Sailor Moon S
One of the things I love about anime is that every anime fans know their favorite characters birthday. And just in case you are a Sailor Moon fan and you don't know Usagi's birthday, well now you do. It's June 30th! And, just in case you were curious, this year, Usagi will be turning 45. Let's get to it.
"I Want to Quit Being a Sailor Guardian: Minako's Dilemma"
Sailor Venus: "Hold it right there! I'm the Pretty Guardian of love and beauty: Sailor Venus! In the name of Venus, I'll punish you with the power of love!"
Kaolinite: "What was that?"
Sailor Moon: "Time out! I'm here to punish you for unsportsmanlike conduct! You have no right to prevent someone from living their life to the fullest! I am the Pretty Guardian who fights for love and for justice! I am Sailor Moon. And now, in the name of the moon, I'll punish you!"
Minako is in a funk. She sees couples all around her and she wants that for herself. This feeling intensifies when she runs across Asai, a boy she played volleyball with before she left for England. When Asai reveals he wanted to ask her out, but wanted to wait until he was on her level at volleyball skill, Minako starts questioning her life and whether or not she wants to continue to be a Sailor Guardian. Tomoe and Kaolinite target Asai.
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| The guardian of love and beauty. |
You know that I am always here for a spotlight episode on Minako Aino aka Sailor Venus aka my favorite (and the best) Sailor Guardian. I think that Minako has one of the coolest and most interesting backstories of all the Sailor Guardian. She lived in Europe. She is the first Sailor Guardian. She was a superhero on her own. There is a manga based on her that has been adapted into video games and other merch. She's bad ass. So, give us more spotlight episodes on Minako!!
Minako is really on her bullshit this episode and I am all the way here for it. She starts out the episode completely disgusted with the couple behavior that is all around her. She hears a couple talking about wearing matching outfits. The boy is concerned that they will look tacky. I really wish she would have shouted at them that it would, of course, be tacky, rather than keep it inside. It feels like she wants to throw up as she sees the couples all around her. And Minako at least acknowledges that the reason she feels this way is that she wants a boy to ask her out on a date. And fuck off Artemis for acting like guys shouldn't be breaking down her door.
I love that Minako is fully unhinged when she is meeting with the girls for their routine after school study session. She is gushing over the Sailor V manga and how amazing it is i.e. how amazing she is. She is giving them all the Sailor V merch. It totally makes sense why she is doing this. She is reminded of giving up volleyball and she's trying to remind herself that giving up volleyball to become a Sailor Guardian was worth it and this is part of the way that she does this.
I'm a fan of how Haruka shows up when the girls are needing advice. She's like this sage that they can lean on and open up to and also explore their bisexual feelings with at the same time. Minako asks Haruka if she ever wonders what it would be like being an ordinary girl and if she wonders if she is sacrificing ordinary happiness because she excels at racing. I think Haruka's response that she never thought of herself as not ordinary and that being good at racing is just part of who she is. It sounds like Minako thinks she needs to shrink herself or be less to achieve happiness and Haruka sets her straight (ha) on that. A small moment but I enjoyed how Minako quickly corrected herself when she asked Haruka about a boyfriend.
Sailor Venus shines in the battle with the daimon, Haikyun. I enjoy that they were like we are going to do a volleyball daimon so we will just do a play on the Japanese word for volleyball. I couldn't help but think of the volleyball anime, "Haikyu!!" Sailor Moon might destroy the daimon, but Sailor Venus sets (get it) her up. A volleyball duel with a volleyball daimon is so "Sailor Moon" and I'm kind of obsessed with it. You know from the moment Asai brings up the flying flip and dig kick that Sailor Venus is going to use it to save the day and it doesn't disappoint.
If I have one issue with this episode, it's the relationship between Minako and Asai. I think it's super cute when they are talking about how Asai had a crush on her and they are blushing so hard their heads look like tomatoes with faces, but then he has a girlfriend suddenly? It just feels a touch contrived which sort of undermines the message of the episode a little bit. Otherwise though, a great showcase for Minako Aino.
Grade: A-
"Usagi in Tears: A Glass Slipper for My Birthday"
Sailor Uranus & Sailor Neptune: [together] "Who's that?!"
Cenicienta: "And who are you, mister?"
Tuxedo Mask: "A pure heart shines a ray of light through the night's darkness. I am here to be the protector of that light so that it always shines bright. Take that!"
It's June 30th which means that is Usagi Tsukino's 15th birthday. Usagi feels like she is not getting the attention that she deserves. The girls act like it's nothing special but they are just acting because they are planning a surprise party for her. The majority of Usagi's ire is reserved for Mamoru who she believes has forgotten her birthday. Meanwhile, Kaolinite has decided to target Usagi. Could Sailor Moon be the first talisman holder?
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| A green glass slipper? |
I sometimes really relate to Usagi and how she handles her birthday is one of those times. Your birthday is all about you and I think it's totally fine to be as extra as you want on that day. And Usagi is definitely someone who subscribes to that philosophy, so I'm not surprised that she has a meltdown when the girls act like it's just another day. It is not another day. It is the day this wonderful girl graced the planet Earth and it should be celebrated god damn it!!
One thing I've never really understood is the appeal of glass slippers. I remember the first time I saw "Cinderella" my little brain couldn't wrap itself around why someone would want them. I mean, first thing, glass. That seems dangerous. What if you step on the wrong thing and the slipper shatters and you are getting your feet cut the fuck up. That sounds no bueno to me. Then, there is the comfortability factor. High heels are notoriously painful and high heels made of glass just seem like they would be ten times more uncomfortable than a standard high heel. I just don't understand it. Was this a thing at some point? If it was, someone please enlighten me in the comments, I'm too lazy to Google it.
That being said, I'm not surprised that Usagi Tsukino would covet them. She is a princess so of course she wants that fairytale love and getting glass slippers is part of that fantasy. Of course, she wants Mamoru to buy them and slip them on her feet like he's Prince Charming and she is Cinderella. What doesn't fit Usagi's fantasy is Mamoru not knowing that today is her birthday. It's hilarious to watch Mamoru flounder with what day it is and try to confidently say what it is, which is very typical man. It is kind of shocking that Usagi slaps Mamoru across the face, but in that moment it makes sense, though she definitely should not have done it.
This whole thing resolves itself in such an Usagi fashion. She shows up at training and the girls surprise her with a party and cake. They even suspend studying for the day. The are good friends and console her and commiserate with her when she tells them that Mamoru forgot her birthday, even Rei. Then, it comes out that Usagi didn't ever tell him her birthday and she doesn't know his. And she slapped him because of this. You honestly have to laugh.
We talked in the last recap about how Haruka seems to always show up when the various Sailor Guardians are in some state of emotional distress and that continues in this episode. Micihru and Haruka find Usagi crying on a bench and talk to her. She says she's done with Mamoru and Haruka takes this moment to playfully hit on Usagi and get some gay panic going. I've seen people say that Haruka is taking advantage of Usagi in a vulnerable moment, but I don't read it that way at all. It's clear that Haruka genuinely likes Usagi and this is just some playfulness to try to cheer her up which it seems to a bit.
The plot with the Death Busters really ratchets up in this episode as well as Kaolinite targets Usagi. And, it makes sense that Usagi's pure heart may be the first talisman they find. This generates a lot of conflict and brings a lot of the drama so far in this season to a boil. Usagi loses her transformation brooch trying to transform and Kaolinite finds it. Kaolinite puts two and two together and realizes that Usagi is Sailor Moon. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune witness Cenicienta take Usagi's pureheart crystal and realize that she could be a talisman holder and Sailor Uranus has to decide if she can let Usagi die even though she does care for her. Uranus seems to be willing to do that but Neptune isn't so sure.
The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Kaolinite absconding with Usagi's transformation brooch and Tuxedo Mask leaving Usagi in quite the pickle.
Grade: A
Next up, Usagi attempts to retrieve her brooch and save Tuxedo Mask and there's a return from the future.
What did you all think of these episodes? Where are my Sailor Venus fans at? Were you excited to see our girl get the spotlight? Did you enjoy the cliffhanger? Are you on the edge of your seat? Let me know in the comments.
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