Saya Sakura ||Sailor Dia
Biography
Civilian Form
Name and Meaning
Her first name is written with the kanji meaning “blooming” and “to color”. Her surname means "cherry blossom”.
Age and Birthday
16, December 3rd
Appearance
She has sakura pink eyes and wavy hair of the same shade which goes down to her back tied into two pigtails. She often wears a silver hairclip with a light pink rose, a silver flower with a pink gem on it, and with pink gems on the right side of her bangs. She takes off the hairclip when she is playing basketball to avoid losing it. She has a pale complexion. She stands at 6’2”. She is a superhuman.
Nationality
Japanese
Ethnicity
Japanese
Personality
Saya is a sweet, stylish, and energetic girl. She’s friendly and generous, which makes her well-liked at school. Even though she’s popular with others and enjoys the attention, she prefers to hang out with fellow sports lovers. She doesn’t want to be a burden on anyone and can be determined. She is quite outspoken and can be intimidatingly cold on the basketball court or in a battle. Because Saya tends to move from one place to another quickly, she has clumsy accidents.
She has a positive attitude but has trouble accepting criticism.
As for her dream, she's not really sure what she wants to do. It isn't until later on that she decides to support Hadad and Bêlit with running the the Rose Macaron café as a chef.
Mottos
“Run with the wind and surpass your limits!”
Sexual Preferences
Biromantic / Bisexual
Likes
Getting active by power walking, running, playing basketball, and doing kendo, strawberries and cherries, feeling the wind. Her favorite food is crepes with strawberries, cherries, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream and her favorite subject is Physical Education. Her favorite colors are all shades of pink and all shades of red.
Dislikes
criticism, needles, keeping secrets. Her least favorite subject is Home Economics.
Hobbies
On her free time, she likes to take walks with her grandfather or watch basketball games.
Her hobbies are running, practicing kendo, playing basketball, and watching high school basketball matches aside from the ones on TV.
Committees
She is part of the sports committee.
Specialties
Her specialty is jumping over obstacles.
She is a skilled kendo wielder.
As a power forward, she can rebound, make screens, block shots, dunk, and make mid-range jump shots. She later gains the ability to do three-pointers. She also has a high jump, can stay in mid-air for a long time, and air walk.
Background
When Saya was only an infant, her parents died in a car accident and she was adopted by her paternal grandfather, Ayumu. Her maternal aunt, Mami Minamoto, originally intended to adopt her but felt sorry for Ayumu who was a widower and had now lost his only son. At 6 years old, she enrolled in kendo class along with her 8-year-old maternal cousin, Sayo Minamoto, as her mother’s family, the Yamamoto’s, ran a dojo. Saya grew to like kendo and became skilled at it like her late mother. After watching basketball games on TV with her grandfather, she wanted to try it, so she enrolled in Mini-Basketball the following year. As she learned basketball skills, grew taller, and continued to play basketball, her skills improved to the point where most peers her age gave up on playing against her. This saddened her but her grandfather encouraged her to keep playing as long as she still loved it and told her as long as she continued to play, there would be stronger opponents out there.
When Princess Serenity released the power of the Silver Crystal as it manifested from her tear, Saya and her fellow Jovian Moon Guardians in Tokyo completely regained their past life memories but the shock of remembering their past lives caused them to pass out and forget their memories again.
In 10th grade, a café called “Rose Macaron” opened in her neighborhood. Her grandfather and her were regulars and since they didn’t know how to cook, the owners were kind enough to provide them with free breakfasts. It wasn’t until after Saya awakened as Sailor Dia that she finally recognized that the male owner of the Rose Macaron café was her animal guide and Hadad started living with her in his dog form.
Relationships
Family
Masato and Mana Sakura — (parents / deceased), Ayumu Sakura (paternal grandfather), Mami Minamoto (maternal aunt), Sayo Minamoto (maternal cousin)
As Saya’s parents died when she was a baby, she doesn’t really know them except from old photos and her grandfather’s and aunt’s stories of them. But Saya doesn’t feel lonely because her maternal relatives come to visit a lot. She inherited her father’s sakura pink hair and eyes and her mother’s superhuman bloodline and wavy hair.
After Ayumu’s wife passed away, his son and daughter-in-law moved in to live with him after their honeymoon, worrying about his well-being. After the car accident that took away the lives of Saya’s parents, he was registered as her legal guardian. Ayumu gruffly stated regarding his decision to adopt Saya “Her parents wanted to look out for me so it’s only fair I look out for her.” He gives her allowance but is strict with her. He tends to yell at her to wake up to go to school when she tries to sleep in, scolding her, but he does have softer moments with her as well. They watch basketball games on TV and take walks together.
Her aunt, Mami, was her late mother’s elder identical twin so through Aunt Mami, she can get a good idea of how her mother looked like aside from pictures. They both have gray eyes and wavy, black hair. Mami wanted to adopt her, but she felt sorry for Saya’s grandfather. But she does come to their home often to stock their refrigerator with food and meals since Ayumu doesn’t know how to cook. Mami had Saya take kendo classes with her daughter and has been a surrogate mother figure in her life.
Since Mami and Saya’s late mother were close, they made a promise that their children would have similar sounding names. Her older cousin was born at night, so she was named Sayo which reflects that fact, so she was named Saya but since her mother likes colorful flowers, the kanji used to write her name reflects that meaning. When Mami came over to her home, she sometimes brought Sayo over, so she got to play with her cousin and be close to her. Being enrolled in kendo classes and Mini-Basketball with Sayo only made them closer. The two of them have a sisterly bond and since her cousin is slightly taller than her, there’s still one person she can still play basketball with for fun until Allette and the Princesses of Basketball came into her life. Even though she also has Allette to play one on one with, her cousin is still her primary person to go to for one on one’s. Sayo is also the reliable captain and center of their basketball team. Sayo reminds her that on the court, she’s not “Sayo-nee”, she’s, her captain.
Friends
Konezu Kenmochi
Konezu was shocked to see that not only was Saya’s older cousin, Sayo Minamoto, and her vice-captain was tall but also that Saya was tall. Saya remarked that Konezu was really short, and she angrily retorted that she was aware that she falls short of the average height for girls but that she shouldn’t be underestimated since she trained hard as a point guard. Saya smiled as she replied, “I’ll have to see for myself then!” She acknowledged Konezu’s ability, and they also bonded over enjoying sports. Konezu asked Saya to join the sports committee and since due to Saya’s generous nature, she accepted. After Konezu made her a bowl of ramen, her upperclassman offered “If you’re interested, I can also make a bowl of cheese ramen” and Saya’s response was “Can you make me one right after then?”
Rivals
As Saya continues to play basketball, she continues to get stronger to the point that there seems to be no actual competition for her in high school basketball among her peers. When Allette Shiratori comes into her life and takes the position of point guard by force after defeating Jūban High's original point guard by force in a one on one, she warns Jūban High's girls' basketball team of the arrival of her fellow Princesses of Basketball, prodigal female basketball players, in Japan, Saya's excited to take them down alongside Allette!
Love Interests
Shiyu Aimoto aka Eros Knight
In their previous lives, they met during Princess Serenity and Princess Tranquility's 14th birthday ball. When the guests were asked to dance with someone not from their celestial home body, Leukos wasn't sure who to choose to dance with, but Dia turned around so quickly trying to look for a partner that she almost fell. Leukos fortunately came to her aid and caught her. Dia giggled and said, "Thank you for saving me." Leukos was charmed by her smile and asked her "Would you have the honor of sharing a dance with me?" Dia replied in the affirmative with him during the dance and continued talking with Leukos after the dance. They shared a kiss in the rose gardens of the Moon Castle. In their current lives, the coaches of their basketball teams hold collaborative practices which allowed them to encounter one another. From her teammates, she learned that Shiyu was a part-time model. He was intrigued by the coldness she displayed on the basketball court and her energetic nature off it. She refers to him as "Shiyu-san". They went to each other's games, cooperated in their alter egos and as they got to know one another and eventually remembered their past lives with one another, they fell in love and later dated in secret.
Her type of person is someone who is athletic.
Player She Has Her Eyes On
Taiga Kagami
Guardian Form
Name
Sailor Dia, Sailor Guardian of Love and Transcendence
Guardian Starseed
Dia Crystal
Mission
To protect Dia (formerly), Princess Jupiter, and Earth
Realm of Influence
Dia, channeling lightning, and cherry blossoms into the shape of a horse, plant manipulation
Past Life
In her previous life, she was found to have the Dia Crystal at birth and so she was named Dia after the moon whose Sailor Crystal she possessed, and she guarded her post on Dia. However, after falling in love with the Eros Knight during Princess Serenity’s and Princess Tranquility’s 14th birthday ball, she and a number of Jovian Moon Sailor Guardians were executed by Zeus’s 49 lightning bolts on Hera’s command as they had sworn an oath to only value Princess Jupiter.
Guardian Animal
Hadad, a being from the canine planet, Argos. He has the Jupiter astrological mark in green on his forehead. He has sesame fur and true-blue eyes and looks like an Akita Inu in his animal form. In Saya's previous life, Zeus tasked him with being Dia's companion. In his Argoan humanoid form, he has pale skin, thick black hair with brown highlights tied back into a ponytail with a blue ribbon and stands at 6'0". Along with his companion, Bêlit, a fellow dog familiar, they run a café in their humanoid forms that is supposed to be the center of operations for Jovian Moon Sailor Guardians is named the "Rose Macaron". The café is in Saya's neighborhood and since she and her grandfather don't know how to cook, her breakfasts and bentos are provided by Hadad and Bêlit for free, lessening the burden on her aunt to provide meals for them. After Saya awakens as Sailor Dia, he starts living with Saya to guide her in her duties as a Sailor Guardian.
Allies and Teammates
The Jovian Moon Sailor Guardians
As Saya is the eldest and the one with the most physical strength of the awakened Jovian Moon Sailor Guardians in Japan, she was elected by her comrades to act as the second in command of their group. As their birthdays are all close together, they had a joint birthday party with Makoto held at Allette's house.
Makoto Kino aka Sailor Jupiter
In their previous lives, they had met during her initiation ceremony as Princess Jupiter’s guardian Sailor Guardian. When Princess Serenity released the power of the Silver Crystal which emerged from her tear, Saya had regained all her memories from her previous life including that of Princess Jupiter but the shock of remembering her previous life caused her to pass out and promptly forget. She wouldn't regain them until she awakened as Sailor Dia. When Makoto finds potential in Saya's smushed cooking, she's determined to help her be a better cook with Hadad's assistance which works successfully. When the two of them spar, it's sure to be an intense and noisy sparring session.
Allette Shiratori aka Sailor Leda
The two of them are classmates, the double aces of Jūban High's girls' basketball team which makes them partners on the court, and fellow Jovian Moon Sailor Guardians tasked with the responsibility of protecting Princess Jupiter. They spend a lot of time on the court and outside of school together because of their connections. As Allette continues to play alongside Saya, she realizes that Saya was someone with the same physical abilities as the Princesses of Basketball but did not become one of them. Both have exceptional physical ability at basketball. Allette's intelligence allows her to help her figure out ways to lead the team to victory which forces her to rely on Saya from the beginning but over time, she comes to trust Saya completely and vice versa. Saya admires Allette's physical abilities and intelligence and can sense some fear emanating from Allette on the court because of playing alongside her for so long not knowing that Allette fears that one loss could cost her freedom.
Transformation Token
Rose Gloss
A lip gloss tube with a golden cap with the Dia emblem on it that has a red rose in the cap and sakura pink gloss. The red rose petals are magically released from the container and brush against her lips to give them gloss during the final part of her transformation.
Henshin Phrase
“Dia Jupiter Power, Make Up!”
Henshin Sequence
She holds out her outstretched hand which has a sakura pink manicure and her lip gloss tube materializes before her palm, she grabs it, she twirls it, and light emanates from the Dia emblem on her lip gloss cap, her bare body is bathed in pink light as red rose petals come from the Dia emblem of the lip gloss tube as she jumps up high in the air with her knees bent and one leg is higher than the other while spinning. Electricity emerges from the Dia emblem and covers the rose petals. As she continues to spin, she is fully transformed. She pumps her arms while her hands are balled up into fists as she faces forward, grins with her teeth showing before putting her lips in a closed smile as red rose petals brush against her lips to give them gloss then she stands before a sakura pink colored Dia with both arms raised but her right arm is higher than her left and her legs are spread apart.
Symbol
N/A
Guardian Challenge
“Sailor Guardian of Love and Transcendence! Sailor Dia! Wielding a horse’s ferocity, I’ll leave you pulverized!”
Guardian Fuku
It is the typical Solar System fuku but her back bow has pointed, sakura pink tails with golden trims that have three white beads and a pink rose charm hanging from it. Her earrings are pale pink rose and red pink cherry blossoms with one tear shaped red pink gem dangling from it. Her collar has three white stripes on it. She has sakura pink heels with cherry blossoms on the sides and on the bottom. Her dominant color is sakura pink, and her accent color is wine red.
Weapon
Tiara Lightning Rod
Guardian Forms
base, super, eternal
Attacks
Wild Horse Pulverization!
Sailor Dia pumps her right fist in the air before thrusting her fist forward and a big electrical horse charges towards the target, electrocuting it.
Dia Cherry Bombs!
The lightning rod extending from Sailor Dia’s tiara generates multiple red electric balls at a rapid pace that strike the target.
Dia Rosaceae Potpourri!
Sailor Dia spreads her arms out and balls her hands into fists as flurries of pink rose petals are used to blind the opponent.
Cherry Blossom Horse!
Sailor Dia pumps both fists in the air then starts making punching motions which summons a big horse made of cherry blossoms which charges towards the target, electrocuting it.
Strawberry Horsepower Storm!
(Achieved in her Super form.) Her lightning rod extends from her tiara and in the sakura pink background is an image of a Red Chestnut Arabian horse in a strawberry field and the lightning rod gathers red lightning which is released as she pumps down her arms and hands balled in fists.
Violent Horse Stampede!
(Achieved in her Eternal form.) As Sailor Dia stomps her feet while her arms are bent and balled into fists, 9 electric horses are summoned and charge forward, electrocuting everything in its path.
Stats
Stats
Physical Ability: 10/10
Technique: 8/10
Stamina: 8/10
Mental Strength: 9/10
Special Ability: 9/10
Lei Motif
Transformation Music
Battle Music
Miscellaneous
Inspirations
The Blood anime franchise and its protagonist inspired her creation and story as she was originally meant to be my take on the Blood franchise's Saya. Her spirit animal, the horse, inspired her personality traits. The imagery of a horse made of cherry blossoms used in one of her attacks was inspired by Fanfare of Adolescence. Her aunt being identical twins with her late mother was inspired by Love Witch.