Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Jabroniville
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Davies wrote: Thu Mar 07, 2019 3:11 pm There's a reason that SuperS is the "okay, whatever" season. In fact, there are many reasons ...
It's very weird- this is the most focus a "Temporary Best Friend" character has had in FOREVER, yet the story is basically "child abuse is okay if you're trying to dissuade your daughter from a swordfighting career".
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #140: LOL, when my friend and I saw the ad for this one, we saw the infamous shot of Topless Fish Eye and were like "OH MY GOD SHE GETS NAKED IN THIS ONE- AWESOME!!!!", but it's pretty clear here that it's just a bare-chested dude. The story here is that a Yusuke, a fashion designer is struggling with artist's block, much to his frustration, and finds his "muse" in the beautiful Fish Eye. Recognizing that FE is a male (it's rather clear to me that the assistant has feelings for Yusuke, too, and they may be returned), he nonetheless prepares a new line for this muse. However, FE's shitty behavior soon sends all the staff away- FE orders Yusuke to either fire the assistant (who was chiding him for messing with Yusuke's designs) or he'll quit- the assistant chooses to quit rather than putting Yusuke on the spot.

Despite being Filler City, this one has some GREAT animation, with way more frames than we'd normally get. Usagi's leg as she flails around in the bathtub, water pouring out of her shower cap and slowly deflating it, and more- this is one of the GOOD directors. A chance meeting with Usagi actually helps, too- a tortured Yusuke (unable to comprehend why no one else understands the need for his muse) acts out around her, and in a great bit, she does that little "Sly side glance" thing she does and goes "Are you in a slump?" which just makes him go "UGH!" Then she shamelessly asks him to design a wedding gown for her- FOR FREE. Yet this actually makes him laugh (especially when she does it again LATER), and when he says "you actually make me want to design this for you...", the phrasing "want to design" actually shocks him into realizing that he's into fashion and design because he LOVES IT, not out of a sense of duty or work.

His energy renewed, he tells off Fish Eye... but of course gets attacked. Sailor Moon, Chibi-Moon & Tuxedo Mask handily defeat the bouncing-ball Lemures, and they all attend his next fashion gala... with tons of mini-skirts and girls with odango-hair. Not a bad episode when it deals with Yusuke and his business (the fact that he and his assistant are clearly gay is interesting and unique, too, as it's not dwelled upon), actually, though again Usagi's immaturity is an issue, as is the COMPLETE LACK of most of the supporting cast.

(Monster Powers: Bouncing/Leaping, Area Damage)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #141: Haha, oh jesus- a Minako-focused episode. These are always just nuts these days. And sure enough, she's now targetted by the baddies... but both Tiger's Eye AND Hawk's Eye are after her! And hilariously, Minako is TWO-TIMING them! Except both know about it, and are competing with each other. Artemis is disappointed in her lack of focus on the mission, and follows her around, while Minako goes FULL EGOTISTICAL SNOT over all the attention. And then she pulls an "Archie Andrews" and makes both dates for the same time, resulting in her trying to actually go on both dates at once. It's about as exhausting as you would expect, with Artemis being disappointed in her, while the girls just chide her.

Humorusly, Minako learns NOTHING, and still tries to say she likes both men! And when they peer into her dreams... they're left a bit horrified ("This girl is too much!" becomes "I need a SHOWER!" in the dub, which is a much better gag). The Eye Boys summon twin Lemureses to fight the remaining Sailors (only one is missing, but do these guys clue in? NOPE). Their acrobatic girls do some damage, but Venus wakes up and gets ENRAGED over her "pure feelings" being trampled, and so she breaks free from the board out of sheer willpower ("Scary!" Artemis shouts), transforms, and throws out a "Crescent Beam Barrage" (a multiattack version of her original attack), which not only scarers off Hawk's & Tiger's Eye, but knocks down their monsters!

In the end, Minako dramatically apologizes to the gang (who just kind of laugh), then gets a bit morose, staring at the night sky. "I can't believe I let them play me like that" and wonders if she'll ever find true love. Artemis teases her with "I think you were playing them pretty well in return", then suggests that love may be something she comes across after many experiences. A neat little ending that kind of makes me wish this season had more of that kind of stuff.

(Monster Powers: Summon See-Saw, Jumping Around/Slams)

(First Appearance: A catchy new techno finale)
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Davies
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Davies »

Said finale was written by Naoko Takeuchi, I believe.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #142: Some more filler, but with a MUCH older person than is normal- a shrewish, mean old woman who harrasses grocery store clerks over past sales (OH GOD I HATE THIS WOMAN), but shows hidden depths when she takes care of Diana (who goes to investigate this women who cruelly rebuffed Mamoru for attempting to help her). It turns out that she and this great chef (Mako marks out over him, which is cute) were once in love. But the guy is largely glossed over because there's just too much plot to go around- Chibi-Usa visits the home and hears about how lonely the lady is, and Hawk's Eye moves in on her... but she rebuffs him the same way she did Mamo. Pissed off ("She made a fool of me!"), he attacks.

The fight scene is over REALLY fast- just too much story, I guess. The Lemures drives in circles around Sailors Moon & Chibi-Moon, but Tuxedo Mask arrives and his one shot distracts her enough to get killed. It's very, VERY odd going back to the old "Tuxedo Mask Distraction" well again.

And yeah, they wrap up the plot with the dude explaining- he left her 20 years ago to train in France, rejecting their mutual dream to turn this giant house (which was hunted by "land sharks" we saw for two seconds) into a great restaurant. But now, feeling guilty, he gets the romantic line "I've never found pot-au-feu that surpasses yours" (SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTH). And so he begs forgiveness, they look into each other's eyes, and open a great restaurant in her mansion.

Not BAD, I guess, but a bit overloaded with characters and no time to focus on anyone. Also carries an asinine subplot that Usagi is jealous of Mamoru for offering the old lady an umbrella, despite EVERYONE telling her to knock it off.

(Monster Powers: Sits Inside Large Bike Tire)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #143: This is a vastly important episode, as it's the POWER-UP for all the girls into their "Super" forms (Super Sailor Mars, Super Sailor Mercury, etc.)... but of course we STILL HAVE A VICTIM OF THE WEEK. And also, notably, they don't bother to debut the girls' new attacks this episode, either. I really question the necessity of doing a Filler Episode addition to what should be a more-focused ep. The focus is a little boy (a bit older than Chibi-Usa) who plays soccer and wants to date our young heroine, and... FISH EYE is into him? Oh JESUS!! Even Hawk's & Tiger's Eye are horrified at this Michael Jackson shit, yo. "Those growing, lustrously supple arms and legs..." AGH.

Chibi-Usa gets playfully teased by the other Sailors about this "Robert" boy asking her out, and they give some good-natured advice. However, it's clear that Chibi-Usa is feeling something for PEGASUS, as her protestations over the date, and her declaration of what true love is like ("When you want your time together to go on forever!"), reveal some deeper feelings (as does Pegasus going all "eye-watery" when she tells him of the boy who asked her out).

Then of course Fish Eye dresses as a "cool big sister" and tries to SEDUCE THE LITTLE BOY HOLY JESUS CHRIST, but in a funny bit, he acts more annoyed at "her" cooing over sports and young men's thighs, and bails to go meet Chibi-Usa. FE immediately attacks him, and then the Lemures (goofily dressed up like a muscular man in a Pegasus costume) blocks Sailors Moon & Chibi-Moon from the others. The other four arrive, but their attacks can't penetrate the barrier. Pegasus injures himself against the barrier (without him, Sailor Moon is helpless)- the girls, initially mistrustful of his intentions thanks to some FE trickery (his disguised Lemures was attacking random people before this), finally accept his offer to transfrom them into "Super Sailor Guardians".

Their transformations are quick- new Transformation Sticks appear, and the girls basically gain slightly pimped-out versions of their standard outfits- they gain the same "transparent shoulder cuffs" that Super Sailor Moon had in Sailor Moon S, much longer bows on their backs, chokers with stars on the front, Venus changes her earring color from orange to red, and Mercury gains extra earrings. And the power-up is immediately apparent, as their once-useless attacks now hit MUCH harder, shattering the barrier completely when all four move in tandem. Sailor Moon wrecks the Lemures easily, Fish Eye retreats, and Chibi-Usa lets Robert down easily.

Another sad bit, as with 57 episodes left to go in the series, we see Mercury's "Shine Aqua Illusion" for the final time. These little notes are bound to get more and more frequent (next episode we say goodbye to what was once an important character).

(Monster Powers: Creats a Massive Energy Dome)

(First Appearance: Super Sailor Mars, Super Sailor Mercury, Super Sailor Jupiter, Super Sailor Venus)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #144: This one is Mercury-focused, and it features the adorable subplot of Usagi's brother Shingo getting a schoolboy crush on Ami after she saves him- given her maturity and kind-heartedness, it's completely adorable. The episode is amazing right out of hte gate, as the girls start boy-watching at the beach, and Rei gets the binoculars literally the moment a dorky guy's saunters up in his speedos, complete with moose-knuckle bulge, as he and his loser friends hit on the girls. Shingo, roped into acting as "bodyguard" against undesirable males, sees them off. And then Ami acts all nice to him, he blushes, and the girls kind of "aww" over how cute it is. Ami gets one of those "Mercury is a Closet Romantic" moments when Tiger's Eye hits on her and she rebuffs him to the shock of her friends, pointing out that if fate ("God" in the original writing) has a man in store for her, then "wouldn't I feel something the moment we met?". With her lofty standards, no random "Meet Cute" will do. She suggests to Shingo that even though her dream is to become a doctor, her lack of solid family life (raised by a single mother, also a doctor) means she envies large families, and possibly wants one of her own.

Tiger's Eye soon blows up the raft the two are using, but Ami goes out of her way to give Shingo mouth-to-mouth. A shocked TE is all "Is this the human value known as friendship?" and knowingly wonders "do I have anyone I can call a friend?" Then he just gets sick of it and attacks anyway. When the Sailors arrive, his Lemures reveals herself... as a ball-swallower? A flat-chested ball-swallower, whose swallowed balls become big breasts, and then she regurgitates them out? I assume this is some Japanese thing. Ami gets her dreams looked at, but recovers pretty quickly, telling the gang to cover the Lemures's mouth before she can spit out another bomb. Tuxedo Mask, arriving with one of the most insane rambles yet (these are getting REALLY silly, by the way), all "this is a beach for bikini-clad blossoms- your bombs aren't welcome here!" and his hat plugs her mouth. It's over pretty quickly after that. Shingo feels guilt over his failure as their "bodyguard" (Tiger's Eye KO'd him pretty quickly), but Ami reassures him.

And yes, the girls manage to get their "Super Sailor" upgrades the episode prior, and get absolutely zero offense here. They clearly have their "Super" designs (transparent sleeves and a heart on the front bow), but are just sorta standing around.

This episode, sadly, marks the final time we see Shingo in the anime. He was never really a major character of focus- more something to humanize Usagi, but he was a source of amusement, some good teasing, and some fun early episodes (the pair with Mika; the laser tag one). And it's really astonishing that a show with FIFTY-SIX EPISODES LEFT in it couldn't find the time to show the MAIN CHARACTER'S BROTHER even once in all that time.

(Monster Powers: Exploding Balls)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #145: Wow, they waste ZERO time diving into this one- Usagi & Chibi-Usa join a free ballet class and instantly meet a girl who wants to be Giselle in the ballet, but Fish Eye also shows up, and does an ethereal dance that perfectly fits the way the Fairy character is supposed to behave (you can tell the teacher is entranced, because they go all the way with the "Haruka & Michiru Music" when he stares at FE). When the teacher favors FE a little too much and acts like she's the perfect "Giselle", Kiriko, his main student, runs off in a huff. Wow, her eyes arer drawn REALLY different from the rest of the cast- most of them have whites in the middle of their eyes, but hers are little highlights in the top corner- it makes her look much more ethereal and mature than the wide-eyed other girls. Her lips and cheeks are drawn with more detail, too.

Their relationship is actually given some complexity here (probably thanks to diving right into the plot- there isn't even a "Dead Moon" scene with the other two agents!), as it's clear Kiriko likes him, but he hasn't thought of her that way. However, a few little glimpses here and there make him realize aspects of her fit Gisele perfectly, and that while FE's technique is better, and perhaps more alien, this "imperfect" Gisele will be more likable to audiences. Then it's a villain attack, some actual POWERS from Fish Eye (they went all this time without showing he had water powers?), a goofy Nutcracker Doll enemy, and Tuxedo Mask's distraction leads to the ending. It's kind of odd seeing Mamoru being the secret to victory all the time again. The girls are entranced by Kiriko's Gisele at the final show... while even Tuxedo Mask tells Sailor Moon she needs to go on a diet (because of a few close-ups of some pudge over her waistline throughout the episode). Given how skinny Sailor Moon is drawn, and how Tuxedo Mask IS HER BOYFRIEND, that's a bit mean. Good episode otherwise, though the monster fight is again silly.

Also, Rei is wearing a teeny-tiny red belly shirt with a keyhole opening right above her boobs. I just feel I should mention that.

(Monster Powers: Walnuts- Blast & Rapid-fire Blast, Spinning Tutu Makes Others Dizzy)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #146: A very "old-school"-seeming Template Episode, this one featuring a runaway Princess, eager to avoid yet another stuffy royal duty, and wanting some freedom. She acts like a bit of a kook (lecturing people at random, giving away a balloon to a bratty child and not realizing that payment is required, and asking random people for assistance more directly than would ever be normal in Japanese society), and the Usagis follow her around. Diana shares the story that Neo-Queen Serenity & King Endymion ALSO get mysteriously ill and disappear when certain "royal duties" are required as well, which leads to a funny bit from Luna, who of course sees the truth Diana is to naive to see, and is disappointed in Future-Mamo.

Hawk's Eye is rapidly shot down by the Princess (who is drawn prettily, but with VERY heavy eyebrows, indicating Caucasian race), who thinks he's a palace guard here to take her back. So he just attacks. Luna pointing out "What if she believes ALL Japanese people are like Usagi?" and Mamoru being legitimately worried at the thought of it, is pretty funny.

This Lemures is a bit nutty- a ball with a face on it... riding an Elephant. Unusually, she gives some backstory that her older brother-in-law was one of the past Lemureses, and so she "owes them", "even though Gomumario and I never quite got along"- it's kind of a funny random aside, and Hawk's Eye has to shout at her to keep her head in the game. As Frank Welker is not Japanese, they're stuck with "obviously a person doing a bad elephant impression" for the elephant. LOLZ- Tuxedo Mask does the "throws a rose and begins his speech" thing and the Lemures just IGNORES IT and keeps on rolling around. He gets legitimately PO'd ("What the--?!") and actually has to dive in and use a "pool" trick, using his staff as cue.

(Monster Powers: Rolling Ball- Striking Damage)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

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Episode #147: Sailor Jupiter's turn for a Focus Episode! A scolded Tiger's Eye has decided to hook TONS of lovelorn women, all potential targets, at a "famous" College Dance, and of course Makoto and the girls are going to be there. Curiously, we see Motoki AND Unazuki show up (OUTSIDE OF THEIR JOBS!!!), delivering much-needed exposition about this dance being a famous "matchmaking" event. "Hey Motoki, isn's this how you hooked Reika?" And Mako's dress is HOLY CRAP INSANE, with a giant rose on the front, and a push-up bra seemingly built-in.

The dance party is fun to look at, with Motoki blushing around a sexy girl and Unazuki pulling him away all annoyed about it, the HORRENDOUS saxophone-pop-dance music playing, and the obligatory "close up of cleavage" of some random woman. But then we see Mako all sheepish, with a brave face on, as she leans against the wall all along, casually remarking to Ami that "when you're tall like me, nobody asks you to dance". Yeah, we all know those 5'6" Sasquatches are just unlovable. And then Ami, GOD BLESS THAT GIRL, is all "May I have this dance, then?" and the two run off and laugh on the dance floor. Adorbz. They dance well enough that Tiger's Eye notices her, and asks for the next dance. And... ohhh... oh, MAKO. You poor, sad, naive girl. Of COURSE she's got stars in her quivering eyes. MAKO STOP BLUSHING!! STOP PICTURING THE TWO OF YOU DANCING AT A ROMANTIC BALL, ALL WEARING WHITE!! Dammit, girl- you and your romantic heart.

awwwwwwww and then T.E. is all "lol I tossed in a sprat and caught a whale" because now all the OTHER girls want to dance with him. And Mako just kind of looks on, all innocent and confused, asking politely if they can dance again? JESUS. And then she decides to wait ALL NIGHT in case he comes for one more dance, and Usagi later finds out that she didn't even GO HOME because "I'd never forgive myself if he came by" while she was gone. Even Chibi-Usa is like "Oh, MAKO..." about this. Like, holy crap. And the girls resolve that they're just going to wait there WITH Mako, so she doesn't have to go it alone, because friendship is beautiful and I'M NOT CRYING, YOU'RE CRYING.

The girls all fall asleep at the side of the building as T.E. meets Fish's Eye (who OF COURSE wins a random beauty pageant, just because), he points out that he missed one last photo... the one of Mako. This makes him realize he blew her off too quickly, so he goes to seduce her... but is himself flustered when she openly fawns over him, and actually lectures her for trusting him so much after one dance. Fish's Eye has to force his hand, transforming and revealing her Dream Mirror.

Sailor Jupiter uses "Super Supreme Thunder"... one of a few Jupiter attacks that never showed up anywhere else but in the episode where they debuted. Though it's literally just a shot of her Transformation Wand, a bunch of lightning, and a screaming villain- no attack sequence. She decides that "maybe it was dancing ITSELF that I was in love with"... but Unazuki tells her of ANOTHER dance at a nearby High School, and so they resolve to run off and find Prince Charmings THERE. The rest of the girls just plotz.

Fun trivia bit: this is the first episode to air after the US premier. That's quite interesting, because it took a bit for the fandom to percolate in North America, as I think by the time I got into the show, the Series Finale had already occurred, as I recall always knowing about Sailor Galaxia and the "Everybody Almost Dies" ending. Of course, the Manga was always ahead of the anime, meaning that ending was common knowledge, too.

(Monster Powers: Multiattack Card Blast)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #148: The inevitable happens- Fish's Eye gets a new target- MAMORU!! And this is said to be the "Last Chance" of the Amazon Trio. Usagi pointing out that Mamo has a fish tank in his room, and Minako's teasing when she realizes that means Usagi's BEEN THERE, is pretty fun. And Fish's Eye dresses in drag and declares Usagi their "love rival" right to the girl's face. Zirconia, meanwhile, finally has a real effect on the story, finally namedropping Queen Nehalennia, and speaking to the Amazoness Quartet when they're in shadows. Fish's Eye is staggered by Mamo's insistence that he prefers Usagi "because of her dreams", as the Trio don't have any. This leads to Nehalennia's ghostly image appearing and threatening them, and we find out what the Trio REALLY are- a cat, bird and fish, given human-esque forms!

The episode is less funny than you'd expect given the subject matter, as it's more focused on Fish's Eye being mortified and saddened at the Trio's inability to dream, and Mamo lecturing "her" on the subject. Contrasting F.E.'s sad reaction to Hawk's look of concern, and Tiger's "AGH I'M A CAT!?!" expression. F.E. is extremely upset that Mamo doesn't have Pegasus in his dreams, and Sailors Moon & Chibi-Moon just... casually destory the Lemures (who was just having them bounce on his trampoline). I mean, nobody even distracted him- they just got annoyed that Mamoru was being hurt and just hit the monster without a word.

In a cute bit at the end, Usagi comes off a dejected (human form) Fish's Eye... and puts an umbrella over her in the rain, saying "you won't be a very good love rival looking like THAT". Once again, the innate kidness of the character abounds.

(First Appearance: Queen Nehalennia, The Amazoness Quartet- in shadows)

(Monster Powers: Creates Trampoline From Mask)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #149: A direct continuation of the last episode, Fish's Eye is recovering at Usagi's house, which leads to an odd conversation where Usagi is both helpful and kind, but also doing that "annoyed, snide tone" thing where she squints her eyes and lectures F.E. to "mind not calling him MAMO?", given how that's the kind of name-shortening used by lovers. However, F.E. not only picks up that Usagi is SAILOR MOON (from similar wording to Mamo being "the most handsome man in the universe" and "you have good taste"), but that Pegasus is in CHIBI-USA's dreams! But when F.E. begs Madam Zirconia to ascertain whether or not the Trio will gain human-like dreams in addition to permanent human forms, he's attacked, with Zirconia pointing out that "pawns like you should know your place!". Hawk's Eye is sent after Usagi (whom Zirconia mistakenly thinks is the host for Pegasus), but F.E. breaks away and teleports off, too.

Zirconia's just like "Yeah, do what you want with 'em" to the Amazoness Quartet, one of whom summons a Lemures who attacks the Trio. But his attacks actually destroy Usagi's DREAM MIRROR, an act which produces a shocking amount of grief from Fish's Eye ("Oh no-- her beautiful dreams!", one of which he knows is her dream of being with Mamoru forever). Then the Lemures blasts at F.E... and HAWK'S EYE gets in the way! A fatally-injured H.E. simply says that "it's like Zirconia said- we're expendable. I didn't want the Trio to just be a big joke". But the Lemures easily fends off the other two vengeful Trio members... so Fish's Eye uses the magic orb that empowers the Trio to remake Sailor Moon's Dream Mirror, bringing her back from the brink.

With the Lemures defeated by Sailors Moon & Chibi-Moon (with... almost zero struggle, given how the Trio used to harass the Sailors and this guy was just wrecking them), the Amazon Trio fades away... but are restored to living form and given Dream Mirrors by Pegasus, just as its time for them to leave the series. So once again, a group of villains are turned good by the end.

And thus we say goodbye to the Amazon Trio, who took up more than half of this season. They're a... tricky group to assess. Largely meant for comedy, they were airheaded seducers who generally failed to even do THAT, and were usually only halfway capable fighters on their own, rarely taking on a full assembly of Sailors. It makes them come off as rather weak and pathetic, and I'm not really surprised that they're not as well-remembered as any other generation's villains, despite the humorous aspects.

(Monster Powers: Spade Blast, Deflects Hawk's Eyes Fire)
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #150: 3/4 the way through the series, we're finally introduced to our full assortment of villains- Queen Nehalennia shows her pale, sharp-toothed, beautiful self from behind a Mirror, and we also finally get a full short of the short, childlike Amazoness Quartet- CereCere, VesVes, JunJun, and PallaPalla- named for various Moons. And now we enter truly unexplored territory for me... I have NO IDEA what the personalities and fates of any of these new villains are like. I read bits and pieces of some of the Witches Five, and I knew how some of them died, and I knew some stuff about the Sailor Animamates. But the Amazoness Quartet? Nuthin'.

Queen Nehalennia explains to Zirconia that the Dream Mirror holding Pegasus will be gold in color (WHY DID THEY NOT KNOW THAT BEFORE IT WOULD HAVE SAVED SO MUCH TIME), and the Queen is now regularly speaking to her subordinate via some mirror that creepily shows her floating in some otherworldly realm. And she's called "The True Moon Queen". Translation: Naoko Takeuchi just wrote another informative chapter, so they have to change the show again. The Quartet first appear to taunt Chibi-Usa and her friend who's name I always forget that it's dumb to dream to grow into adulthood, as adults have no freedom. Oh, and now people in town know that the Dead Moon Circus (IT HAS A NAME NOW!) is a real thing, and everyone wants to visit it.

The Quartet waste time, rip on Zirconia's age, and more, resulting in them getting yelled at. Seems like PallaPalla (the blue one) is a total ditz, referring to herself in the third person. And then VesVes (the most scantily clad one by far) ATTACKS ZIRCONIA for giving them orders, resulting in a big contest of energy attacks- the Quartet are tossed aside, sufficiently intimidated, but Zirconia confesses to herself that "if all four had attacked at once, I would have been in trouble!".

In any case, they target Momo (oh, that's her name), we finally see all the Circus Backgrounders again, and the "Orb Shot" takes out Momo's Dream Mirror, and a summoned Lemures, a snake monster with the head sticking out of a woman's body, eats it! So that's their new thing. Some REALLY ugly animation at weird angles (this is the "triangle eye" director again, but these are REALLY distorted images of the girls, trying to look "artsy") sees Chibi-Moon try to get Momo's heart back, her getting tossed aside... and Mars just shooting Fire Soul (with a one-frame attack) at it and Sailor Moon killing it. Seriously? That GIANT MONSTER and it didn't even attack anybody, and went down to a single hit? The first time we've gotten all five Sailors at once in an age and three of them just stand around? Sooooooooooo weird.

Fun Sad Trivia Fact: This episode features the last use of the "Fire Soul" attack.

(First Appearance: Queen Nehalennia, CereCere, VesVes, JunJun, PallaPalla, Orb Shot, Orb Attack)

(Monster Powers: Being a Snake)
Last edited by Jabroniville on Tue Feb 18, 2020 10:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #151: And finally... FINALLY... after the girls were upgraded to Super Sailors, they begin to get their new attacks- the ones that would carry them all the way to the Series Finale in fifty episodes. This is a big deal, actually, as they only ever got three (four, if you count the R Attacks they never used again). This one deals with Ami, Sailor Mercury, as she gets caught daydreaming and writing words to a mystery music composition, which the girls mistake for love letters, because of course they do. Wow, this one is REALLY well-animated- you can tell a good director is working, because suddenly everyone has REALLY shiny hair and well-detailed strands of it are everywhere, along with better shading on their outfits. You can always tell it's a "Good Art" episode because Ami doesn't just have a big dorky mushroom-cut or a round-hair thing going on- this one has big bangs on one side, multiple visible "bunches" of hair, a few loose bits on the back, and numerous strands in front of her foreheard. Her hair is normally where the weakest directors make cuts.

The Quartet (in their own "hangout", which is under a giant palm tree and looks like a day spa) are charged with going after the mystery musician who wrote the composition Ami likes (a... brutally generic piano medley). And OH MY GOD IT'S A MENTION OF AMI'S FATHER!!! 151 episodes in and we FINALLY learn that important tidbit of information that he's a traveling artist who's basically left his family following a divorce, and sends Ami his sketches of where he's been.

And then the girls find a club where this mystery guy is playing music, and Ami's BLUSHING, which is so cute, except HAVE YOU FORGOT ABOUT URAWA, YOU WENCH??? Sure, just because he's a Season One guy, and you never mentioned him again because Naoko didn't create him, doesn't mean you can just pretend he never existed! The girls of course tease her relentlessly, forcing her to confront the guy, and he's super-excited to meet the mystery girl from his forum, which only gets her MORE embarrassed. They end up at his studio, where they meet his writing partner, Kyoko, setting off more embarrassment from Ami, and of course the others' teasing. In a neat bit, she's actually more shamed by his passion for music, and how her "written just for fun" lyrics are probably way too humble and insincere compared to such a dream. Kate Higgins does a REALLY good job with the line reading here, by the way, her voice cracking with "I'm no ARTIST!".

So of course the guy is attacked by VesVes (her again? Was she the first one to attack in the manga?), and the Sailors attack. But they're easily thrown into a computer by a single attack from VesVes- a horrified Ami is... inside her own mind, and you see her completely nude? Yup, that's a butt. And her nipple-less breasts. Jesus- I'm betting THIS was edited for international release. Like, this is just a naked lady with no naughty bits visible. "Sailor Mercury" talks to Ami, convincing herself to accept her true power, and let the spirit of feelings she held in her heard when she first heard that song (and when she saw her father's sketches)... and unleashes her final Sailor Attack- Mercury Aqua Rhapsody. A beautifully-animated harp appears, shooting out a ton of blue energy. All it does is free them from the computer (it's weakness is music?). Sailor Moon immediately kills the Frog Lemures (that's two in a row that do nothing).

Of course the musician likes Ami's lyrics, all "only someone who truly loved the music would come up with such a perfect match" and stuff. I really liked this one- some great character stuff from Ami, whose lack of confidence and self-determination is often an issue. The smartest Sailor having issues letting her artistic side out, and revealing herself to people, is a pretty great contrast.

(Monster Powers: Turned from a Tadpole into a Frog; Did Nothing)

(Fist Appearance: Mercury Aqua Rhapsody)
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Re: Sailor Moon- Series Overview

Post by Jabroniville »

Episode #152: And now it's Sailor Mars's turn to get a power upgrade! In this episode, she's featured in a teen magazine as a beautiful Shrine Maiden (and her age is officially given as fifteen years old... though I SWEAR SHE DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT, OFFICER!), and gets a big head about it, full of false modesty (though it's clear the writer exaggerated). She even gets her own follower, in a little girl who idolizes her because of the magazine! And SHE EVEN SEES REI WITH THE "HARUKA AND MICHIRU" MUSIC!! Naturally, this is the new target of the Quartet.

Rei uses the magazine to hype her shrine's Love Amulets, and the increasingly-annoyed other Sailors crack wise that "if those worked... then Rei SHOULD HAVE HAD A BOYFRIEND AGES AGO, HAHAHAHAHA!". And soon the girl, Nanako, hero-worships Rei to the point where even she's all "now, hold on a minute" when Nanako figures that Rei has her entire life planned out (Rei's ACTUAL dream is to live all these outstanding careers and be an international success), and is someone she wants to mimic entirely. But then ego takes over, and Rei's all "she sees me as a big sister- yay". Usagi digs a little deeper, because nosiness is in her nature, and it turns out that Nanako has a lot of abandoned dreams, and has simply latched onto Rei as a role model to mimic hers. Even though Usagi knows for a fact that Rei's dream is NOT to be a shrine maiden forever and never marry.

When they confront Rei with this information, Rei's all "Yeah, I'm going to get married someday!", and when she finds out the rationale behind Nanako's joining... she actually gets way too harsh, saying "it's an insult!" to be a Shrine Maiden if you have no dreams of your own, and "I don't want her around!". And OF COURSE Nanako overheard this, and is heartbroken, running away. So now Rei feels like the High Queen of Douche Mountain. VesVes chooses this moment to attack, after needling Nanako to reveal that she has SOME dream left (this kind of gets goofy, removing the pathos of the last scene), and they've spent so much time on the story that we don't even have time for STOCK ANIMATION, as the Transformation Sequences are off-screen!

The Lemures this week is VERY strange- a red monkey girl with huge breasts with eyeball-nipples printed on her green shirt. And she mimics everyone, including VesVes, throwing Venus's Love-Me Chain back at her! When she imitates Nanako, we finally see what her dream REALLY is- identical to Rei's- a "life of international success". But she didn't have the courage to pursue that dream, and, full of self-hatred ("I hate so many things about myself"), simply followed someone else's dreams. Nanako HEARS THIS, and cries with shame, which pisses off Rei, who transforms and gets her epic new attack- "Mars Flame Sniper!", a wicked arrow shot that simply stuns the monster (does it just... overpower her mimicry?). Mars tells Nanako that to pursue one's dreams, you must risk failure, and be yourself and all that jazz.

And so the Shrine is now empty and quiet again (now that all the girls are helping), with Nanako now the "star attraction" of some burger stand, where she's happy and being featured in that same magazine (she's... also fifteen?). So an important lesson is learned- don't idolize/follow others in deference to your own desires. Not a bad episode, though not quite as in depth as Sailor Mercury's- the Victim of the Week played a bigger role, to the point where neither character was able to really be delved into (what DID Nanako hate about herself? Did Rei apologize for saying those hurtful things?).

(Monster Powers: Mimic Moves & Faces/Deflect)

(First Appearance: Mars Flame Sniper)
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