In order to battle the dark forces of the universe, a character has to have a certain amount of intelligence. Of course, a lot of heroes learn as they go and rely on instinct as much as they do smarts. That’s certainly the case with the main cast of characters in the Sailor Moon franchise.
The characters, despite their past lives and experiences, are all still teenagers learning how to be superheroes. Some are smarter than others in specific areas, but they all offer different kinds of intelligence to the team. In order to rank them fairly, we’re measuring their intelligence based on their strategic work and just how well they adapt in battle.
Chibiusa Tsukino
Chibiusa is technically the (second) oldest of the main characters when she’s introduced, but fans wouldn’t know it. Her immaturity has stunted her growth, making her appear to be nine years old, though she’s actually several hundred years old. It’s that immaturity that has her leading off the list more than anything else.
Despite her life experience, Chibiusa is very sheltered. She decides to time travel without truly thinking about the consequences or forming a coherent plan. Her lack of thought gets her into trouble repeatedly, and she’s lucky she has the Sailor Senshi to get her out of it.
Hotaru Tomoe
Hotaru Tomoe is a different kind of Sailor Senshi in that her Sailor Saturn persona is completely separate from her civilian one. If Sailor Saturn was on this list, she’d be a few spots higher, but instead, Hotaru ranks near the bottom because she’s actually a little girl and still has plenty of room to grow.
Hotaru is a bit naive to the world and she doesn’t quite have the same problem-solving skills as everyone else. Given the chance to be truly knowledgeable about her Sailor Senshi standing, she might work her way up the list.
Usagi Tsukino
Usagi gets a bad reputation for her lack of interest in school. Her tendency to forgo her homework to spend time with her friends doesn’t make her unintelligent. Instead, Usagi prioritizes the people in her life over the academic schedule.
That being said, Usagi is someone who operates on pure instinct most of the time. In battle, she relies on her team to come up with the plans and start the fight. Usagi is primarily there for cleanup and a finishing blow. Her strengths lie more in her empathic nature and her willingness to want to talk things out instead of fight.
Mamoru Chiba
Mamoru is the only male hero of the franchise. In any other series, that would probably make him one of the most intelligent people on the show. While Mamoru is by no means stupid, he’s definitely outranked by the vast majority of the Sailor Senshi.
Mamoru’s intelligence primarily is a result of him being able to interpret his own dreams and connection to Sailor Moon and the Earth as a whole. He is able to sense danger and pain and use his connection like a beacon to get to a fight. While he makes for a good distraction for the enemy, that’s really about it.
Haruka Tenoh And Michiru Kaioh
Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune get ranked together because they represent an always united front in the series. When it comes to the manga and any version of the anime, the two operate on equal footing, acting out their plans together.
We can see just how smart they are when finally enter the story and begin to feel out the other Sailor Senshi. While Haruka purposely encounters Usagi and tries to get a read on her, Michiru does the same with Mamoru. They each play a role in seeing how strong the other Sailor Guardians are before deciding to work with them. Michiru has prophetic dreams, but they work together to decipher them. They’re pretty great at investigating their potential threats.
Makoto Kino
Makoto doesn’t get as much of the spotlight as most of the other Inner Senshi do in the series. We know she tragically lost her parents at a young age and has been on her own ever since - right up until she awakens her abilities as Sailor Jupiter.
Makoto’s ability to take care of herself - and everyone around her - shows that she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Unlike anime arcs that see Usagi and Minako struggle in school, Makoto always excels. Likewise, she’s able to stand up to villains and bullies alike without a partner, showing that she’s capable of analyzing threats without having a backup.
Rei Hino
When she’s introduced, Rei not only attends a different school than the rest of the Inner Senshi, but she also works as a shrine maiden. As Rei becomes a Sailor Senshi, she’s also aided by her psychic abilities. Having those abilities before awakening as a Sailor Senshi means she’s got an incredibly level head on her shoulders to begin with.
Rei is someone who is just as capable of leading a team with a plan for attack as she is following someone else’s orders. She’s quick to point out the flaws in a plan with suggestions for how to fix it instead of giving into fear.
Minako Aino
Though the 90s anime made Minako progressively more ditzy as the series continued, the truth is that Minako has one of the best strategic minds of the main characters. Minako is, after all, Sailor Venus, the true leader of the Sailor Senshi when their princess isn’t Sailor Moon.
Minako is a shrewd enough strategist to learn how to be a hero during her Sailor V days. While she learns from government agents, the bulk of the work is her own. Minako takes what she learns to the team of Sailor Senshi, able to devise battle strategies and act as a decoy to protect Usagi. She’s certainly one of the most intelligent characters in the series despite what the anime would have fans believe.
Setsuna Meioh
Of the Outer Senshi, Setsuna appears to take the lead in the way of intelligence. Her wisdom and commitment make her the ideal candidate to guard the space-time doorway. She knows exactly when to risk letting someone through, and when she has to truly guard the gate as Sailor Pluto.
In her civilian guise, she also proves how intelligent she is by taking on a variety of roles in the outside world. She goes from studying physics (and other sciences) to working as a nurse - with no medical training. It’s entirely possible she could simply have her own version of a disguise pen, but Setsuna actually seems to understand all of the fields she engages in instead of playing pretend.
Ami Mizuno
Though Ami doesn’t prefer to be a leader like Minako, she’s hands down the most intelligent of the Inner Senshi. She’s firmly committed to her civilian academics, but she’s not just good at studying for tests or helping her friends learn new material.
Ami is also highly capable as Sailor Mercury. She’s the one who does most of the analysis of their enemies. In the early days of the series, that’s done thanks to her visor, which acts as a computer. As her time as a Sailor Senshi continues, however, she’s able to do it on her own and provide defense for the rest of the team. Her ability to observe, catalog, and understand her options in the field is faster than anyone else’s.
Luna And Artemis
Like Sailors Neptune and Uranus, this particular pairing operates as a team on equal footing, which is why they’ve earned the top spot together. Luna acts as Usagi’s advisor at the beginning of the series, and Artemis does the same for Minako.
Together, their combined knowledge of how the Sailor Senshi’s abilities work is greater than all of the girls - as is their knowledge of the Moon Kingdom’s history. They understand the stakes and are able to train the teenagers to become the best heroes they can be.