Sailor Moon Dream Arc Review and Ranking

The Dream Arc is technically speaking my least-liked arc of Sailor Moon, though that's not really saying much. I love every arc of Sailor Moon and as I've mentioned before I like the middle three arcs of Sailor Moon roughly equally. I still greatly enjoy this arc. If I was to express why it's my least favorite it's broadly just that it doesn't reach the heights of the Second Arc, or especially the First Arc, nor is it as consistent as the Third Arc. Though in its defense I would say it is probably more consistent than the first two arcs and its heights are around as good as the Third Arc's. 

I recognize that this is probably an unpopular opinion as it stands. Possibly due to the release of Sailor Moon Crystal's adaptation of the Dream Arc, the best and most faithful season of Crystal to date, recent polls have had the Dream Arc being legitimately the most popular arc of the Sailor Moon manga. This really surprises me. Better than Black Moon and Infinity, perhaps. Better than Dark Kingdom though? Better than STARS? I can tell you when I was first getting into the fandom in my childhood, the Dream Arc was not a popular arc of the manga. Maybe it was connected to the then more recent 90s anime adaptation SuperS which is the most disliked seasons of the 90s anime but broadly the sentiment was that the Infinity Arc was the cool mature arc with the complex moral conundrum introducing three of the four cool Outer Senshi that were immediately immensely popular and the Dream Arc in contrast is one of the simplest and most childish of the moral conflict, if it even is one at all, and that it introduced no characters that people loved the way the first three arcs had. Sure Helios had his fans, especially among young girls, but to try and compare him or the Quartet to the characters the first three arcs introduced seemed wrong. The new characters and the new plot just seemed to be childish and lacked depth and "coolness." And in the 90s everything was about being cool and mature. However, cultures change and the pendulum has swung back on these concepts. Dream is now revered and Infinity I see criticized. With the change in public opinion, I did try to re-evaluate Dream and see if I was missing something that might radically change my understanding of the arc.  

The major theme of this arc is sort of explained in the name. The Dream Arc's themes is dreams, both literal but more often metaphorical the dreams we have for things we desire, and specifically, it's about the distinction between first-order dreams of love, things we want because they are good in themselves vs the usual material dreams we go around chasing as tools to get the former. When we forget the purpose of the latter and make them superordinate to the former, we are putting the cart before the horse, worshipping the created instead of the creators. This is shown in the dreams of each of the Senshi. Ami's deeper dream is to express her love, her emotional side she shunted when her artistic father abandoned her and her mother, but she mistook her second order dream of getting smarter for her true dream and could not develop until she reconnected with her younger self. The Outer Senshis' deeper dream was to finally live and fight alongside their beloved princess that filled them with hope from the across the Solar System, yet they mistook their second order dream of fulfilling their duties and responsibilities as their true dream and could not develop until they were moved from a legalistic view of their duties to one born of love. Sailor Moon's true dream was to protect the world alongside the ones she loved, but mistook her second order dream of peacefully living without responsibilities and being taken care of as her true dream and had to develop by realizing that the real Mamoru, the one she fell in love with, the one whose eyes had the same blue glow of that World brimming with hope and possibility and she always got stronger for, didn't want her to just remain static how she was, but wanted her to grow and improve. Examples continue to abound. The whole arc is revealed in the last act to having been taken place in a single waking dream the world was trapped in by Nehelenia in the moment of the eclipse. This is a recurrent image in the arc and a relatable one, the idea that in our daily life, we find ourselves becoming trapped in waking dreams, lulled by our perceptions, that we must be awoken from to progress. This connects directly with Saturn awakening the Quartet.

Like all the arcs the Dream Arc also contains the two central themes of the entire series; the ennobling power of love and the pain of solitude. In the Dream Arc this is usually expressed in the form of the duality of the two dreams. Almost all the Senshi express pain at their isolation from their material dreams be it Ami worried the others only value her intellect and don't her emotionally, Rei feeling isolated from her peers from her lack of a desire for a relationship, Chibiusa feeling insufficient in her perceived inability to compete with her mother, and so on. Conversely, their true dreams are always depicted as both bringing them closer to others and making them stronger usually being immediately accompanied by their Henshin into their Super Form, a form defined as being born of the Unity of the Sailor Senshis' hearts. In this the arc presents technically an idealized axiom, though in my opinion one barely more idealistic than reality; that deeper dreams will connect us to others, and conversely making material dreams primary will isolate us from each other. While this isn't always true in reality, there are some instances of people who truly have anti-social deeper dreams, such is exclusively rare. For the most part I relate to and find the Dream Arc's expression of the psychological reality of conflicting dreams very compelling. 

I don't think it's a fair critique of the Dream Arc to say that it is less deep than prior arcs broadly. While it's obviously much more black and white in its moral conflict than the Infinity Arc, its depth has been transferred from the realm of ethics to the realm of psychology containing some of the best character studies of Ami, Mamoru and to a lesser extent Usagi, Rei, Chibiusa, and the Outer Senshi. This arc has some other clear positives. More then any other arc I would say this arc connects well to other arcs, making constant allusions to the past arcs; the entire sequence of Nehelenia in the Silver Millennium, referencing the Black Lady plotline in the Black Moon Clan arc, the continuation of the Outer Senshi plot and internal conflict from the Mugen Arc as well as alluding to the Pharaoh 90 conflict in Act 44, a downright reiteration of the themes of the Black Moon Clan arc with Chibiusa's character, and a recontextualization of the numerous times Mamoru has given Usagi strength in prior arc climaxes. Similarly it foreshadows the next act to a degree no other act does. Act 44 has some of the crispest, most beautiful imagery and high-level poetic allusions in the entire series. The dreamlike atmosphere that this arc cultivates leads it to switch around in focus, which means that often even in the lesser acts of the arc there was often a really good sequence somewhere in.

However the inverse was also true. Even in the best acts this arc it would just switch to a sequence that felt arbitrary or outright contradictory. A sequence like the Pegasus flight sequence would appear in an otherwise lackluster act, yet on the other hand Act 44 still had bits that randomly didn't make sense like none of the other children in Michiru's violin class doing the obvious thing and reporting that the scary goth girl keeps making a ghost pegasus appearing. This arc may have connected to other arcs better then any other arc, but that meant at times it could feel a little dependent on them. So much of the final acts are about the Silver Millennium and to a lesser extent Crystal Tokyo rather then any Dream Arc introduced concept. The arc does explore returning characters admirably, but in contrast its new characters include the Quartet, characters meant to be the new Senshi that lack strong individuation, and a cast of villains more so supported only for strange powers and appearances rather than any interesting dynamic.

Oddly enough I think I like the Dream Arc a lot more because it's not the final arc. As a final arc Dream would feel like the series had begun to be dependent on its past ideas. As it stands now however the Dream Arc stands as a bit of a strange installment of the series that foreshadows the downright meta way the series would go with the final arc. If the Infinity Arc is characterized by Naoko's ambition, the Dream Arc on the other hand is characterized by self-reflection. It's Naoko using the dreamlike plot element to reflect on her own characters and the plot elements she had already introduced and to foreshadow what she had planned for them. In that sense you could say the Dreamlike atmosphere of the Arc is a plot device to allow Naoko to write at her more free self; writing towards reaching an emotional beat or a symbolic point rather than cohering to something making literal physical sense. 

That probably makes it sound more abstract than it is. The Dream Arc is not a super avant-garde work of abstract art. It's Naoko's reflection on her work and like many a self-reflective piece it incorporates elements of childhood including childhood whimsy and fantasy. In that, the Dream's arc potential and limitations; its strengths and weaknesses are seen. Much as a dream is speculated to be a way for the brain to organize the strangeness of the world to prepare one for the day ahead, the Dream Arc is an organization of all that has come before in Sailor Moon to prepare the series for its greatest endeavor, the climactic act. And like a dream, I find the Dream Arc confusing yet interesting, filled with strange unexplained elements and seemingly random diversions, yet also a deep meaning that enriches the soul and sheds precious light on the rest. 

Arc Ranking:

11: Act 45: They brought back my girl Saturn only to immediately write her out of the story again! It's not that this itself is particularly damning but the act itself doesn't have much in the way of positives to make up for its ending which seemed designed purely to make what was going on easier to write at the expense of interesting story possibilities and finally giving Senshi outside Usagi a chance to really shine in the main arc plot. That's the problem with the act in general which is skims over all the interesting parts. The Quartet start to awaken and immediately get sealed away. The Outers return and they and the Guardians don't have that many interactions. Especially given how much that was built up over the first half of the Dream Arc, it's disappointing. I love every act of Sailor Moon mind you, and this one has some nice characterization of Usagi and Hotaru, and Hotaru's fight with the Quartet is pretty cool if only because it shows Saturn really holding back and trying to show mercy on them, an ironic contrast from her depiction as the Messiah of Ruin last arc. That said, easily the weakest act in the arc.

10: Act 39: Act 39 is not bad, but it is unfocused. This is especially noticeable as it's the first act of the arc where focus is most needed as the act is meant to introduce the themes and ideas of the arc. A whole bunch of random things happen this act, presumably because Naoko wasn't sure yet where she wanted to expand the arc and so on reread it comes across as pointless such as Usagi and Chibiusa randomly bringing their Moon Kaleidoscopes to life, something not referenced anywhere else in the entire series. On the other hand while unfocused it does introduce at least some of the important elements of the arc and has more good points then Act 45. The sequence of Chibiusa flying over the city on Helios back is iconic to the series for a reason, Usagi and Mamoru's parental care over here is cute as always. 

9: Act 47:  Act 47 is a pretty fun act. It's mostly just a long fight scene between Nehelenia and Zirconia vs the Senshi but the other Senshi actually get to do more then they usually get to with Ami using her visor, the Senshi wounding Zirconia and making her run away, and Jupiter breaking Nehelenia's face with her fist, which is a real highlight of the arc to me. It's not an especially deep act and it has the weird "Helios is dead" melodrama that doesn't make any sense, but it's a fun read. It's definitely a lot more focused then Act 39.

8: Act 42: Jupiter's Dream Act is pretty decent, if kinda vanilla. I went back and forth on Act 47 vs Act 42 a lot, as both felt like fairly good reads for SM but nothing super special. Jupiter's was a decent vanilla character exploration of Makoto while Act 47 is a decent action sequence act of the Senshi fighting Nehelenia. However when I looked at the details of Act 47 I found several iffy parts. Act 42 on the other hand really shines in the details with cute bits like Chibiusa imagining the different Guardian Senshi giving her love advice, Nehelenia and Zirconia reversing the Magic Mirror scene from the Snow White fairy tale, or Makoto having a secret wish to be beautiful like Michiru. I don't think any part of Act 42 is as good as Jupiter punching Nehelenia in the fact from Act 47, but it's overall much more solid and even that part arguably detracted from Nehelenia's menace. 

7: Act 41: Rei's Dream Act is sort of opposite of Jupiter's Dream Act in my mind and there two are pretty much equal in my mind. Rei's Dream Act is very ambitious and parts of it I think are great. However similar to Act 39 to a lesser extent, it's a little unfocused, the parts not congealing as elegantly as the act prior to it. I really enjoy the humorous scene where Minako tries to convince Rei to get a husband to do all the work for her and I enjoy the differences between Mercury Dream and Mars dream where we see Rei doesn't lack confidence in herself the way Ami does, but her nightmare is one of betraying her own convictions. It also has Chibiusa and Helios' first kiss, if you're into that ship. Overall it's a good act and it does explore Rei's character but you really need to read it several times to get the full impact of it and it does not express itself to the fullest potential. 

6: Act 43: I like this act pretty well. Minako's exploration is good, it's just eternally unfinished because it's not concluded in this act and then in a later act it's made about Artemis instead. I love Usagi's declaration that Mamoru's pain is her pain and she will always be by his side, I like Minako and Artemis' friendship. The only real problem isn't so much its own fault as it is that it's unfinished and its plot isn't really resolved in future acts. Similarly it sets up the connection between Mamoru, Helios, Elysian and Earth which will cause the bizarre melodrama later about Helios not being able to be dead despite everyone treating that like a possibility. The villains this act are also some of the worst in the series history. I don't know on this one, it's an act with high highs but relatively low lows so it makes sense it's in the middle. 

5: Act 49: The concluding act of the Dream Arc is a pretty sweet, nice conclusion to the arc that does wrap up everything important in the act and recontextualize it with a literal-izing of the arc's theme with the entire thing having taken place in a nightmare that presented the world from moving forward in time. The act can feel a bit repetitive, repeating elements from the last act (all the Sailor Senshi giving their power to Sailor Moon) as well as the Black Moon Clan Arc (Chibi-Moon wanting to be a full Senshi and step out of her mother's shadow.) However, the act never fails to excite me with its preparation of the reader for the Stars Arc as well as the poetic cosmic imagery with Queen Serenity telling Princess Serenity about the star in our hearts, or the King and Queen destroying the Dead Moon creating the light of their coronation. 

4: Act 46: I love the first two-thirds of this act though the last third is...not bad but not as good as the former. The sequence of Usagi's material dream is really good exploration of Usagi as a character in relation to the arc's themes and ties in seamlessly with her helping Mamoru to awaken his own Golden Crystal as the two realize they hold their same dream. The act explains the mechanics of the climaxes of the prior arcs without taking away from the magic, the romance of it, which is not an easy task. This is an act I love for its romance between Usagi and Mamoru as well as its expansion of the lore. The last third is fine, but it is just sorta more regular fighting with Zirconia. However even if I ignored that, I don't think it would break into the top three of the arc, which to me are in their own tier for the arc. 

3: Act 40: Act 40 is the best exploration of any of the Guardian Senshi in the main series, though some parts of Sailor V can compare.  Act 40 is really the act that sets the standard and the structure for the first half of the Dream Arc and which the sub-arc won't match until the end. It's psychologically complex yet realistic. Symbolic, evocative, and informative the act is everything one could want from a Character Exploration act. Act 40 is a real highlight for the Dream Arc and it's only not higher due to not really connecting to the main plot very much except in symbolism. 

2: Act 48: Act 48 is the climax of the Dream Arc and is generally great! Much of it is taken up by Nehelenia expressing her backstory, but whereas in many series and even elsewhere in Sailor Moon this could have felt overbearing and halting the pace, here it serves to tie the arc very well with the past and future arcs and doesn't overstay its welcome. Plus it's just a really cool sequence. Then there's the actual climax to the actual fight with Nehelenia with Nehelenia stealing the Silver Crystal, and Mamoru calling it back to Usagi's side through their love, a shining moment for him that's actually kinda set up by the mechanics so far. The art's my favorite in the Dream Arc at just the right level of abstractness with beautiful imagery everywhere. This act is pure fanservice with a lot of elements the fans constantly express wanting to see such as Queen Serenity/The Silver Millennium, the Senshi in their Princess Dresses, the Mooncats in their Humanoid Form, Mamoru contributing to Usagi, and more. However, there's one act this arc that's even more beloved and with good reason.

1: Act 44: The exact midpoint of the Dream Arc, with everything prior feeling like it built up from this moment, and everything after feeling like it came from this moment.  Act 44 is the Outer Senshi Dream act. The Outer Senshi were phenomenally popular characters at the time and Naoko made sure to write the continuation of their arc with the gravitas and style that they deserved. The act was the obvious highlight of the arc for me; emotionally gripping, symbolically potent, fun and relatable yet cosmic and alien at the same time in the way only Sailor Moon can truly be. Hotaru's sequence of coming to awaken again and lead the other Outers is my favorite sequence in the Dream Arc without question. The theme of the Dream Arc is never more compelling then this act which downright elevates the themes through allusions to some of the greatest thinkers in history. Act 44 is truly a fantastic act. 

Sub-Arc Ranking:

2: The Elysion/Nehelenia Sub-Arc (Acts 45-49): Despite basically being a large fight scene as a sub-arc, the sub-arc's pretty good overall. The final two-parter, acts 48 and 49 make for a really good climax to the arc that connects it to both past and future, while also culminating the themes of the arc. Act 46 has the really good sequence of Usagi and Mamoru in Elysion and Act 47 is fun enough in a fight scene-type of way even if it lacks in depth. That said there was a lot of details and random sequences that didn't work nearly as well sprinkled throughout; Chibiusa thinking Helios was dead when she knows he can't be, Chibi-Moon, Saturn, and the Quartet being written out of the story, the Senshi having to power up Moon twice in a row, Zirconia seemingly killing Usagi and Mamoru as the cliffhanger of two adjacent acts. 

1: The Senshi Dream/Quartet Sub-Arc (Acts 39-44): This sub-arc also had a lot of random details and sequences as well but they tended to feel more a bit arbitrary or unfocused then actually inconsistent such as the Senshis' weapons randomly coming to life, The Guardian Senshi being brainwashed for like a page in Acts 43-44, repetitions constantly of the villains talking about their plot, etc. The only really negative one was Mamoru's stubborn refusal to talk about what was wrong. Acts 40 and 44 were both fantastic acts that would be good acts in any other arc, and most of the other acts were pretty solid, being probably the best exploration of the Guardian Senshi in general of the series. There's also a lot of cute or funny details scattered about. 

Next time I start the reason I began this project; the Stars Arc. The Stars Arc in every version gets very strong reactions. I've seen people say that Sailor Moon should have ended after the Infinity Arc and that Stars is the worst. I've also seen people who don't even like Sailor Moon say that the Stars Arc is some of the best writing in the Shojo genre. Perhaps to be expected for a work that breaks down the series the way Stars does. As for me, the Stars Arc is my favorite story in fiction.