"In the Name of the Moon" Re-Watch: "Moon Returns: The Mysterious Aliens Appear," "For Love and For Justice: Sailor Guardians Once Again" & "For Whom is the White Rose? The Moonlight Knight Appears"

 Sailor Moon R

We kick off season 2 of "Sailor Moon" or as it is now known: "Sailor Moon R." The R stands for either "Return" or "Romance." "Sailor Moon" was originally supposed to be a one season and done, but it was so successful Toei Animation commissioned creator, Naoko Takeuchi, to continue writing the manga. The first thirteen episodes of "Sailor Moon R" are comprised of the Makai Tree arc featuring new alien antagonists, Ail and An. This arc did not appear in the manga. It was written to give Takeuchi time to finish the manga's second arc which is the "Black Moon" arc which introduces Chibiusa. What is Ail and An's deal? How do the girls get their memories back. Let's find out.

"Moon Returns: The Mysterious Aliens Appear"

Usagi: "So, hey! Hey you! Listen up, you monster! Stop bullying Naru or else I'll punish you! I'll punish you? Why does that phrase sound so familiar?"

Two months after the battle with the Dark Kingdom, things have gone back to normal for Usagi and the rest of the former Sailor Guardians. It seems like the girls will continue to live a normal life, until a pair of aliens arrive. Ail and An are kept alive by the Makai Tree and when it starts to die, they send their Cardian monsters to drain the energy of Earth people to save the tree. Ail and An disguise themselves as siblings attending Juban Middle School. When Naru is attacked by the Cardian, Vampir, it's time for the Pretty Guardian to get back to work.

Pensiveness...

It really is deja vu all over again in the premiere episode of "Sailor Moon R." Usagi is still running late for school and being made to stand in the hallway. Except this time, Usagi is made to hold a bucket of water on her head by Miss Haruna. I did a Google search and confirmed that this was a common punishment until the 1970's and was co-opted by manga and anime because it was funny. Here's my question? Is Miss Haruna a bad teacher? Usagi is unquestioningly a bad student. She doesn't care about studying or waking up on time or doing her homework. She is a teacher's worst nightmare, but is Miss Haruna making her stand out in the hall with water and telling Ami that she shouldn't hang around Usagi because she's basically a dunce doesn't feel like like primo teacher behavior. Also, if you have a middle school girl hold a bucket on her head and then come out into the hallway to berate here, you probably shouldn't be surprised when the water bucket ends up getting dumped on you, even inadvertently. 

A meteor crashes in the middle of the night, but the meteor itself is transported to a nearby mansion. The empty crater draws a crowd including Usagi and the rest of the former Sailor Guardians. It seems that the girls can't stay away from each other. The meteor was actually the Makai Tree, the life giver of the aliens, Ail and An. They decide to hang out on Earth for a bit and gather energy and also attend school. Like, sure. I guess they are using this disguise to scope out potential energy sources? All I know is the idea to disguise themselves as siblings Seijuro and Natsumi Ginga is a terrible idea. Almost immediately after declaring their undying love for each other, they are immediately lusting after other students and engaging in some serious unsibling like jealousy. I'm sure this will go swimmingly.

Poor Naru can't stop herself from being a target of monsters. She gets attacked by the Cardian, Vampir, while on the phone with Usagi. Usagi can't help but go to her friend and it just goes to show that in the chest of this crybaby klutz beats the heart of a hero. Reluctantly, Luna resorts Usagi's memory and Sailor Moon returns. The battle is short once Sailor Moon employs her moon tiara action. The episode ends on a kind of melancholy note with Sailor Moon wistfully saying farewell to her normal life.

Grade: B+

"For Love and For Justice: Sailor Guardians Once Again"

Sailor Moon: "Stop right there! I don't know what's really going on here. As a matter of fact, I'm totally clueless."

Luna: "Ugh. You're not supposed to tell them that."

Sailor Moon: "But I can't forgive you for whatever you're doing even though I don't know what it is. So, in the name of the moon, I'll punish you."

Usagi is getting back into the swing of things as Sailor Moon. Luna and Artemis think they need to give the other girls their memories back so they can help face these threats, but Usagi assures them she's got this. It turns out she don't got this. She's only concerned with getting Mamoru's memory back and keep Natsumi aka An away from him. Ail and An take over a casting call that the other girls plus Naru are at and sick their Cardian, Minotauron, after them. Can Sailor Moon save the day or will she need a little help from her friends?

This isn't awkward...

You have to give Usagi credit. She really does believe that she can carry on the Sailor Guardian torch all by herself. She knows how badly she felt when she had her seemingly normal life torn away from her and she doesn't want that for her best friends. It's super admirable. We know it won't happen because they other Guardians are integral to the show and Usagi is borderline incompetent but you have to give it up for her. And, all she really wants in return is for Mamoru to get his memory back.

Oh yeah. Mamoru has zero recollection of his past life. Usagi accosts him on the street and it is so cringe, but so funny. Look, Mamo, this is hat you get for being a high schooler, scamming on middle school girls. Even Natsumi took one look at Mamoru and she is head over heels, which again is weird because if Ail looks sideways at another girl she loses her shit. What do these girls see in Mamoru? Is it the purple pants? I'll never understand.

In one of the show's more ludicrous plots (which is saying something), apparently, Naru, Ami, Rei, Mako and Minako, have been scouted as potential actresses for a television show and are being brought in to audition. Ail and An decide to take over the auditions and drain the girls' energy for the Makai Tree, because apparently teenage girl energy is the tastiest... or something. Usagi, who is definitely not in the running, decides to tag along with Naru for moral support and to steal her opportunity. Usagi gets sooo close...

It's fun watching the girls reunite and getting that deja vu feeling and it's nice to see them just unconsciously pick up where they left off. Poor Naru continues to be unable to catch a break and is downed as soon as Minotauron attacks. This whole climax is so funny to me. The ex Guardians running away from the Cardian. Usagi and Natsumi chasing after Mamoru once they realize that his job is working at the tv station. Luna having Usagi transform and her monologue about having no idea what is going on,  which will never not make me laugh no matter how many times I see it. Alls well that ends well with the Guardians back in action and Usagi still laser focused on getting Mamoru his memories back.

Grade: B+

"For Whom Is the White Rose? The Moonlight Knight Appears"

Sailor Jupiter: "My friends and I are cramming as hard as we can for tomorrow's big test. Interfering with that is unforgivable!"

The Sailor Guardians are reunited and are trying to figure out who is behind the Cardian monsters that have been attacking and forced their re-awakenings. Well, they are all focused on that except for Usagi, who is still more focused on Mamoru getting his memories back. When Mako's friend Kenji is attacked by the Caridan, Falion, the girls kick it into gear, but not without a little help. You thought Tuxedo Mask was bad? Wait until you meet the Moonlight Knight.

"I'm the only barely legal babe for Mamo."

Man. The Moonlight Knight. If you thought all Tuxedo Mask was missing was a little dab of cultural appropriation than Moonlight Knight is the character for you. He's basically Tuxedo Mask, but dressed up like a sheik and carrying a scimitar. Oh and he throws white roses instead of red ones. Sailor Moon is convinced this is Mamoru just with a new guise, but I have a feeeellliiinnng there is more to it than that. And we are going to have to suffer through a lot more episodes before it's revealed what that is. 

This episode is pretty disjointed. There are some great things. The Falion attack on Kenji is pretty brutal for "Sailor Moon R" and there is actually blood and a pretty intense rush to the hospital. I really like how they animated the trip to the hospital with Kenji. Stark red. No motion, just different cards. It is suitably intense for an early '90's magical girl anime.

Usagi continues to embarrass herself in front of Mamoru. This time drawing pictures to illustrate their history and accosting him with them on the street until Natsumi shows up. As the two girls bicker over this boy who clearly wants nothing to do with them, Mamo takes off. The awkward romance continues as Ail shows up as Seijuro to be a creepy stalker and declare that he is in love with Usagi and they are no together. Usagi must really be in love with Mamoru because she doesn't fall for Ail's empty romantic gesture.

The heart of this episode is Mako's relationship with Kenji and it does create some good moments, like Sailor Moon's concern for Sailor Jupiter. She's weak from giving blood and bent on revenge. The downside to this is that there is very little context for the relationship between Mako and Kenji. It's not romantic, so they are just friends? But Kenji just shows up to randomly protect Mako and she can't acknowledge it? Is he in love with her and she doesn't feel the same way. It's way to vague to pack the emotional punch that the episode is looking for. Though, that sequence of them in the rain is pretty.

Grade: B

Next up, Sailor Moon's tiara stops working and she gets a new power up.

"Sailor Moon R" is off and running. The Makai Tree Arc isn't awful but we are al here for the Black Moon arc. Let's not front. Are they any Ail and An lovers out there? Let me know in the comments.