WATARU AMANOGAWA:


click for larger version Wataru Amanogawa is a physics teacher at Juuban High School who appears in episode 177 (Hoshi ni Takusu Yume to Roman! Taiki no Henshin). Ami admires him greatly for his work. She meets him in the hallway one day to speak to him about a comet he has discovered called the Wateru Comet (which he refers to as "Francois"). She has calculated the time when the comet will appear, but just as she is about to tell him, Taiki interrupts and says that they will be able to see at 9:15 on the next night in the Southern sky, almost crossing over Katarus, and that they will see it for ten minutes. Professor Amanogawa recognizes Taiki, and says that it is a pleasure to have two students in the school who know about the comet. Taiki says that he is surprised to know a physics teacher that refused an invitation from Cambridge University to be a visiting professor in the theoretical astronomy laboratory. The teacher is surprised that Taiki knows so much about him, but the student tells him that it was in the files he received... Professor Amanogawa is supposed to attend the filming of a children's program of which Taiki will the MC. Taiki asks why he doesn't go to Cambridge, and the teacher tells him that he just enjoys watching the stars... it makes him feel relaxed. Ami tells him that he is a romantic, but Professor Amanogawa just laughs and says that space is full of dreams and romance. Taiki says that there is no need for dreams and romance in academic research. Ami disagrees, saying that she doesn't think Professor Amanogawa could have found the comet without his dreams and romance. Taiki says that he can't believe that that is the opinion of someone who shared the top score with him. Professor Amanogawa interrupts to two and invites them both to come to his house tomorrow night to look at the comet.

Meanwhile, at the Ginga TV studio, in the Third Production Room, Nezu Chuuko (Sailor Iron Mouse) sits reading a newspaper. She reads that the Wataru Comet will be approaching the Earth again after a fifteen year interval. She looks at an attractive picture of Professor Amanogawa in the newspaper and decides that he looks good, choosing him as the next target.

Later, at a television studio, the children's program is being filmed. Professor Amanogawa says that there are many stars that humans do not know about and, addressing the audience, says, "Perhaps they are waiting to be discovered by one of you someday." Taiki asks the children in the audience if they have any questions. Several children excitedly raise their hands. Taiki finally chooses one child, who stands and asks if people become stars when they die. Most of the children giggle at the question. Professor Amanogawa nods and says that it might be true... in many legends and myths, people pass away to become stars. Perhaps the souls of one's ancestors are looking down on everyone right now to guide them. Taiki coldly says, "Sensei, people who die cannot become stars! It's the power of living humans that make the stars!" The children in the audience gasp.

Later, Nezu Chuuko walks up to Wataru Amanogawa's house in the rain. Inside, Ami drinks tea and looks out the window, saying that it doesn't look like the rain will stop. The doorbell rings... it is Nezu Chuuko. Professor Amanogawa walks outside with his umbrella and says that if she wants an interview with him, to please to it briefly. She says, "Not you, but Professor Amanogawa, please." He says that he IS Wataru Amanogawa! She doesn't believe him, and holds up the picture from the newspaper to compare. Professor Amanogawa looks at the photograph from the newspaper and says that it is from fifteen years ago. Nezu says to her herself that it is no wonder he looks so obsolete... but there is no choice now. Jumping into the air and throwing her pinstriped suit aside, Nezu jumps into the air and screams, "Chuu!" to transform into Sailor Iron Mouse. The teacher's umbrella and glasses fall to the ground, and Iron Mouse decides that he is a good-looking man after all. She demands his Star Seed, and uses her bracelets to shoot two orbs of golden light at him. A flower comes out of his forehead and blooms, revealing his Star Seed. Much to Iron Mouse's disappointment, the Star Seed clouds over... it is not a true Star Seed. Ami runs out of the house just as Professor Amanogawa transforms into a phage called Sailor Teacher. Sailor Iron Mouse then disappears.

After a battle in the rain with Sailor Mercury, Sailor Star Maker, and Eternal Sailor Moon, he is finally healed by Sailor Moon's "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss" attack. Just as he is healed, the rain clears from the sky, so that the Wataru Comet can be viewed. Later Ami, Usagi, Minako, Makoto, and Rei stand in Professor Amanogawa's observatory as the teacher looks into the large telescope. He tells the excited girls that they will see it the comet soon. The doorbell rings, and Taiki appears. Professor Amanogawa looks into his telescope and sees Wataru Comet. "Francois, isn't it?" asks Ami. Professor Amanogawa blushes and the two laugh.

Wataru Amanogawa appears only in episode 177 of the anime, and never in any other continuum. His seiyuu is Hideyuki Tanaka.

See Also:
Francois
Hideyuki Tanaka
Hoshi ni Takusu Yume to Roman! Taiki no Henshin
Juuban High School
Sailor Teacher
Wataru Comet