Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 6 [ The Power to Make People Smile ]

This weeks episode is focused on the search for the Legendary Silver Crystal. Namely, Mamoru’s recurring dreams of a woman asking for the Crystal. He can’t forget the memory of his dreams, and is becoming desperate in his search for the Crystal she wishes for him to seek.

The Generals are deciding who to send next, needing both energy and the Silver Crystal. Nephrite is shot down by Zoisite who is eager to show his abilities to Beryl.

Luna warns the scouts that the Princess will be in danger if the Generals or Tuxedo Mask continue to seek out for the Crystal and use it for evil. The crystal itself has great power and could be used for evil or good. The Sailor Scouts are stunned to hear the kind of power this possesses and worried about how they would find or protect this. Usagi looks weakly at the computer and seems scared at what she might be able to do. . .or if she could do it at all.

As Tuxedo Mask gives the town a request for information, the Dark Kingdom uses this as an opening to infiltrate the city. Zoisite uses his powers to make everyone begin a frantic search for the Silver Crystal, which works on seemingly everyone. This causes a mass panic in the town.

Luna leads the Sailor Scouts to her lair and that’s really cool, we never quite got passed the arcade machine in the original anime but now we see her super cool. . . glass staircase hidden space wall paper lair?? I will admit Luna’s choice in headquarters is pretty cool. The Sailor Senshi track down the source with her help to the TV station, and Luna even suggests Tuxedo Mask might be behind this. In the biggest . . .moving reaction Sailor Moon insists this isn’t true and runs off. While her actions didn’t beget someone who was mature, it shows just how trusting and loving she is. He has helped her, so how did he deserve to be doubted? Usagi couldn’t stand for that.

Usagi can’t bring herself to think of him as evil, and in the meantime Zoisite grows tired of waiting for everyone to find the Crystal. Since they failed, he instead drains their life energy. He is intercepted then by the Sailor Senshi who transform in order to stop him from attacking the town.

Sailor Moon is currently on her own and running out of energy. She wasn’t mind controlled but the mass expulsion of energy has affected her as well, but before she falls she is caught by Tuxedo Kamen who apologizes for causing this mess and helps her get her bearings. He explains he didn’t mean for it to happen this way, but his mistake caused it, so he is sorry.

 

The best development for their romance follows. He explains how he wishes to find the Crystal but knows he has no powers that are special like the Senshi. Usagi stands up and explains to him that she feels the same way. She is the leader but she feels she has no skills compared to all the others. She wants to help them all but she always ends up failing or falling short. Tuxedo Mask (YES I WILL BE ROTATING BETWEEN THE TWO) is then slightly shocked when she simply says, “but I guess I just have to try harder.” Her resolve…obviously touching him.

 

Meanwhile the Sailor Scouts fight Zoisite who is. . .quite clearly powerful. What a wonderful juxtaposition from his other anime self who seemed far less powerful and much less interesting. He is actually capable of beating down all the scouts, made even more horrifying when suddenly Queen Beryl herself shows up!

Sailor Moon is scared she can’t help any of them. Tuxedo Mask turns to her and tells her that despite what she lacks, she possesses the power to make people smile. She is good to be the leader because she gave every person the confidence to fight for themselves. He makes it clear he knows she is Sailor Moon and she transforms to go and save her friends. Despite her animation still being weird the music made this scene perfect- if the animation was better it would just. . .this whole anime would be perfect! The derp animation at times is the only problem I have with ANYTHING!

 

Earlier, Sailor Moon could swear she heard Sailor V’s encouragement from the arcade game. She remembers it now as she faces off against Beryl with the fear she is useless. She uses her Moon Stick. .. and USES MOON HEALING ESCALATION SO CUTELY AAAAAAAAAH!!!! HOLY FUCK?!!! WHEN THE HELL DID THAT ATTACK DO SO MUCH DAMAGE?! Zoisite takes the hit for Beryl, who takes him back angrily as she swears she’ll pay for it.

Sailor Moon heals all those affected with the Moon Stick and returns to where Tuxedo Mask was. Now, what happens next I am sure is just as controversial as the last time, and let me say this: I’m glad! I’m glad people are giving a crap and talking about how women should be treated. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I aboslutely disagree. Usagi CLEARLY loves him and has done nothing but indicate this, and if she didn’t want to be with him anymore that night or didn’t like when he TOUCHED HER EARLIER IN THE EPISODE, she would not have returned to the same spot she left once she was done. She would’ve gone home with her friends. No, returning does not offer the promise of consent. And I’ll never argue that lack of refusal is consent, but she clearly IS INTERESTED. After he kisses her she monologues about him, knows he is holding her, and let’s him! If this show, and Usagi as it’s protagonist, did not want this? It would not happen. Applying it to real life situations where consent is never seen through a narrative third person omniscient style is IMPOSSIBLE! Would this be okay in real life? No! In real life would we hear a girl think about how comforting it is to be in his arms and feel his touch when she wasn’t saying a word? NO! so you can’t explicitly say the situations are the same.

Usagi wakes up in Mamoru’s house (completely clothed) and sees him, finally realizing that the punk teenage high schooler who teases her is actually Tuxedo Kamen, and the people who she’s felt strange feelings for are one in the same. This episode was focused on Usagi’s internal truths about Tuxedo Kamen, but next episode will be focused on his motivations and who he is. Now that they both know who they are and it’s clear they have feelings for each other, even if not how deep they are, what will be the resolution to Tuxedo Masks part in this? And will Serenity appear?

Personally? I am happy with this episode. It was nice to see their romance develop as it did! I finally felt the connection the previous anime only implied. It was also nice to see the scope of all their powers beyond a single name called attack in a straight line that could miss. Moon healing Escalation had a huge range and the other Sailor Scouts could channel their powers around them. Also, Zoisite, aaaah, he’s gonna be so great as Lucien Dodge from Crystal hnghghnghgnghghgh

Next episode, Mamoru Chiba! See you in two weeks.

Oki