Sailor Moon Crystal Season 1 Review

Moonies, Season 1 of Crystal is officially over. Season 2 is already upon us and I have mixed feelings about the first season. Let’s get into the review.

Have you seen Act 14? “Conclusion and Commencement” is the final chapter of the first arc. “Conclusion” refers to Sailor Moon and Metalia’s epic battle, while the “Commencement” piece is the set up for season 2. Folks, I’m reviewing Act 14 then season 1 as a whole.

I dislike the last episode. No amount of sugar can coat this and make it any less sour for me. The so-called “epic battle” is anything but, and the entire episode is rushed and feeble. The past few leading up to this one are the same. The season decided it’s time to end by all means necessary and forgot about its viewers.

Moving right along to Sailor Moon Crystal season 1 as a whole, I like most of the first season, but many pieces irk me and I believe it could be smoother. Generally, I caught strange plot-holes or awkward moments that don’t make sense. However, the major problem with season 1 was the lack of time spent on the sailor soldiers i.e. Usagi’s bitches, because let’s face it, that’s how they’re treated.

There isn’t any real character development on their parts. From a strategic standpoint their powers make sense when we first see them (.e.g Ami’s bubble mist was awesome). However, I wish the series spent more time developing them so we could watch them make gains and mature into their roles. This would make more sense in latter part of the series, because it seems like they keep pulling stuff out their asses; abilities that were never available are conveniently there to fit the story. I keep asking myself where these abilities come from and when/how did they develop them. I hated this coming to the final episodes. They aren’t given enough screen time; As a result, there isn’t enough detail about their attitude, abilities and character development and it made watching the final few episodes a painful experience.

I won’t explore the plot-holes and inconsistencies throughout the episodes, but I did note how Tuxedo mask knew where Usagi lives when he’d never been there. Correct me if I’m wrong please, because either that’s a hole or he should change his name t0 stalker mask/kamen. It’s also  “interesting” how they yell each other’s civilian names in front of their enemies. Don’t believe me? Sailor Moon yells Makoto’s name before she transforms into Sailor Jupiter. This violates Super Hero Identity creed (unless your Ironman). How is the enemy so stupid that in a time with super computers, magic and special powers they can’t research everyone in Japan with that name and go after them? Did no one think of this?

I like the idea of the Silver Millennium and the Moon Kingdom. I also appreciate the moon visit and learning more about the history; really well done on their part, but the ending episode was strange. Usagi had to say a prayer to the moon to achieve her best powers and when she vanquishes Metalia, supposedly her greatest foe in the series, it feels anticlimactic, rushed and easy; No point discussing it further, go watch.

I feel good about the animation; I love the colors and how bright and glossy it looks, albeit I have issues with their frail, thin frames because I feel it promotes the wrong message for young women…Oh well, right? Changes are made; at least it seems like changes are made, but during the last episode, after staring at the characters their sharp edgy designs are apparent.

Look at their noses, they look like small mountains on their faces; protruding, pointed peaks with a sharply sloping forehead to nose area. I’m not kidding; they took the moon arc seriously. You could run a toy car off their foreheads and it would pick up speed and leap right off.

Ok, I’m being difficult, right? Can you feel my disappointment? I grew up watching the other series and mid-season I had high hopes for this one. Sailor Moon Crystal isn’t a total flop. It has some really great pieces, an interesting story-line, character developments (mainly Sailor Moon/Usagi) we never see in the previous Anime and some cool battle moments. My favorite scenes are Venus’ entrance and Tuxedo Kamen punching Zoicite (hell yeah!).

The music has its touching moments but it feels like someone left their music player on repeat after the first few episodes. I miss ‘Carry On’ from the last battle and ‘Rainy Day Man’ etc. from the first series…Oh! You think I don’t know the names?! You’re mistaken…

I give the first season a 7 on 10. I almost gave it a 6 if not for the mid-season. It starts weird, gets better during the middle, but the last few episodes almost ruin it. The series is too short and could have been 25 or more episodes easily. The mature vibe they use is perfect and I think it’s an amazing change from the previous Anime’s cartoon-like element, but the show feels like a rushed workout, and it doesn’t show and explore of its world and characters enough. Hopefully in season 2 they’ll correct some of these problems.

Folks, it’s been a pleasure and an honor to have your attention. Thank you. Share your thoughts about the series. Would love to hear your experiences.

Sailor Moon Crystal episode 11 review

I’m here, I promise I’m alive even if I’m not all too well. Tiz the season to be merry and we have a new episode of Sailor Moon Crystal to cover. Let’s jump in and get started!

The title of this week’s episode is “Endymion” but for some reason after the opening scenes I feel like I need a talking cat to help me get my act together (What would Usagi do without Luna?). I’m really getting the feels for Usagi in this version. I’m feeling for her story and her emotional struggle. Her past life and the life she’s now leading have been meshed together and she’s left with broken memories, trying to stand tall in the present and move forward for her future.

It’s hard for her–I get it–especially after learning about the love of your life and how tragically things ended. Naturally, you won’t want a repeat; of course, she’ll try to fight her best. The series is about Usagi, Sailor Moon; I know some of you have complained about the lack of time invested in the other characters, but they’re supporting cast members, maybe we’ve been spoiled from the last version? I’m happy they’re focusing on Sailor Moon/Usagi Tsukino’s struggle.

I’ve never felt particularly amazed by Usagi, she always felt slightly goofy and even though I thought the show was cool she was never really my favorite until now (Hotaru and Haruka for the win). Isn’t that the goal? For us to feel more invested in the main character and less on the supports? It’s debatable right? regardless, I’m enjoying this and I applaud the direction they’ve taken.

This episode focuses on Mamoru being turned by Queen Beryl. Do you remember when that happened in the old series? It’s happening all over again, but his approach is different. After watching this episode I noticed it falls in line with what I feel is the general theme, or focus of the show. I’m having trouble putting it eloquently so I’ll just put it out there: “Emotions.”

What does a teenager, an adult and a child have in common and they all go through regularly? Emotional struggle! The whole show feels more focused on emotions and feelings, and less on battle and magical powers. Well, I’ll digress that I’m also thoroughly enjoying the battle sequences and the powers, but that’s for another time. In this show there’s less minion bashing and a deeper focus on the story’s characters, and the things that guide them toward their behavior.

Whether the emotions are attacked, used, twisted and/or manipulated we’re seeing it play out in these past few episodes. I’m feeling more involved with Usagi because we’ve all been there at some point and the story is doing a good job of portraying how she’s feeling, and giving her a real sense of grief over the things in her life.

They aren’t really solving things with fists or with special powers yet, it’s like the real battles are being fought outside of the proverbial “battlefield.” Why do I think this? Watch Mamoru’s interaction with Usagi in the gaming center, sure he’s been turned, but he knows she likes him and that he has some measure of control over her emotions. Still not convinced? Watch the way he touches her…

As the episode rolls on I’m seeing the manipulation play through more. That’s what this is all about isn’t it? From Queen Metalia working on Queen Beryl to the Sailor soldiers and…whoops! I can’t say that or I’ll spoil it. You’ll have to watch the episode friends. There’s an impressive fight scene followed by a scene involving one of our feline friends (the cat I wish I had in real life). I must also applaud the show for its use of tension and choosing the perfect places to stop the episode to keep us waiting for the next one.

Can you tell I’m enjoying the story? I’m really digging into this show and I can’t wait to see more. Thanks for reading; like and subscribe to the blog. Feel free to share your opinion too. I enjoy a good discussion.

P.s. This episode had a real long transformation segment. I mean damn…

 

Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 5 review

Folks…Sailor Jupiter has arrived, the anime has officially started…Just kidding! She’s my favorite in the inner senshi and I’m glad to see her join the cast. Let’s get into another review of Sailor Moon Crystal, I was so mad It wasn’t on last week but it’s on today, so we’re on today too!

Folks, I’m happy to say I enjoyed watching this episode, my favorite inner senshi is on the scene and she looks (and sounds) fantastic. From head to toe she had it going for me and I felt we really got to see Usagi’s qualities play out in this installment. Before I continue, there’s some pieces to this review that may get rough and with that there are some spoilers, so please watch the episode first, or proceed at your own risk, but I thought I’d warn you early before I continue.

Fabulous…her scent and her cooking, her strength and her poise. Usagi knew and we’ll be seeing it more often (can you feel the love from me on this?). The enjoyed hearing the voice actress for Makoto and we learned quite a bit about her from this episode alone. If you’re a huge fan then you know about her cooking, her living situation, strength and a few other components.

In her Sailor Jupiter form we saw a new attack I never even knew she had and there was a greater emphasis on “love” and “roses.” I’ll leave that right there for you to ponder ;). The way in which the enemy was defeated this episode brought  huge smile to my face, and I’m overall enjoying the feel of this show.

We also see a few other supporting characters in this episode. I liked the way Mamoru enters and the perspective they’ve taken with him, he seems more mysterious and has a style that I haven’t seen for sometime, I’m really enjoying his character. I’m also surprised by the difference in this version over its predecessor. In the previous anime we saw the generals killed off, but If you’ve kept up with the show you know that Nephrite is in the seat now, but Jedite is very much alive. I feel this is so much smarter because you can tell a war is coming, no sense in killing off your troops.

Sailor Moon Crystal remains fresh in my eyes, the music adapts, the voice acting is on point and the story is moving along at a good pace. No more fillers, every episode thus far has counted toward the main show. In this episode I did have a few questions that maybe someone can answer.

Warning, this is your spoiler alert so please skip ahead:

So, here’s a few questions I asked myself this episode and these things really bothered me. In the episode, we see Makoto referring to Sailor Moon as Usagi from the start, how does she know that she’s Usagi? Ami called her Sailor moon in her entrance episode (episode 2), and I think Rei did the same, so it felt out-of-place here. On that note…if you’re using the real name of the enemy (and notice how Nephrite says “Sailor Moon,” while Makoto said Usagi) wouldn’t they just learn your real name? Couldn’t Nephrite now devise a plan to find everyone named Usagi and then attack them until he finds Sailor Moon?

Last 2 things, Tuxedo Mask shows up at Usagi’s house and asks her to come with him. Maybe he found out, but how does he know Usagi is Sailor Moon and more over…how does he know where she lives? It’s only been 5 episodes, this being the 5th one and I doubt he knows where she lives. Correct me if I’m wrong or confused on any of these points folks, but their reactions have been in bits and pieces and their actual relationship is a long ways off. Just some things I thought about…

Spoiler Ended

I suspect Episode 6 will be just as exciting as this one and we can expect Sailor Venus to join the gang shortly. The show is really shaping up in a different way and I’m really excited that I don’t fully know where this is going. It feels like a brand new show, or a different take on the old one (which it is in a way) and that’s a fantastic feeling for me.

Kudos to the Sailor Moon community page admin for the pictures, you can check out the page and some of the other stills from the episode. Thanks for everyone who read these; feel free to comment and share. I’d love an answer or two for the questions I posted in the spoiler…again, read at your risk. Thanks !

Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 3 Anime Review

HA! I get some of you forgot today was the day we’d get to see another fine episode of Sailor Moon Crystal? Well guess what! I’ve got this neat review that I wrote and I’m urging you to go see the episode before you read it. I’ll try not to spoil it, I promise!

So what’s going on in Episode 3? The visuals are constant and the story feels like it’s being presented in a different way. If you haven’t read the Manga you may want to consult someone who has, or get to reading it yourself. In this episode, we’re introduced to some of the other villains, gain more insight into the silver crystal and say hello to another guardian of justice.

The first thing I noticed was the male voice of Zoicite in this installment and the introduction of Queen Beryl’s generals. In the original Anime, you’ll recall he had a female voice and was transformed into a female character (at least in the English dub version, I can’t remember the Subbed). As the world is becoming more open-minded the anime is probably going to showcase what it’s meant to be all this time.

Guess who’s in this episode! That’s right kids…Sailor Mars is on the scene and Crystal is moving along at a great pace. It seems we’re being spared the annoying  filler episodes (which makes me so thankful).

 

I suspected there would be more changes, as the episode rolled on it confirmed it for me. It almost didn’t feel like Sailor Moon, but I mean that in a good way. It felt more serious and I felt like I was watching a whole new show. This really made me want to dig into the Manga to see how closely they’re following it. This episode left me with a few questions, but I really enjoyed watching it . I’ve posted a few of the questions below, if you haven’t seen the episode watch it first and then read it, OR you can just dive right in!

[POSSIBLE SPOILERS] Twice now Usagi has shown interest in “cute girls” and even blushes when she sees Rei the first time and it felt like Ami got her to ride the bus because of it…does this mean Usagi is also attracted to women? Or does she really appreciate the same-sex? Or does it play up her “brown-nosing” (nosy) character trait? We know what happens based on the story, but will this be explored? I’m curious to hear from someone on this point, so don’t hesitate to speak up.

The “Spirited Away” comment by Rei is interesting, are they nodding to the animated film “Spirited Away” by Hayao Miyazaki? In it, the protagonist stumbles upon a different world beyond her own where spirits, witches and monsters dwell. It just made me think for a second, and the dramatic pause Rei used at that moment she said it could be an indication. [END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER]

I noted that Mamoru is a High school student in this version, but wasn’t he much older in the previous Anime? If so, I find this change a lot better personally and I’m definitely feeling like I’m treading in unknown water at this point. Again, if you haven’t read the Manga and you’ve digested the Anime (subbed or dubbed) for these years then much of these changes will seem alien to you.

Lastly, there’s a change in personalities of the characters. At least it feels that way, something feels different about Usagi and the others, like she’s more confident in some cases, and Rei is more accepting. This is the first installment where we’ve seen them together, I suspect Rei will be yelling at her in no time, but something just feel different and I needed to point it out in case anyone else felt like that too.

Folks, as usual…thanks for reading. I feel like I need comments at this point, help me clear a few things up. I’m going to ask a few questions and dig around on my own, but feel free to jump in on this too. Thanks !

 

Sailor Moon Crystal episode 2 review

Moonies, did you catch episode 2? I just finished watching it and I can say I’m really excited to write this review. I had to stop the episode just to take a few notes, because I’m thoroughly impressed with the show and it’s only episode 2.

The story is following the manga so I had no quarrels there and even if it diverged a little, it’s going about it quite well. In this installment (spoilage alert) we glimpse Queen Beryl in the beginning and Rei at the end while Ami joins Usagi. The episode was so clean, so polished and colorful, it sprung to life on my screen and just had an overall good feel to it. So far, they’ve done an outstanding job with crystal and though I was previously upset with the CGI, but now I feel like it’s going to grow on me. Luna, Ami and Usagi are adorable, and everyone is sporting their chic fashion and shiny lip gloss. Crystal lives up to it’s name; It’s glossy, shiny, new, crisp and sparkling in it’s own way.

In the post “My Predictions for Sailor Moon Crystal,” I mentioned the old school technology that they used in Sailor Moon, the previous anime, and how we could expect more advanced technology that would reflect our time. We see that coming out in this episode when Ami uses a compact disk (think DVD) instead of a floppy disk (pictured below), and again when Luna activates what seems to be an advanced database with Ami’s personal information in it.

I also liked Ami’s new pose and speech: “douse yourself in water and repent.” Her new attack (least it seems new) looks amazing and just fits so well. Tuxedo mask was also quite dashing in his own way; he didn’t give any speeches, he merely saved Sailor Moon, supported her effort and left as mysteriously as he entered. I had to rewind the episode, because I didn’t even realize when he came in or how (which I really liked).

Something about this episode feels so different from the first one, it almost feels like they improved on a few things from the 1st episode (if that even makes sense), but overall I enjoyed it. I was really excited when Usagi transformed into Sailor Moon, the character design and colors of this episode. I also noted that they tried to explain things, not leaving you hanging as to how a pen transformed Ami, but Luna admits she’s responsible for it. Why is that important? I’ve watched so much media and material that holes are apparent and it seems like they’re trying to make sure there aren’t any, that things connect well and go over smoothly…well done Crystal.

Watch this episode folks, it was a really good one. Tell me what you thought about it in the comment section. i also have a new facebook group where I discuss and share anime related posts: