In the immediate aftermath of the Eudial fight, the Senshi notice one of the new Sailor Senshi observing them from afar. Sailor Moon tries to run after her but she runs like the wind and escapes Usagi's field of vision.
She's wind-themed....I wonder who she could POSSIBLY be.
The Sailor Senshi pops out from a tree, commending Sailor Moon for being able to even somewhat keep pace with her, calling it unexpected. She calls her Odango, telling Sailor Moon that she told her to stay out of her way. Afterall, it'd be dangerous for the two of them to fight. She then kisses Usagi
There's a lot you could say about this act, from both an in-universe sense of what it means for their relationships to what it means from a meta-perspective on the emergence of yuri in mainstream manga, but to truly consider the meaning of the scene requires information from later in the arc, so for now I will be say it's a a shocking moment Naoko uses to grip her readers with confusion at the moral alignment of the new Sailor Senshi. Perhaps she is neither good nor evil, but free-spirited as the wind.
The wind Senshi escapes just as the others are getting there. They ask Usagi for information. Usagi tells them that the wind Senshi told her that they should stay out of her way, deliberately leaving out that the two kissed. Usagi says it was dark so she couldn't see her face clearly, though the words and art leave it ambiguous if she's telling the truth. Ami wonders if the new Senshi have a different mission to them, and Minako says they don't even know if they're really Sailor Senshi. Oh come on Minako. What villains would Fake Sailor Senshi be?
Minako says they must track them down to discover their true identity. Usagi contemplates how Haruka and the new Sailor Senshi looks alike, wondering if it is possible that the two could be the same or if it's all in her head because of their similar flirtatious attitudes to her.
In a dream Usagi sees Haruka who comes over to her dressed as a man, kissing her, before appearing as a woman and becoming the Sailor Senshi. This is fascinating to consider from numerous perspectives. It's as though Usagi is equating to seeing Haruka as a woman as coming to know who she really is, possibly because they would then share the same gender. While the male Haruka could not possibly be understood by Usagi, a female Haruka, this new Sailor Senshi would be like her, a Soldier of Love and Justice. Usagi wonders in her dream why Haruka always runs from her, a query from the heart of the sentimental Usagi on why the aloof Haruka is so hard for her to define; male or female, Sailor Senshi or not, distant or close.
The dream changes. Usagi, Mamoru, and the four guardians hear a voice in their dreams telling them that the three talismans shall awaken the Goddess of Destruction. They awaken in a start with Rei calling it a bad omen. The next morning Usagi meets up with Mamoru though embarrassed that Haruka kissed her, she is quieter and more reluctant than usual. She sees a poster for Michiru's violin concert, the beautiful ladylike talented older girl and understandably starts feeling insecure, wondering if Mamoru was pursuing her.
Later that day Usagi has to stay late for school to retake a test, though she longs to get to the arcade and play some video games to get her mind off it. As she's walking there however she runs into Haruka again. Haruka admits wanting to see Usagi, despite Usagi's friends telling Haruka not to go near her.
Usagi feels her heart racing and thinks it must be because of that dream she had, commenting to herself Haruka seems like both a man and a woman. Haruka tries to instigate a formal introduction since they never actually exchanged names but Usagi says she already knows both Haruka and Michiru since they are famous. Haruka says Michiru's music truly is beautiful, she makes the music come alive with her playing, and offers tickets to Usagi for the two to go hear her. Haruka asks Usagi her name which Usagi gives before wondering if Mamoru wants to know about Michiru the same way she wants to know about Haruka, though Haruka just comments that "Usagi" is a cute name and disappearing in a burst of wind.
Once again, this part is a little bit surreal taken literally, but it's meant to evoke the feelings Usagi is having, of the strange disappearing Haruka who seems so otherworldly and both flirtatiously dangerously and mysteriously distant, the same feelings the new Sailor Senshi caused. This is only further exemplified by Usagi commenting that Haruka is.... "just like the wind." More than any other arc Naoko really is trying to tie characters, particularly the Senshi, to the elements this arc. The Senshi attacks are more elemental-themed than ever, they use element-based sensory abilities, and Haruka and Michiru are constantly being compared to wind and water.
What follows is a bit of an exposition section talking about the Mugen Memorial Dome, a giant amphitheater where both Michiru and separately a performer by the name of "Mami Hanyu" will be playing. The latter is only available to students of the academy which....should be cause for alarm to the reader especially given the detail to the singer and if they recall, her looking identical to one of the witches from earlier. Minako is upset at this news, which you would think is because as the leader she was able to find out that this Mami Hanyu is sketchy and given what happened with Eudial, she might be one of the enemies.
However really Minako is just a fangirl of her that starts out spouting out how famous an idol singer she is, before she, in a humorous bit, tries to convince the others that no it's totally for recon and Sailor Senshi business and not at all her just being a fangirl.
This act is actually a little bit of an homage to Codename: Sailor V, the prequel manga to Sailor Moon. If you know Sailor V, you know Minako is a massive idol fan, who would regularly get wrapped up in Dark Agency antics as they sent their Evil Agents out disguised as various things including 4 different sets of idol singers as well an evil singer totally unconnected to the Dark Agency. It adds an extra cute enjoyment for this act if you've read Sailor V.
Usagi wonders if she should go to the concert. There's an amusing bit where Minako thinks Usagi is talking about Mami Hanyu's, thinking her a fellow fan, though Usagi obviously meant Michiru's. Turns out Mamoru similarly got his own two tickets for Michiru's concert, from Michiru, paralleling Haruka and Usagi. Mamoru overhears the girls talking about it, in particular Usagi saying they should go to it, which would be relevant as to his feelings later. There is an adorable funny part where Diana agrees they should go and Minako wants to take her.
Back with the villains Kaorinite is watching the prior fight on her VCR divining pool, commenting that she killed Eudial so quickly, and that with a power similar to the Taioran Crystal, Kaorinite must get Sailor Moon's power. We also see the relative levels of the Witches V with "Mimi Hanyu", really the Witch Mimete at 40, Eudial at 78, Viluy at 202, Tellu at 404, and Cyprine at 999. These levels are...kinda weird narratively. We now know Mimete's not a threat since she's weaker than Eudial. These levels are relatively arbitrary anyway. They're meant to impress with how the enemies will get stronger over the arc, but at best it's a cheap narrative trick to seem threatening. I feel like it could have been more evocative and atmospheric if they had titles instead of a crude power level system. Mimete tells Kaorinite she will make up for Eudial's failure and with her "angelic" singing voice, shall steal hoste for the Master Pharaoh 90 by using the lure of the violinist Michiru to draw victims.
Kaorinite finally reveals the Death-Busters goal, telling Mimete in, a bit of a clumsy exposition, that she must be cautious, they need this Omega Area, planning to transform it into a second Tau System, proclaiming they must not fail before Master Pharaoh's vesselization is finished.
While the exposition is somewhat clumsily added in, I do think once again Naoko is very good at alluding to the true cosmic horror occurring without directly expressing it. Master Pharaoh 90 is clearly some dark religious entity of the Death-Busters. They take souls as sacrifice, and it seeks to transform the Omega Area, a space on Earth into the "Second Tau System", also alluding to Master Pharaoh 90's vesselization. While it's not expressed what that is, the name itself gives creepy implications of the formation or capturing of a physical body the same way Metaria began to do in the first arc.
Back with the cute, Momo gives Chibiusa pictures from their day at the amusement park, the two talking about how it was so cute. Memories of that day stir thoughts in Chibiusa's mind of Hotaru, that strange sorrowful beautiful girl. Possibly just using it as an excuse to see her again, Chibiusa seeks to refer Hotaru's bandage to her.
Chibiusa quickly finds Hotaru outside Mugen Academy, who is surprised to see her. Chibiusa thanks her for healing her and lending her a bandage, causing Hotaru to adorably blush, clearly unused to the positive attention. Noting that her father and Kaori are busy in the lab, Hotaru invites Chibiusa back to her place and her room.
Back in Hotaru's room, Chibiusa notes that Hotaru's room is beautiful but sad just like her. Seeing how much black there is and Hotaru wearing all black, asks Hotaru if black is her favorite color. Hotaru responds that she likes it dark, and comments that she was in a bad accident that scarred her body, so she wears black concealing clothing to cover it up. Chibiusa, embarrassed, tries to change the subject to their family lab, but Hotaru begins to have another seizure.
Chibiusa races to Hotaru's side. The two of them are such an engaging pair to watch to the point it's a theory they may have provided some inspiration for Madoka and Homura. Chibiusa is a real "sugar, spice, and everything nice" type girl. She's a light pink themed character who, after her character development last arc, is cute and bubbly and optimism. Hotaru, on the other hand, is a black and purple themed goth character whose existence bleeds a depressing life story and bleakness. Even seeing them on the same page makes it seem like they don't belong in the same manga, yet it's that contrast that makes their friendship so beautiful.
Chibiusa brings Hotaru the amulet at Hotaru's request. Hotaru says with eyes that look on the verge of tears that Chibiusa should go, that it's better if she deals with this alone. There's so many ways she could mean that given how clearly much she wants her only friend to be there. Perhaps she wishes to spare the younger girl the painful sight. Perhaps she's afraid her secret will be seen. Perhaps she truly believes she must face this alone. Once again, we see the overarching themes of Sailor Moon in all the arcs; the pain of isolation and the ennobling power of love.
Chibiusa, in a moment that truly I think foreshadows what this arc is all about, gets an adorable determined look on her small face, completely unwilling to just leave Hotaru to suffer alone, and takes out the Silver Crystal, it's presence actually healing the pain from Hotaru.
I love how this moment foreshadows the central conflict this arc. Even if after being told she should leave Hotaru to fate, Chibiusa is determined to help her friend. Hotaru is in surprise that the Silver Crystal could heal her pain so cleanly, and asks if it's Chibiusa's Amulet. After explaining what an amulet is, Chibiusa joyfully says that yes the Silver Crystal is her amulet, her charm that protects her before concluding that the Silver Crystal can also protect Hotaru too.
Chibiusa finally introduces herself to Hotaru, saying her name is Usagi Tsukino, though everybody calls her Chibi-usa (though she clarifies that she is, in fact, not little.) Hotaru promises to keep her secret, that she is a Sailor Senshi, before trusting Chibiusa with a secret in turn, that the daimon that escaped was an escaped thing from her father's labratory.
Hotaru says her father is strange, but he's not a bad person. It was him who saved her when she was in the accident. Chibiusa agrees to keep Hotaru's secret in turn, solidifying their friendship. Little did either of them know that on a tree branch, watching from the window, are Haruka and Michiru.
Haruka and Michiru come in on a helicopter to offer Chibiusa a ride home. On the one hand, don't talk to strangers. On the other hand, surprise helicopter ride. As they clearly know Usagi, Chibiusa trusts them and rides with them. Haruka and Michiru press Chibiusa for details on what she spoke about with Hotaru but Chibiusa says it's a secret, before admitting they talked about amulets.
Chibiusa asks them if they have amulets protecting them, but Michiru responds that she has something even stronger, that her mirror is something called.... a talisman.
Michiru specifically says her mirror isn't something "cute" like an amulet, once again associating Haruka and Michiru with adulthood and maturity, and the things of the Guardian Senshi with youthfulness. Haruka and Michiru return Chibiusa to Usagi, asking Chibiusa not to tell Usagi about what they talked about, showing some secretiveness of the secret of the Talisman.
We cut to the day of Michiru's violin concert. Mamoru brought Chibiusa, making Usagi grumble that he didn't invite her, though as she already had tickets he had no reason too. The concert begins and once again Michiru's music is stated to be like a whirlpool or crashing waves, to evoke the ocean, that her Stratovarius was named after the ocean temple
Once again Naoko, master of subtlety with the water theming.
Usagi notices Haruka standing off alone in the corner, acting all aloof. Meanwhile back with the Sailor V homage, Minako uses her compact to transform into a male Mugen Academy student to sneak into Mimete's idol show.
I really love this part. I know it's a small thing but seeing the Crescent Compact from her Sailor V days and doing this like she did EVERY chapter back then is just really cool. Especially given the enemy this chapter is basically a Sailor V villain.
Mimete starts her idol performance though it becomes quickly apparent she's stealing the souls of the people at the concert, controlling their bodies and minds. She doesn't even have the good grace to encode her evil brainwashing music in backwards talk. I tell you, music cults have gone downhill.
Minako due to her stellar protection manages to escape. Minako transforms into Sailor Venus and bursts in yelling at everyone they're being controlled, that behind Mimete's beautiful looks and voice is ugliness personified, announcing that Sailor Venus, the soldier of beauty is here.
Meanwhile, Haruka and Michiru sense something is wrong. Michiru ends the concert quickly with the two rushing off, a message from Venus informing the others what's going on. Back at the fight Venus undoes Mimete's brainwashing with the Love-Me Chain....somehow and clashes with Mimete, without either seeming to get any advantage.
I do think this is an effective way to build the threat of the Witches V since Mimete is the weakest, while last we knew Venus was the strongest Guardian Senshi, yet neither is stronger.
The others show up, and realizing she's outnumbered calls Kaorinite telepathically, asking for reinforcements. Kaorinite views the display as pathetic, but teleports in the daimon monsters shown earlier which Kaorinite interestingly describes as "failed daimons." Sailor Moon destroys one, but another goes to attack Chibi-Moon and Tuxedo Kamen...only to be destroyed by one of the new Sailor Senshi, using a water-based energy attack "Deep Submerge" before the other uses a wind-based energy attack "World Shaking" to destroy Mimete.
The dramatic entrance is punctuated by shots of each of the Sailor Senshi reacting with shock. Heart pounding, Sailor Moon asks who they are, and the two Outer Senshi finally introduce themselves:
So I can finally talk about Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune, even though if you thought about it for half a second you could probably guess the Sailor Identity of Haruka and Michiru. You can really tell Naoko loves the Outers with how much gravitas and dignity she gives them, how much emphasis they have, to the point Haruka has her own character arc during the Mugen arc. I think both the Usagi-Haruka relationship and the Hotaru-Chibiusa relationship progress naturally this act.
With the Usagi-Haruka arc we've got all these really interesting gender idea about Usagi coming to recognize Haruka as a woman. I love how they conflict; Usagi the cowardly sentimentalist who sees everyone true nature and Haruka, the flirtatious emotionally aloof thrill-seeker who hides her true self. Usagi first thinking Haruka is a man, seeing her as being like Mamoru and in a way even competing with him, only to realize she is also a woman, a Sailor Senshi like her, is literally and symbolically connected with Usagi coming to understand Haruka's heart.
We also have the Chibiusa-Hotaru relationship development this act and in a way are a lot simpler because while Chibiusa the sugary hopeful optimist and Hotaru the suffering poetic goth are just as opposite as Usagi and Haruka, their relationship is defined not by trying to understand each other, but a genuine friendship and adoration of each other. I love how cute the two of them are together, the way they balance each other, how much her friend Chibiusa means to Hotaru, and how determined Chibiusa gets for her new Hotaru friend. I've heard critique of the third arc that Chibiusa and Hotaru's friendship moves quick but I must disagree, I find it feels so natural and actually intersects naturally with the chapter plot.
Speaking of the plot, it was fine this act. If I had any critique of this act, is that parts were a little mechanically. The Sailor V homage was much appreciated from someone who read Sailor V, though it does kinda feel like just a repetition of the past act. Naoko does have a bit of tendency for repeating herself, including in overall arc structure, as well as some act structures usually near the start of an act. It's pretty cool to find out that Michiru had one of the Talismans the whole time, but the fact that there are three does keep it from being an obvious "Haruka must have the other then."
I do like how in this arc where Naoko is going clearly for something a bit more mature, even if she is also keeping some of her goofier comedy, this act acts as a little bit of a breather. Fittingly for a Sailor V homage, this act has some goofier shenanigans, and outside Kaorinite's foreshadowing is lacking in the darker elements of the Mugen Arc, focusing more on the drama of Haruka's flirtations towards Usagi, friendship development of Chibiusa/Hotaru, and the silliest of the Mugen Arc plans thanks to Mimete. I do think it could have maybe gone a bit further, Sailor V was a really crazy series with meta-gags and wacky plots all over, but I also think it probably could have caused whiplash going from Act 28 to that, or that to Act 30. This is a relatively light breather episode act for the Mugen Arc.
Ya know upon reflection this might have been my fave act in the Infinity Arc. This is a very dark and mature arc as a whole and to some degree that made it leave my comfort zone with this series, but this was right back to the sweet spot. I loved Sailor V Quite a lot and this act being somewhat of a homage to it goes a long way in my enjoyment here, you are right in that its not nearly as Wacky as that got but seeing a lotta Mina's personality traits from Sailor V, which weren't gone just haven't been focused on as much, come right back to the surface like her love of idols and her solo heroin speeches were really evocative and it managed to do all that while also adding complexity to a lot of the other character dynamics that didn't even involve Mina. Chibiusa and Hotaru have several especially cute exchanges, the two just have very palpable chemistry in every scene they share that makes me at ease and having a good time even when things like the dark stuff Hotaru brings up or goes through are looked into. I love how they both help and care for each other. Was also fun seeing Chibiusa literally be picked up and dropped off by a Helicopter. its like some silly thing GIR would do in Invader Zim without any explanation. Plus you also had the Kiss between Usagi and Haruka.....which is not only good fanservice but is also does legitimently tie into a whole bunch of stuff in and out of universe as you point out. You again made another chapter of this manga so much richer in my eyes through your thorough breakdown of all the foreshadowing, symbolism and other such subtext that is otherwise lost on me, bravo!
ReplyDeleteSailor Uranus kissing Usagi is legitimately daring for a manga of this time period, and it doesn’t feel out of nowhere either, but serves to further the plot in making us question the new Senshi’s motives. I think you did a great job unpacking why their strange relationship works so well narratively. Usagi’s empathetic nature is something I definitely love about her character, and I do like how it ties into this chapter in trying to understand their motives. Side note, but I think Haruka as a character might have influenced characters like Naoto Shirogane from Persona 4, with her gender ambiguous plotline. Seeing Chibiusa support Hotaru in her time of need was a really nice moment here. I can definitely see the Chibiusa/Hotaru and Madoka/Homura similarities now that you point it out. And I gotta say, for a “breather” chapter it feels like a lot happened even if a lot of it is technically small, non-world changing stuff. I also think I am enjoying Minako’s moments as a character a bit more after revisiting her scenes in the manga. So overall, good chapter and good analysis of said chapter.
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