Sailor Moon and Japanese Mythology
From the article:
Some of the references in Sailormoon refer to ancient epics and great characters of
Japanese history, but there are also a number of references to children’s’ stories and
traditions of love and courtship. For instance, ‘Tsuki no Usagi’ means ‘Rabbit of the
Moon’, a reference from Japan’s version to the man on the moon. On a clear night, one
can see a rabbit on the moon pounding mochi, a sticky yet firm paste made from rice. In
some stories from both Japanese and Chinese cultures, the mochi feeds a young maiden
banished to the moon.
The red ribbon that Sailorvenus wears in her hair also has mythic significance. Like many
asian cultures, the Japanese believe that lovers are predestined to meet, and a red ribbon
connects future couples. This ribbon, of course, is invisible to humans, but spirits and
gods can observe the interconnections between fated pairs. This is particularly significant
for Sailorvenus as she is the Senshi of love. . . . “Any match ups between two people not connected by the ribbon are destined to fail. A
euphemism for ‘to break up’ is ‘ito wo kiru’ - literally, to cut the thread.”