Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 8 Review

 

Act 8 picks up right where Act 7 left off. Everyone is shocked to see Sailor V, including Queen Beryl watching in her crystal ball.

Artemis confirms that she is Sailor V, stating she is the successor to the throne of the Moon Kingdom, annointed carrier of the Silver Crystal, the princess Serenity. Sailor Moon notes the insigna on V's forehead and proclaims she knew it...side note how DID V do that? It can't be Disguise Power because she's in her Sailor Senshi form.

Sailor Moon, and ONLY Sailor Moon's tiara changes in response to V appearing, though the oddness of this is not noted. Tuxedo Kamen watching from afar is taken aback and proclaims to himself "Princess Serenity?" V hears him and throws out an attack at him and they briefly make eye contact before Mamoru flees, feeling guilty he wasn't able to protect Sailor Moon from Zoisite. 

Sailor V praises Sailor Moon for doing a good job, and Sailor Moon fangirls out over Sailor V as Sailor V explains she was actually using the Sailor V game to secretly train them.

This is a pretty interesting idea and does actually explain Usagi's fast growth as a soldier, though it does feel a little bit like Naoko is actually the one fangirling over her favorite Senshi. I find it really funny that apparently at least one translation translates Usagi's affectionate "V-chan" nickname into "V-babe." 

As the other Sailor Senshi shake V's hands, they get a brief of flash of something and V says they must hurry to remember their "true selves", their past lives. If you've read the end of Codename: Sailor V then you know how this moment must feel to Minako. She's finally met her old companions, but they can't remember anything. Speaking of which, V de-transforms and introduces her civilian identity "Minako Aino." Though if Beryl is still watching in her Crystal Ball she just saw Sailor V's alter ego...

The Senshi go back to their base, where Luna apologizes or not going to meet with the princess but Minako dismisses it, saying Luna was doing her duties. Mercury asks her why she didn't meet up with them for so long causing Minako to go into an expository spiel about how she was working as Sailor V, and began investigating the Dark Kingdom on her own, giving what she knows.

Metaria is introduced as a mass of darkness and evil. Minako unknowingly foreshadows Metaria's origin, calling her a being completely unlike any living entity "born from the void/darkness" which if you know the end of the series...you know how that connects to Metaria's origin. Minako says Metaria was the one who destroyed the Moon Kingdom, the seal on her is weakening, and that they must seal her away forever.

Usagi fangirls over Minako some more

One dream sequence later Usagi wakes up in her bed on some future day, commenting to herself she keeps having the same dream over and over, a dream of some mysterious man she calls without thinking "Endymion", yet before he can turn and she can see his face the dream ends. 

Usagi realizes it's not even six but is fully awake. Downstairs her father is shocked to see her up so early. Usagi, thinking of Minako, explains the change in her responsibility by declaring that Usagi Tsukino is her secret identity but she's really the Champion of Love and Justice Sailor Moon. Despite this, her father doesn't believe her and Usagi wonders to herself which is the real her; Usagi or Sailor Moon?

The best moments in fiction are the moments when things "make sense" both narratively and meta-narratively. In order words, when things both make sense in-universe, and also carry real meaning for the viewers; when literal coherence and emotional coherence come in alignment. The worst have neither; it is irrational and empty. Most moments in fiction have the former but not the latter; they will make sense narratively but don't carry any special meaning, at least to you. Naoko Takeuchi has an odd tendency to create the opposite, like this sequence; moments that emotionally FEEL right, that have meaning and are symbolically true even if they don't make direct sense. 

There's barely any reason for Usagi to try to reveal her identity to her father here, and if she really wanted to convince him, she could just transform. But the moment here is symbolically resonant. It's applicable in several ways. Sailor Moon in this analogy is an idealized heroic figure, and so Usagi of course proclaims she is her, but because there is no need, she is not rising to anything at any moment. Or you could view it as Usagi not having the confidence she pretends, supported by questioning herself as to who is the real identity, she wants to be the heroic figure but doesn't truly believe she can be. Or taking it as a coming of age story supported by it being directed to her paternal figure, Usagi here could be asserting herself as a mature adult, which her father of course denies, viewing her still as his little girl. This moment doesn't make in any literal sense, but it's fascinating in what it's trying to convey.

Usagi goes out and runs into Mamoru, with Mamoru commenting it's like they were destined to meet; which I think is a clever way to allude both to the particular instance of them running into each other, and also their superhero sides inevitably interacting. It IS not saying they are together because destiny, which is probably my most disliked Sailor Moon misconception. Usagi and Mamoru talk about how they have each others pocketwatch and hankerchief flirtatious. Luna sighs and mumbles to herself, it's hopeless Usagi is clearly massively in love with Mamoru despite her suspicions. Artemis shows up and tells Luna she is nothing to worry about there and that for the sake of easing her burden, her whole memory wasn't unlocked.

It's hard to comment on the twists of this manga, so well known are they by now, and so familiar am I in the story. But while I can't comment on how surprising this would have been at the moment, I will say I think this twist is pretty subtly alluded to with how Luna seems so uncertain of their enemy who Minako knew clearly, and adds to the atmosphere of the scene. Having even the series mentor to this point have some of her memories locked, which she was not even aware off, makes it seem like there are secrets on top of other secrets, and deeper events happening even beneath the secret battles the Sailor Senshi have against the Dark Kingdom.

Back with the villains Metaria asks, with perhaps even a degree of fear, in confirmation that the moon princess, the one who vanquished her has come to restore her kingdom, before declaring that despite this, she still doesn't feel the magnificent energy of the Silver Crystal. The statement that the moon princess was the one who vanquished her is...an odd statement given latter events, but I'll have a theory about it FAR later related to Metaria's origin. 

Kunzite looks at the deceased skeletons of the other Heavenly Kings and comments to himself ominously that of the Heavenly Kings he alone remains standing. Queen Beryl reminds him that with the Silver Crystal it would be easy to resurrect the others, and Kunzite loyally kisses his queen's hand, before claring that despite the fact he would get vengenace on the Sailor Senshi and their princess regardless.

Later Usagi and company are traveling together. Usagi excitedly comments on how cool it is the princess lives a normal life they do, with Minako responding that they all do. Rei, annoyed, tells Usagi after she returns to her civilian life, her intelligence seems to disappear, and she should stop saying embarrasing things in front of the princess causing Usagi to start crying. Ami and Makoto find the whole ordeal annoying, while Minako seemingly finds their antics funny. This must just seem like a normal gag for the series, but I think it also ties into the themes of the arc. Twice over, Usagi or someone commenting on Usagi seperates the idea of the heroic champion of justice they turn into with their civilian self, emphasizing the gap between their identities. 

Meanwhile Kunzite floats over Tokyo, commenting on its glittering lights and that it will soon be naught but darkness. Kunzite raises his hand and the city is plunged into darkness. Makoto reacts violently, likely due to her affinity with electricity, and Luna sends in a message from their communicators that all the power from the city has been drained. It shows several people reduced to skeletal forms reduced of so much energy and the Senshi comment in horror that they've taken all the energy in the city. The Senshi, in the meantime, see a giant glowing orb of energy at the top of Tokyo Tower like a giant blaring invitation to battle. This is one of the reasons Kunzite is my favorite of the Heavenly Kings. Jadeite, Nephrite, and Zoisite are all kind of normal urban fantasy type villains with plans like tricking the Senshi into coming to another dimension, setting an ambush, taking people hostages, possessing important people. Meanwhile Kunzite just comes in and, as will be seen in the rest of the chapter, acts like a Dragon Ball villain. It's a refreshing change of pace from Naoko's typical villain formula. 

The Guardians don't want Sailor V to go, wanting to protect her but she insists. Sailor Moon worries about Mamoru. It cuts to him briefly as he feels disoriented from the energy drain and sees Kunzite's light in the distance. The Senshi face Kunzite who has the cockiest pose waiting for them without any concern. Sailor Moon declares that not even God would use human energy like this, once again emphasizing Kunzite's arrogance

Sailor Moon, just as she did in Act 6, uses the Moon Healing Escalation to restore the energy of the city, but this time is unstrained by it, likely meant to be a sign of her development as a Senshi. Kunzite blasts Sailor Moon sending her falling down Tokyo Tower, with Sailor V desperately calls out for her.

Before she can hit the ground however, she's caught by Tuxedo Kamen. However this time, Sailor Moon acts differently. After she does her usual "I can't believe it! He came to rescue me again!" she gets a determined confident look on her face telling Tuxedo Kamen that he has to leave, it's dangerous, and that he can trust them to defeat the enemy. And right before she leaps off into battle again she kisses him herself, likely as she doesn't know if she will see him again, but also as a sign of her growing confidence as a Senshi. 

Tuxedo Kamen has one of my favorite comments in regards to their relationship. Rubbing his face in surprise he thinks in his mind about Sailor Moon that this time she's so strong and that every time they meet she shows him a different side of her. The obvious astronomical symbolism is that the Moon has many phases and is constantly showing new "faces." But this also ties into the central theme of the arc, and really beautifully into a later moment. The central theme of this arc is on identity, who we really are, and what draws Mamoru to Usagi, is the fact that she seems to alwas have another side to her, another face to appear. This is so interestingly connected to their characters in-universe and out of universe to what they represent and to the history of magical girls. Tuxedo Kamen asks himself what kind of girl Usagi is really, which if you know what's going to happen soon, you know the foreshadowing.

Back at the battle, the attacks of the Senshi do nothing against Kunzite, bouncing off his barrier. Kunzite is hilariously just sitting, as though in a chair, midair while they do so, in the most casual possible position as a display of his power. It's the cockiest look you can imagine. Kunzite tells them to all attack him at once, that it will do nothing, that he'll wipe the pitiful city of Tokyo off the map.

Sailor Moon seems to use the Moon Stick to send the other Senshi away in an attempt to get the princess to safety. As they are flung away, Sailor V starts freaking out, demanding that they need to protect Sailor Moon. If you don't know, this moment just seems like Minako really cares for the Senshi. But if you do know, Minako's desperation makes an additional degree of sense.

Kunzite fires his energy blast at Sailor Moon, but at the last moment Tuxedo Kamen jumps in the way of the blast. The blast hits, and Tuxedo Kamen is gravely wounded.

Thus ends Act 8. I remember when Sailor Moon Crystal covered this act, a lot of people were shocked at how short this act feels and I can see why, it's an act that seems to blaze by quickly. If I had anything notable to critque this act for, it would be how much is set-up and exposition which is what gives it that quick feeling. With that said, I think the exposition and set-up part are handled pretty fairly and entertaingly and it's not a large negative. And on the other hand...the positives...

I love this act. This act starts the second half of the first arc, which is just fantastic. The first half of the first arc is good too, but it doesn't have the iconic-ness, and only rarely has the sheer sense of scope that Sailor Moon is known for. This is symbolized in the villain Kunzite, whose just this OP arrogant powerhouse. He just sits in midair being like "yeah Senshi throw your strongest attacks at me! It'll do nothing! I'll blow up your city!"

And besides that Usagi's development is amazing! Despite starting the series as a normal girl, you can really see the development of her confidence and her abilities as a Soldier; defying Kunzite before restoring energy to the city, taking an attack from Kunzite, kissing Mamoru before going off to battle sending the other Senshi away willingly putting herself in danger for their princess. Speaking off, I love how well Naoko ties the development of the arc's themes with the development of Usagi and Mamoru's relationship. Mamoru's description of Usagi as she goes off to battle is in my mind, the definitive explanation for why Mamoru loves Usagi; and it's also her central paradox and draw as a character; it's that this seemingly normal girl can become so much out of nowhere for those she cares, it's that Usagi always seems to show a new side to her.

People say the manga is too fast-paced, and I can maybe agree to a lesser extent. I'd like it to be longer. However one of the upsides to be so quickly is that when talking about a better act like this, the list of positives seems so long and so concentrated it really reflects how much you can get out of it. In addition to all the above you have cool concepts just thrown in everywhere, concepts I could write another page on each; like Luna's memories being sealed as well, Sailor V having secretly trained Usagi via the Sailor V game, Usagi's ironic wonder that Sailor V lives like a normal girl she does as well, or Usagi trying to reveal her identity to her father and just having it be flatly denied. Each of these to try and fully unpack I'd have to think about it a long time and write a whole blog worth, but they're just added in to tie into the themes and flavor the act. This is one of the best qualities of Sailor Moon imo, one of the reasons it is my favorite series ever; Sailor Moon has the amount of cool ideas and themes and just things to think about in one act as a lot of series do in their entire run. Especially in the second halves of the first and the fifth arcs, everywhere you look is something else to think about endlessly, the experience is so dense with thematic complexity. 

And I think this is Naoko's greatest unsung virtue as a writer, she can do that without it ever feeling jumbled or at odds with itself, the whole somehow comes together and works together. She neither tends towards the extreme of having a lot of cool ideas but which seem arbitrary and clashing nor to the extreme where the work is limited to a specific tone, set of themes and world-building elements.

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 7 Review

 

The act begins with Mamoru expressing his concerns for Usagi and Usagi stubborly refusing to get it for a few pages until finally

As she realizes Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen she comments on his eyes and their color that seems to suck her in, this is an image she used earlier, and will become important later, and it's cool symbolically that it's the moment that it's associated with her coming to understand, to have someone's identity more fully known to her. The eyes are the windows to the soul, and if you know your Plato, the soul knows all from past lives and all learning is just the soul remembering that knowledge in the process Anamnesis. To see in someone's eyes, is to see the world and all its secrets reflected back at you.

This leads into Mamoru's tragic backstory as he states he wants the Silver Crystal to restore his memories. On his 6th birthday, he and his parents were in a car crash, killing the young Mamoru's parents and giving the young Mamoru amnesia from a head injury. It's heartbreaking yet also resonant with the theme of the first arc as Young Mamoru asks himself frantically "Who am I? ... I can't remember...Who am I?" 

Mamoru's dreams had an indiscernable woman whispering to him of the Silver Crystal which can restore his memories, and he found himself wandering the streets, sleepwalking, or sleep-prowling as the case might be as Tuxedo Kamen. 

A complaint I sometimes hear that baffles me is "He was only 6 when he lost his memories, he probably wouldn't have remembered that much earlier anyway, why is he so distraught?" This objection to me seems to lack empathy. Mamoru can't remember his parents, and from that fundamentally has the sense he does not recall who he is as a person. That he wouldn't have that many more memories doesn't diminish the importance the meaning those memories would have to him. It's also important thematically for the arc because even though Mamoru may not consciously realize it, he's the Prince Endymion's resurrection and needs to unlock those memories as well.  

There's a funny moment when Mamoru asks her in return why she's searching for the Silver Crystal and Usagi awkwardly has to say basically "I don't know, my cat told me to do it." Usagi even comments to herself how uncompelling it seems compared to Mamoru's reason.

I also really like Mamoru's response there "...I see." He doesn't emphasize the obvious point, that he needs the Silver Crystal much more then she seems too. It's an unspoken assumption holding a bit of tension even as the two quickly begin to fall for each.

Usagi thinks that Luna would be telling her not to trust Mamoru, but her heart is clearly with him already. Usagi goes to leave but the two have a romantic moment as Mamoru gives Usagi her bag and the two get very physically close and the two change their names for each other to Usako and Mamo-chan. Mamoru realizes he still has Usagi's hankerchief from the Masquerade and Usagi realizes she still has Mamoru's pocketwatch, feeling close to each other and remembering their kiss. I love Usagi and Mamoru's relationship, it's my favorite in fiction, and I can't express why easily because it's for so many reasons. Even here where they have every reason to be opposed, they can't bring themselves to be so; for they represent and though they don't know it yet, they are the thing each other was searching. I'll elaborate in a later act review.

Cutting back, Luna is reporting to a very familiar silhoutte (Sailor V) saying that the Senshi aren't ready, especially Sailor Moon who is only halfway as good as the others, the voice responding that they don't have time, that the enemy is advancing. It then switches to those very villains watching footage of Sailor Moon restoring everyone in the city at the end of the last chapter. Zoisite wonders what kind of amazing power was it that Sailor Moon unleashed restoring everyone to life and Kunzite speculates if the Senshi already have the Silver Crystal. Beryl is....displeased at this suggestion. 

Beryl travels into the depths of the Dark Kingdom where she sacrifices the energy they have collected to awaken their great ruler, Queen Metaria. The great ruler they've alluded to all this time, first appears. Metaria appears like some kind of large shadow, deliberately vague and hard to make out but with a monsterous jaw and eyes. This is the first appearence of one of the large draws of Sailor Moon to me, each arc has a final villain that is some kind of eldritch abomination. This is actually an oft occuring element of the magical girl genre, to fight something horrific, alien, and otherworldly as the final antangonist, and I don't think any series does it as well as Sailor Moon's, whose final villains are as otherworldly and cosmic horror as some of Lovecraft's creations. Metaria, the living darkness shall be seen more later...

Beryl apologizes to Metaria that they have not found the Silver Crystal proclaiming they have searched the four corners of the Earth and only the nation of Japan is left. Metaria speaks ominously, speaking of sensing the Silver Crystal up above on the Earth's surface, speaking of being sealed away long ago by the soldiers of that cursed kingdom and that they can't let them stop them again. 

Metaria demands Beryl retrieve the Silver Crystal so that Metaria may swallow the Earth in darkness.

On one level, yeah it's a pretty standard villain speech. On the other, the point of this scene is to introduce the Dark Kingdom's "great ruler" and set up the tone, and in large part due to the art, as well as the archaic vague but mystical wording, it to me creates the exact right tone. 

Beryl leaves talking to herself in fear at how great and strong Metaria has already grown, but that there's no going back now. She goes a bit into her backstory. She was an arctic explorer when she heard something calling to her from deep within the Earth. She entered a cavern to find the ruins of the Dark Kingdom and broke the seal on Metaria, and Metaria awakened her, giving her powers. 

While that itself is interesting enough, even more interesting is her saying she doesn't truly intend to give Metaria the Silver Crystal but instead intends to take the Silver Crystal for herself and take dominion of the Earth.

Centuries ago it was believed that witches made dangerous bargains with demons for power. Beryl messes with forces out of her control. I think this is a really interesting development for Beryl. Her backstory has elements of cosmic horror (particularly At The Mountains of Madness) and also a tragic element. Even she concludes it was all fated. 

Going from one of the most atmospheric dramatic scenes so far to one of the goofiest, it cuts to some of Usagi's friends talking and they come to the discussion of a chain video rental store, in case you forgot this was the 90s, called.... "Video Rental Dark." Let me ask you, would you ever have gone to a store called "Video Rental Dark"? Even outside being obviously evil it's also such a generic name. Naoko also CLEVERLY works in another person mentioning watching videos all night, feeling exhausted from how good they are and, just in case you missed it, Rei says she feels a bad aura from this place. Rei didn't actually have to use her sixth sense for that, that was just basic observational skills. 

It cuts to the other Senshi at school having lunch and there's a really cute little part where Usagi asks Makoto what she has for lunch and Makoto happily offers some to Usagi. Ami however is intent on avoiding the cute and brings up on her computer their current information on the "Phantom Soldier of Justice" Sailor V. The Senshi speculate on her. 

While Luna had dismissed that Sailor V was one of them, believed by the others, Usagi is persistent in her perception that Sailor V is one of them. Ami speculates that Usagi might have other perception abilities they don't, pointing out Luna stated they were still awakening and Usagi as their leader may hide great powers. Usagi denies this to herself, proclaiming everything's she done, has been because the help from others; the other Sailor Senshi, Tuxedo Kamen, and the Moon Stick. This further sets up Usagi's development this arc and further on, her feelings she can't do anything on her own, that she has to always rely on others. Thinking of Tuxedo Kamen brings Usagi's mind to guilt she hasn't told the others that Mamoru is Tuxedo Kamen or that he knows she is Sailor Moon, but she begrudginly keeps it to herself.

Umino interrupts to ask if they're still talking about Sailor V, and right now everyone only cares about Sailor Moon. Usagi notices all her classmates are looking empty and drained and Luna, hyperintelligent cat that she is, declares it must be because of Video Rental Shop Dark. So they head off to the arcade to investigate where we get Luna demanding Usagi ... stick the video cassette into the Sailor V game. How? I guess it must just have a slot for videos, but you'd think that would be noticable to the normal people who have played it. 

There's an electric flare, and the game unsurprisingly rejects the video cassette. What is a bit surprising is that the Sailor V figure in the game...

I love this introduction for Minako. If you've read Codename Sailor V, you know it's a much wackier manga that has random toonforce and gag feats like this, and Sailor V did this kind of nonsense all the time. It also fits right in, the Sailor V game has been there since the beginning as a recurring element that's been kept relatively low-key yet they imply it keeps changing depending on what you're doing in it, giving the sense it's more alive. Sailor Venus is Naoko's favorite Senshi, and you can tell. 

The Senshi find out the videos are brainwashing energy-draining tapes from the Dark Kingdom and it cuts to a large crowd of people calling for capturing Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon shows up and un-brainwashes them with the Moon Healing Escalation but this was all a trap and Zoisite ambushes her. Sailor Moon tries the Moon Twilight reflection but he teleports behind her and grabs her. Despite clearly using her as cover, Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter....for some reason attack anyway and Zoisite just reflects their attacks back.

You might be wondering why Zoisite was so afraid of them last chapter if he could do this and why he bothered to take Sailor Moon as a hostage, but there's actually kind of an explanation. When Nephrite died, Kunzite specifically told Zoisite he'd have to be "careful" in order to not meet the same fate and in the side story Casablanca Memories when Zoisite tried to ambush Sailor Mars as vengeance for Jadeite, he found out Sailor Mars is much more powerful then him, so it's most likely just an abundance of caution combined with Zoisite naturally being a more cowardly underhanded type figure. I'm more curious as to why Mars and Jupiter shot their attacks at Zoisite when he was holding Sailor Moon right in front of him, especially with how both their attacks cover a wide area.

Sailor Moon calls for Tuxedo Kamen to help her, but he can't even get close due to Zoisite's energy barrier which might be the thing Zoisite used to reflect Mars and Jupiter's attacks, it's not clear. However at the last moment before Zoisite can bring down a blow on Sailor Moon, she's freed and immediatly after, Zoisite is cut to ribbons by a boomerang. Sailor Moon looks up to see she was saved a mysterious Sailor Senshi and her cat ally...and realizes it's Sailor V.

And that's the end of Act 7, and the first half of the Dark Kingdom Arc. I mentioned Act 3 might be my favorite of the first half of the Dark Kingdom and I said "might" because Act 7 is competition for it, it's a really good act. While Video Rental Dark is a really underwhelming villain plot with a really dumb name, this act has three really good points going for it in my view.

First there's the part where Mamoru reveals his backstory. This part not only sets up later symbolism but is already a fairly compelling backstory giving him a good reason for his actions, while also fitting the vibe Sailor Moon has of occult mysteries with hidden secrets and lost memories and the like. This also is a really sweet moment for Usagi and Mamoru's relationship as though they feel they are posed to be enemies, they can't help but fall in love with each other regardless.

Then you have the part with Metaria and Beryl and, mildly exposition-y it might be, it's also just really atmospheric having the the witch Beryl sacrifice energy to this demon made of darkness who shifts around and comments ominously of its intentions. You also get Beryl's backstory and her motive showing a greater depth then most Sailor Moon villains get, that she has reasons for what she's doing, she was tragically led to this position, and she's not so dumb as to actually give Metaria the Silver Crystal and is instead planning on betraying her. It's a dangerous overly ambitious move, yet also makes some sense with her motive and position.

Finally you have the introduction of Sailor V. Sailor V makes a dramatic impression right from the get go somehow appearing in this act both as a mysterious elegant "Phantom Senshi", yet also a cartoonish gag character that can literally appear in a video game. It also recontextualizes the Sailor V game, a recurring element from the start.  You can tell just how much fun Naoko has when writing Sailor V. Even the Video Rental Dark plot is somewhat remniscient of similar plots from Sailor V when villains would do things like send out idols with names like Twin Dark and the Dark Guys to brainwash people with their music.

This chapter, in my humble opinion, makes for a fantastic midpoint for the arc. 

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 6 Review

 

Act 6 begins with a particularly detailed page of Luna and Sailor Moon recapping that Sailor Moon is now the leader of the Senshi and their general objective.

Luna tells her that her new magical item is called "the Moon Stick" which is a very impressive, original, and well thought out name. Usagi recaps the Senshi's personalities for the viewer, the genius girl with an IQ over 300 Ami, the scary but beautiful shrine maiden with the Sixth Sense Rei, and the super-strong older sister like girly girl Makoto. She then reiterates their goal for like the third time. I have to say, these recaps are getting kind of repetitive and especially given how fast-paced this manga is, they stick out as something that doesn't need as much time as it gets.

Mamoru wakes up from a dream commenting that he keeps having the same dream, a dream of a woman with really long hair whose hidden in silhoutte who calls for him to bring her the Silver Crystal. Naoko also uses this point to give some Mamoru Chiba fanservice. I do like how Naoko uses these dreams not really for exposition the way a lot of writers do, which threatens being a lazy way to give information, but to set a tone and a mood. Admittingly she will use it for expository purposes later, but even then it's primary purpose is still to build an atmosphere.

Meanwhilew Usagi heads out for school while Luna hangs around the house before seeing on the newspaper that Tuxedo Kamen has revealed to the presses that he's after the Silver Crystal, causing mass speculation on what it could be and if Sailor Moon and Sailor V are connected to it somehow. It's a pretty neat way to remind the viewers of Sailor V given she will enter the story not too far off from now. Usagi and the girls head off to school and run into Mamoru Chiba, Usagi and Mamoru doing a whole tsundere routine towards each other. 

Makoto sees through Usagi's denial while Ami nerd fangirls out at how elite Mamoru's school is. Then the two both share a mutual crush on Motoki. So hang on...I get why Makoto likes Motoki, that was seen back in her introductory act. Given what we'll find out about Ami later, that she's essentially attracted to smart guys, I don't get her attraction to Motoki. I mean maybe he's smart, if so that just isn't seen. Regardless the sequence is pretty cute. 

Back with the plot however, people across Japan are going crazy looking for the Silver Crystal. Luna is outraged at the notion but it cuts to Tuxedo Kamen thinking to himself that surely new information will arise from this. The Dark Kingdom see this and are somewhat divided on this, as it's clear they have a new rival in the search for the Silver Crystal but also this will perhaps give them the information they need for it. The European Heavenly King Zoisite takes on the hunt for the Silver Crystal.

 So this is a really clever part I think. Despite not having magical abilities Tuxedo Kamen is proving himself a signifigant contender in the search for the Silver Crystal through sheerly his ingenuity, in particular using crowd sourcing before the idea became mainstream, which is consistent with his high degree of intelligence. Something that doesn't happen very often in Sailor Moon is having three sides to a conflict, and it makes the plot more interesting when it does happen. 

Luna thinks to herself that this probably means Tuxedo Kamen is an enemy of theirs, causing Usagi distress. Luna tells the Senshi she's been researching and thinks their enemy is a mysterious "her", an evil being seeking to become ruler of "the surface" seeing the awesome power of the Silver Crystal to rend great destruction.

Usagi nervously asks Luna if the Silver Crystal's power is really that great. Luna responds:

This is one of the things I love about Sailor Moon. There are a lot of verses that have really high power, but often it's used comically or it's moreso an aesthetic of power then anything. Sailor Moon more then almost any verse I can think off is really good at expressing a cosmic level of power and then giving the feel for it. Things in Sailor Moon FEEL big and grandiose. 

Luna continues and drops the bombshell: she and the princess are of the Moon, and she was sent here to awaken them for their destiny. 

As a magical girl fan, it's pages like this that somehow Sailor Moon is precursor to both Madoka and PreCure. In the former the magical girl familiar is purposefully alien and engenders mistrust from the audience. In the latter the familiars are mostly cute little critters from pastel happy dimensions and friendly partners. Here you see the inspiration for both ideas, a strange mysterious little talking cat from the moon, protective but also maybe slightly intimidating talking about a strange destiny the girls must fufill. Magical girl familiars beforehnad were usually friendly but maybe slightly inept or annoying little fairies or aliens in disguise as animals. Complimenting the sense of cosmic grandiosity in the story, Luna, particularly in these earlier chapters can sometimes come across as, though not malevolent, mildly ominous and occult as...well a black cat.

Luna reinforces that once they've fully awoken, they will understand everything and goes off to keep investigating Tuxedo Kamen. Usagi returns to playing the Sailor V games and notes Sailor V is using a weapon a lot like the Moon Stick. Usagi wonders if Sailor V is a normal girl like her and having read Sailor V the statement is kind of funny. 

Zoisite in disguise as a woman goes on TV and begins a television broadcast across Tokyo supposedly to inform people about the Silver Crystal but is really brainwashing them to search out the Silver Crystal for the Dark Kingdom, even seemingly manipulating Usagi. Zoisite then...rather abruptly decides its not there and starts draining people of their energy to death.

Going by the page progression, they've looked maybe a few hours. Zoisite you're just being impatient. 

People start dropping from energy draining and even Ami is barely able to stand. Mamoru on the other hand apparently is perfectly fine? Like he goes over and looks outside seeing people dropping. I don't really know why Mamoru is unaffected...

"The Golden Crystal..." Mamoru hadn't even partially awoken it yet. Ami was at least partially awoken as a Senshi.

"Wasn't looking at technology" Neither were the people just walking outside presumably so...what?

I think Naoko just wanted Mamoru in a position of strength and needed him to be aware for later in the act.

Luna leads the fatigured Ami backs to the game arcade and starts speaking in some ancient magical language which is, I think in a really cool manner, displayed as the astrological symbols for the celestial bodies of the Solar System. They enter the base which Luna reveals to Ami that this is where she's been using as a control center, with computers linked to the main computers on the Moon. She tries to get a signal out to the other Senshi that the energy is centralized at Tokyo Tower but the signal is jammed.

Meanwhile outside Usagi is quickly fading into unconsciousness from the energy-draining, and Zoisite proclaims that the time for humans in Tokyo is over, now he will establish the Dark Kingdom on the surface of the Earth.

I really like this part. It's a massive feeling development, while also feeling natural. The art supports the feeling with an image of a giant Beryl superimposed over Zoisite while Usagi is growing faint below.

Tuxedo Kamen shows up and holds Usagi, restoring her energy. He admits fault for this, but says he never meant for it; he doesn't have powers like she does. Usagi reels over the fact that he knows she's Sailor Moon though...given he led her to Makoto last act, I'm not sure why she thought he didn't know that. You might think this is a plot hole that he restores Usagi's energy, but then says he doesn't have powers. However it does make sense with a later development which I'll explain when we get there. Usagi comments that Tuxedo Kamen's face gives her a nostalgic feeling, and particularly comments on his eyes.

Zoisite escapes with the energy, leaving Sailor Moon at a loss for what to do and she expresses her lack of confidence saying she can't fog or flames or storm like the others, she is powerless. However Tuxedo Kamen gives her a pep talk and Sailor Moon brings everyone in the city back to life...

This is arguably the first we start to see Usagi's downright messianic powerset. The series is going to verge more and more into this as it goes on but Sailor Moon isn't just a sentai hero, she's in-universe the religious messiah that will save all humanity, and I mean that literally. Once again I really have to say Naoko's art this chapter is really good, the page of Usagi restoring people captures the immensity of resurrecting people. 

Sailor Moon falls unconscious and Tuxedo Kamen notes she must have used up too much of her power before taking her off. She awakens later in his bed. I do have to wonder why he didn't just take her to her house, particularly given last chapter showed he knows where she lives and how to get there stealthily. Usagi awakens, noticing she has Tuxedo Kamen's watch and saying he can't be an enemy, he's always helping her, though she still doesn't know who he is.

The acts ends with a voice asking if she's come awake and Mamoru Chiba coming out revealing to Usagi that Tuxedo Kamen and Mamoru are the same person. Granted this was known for several acts for Luna and the audience, but the change will have on their relationship is a fitting end to this act.

If you can't tell, I really like this act. Sailor Moon is a magical girl manga distinguished by its sense of scope and its ambition, and this act really captures that fact. Both the art and the dialogue support that fact in it's constant allusions to something huge and dramatic going on, and emphasis on powers of cosmic signifigance like energy capable of easily blowing apart the stars and resurrecting the dead. 

I think this is the act more than any other where Naoko stops trying to keep re-introducing the series for people just coming on, though she does still have recaps with mostly episodic sentai plots and starts really progressing the plot, as seen with Zoisite's attempt to literally bring the Dark Kingdom to the Earth's surface, Luna finally telling the Senshi she and the princess are from the Moon, and Usagi learning Tuxedo Kamen's identity. Despite that, these plot points feed into each other very naturally. By having the Dark Kingdom parasitically feed off Mamoru's attempt to find the Silver Crystal and having him apologize for it, Naoko depicts Mamoru as incredibly intelligent and resourceful but perhaps reckless or desperate, yet reasonable and self-aware.

I also like, related, how Naoko presents there as being three sides to the search for the Silver Crystal. A lot of series have just a good guys side which often barely attempts to complete the objective and a bad guy side that actively tries, immorally, to reach their objective. Sailor Moon itself does that most of the time. The problem is, that is what leads to the conception that villains are more interesing because in that paradigm the villains are the ones causing plot developments. Adding a third morally neutral element helps to rectify this by giving more sources of plot development. Just in general I feel like this act really expands the plot and is where stops the kind of formulaic feeling that begins cropping up near the start of the arc, (and tbh the start of most of the arcs.)

Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 5 Review

 

Act 5 begins with a dream sequence of Usagi in an elegant dress wandering through an obscuring fog hearing a voice calling out to her. Mamoru's silhoutte is seen in the distance in the fog, a visual representation of wispy memories at the edge of her mind calling out to her. What I find interesting about this sequence won't be revealed for a bit, so I'll come back to it in a future blog. 

Usagi awakens and takes Luna with her to school, the two chatting providing an excuse for some catch-up info for the audience, most notably that Luna doesn't trust Tuxedo Kamen but Usagi feels strange warm feelings whenever he's around. 

Usagi's so distracted she doesn't notice a fast car about to run her over. She is saved at the last moment by a new character who casually picks her up and brings her to safety

This is Makoto from the end of the last chapter, and Usagi's first comment on her is that her rose earrings smell beautiful. Both with the concept of flower earrings and a beautiful smell this is an emphasis on femininity. While others from afar think Makoto is one way from her super strength, Usagi from up close sees she's a sweet and feminine girl. 

Later Usagi and her civilian girl friends are talking about Naru's cousin's wedding. While everyone's excited at first, Naru says that her cousin's fiance has gone missing. After expressing their sympathy, the girls all return to their excitement expressing their mutual desire to be a bride

pretty clearly setting up the supernatural mystery of the act.

Makoto re-enters the story, passing Usagi's friends in the hall, commenting on her being really tall and super strong. A rather mean teacher tries to complain to Makoto (who towers over him comically) about Makoto's uniform and hair but Makoto innocently responds that her uniform didn't fit her, and that her hair is naturally like that. Umino pops up again and proclaims that there's a rumor Makoto was kicked out of her old school for fighting. Once again we see the common motif; people presume things about Makoto due to her abilities and the way she's different, when that's not her true character.

Lunchtime comes and Usagi spies in the distance Makoto sitting alone under a tree, eating her lunch and slowly approaches, declaring that Makoto's lunch looks delicious and that both it and her lunchbag look adorable, once again both alluded to and being symbolic of Makoto's feminine talents and personality. A baseball almost hits Usagi but Makoto notices it in time and catches, angrily throwing it into the horizon, saving her once again.

Makoto notices Usagi starily like a hungry dog at her lunch and offers her some, causing Usagi to cutely say "she's a light eater." She lied as naturally as she breathed.

As they eat Makoto says she doesn't know why everyone is scared of her and won't talk to her, and also mentions that, being new in town and living alone, she doesn't know where the stores or arcades are. Usagi, hearing the Siren call of the arcade brings Makoto to the arcade. 

At the arcade Ami and Motoki meet Makoto, and both Usagi and more impressively Ami comment on how good Makoto is at the Sailor V game, which is pretty impressive when you remember going all supergenius on the game earlier. There's also a pretty cute line where Motoki comments on how it seems like all of Usagi's friends are all sexy girls

Usagi gives Makoto a cutesy nickname as she is wont to do, causing Ami to exasperatedly comment that Usagi is socially unintimidated and Luna commenting she even made friends with that Tuxedo Kamen guy. I think this part's really cute.

The girls start talking about the bridal shop they were talking about with a strange looking mannequin on the balcony...totally not the enemy. Makoto comments to herself that she wishes she was a bride, before blushing at the thought. 

In a rather odd connecting bit two passerbys mention that the Bridal Shop is haunted, that the mannequion is actually a ghost, cursing women who shop there with misfortune and seducing men that happen to be around. You'd think that would come up in reviews, though being the 1990s I guess nobody noticed.

Usagi, Ami, and Makoto go over to Rei's where her grandfather appears, tells them they're hot and offers them a job here, though only Usagi falls for this blatant buttering up. Ami shows her supergenius intellect by saying that Naru's cousin's fiance who went to the cursed wedding shop where the ghost bride takes men...might have been taken by the ghost bride. Absolute genius at work. Rei then expresses that if a man lets himself gets seduced it's his fault, and that she doesn't trust men

It both amuses and annoys me how people take Rei's early misandry as a progressive statement. As you can tell by Usagi's embarrased expression Rei's misandry is meant to be seen in a negative light, as an early character flaw she will improve on. It's got a realistic basis that will be revealed in a side story, and it's part of her general arc.

Makoto gets going home, when Rei gets a far gaze and suggests that the day is coming fast when the Sailor Senshi assemble, suggesting she intuits Makoto's nature as a Sailor Senshi with her sixth sense. What follows is a cool but mildly confusing sequence.

We see the ghost bride brainwash Motoki, demanding his "energy." Motoki brainwashed goes to Makoto at a vending machine and declare his love for her, trying to brainwash her. So far, so good. It's a dreamlike yet dreamlike sequence with clear immediate stakes while remaining atmospheric. Mamoru sees this in a position of stealth and leaves. It cuts to Usagi's house where Tuxedo Kamen appears at her window. Once again, pretty cool, it's a dramatic image, and with Usagi wondering if she's dreaming, you can draw parallels to the first act. But then Usagi follows Mamoru on foot to where Makoto is in danger without transforming, to reach Motoki and Makoto STILL in the same position.

Are we to believe that Makoto and Motoki have just been standing there for minutes on end? I could understand if it was the characters' super speed, but Usagi explictly has not transformed yet. The timing of this scene confuses me.

So then Usagi goes to stop the Ghost Bride, and of course who would she transform to face a ghost bride, but turning into a male groom. And I gotta admit, Usagi as a guy...is pretty cute

I get why Crystal adapted this part out because it's so random and brief, doesn't contribute to anything, and Crystal generally cuts down on the more humorous parts of the manga. With that said this part is great. Also just as a side note Usagi's line here is aggressive and a little edgy for Usagi....I wonder if changing into a male she's trying to act stereotypically masculine. 

Sailor Moon transforms as Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars show up, the three of them giving their pre-battle speeches. Makoto realizing she's been tricked, gets angry and just picks up and throws the ghost bride away destroying it. Luna gives her the Jupiter pen and she transforms to Sailor Jupiter. Even for this manga, this is an extremely quick sequence.

Nephrite shows up, declaring the Ghost Bride was only his shadow, which I guess regenerated after it was destroyed last act? Sailor Jupiter shows that she has TWO magic techniques, first creating a storm of flowers, blinding Nephrite. She then, and I think this is really interesting, begins invoking Jupiter itself, the planet, to call down a storm before using her second magic lightning technique to summon a lightbolt down and destroy Nephrite with one strike. Once again, this happens in less then 2 pages. 

Zoisite is distraught over the death of Nephrite, and Kunzite warns him that if he doesn't want to end up like Nephrite, he's gonna have to use his head. Once again, the villains do care about each other even though they are villainous. 

Meanwhile Luna sees Tuxedo Kamen and wonders at his motives, as he led Usagi here to save Makoto, even as he admitted last act that he may be their enemy. It goes unappreciated now, but I really like how Naoko creates mystery around Tuxedo Kamen and his motives. 

Makoto gives the real reason she changed schools, admitting that there was a senpai she was in love with but who broke her heart who looked like Motoki, which is why she wanted to believe he loved her. It was too painful to see him everyday at school so she left her school, but even more then that she says she felt the wind itself calling to her, bringing her there. 

Makoto's backstory is fairly simple but it does the job correctly of making her seem sweet, romantic, kind of woobie-ish, as well as showing she has signifigant agency as well as tying into the events. 

The Senshi greet Sailor Jupiter as one of their own when Luna suddenly brings out some kind of magical item saying to Sailor Moon that now that the four Senshi are assembled, that she is now their leader and they must find the princess and the Silver Crystal. Once again I really don't understand what makes Sailor Moon the leader in this situation.

And that's the end of the act! I don't like this act quite as much as Mercury or Mars' introduction acts, but it's a notable improvement over the last act. The biggest trouble with it is that the climax is, even for this manga, really quick. I think part of that was that the Act was trying to do 2 things primarily, and then tried to do 2 more things on top of that; introduce Makoto, the Ghost Bride plot, the defeat of Nephrite, and Usagi being made the leader. I get Naoko was probably running out of page space, but I think it would have made more sense to have the Makoto/Ghost Bride stuff be one chapter, then have another chaptere where Luna makes Usagi the leader, and she has to lead them in the fight against Nephrite. That way you have several more pages to play with explaining Makoto's backstory and elaborating on the Ghost Bride fight, and then you could show why Usagi should be the letter and give a fitting end to Nephrite. Plus it would give Nephrite the same 3-act structure as Jadeite. As it stands, it feels rushed.

With that said, taking it for what it is I do quite like this act, mostly for Makoto's introduction. Makoto is my favorite of the guardian senshi. Ami, Rei, and Minako are all comparatively complex characters with internal struggle and difficulty reconciling their emotions and their actions. Makoto by contrast is delightfully simple. She is a sweet loving person misunderstood by others, and loves her silly little princess who saw the best in her. Plus regardless of the canon, Makoto is just always doing cool stuff. Even in her act she saves Usagi twice before even transforming. My one grievance, and it's worse in other canons, but sometimes Makoto is beaten specifically by an enemy to show just how strong they are, the infamous "worf effect."

Outside the ghost bride plot was...it felt a little lacking in scope. Next act brings back the sense of scope dramatically but compared to Jadeite's plots, Nephrite's feels less ambitious. This is perhaps more fitting to his more short-sighted temperment, but it does lead to his plans having less of that Sailor Moon-type feeling of grandiosity.