Mars Firebird Strike [anime]

First Appearance: English Ep.48 / Japanese Ep.54

See Also: Anime only attack!

In Brief: Mars Firebird Strike has to be one of my favourite attacks in the series. Not only is it extremely powerful but it also seems to have a conciousness of it's own that allows it to screech, fly and dodge counter attacks that the enemy throws at it.

While it's only used a couple of times in the series (exclusively in the Doom Tree arc in Sailor Moon R) it definitely left an impression on me and makes one wonder why it wasn't used in any other version of Sailor Moon.

Cultural: "Fenghuang are mythological Chinese birds that reign over all other birds. In the West, it is commonly referred to as the Chinese phoenix and occasionally Ho-Oh bird (from the Japanese name Ho-Oh).

Fenghuang seems to have no connection with the phoenix of the Western world, which derives from Egyptian mythology. Peculiarly, the "Western" (actually: Ancient Egyptian) phoenix may also in part reference a prehistoric bird, the Bennu Heron. Unlike the Fenghuang, which is a chimera not very much like any actual bird (though elements of a cock and a cursorial groundbird probably best interpreted as an ostrich are recognizable), the Egyptian phoenix was a rather conventional animal most often considered similar to a heron or eagle which "merely" had a supernatural lifestyle.

During the Han Dynasty (2,200 years ago) the phoenix was used as a symbol depicting the direction south, shown as a male and female phoenix facing each other. It was also used to symbolize the Empress in a pairing with a dragon where the dragon represents the Emperor. It might come from the merging of eastern and western tribes of ancient China.[citation needed] The phoenix represented power sent from the heavens to the Empress. If a phoenix was used to decorate a house it symbolized that loyalty and honesty were in the people that lived there. Or alternatively, phoenix only stays when the ruler is without darkness and corruption."
-- Taken from Wikipedia

The Move: The first time Sailor Mars summons this attack she performs Mars Fireball Charge and then Mars Fire Ignite which blasts the charm created by the first attack causing the flame to form Mars Firebird Strike.

The second time though she simply calls out it's attack phrase to summon the mighty firebird attack.