text: [[File:Kunzite_207.jpg|thumb|The four shittenou in the anime]] 
  [[File:Shitennou.jpg|thumb|The four shitennou from the manga]]
  
  The four '''Shitennou''' were acquiescent of [[Darien|Prince Endymion (Darien)]] serving him as his guardians and advisors during the Silver Millennium. As such, they were known as “heavenly kings” in the manga, anime and live action series. The title was relegated to “general” in the dubbed North America version of the anime. Presumably, like [[Queen Beryl]], they were corrupted by [[Negaforce|Queen Metallia]] but eventually are restored back to their former state towards the end of the first series of the manga and the [[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon|live action series]] but not in the anime.
  
  Each of the Shitennou have names which are derived from the name of a rock, mineral, or alloy. In the anime, the following number of appearances for each of the Shitennou or “general” and evil [[Darien|Prince Endymion (Darien)]] is shown below:
  *[[Jadeite|Jadeite (Jedite)]]: 13
  *[[Neflite|Nephrite]]: 11
  *[[Zoycite]]: 19
  *[[Malachite]]: 18
  *[[Darien#Prince_Endymion|Prince Endymion (Darien)]]: 7
  
  They each have temperamental counterparts in the four [[Inner Sailors]]. Having a [[sailor soldier]]'s personality or powers correspond to a villain was a device used by [[wikipedia:Naoko Takeuchi|Naoko Takeuchi]] several times to great effect. One popular non-[[wikipedia:canon|canon]] picture made by [[Naoko Takeuchi]] showed the sailor soldiers and the Shitennou as romantic couples. 
  
  *[[Jadeite|Jadeite (Jedite)]]'s counterpart is [[Sailor Mars]]
  *[[Neflite|Nephrite]] 's counterpart is [[Sailor Jupiter]]
  *[[Zoycite]]'s counterpart is [[Sailor Mercury]]
  *[[Malachite]]'s counterpart is [[Sailor Venus]]
  
  In the original Japanese [[anime]], a [[wikipedia:Homosexuality|homosexual]] relationship was created between Zoisite and Kunzite (see in picture, Zoisite's hand resting on Kunzite's shoulder) - this led to Zoisite being interpreted as a woman in the [[dub]]. Kunzite was renamed [[wikipedia:Malachite|Malachite]] in the [[dub]] supposedly due to trademark issues with the name Kunzite. In the original manga, they were brothers, and the four were meant as love interests to the other Soldiers.
  
  {{wikipedia|Shitennou (Sailor Moon)}}
  [[Category:Dark Kingdom villains]]
  [[Category:Villains]]
diff.text: The four '''Shitennou''' were acquiescent of [[Darien|Prince Endymion (Darien)]] serving him as his guardians and advisors during the Silver Millennium. As such, they were known as “heavenly kings” in the manga, anime and live action series. The title was relegated to “general” in the dubbed North America version of the anime. Presumably, like [[Queen Beryl]], they were corrupted by [[Negaforce|Queen Metallia]] but eventually are restored back to their former state towards the end of the first series of the manga and the [[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon|live action series]] but not in the anime.
diff.text: Each of the Shitennou have names which are derived from the name of a rock, mineral, or alloy. In the anime, the following number of appearances for each of the Shitennou or “general” and evil [[Darien|Prince Darien i.e. Endymion (Darien)]] is shown below:
diff.text: *[[Jadeite|Jadeite (Jedite)]]: (13)
diff.text: *[[Neflite|Nephrite]]: (11)
diff.text: *[[Zoycite]]: (19)
diff.text: *[[Malachite]]: (18)
diff.text: *[[Darien#Prince_Endymion|Prince Endymion (7Darien)]]: 7
diff.text: *[[Jadeite|Jadeite (Jedite)]]'s counterpart is [[Sailor Mars]]
diff.text: In the original Japanese [[anime]], a [[wikipedia:Homosexuality|homosexual]] relationship was created between Zoisite and Kunzite (see in picture, Zoisite's hand resting on Kunzite's shoulder) - this led to Zoisite being interpreted as a woman in the [[dub]]. Kunzite was renamed [[wikipedia:Malachite|Malachite]] in the [[dub]] - this was reported as beingsupposedly due to trademark issues with the name Kunzite. In the original manga, they were brothers, and the four were meant as love interests to the other Soldiers.