Act 7: Mamoru Chiba - Tuxedo Mask
We open with Usagi and Mamoru talking. Which is oddly ordered because Usagi talks about events that Tux witnesses as if Mamoru would know what she was talking about before she picks up the mask and wonders how she didn't realize who he was earlier.
After the credits, Usagi asks for some backstory. It amuses me that the off-the-cliff bit and the waking up in the hospital afterwards looks almost identical to the original anime. Even the red screen of doom. Still no explanation why his parents drove off a cliff.
Also, translation error.
"Just one word: "Legendary Silver Crystal."
That's THREE WORDS! Yes, in Japanese, is it one compound word. However, it isn't in the translation - therefore the translation should match.
Anyway, after that, Mamoru asks if Usagi will trust him. She wants to, but she hesitates, remembering Luna's warning that he might be an enemy. She then visibly comes to a carefully considered decision and says "I believe you." Nicely done! Rather than Usagi coming off as naive, she instead appears thoughtful.
There's also a nice moment where Mamoru nicknames her Usako shortly thereafter (while handing her her bag).
OH! And instead of Luna talking to Artemis in the computer lab, she's clearly talking to Sailor Venus! Awesome!
Meanwhile, Beryl needs to visit Metalia, who is now stored behind a massive door of doom. So far so standard until we get a Beryl flashback. It seems... similar to the manga, but not the same, since Beryl already had pointy claw nails (not usually found on archeologists).
And suddenly, DVD rental shop. No, wait, the DARK DVD Rental shop. .... To once again paraphrase Shadowjack, "Ackbar's Totally Not Suspicious DVD rental shop".
The next day, Usagi, Ami, and Makoto are researching Sailor V. I... won't go into Dark Umino. Just no.
I will note my amusement that Usagi has no idea how she got the watch in this version. At least she isn't a random kleptomaniac this time.
Mamoru, however, is. Usagi can't find her handkerchief because Mamrou stole it and is busy sniffing it. I wish I was kidding.
Meanwhile, Naru has been brainwashed. Along with the rest of the class. And everyone has DARK DVDs. Usagi grabs one and - after checking the manga to make sure we were on track - she heads to the arcade to test it out. Just like the DARK VHS tapes in the manga, the Sailor V game rejects the DARK DVD and then Sailor V appears on screen to tell Sailor Moon to get her butt in gear and deal with the brainwashing DVDs. This sequence actually makes far MORE sense with DVDs than it did with VHS tapes (even manga Usagi is like "what? VHS tape in a video game? That makes no sense!")
Meanwhile, Mamoru is on a bus. And everyone else on the train is brainwashed. Damn - did EVERYONE rent a DVD the previous evening? I'm serious - literally the entire population of Tokyo appears to have been affected.
Also, random thought - Zoicite has really pretty green eyes. ... what?
Anyway, Usagi heals everyone (again, the entire population of Tokyo) with Moon Healing Escalation. However, it was a trap - Zoicite shows up and starts choking Usagi. Also - nice touch - we get some alternative animations for their attacks to cut down on stock footage. Usagi prays for Tuxedo Mask to help her (just like in the manga) and then -
TUXEDO MASK PUNCHES ZOICITE IN THE FUCKING FACE!!!
That wasn't in the manga. In the manga, Tux stands around being useless this entire scene. That was godsdamned epic!
Mamoru tries to go for number two, but Zoicite blasts him across the room. Which is still way more awesome than him being useless in the manga. Plus, Mamoru says that his true wish isn't to get the crystal, but is ... Usako.
Um... to protect her? To sleep with her? To become her? You need to be a bit more specific Mamoru.
And then Zoicite summons up one of those giant Ice spikes like Beryl used in the original anime, except wider (and bluer) and intends to.... Well, I think he's supposed to impale Usagi with it, but considering the size of the thing, it is more likely to slice Usagi in half than actually "stab" her. Clearly Crystal Zoicite doesn't fuck around.
And thaat's when V-chan shatters it with her crescent boomerang from the Sailor V manga. Because FUCK YEAH SAILOR V!
Sailor V also hits Zoicite with an attack, which wounds Zoicite rather than cutting him into small pieces as in the manga.
And, once again, Sailor V has Revlon Wind. Because Sailor V is just that awesome.
Ahem.
Next Time: Act 8 - Minako - Sailor V.
They took moment to spoil Sailor V's transformation and it is FUCKING EPIC!!! I realize I've used the words Epic several times this review, but... this episode and the preview for the next are really damn exciting. I loved the way they handled this episode (removing entirely the force bubble thing from the manga and the equivalent episode from the original anime) and instead had Zoicite and Mamoru both be more awesome.
And... well, everyone here already knows I love Sailor V. What I've seen has not disappointed me.
We open with Usagi and Mamoru talking. Which is oddly ordered because Usagi talks about events that Tux witnesses as if Mamoru would know what she was talking about before she picks up the mask and wonders how she didn't realize who he was earlier.
After the credits, Usagi asks for some backstory. It amuses me that the off-the-cliff bit and the waking up in the hospital afterwards looks almost identical to the original anime. Even the red screen of doom. Still no explanation why his parents drove off a cliff.
Also, translation error.
"Just one word: "Legendary Silver Crystal."
That's THREE WORDS! Yes, in Japanese, is it one compound word. However, it isn't in the translation - therefore the translation should match.
Anyway, after that, Mamoru asks if Usagi will trust him. She wants to, but she hesitates, remembering Luna's warning that he might be an enemy. She then visibly comes to a carefully considered decision and says "I believe you." Nicely done! Rather than Usagi coming off as naive, she instead appears thoughtful.
There's also a nice moment where Mamoru nicknames her Usako shortly thereafter (while handing her her bag).
OH! And instead of Luna talking to Artemis in the computer lab, she's clearly talking to Sailor Venus! Awesome!
Meanwhile, Beryl needs to visit Metalia, who is now stored behind a massive door of doom. So far so standard until we get a Beryl flashback. It seems... similar to the manga, but not the same, since Beryl already had pointy claw nails (not usually found on archeologists).
And suddenly, DVD rental shop. No, wait, the DARK DVD Rental shop. .... To once again paraphrase Shadowjack, "Ackbar's Totally Not Suspicious DVD rental shop".
The next day, Usagi, Ami, and Makoto are researching Sailor V. I... won't go into Dark Umino. Just no.
I will note my amusement that Usagi has no idea how she got the watch in this version. At least she isn't a random kleptomaniac this time.
Mamoru, however, is. Usagi can't find her handkerchief because Mamrou stole it and is busy sniffing it. I wish I was kidding.
Meanwhile, Naru has been brainwashed. Along with the rest of the class. And everyone has DARK DVDs. Usagi grabs one and - after checking the manga to make sure we were on track - she heads to the arcade to test it out. Just like the DARK VHS tapes in the manga, the Sailor V game rejects the DARK DVD and then Sailor V appears on screen to tell Sailor Moon to get her butt in gear and deal with the brainwashing DVDs. This sequence actually makes far MORE sense with DVDs than it did with VHS tapes (even manga Usagi is like "what? VHS tape in a video game? That makes no sense!")
Meanwhile, Mamoru is on a bus. And everyone else on the train is brainwashed. Damn - did EVERYONE rent a DVD the previous evening? I'm serious - literally the entire population of Tokyo appears to have been affected.
Also, random thought - Zoicite has really pretty green eyes. ... what?
Anyway, Usagi heals everyone (again, the entire population of Tokyo) with Moon Healing Escalation. However, it was a trap - Zoicite shows up and starts choking Usagi. Also - nice touch - we get some alternative animations for their attacks to cut down on stock footage. Usagi prays for Tuxedo Mask to help her (just like in the manga) and then -
TUXEDO MASK PUNCHES ZOICITE IN THE FUCKING FACE!!!
That wasn't in the manga. In the manga, Tux stands around being useless this entire scene. That was godsdamned epic!
Mamoru tries to go for number two, but Zoicite blasts him across the room. Which is still way more awesome than him being useless in the manga. Plus, Mamoru says that his true wish isn't to get the crystal, but is ... Usako.
Um... to protect her? To sleep with her? To become her? You need to be a bit more specific Mamoru.
And then Zoicite summons up one of those giant Ice spikes like Beryl used in the original anime, except wider (and bluer) and intends to.... Well, I think he's supposed to impale Usagi with it, but considering the size of the thing, it is more likely to slice Usagi in half than actually "stab" her. Clearly Crystal Zoicite doesn't fuck around.
And thaat's when V-chan shatters it with her crescent boomerang from the Sailor V manga. Because FUCK YEAH SAILOR V!
Sailor V also hits Zoicite with an attack, which wounds Zoicite rather than cutting him into small pieces as in the manga.
And, once again, Sailor V has Revlon Wind. Because Sailor V is just that awesome.
Ahem.
Next Time: Act 8 - Minako - Sailor V.
They took moment to spoil Sailor V's transformation and it is FUCKING EPIC!!! I realize I've used the words Epic several times this review, but... this episode and the preview for the next are really damn exciting. I loved the way they handled this episode (removing entirely the force bubble thing from the manga and the equivalent episode from the original anime) and instead had Zoicite and Mamoru both be more awesome.
And... well, everyone here already knows I love Sailor V. What I've seen has not disappointed me.