Sailor Moon R
So, I think I've been spelling "Demande" two different ways since I've been writing about him. The blu-ray menus spell it "Dimande" but the Wiki spells it "Demande." So, I've officially decided to go with "Demande." Unless I forget. Let's get to it.
"Journey to the Future: Battle in the Space-Time Corridor"
Chibi-Usa: "O' Guardian of Time! Tear apart the heavens and open wide for me the door of space and time! I summon thee by your true name: Omnipotent God of Time! Father of the Guardian All Chronos! Guide us on our journey! Protect these travelers! Grant us the path of light!"
Despite ominous dreams, Chibi-Usa goes through with opening the Space-Time Corridor so she, the Guardians and Tuxedo Mask can go to the future to rescue her mother. On their journey, they meet Sailor Pluto, the forgotten Guardian of the door. When Demande sends Esmeraude and her droid, Luax, after them, their rescue mission may be over before it even gets started.
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| Lost in the fog. |
Because "Sailor Moon R" is a television show and has an episode quota to meet, we get a lot of filler. And while it's nice that it feels like we are really heading in to the home stretch and the final battle between the Sailor Guardians and the Black Moon Clan, we are definitely going to have to deal with a few episodes where they are just spinning their wheels. And that is kind of what we're doing with these two episodes.
There are things that I really enjoyed about this particular episode. I really liked when Chibi-Usa opened the door of space and time. It was so dramatic and it was really perfect. The music in the background. The effects are cool. Chibi-Usa's monologue. I love that this is all coming from like a child, but again, it really fits with "Sailor Moon R."
We officially meet Sailor Pluto in this episode. I love Sailor Pluto. She's my second favorite Sailor Guardian after Sailor Venus. I definitely wish we got more of her in this episode, but we will be getting more of her as the series progresses, a little tease for "Sailor Moon S." Its nice to see her relationship with Chibi-Usa. They clearly have a deep bond and you get it without there needing to be a lot of needless exposition. Sailor Pluto mentions offhandedly that Sailor Moon routinely makes her life difficult and no one is shocked. As they leave Sailor Pluto, Luna recounts a story that Queen Serenity had told her about a forgotten Sailor Guardian that was assigned to never the leave the door and that must be Sailor Pluto.
Cracks are starting to form in the Black Moon Clan. Esmeraude is insanely jealous of Demande's infatuation with Sailor Moon. She plans to kill Sailor Moon no matter what Demande wants. Saphir is concerned that Wiseman is manipulating Demande and wants Esmeraude to be worried about that too. This is all kind of boring. Like, I enjoy the designs of the Black Moon Clan but when you spend time with them, they just feel generic and boring.
This episode kind of loses steam in the last third. I don't really think it was necessary for the Guardians to have to confront a droid. Luax is extremely one note and boring and her powers don't really make sense. I don't think reversing time would cause the Guardians attacks to deflect back at them, but I guess it doesn't really matter in the long run. Like, what's happening is cool and different and it's starting to fill in the "Sailor Moon" mythos so just throwing in this run of the mill lame droid just sort of drags everything down.
The episode does leave on a pretty great cliffhanger with the team laying eyes on future Crystal Tokyo, and it's not in great shape.
Grade: B-
"The Shocking Future: Demande's Dark Ambition"
Prince Demande: "Who did that?"
Sailor Moon: "Tuxedo Mask?!"
Tuxedo Mask: "How dare you use your evil depravity and demented power to try and force yourself on an innocent woman?! You coward!"
Prince Demande: "Silence, you self-righteous prick!"
The Sailor Guardians and Tuxedo Mask finally get the answers they've been searching for since Chibi-Usa showed up. They meet the voice from Usagi and Mamoru's warning dreams, King Endymion, who is actually the future self of Tuxedo Mask, meaning Neo Queen Serenity is future Usagi and Chibi-Usa is their future daughter. Before they even have time to register all of that, Prince Demande shows up and kidnaps Sailor Moon.
This episode is pretty chaotic. It's this weird combination of backstory and then unhinged stalker behavior.
The weakest part of the episode is definitely all the exposition that is kind of clunkily delivered throughout the first half. Maybe part of the reason I don't love it is because it's narrated by the hologram of King Endymion aka the Tuxedo Mask of the future. I think having to hear his voice drone on and on is my idea of hell, so maybe other people enjoy it. In all seriousness, I think part of the reason I don't love this is because I don't necessarily think the visuals that accompany the exposition are super strong. It definitely feels like stuff that we have seen before.
The craziest thing about this whole sequence is how shocked everyone is when these "revelations" are made. How is it so surprising that Endymion is Mamoru from the future? They look exactly the same. They sound exactly the same. How are you so shocked. The same when the Sailor Guardians are confronted with their future selves. Again, look exactly the same. Wearing the same costumes. You are supposed to be a genius, Ami, come on! The only part of all of this that I was kind of tickled by was the reactions of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask when it's revealed that Chibi-Usa is their future daughter. i have to say, again, this shouldn't be played as shocking as it is, but I do enjoy how red they get when they seemingly remember in unison how children are made.
Endymion's explanation for why he sent Mamoru and Usagi the cryptic dreams about breaking up is very "Sailor Moon R." Their love has to be strong because it's the only thing powerful enough to beat back the Black Moon Clan and make sure the future is safe. It's so cheesy, but like, "Sailor Moon" is built on fromage, so it makes sense. Though, it doesn't make up for how much I hated that faux break up storyline that took up way too much of the back half of this season.
Demande shows up and kidnaps Sailor Moon and he's a creep. He's obsessed with Sailor Moon because she looks just like Neo Queen Serenity and she spurned him before. So, of course, her past self will definitely want to fuck him. Seriously. His whole deal of trying to force himself on Sailor Moon is gross and I was never happier to have Tuxedo Mask make the scene. This dude even dresses her up like Neo Queen Serenity and I don't even want to think about him doing that. I will say I did laugh a lot when Demande called Tuxedo Mask a prick. Because, I mean, he is. I just wish a stalker-y, rape-y weirdo wasn't the one who said it.
There is some gobbledygook about the Malefic Black Crystal and how it interferes with the Legendary Silver Crystal. There's a real brief "fight" between the two men before Demande takes off. Saphir warns Esmeraude that her silly little girly jealousy will get her in trouble with Demande once he finds out how she's been interfering. Esemeraude isn't worried, but I think she should be.
Grade: B
Next, Chibi-Usa is kidnapped by Wiseman and Black Lady is born.
What do you all think of these episodes? Were the shocked reactions too over-the-top for you too? Did you laugh at Tuxedo Mask being called a prick? Let me know in the comments.
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