Heartwarming / Sailor Moon

Every season is rife with these moments.

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Sailor Moon

• The change from Tuxedo Kamen (Tuxedo Mask) randomly being at the jewelry store to rob it to him appearing there because Sailor Moon was in danger. In the manga, it's made clear that he's hanging around there to find the Silver Crystal among the ordinary jewels.
• When Luna approaches Usagi in the first episode, and gives her the brooch, Usagi at first doesn't realize that it's a Transformation Trinket until Luna tells her to test it out. What interrupts Usagi's subsequent Freak Out? Hearing Naru crying out for help. Despite some hesitation, and realizing she's in over her head, Usagi doesn't hesitate to save her friend from Morga.
  • Also, Naru is worried on thinking that her mother attacked and strangled her, when it was actually a youma disguised as her mom. The next day, as she recounts it, a monster attacked her and her mother, which is much closer to the truth.
• Near the very beginning, in an episode omitted from the original English dub, we learn that Shingo is afraid of cats due to a bad experience with a cat in childhood, thus hampering Usagi's idea of adopting Luna as the family pet. After Sailor Moon dispatches of the Monster of the Week, Shingo, having spotted her and thinking she's Sailor V, asks for her autograph. She does so on the condition that he overcome his fear. Not only does he do so, but the final scene shows him happily playing with Luna.
• In episode 11, Usagi and Rei are at each other's throats since they've only just met each other and they haven't ironed out the kinks in their relationship that will have them become Vitriolic Best Buds. When Ami gets knocked out by the Monster of the Week, Usagi accuses Rei of only caring for herself (which pisses Rei off). However, when Rei almost gets turned into stone, Usagi begins sobbing for Rei out of fear for her safety and then in relief when Rei is alright.
• In a twisted sense, how Nephrite gathers energy. He finds someone with a lot of drive and passion for a goal and compels them via youma to pursue it to the fullest intention until they suffer a Heroic RRoD.
  • This is, however, dampened quite a bit by the fact that his targets turn into humongously abusive assholes to everyone around them due to possession/his influence.
• "Shingo's Devotion! The French Doll of Grief"
  • The Ship Tease between Shingo and his classmate Mika is quite adorable, complete with her asking him if he prefers Sailor Moon to her.
  • For Mika and Shingo, Sailor Moon is much cooler than Sailor V. Usagi would be flattered if Shingo's Sailor Moon doll didn't look like a "pig" in her words.
  • Shingo accidentally breaks an award-winning doll that Mika gives to him. When Usagi confronts him, he immediately goes to apologize to Mika. When she won't talk to him, Shingo then attempts to make a doll of Sailor Moon for her. Shingo doesn't know that a youma has possessed Mika, which rapidly changes her personality, but when he realizes what's going on, he immediately tries to save her. The youma knocks him out for his trouble, and smashes the doll out of spite, but it's the thought that counts. Mika forgives him once she's recovered, and makes him a better Sailor Moon doll.
• "Protect the Dreams of Children! The Friendship Bound in Anime"
  • Hiromi and Kasuko's friendship, as fellow animators. They share their money to buy an expensive set of pencils and promise to only use it with the other's permission. It segues into Tear Jerker when Hiromi feels guilty over using the pencils multiple times, but then it goes back into heartwarming when Kasuko reveals that she's done the same. They forgive each other happily.
  • Hiromi and Kasuki's director being a Benevolent Boss and calling up Hiromi to compliment her "improved" (youma-driven) work. Also, that everyone understands that she had changed into a Jerkass due to Demonic Possession, since she still has her job by the end of the episode despite insulting the director.
  • Rei, contrary to what she wants Usagi and Ami to think, is a total anime fan. She brings drawing boards for the animators to autograph.
  • After nearly getting bested, all three Senshi combine their attacks to defeat the Gemini Twins.
• "The Romance in the Moonlight! Usagi's First Kiss"
  • Despite her misgivings about Usagi using the transformation power to sneak into the ball, Luna does ask for Usagi to turn around and compliments the ballgown that Usagi wears.
  • Usagi's dad photographing his daughter in disguise and saying that the "princess" is beautiful.
  • Despite the fact that it causes them both to fall, Tuxedo Kamen doesn't fight for Princess Dia's "treasure" when the latter tosses Usagi off a balcony, opting to save the girl who resembles the princess in his dreams.
  • Princess Dia's father shows concern when his daughter runs off with the family treasure, cackling madly.
  • After they save Dia, Luna talks to the Princess to see if she is the Moon Princess. Dia adorably faints on seeing a "talking cat" after she puts on her glasses.
• Episode 20, Nephrite coming to Naru's aid when she was kidnapped by Zoicite, who thought his fake defection act was the real deal. Ironically, Zoicite's actions lead to Nephrite defecting for real for Naru's sake.
  • Nephrite's Heel Realization afterward, when he realizes how much he has lied to Naru and used her. Even here, she got kidnapped due to him making an Engineered Public Confession about needing to find out Sailor Moon's identity. He apologizes to her for lying, as he's dying.
  • Nephrite and Naru's final moments go between this and Tear Jerker (even the squawky, and at times, narmy voice actor for Naru in the original English version didn't detract from it).
  • Thankfully the Viz dub did a much better job, with the conversation about them having chocolate parfaits being particularly charming in the hands of Liam O'Brien and Danielle Judovits (credited as Danielle Nicole).
• Usagi sitting with Makoto and sharing lunch when the latter is Eating Lunch Alone because everyone else is afraid of her in Episode 25.
  • Makoto's flashback of this scene in Sailor Moon R: The Movie is even sweeter.
    Makoto: Aren't you afraid of me?
    Usagi: Huh? Why?
  • Makoto taking on the transformed youma to save Sailor Moon, before her Jupiter symbol is revealed.
• In episode 22 of the DiC dub, a minister comforts Molly about Nephrite's death before Zoicite takes his Rainbow Crystal.
  • Despite being a teenage girl without any powers, and not even physically strong like Makoto, Naru attacks Zoicite upon recognizing him as Nephrite's killer and using the same black crystal that once belonged to Nephrite.
• "The Drawings of Love, Usagi & Mamoru Getting Closer"
  • Yumemi, the artist with a youma inside of her, politely asks Mamoru and Usagi to model for her. Also, her "youma" gift? It's to draw scenes from the Moon Kingdom.
  • Usagi lightly teases Mamoru for "cheating" on Rei, only to blush when Yumemi asks her to model.
  • Yumemi tells Zoicite that he is beautiful before the latter removes her Rainbow Crystal.
  • While Tuxedo Kamen brusquely tells Sailor Moon he's only interested in the crystals, he does give her the locket that he had dropped before chasing after Zoicite.
• Yuuichirou (Chad, the homeless drifter who stayed with Raye and her grandfather because he fell in love with Raye) defending Rei from a youma. "If it's for you, Miss Rei, I wouldn't mind dying!"
  • From the same episode, we have Usagi desperately trying to make amends with Rei after she fails to respond in the right way when Rei asks the girls for help with her grandfather's mood swings. After Rei tells her that she never wants to be friends with her again, Usagi is left devastated and tries to think of ways make things better. Eventually, she decides to bring some food from her house and share it with Rei just in time to protect Rei from her grandfather (who was turned into one of the Seven Great Youma). Usagi proceeds to say a line that likely served as the capstone for her and Rei's relationship going forward:
  Usagi: Hold it right there! I won't forgive you for being mean to my dear friend Rei-Chan!
• To a minor extent, the episodes after The Reveal that Usagi is the Moon Princess count as this. While Usagi struggles with Heroic BSoD, and low self-esteem from realizing that she is no longer The Ace that she was in her past life, namely that she's not elegant or an ice skater or a skier, all of the seminars and skiing lessons are youma attacks to identify her. In a sense, the universe is telling her it's alright to Be Yourself.
• Even when brainwashed, Tuxedo Kamen is a Minion with an F in Evil. He keeps demanding that Sailor Moon hand over the crystal before she gets hurt, saves her at a few points despite being on the other side, and argues with Kunzite about hurting her.
• Unlike in the manga, where Sailor V got her solo series, Minako doesn't get as much screentime in the anime. She's quite a capable leader though, and as capable of being The Heart for her friends. Minako comforts Usagi about losing Mamoru and finding out she's the princess. She starts by combing out Usagi's long hair and taking her to the new salon that opened. This also ends up saving Usagi because Minako is mistaken as Sailor Moon.
• Sailor Moon is able to successfully de-brainwash Tuxedo Mask and their touching last moments.
• The four inner senshi's spirits comforting a defeated Usagi after all dying for her (sadly, outside of the "Sailor Moon Says" PSA segment at the end of that episode, this scene was cut in the DiC dub from the 1990s).
  • All of the Sailor Senshi's spirits come together and give Sailor Moon the courage to finally defeat Queen Beryl once and for all, also a moment of awesome.
• Even Zoicite's final moments cross into this with Kunzite granting his last request as he dies. It's more heartwarming (and heartbreaking) in the Japanese and Viz versions than the original American dub, as the Japanese version adds that Zoicite wants to die under a shower of cherry blossom petals and the dialogue's more emotional.
• Zoisite and Kunzite get another one earlier in the season. In episode 29, Zoisite gets mad when Kunzite comments on the beauty of Reika, one of the Rainbow Crystal holders. Kunzite first says jealousy doesn't suit a beautiful face, then presents Zoisite with a rose which according to him isn't nearly as beautiful as he is. Zoisite melts and happily leans into Kunzite; despite being quick to fits of jealousy, it's clear he trusts Kunzite's adoration for him.
• Naru bandaging Umino's wounded arm with the piece of her pajamas she used for Nephrite two episodes previously.
  • Usagi's friendship with Naru in the same episode; while Usagi clearly has a long way to go before she's the best leader of the Senshi and Luna comments that her kindness and friendship are enough to inspire anyone.
• In the second episode (deleted from the original English dub), the fortune house set up by Jadeite takes all the business of a fortune teller across the street. As he explains the situation to Usagi, she stops him with a smile and asks him to read her palm. It's one of the first times we see just how kind Usagi is.
• Another one, again from an episode originally cut (the sixth episode). She originally had selfish interests in following the jazz pianist Yusuke Amade, but then she learns that not only is he being targeted by a youma, but the youma steals a tape containing a love song he produced for a woman he was in love with, who works in a recording studio. She insists on helping out, and even before transforming, she and Luna manage to foil the youma's plot and force her to flee, saving said love interest in the process. After defeating the youma, Sailor Moon notes to herself this was one relationship she was happy to have saved.^PS. The two got married, and Amade produced an album in honor of Sailor Moon as thanks.
• Sailor Jupiter's interactions with Nephrite in the Sailor Moon PC-Engine game are nothing short of heartwarming especially since the two of them never met in the anime. Having realized Nephrite's intentions of sabotaging the recently-revived Dark Kingdom from within, she understands why Naru trusts him so much and calls him a good man to his surprise.
• The two-part finale:
  • Usagi cooks for her family, because she wanted to do that before possibly dying. Even though her family is worried about the food, Ikuku and Kenji express their confused pride.
  • Mako promises Usagi that when they get back, she's going to have a giant romance. Ami also comments she wants to do the same, causing her to blush when the girls stare at her curiously.
  • Sailor Mars and Moon try to attack the DD girls when they ambush Jupiter. Rei comments they can't attack directly because Mako will get hurt.
  • When the last two DD girls confront Rei, Usagi refuses to let go of Sailor Mars. She desperately says they can fight together. Rei for her part has accepted her impending death, and promises Sailor Moon she'll take care of this.
  • Usagi's Hope Spot when a fireball escapes the ice and immolates a DD girl. She regains her spirit...only to see the other youma holding a semi-conscious Rei by her hair and leaving her for dead. Even so, Rei uses the last of her strength to kill the final DD girl, and admit to Usagi she wished she had kissed Yuuchirou.
  • Just as Usagi is about to give up and let the elements take her with her friends' corpses lying on various ice mounds, the Senshi's spirits appear to comfort her, with Rei shouting at her to get up and smiling in encouragement. This gives Usagi the courage to arrive at the Dark Kingdom alone, hesitant but brave.
  • Usagi manages to restore Prince Endymion's memories right when he's about to behead her, by showing him the locket he gave her. Endymion touches it, and has many memories of him and Usagi interacting. It ends with Usagi comforting him in the hospital... which we learn later is what happened when he was recovering from his accident as a child.
  • Luna realizes that Usagi is using the Silver Crystal to fight Beryl, and goes Oh, Crap!. She prepares to run to the North Pole despite being injured. Artemis barely convinces her they won't arrive in time, for obvious reasons.
  • The silver crystal is said to warp reality and can grant the wearer's dearest wish. Usagi as she's dying wishes to wake up as normal, running late to school and getting a bad grade because it was her life. This ends up resetting time back a year, resurrecting her friends and Mamoru. It has the added bonus of wiping out Naru's trauma from losing Nephrite, and ensuring the Rainbow Crystal holders have normal lives.
  • Naru is with Usagi when they encounter Mamoru. Naru teases Usagi about Mamoru being hot, and Usagi declares she will only date a guy who can protect her. Mamoru just calls her a silly girl, with fond confusion.
  • Luna and Artemis are relieved that everyone is alive. They say they're going to wait until the girls become friends of their own accord, and hope the Senshi will never have to awaken.

Sailor Moon R

• Despite the fact that they got their memories wiped, Umino and Naru still become a couple without knowing about the Relationship Upgrade from Rainbow Crystals Arc. Doubles as a Tear Jerker since it means that Naru forgot Nephrite against her will, though it's healthy for her to have moved on.
  • Naru still remembers Nephrite in the Sailor Moon PC-Engine game and is overjoyed to see him alive once more. For his part, Nephrite is content that she's moved on with someone else.
• In Episode 47, just after Luna makes the hard decision of restoring her memories, knowing she'll never live a normal life again.
  Luna: Usagi? Can you hear me?
  Usagi: Hey there. It's been a while since we last talked, huh, Luna...?
  Luna: You're you again, your memory's all come back!
  • Again, it's all in the way Sheh delivers that line; tired, but with a hint of a smile.
  • The fact that Luna put off the decision for as long as she had just to let Usagi have a normal life.
• At the end of Episode 48, Usagi's overjoyed reaction after her friends save her after they get re-awakened as the Sailor Guardians and get their memories back. Stephanie Sheh's voice acting really sells it.
  Sailor Moon (to the rest of the Inner Guardians): You're back!
• Makoto (Lita) donating blood to her friend, Shinozaki (Ken), after he's seriously injured trying to protect her from the episode's Cardian.
  • The [DiC] dub includes the appropriate "Rainy Day Man" to accompany a flashback where Shinozaki comforts Mako after she suffers a bad breakup. Mako stands in the rain, in denial, as her latest sempai runs away from her, but Shinozaki covers her with an umbrella.
  • From the same episode, doubling as a Tear Jerker: still weak from giving blood, Jupiter falters when running to the fight, and Sailor Moon - still traumatized from remembering the events at D-Point - begs her to go home, at one point saying "I know I'm a slowpoke and I'm always running away, but I'll work twice as hard today for you." She only relents when Jupiter holds firm that she won't let anyone else get hurt like Shinozaki. Both Moon and Jupiter are driven to be there for their friends.
• Sailor Moon, who's been struggling with Heroic BSoD that has affected her powers, finally overcomes it to save her friends. It helps that when the youma breaks her brooch, her powers draw her into the ground briefly so that the memory of Queen Serenity can upgrade the Transformation Trinket with the Silver Crystal.
  • In the DiC dub version of the episode, the incapacitated Guardians, who are trapped and slowly being drained of energy, scream at Sailor Moon to save herself when the youma delivers a Curb-Stomp Battle.
• In Episode 52, Minako befriends a little girl named Mie and both have a cute conversation while sitting on a bench. Minako supports Mie's belief that Sailor Moon is real, brightening her spirit. In the end, Mie happily tells Minako that she not only saw Sailor Moon, but also Sailor Venus.
• The Makaiju aliens (Alan and Ann in the DiC English dub or Ail and An in the Japanese and Viz English dub versions) are given a second chance to start their lives anew.
  • Also, their redemption starts when they respectively fall for Usagi and Mamoru. Ail, who is a Chick Magnet that couldn't resist Makoto's cooking, falls for sweet Usagi, and An actually gives up the quest to obtain energy so that Mamoru can kiss her during a play.
• How does Sailor Moon defeat the Doom Tree when it starts lashing out in pain, attacking both Ail and An and injuring them? She screams for it to stop. The Doom Tree actually listens, reveals that it's a sentient being, to Sailor Moon's surprise, and explains it needs love to thrive, not stolen energy. Due to Sailor Moon being The Heart, she's able to heal it her love and the scepter.
• Mamoru getting his memory back at the end of the Ail and An arc. Sailor Moon gives him a huge Glomp when he reveals this.

• The scene at the end of Chibi-Usa's debut episode, as Usagi tucks her into bed. Usagi recognizes that she's been through tough times just like her and says, "If only you'd told me everything upfront, I could have helped you." It speaks a lot to Usagi's compassion that no matter how much this girl had irritated her by invading her life Dawn Summers-style, she never would have hesitated to protect her.
• Almost any scene where Usagi and Chibi-Usa don't fight and get along is a minor Heartwarming Moment.
• How Kenji and Ikuko react to meeting Mamoru for the first time. This was also when Usagi and Mamoru had the Relationship Upgrade to Official Couple since they never got together in the previous arcs. Kenji, of course, goes into Boyfriend-Blocking Dad mode and is hostile. Ikuko says that she wants Usagi to invite Mamoru to dinner. It helps that Mamoru is a catch: he's an intellectual student, has held down a job, and is handsome.
  • Usagi's "The Reason You Suck" Speech to the droid in disguise who advises her to use makeup to win back Mamoru because all men are the same. At first, Usagi is willing to listen because Mamoru just broke her heart after getting a vision of Usagi dying, when she asks if makeup will make her boyfriend like her again. But insinuating Mamoru is shallow? That Usagi will not tolerate. She tells the droid that Mamoru is better than that, and anyone who insinuates otherwise is an idiot.
• The episode where Ami almost moves away to become a doctor and changes her mind when she gets the letter and transformation pen from her friends. The conversation between her and Chibi-Usa reveals the thought process. Chibi-Usa thinks they don't care about her since they're not there to see her off, but as she stares at the new pen, she suddenly realizes the real reason why they're not here as she asks Mamoru, "Something's come up, hasn't it?" (They're fighting a Droid as she speaks). This makes her realize there are more important things in life, and she abandons the flight to rejoin them.
• Rei's focus episode immediately following. After her grandpa's Dirty Old Man ways earn him an exposé in a magazine, he abandons his priest duties and starts a weird class with Yuichirou (mostly to continue with his fetish), raising a lot of friction between them. But when Koan interferes and eventually hurts him, she jumps in to defend him and drive off Koan. He may be a pervert, but he's still her grandpa.
• There's a villainous example from the Ayakashi Sisters in episode 64. Petz tries out a new shade of lipstick and asks the others what they think:
  Petz: What do you think of this lipstick? I'm thinking about bringing the color of the dead back into fashion this summer.
  Berthier: Black is the color of darkness. It is the color of funeral mourning clothes. Black is the color sprinkled with taint.
  Petz: And?
  Berthier: It looks wonderful.
  • Berthier is being sincere when she says this, and Petz, who keep in mind is still very much a villain at this point, looks genuinely touched by her sister's compliment.
• Koan's Happy Ending in episode 70, after getting her heart broken by an uncaring Rubeus. He gives her a brutal You Have Outlived Your Usefulness speech in mid-battle, even going so far as to mock her values of love, before disappearing for good. A devastated Koan goes absolutely nuts, attacking the Senshi blindly. Mars takes a hit for her to stop the carnage, and insists Koan deserves a second chance as a normal human being, which Sailor Moon provides (to her surprise) by healing her with the Silver Crystal.
  • And in subsequent episodes, Berthier, then Calaveras and Petz, all get their chance for the same treatment, adding up to three straight Happy Endings. Berthier's, in particular, is a really sweet You Are Not Alone moment. The ending of episode 72 (after all four have turned and are now working together) even combines Heartwarming with Funny by showing how close they still are... when they start arguing in a way quite similar to when the Senshi bicker.
  • Berthier in general, while by no means less evil than her sisters, always seemed the most sensitive even before the purification. She seemed to be the only one who legitimately cared about Koan, Calaveras, and Petz on a regular basis and was the only one willing to say she missed Koan after she turned good.
• The second half of the two-parter immediately following, when Rubeus captures the other Senshi and demands Sailor Moon hand over the Silver Crystal. Usagi's been on an emotional roller coaster all day because of the events prior, but as she stands out on Mamoru's balcony, she talks to herself, noting how under any other circumstance she'd be whining like the crybaby she usually is, but this time everything rests on her. We are reminded once again why she's the leader: because with her, Heartwarming and Awesome often go hand-in-hand; she is strongest when she is saving those she holds dear. For their sake, she chose to go face Rubeus alone.
• Esmeraude in her proper debut episode is seen wolfing down various cakes with a gusto that rivals Usagi (who's doing the exact same thing next to her). While this is Played for Laughs, it is genuinely heartwarming to see that even a villain like Esmeraude can briefly put aside all her evil and goals to just take a moment to enjoy a simple pleasure in life like a delicious cake.
• After having the relationship broken up for 17 episodes, Usagi and Mamoru finally getting back together in Episode 77. Usagi reveals to him that she had the same nightmare that he had, and tells him they should Screw Destiny. Mamoru ignores her, of course, but later on seems to take it to heart.
• Ami's third focus episode in episode 80, in which she is brainwashed into thinking everyone has turned against her but reaches a moment of lucidity where she sees her friends' smiling faces and breaks the spell.
• Minako's bungling attempts to care for her sick teammates in episode 78 are largely Played for Laughs, but suddenly, a nice little "d'aww" moment happens out of the blue.
  Usagi: Hey Minako, why do you work so hard to take care of me?
  Minako: Because you're very important to me. So, I feel I should protect you.
  Usagi: Why? Is it because I'm the princess?
  Minako: No. I feel very comfortable when I'm with you. I like the way you're full of energy. That's why I can't leave you alone when you're sick. Get well soon, okay?
• After half a dozen episodes where her attempts to use the Time Key failed, Chibi-Usa finally manages to make it work when the Guardians and Tuxedo Kamen travel to the future with her.
• After she confesses to Pluto about stealing the Time Key, Pluto forgives her, and gives the Guardians advice on how to travel through the time gate safely.
• For those that disliked Mamoru's attempts at Break Her Heart to Save Her, which backfired horribly, he redeems himself by charging at the Endymion hologram in the Bad Future and then saving Usagi from Demande when the latter kidnaps her. Endymion also redeems himself, since he was the one sending Usagi and Mamoru bad nightmares to "test their love" by revealing he kept Chibi-Usa safe and telling his past self where Demande took Usagi.
• Saphir and Demande's relationship; they really are brothers who love each other. While Saphir is jealous that Demande is obsessed with Sailor Moon and Neo-Queen Serenity, he doesn't act on it the way Esmeraude does. Instead, he commiserates with Esmeraude about it and admits that Demande is being a huge pain. Also, unlike in the manga, he doesn't blame Sailor Moon for his brother's behavior. He knows Demande is being a pain but it's all him so Saphir lets his brother work it out.
  • The flashback where a young Demande promises Saphir that they will see the flowers on Earth.
  • Saphir's death at Wiseman's hands... actually, heck, almost all of episode 86 had Heartwarming, Heroic Sacrifice and Tear Jerker moments in spades. How does the guy go out? He steps into the middle of a battle, shouting at Demande that Wiseman is using all of them and lying about who the Death Phantom is. Demande stops for a moment, actually listening. If not for Wiseman killing Saphir, he would have been properly warned.
  • The fact that everyone stops firing the minute that Wiseman kills Saphir in one shot, even Black Lady. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen run to his side, and you know that if she could, Sailor Moon would heal him with the Silver Crystal. As it is, she begs him to hold on for Petz's sake and tries to make him comfortable.
  • Demande then retrieves his brother's body, giving him a proper Due to the Dead. He mutters "Wiseman" threateningly, and the seeds of doubt are planted.
• Naru talking to Usagi one last time before vanishing in the later episodes, implying that she knows something about the dark crystal overrunning the city and telling her to be careful.
• Prince Demande's Heroic Sacrifice by Taking the Bullet for Sailor Moon, apologizing to her for trying to force her to love him.
• Wiseman then tries to brainwash Sailor Moon while choking her, to convince her that Mamoru and Chibi-Usa will become an item. Before it can take hold, Sailor Moon sees a vision of Chibi-Usa asking for Sailor Moon to help her. She then shouts that Chibi-Usa and Mamoru are the most important people in her life and prepares to attack.
• The entire Chibiusa/Black Lady Arc becomes this at the end.
  • While Sailor Moon tries to purify Black Lady, Chibiusa remembers her parents and the Sailor Guardians throwing a surprise birthday party after one day late. Have fun trying to hold back those tears.
  • The King and Queen missed Chibusa's birthday due to official business. Flash forward to Super S, Diana says both Queen and King get sick during stuffy meetings and become better the next day, which Luna deduced that they are just faking it. After the events of R where Black Lady almost destroyed the world, Usagi and Mamoru now know there are more important things than to go out on business.
  • When Black Lady was about to strike down Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask steps in. Black Lady doesn't understand why, but the Guardians tell her it's because they are dear to each other, including Chibusa.
    Sailor Moon: You're a dear friend we can't be without.
    Tuxedo Mask: And...we love you more than anyone.
  • How Sailor Moon saves Chibi-Usa when the latter becomes Dark Lady: she uses the Silver Crystal to turn into Neo Queen Serenity, withstands the energy that Dark Lady sends at her and Mamoru, and talks her down, saying that they love her. Dark Lady reverts back to her child self, apologizes for what she did, and strives to make things right when Wiseman reveals he is the Death Phantom.
• The final episode and this exchange between Usagi and Chibi-Usa.
  Chibi-Usa: Thanks for everything, Mommy.
  • The Viz English dub changed the line slightly but it is still very heartwarming:
  Chibi-Usa: I love you, Mommy.
• The very last scene shows Chibi-Usa reunited with her parents and friends over a renewed Crystal Tokyo. And Chibi-Usa managed to remember her manners. She took the time to present herself properly and curtsy in front of everyone before finally rushing into her mother's arms.
  Chibi-Usa: Mommy!
  Neo-Queen Serenity: You saved our world, my darling. Welcome home.

Sailor Moon S

They are definitely not cousins.

• The very first episode of the season had a rather sweet moment between Rei and Usagi (underscored by the fact that Rei has only just begun experiencing the terrifying visions of the Silence). Rei gushes to Usagi about everything she wants to be as an adult, and tells Usagi, disappointed about another bad grade, that she shouldn't worry about it. Rei caps it off by telling Usagi her cheerfulness is one of her best qualities.
• Later on, when Rei's heart is stolen, a detransformed Usagi is crying and begging her to Please Wake Up, fearing that she's dead. When the Outers realize that Rei's heart isn't the Talisman, they return it to her, and Rei revives. Usagi is visibly relieved, even though everyone is shaken by the experience.
• Episode 97
  • Ami's suffering a bit of doubt about what she wants in life. She talks with Mamoru about how being a doctor only seems to be a plan, and she has no passion for it. She compares herself to Usagi, who always has spirit and passion. Mamoru encourages her by saying he would like a doctor like her because he's afraid of needles.
  • Usagi, who normally leans on Ami for academic support, tries to lean away and encourage the Senshi to not pressure Ami into helping them study. This is after she hears Ami's talk with the teacher, who insinuates that Ami tutoring Usagi is causing her to lose focus. Even though Usagi is a failing student, her friend's happiness matters more than her grades.
  • One that's easy to miss: Ami and Michiru befriend each other after a swimming race. After Ami's heart crystal is stolen and returned, Sailor Neptune is relieved that Ami's crystal was not a Talisman as that meant she would not have to be sacrificed (in her eyes).
  • Michiru earlier chewed out Ami for giving up their first race. Then she goes into My God, What Have I Done? when Ami runs off sadly, and Haruka calmly explains that Ami isn't used to wanting things. Michiru asks for a friendly rematch and apologizes for being mean.
  • Usagi's speech when the daimon incapacitates her and steals Ami's heart. She says that Ami is going to be a great doctor and do wonderful things. Doubles as a Tear Jerker since it makes a prone Ami cry.
  • Thanks to the swimming race and seeing how much Usagi cares about her, Ami says she feels she can do anything if she tries hard enough. Then she teases Usagi and Tuxedo Kamen about how Mamoru is her type. Usagi engages in a Rapid-Fire "No!" while Tuxedo Kamen sweat-drops.
• Artemis giving Minako a bouquet of flowers after she'd been depressed for a good portion of one of her focus episodes.
  Artemis: Young lady- (He tosses the bouquet down to her.) Would you go out with me?
  Minako: Well, I'll think about it. (She breaks out into uncontrollable giggling.)
• Umino and Naru don't do well in the dating game contest, until he delivers a completely heartfelt speech about how much he cares for Naru and is willing to lay down his life protecting her.
• Another that's easy to miss, courtesy of happening in the middle of a hilarious moment, is in episode 103 when Rei gets a cup of hot coffee spilled onto her head, Ami is the only one of the other Inners working to hurriedly clean her up.
• In one episode Makoto loses her confidence and goes to train at a mountain temple. The others follow her and, after a pillow fight scene, Mako slips out while the others are asleep and thinks about how lucky she is to have such great friends.
• "Shocking Moment! Mutual Identities Revealed"
  • The scene where Usagi begs Minako not to risk getting her heart stolen by the enemy is Played for Laughs, but it's heartwarming that she so desperately wants her friend to be safe.
  • Doubles as Nightmare Fuel and a Moment of Awesome for Minako, but she looks so relieved when she gets shot in the back and sees her heart. Then she runs off with it, giggling madly, and everyone has to follow.
  • The Senshi use the toys that Usagi helped Minako win by accident to distract the daimon and Eudial. Plus, while Haruka/Uranus and Michiru/Neptune still refuse to fully work together with the Inners, Michiru admits she doesn't regret having to reveal their real identites to them partly because she wanted to help the Inners.
• Michiru, to Haruka: "You have beautiful hands!"
• In the 26th episode of the S season, there is a small conversation between Chibi-Usa and Setsuna at the beginning. There's no set-up for it. It's just really sweet and heartwarming.
• From the very beginning, almost every Chibi-Usa and Hotaru interaction is a CMOH.
  • One particular MOH occurs in episode 117. Hotaru is visiting the Tsukino house wanting to talk about delivering a letter of admiration to someone, when Usagi and Chibi-Usa get into yet another Rubber Face fight. Hotaru sees this and notes there is a very serene air to the household. The fight is frozen in its tracks as Chibi-Usa and Usagi each reply, "Really?"
• In episode 116, when Usagi, Chibi-Usa, Mamoru and Hotaru are hanging out at a botanist's lab exploring the various types of flowers on display. Suddenly Mimete arrives and begins blatantly flirting with Mamoru in front of Usagi. When she wont take the hint and leave Mamoru alone he tells her that he is spending time with his family and, when pressed, clarifies that he is with his future wife and daughter while he wraps his arms around both. Mamoru is clearly embarrassed afterwards but it's nice to see him being protective of his family like that.
• In Episode 117, there is a short heartwarming moment when a daimon stops to ask Hotaru if she's okay and suggests she go to the medical center if she's feeling unwell.
• Hotaru telling the senshi that if they can't rescue her and Chibi-Usa, to take Chibi-Usa and leave her behind. The senshi refuse, telling her she means the world to Chibi-Usa and they won't abandon her.
• Chibi-Usa almost taking what would've been a fatal attack to defend Hotaru. Usagi got them both out the way in time, but it doesn't change that Chibi-Usa didn't have a moment of hesitation in being ready to give up her life to protect her friend. Looks like Usagi's rubbing off on her.
• What ultimately allows Hotaru to free herself from Mistress 9's Demonic Possession? Her memories of her father and Chibi-Usa—the people most precious to her. She then, as Sailor Saturn, appears before Mamoru to return Chibi-Usa's Pure Heart Crystal, ensuring that her best friend is safe before going to destroy Pharaoh 90.
• The final episode of S has of course the supposed tearful departure of Chibi-Usa, but during the going-away party, after Usagi gives Chibi-Usa a handmade backpack, Usagi and Rei get into yet another argument...until suddenly Rei grabs Usagi's hand, notes the scratches from her craftwork...and then puts a bandage on that hand with a kind reminder to take better care of herself. The argument suddenly ends with Usagi showing a look of, "I didn't know you cared..." Which then makes Chibi-Usa realize that her own relationship with her future mother is much the same, leading to the tearful parting at the time portal.

Sailor Moon SuperS

• Chibi-Usa and Helios' developing romance in Super S is also very heartwarming. Especially the scene where Helios tries to leave out of fear of endangering her, and she holds onto him, refusing to let him disappear. Her absolutely heartbroken look and her crying pushes this into major Tear Jerker territory as well.
  Chibi-Usa: You said you needed me! You said you needed the power of my dreams! I won't ever let you go!
• One episode has Sailor Moon nearly suffocate while fighting the Monster of the Week. Mamoru throws away all pretense of secret identity by calling out to her by her real name even in front of a civilian friend of his.
  • Adding to this, Puuko (the aforementioned monster) is so touched by Sailor Moon's near Heroic Sacrifice, she promises that as soon as Sailor Moon's dead, she'll kill Mamoru too so that they could be Together in Death.
• Diana's debut episode begins with Luna thinking Artemis has gone gaga over a pretty nun. Then Diana appears and everyone assumes the worst of him because she calls him daddy. But finally, in the end, Artemis has the chance to explain that he wasn't ogling the nun but the church as he'd been dreaming of marrying Luna in such a place, in spite of being a cat. Suddenly things make a lot more romantic sense, especially since Diana reveals she is the future daughter of both Artemis and Luna.
• When Mamoru needs to stay at the Hikawa shrine for a few days Diana stays with him as his "bodyguard" and calls him "Endymion-sama." He lets her know that she doesn't need to be so formal and can call him "Mamo-chan," but she declines out of respect for the person she knows he'll become in the future. He relents and invites her to take a bath with him. Her surprised expression, complete with Luminescent Blush, is adorable.
• Another one has Shingo nearly drown and, as Ami begins giving him mouth-to-mouth, Tiger's Eye ask her why she's working so hard for the sake of a kid. She immediately replies that Shingo is a good friend of hers. When he comes too, she hugs him tightly while expressing how glad she is that he's okay (prompting a very heavy blush from him as he has a massive crush on her at the time).
• Noticing Makoto alone and dejected looking at a college dance, Ami offers to dance with her when Makoto says that nobody wants to dance with her because she's so tall.
• Helios giving the Amazon Trio Dream Mirrors, which in this season are metaphors for souls, before they died, thus rendering them human.
  Pegasus: No soul that can dream is ever truly lost.
• Even though Ami's father divorced her mother and left them, Ami is elated when she receives sketches from him and thinks about how he doesn't need words to send her his warmth.
  • In the manga version, we see Ami interacting with her mother. Despite her mother feeling like she's a bad parent, Ami has nothing but love and respect for her. This also doubles as a Continuity Nod from the Code Name: Sailor V manga as her cameo in that has her seeing her mother off for a medical conference.
• The Rei's Biggest Fan scene. Even if Nanako is a Loony Fan, she only sees the good side of a character who the audience generally sees as temperamental and confrontational, even going as far to say that she isn't conceited in a strangely touching case of Dramatic Irony. The channel uploader even describes the scene as "what would happen if people could meet anime characters in real life."
• The 29th episode has Chibi-Usa draw a crudely drawn picture of Usagi. At the end of the episode when she is asked what the title of her portrait is, she responds, "The Person I Look Up To The Most".

Sailor Moon Sailor Stars

Last night when you pulled through/I put a spell on the moon/It was three times the size/In your moon-lit eyes

• The One Dialogue, Two Conversations that Haruka and Michiru have at the aquarium (rough translation):
  Michru: Watching this makes me feel calm. I could stare at it forever.
  Haruka: For me, I feel calm when I'm behind a steering wheel.
  Michiru: [giggles] I wasn't talking about the fish, silly.
  • There's also Michiru not hesitating to suck broken glass out of Haruka's wounded hand (which, people working in the medical profession would tell you, isn't the safest thing to do for either party).
• Although it's a fairly brief moment, Hotaru and Chibiusa reunion after a long time without seeing each other is truly rewarding.
  Chibiusa: It's Hotaru!
  Hotaru: Hello Chibiusa.
  • In general terms, the fact of seeing the Outer Senshis again after being completely absent in the previous season and reuniting with the Inner Senshis to fight side by side against Nehelenia is gratifying in itself.
• The very end of the Nehelenia arc, where everything has returned to normal for her and she's reverted back to a child. She's about to go to bed when she turns around and quietly asks her servants, "Will someone please read me a bedtime story?" Then one of the unseen servants says, "Yes, it would be my pleasure."
  • Just the fact that Galaxia's interference led to something good. Giving one of the series previous Big Bad's a second chance.
• When Usagi goes on a "date" with Seiya, she cheers up a crying little boy while waiting for him.
• The Three Lights can often be pretty stuck-up jerks, but they have their moments: Notably one episode wherein Ami befriends a patient at the hospital where her mother works and her request is to meet the Three Lights. Usagi and Ami manage to drag Taiki there at her request while Seiya and Yaten run away. The girl takes a turn for the worse and requires emergency surgery (with the doctor becoming the Monster of the Week). After the battle, Seiya and Yaten come running to offer support and be there when she wakes up.
• Minako and Yaten's conversation in the backstage of the Idol Singer contest. Yaten tries to reprimand Minako for getting herself in when she should be only fighting for the universe, but Minako turns the tables on him and says that even when she wants to save the world, she should not forget her own dreams in the process. Way to go, Mina-P!
  • Another thing she mentions is that Minako was there because Usagi and the others encouraged her. Finally trying to help her deal with her hidden troubles after she spent the entire series ignoring them to be a better Sailor Soldier.
• Usagi's cute doodle◊ of her and Mamoru on her desk at school.
• After the Sailor Starlights and outer senshi forbid Usagi and Seiya from seeing each other, Usagi becomes so depressed that not even cake can snap her out of it. Although the others try their best to cheer her up, it's when Minako gives Usagi a number to the venue where the Three Lights are rehearsing and Seiya might answer her call that things change. Seeing Usagi's finally face light up and the gratitude she expresses to Minako is really sweet. The whole thing shows how much her friends care for her.
• The very last episode of Sailor Stars. Specifically, the scene where Usagi, having defeated the Chaos, is floating in the skies, alone. She starts crying because she is lonely without her True Companions who were all killed by Galaxia... and suddenly, a familiar voice tells her that she is not alone... Then, after all the Senshi reappeared, somebody calls out "Usako...". Usagi's reaction to Mamoru's voice and her flying into his arms, in tears...
  • The fact that the first of the Senshi to call out to Usagi is none other than Rei:
    Usagi: I'm alone, everyone!
    Rei: You're not alone!
• Seiya gracefully accepting that Usagi loves Mamoru, and bidding her farewell. They part as friends, and the Three Lights imply they will visit Earth from time to time.
• In the episode where Rei tells everyone after her artist cousin who gets very tempermental when he's in a slump, there's a flashback with her as a child where she's absolutely terrified of him as he breaks his pieces by throwing them around. But, when he sees how scared she is, he calms down and gives her a bird-shaped pendant that he hadn't destroyed, she's able to see he's not really a bad person, and has kept the pendant as a Memento MacGuffin since. When he's turned into the Monster of the Week, it's the pendant that he made for Rei that calms him down enough to be healed.
• At the very end of the final episode, Usagi asks Mamoru if he loves her and he says that when she's with him, his world feels complete.
• Although it's never seen or even mentioned, there's the strong implication that after Galaxia returns all the Star Seeds, everyone who died during throughout season, including the Sailor Animamates and the Senshi's loved ones (all offscreen), have been resurrected/reincarnated, and are now living happy lives!
• In both versions of the opening, there's a sequence where the Inner Senshi all join hands. The first two who manage to reach each other? Usagi and Rei.

The Movies

• The R movie
  • Even though it's been more than a decade, Fiore never forgot Mamoru's kindness. The alien had to leave because he wouldn't survive Earth's atmosphere, so Mamoru insisted on giving him a flower as a parting gift.
  • In the first dub, the other Senshi cheerfully teasing Amy for having a crush on Darien. Though it's hilarious in the original where they tease her for thinking that Mamoru had a relationship with Fiore. Meanwhile Usagi flashbacks to a conversation where she promises Mamoru that she will be his family from now.
  • It's revealed that Usagi and Mamoru had a Forgotten First Meeting: Shingo was born the day that Fiore had to leave, and Usagi walked into Mamoru's hospital room on hearing him sobbing. She cheerfully gives him a flower from the bouquet meant for her mother, the same rose that Mamoru would give to Fiore because she wanted him to be happy. It's this memory, not all the attacks that the Senshi were doing, that causes Fiore to have a Heel Realization and the Kisenian flower to be destroyed.
• The S movie:
  • Luna falling in love with Kakeru in the S movie is one for her, with the crowning moment of that arc being Super Sailor Moon granting her wish to turn her into a human and allowing her to take Kakeru into space to fulfill his own dream of going there and meeting Princess Kaguya. And in doing so, the rifts in the relationships forming throughout the movie heal; now with a cherished memory, Kakeru can move on and is there to welcome back Himeko, while Luna is finally able to return Artemis's feelings.
• The SuperS movie:
  • The opening scene depicts happy flashback sequences of the 5 inners' childhoods. They’re all really cute.
  • When the inners and outers find Chibi Moon, she and Sailor Moon exchange a silent but loving glance. You can tell from the looks on their faces how much Chibi Moon idolizes her hero, and how relieved Usagi is to see Chibiusa is safe.

Manga

• Luna calls out Tuxedo Kamen for kissing a drunk Sailor Moon at Princess D's party.
• Also, Tuxedo Kamen takes Sailor Moon to his apartment after she faints from using her Moon Twilight Flash. This leads to them discovering each other's identities, and starting their relationship.
• Chibi-Usa's first reaction on seeing Endymion (as opposed to her being unconscious in the anime) is to attempt to give him a Glomp. This fails as he's only a hologram, but it shows that Chibi-Usa has a good relationship with her dad.
• Usagi represses the memory of Mamoru being killed in front of her eyes. In order to help avoid her having to re-live that moment too soon, Seiya sends postcards to Usagi in Mamoru's name so she continues to believe he's okay until she's ready to face the truth again.
• Minako acting closer to her Codename: Sailor V self in the Stars arc: she's been a Broken Ace for years and hid it because she was to be everyone's role model, the strain of that and the events of the Dream arc finally made her break her act and shout at the others... Who, once they finally knew what she was going through, helped her off-page dealing with it, resulting in her finally starting to return to be closer to how she was before the whole ordeal started.
• The Grand Finale chapter: Usagi is confronted with the Cauldron of stars, where chaos was born. She's urged to destroy it, but Usagi realizes that will destroy life as well. Instead, she pulls a Heroic Sacrifice to purify it instead, letting her body melt away. This gives Chibi-Chibi the courage to reveal her true form — Sailor Cosmos, the guardian of the Cauldron — and return to the future where she'll fight Chaos rather than fleeing. Usagi's Heroic Sacrifice pays off in a Karmic Jackpot by creating Crystal Tokyo, and reviving her family and friends with immortality. She and Mamoru have their wedding, and she can feel Chibi-Usa inside of her as a growing baby.