If you’re a cosplayer who pays attention to detail, you may want to be careful when it comes to a Tuxedo Mask costume because a real tuxedo just won’t do it.
How did we not notice this isn't actually a tuxedo?
There are several reasons why this isn’t a tuxedo, including his pendant, the color of his tie and even the small fact that his jacket originally doesn’t even have tails. Even the time of day he wears it is important, which is why it’s no surprise he’s failed spectacularly at dressing in the right kind of suit.
However, “Dinner Suit Mask” doesn’t sound nearly as charming.
Art by FranciscoEtchArt.
16 A Magic Cape?
Tuxedo Mask’s dress outfit always includes his ever-fabulous cape. Besides his mask and top hat, this is probably one of the more recognizable parts of his ensemble. The cape is particularly important because it’s often used as his transitions or reveals, signaling that he is here to —maybe— save the day!
This is actually a specific type of cape called a theatre cape. Again, for any cosplayers reading, you’ll want to find one of these bad boys to complete a real Tuxedo Mask costume.
There were many different inspirations the creator used to get Tuxedo’s look the way it is, including handsome thieves and Takeuchi's love for formal wear. Some speculate the cape was more of a Dracula/Phantom of the Opera-inspired look that decided his official design.
15 Hunter x Hunter
Fun fact, the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter is married to the creator of Sailor Moon! If you’ve ever wanted true couple goals, just look at them. Yoshihiro Togashi and Naoko Takeuchi have been married since 1999 and have both helped with each other’s projects respectively since.
Togashi has given credit to his wife multiple times.
There’s been a number of times that Togashi has paid tribute to Sailor Moon, but there has also been a few times that we actually see him on screen. For example, he’s had character such as the announcer dress and act much like Mamoru, in his own work and we also see dolls that actually look like Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, at one point. Togashi even paid tribute to his wife at the end of one of his mangas.
If this isn’t the cutest thing, we don’t know what is!
14 His Kanji Name
The name Mamoru may not seem like much in it’s English translation, but it actually means “protector” in its original Kanji version. Chiba actually also means “Earth”. His entire name, put together, indicates that he is the protector of Earth, which isn’t too hard to guess why.
As we know, in his past life he was the prince of the Earth, in love with the princess of the Moon.
They would later become the Mamuro and Usagi we all know and love in their new lives. Of course, there are other reasons why Mamuro’s name would mean this, which we’ll get to in a second, but his job is and has always been to be a sort of guardian of this planet and to protect it alongside Sailor Moon.
13 A Sailor Scout?
You heard us right! In the manga, it’s more or less specified that Mamoru is technically the Sailor Scout of Earth. However, we know that the Sailor Scouts are all women. This is another reason for the meaning behind his name and also his identity as a prince, but he truly is the protector of the Earth. If you were wondering why we don’t really have a Sailor Scout, that's because it’s Mamoru!
Imagine Tuxedo Mask with a traditional sailor suit!
He too would have the same planetary powers the other has, but according to the manga, only women have access to them whereas men do not. Tuxedo Mask is still extraordinary in comparison to other humans, but one can only wonder what would happen if Mamoru had access to the powers of the Earth.
12 Communication Station
Since we now know Mamoru is also a Sailor Scout, he needs a sweet communicator like the rest of them! Along with the various Tuxedo Mask-themed items he has just laying around, he also has his watch-like communicator pimped out to fit his theme. It's even got a tiny mask, and everything!
This gem not only identifies him as one of the scouts, but also as Tuxedo Mask himself. Much like the others, he uses it for the same tasks. All that’s really different about the communicator is the appearance. Good luck trying to buy this if you’re a cosplayer, however.
It’s extremely hard to find or buy, but that’s probably for the best. He’s a mysterious man, his merchandise will have to match in that respect too!
11 Matching Crystals
We all know that Usagi has a Silver Moon Crystal which makes her extremely powerful. Bad guys are always trying to steal it and use it their own for their plans, but somehow she always finds a way to get it back. While this crystal holds huge significance to her, there is another crystal with just as much power and Tuxedo Mask is the one to hold it!
The Golden Crystal has just as much power as the Silver Crystal.
He has a Golden Crystal that counters hers in power and significance. This is speculated to be a reason why they were forbidden to be together in the first place. Obviously, this was a rule they broke. It also means that Chibi Usa will have both types of crystals and the intense power they yield.
10 A Grand Protector
In the Dream Arc, we're introduced to a Pegasus named Helios. Originally, he was a priest on Earth and a close friend to prince Endymion, a.k.a. Tuxedo Mask, in his past life. He was charged with guarding the Golden Crystal, but through a series of events involving Queen Nehellenia, he was cursed to the form of a Pegasus.
We know that Tuxedo Mask has the Golden Crystal and that he’s the prince of the Golden Kingdom of Earth. It makes sense for Helios to protect him!
Helios is the name of the Sun God, who also has heavy involvement in protecting the Earth. This is why Sailor Moon’s Helios was given this name. Sailor Moon has heavy involvement from a lot of different folk tales and mythology, including Greek tales, which is where the name Endymion originated.
9 Tuxedo Suit Moves
Le Smoking is actually a type of dress that became popular, particularly for women. During a time where women wearing men’s clothing was considered controversial, Le Smoking was introduced as a way to critique what women could and could not wear at the time. It became extremely popular, and attractive, for women to be wearing these tuxedo suits that were made specifically for them.
Le Smoking is totally a trend we should be bringing back in 2018!
While it wasn’t taken to kindly at first, eventually it became very sophisticated for women. We should note that this did take a while, however. This is where Tuxedo Mask got his popular attack move name.
When he uses it, he’s basically telling the villain: “You have no class”. It also ties into just how much the creator really loved her formal wear.
8 Genetic Hidden Meaning!
In the West, a lot of people take their astrology very seriously, but in Japan, a person's blood type is said to mean a lot about their personality. Mamoru is a Leo, which is usually involved with the Sun. For those who love astrology, you may also know that Leos are said to make good leaders, and that they are very loyal.
They also are said to have an air of royalty to them, which we know for sure is true in Mamoru’s case. It should also be noted that Usagi is a Cancer, which also rises with the Moon. Tuxedo Mask is also a blood type A, which aligns with being a good leader as well as a loyal protector.
All of these traits were meticulously put in to really encompass all of Mamoru’s personality and life.
7 Sailor Jupiter?
Sailor Jupiter went through a lot of revisions before the creator finally settled on something, which wasn’t uncommon for the rest of the scouts and additional characters. Originally, she was going to be given the name Mamoru because it meant “protector”, which is a name that would have certainly fit her personality.
Sailor Jupiter was eventually given a name that better suited her.
However, she was eventually named Makoto which means “trust”. This was another stunning choice for her character. Tuxedo Mask may have been given this name due to the nature of his relationship to the Earth, and the fact that he and most of the other Sailor Scouts seem to have to always protect it, but this is just speculation.
Regardless, the meanings of their names in relation to their characters work perfectly!
6 No Real Past!
In Mamoru’s backstory, we know that he was involved in an accident, and that he lost his parents and the memories from his current life. This also is how he gained access to memories from his previous life as the prince of Earth and his of life with Usagi as Princess Serenity. However, after we’ve been shown his family disappearing, we never see the rest of his childhood.
We also know that he’s been given wealth and been taken care of by other relatives, but they’re never mentioned or seen either. The only thing that we know is what we’ve seen, from his beginnings to his first introduction to Usagi. It’s a little disappointing, when you think about it, because he must have struggled a lot growing up with memories of his previous life.