Sailor Mars - Special Powers and Items

Special Powers and Items

Rei is one of few Sailor Moon characters who is able to use special powers in her civilian form. These are mainly the result of her role as a miko, which gives her heightened spirituality as well as certain resources. In addition to some psychic talent, including occasional unprompted premonitions, Rei is able to do fire readings and to dispel evil spirits. She does the latter by performing Kuji-Goshin-Ho, a ritual which consists of chanting nine words of power (rin, pyou, tou, sha, kai, jin, retsu, zai, zen) while making relevant hand signs. She then shouts "Akuryō Taisan!" (悪霊退散?), meaning "Evil spirits, begone!" and throws one or multiple ofuda scrolls. She commonly uses this attack while in her Sailor Mars form as well as when she is in her civilian form.

Rei must transform into a Sailor Senshi, however, before she can access her celestial powers. She makes this change by raising a special device (pen, bracelet, wand, or crystal) into the air and shouting a special phrase, originally "Mars Power, Make-up!" As she becomes more powerful and obtains new transformation devices, this phrase changes to evoke Mars Star, Planet, or Crystal Power.

Sailor Mars has the power to create and control fire. Her named powers are somewhat inconsistent across the various series—in the first arc of the manga, she says "Akuryō Taisan," the same phrase she uses as a civilian while using an ofuda, for her fire attacks. In the anime, she shoots a fireball from her index fingers and shouts the words "Fire Soul" and in the live-action series she shouts "Youma Taisan" ("Monster, Begone"). This basic power is improved to "Fire Soul Bird" in the second arc of the anime only; the manga also has an animal-based attack, "Mars Snake Fire," but it does not appear until the third story arc. Her first attack to be the same across all versions is "Burning Mandala," which incorporates Buddhist symbolism in the fiery rings Sailor Mars summons. She is not immune to her own powers, as she is able to use them for a suicide move in the anime.

Sailor Mars' final and greatest power comes in the fourth story arc, when she takes on her second Senshi form (Super Sailor Mars in the anime). At this point in the series, she acquires a special weapon, the Mars Arrow, and with it "Mars Flame Sniper," which is her primary attack for the duration of the series. In the manga, the Mars Crystal and Mars Arrow are among her most significant mystical possessions. The former is her Sailor Crystal and the source of all of her power. The latter is associated with her skill as an archer, and although she does not receive a physical bow, she recalls some advice given to her by Michiru Kaioh—" you think you're being taken advantage of by the enemies, stretch a line taut in your soul. Then, with your whole body and spirit, shoot the arrow of your finishing blow!" In the live-action series, she is given a tambourine-like weapon, called the Sailor Star Tambo, by Artemis. During the final battle, her Tambo transforms into a dagger, which she uses alongside Venus's similar dagger. In the "Special Act", Venus wields both weapons.