Hotaru is a beautiful, young girl with a kind heart. Although her expression is often sad, she has a lovely smile that lights up her face. Quiet and shy, she sometimes appears withdrawn or melancholic, but she is a thoughtful individual who cares deeply about other people. She is even willing to give up her own life it will help someone else. Although her body is weak, her spirit contains a strength which is deeper than even she seems to understand.

As a child, Hotaru spent much of her time alone. Her father had his work and she lost her mother at a young age. Then there was an accident at her father’s lab that damaged her badly. In the manga, her father replaces much of her body synthetic parts, turning her into a cyborg. In addition, he places Mistress 9 within her damaged body. In the anime, her father holds her dead (or at least dying) body after the explosion. The swirling, black vortex that appeared after the explosion offers to save her and Professor Tomoe promises him anything. In response, the force enters Tomoe’s body and Hotaru’s body is used to host Mistress 9.

Although Hotaru is alive, her body is weak and she cannot put much stress on it. She must avoid strenuous activities since even a long walk can be enough to drain her. She often has attacks that are directly related to the monster within her. In the anime, during these attacks, she has heightened self-preservation abilities. While it is possible that this power comes from Sailorsaturn (at one point her Saturn symbol on her forehead began to glow before she used her power), it is more likely from Mistress 9. Although she is terribly sick, she is not allowed to see other doctors, most likely to preserve her secret.

She is isolated from other people. Her father descends into a madness she cannot understand. Kaolinite, her father’s assistant, treats her with cold contempt that she only slightly veils with sanguine concern. Kaolinite is the only person to whom Hotaru is visibly rude. The other children at school reject her because she is different and “creepy”. For example, she has strange healing powers they consider frightening. Although she is really kind, the children are too afraid of her to give her a chance. As a result, she has no friends.

Hotaru knows that she is different from everyone else. In the anime, she knows that she occasionally losses time and does bad things during these periods, although she has no memory of them. She has moments where she blacks out and hurts people, especially those she cares about like her pet goldfish and one of her few school friends. In the manga, she has her cyborg body which she hides from other people, afraid that they will be creeped out when they find out her secret.

In spite of her abnormalities, she is still a girl with normal desires, specifically the desire for a friend. When Chibi Usa befriends her, Hotaru finally has a chance to be close to someone. She worries that she is a burden on her new friend, but Chibi Usa’s cheerful kindness comforts and supports her. Before, she was usually alone, and now she has someone waiting for her after school, someone to play with, and someone to be her friend. Hotaru brightens up and becomes the person she would normally be if it wasn’t for her loneliness.

After Saturn’s death, Hotaru is given a second chance at life. In the manga, she is raised by a family consisting of Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna. This new family gives her the love and attention she desperately needs and she grows up friendly and warm. In the anime, she is returned to her father who is no longer possessed by Pharaoh 90. In either case, she is much happier and able to enjoy her life.

Too Black to be Dawn