Makoto and Minako share a very close friendship in the anime. It's obvious from all the shots of the two of them together, and how they attack together, and Heck.. even DiC knew this cuz on their released tapes they put Jupiter and Venus' appearances on the same tape! ^_^
Makoto is the motherly type Inner Senshi. She cooks, she cleans, she takes care of her friends, successfully! She looks up to Haruka for her balance of feminine and masculine traits, and to Michiru for her lady like characteristics. She's the Senshi of "wood" and has a rather unerving control over lightning as well. Mako is completely boy crazy and all guys remind her of her ex boyfriend. *siiiiiigh* She also has a slightly violent temper, in that she reacts with her fists, not her mind. This is NOT to say Mako-chan is stupid, far from it! Makoto is very smart when it comes to people, and has one of the biggest hearts in the whole series.
Minako on the other hand is the most experianced Senshi, not counting Pluto. She's rather ditzy at times, but can be very smart and loving as well. She *tries* to take care of her friends, but just ends up making them feel worse, although they know she cares. Minako is prone to extremes, and this is shown when she tries to have her heart proven "pure." Minako is a sweet heart and one of the nicest, if not the nicest Senshi. She has nothing against anyone, she loves the world. But she's no fool, she will not have anyone screw her over, unlike Usagi. She is also rather boy crazy, beliving that the senshi of love should BE in love.
So how did two girls get to be such good friends? They must have bonded being the new girls on the team and being so boy crazy. Ami, Rei, and Usagi all had a LOT of time to get to know each other before Minako and Makoto joined up with the three M's. By this time Usagi and Rei's friendship was cemented, and Ami while nice and kind and even funny, well, she doesn't seem to be best friends with anyone except maybe Usagi or perhaps even Rei, although for awhile she and Mako bond. But Minako comes along and she and Makoto click. Soon they are attacking together, lamenting about having no love lives together, hanging out, and just paling around.
I think one of the best aspects of their relationship is that they need each other so much. Mako-chan NEEDS someone to take care of, someone to fuss over, and Usagi isn't always there. ^_- Minako feels the same way, but also looks up to Makoto as a mother figure since she doesn't really get along with hers. She learns to cook a wee bit, and Makoto gets to pass along things that her own mother taught her so she never forgets them. I think Makoto is drawn to the innocence in Minako as well as the sadness Mina-chan carries around.
Coincidentally, Minako is drawn to the sadness in Mako-chan. She sees someone who desperately needs a friend, someone to call their best friend. And Minako loves to feel loved, so she loves Makoto like an older sister and wants to learn things from her and cheer her up. Mako-chan represents a motherly figure who will let her grow and be free, but always be there to help her up when she falls, if not catch her before she lands. They help and nurture each other in ways the other senshi couldn't hope to.
It doesn't hurt that they both LOVE
boy watching and sports. Volleyball and PE are definately athletic, and you cannot tell me Makoto doesn't like to vent during PE. It should be right up there in her favorite classes, and she'd be so good at it too! So they probably have sports teams to be on together, and can help each other with that too. And lets not forget gossiping! Plus both Senshi seem to have adjusted well to that life, and when one faulters, the other is there to help them right back up.
Some may say, so why is it that Venus doesn't cry when Jupiter is killed, yet Usagi does. Or why in the Manga did Minako not hessiate to kick Makoto's butt? Simple. The good of the mission. Jupiter fights with such passion and abandon that Venus knows her friend wouldn't want to go any other way. And kicking Mako's butt? Remember, she's not best friends with Mako in the manga! *grins*
These are just my opinions, and I may be a wee bit biased BUT I do honestly and truly think that Makoto and Minako are best friends in the anime. M&Ms forever!
