"I Am the Moon" Re-Watch: "Making New Friends: Chibi Moon's Adventure" & "I Want Power: Mako Lost in Doubt"

 Sailor Moon S

We only got a little bit of Chibi-Usa at the end of the last episode but she's back in full force in the first episode of this post. We get a Mako focused episode for the second episode which I feel like we haven't had for a while. Let's get to it.

"Making New Friends: Chibi Moon's Adventure"

Sailor Moon: "Chibi Moon, leave the rest to me! And now ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the wait is finally over! 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!"

Chibi-Usa reveals to the girls that her mother, Neo Queen Serenity, sent her back to the past to complete her Sailor Guardian training. She also advised her daughter to make friends and told her that she is destined to make a special relationship in the past. Chibi-Usa thinks that she might have found that person in a local tea master who is also the Death Buster's next target.

Fighting.

Chibi-Usa is back and if you're a fan of Small Lady, then I'm sure you're excited for this. I don't mind her one way or the other. But the return of Chibi-Usa means that we get the return of some of the issues that "Sailor Moon R" had when it comes to Chibi-Usa. You read my thoughts them and I'm here to say that Usagi's jealousy over Chibi-Usa's relationship with Mamoru is still ridiculous. It might be even more ridiculous now that everyone knows that Usagi and Mamoru are her future parents. It's just extremely odd and I'm glad that Mamoru calls Usagi out on it and asks her to please calm herself. It seems like she is going to, so maybe we won't have to deal with it that much with Chibi-Usa's return. I did think it was kind of funny that they are just openly talking about Mamoru being Chibi-Usa's dad in front of Haruka and Michiru. These people just have no chill and I kind of love it.

I think that the thing that I like most about this episode is when it shows us the similarities between Chibi-Usa and Usagi. Chibi-Usa doesn't want to believe that she's like her future mother, but they are cut from the same cloth. We see it in the tea ceremony when they are the only ones struggling with staying upright because their feet are falling asleep and they take turns torturing each other. We really see the family resemblance though when Chibi-Usa transforms into Sailor Chibi Moon. She trips and falls head over feet mid-transformation. She is still struggling with her attacks. It is giving very much Sailor Moon.

I think that sometimes there can be a disconnect when you think about how Usagi is going to become Neo Queen Serenity. Every time we see Neo Queen Serenity she seems extremely regal and put together. A far cry from the clumsy, socially awkward girl who's charming, but kind of dumb, too. So, when they read the letter sent with Chibi-Usa and deduce it was written by the future Usagi because there are words misspelled and incorrect kanji used. There's even a note from the queen to her past self saying how she wishes she would have been more studious. And it sounds like Rei is still shading Usagi in the future because Chibi-Usa brings up how Future Mars was regaling Small Lady with stories of past Usagi's clumsiness.

Watching this episode, you may have been shaking your head at  Chibi-Usa's interaction with the boy, Shinnosuke. That's completely understandable if you're unfamiliar with the manga/anime, "Crayon Shin-Chan." It's completely unhinged and inappropriate and it was very popular in Japan around this time. In fact, the little figure that Shinnosuke tosses to Chibi-Usa is Shin-Chan. The whole sequence could have been pulled from "Crayon Shin-Chan" right down to Shinnosuke take off his shorts and helicoptering at Chibi-Usa. I'm left feeling the same way she does after the bizarre interaction is complete.

I talk a lot about how "Sailor Moon S" felt ahead of its time particularly when it came to the queer content that it produced. But, sometimes the show reminds us that it was made in the mid '90's and we get that reminder at the end of the episode with the tea master, Tamasaburo. Earlier in the episode, Chibi-Usa believes that Tamasaburo is maybe that special relationship, she's even ready to become his apprentice. But then, when he becomes super into Sailor Chibi Moon after she rescues him he dresses up as her and Usagi and Chibi-Usa take off because they are... disgusted? It's not a great note to end on.

Grade: B

"I Want Power: Mako Lost in Doubt"

Sailor Moon: "Hold it right there!"

Daruma: "Huh?"

Sailor Moon: "No matter how many times you try to defeat us, we, the good guys, will always pick ourselves up and fight to protect the innocent. 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!"

Sailor Mars: "And the rest of us will chastise you, as well!"

Mako loses a physical confrontation with a Daimon and it shakes her. She decides that she is going to spend her summer break at a temple training with a monk. The girls join her to support her and because Usagi wants to visit Mamoru at the resort that he is working at. Can Mako regain her confidence when a daimon attacks the monk she's training with?

The jig is up.

It has been a little bit since there has been an episode that spotlighted Mako so it was nice to see the physically strongest Sailor Guardian get her due. And not only that, the plot of the episode was focused on that physical strength and there was no mention of the boy who broke her heart. I think that is kind of a big deal because it feels like he always makes some sort of appearance. I thought it was kind of cool that they opened up with a flashback to a battle we didn't see, but we didn't have to see, thought that daimon was pretty cool looking. Mako getting handled pretty easily shakes her and that tracks. One of the things Mako has always been able to count on is her physical strength so someone being stronger than her would definitely make her get her in her head. And what do you do when you are doubting your physical strength? You train harder.

This leads Mako to meeting the target for this episode, Kakusui Yakushiji. He initially gives off the traditional stoic warrior monk vibe. He's training hard. He's running up and down the steps. He's standing under a freezing waterfall and Mako can't even last five minutes. The great thing is when the mask breaks and you get to see the real person under that. It's extremely charming and he, of course, helps teach Mako a lesson. Unfortunately, I feel like its a lesson we've seen taught before, which is that your strength is actually your friendships and the people you're close to.

Even though they just brought her back, this episode ditches Chibi-Usa pretty quickly. Usagi lies to her about where she's going. I did think it was great that Usagi almost had the girls convinced that they should stay at the resort that Mamoru is working at instead of the temple. But then, Luna throws her right under the bus. That tricky pussy. Though, I feel like the girls should have realized that Usagi maybe had an ulterior motive.

There are some cute funny moments in this episode. Usagi ends up at the hotel after complaining about the meager meals being served at the temple. And, guess what? All the girls brought their swimsuits, including Ami. It's always nice to see Ami act like a teenage girl in this series. While at the pool, the girls overhear some boys talking about how hot they are, but their bubbles are quickly burst when Haruka and Michiru draw their attention instead. 

Grade: B-

Next up, we learn a little bit more about Haruka's past and Chibi-Usa falls in love.

What do you all think? Do you hope we are done with Usagi jealous of Chibi-Usa and Mamoru plotline? Were you hoping for a little more from a Mako focused episode? Let me know in the comments.