This episode of Sailor Moon Crystal Season III might be my favorite so far because of all it manages to put into it, the only thing it’s missing it Hotaru and it has essentially everyone you need to make this episode filled to the brim with Senshi reunions and magical girl transformations I’ve been waiting for. From the beginning to the end everything is very eloquently done, starting with Neptune using her violin to send waves that pin everyone down long enough to get knocked out. Why they had to violently black them out is beyond me, but it leaves the senshi mistrustful. Lets be honest, everyone always lacks trust in everyone else. The only person who everyone kind of accepted on board was Chibi-Usa and that was still met with the Usagi glares of jealousy. Now we’re back to this stage again where all the Senshi are making the logical choice not to trust people who attack them and Usagi is like ‘ I dunno man they’re pretty nice they kind of like saved us in a death glare and attack us sort of way but I’m pretty sure they knew we could take it!’ But she wouldn’t be Usagi if that weren’t the case and they wouldn’t be the Senshi. As if somehow sentient the show realized that what we really want to see is some Senshi knowledge, so they basically stuffed the boss of the episode into the latter half. Instead, we’re greeted by Usagi meeting up once again with Haruka.
Haruka and Usagi’s relationship is complicated to say the least. In the original adaptation they always had a more close relationship than she and Neptune, with Neptune seeming to relate more to Mamoru as a character and less to Usagi (not to say she seems to dislike Usagi). Haruka genuinely seems to care for the concern and innocence inside of Usagi and doesn’t seem to want to hurt her, meanwhile Usagi loves everyone and wants no one to feel pain. I have never seen the level of sexual tension between them before as I hadn’t covered the manga but dang, it makes you wonder about Usagi and Mamoru. Which is what the episode does, when Usagi and Haruka are interrupted by Mamoru who scares Haruka away. Usagi feels bad but isn’t sure what to say to make it better, until Chibi-Usa shows up with an art project. She notices they were fighting and deliberately makes both of them stay to help her, after which they make the most fucking pristine magical glazed clay art project. Holy shit, whoever fucking made this glazed in less than 3 weeks for drying, then 3 weeks for glazing, fucking props. Seriously, does the Crystal somehow give them magical art powers? I can’t even freakin do that! I go to school for that! Jesus!
Usagi and Mamoru reignite some of the chemistry we felt from them before. I admit once they are together in the show it sometimes needs to remind us they are meant to be and not just what it is: Mamoru genuinely understands and accepts Usagi, but also loves her and has feelings of his own. Meanwhile Usagi empathizes with everyone making her love life beyond complicated: stop being perfectly beautiful adorable all powerful AND a genuinely good person, jeez! Chibi Usa planned it all but lets be honest, aside from being an adorable innocent little girl who loves everyone and wants to help her parents and has moved on from her own feelings, she probably also wants to be born. A little.
Mercury gets to be the focus of this episode though, hooray! Her fire is ignited by someone who got better test scores than her, which prompts her to investigate Mugen on her own as a potential transfer. I have to just stop right here and give Ami the biggest fucking props ever for just mid air transformation into Mercury then bursting out of the water like a goddamn badass motherfucker who can do whatever she wants. Seriously, her coolest moment in the entire series ever in any adaptation.
But then, I got what I wanted. I got Uranus and Neptune transformations. Even better, they are a direct homage to the 90s anime transformations while also being updated. I think the title cards could use a little work, but they straight up do their original smiles. I did mention I wanted the music to be good, sadly their transformation music is nowhere near as elegant or captivating. Nothing broke the tension or pulled you into that show as well as those transformations, holey moley. Still, I am beyond happy to get to see it, as well as the reappearance of a certain Sailor Senshi who is clearly in the opening which is sort of a spoiler. . . in fact, they changed the singer of the opening and released an ENTIRE new ending sequence, yet they couldn’t just leave Pluto out until this episode or next episode’s opening?? Furthermore, the new ending is absolutely sweet and adorable but they should have put it before the last one. We’re only now learning about Uranus and Neptune’s pain and the ending most befitting that theme is suddenly gone for a happy go lucky theme?
I’m very excited to see potentially rotating endings, though, so I’m not going to complain too much. I’m ecstatic to see that what was once a biweekly anime is now getting multiple endings, opening alterations, absolutely stunning in show animation, and keeping me entranced. The transformations are gorgeous, the drama is done perfectly, the voice acting is enthralling. . .for my gripes about it, Sailor Moon Crystal Season III remains a hard hitting Sailor Moon adaptation that bites at the heels of the original anime. Perhaps if the trend continues, we will have an anime beyond worthy of being compared to the original and one completely loved by fans!
Oki