Sailormoon: where would the story be without her? Simply put, she is the star of the show!
In the first season of the anime, Usagi is protrayed as a crybaby and a klutz, but if you look deeper, you see hidden courage bubbling underneath. Usagi shows from the very beginning a fierce need to protect, even though this is often masked by her terrified squeals.
In R she gets more responsible, realizing her destiny as the Princess as well as the protector of the Earth. She wields the ginzuishou very carefully, using it only when she has to, and protecting it well from evil forces. Here her courage becomes blaringly obvious, and she gains respect because of it. She takes on such big responsibilities well, better than even the most responsible of people. Usagi grows up a lot in this season, in my opinion. She goes from reluctant to boldly standing up for what is right.
In the S series, we still see her fighting for what is right, looking in her heart for solutions to tough problems. Here she gets more power and uses it well. She is the only one who can utilize the power of the Holy Grail, and like the ginzuishou, she uses it wisely and well. She risks her life many times for the well-being of the planet.
In SuperS, we see her persevering despite verbal abuse from Chibi-Usa, her own daughter, and despite the apparent fact that Mamoru favors Chibi-Usa, treating Chibi-Usa better than he usually treats Usagi. Usagi ends up standing up for herself on this point, and Mamoru realizes what he is doing. In the end of it all, Usagi shines as the brightest star in the galaxy despite whatever life throws her way.
SailorStars, the one and only unaired season in the US. It's a shame, really. In this season, we see Usagi mature even more as she gains unbelievable power. She deals with the pain of missing Mamoru, whom she is unaware is dead, and the pain of new monsters called phages. Near the heart-wrenching climax, everyone but Usagi dies--Ami, Rei, Makoto, Minako, Hotaru, Setsuna, Haruka, Michiru, Mamoru, Seiya, Yaten, Taiki--and it's Usagi and only Usagi that can save the universe. She still refuses to believe that Galaxia is evil, and through that magnificent compassionate reach, she saves the universe.
Usagi Tsukino...beautiful, courageous, the brightest light in the universe...an anime character or something more...?
