SISTER ANGELA / AKANE GUSHIKEN:


click for larger version Akane Gushiken (also known as Sister Angela) appears in episode 176 (Fighter no Shoutai! Shougeki no Chouhenshin), and has a sort of "split personality." At Rei's school, T*A Private Girls' School, she is known as Sister Angela, a kind and benevolent nun. Outside of the school, however, she leads a sort of secret life as Akane Gushiken, a famous director. She does not reveal to the press anything about her personal life, and she does not allow herself to be photographed or seen on television. In episode 176, Akane Gushiken is the director of a new musical featuring the Three Lights. She gives Seiya a particularly hard time, yelling at him and telling him that everything he does is wrong. Seiya becomes quite upset, both inside and outside of rehearsals.

click for larger version During one of the rehearsals, Usagi, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako visit the Three Lights at the studio and talk with them during a break. Akane eventually comes out to tell the stars to come back quickly from their break, and scolds the girls for being there. When Akane removes her sunglasses, Rei recognizes that she is actually Sister Angela from her school. Later, Seiya and Usagi hide in the bushes at T*A Private Girls' School to catch a glimpse of the nun. Seiya eventually confronts her in the school's chapter and says, "Akane-san! Aren't you a director?" She smiles and says, "I have lots of things to do. To narrow them down into one thing and give up the others isn't what I want to do." "Isn't that going halfway?" asks Seiya. She says that she always does everything perfectly; he is the one who goes halfway. Seiya is angered, and says that he does things perfectly as well... but the nun says that she doubts it.

Sister Angela talks with Seiya. She says, "I watched it... a Three Lights Concert. While I watched it, I felt that you guys were shouting out from the depths of your minds, wishing to send some message." There is a flashback of a concert, and Seiya thinks that she is right... there is one person in the galaxy that they want to recognize them, which is why they are shouting all the time. Seiya smiles to himself, and Sister Angela continues, saying, "I saw you guys shining incredibly, live, in person! But as an actor, you're terrible! It is I who wants to get angry! Why do you have such a huge gap! Do you want to say that you can't send your message through my musical?" Seiya is shocked by Sister Angela's words. In a calmer voice, she continues, "Anyway, I won't give up until you show me your shine." Seiya asks her if she's be in trouble if the school finds out that she is a director, but she laughs and says, "I'm in a better situation than someone else who will get a red mark in the next make-up exam!" Seiya tells her that he doesn't think he likes her, but she says it's even better for her to have him trained. Usagi stands outside the door, saying to herself that it seems to be getting worse.

Later, Seiya goes to the rehearsal studio and finds Akane sleeping in a chair. He asks, "Didn't you say you were going to train me?" She asks if he is ok not studying for the make-up exam, but he says that he must continue working at everything he does. She says that if he continues to do everything halfway, she will replace him as the hero in the musical. He replies, "Go ahead! Only if there's someone who shines more than me!" Both laugh. They begin rehearsal, and Akane thinks to herself that Seiya is getting better.

After a while, Akane goes to get coffee in the break room. Nezu Chuuko appears in the doorway behind Akane and calls out to her how shining she is. Nezu says, "My insticts are great!" Akane asks if she is a fan of the Three Lights, and Nezu says, "I am Nezu, a director at Ginga TV." She holds up a business card which reads, "Ginga TV - Third Production Room - Nezu Chuuko" and continues, "I came all the way here to see the origin of your shine!" Akane says that she does not want to show her face on television, and that when audiences look at the stage, they'll see all she wants to express. She asks Nezu to leave. Nezu is quite dismayed and says, "Unbelievable! You're as stubborn as I expected!" She screams, "Chuu!" as she jumps into the air, her clothing suddenly changing... she becomes Sailor Iron Mouse. Akane drops the coffee that she is holding, and Iron Mouse demands to see her Star Seed. Iron Mouse uses her bracelets to shoot two golden orbs of energy at Akane. When they hit the her, a golden flower emerges above her head and blooms to reveal a Star Seed. Unfortunately, the Star Seeds clouds over with darkness, disappointing Iron Mouse. This causes Akane to transforms into the page Sailor Director. Although Sailor Star Fighter attacks and immobilizes the phage with her "Star Serious Laser" attack, Akane herself is not seriously injured. Sailor Director is eventually healed by Eternal Sailor Moon's "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss" attack, and transforms back into Akane Gushiken.

Akane appears only in episode 176 of the anime, and never appears in the manga or live action versions. Her seiyuu is Sumi Shimamoto.

See Also:
Camera, Start!
Fighter no Shoutai! Shougeki no Chouhenshin
Sailor Director
Sumi Shimamoto
T*A Private Girls' School