diff.text: {{nihongo|'''Sailor Moon'''|セーラームーン|Sērā Mūn}} is a [[fictional character]] in the ''[[Sailor Moon]]'' [[metaseries]] and the main [[wikipedia:protagonist|protagonist]] of the franchise, as well as its [[Title role#Title character|title character]]. Her [[wikipedia:Personal name|civilian name]] is {{nihongo|'''Usagi Tsukino'''|月野 うさぎ|Tsukino Usagi|  — '''Serena Tsukino''' in the [[Sailor Moon (English adaptations)|English-language versions]]}}. A carefree schoolgirl, she can transform herself into the ''[[wikipedia:de facto|de facto]]'' leader of the series' primary heroines, the [[Sailor Senshi]].
diff.text: Due to the series' widespread popularity in many countries and to her distinctive and oft-copied ''[[wikipedia:bun (hairstyle)|odango]]'' hairstyle, she has become one of the most immediately recognizable and iconic [[wikipedia:anime|anime]] characters worldwide. She is the only character to appear in all 200 episodes of the anime, and is present in all 52 acts of the [[manga]] as well as all 51 acts of the [[Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon|live-action series]].
diff.text: Serena, Usagi's [[wikipedia:given name|given name]] in the English-language versions of the series, derives from "Serenity", the name Usagi went by in [[#Princess Serenity|her past life]]. In the English manga she is mostly called by the nickname '''Bunny''', which is the literal meaning of ''usagi''. Her boyfriend for most of the series, [[Tuxedo Mask|Mamoru Chiba]], calls her by the affectionate [[nickname]] "Usako" (which is a [[wikipedia:diminutive|diminutive]], the suffix ''-ko'' meaning "child").
diff.text: Her journey begins when, while running to school, she sees some neighborhood kids abusing a cat and rescues it (in the manga she accidentally steps on the cat). Later, the cat comes into her room and reveals herself as a talking cat named [[Luna]], who serves as the [[wikipedia:Wise old man|mentor]] for the [[Sailor Moon]]. [[Luna]] gives Usagi a magical brooch which helps her transform into Sailor Moon (the "soldier for love and justice"), and tells her that she is a Soldier who must fight for peace. She also tells her that she must find the rest of the Soldiers, as well as their princess. Though at first Usagi is portrayed as a "reluctant heroine"<ref>Grigsby considers this reluctance to "substantially undermine the [[Agency (philosophy)|agency]] of the character", p.72 ; but [[wikipedia:Anne Allison|Anne Allison]] considers this to be one of the three key attributes of the series' appeal {{cite journal
diff.text: [[ImageFile:Usagi MangaUsagi_Manga.jpg|left|thumbnailthumb|Usagi in her school uniform, as drawn by [[wikipedia:Naoko Takeuchi|Naoko Takeuchi]]. Takeuchi consistently portrays Usagi as a lazy daydreamer, but one with an enormous heart.]]
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diff.text: [[Image:Usagi Manga.jpg|left|thumbnail|Usagi in her school uniform, as drawn by [[wikipedia:Naoko Takeuchi|Naoko Takeuchi]]. Takeuchi consistently portrays Usagi as a lazy daydreamer, but one with an enormous heart.]]
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diff.text: Usagi lives in [[wikipedia:Azabu|Azabu]] Jūban]] (a real district of Tokyo) with her mother Ikuko Tsukino, her father Kenji Tsukino, and her brother [[wikipedia:List of minor Sailor Moon characters#Shingo|Shingo Tsukino]]. Usagi's family take their names from the real family members of the metaseries' creator, [[Naoko Takeuchi]].<ref>{{cite book |last= Takeuchi |first= Naoko | title= Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Volume 4 |chapter= Act 15 |publisher= [[Kodansha]] |date= July 6, 1993, March 5, 1995 |isbn= 4-06-178753-5 }}</ref> Out of the Sailor Senshi, only Usagi and [[Sailor Venus|Minako Aino]] live in conventional [[wikipedia:nuclear family|nuclear families]]. Usagi is also the only one known to have a sibling.