Black Moon Clan Droids

As part of our Name Origins series of articles, this page intends to try and explain the names of the characters in Sailor Moon. Like many other fiction authors, Naoko Takeuchi seems to strive to put some meaning or pun into the names of her characters, though some names are less clear than others.

The following has not been confirmed by Naoko Takeuchi or anyone officially connected to the Sailor Moon series and are speculation based on evidence and knowledge of the Japanese language. Take the following with a grain of salt as it may or may not have been the intention of the original creator.

Below is a list of Sailor Moon anime Droids. These are the monster of the week used by the Black Moon Clan in Sailor Moon R. Manga and musical exclusive droids are excluded.

 

 

Atsugessho (アツゲッショ Atsugessho

From “atsugeshou” meaning “heavy make-up”, this droid was part of a make-up shop plot and commanded that girls should cake their faces with make up to make them more attractive to men.

Niphas (ニパス Nipasu)

From the Greek word νιφας (Niphas) meaning “snowstorm”, this character based on a Japanese yuki-onna (snow woman) had the power to create a blizzard of sorts.

Dumbull (ダンブル Danburu)

From 1980s Japanese female wrestlers Dump Matsumoto and Bull Nakano. This may also involve dumbbell(ダンベル danberu) since this Droid was very muscular, (rumble ランバル ranbaru) or even tumble (タンバル tanbaru), as this was a wrestling Droid.

Furaiki (フウライキ / 風雷鬼 Furaiki)

This droid’s name is sometimes written in kanji and sometimes katakana, either way the kanji indicates a literal meaning of “wind-thunder-demon” clearly associated with this storm-based Droid. May also involve “fuujin”(風神) meaning god of wind and “raijin” (雷神) meaning god of thunder.

Jamanen (ジャーマネンJāmanen)

This droid’s name is primarily from an anagram of Manager (マネージャー manējā), since this droid featured a bowtie and was part of a shop plot. It may also involve “jama” (邪魔intrusion) or even jam (ジャム  jamu) due to its sticky body (though to be fair, the body is made of wine).

Avogadora (アボガードラー Abogādorā)

From avocado (アボカド abokado), this was a food themed Droid with such weapons as a peeled lychee bomb and a banaknife.

Akumuda (アクムーダー Akumūdā)

From “akumu” (悪夢) which means nightmare, this Droid sent Sailor Moon into a nightmare of sorts.

Marzipan (マジパン Majipan)

Simply the Japanese approximation of the same confection in English.

Udering (ウデリング Uderingu)

From “ude” (腕) meaning “arm” and “ringu” simple the Japanese approximation of “ring”, the episode in question’s theme was misanga (good-luck bracelets).

Pharmakon (パルマコン Parumakon)

Parumakon is the Japanese approximation of the Greek word φάρμακον which means “drug”. It is the same root word as “Pharmacy”. This episode took place at a hospital.

Dogbar (ドッグバー Doggubā)

This  animal-related droid’s name is an abbreviation version of “doggubāku” (dog-bark).

Giwaku (ギワークGiwāku)

The Japanese word “giwaku” (疑惑) means “doubt” or “suspicion”, this droid caused Ami to doubt her friends.

Jakoku (ジャーコク Jākoku)

This droid was heavily connected to the Black Moon Clan’s power source, the Jakokusuishou (邪黒水晶 literally Evil Black Crystal), so this Droid’s name probably means “Evil Black”

Chiral (キラル Kiraru)

Like many of Naoko Takeuchi’s original characters, this name is related to chemistry. Chiral molecules are molecules that’s mirror-image cannot be super-imposed onto it, usually an organic compound where a carbon has four unique groups surrounding it.

Achiral (アキラル Akiraru)

Achiral is the matching term, Achiral molecules can be superimposed onto their mirror images. Chiral and Achiral match the mirror-image theme the Boule Brothers have, since they are like mirror images themselves and create a mirror-image Crystal Palace.

Rhyax (リュアクスRyuakusu)

There always seems to be just one hard-to-work out monster per group. My best guess is that this is another Greek word, since the same writer created Niphas and Pharmkon. I would guess this one comes from Rhyax (Ρυαξ), a Greek word for stream, since the Japanese word “nagare” (流れ stream) comes up a ridiculous number of times throughout this episode. Alternatively it may refer to “ryu” (流flow), “aku” (悪evil) or “kakusu” (嚇す to threaten)

 

 

Written by: Akiko Hime
Edited by: Hikari-Sama


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