Sailor Moon R
We have reached the end of the second season of "Sailor Moon R." It's been a solid season. And we have a movie before we wrap up entirely and move on to season three. This will be quick one since the second episode we have is a clip show. Let's get to it.
"The Final Battle Between Light and Dark: Pledge of Love for the Future"
Sailor Moon: "I'll find a way to save you. No matter what it takes."
Tuxedo Mask: "Sailor Moon. I'll help you. We'll overcome this challenge with our love and together we'll save our daughter."
Sailor Moon: "All right, Chibi-Usa, we're going to save you. The evil energy that possesses you. We're going to remove it."
Black Lady: "I will not let you defeat me. Bring it on!"
Sailor Moon: "Moon Crystal Power!"
Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Guardians attempt to get through to Black Lady and bring back Chibi-Usa. Each time they get close, Wiseman intervenes. Soon, Sailor Moon uses the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal to transform in to Neo Queen Serenity and gets their future daughter back. It's too late though. The Dark Gate has opened. Can the reunited mother/daughter stop Wiseman for good?
 |
| Family feud. |
It's time for the final confrontation between Black Lady and the Sailor Guardians. "Sailor Moon" finales are not like your standard anime finales. There is not like slam/bang action. Sailor Moon is not going to smack the crap out of the big bad. She's not going to beat Wiseman or Black Lady upside the head with her Cutie Moon Rod. That's just not how this Pretty Guardian rolls. And while I would not be mad about that happening, I can appreciate that the action in most "Sailor Moon" finales is emotional rather than physical.
That is definitely the case in this finale. Black Lady is ready to channel enough energy to open the Dark Gate even though the energy will probably kill her. Wiseman has convinced Black Lady that no one loves her and she is truly alone. It's kind of crazy to hear them talking about how you are born alone and will die alone in this magical girl anime. It's even crazier when you remember that the person saying this is actually a little girl not the young woman that she appears to be. They all try to get through to her. They want to remind her of all the good times that Chibi-Usa had with them. All the love that they shared. It almost works, but of course, Wiseman intervenes just as it's starting to work.
Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon decide they are going to save their daughter from the future with the power of love and by God, it sounds cheesy as hell, but it works. Sailor Moon uses the Legendary Silver Crystal to transform into Neo Queen Serenity who has the heart to heart with her daughter that Chibi-Usa has needed since she came to the future. Serenity tells Black Lady they didn't tell her to pick herself up to be cruel. They did it to show her that she can overcome anything. That she is a strong herself. I love a good Sailor Moon speech and this is a great one. She tell Chibi-Usa that it is easy to succumb to the despair and pain that most humans feel every day. But she needs to remember the good times and the love that she has in her life and its this speech that snaps Black Lady out of it and returns her to her younger self.
This emotional speech is what we watch "Sailor Moon" for and the show really nails it. It's earnest but never dips over the line in to overly schmaltzy. It is a fulfilling climax to what has been the emotional core of the second half of this season. It's so good that it almost makes me forgive the awful "Usagi's jealous of Chibi-Usa" stuff that happened earlier. Almost.
The remainder of the battle is no super exciting and feels a little bit rushed. Chibi-Usa's tear manifests a second Legendary Silver Crystal (like mother, like daughter) and they are able to defeat Wiseman and close the Dark Gate. All's well that ends well. Chibi-Usa returns to the future and I did get emotional watching her say good-bye to Usagi and reunite with Neo Queen Serenity. What can I say? "Sailor Moon R" knows how to get me right in the feels.
Grade: B+
"Usagi and the Girls Resolve: Prelude to a New Battle"
Usagi Tsukino: "In today's episode of "Sailor Moon," we'll be showing lots of clips from past adventures and a special sneak peek at what's to come for our third season."
Rei Hino: "And there's a rumor the Sailor Guardians might be getting a new leader."
Usagi Tsukino: "Huh?! What?!"
It's a season ending clip show! We get scenes from third season, clips from the past two seasons and funny commentary from the Sailor Guardians.
 |
| Keep your eye on the opener. |
I honestly thought about skipping this episode, but I am committed to covering every episode of "Sailor Moon" and this is an episode of "Sailor Moon." It's extremely inconsequential and you could definitely skip it if you wanted to. I think it also might be the only non canonical episode of the entire series.
There are some fun things about this episode, though. I loved how they did the opening sequence. They did a four part split screen and showed the four openings so far at the same time. It is pretty cool and definitely not something that I had seen any other anime do. It definitely helps that they opening song is the same for each sequence.
The running commentary of the girls throughout is a lot of fun, too. I can imagine that the voice actors really enjoyed recording for this particular episode. There is a running theme of each Sailor Guardian pitching to replace Usagi as the leader of the Sailor Guardians. There's some great fourth wall breaking with the girls ribbing each other with a lot of the things that "Sailor Moon" fans bring up. Mako is still obsessed with the guy that broke her heart. Usagi and Minako are basically the same. They are both clumsy. They look almost identical but with different hairstyles. Its cheeky and fun and makes this uninteresting episode tolerable.
Well, that's really it. I am sure you are glad you read through this.
I'm not even going to grade this episode because what is the point?
Season Grade: B+
Next up, we officially wrap u the R era with the "Sailor Moon R" movie which gives us the one thing that makes Mamoru Chiba bearable as a character: canonical bisexuality.
What did you all think? How did you like the wrap up to the Black Moon Clan arc? Did you watch the season as a whole? Where does "Sailor Moon R" rank overall for you? Let me know in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment