Minako Aino is the civilian identity of Sailor V, a teenage pop idol who becomes the first Sailor Guardian to awaken her powers. In the live-action series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon: Act.Zero, she is already a well-known celebrity when she encounters the white cat Artemis on Christmas night. Artemis reveals her destiny as a guardian of love and justice and gives her a transformation pen, allowing her to become Sailor V. Her earliest mission involves protecting a young Usagi Tsukino from a group of jewel thieves led by a stage magician named Q.T. Kenko and his assistants, the Killer Girls.

Minako’s background as a solo fighter gives her a maturity and sense of purpose that sets her apart from the other girls when they later meet. She is athletic, confident, and highly skilled in combat, having honed her abilities through months of independent battles. Despite her fame and cheerful public persona, she takes her duty seriously and is willing to make personal sacrifices to protect others. She is romantic at heart and often gives advice about love, but her own experiences in that area are limited. Her personality balances a playful, energetic enthusiasm with a serious, focused determination when the situation demands it.

As Sailor V, Minako is the leader of the Inner Sailor Guardians, serving as a decoy princess to safeguard the true princess, Usagi. She acts as a protector and mentor to Usagi, whom she first watches over from a distance. Her relationship with Artemis is that of a close partnership; he lives with her and serves as both her advisor and friend. Over time, she forms strong bonds with the other Sailor Guardians, particularly Usagi, with whom she shares a mischievous and supportive friendship.

Developmentally, Minako begins as a lone warrior and gradually learns to trust and fight alongside others. She carries the weight of her past battles, which gives her a depth that occasionally surfaces beneath her lighthearted exterior. Her powers are associated with light, love, and the metal gold. She wields the Crescent Beam attack, which channels light energy, and later the Love-Me Chain, a versatile weapon that can bind enemies or deliver powerful strikes. She also possesses enhanced physical strength and agility, as well as the ability to inspire and rally her teammates. In Act.Zero, she is portrayed as a capable and charismatic figure whose journey as a hero begins long before she joins the full team.