Sanae Tsukimoto

* Middle schooler
* Adult

**Sanae Tsukimoto** (月本 サナエ, *Tsukimoto Sanae*) is one of Nishikata's and Takagi's classmates and a close friend of Mina and Yukari.

## Appearance

Sanae is a young girl with short black hair, grey-colored eyes, and a light complextion. Most notably, she keeps a very stoic facial expression, regardless of her mood. In school, she is seen wearing her standard uniform. Outside of school, she is seen wearing more casual clothing.

As an adult in the spin-off manga, she becomes quiet tall, even taller than adult Yukari. Her hair style changes too, the hair on her left side is slightly longer than on her right. She wears casual clothing. Once she was wearing a button up top and jeans and another time she also had a jacket.

## Personality

Sanae is a very blunt, yet caring and intelligent girl. Known for always having a very stoic expression and demeanor, Sanae likes to keep to herself. She is extremely athletic and is particularly adept at running and swimming. She is rather tomboyish. Unlike her friend Yukari, she is not studious. Underneath her typically expressionless exterior, Sanae is shown to care greatly for her two closest friends, Mina and Yukari. She may seem outwardly serious but when she is with her two closest friends, she gets almost as excited and chaotic as Mina. The three girls are constantly seen together, both in and out of school. Sanae does not show it but she has a soft spot for animals. In one instance, Sanae was chasing a cat that had taken Yukari's snack. However, upon realizing that the cat had taken the snack in order to feed its kittens, Sanae decided to let the feline keep the stolen snack.

As an adult, her personality does not change. She remains blunt, stoic, still pulls Mina's cheeks if she annoys her and she still annoys Yukari.

## Relationships

### Yukari Tenkawa

*Main article: Yukari Tenkawa*

Yukari is one of Sanae's best friends. They hang out together all the time both in and out of school along with Yukari. Outside school, they often meet up at each other's houses. They even go to other places like the beach and the summer festival together. Though they love each other, Sanae often teams up with Mina to tease Yukari which really gets on Yukari's nerves. Sanae also annoys Yukari by slacking off on her studies and always asks for Yukari's notes and help. Yukari reprimands her for slacking off and says that she won't help but always ends up helping her anyway. Sanae does not share Yukari's passion about romance, another thing that annoys Yukari. Sanae has a habit of pinching Mina's cheeks when she is annoyed with her but always stops when Yukari scolds her for doing it. There are times when Mina annoys Yukari and Sanae with her overly bright and slightly silly personality, on those occasions, Yukari tells Sanae to go ahead and pinch Mina's cheeks and Sanae gladly does so. Yukari and Mina had managed to get Sanae to wear a Yukata for the summer festival and tie her hair in a ponytail. Sanae neither likes to dress up like that nor does she like tying her hair but the compliments from her friends made her happy and she decided to stay dressed that way for the sake of her friends. Once when a cat stole Yukari's food, Sanae chased the cat for a very long time to get back Yukari's snack for her which shows how much she cares for her.

As adults they are the same. Sanae annoys Yukari and Yukari scolds Sanae.

### Mina Hibino

*Main article: Mina Hibino*

Mina is one of Sanae's best friends. They hang out together all the time both in and out of school along with Yukari. Outside school, they often meet up at each other's houses. They even go to other places like the beach and the summer festival together. Even though Sanae loves her friend, she often gets annoyed by Mina's overly optimistic and boisterous nature. Whenever Sanae gets annoyed with Mina, she pinches her cheeks very tightly, though she does not intend it to be something mean or hurtful. Sanae always ends up eating Mina's food like ice cream or the food from her bento but also makes up for it by giving her something else. Sanae seems like a very quiet and serious person but when she is with her friends, she is almost as chaotic and hyper as Mina. Mina and Sanae slack off in their studies and tease Yukari together which always gets on Yukari's nerves. Once when Takao was sort of insulting girls for their interest in writing letters and was directing the insults more toward Mina, Sanae got angry and kicked Takao for insulting her friend and girls in general. Yukari and Mina had managed to get Sanae to wear a Yukata for the summer festival and tie her hair in a ponytail. Sanae neither likes to dress up like that nor does she like tying her hair but the compliments from her friends made her happy and she decided to stay dressed that way for the sake of her friends. One time Mina gave her rubber band to Sanae because she and Yukari wanted to see Sanae with a ponytail. Sanae does not like tying her hair but she decided to keep it that way for some time because Mina thought she looked pretty.

As adults, they are still close and have not changed. Mina often annoys Sanae and her cheeks get pinched by Sanae as a result. Sanae still steals Mina's food.

## Etymology

* The name **Sanae** is written in katakana (サナエ), which has no special meaning. However, when written in kanji (早苗, 小苗, 真愛, 真絵, 真慧, 真得, 早菜枝, 早奈恵, 早奈枝, 早南恵, 早名恵, 颯苗, 小奈恵, 紗名江, 紗南江, 紗苗, 紗那江, 紗奈枝, 紗奈絵, 紗菜江, 五奈江, 佐菜絵, 佐菜枝, 佐奈絵, 佐奈江, 佐那絵, 佐那江, 佐南絵, 佐南江, 佐名絵, 佐苗, 左茄絵, 左菜絵, 左菜江, 左奈絵, 左奈江, 左那絵, 左那枝, 左苗, 左名江, 沙茄江, 沙菜恵, 沙奈恵, 沙那枝, 沙南枝, 沙苗, 沙名恵, 沙名枝, 砂茄恵, 砂茄枝, 砂菜恵, 砂奈絵, 砂那絵, 砂那枝, 砂南江, 砂名恵, 彩奈恵, 彩苗, 采奈依, 冴菜絵, 咲菜恵, 咲七枝, 咲奈恵, 咲那江, 咲苗, 作苗, 桜苗, 皐苗, 三直恵 or 実苗), it could possibly mean:\*\*早苗 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 小苗 - "small" (小) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 真愛 - "real, genuine" (真) (**sana**) and "love, affection" (愛) (**e**).
	+ 真絵 - "real, genuine" (真) (**sana**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 真慧 - "real, genuine" (真) (**sana**) and "intelligent" (慧) (**e**).
	+ 真得 - "real, genuine" (真) (**sana**) and "gain, get, find, earn, acquire, can, may, able to, profit, advantage, benefit, interest" (得) (**e**).
	+ 早菜枝 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 早奈恵 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 早奈枝 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 早南恵 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 早名恵 - "already, now, fast, early" (早) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 颯苗 - "sudden, sound of the wind" (颯) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 小奈恵 - "small" (小) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 紗名江 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 紗南江 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 紗苗 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 紗那江 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 紗奈枝 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 紗奈絵 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 紗菜江 - "thread, silk" (紗) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 五奈江 - "five" (五) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 佐菜絵 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 佐菜枝 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 佐奈絵 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 佐奈江 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 佐那絵 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 佐那江 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 佐南絵 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 佐南江 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 佐名絵 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 佐苗 - "help, aid" (佐) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 左茄絵 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "eggplant" (茄) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 左菜絵 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 左菜江 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 左奈絵 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 左奈江 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 左那絵 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 左那枝 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 左苗 - "left" (左) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 左名江 - "left" (左) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 沙茄江 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "eggplant" (茄) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 沙菜恵 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 沙奈恵 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 沙那枝 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 沙南枝 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 沙苗 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 沙名恵 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 沙名枝 - "sand" (沙) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 砂茄恵 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "eggplant" (茄) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 砂茄枝 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "eggplant" (茄) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 砂菜恵 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 砂奈絵 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 砂那絵 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 砂那枝 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 砂南江 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "south" (南) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 砂名恵 - "sand, grit" (砂) (**sa**), "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 彩奈恵 - "color" (彩) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 彩苗 - "color" (彩) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 采奈依 - "dice, form, appearance, take, gather, coloring" (采) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "rely on" (依) (**e**).
	+ 冴菜絵 - "be clear, serene, cold, skillful" (冴) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "picture, painting" (絵) (**e**).
	+ 咲菜恵 - "blossom" (咲) (**sa**), "vegetables, greens" (菜) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 咲七枝 - "blossom" (咲) (**sa**), "seven" (七) (**na**) and "branch" (枝) (**e**).
	+ 咲奈恵 - "blossom" (咲) (**sa**), "apple tree" (奈) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 咲那江 - "blossom" (咲) (**sa**), "what?" (那) (**na**) and "bay, inlet" (江) (**e**).
	+ 咲苗 - "blossom" (咲) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 作苗 - "written, work, production, cultivation, tillage" (作) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 桜苗 - "cherry blossom" (桜) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 皐苗 - "swamp, shore" (皐) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
	+ 三直恵 - "three" (三) (**sa**), "straight, direct" (直) (**na**) and "favor, benefit" (恵) (**e**).
	+ 実苗 - "fruit, good result, truth" (実) (**sa**) and "seedling, sapling, shoot" (苗) (**nae**).
* Sanae's surname **Tsukimoto** means "moon" (月) (**tsuki**) and "base, root, origin, source" (本) (**moto**).

## Trivia

* Sanae can drink dark coffee with ease, much to the surprise of her friends.
* Sanae is a marathoner and a very good one too.
* Sanae only smiled twice in the anime, in Episode 6 of Season 3, after Takagi hugs Nishikata by the end of the play and in Episode 8 of Season 3, after seeing the view at the top of the staircase with 415 steps.
* In the Season 3 opening, Sanae is seen tailing Takagi and Nishikata with Yukari Tenkawa and Mina Hibino.
* Sanae has a older sister named Tsukimoto-sensei, who works as a P.E. teacher at the same school she went in and is engaged with Tanabe-sensei.
* Originally, it was hinted in Chapter 108 that Takao's crush is Sanae, but it is later confirmed in Chapter 112 after Takao blushes when realizing Sanae had arrived during his beach trip. It is unknown whether or not Sanae shares a similar interest.
* Sanae is one of the main characters in the spin-off manga, Ashita wa Doyōbi by Sōichirō Yamamoto.
* Sanae is the only one among her friends in the spin-off manga who remains unmarried.
* Sanae's age in the spin-off is never revealed, but estimated to be around 26 - 27 year old.
	+ Her age being around 26 - 27 year old is due to the fact that she went to the same school and class with Takagi/Nishikata. In Chapter 31, Takagi mentioned *"it has been over 10 years since those days in middle school"* while reading through her middle school graduation album. Since the age students graduate from middle school in Japan is 14 - 15 year old, then add **over** 10 years to it. 14 to 15 plus more than 10 is around 24-25, and raised to 26 due to the "more than" part of her comment.