Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon Act 31 Review

 

The act begins with Setsuna and unnamed KO professor analyzing the "readings" from the local area, noting with mild concern that the readings are higher than normal, that energy is higher than normal, as though space were distorting.

In physics, space-time can be thought of as a material itself, which is distorted by mass-energy like the slump on a bed if you were to put a bowling ball on it. This is how things like planets orbiting a star happen, it's like marbles circling the indent where the bowling ball has made. Setsuna wonders how that thought came to her, alluding to her ability as a Senshi to sense the element she's associated with. She describes the energy spike as huge, making a peculiar shape...which I think is a clever allusion to the subtle influence from a cosmic body in another dimension, like a certain Nebula.

Motoki and Reika greet Setsuna, offering her to come to dinner with them, though Setsuna declines mentioning she already ate. While there, the two see a lot of beautiful plants in the room, which causes Motoki to comment that "Mako-chan" would love it here, causing Reika to get jealous. Immediately after, in a strange display that speaks poorly to Reika's character, she comments that Setsuna must be the most beautiful girl on campus and then gets angry at Motoki for agreeing. 

I have to admit, I dislike this joke. Feels like a sort of hokey joke relying on the old cliché of the jealous girlfriend. Maybe realistic for some people, but still not especially pleasant. 

This is followed by some exposition and an actual cute part with the two, where first they mention Setsuna has been helping a professor in antigravity research study the odd space appearing around the delta area. Motoki suggests they get dinner in that area but Reika doesn't want to, as there's a scary large black raincloud, causing Motoki to comment Reika is cute when she's scared.

Back with the actual plot, we cut to our villains lair. Professor Tomoe is frustrated at yet another daimon failing, when Kaorinite comes in, telling him it's time for their meeting with Pharaoh 90. Pharaoh 90 tells them that the "source of their life" the Taioran Crystal grows dim and weak, and demands more hoste, human souls to power it.

Professor Tomoe says he's been trying to create perfect daimon like them by injecting daimon eggs into vessels, but in 90% of cases, they degenerate in atavism into the imperfect daimons. And even beyond that, several "perfect bodies" have been destroyed by the foreign entities, the Sailor Senshi. Pharaoh 90 calls for the destruction of the holders of stellar power, the Sailor Senshi so that he may regain his own power and begin his vesselization. 

 

Pharaoh 90 comments on the brightness of Sailor Moon's soul, that she can wipe out perfect daimon in a moment, wondering briefly if it is the power of her pure soul before saying human souls can't possibly be her light, a light similar to their own Taioran Crystal. He warns that the light they feared, that leads to ruin, within the Stellar lights protecting the Senshi. Kaorinite asks if he means that the Three Talismans are what will lead to ruin, but Pharaoh 90 insists they get Sailor Moon's glow, her infinite power. 

I love how sinisterly esoteric Naoko makes the scenes with Pharaoh 90. Even more than the other eldritch entities in Sailor Moon, it's hard to even explain what Pharaoh 90 is but these sinister calls for the souls of humans make clear how dark an entity it is. The clinical way Tomoe speaks of bodies and souls is a contrast to the overall mystical way Kaorinite speaks and the subtle way Pharaoh 90 speaks. It is technically just an exposition scene, but it's just a really evocative atmospheric way of giving exposition.

Professor Tomoe walks off, happy that Pharaoh 90 seems to be in a good mood, despite the Sailor Senshi. Kaorinite watching him walking off, comments as usual he doesn't understand her difficulties summoning Tellu, Level 404, the plant Witches V member.

We cut to Chibiusa's class, where the teacher says everyone did really well at their school projects, the clay artwork was very popular. She suggests her students give their projects to someone who matters a lot to them in their life. Chibiusa tries to think of who to give it too.

A boy in her class, Kyuusuke gives her his gift, but not because he likes her....baka......just as a sign of friendship. Chibiusa thinks about friendship and thinks she should give it to Hotaru-chan, exclaiming how beautiful and mysterious Hotaru is, getting Momo and Kyuusuke all jealous

Chibiusa, the chibi heart-breaker. 

We cut Hotaru herself, heading home early from school due to her illness. As she does everyone exposits about her, mixing it with rumors. She is said to have a weak body, vacant eyes, a dark countenance. They call her a freak with no friends and a mad scientist for a dad. Hotaru collapses on the ground from one of her seizures, but as she goes to pick up her stuff some stereotypical bully girls step on it, asking her sarcastically if she needs some help.

However Hotaru's eyes and expression shift suddenly into that of pure hatred as she crushes the metal pencil holder in her hands, scaring the girls as she walks off.

I love Hotaru so much as a character. She can be so incredibly wholesome yet also so creepy and intimidating, more so than almost any of the actual villains in the entire series. She's so tragic, and pulls at one's heart strings. She's incredibly versatile, yet steals almost every scene she's in.

Speaking of fantastic characters, we cut to Usagi looking at the window from school thinking of Haruka. Makoto guesses by her expression that she's lovesick, but Usagi says she just wants to see Haruka and Michiru again. I do think it's pretty notable she says Haruka and Michiru now, showing she no longer is as intimidated by Michiru, and is moreso viewing Haruka and Michiru as the new Senshi and her companions, not as Haruka being the one trying to capture her heart, and Michiru the one trying to capture Mamoru's. Usagi wants to go and find out where the Outers live so they can go and talk to them, but Maki and Makoto both have clubs, and Ami points out Usagi has detention. It's kind of a just a two-page gag showing Usagi's expressive emotions mixed with catching people who were out of synch up to date.

We cut to Makoto at gardening club, where we learn Makoto's favorite flower (Sasanqua because it reminds her of her old senpai...) and that since she joined they've had way more flowers around. Makoto in chatting about flowers mentions that they haven't been doing so well to the really weird weather going on lately, which is a nice way to tie in the weather stuff that's been coming up subtly this arc a lot. The boy in the gardening club she was talking to mentions a new type of flower has come out called "Tellurians", a popular new type of flower that grows by absorbing water from the air.

....sounds legit.

Back with the others, they are talking about the info Ami got from her mission last act, that Mugen is in fact the Death-Busters base. Ami points out that they don't know how the brainwashing works and so can't afford to just attack them, since anyone their might be a random student being controlled though Rei mentions they need to come up with something, as they will only grow with time. I like how subtly Ami, the rationalist thinker is the one to focus both in this act and the last on getting empirical data, while the spiritual thinker Rei clearly trusts her intuition more.

Minako comments that this reminds her of the Black Moon Clan, how they were infiltrating society with the droids. They do some research on the owner of Mugen, Souichi Tomoe and Usagi recognizes that his daughter Hotaru is the girl Chibiusa saved. In a...strange choice in terms of artistic flow Usagi gets a concerned look on her face wondering if Chibiusa is safe being near Hotaru and by proxy Professor Tomoe....only to look perfectly fine as the girls walk out afterwards. It's a little bit of a mood swing. 

???

Makoto picks up some Tellurians on the way back and tells Minako she's never seen one like this before. 

Back at the Tsukino residence, Chibiusa says she's going to Hotaru's. Using the darkness and rain as cover, Usagi insists on going with her, really to spy on the Professor and keep an eye on Chibiusa. The two enter but are immediately confronted by Kaorinite, who gives them an evil glare and speaks in a threatening tone, scaring the poor bunnies. However Hotaru swooshes in to save them, telling Kaorinite they're her guests. Kaorinite comments suspiciously that Hotaru rarely has guests.

In Hotaru's room, Chibiusa gives Hotaru the Holy Grail, prompting a pretty funny reaction shot from Usagi.

Chibiusa explains her teacher told them to give their projects to people that mean a lot to them, so she wanted to give it to Hotaru-chan as a symbol of friendship. Usagi side-eyes her and asks if her plan wasn't to give it to Mamo-chan, but Chibiusa adorably comments that since both Usagi and Mamoru worked on it, it wouldn't be fair to give it to just one of them. Hotaru insists that she couldn't possibly take something that people who cared for Chibiusa made for her but thanks her regardless.

In a really pretty shot, Hotaru gives her thanks as her eyes go all glassy, and Usagi comments that her dark eyes make you feel like you're being sucked into them...that she knows everything...

Usagi excuses herself to go snoop around, asking where the restroom is. Hotaru goes to show her, but afterwards collapses from one of her seizures as Chibiusa rushes to help her.  In agony she says that her attacks are getting more frequent...she then comments that she hears a voice inside her head... that she recalls earlier at school she fainted like this, and when she came too her memory was fuzzy referring to the earlier case with the bullies. 

Chibiusa tries to help Hotaru, who reaches for her Silver Crystal. Hotaru touches it, stating every time she touches the Silver Crystal feels better, that it has a hundred times more power than the Taioron Crystal. Chibiusa calls it the Silver Crystal, and a voice inside Hotaru repeats it creepily.

Hotaru is as confused as Chibiusa, asking where that sudden massive urge for the Silver Crystal came from, that it was like someone else was speaking from within her. Kaorinite is revealed to have been listening in from behind the door, and comments in confusion "The Silver Crystal?"

Meanwhile Usagi snoops down into the laboratory, though is quickly caught by Professor Tomoe. Usagi manages to spin it away, and Tomoe takes Usagi back to Hotaru, telling her it's time for her "check up." Usagi excuses herself and Chibiusa, commenting to herself that Professor Tomoe's hands were so cold, wondering if he's even human. It's good atmosphere building, especially given it's a classic case of the heroes and villains being in an intimate situation with each other, neither being aware of the other so there's a constant sense of tension. 

As Usagi and Chibiusa walk home, Chibiusa briefly thinks she sees Sailor Pluto as Setsuna passes by, but loses her in the crowd.

Chibiusa thinks to herself it couldn't be, and the two resume walking. 

Meanwhile, back at Makoto's apartment, Minako is stopping by and comments on the new Tellurian. Makoto mentions that the other plants aren't doing very well, presumably because of the weather problems, with only the Tellurian really prospering. Out of nowhere, the two girls start feeling sleepy and, overwhelmed by the pleasant scent of the Tellurian, fall asleep. This is a pretty classic plant motif for villains, especially villainesses, lulling people into sleep.

Makoto and Minako awaken to find that the Tellurian has fully bloomed, and every other plant has died, as though drained of their lifeforce. Makoto, realizing the danger the Tellurian poses, destroys it. 

Usagi and Chibiusa reach the rail line, noting the delta that Mugen Academy was built on was made on a land formation made of three intersecting lines; Ten'ou Sandback, Kaiou Sandback, Meiou Sandback. This is an interesting part as it's evocative of the connection between the Death-Busters and the Outer Senshi. I am not sure either what it means literally or symbolically. Perhaps it's meant to suggest that the two groups parallel each other in some way. Perhaps it's used to refer to how the two groups required each other to appear for reasons that will be explained later. Perhaps it's meant to connect the Outers to the elemental forces forming the Basin and broadly the Earth; Land, Sea, and Sky, which the coming of Pharaoh 90 distorts and makes violent, which I like a lot as an interpretation because it fits with something later in the arc, and the constant allusions to the distorted weather. And perhaps simply it's meant to seem foreboding.

The Guardians find Usagi and warn her of the Enemy in the Mugen Academy Botanical Gardens. She sees Haruka and Michiru and runs towards them. In an unintentionally funny bit, the Outers run away from Usagi who pursues them. She pursues them back to their apartment leading to probably one of the most famous images of the third arc, with Usagi pressed against one side of the door, wanting to know why they won't talk to her, why they can't fight alongside each other, while Haruka is pressed up against the door from the other side.

It's a pretty classic type of image, representing the emotional barriers the person inside has placed between them. It once again reinforces Haruka and Usagi's primary character difference being someone seeking emotional intimacy vs someone who is emotionally aloof. I like the way Haruka is drawn here. It wordlessly tells the audience Haruka doesn't want to be doing this, that it's reluctant and painful for her.

The Guardians plus Usagi go to investigate the Mugen Sandbank. Makoto senses the wind and Minako senses a "tingling." Rei senses an ominous aura, much stronger than before, signaling the presence of the villain of the month. The Senshi continue on, entering Mugen's botanical gardens where the plants have overun the area like a jungle. The Tellurian flowers emit a poison gas that beings to sap the Senshi of their life energy as a mysterious figure in the plants watches

It's a pretty cool visual element and I think it's a more creative way of draining energy than a lot of the energy-draining SM villains use. 

The villainess, Tellu emerges from the plants to greet the Senshi, stating she's in luck to be able to take down the holders of stellar protection. (The Sailor Senshi) In an odd statement Tellu claims the Tellurians are "my other self." This is a pretty atmospheric statement, but I have very little idea what it could possibly mean. I think the implication is that they are supposed to be part of her somehow.

Tellu gloats her tellurians drain life energy and soon she will become a Magus. We cut to Setsuna who is being drained of her life energy by one of the Tellurians. However this causes something strange to happen.

Haruka and Michiru sense Setsuna's pain, proclaiming someone very close to them is the source. 

Setsuna painfully fights against the life-drain, asking for someone to help her. She wonders if she will die like this, but thinks that no she can't die here, she was born for a reason....and as energy swirls around her, goes further stating she was REborn here for a reason....

The insignia of Pluto appears on Setsuna's forehead, with the planetary insignia for Uranus and Neptune appearing at the same time, the two teleporting to Setsuna's side.

A voice calls out that the time has come, and we cut briefly to Mamoru who senses the immense energy and hears the voice, shocked and questioning what is going on.

Back with the Guardian Senshi, they transform and confront Tellu, preparing to battle her. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Moon attack Tellu who laughs off Sailor Moon's attack but is actually a little bit pressed by Jupiter's, which I think is a subtle hint to the fact that the Guardian Senshi have been training to protect Usagi like Rei suggested. It's also partially suggested that it might be because Sailor Moon's focus is divided because she's thinking about Uranus and Neptune. 

Chibi-Moon transforms Luna-P into her own moon rod and uses her own attack "Pink Sugar Heart Attack", which is...very fitting for Chibiusa. This attack actually destroys Tellu's human form turning her daimon form, but before she can attack she is suddenly hit by a very familiar attack from an old Senshi arriving

The act ends with Sailor Pluto's return.

I kind of find it hard to talk about this act because it's pretty good but there's not much distinct about this act from the rest of the arc. I would call it relatively weak for the arc it's in, not because it has anything especially bad, just that its strengths are similar to the strengths of a lot of mugen arc chapters; it has the Hotaru set-up with the scene of the bully girls confronting her, and her meeting with Chibiusa you've got the brief part where Usagi and Haruka are once again contrasted, though I feel like it's a little bit just "telling us what we already know," as well as atmosphere building with the villains. I really enjoy all these things and this act has its own good versions of them, but this is something a lot of Mugen Arc has. I felt like I was summarizing this act more than normal because I didn't want to just repeat the same points I already have this arc. This chapter also has more cute bits with Chibiusa which is good. 

The thing about this act is I feel a good amount of it is....I don't wanna say wasting time because that's a bit too harsh and not quite what I mean, I feel it's a little bit inefficient. Tellu's plan is a bit more interesting a form of energy-draining, but the parts with her feel a little bit less lightning-fast than most of the manga is so far. There's comedy scenes like Chibiusa making her classmates jealous or Motoki making his girlfriend jealous. Some of these are funny and I don't mind comedic scenes in a serious story, but one of the things I usually I love about Sailor Moon is that every scene advancing the plot. These do but....less so than normal. 

I strongly approve of Naoko wanting to bring Sailor Pluto back. It is kind of inconsistent with what Neo-Queen Serenity said last arc, and you could maybe argue it detracts from the heroic sacrifice element and her death being the trigger for Chibiusa's transformation, but SM is a world as far as I see it, where death usually isn't permanent due to Usagi's resurrection power, and I just love Sailor Pluto as a character. I also think it's really cool seeing the awakening of Sailor Pluto.