Sailor Venus - Reception and Influence

Reception and Influence

The official Sailor Moon character popularity polls listed Minako Aino, Sailor V, and Sailor Venus as separate entities. In 1992, readers ranked Venus as the second most popular character, Minako being tenth and Sailor V being ninth, out of thirty eight choices. One year later, now with fifty choices, Minako was the fifth most popular character, Sailor Venus was seventh, and Sailor V was tenth. In 1994, with fifty one choices, Sailor Venus was the twelfth most popular character, Minako was the fourteenth, and Sailor V was the nineteenth most popular character. In early 1996, with fifty one choices, Sailor Venus was the seventeenth most popular character, Minako was again the fourteenth most popular, and Sailor V did not place.

Minako has had her powers the longest of the Sailor Senshi, and because of this, Jennifer Brown suggests that her sense of self-worth is more connected to her confidence in her powers.

Writing about Codename: Sailor V, Brigid Alverson describes Minako as more energetic than Usagi, stating that although she is not a good student, she is "a lively girl with a strong spirit, someone who does nothing by half measures", describing her as leaping through the panels of the manga. Katherine Dacey praises Minako's "can-do spirit", noting that she wholeheartedly embraces her responsibilities as Sailor V. Ed Sizemore feels that Minako's sporty nature makes her more confident than Usagi, feeling that she is much more self-sufficient. Sean Gaffney describes Minako as hyperactive and proactive.