Makaiju

Makaiju (or "Doom Tree") is an anime-only character appearing at the beginning of the second, or 'R' season of Sailor Moon. It (or maybe she, or possibly he) first appears in Episode 47.

"Makaiju" comes from three kanji, according to Bunny's Tour: "The first two kanji together mean "world of spirits or hell..." — "makai" — ...and the third kanji means "timber trees or wood." Also, "kaijuu" means "monster".

The story of Ail and En and the Doom Tree was a filler written for the Sailor Moon anime series only when the first season and the first three volumes of the manga proved so popular.

Long ago, the lonely Tree discovered new lifeforms emerging from its pods. It (or she or he) loved the new creatures and they loved it back; it fed them energy, but eventually the new beings started to be greedy and demand more of the Tree's energy. They became so consumed by negative emotions that they started a war which destroyed the planet. The Tree, already badly tainted by the hatred of his children, took the survivors and escaped into space. When they still wouldn't stop fighting, she put her hopes into the two born after her flight... but there was nobody left to teach them about love.

In a climactic battle when they try to feed Usagi to the tree, Ann is struck down protecting Alan and the Makaiju wakes to reveal the truth of their collective history. The three aliens leave the planet in peace and to start over after Sailor Moon heals the Tree with the power of love in Episode 59.

Nota bene: It's interesting to compare a flying Doom Tree with the giant tree growing through the city of Laputa in Laputa: Castle in the Sky by Miyazaki-sama, where the ruins of the ruins of the city consist of only what nature grew and not the work of humans. There may be a direct inspiration involved as the film was released in 1986, well before Sailor Moon premiering in the early '90s.

External links

• Bunny's Tour Through the Silver Millenium Makaiju
• Nihongo: Japanese Language English/Japanese translation tool
• A Castle in the Sky: A Sailor Moon fan web site Episode notes