Sailor Astarte
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Name: | Sailor Astarte |
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Name (kanji/kana): | セーラーアスタルテ |
Alignment: | Moon Kingdom |
Species: | Undead human |
Gender: | Female |
Lives: | Romani Castle, Transylvania; briefly Tokyo |
Occupation: | Sailor Senshi |
Family: | Unknown |
Associates: | Bloody Dracul Vampir, Lilith of Darkness, Sailor Moon |
Aliases: | Shiva Shingetsu Astarte |
First Appearance: | Kessen / Transylvania No Mori - Shin Toujou! Chibi Moon wo Mamoru Senshi-tachi |
Actors: | Aya Hosoda |
Shiva Shingetsu Astarte/Sailor Astarte |
Sailor Astarte was a Sailor Senshi exclusive to the Sailor Moon musicals. She was an important character in both Kessen / Transylvania No Mori - Shin Toujou! Chibi Moon wo Mamoru Senshi-tachi and the subsequent kaiteiban, Saikyou no Kataki Dark Cain no Nazo.
Contents
Attacks and Transformations
- Moon Astarte Power, Make Up! - This is believed to be the transformation phrase Shiva Shingetsu used to become Sailor Astarte. The only time she was seen transforming, she was only able to say "Moon Astar-" before being struck unconscious as Death Vulcan's spirit controlled her.
- Solomon Jihad - An offensive beam attack, which Astarte summoned by holding her open hand with her palm towards the enemy.
- Solomon Birth - A power which revived the fallen Sailor Senshi after they were struck down by the Sammael Sword.
Information
Sailor Astarte was the Senshi form of first-year Juuban High School student Shiva Shingetsu Astarte. She was a recent transfer student from Transylvania, and was seemingly shy and withdrawn, as well as apprehensive about meeting the other Sailor Senshi, even in their human forms. Many of the Senshi were also suspicious of her in return. Indeed, it became apparent very soon after they first met her (at least in the original musical) that she was under the thrall of Lilith of Darkness, and was in on the plans the priestess had for the Sailor Senshi and Bloody Dracul Vampir, as well as being the vessel for Lilith's powerful right hand man, Death Vulcan, who managed to control her from time to time.
Despite the priestess' power over her, however, she showed herself to be a Sailor Senshi to the others at the end of Part 1. Being the "new moon soldier", and thus linked mystically to Sailor Moon, she was powerful enough that she almost killed Giles de Rais herself, and and he certainly would have died had he not escaped at the last moment. As the play progressed, however, Astarte's power became weaker, until she was no longer able to keep her transformation or her original self, which was increasingly enroached on by Death Vulcan. Ultimately, she lost her soul to Lilith and became Death Vulcan once and for all. Sailor Moon, who had believed in her to the end, was ultimately unable to save her even when Lilith was defeated. Sailor Astarte was never seen in the musicals after this.
Astarte's Role in the Musicals
As Sailor Astarte was a one-time character, her ultimate impact on plots before and after Transylvania is extremely limited. Even in the musical she was in, her role was very limited and her total screen time was approximately eight minutes.
As a result, much about her is unknown. She had apparently lived for a very long time, and if she was a true Sailor Senshi she might have also known about the Silver Millennium. However, most of this is speculation, and nothing past what was given in the musicals can be confirmed.
Mythology
The goddess Astarte was the Phoenician goddess of war, fertility, love and Venus, as well as the moon. Considered a principal goddess of the Phoenician pantheon, and a ruler of the world at one point, her centers of worship included Sidon and Tyre in her Phoenician form.
The mythology surrounding the goddess Astarte is complex, as she is connected to many goddesses in other cultures. Astarte was brought into the Greek culture as Aphrodite by ancient Cypriots whjo came in contact with the Phoenicians. She was also equated with the Egyptian goddess Isis, the Babylonian goddess Ishtar and the Babylonian god Ba'al. Her sacred day was Friday.
External Links
- The Lil' Temple of Sailor Astarte - At present, the only English site dedicated to Sailor Astarte. Includes a small image gallery.
- The Sailor Astarte/Aya Hosoda Fan page - At present, the only Japanese website dedicated to Sailor Astarte.