Sailor Moon was one of the first series for many anime fans today. It was originally adapted from a manga series by Naoko Takeuchi and only continued to grow in popularity after it debuted in 1991 in Japan. In North America, kids were just getting a taste of Japanese media. After the success of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, DIC Entertainment wanted to continue the success of a five-member, team-based show. Unaware of the censorship and name changes, fans of the show loved the stories of growing up, fighting evil, and falling in love.

Since the story is named after the primary character, Sailor Moon, most of the storyline revolves around Serena. The series shares more growth and insight into the main character, but sometimes we got to see a secondary character highlighted.

Sailor Moon fans quickly picked their favorite characters. One character, Raye Hino, stood out from the rest. Sailor Mars is one of the most tragic characters of the cast. The hot-headed, fire-wielding priestess was already capable in her everyday life. Her powers only increased after she transformed into Sailor Mars, one of the protectors of Princess Serenity. Luckily, we got to see Raye grow in each series and become the mighty Soldier we all knew she could be.

Want to learn more about the Soldier of Mars? Check out our list of facts that shed some light on who Raye Hino is. To make the article more inclusive of fans worldwide, we have used the characters' North American localized names.

25 The Sixth Sense

Raye is one of the most powerful characters in the Sailor Moon universe. Not only does she wield the power of her planet, Mars, but she also has abilities outside of her Sailor Soldier form. Raye can sense evil around her without mediating around a fire. This ability isn’t always entirely accurate.

In her first debut episode, "An Uncharmed Life," we see Raye working at the Cherry Hill Temple. Several girls have appeared to buy good luck charms. Raye immediately senses something peculiar and mistakes Serena’s powerful Sailor Moon ability for evil. Without thinking, she slams a paper ward, meant to spread good luck and rid evil, on Serena’s head, promptly knocking the teenager out. Though Raye apologized for her mistake, we learned that her abilities aren't always accurate.

24 What's In A Name?

Every story has to have a beginning. The creator of Sailor Moon, Naoko Takeuchi, had to first pitch the idea of girls fighting under the moonlight to her editors. That idea didn't begin with her most popular series, Sailor Moon. Codename: Sailor V was the beginning of the Sailor Moon series. Mina, who gained the abilities of Sailor V (short for Venus), lived in a different city and fought evil on her own. In the series pitch, Takeuchi introduced Raye. The character looked similar but had the name Miyabi Yoruno, which translated to "Elegance of Night." She was also originally meant to be 14 years old instead of 15. Her name was later changed to be Rei Hino, or "Ray of Fire" in the original Japanese series and Raye, or Ray, in the North American adaptation.

23 She's A Southpaw

Similar to real life, there aren't many anime characters that are left-handed. Fans usually spot these small details and are eager to share the information online. In the Sailor Moon SuperS series, Sailor Mars is granted a new move called the Mars Flame Sniper. During the move, she creates a bow out of fire and uses it to launch a Mars Arrow. This weapon has a reference shrine priestesses, who often practice archery. The move is also a reference to her planet, Mars, known as the God of War in mythology, who is often associated with fire. One of his sons, Cupid, is known for using a bow and arrow.

When Raye used the abilities, fans noticed something. She draws the fiery bow with her left hand and not her right, implying that Rei is left-handed.

22 Life Isn't All About Boys

Darien, who has the alter-ego of Tuxedo Mask, is Serena's primary love interest. They have a love-hate relationship at first, but after they learn of their bond, they are inseparable. During the first season when they seemed to hate each other, two other characters displayed their interest in the character: Lita and Raye. The genius of the group, Amy, or Sailor Mercury, was more interested in books and Mina, who was also Sailor Venus, wasn't around the team for much of the first season. Lita thought Tuxedo Mask resembled an old boyfriend. Raye would try to set up ways to run into Darien. She believed they were dating, while he thought they were just friends. This crush was an anime-only event that significantly changed her character from her personality in the manga. In the manga, Raye couldn't be less interested in men.

21 Best Friends Forever (Except In The Anime)

When Raye first Serena, she believed that she was a ditzy, unintelligent teen who was unfit to be their leader. Serena didn't take her position seriously for most of the first season, which made enemies believe she wasn't a real threat. As the Sailor Moon series progresses, Raye ended up being closer to Serena than any other character. This friendship ended up being true for most of the other Inner Soldiers. They thought Serena was their closest friend.

In the manga series, friendships were different. Raye and Mina had a strong bond and were close friends. The same could be seen in the Sailor Moon Live Action series, where both girls first disliked each other at first but turned out to be close friends. Raye was particularly close to Mina due to their devotion to their duty as the Princess' protectors.

20 She's Had All The Opportunities

When we first see Raye, she immediately stands out from the rest of the cast. She has long, black hair and is very mature for a teenager. She also wears a different uniform from the others. Her school clothing was refined to display the fact that she attended a private Catholic school, T*A Private Girls School, which doesn't conflict with the fact that Raye is a Priestess at her family's temple. Raye is the only character to attend a private school from Junior High into High School. Her fellow Soldiers attend public Junior High and High Schools. This class different isn't an issue for their duties as protectors of the princess. They do not let class and economic differences get in the way of their friendship.

19 Where Was She Before Sailor Moon?

The Sailor Moon series is when all of the Inner Soldiers teamed up to protect the princess and protect the world from evil. The series isn't the first debut of the characters. Codename: Sailor V was the debut for many of the characters. Lita, who later learned of her identity as Sailor Jupiter in Sailor Moon, first saw Mina on a train. Mina runs past Amy on the street, who is reading a book.

Raye also made her debut in Codename: Sailor V. In the sixth volume of the manga, she appears outside of Game Center Crown. She comments on the quiet, brooding atmosphere of the arcade. Raye's senses were correct because it was also used as the Lunar Command Centre, where the other Soldiers would eventually use the video games as training. This debut is only made more obvious when one of her friends call her "Hino-san," which is Raye's last name.

18 Maybe She'd Win The Voice

Raye is normally a mature, independent young teenager who seems more focused on her duties and work as a Priestess. She acts as she disapproves of the girls having fun and will reprimand Serena when she does poorly in school. Raye has a fun side that isn't shown enough in the series. In the anime, Raye is a songwriter and singer and eventually gets the opportunity to perform live on stage. In the North American localization, she sings an original song called "I Wanna Be a Star."

In the live action series, Raye's singing abilities are a surprise. Mina, who is already a pop idol, forces Raye to perform for sick children at a hospital. She's given the idol name Mars Reiko, which is a play on her planet and her name.

17 A True Inspiration

The Sailor Moon series has not only made a large impact in North America but also in Japan. Fans are still celebrating the series, which was recently rebooted as the Sailor Moon Crystal anime. Sailor Moon had fans of all genders and ages, which inspired some of the series we see today.

One of the most surprising inspirations is that she inspired a character in the Neon Genesis Evangelion series. Rei Hino's Japanese name is written in only katakana characters, so it can be difficult to know which character is named after her. Recently, fans discovered she inspired the name of the Eva-00 pilot Rei Ayanami. The Director of Evangelion, Hideaki Anno, confirmed in an essay that Rei Ayanami's first name "comes from Rei Hino, of Sailor Moon."

16 It's A Bit Spooky How She Knows These Things

Most of the Inner Soldiers have a unique set of abilities. Lita is a tough fighter who can defend herself in both every day and Soldier form. Amy is a genius who uses her intelligence to ace school tests and strategize on the battlefield. Luna, a cat responsible for making the girls aware of their powers, even helps to advise the group in battle and life. Raye has powerful abilities as a Priestess. By meditating on fire, she can sense the location of enemies or dense areas of dark power. From there, she can call the other Soldiers for help or take on the evil presence on her own. Thanks to Raye's powerful abilities, the Inner Soldiers have an upper-hand on defeating Queen Beryl and the powers of the Negaverse.

15 When Art Imitates Life

Michie Tomizawa was hired to be the voice actress of Rei in the original Japanese anime. Tomizawa was already well-known in the industry. She was one of the senior members of the voice cast and had opinions on how Rei should be portrayed. Raye was already facing changes in her anime adaptation, but Tomizawa's influence changed some minor events in the manga.

Though Tomizawa's requests may seem like they'd be annoying to a creator, it was the opposite for Naoko Takeuchi. The creator based some events in the manga after Tomizawa. Raye's favorite flower was revealed to be Casablancas in the side story Casablanca Memories, which is the same favorite flower as her voice actress. The story was also meant to be more mature, which was intended to be similar to her seasoned voice actress.

14 The Crow Secret

When Raye is on screen, it's not uncommon to hear the cries of crows overhead. While Rei is attending to her Priestess duties at the temple, her protective crows Phobos and Deimos are at her side. These guardians are named after the moons of Mars, which is a callback to her planet. Though we learn little of them in the anime, they have more extensive backstories in the manga series. In the manga, both crows have human forms. Phobos wore a purple leotard, while Deimos wore a matching one in red. Both guardians wore large bows on their backs and hair long black hair. Phobos and Deimos were also from the planet Coronis and knew Sailor Lead Crow. The trio was the last of the planet, due to Sailor Galaxia's destruction.

13 Nobody Else Can Kick Butt In These

Raye stands out in her elite private Catholic school uniform and Priestess clothing when she's not in Soldier form. Her Sailor Mars armor also stands out from the rest of her team. While Sailor Jupiter wears ankle boots and both Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury wear knee boots, Sailor Mars wears a pair of high heels. Don't be confused with Sailor Venus' foot attire. The Soldier of Love wears a pair of low heel shoes that are not the same height as Raye's high heels. Raye's ability to fight while wearing high heels only displays a combination of her athleticism and elegance to never stumble in battle.

In an interview in 1997, Naoko Takeuchi even admitted her favorite part of Rei is are her high heeled shoes in Sailor Mars form.

12 There's A Reason Why He's Annoying...

Many of the characters of Sailor Moon were changes from their original manga adaptation. Not only was Raye changed but also her grandfather. In the manga, he was a taller, younger man who had a large mustache. In the anime, he was changed to be older, shorter, and completely bald. Though Raye was based on Takeuchi's previous employment at a shrine, her grandfather was based on its patrons. He acts like a pervert and hits on the young women who frequent the shrine. Takeuchi was frequently annoyed at the amount of lecherous older man who hit on her but used this negative personality trait in her grandfather.

In the live action series, her grandfather does not make an appearance at all, which only emphasized how much she didn't trust males.

11 An Unlikely Pair

In the past, Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion were deeply in love. The story of Sailor Moon primarily focuses on their relationship. They were friends with the Princesses of the other moons. Prince Endymion had his group of guards, known as The Four Kings of Heaven. In official art, these guards were all paired with Princess Serenity's Inner Soldiers: Lita and Nephrite, Mina and Malachite, Amy and Zoisite, and Raye were paired with Jadeite. Jadeite was the second-youngest in his team. Though their romantic history was never fully disclosed in the original anime, Jadeite stated in the manga that he thought Raye was attractive. Sailor Moon Crystal also clarified their past when it was revealed he was Princess Mars' love interest.

10 The Only Way To Happiness

Raye's anime adaptation made her into a boy-crazy teen who desperately wanted a boyfriend. She first fell for Darien, who she eventually lost to Serena, his true love. She had some romantic feelings for Chad, the young man who worked at her family's shrine, but it turned into more of a friendly relationship

When the Dead Moon Circus villains debut in Sailor Moon SuperS, they proceed to dive into the Inner Soldiers' worst fears. They mock Raye's aspirations to be a Priestess. They told her that the only way she can be happy is to keep pursuing men and to marry someone rich. Though Raye was boy-crazy, she knew she didn't want to grow up to be a gold digger who married without love. She fought off their lies and obtained her Sailor Crystal.

9 The Tale Of A Broken Heart

In the original Sailor Moon manga, Raye had no interest in dating. Though some believed that she hated all romance, she once fell in love. In the side story Casablanca Memory, we learn about Raye's troubled past. Though she dislikes her father, Takashi Hino, she becomes close to his Secretary, Kaidou. As she was growing up, he was the only man who cared for her. She developed feelings for him and was crushed when she discovered he had a fiancée, who was the daughter of another politician. Kaidou led Raye to believe that he was only engaged for political reasons. Unfortunately, it was a lie, which Raye immediately called out. If politics were in play, then her father would have arranged for them to be wed. The two separated on good terms, but never saw each other again.

8 She's Too Stubborn...

Throughout the first season of Sailor Moon, we see how teenage Serena is different from her friends. While they try hard in school and help out at home, Serena sleeps in and plays video games instead. She's made to be irresponsible while her other Soldiers have to pick up the slack. In the live action series, Sailor Venus even has trouble believing Serena is a good leader. The same can be said for Raye. The Sailor of Fire doesn't immediately accept Serena's leadership. Fortunately, Serena doesn't have to try too hard to gain Raye's respect. They become so close that Raye sacrifices herself to protect her princess in the final episodes of the anime. Their bond of friendship still burns bright, from the past to present.

7 They're Hardly Even The Same Person

Every adaptation has some differences, and Sailor Moon is no different. Raye saw significant changes from her manga version. In the manga, Raye was reserved, quiet, and classy. In the anime, she is obsessed with getting a boyfriend and loves pop culture. It's rumored that Kunihiko Ikuhara, who Directed the original anime series, caused the changes. The anime focused more on building the friendship between the Inner Soldiers. To make the show more entertaining for young viewers, Raye a much more cruel person in the anime series, who would often strike Serena, compete with her for Darien's affections, or tease the other Soldiers. The series' creator, Naoko Takeuchi, expressed her feelings on the changes. She disliked how Raye was portrayed in some scenes, but specifically her interactions with Serena.

6 She's A Strong Independent Woman

Many young teenage girls want a boyfriend and Raye was no different in the anime. In the manga, Raye has no difference in getting a boyfriend. She is even confused on why the group, besides from Serena, wants a boyfriend so badly in Sailor Moon SuperS. She realizes that protecting the Earth and her friends is more important than a relationship. Her feelings on the matter are so strong that in her past life she made a vow of chastity to Princess Serenity. Throughout the manga, she states several times that she doesn't need men and has no interest in boys. Raye doesn't want or need a boyfriend. She is fulfilled by her friendships and responsibilities as a Priestess, and most importantly, duties as Sailor Mars.