Who are Luna and Artemis? Sailor Moon's feline companions, explained

Although Sailor Moon is about the Sailor Senshi, and crucially Sailor Moon herself, neither Sailor Moon nor Sailor Venus would've gotten far without the help of their feline companions and guides: Luna and Artemis. They may not look like much, but the two cats have helped the Sailor Senshi on numerous occasions.

This leads a few fans, especially those coming from Madoka and similar series, to ask about the two cats. Some suspect them of ill intent due to bad experiences with the more "evil" versions of magical girl guides and guardians, but Sailor Moon shows quite the opposite with Luna and Artemis.

Disclaimer: The following article will contain spoilers for Sailor Moon, including the anime and the manga. All opinions belong to their respective owners, including the author.

Sailor Moon's feline mentors, Luna and Artemis, explained

Their origins

Luna and Artemis’ origins (Image via Toei Animation)

When Luna and Artemis are initially introduced in Sailor Moon, they are the mentors of both Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus. It's eventually revealed that they were the advisors to Queen Serenity in the Moon Kingdom centuries before its destruction. Their true origins as aliens from the planet Mau weren't revealed until the final arc, the Stars Arc.

That being said, the planet Mau and its inhabitants aren't entirely important, as the planet isn't elaborated upon except for being mentioned once by one of Sailor Galaxia's minions, Sailor Tin Nyanko. It only serves to explain how Luna and Artemis possess the abilities to perform magic, transform into humans, and communicate with humans.

The essence of their origins is explained during the Dark Kingdom Arc: they were both advisors to Queen Serenity, placed in suspended animation during the Dark Kingdom's invasion of the Moon Kingdom, and sent to Earth to find the reincarnated Senshi. Artemis was able to find Minako Aino and awaken her as Sailor Venus in Codename: Sailor V, a full year before Usagi Tsukino first encountered Luna in the original Sailor Moon.

Their abilities

As the mentors of the Sailor Senshi, Luna and Artemis are there to help train the Senshi and give them sideline and background support. They introduce the Senshi to their powers and awaken them to their identities as reincarnations from the Moon Kingdom, with Luna especially doing this with the Inner Senshi. The two also provide them with essential equipment, such as Usagi's Disguise Pen.

Their abilities are similar: they're both quick on their feet in cat form, can summon magical items like the transformation pens or the Moon Stick, and can turn human for disguise purposes or special occasions. Artemis helps save Usagi's life by shattering a weapon Jedite was trying to stab her with in Crystal alongside Venus, and Luna gets a fair few chances to shine as well, including breaking a binding attack and saving Sailor Mars in the original anime, but they're usually non-combatants.

Luna and Artemis are also intelligent enough and magically talented enough to create the Sailor V arcade game in the Game Center Crown arcade in Juban, which helped secretly train all the Senshi on how to use their powers. The two cats run the Command Center, secretly housed beneath the arcade. From there, they can communicate with everyone, monitor the city, and research and detect magical anomalies.

Their aid and purpose

It can be safely said that without Luna and Artemis mentoring the Sailor Senshi, Usagi and Minako would not have gotten very far. Usagi probably would've been unaware that her best friend Naru was in trouble in the Jewelry OSA-P store in the first episode of Sailor Moon, since she only heard her cries when transformed. So not only would Usagi have lost her best friend, but she definitely would've died trying to investigate her disappearance.

Given that Minako dismissed Artemis' warnings and reveal of her Sailor Venus identity as a dream, and that transfer student Higashi was a demonic agent of the Dark Agency in disguise named Narcissus who tried to enslave and drain Minako of her life force in the first chapter of Codename: Sailor V, it's safe to say Minako would've died likewise.

The two felines help them learn other moves: Luna teaches Sailor Moon her signature Moon Tiara Action attack, and Artemis teaches Sailor Venus how to use her Crescent Beam, among other techniques. They also have to keep the Senshi on task, which proves exceedingly difficult given how oblivious both Usagi and Minako tend to be.

Their fate

"The mentor dies" is an old trope in storytelling, either heightening the sense of danger for the protagonist or showing that they're on their own. Many anime, both old and new, have the mentor die in one way or another. It's usually a dramatic event when it happens, and Sailor Moon is no exception.

Despite their small sizes, Luna and Artemis withstand a fair bit of damage: Artemis walked just fine after Minako landed on him in the first chapter of Codename: Sailor V, and Luna was able to keep moving after Usagi accidentally stepped on her back and spine in Sailor Moon Crystal and was able to move after becoming nearly deathly ill in the original anime, among other things.

That being said, they do eventually die alongside everyone else except Sailor Moon. They are tortured by Sailor Tin Nyanko and are rendered mute and then killed by Sailor Lethe in the Sailor Stars Arc. That said, unlike the manga, which leaves their revival unseen, the Sailor Moon Cosmos two-part movie explicitly shows them alive and congratulating Usagi alongside everyone else when Chaos is defeated.

Their personalities

One of the big ways that Luna and Artemis differ is in their personalities and development. Naturally, they both grow to love their charges, and they're both focused on saving the world. How they do so, however, differs across the manga and anime.

Luna is the picture-perfect example of the snarky but caring type in the original Sailor Moon anime. Anyone who grew up with that version remembers Luna mostly snarking and being harsh toward Usagi and Artemis on occasion, scratching at them. In the manga and Crystal, while some of that remains, she's not as snarky and more competent at awakening and guiding the Senshi.

Artemis was extremely snarky when trying to direct Minako in Codename: Sailor V, for the same reason Luna was with Usagi. That said, by the time of Sailor Moon, he seemed to have mellowed out a lot. This resulted in him being a bit lazier, content to nap or relax frequently. He's also quite the romantic in either version, though more so in the original anime despite Luna's usual harsh treatment.

Their daughter

One last bit to mention about Luna and Artemis is their daughter, Diana. Diana serves as Chibiusa's companion, similar to how Luna and Artemis are for the rest of the Senshi. She's also the confirmation that, despite some of Luna's tsundere antics towards Artemis, they will eventually fall in love and have a child.

Diana is the cute kid side character in the original anime, introduced late in Super S. That said, in the manga and in Crystal, she's got a lot more to do. She watches the space-time door to let Pluto get in on the action as a notable moment and introduces herself earlier in Crystal.

Diana is noteworthy in Crystal because she's introduced far earlier than in the original anime. She's incredibly innocent, almost to a fault, in every incarnation she's featured in. This means she doesn't quite understand sarcasm or some things like that cats shouldn't be able to talk, getting her into trouble with Luna more often than not.

Final Thoughts

Luna and Artemis throughout Sailor Moon (Image via Toei Animation)

Luna and Artemis in Sailor Moon are far more important than most fans give them credit for. Whether in the original manga, the original anime, or Crystal, the feline duo is more than a pair of cute mascots. They go above and beyond in helping the Senshi.

They are classical mascot and mentor characters along the lines of Kero from Cardcaptor Sakura, albeit a bit more helpful than Kero tended to be. While Luna and Artemis develop alongside the cast of Sailor Moon, the focus is obviously more so on the titular character and her friends than on them.

That doesn't make Luna and Artemis flat characters, as their development concerns them becoming proud of the Senshi as the series goes on. As many mentor characters do, they're proud of their charges and seek to nurture and watch them become the best versions of themselves.

No matter how annoying Luna or Artemis may find the Senshi's mannerisms, particularly Usagi and Minako, the cats are there for them when it counts.