Difference between revisions of "Makoto Kino"

"Soldier of Thunder and Courage, the pretty sailor-suited soldier Sailor Jupiter! I will beat you into submission!"

Makoto Kino transferred into Juuban Public School in the middle of the eighth grade. Rumor has it that she was kicked out of her previous school for fighting, and tall and imposing as she is she certainly looks the part, but in actuality she's a warm-hearted girl who loves cooking and flowers and is constantly falling in love with any good-looking guy she sees... all of whom somehow seem to remind her of her old senpai.

Secretly, Makoto is also Sailor Jupiter, the sailor-suited soldier of thunder and courage. Alongside Sailor Moon and the other Sailor Senshi, she fights to keep Tokyo safe from the Dark Kingdom and any other dangers that might threaten people's safety.

When she's not fighting for justice, Mako can often be found playing video games at Game Center Crown, or hanging out with her friends at the attached Fruits Parlor Crown. She also maintains a food blog which began simply with posted photos of whatever tasty-looking dish or cute lunch bento design she'd come up with most recently, but which soon expanded to include recipes, thoughts on striking a balance between "easy," "cheap," and "delicious," and occasional cooking and housekeeping tips and favorite tricks.

It remains to be seen whether or not Makoto's stout heart will be able to hold up under all of this punishment. She's not in it alone, however, and both supporting and being supported by Usagi, Mamoru, and the rest of their friends and allies, Mako has so far managed to weather the storms.

Sailor Senshi and Associates:

• Usagi Tsukino - First and forever among the best of Makoto's friends, and leader of the Sailor Senshi as Sailor Moon. Usagi's unhesitating friendship has been Mako's salvation, and she'll never forget it - whenever it comes down to choosing sides, Makoto is on Usagi's, without question. Even aside from that, she's just genuinely fun to be around, and Makoto feels privileged to know her and happy that the two of them can share things they enjoy like food and video games and manga.

• Ami Mizuno - Like Usagi, Ami has a special place in Makoto's heart - there's just so much to admire about her, and yet she doesn't seem to see it. Mako has absolute faith in Ami's intelligence and her judgment, and in turn she'll do whatever she can to protect Ami and build her up until she understands how amazing she is. Even being brainwashed to the side of Labyrinth can't make Mako give up on Ami.

• Rei Hino - It must be said that in many ways Makoto doesn't really quite get Rei. They are very different; where Mako tends to take things at face value, there are always layers of meaning in the things that Rei says and does which Makoto often cannot read. But they share a powerful common ground in their responsibilities as Sailor Senshi and their friendship with Usagi, and that's good enough for Makoto.

• Minako Aino - A bona fide celebrity as Sailor V, and - with the revelation that she is really the Princess - bona fide royalty on top of that. Makoto is very impressed! The situation being what it is, Mako doesn't really know the girl the Sailor Senshi have been charged with protecting very well yet. She'd like to, though.

• Mamoru Chiba - For a while Makoto wasn't sure what to make of Sailor Moon's mysterious protector at all, but as circumstances have led them to work together more and as he's come to confide in her, it's become clear that the two of them have more in common than she'd have thought. Mako has come to trust Mamoru; he's had her back too many times, both as Tuxedo Mask and in civvies, for her not to do the same for him.

• Luna - Advisor to the Sailor Senshi, and companion to the Sailor Senshi. Makoto respects Luna's knowledge and wisdom about their mission, and heaven knows she and the rest of the Senshi put the poor space cat through a lot of stress. Sometimes Mako is concerned by how uncompromising Luna can be, however. It's for the sake of the mission, but still...

• Asagao Uekawa - Sailor Vega! Mako hasn't had a lot of chances to really get to know Asagao, but they've fought alongside one another on several occasions and she's been a helpful ally.

• Sailors Neptune and Uranus - Mysterious Sailor Senshi with their own personal mission. Makoto doesn't know what drives these two, or why, if they're also Sailor Senshi, they insist on remaining apart from Usagi and the others. They're definitely powerful, but if they're willing to hurt other people for the sake of their goal, that's something that Mako absolutely is not okay with. There are some things that you just don't do.

Friends and Allies:

• Eri Shimanouchi - Makoto is still getting to know Eri, but she feels that they have quite a few things in common, both in their love of flowers - although Eri's knowledge of plants and gardening far exceeds Mako's own - and in their mutual understanding of just how it feels to be alone, and to be saved from loneliness.
• Yukimi Amane - Acquaintance of Ami-chan, video game buddy, and generally nice girl. Although Yukimi is in high school, Makoto has found her easy to talk to, and the concern she's shown regarding the whole mess with Ami has been much appreciated. (As is the fact that she called Mako cute.)
• Mai Tokiha - Friends with Eri and Mamoru, and, it seems, in the know regarding Mamoru's secret identity, which Makoto figures means she must be trustworthy. Someday they really need to swap recipes.
• Kuniko Saito - Member of the Infinity Institute's Cooking Club, and impressively knowledgeable about food and cooking. Definitely someone Makoto would like to get to know better.
• Prism Keepers Red and Orange - Sailor Jupiter has fought alongside these young magical girls on several occasions, and they've handled themselves very well. She'll definitely be keeping an eye out for them, in future battles or otherwise.

Enemies:

• Nephrite - A General of the Dark Kingdom and an enemy to the Sailor Senshi, and not an opponent to be taken lightly. In their handful of encounters so far, Nephrite has demonstrated a positive genius for getting under Sailor Jupiter's skin and leaving her unsettled and off-balance in ways she can't even begin to define - and worse, due to carelessness on Makoto's part he's begun targeting her in her civilian identity as well. He doesn't seem to have realized that Makoto Kino is Sailor Jupiter - yet - but Mako is all too aware of how narrow some of her escapes have been, and she knows with just as much certainty that the Dark General isn't simply going to give up.
• Eas, Soular, and Westar - Sailor Jupiter has had several run-ins with the executives of the mysterious Labyrinth during their efforts to collect "misery energy." It's their corruption of Sailor Mercury to their side, however, that really has them on her list. As of yet Mako's attempts to investigate them haven't borne much fruit, but she has no intention of leaving the trio alone.
• Ail - That guy, the one with the green skin and blue hair who keeps trying to steal people's energy. He claims it's a matter of survival, but he certainly does have an attitude about it. Makoto has heard that at least one other magical girl, Princess Runealy, hopes to reason with him, and Mako wishes her well... but as long as he's out there attacking people, Sailor Jupiter intends to stop him.

Crushes:

• Masato Sanjouin - Talented, sophisticated, and super hot. Probably entirely out of Makoto's league, but he's been surprisingly gracious and complimentary toward Makoto and doesn't even seem to hold it against her that their first meeting involved her judo-flipping him flat on his back. Recent events have given Makoto reason to be concerned that the Dark General Zoisite might be targeting him for some reason...?
• Seijuro Ginga - Mako mostly goes for older guys, but Seijuro is pretty classy for a second-year student, not to mention really good-looking and not even bothered that Makoto can lift him off his feet.
• Motoki Furuhata - Older, really handsome, and an incredibly nice and decent guy. If only he didn't seem perpetually oblivious to Makoto as anything other than a friend of Usagi's and a regular customer at Game Center Crown.
• The infamous senpai - Before she transferred to Juuban, Makoto was head-over-heels for her senpai at her old school... and was crushed when he rejected her and told her she was too tall and unfeminine. Mako doesn't seem to bear a grudge, however; when she says a guy reminds her of her senpai, it's a compliment. It's hard to tell much about just what the guy was really like, though, given that with very few exceptions every reasonably good-looking guy Makoto encounters seems to remind her of him.