Usagi Tsukino is a 14 year old high school girl. She’s a slacker, hopeless romantic and is
constantly doing poorly in school.
Little does Usagi know, being tardy for class and failing exams is about
to become the least of her problems.
When a talking cat named Luna appears, she gifts Usagi with gifts that allow
her to transform into the Sailor Guardian Sailor Moon. Usagi might not like it but right now she’s
the only thing standing between Humanity and the forces of the Dark Kingdom who
seek to destroy it. In the name of the
Moon, she will punish them.
Well it’s that time of the year again Dear Readers…though
let’s face it, why call it an “Extended Summer Series Review” when I’m looking
at longer titles more often now with my two review a week schedule?
The answer is JUST BECAUSE!!!
Anyway, 2022 marks the 30
th
Anniversary of a special Anime franchise near and dear to the hearts of many,
myself included.
It’s one of the first
female centric Animes introduced in the West and the titular heroine remains
one of the most beloved, cherished and cosplayed characters out there.
The Pretty Sailor Guardian of Love and
Justice has come to the Gundam Anime Corner.
Today, we begin our look at the First Season of Sailor Moon.
The beginning of Sailor Moon has its charms for
sure.
There’s plenty of nostalgia to be
found in the animation, action and Usagi herself being such an iconic
figure.
I should also note this is my
first time watching the show unedited (and in the most recent dub from
Viz).
So I’m a little surprised that all
of the positive reinforcement and life lessons wasn’t just an original DiC Dub
concept to make Sailor Moon more appropriate for children.
Nope, the first episodes see the Dark Kingdom
preying on Human energy through various means and each one coming with their
own moral by episodes end: you don’t need too many pretty things, don’t go
crazy dieting and exercising without a plan because it could damage your body,
etc.
Goes to show that despite the
terrifying Monsters and occasional crude humor, this is a show aimed at all
audiences but one a much younger one can get into if they aren’t “allowed” to
get into something like Attack on Titan just yet.
That said, right now Sailor Moon seems to be taking a
very formulaic approach right out the gate.
The general structure of most of the first five episodes goes like this:
Beryl asks about the Silver Crystal; Jadite says they cant find it; Jadite sets
in motion random plan to collect human energy; Usagi has a random run in with
Mamoru; Monster strikes; Sailor Moon transforms and gets scared; Tuxedo Mask
appears to offer words of encouragement, then leaves; Sailor Moon uses tiara
against Monster, Monster dies; day is saved, maybe one last clumsy Usagi moment
to close things out.
There’s the odd
variation like Usagi getting to use a new technique to protect possessed Humans
and her actually fighting Jadite and seeing her traditional finishing move wont
be enough to stop him.
But this does
make things a little predictable and I wonder if some of this can be skipped
without missing too many beats.
I’m sure
there are Watch Guides like that out there.
Fun Fact: the original Anime English Dub cut out over 10 episodes of
material for various reasons from the first series, especially the ending but
we’ll get to that when we get there.
And what of our fair and beautiful heroine?
Welllll…Usagi certainly has some growing to
do and the mileage on her behaviour is gonna vary from viewer to viewer.
Her pratfall antics are funny but her
constant crying can be grating.
Also,
why is Luna throwing Usagi into battle with zero combat experience and just
expecting Usagi to get brave just because she’s become a cute
Superheroine?
You’d think Luna would’ve
shadowed Usagi a bit longer before gifting her magical powers.
And some combat training wouldn’t hurt
either.
That said, Usagi being a bit of
a crybaby isn’t a bad place to start her off as it offers room for her to grow
over the next 40 some odd episodes and eventual rest of the series.
Not everyone is going to rise to the occasion
like say the Power Rangers, which I got serious vibes from watching this.
Also, I just noticed the Cinderella
similarities with Sailor Moon: Usagi wishing she was as beautiful and bad ass
as Sailor V and Luna I guess is the Fairy Godmother who grants Usagi her wish
(no stroke of Midnight clause though).
While
I hope Usagi starts improving on herself soon, I am curious why she hasn’t
tried to find Sailor V yet.
Matter of
fact: why hasn’t Luna sought out this mysterious, clearly a Sailor Senshi
Superheroine and have her help train Usagi in battling the forces of Evil?
So many questions and notes from five
episodes already.
Some other odds and ends before I close out this first
review.
Mamoru might clearly be Tuxedo
Mask but damn this guy is a jerk.
It’s
like his sole purpose in every episode is to belittle Usagi with the same
unoriginal nickname (Bun Head) and laugh like he just wants to get
punched.
Honestly, I cant see why these
two are ever going to hook up in the future (is that a Spoiler?
Guess so, sorry).
Also, I’ve gotta commend how creepy the Dark
Kingdom Monsters are.
From shriveled up
Husks to Snakes, when these things take their true forms they are the stuff of
nightmares.
Queen Beryl’s realm also has
a similar effect from being a hellish looking place with the proper decor to
match.
Beryl herself isn’t much to write
home about right now as she’s just sitting in her chair waving her hands around
her crystal ball and asking Jadite the same question every episode, “Did you
find the Crystal yet?”.
Also, who’s this
“Master” the pair keep referring too?
Here I thought they were gathering Human energy for themselves but
clearly there might be an even bigger Big Bad than Beryl in play
eventually.
Lastly, Luna, poor Cat
deserves all the love and she’s a saint for putting up with Usagi.
Probably my favorite moment in this opening
set was Luna finally getting pissed and threatening to scratch Usagi if she
didn’t transform and do her job.
I like
Usagi but there’s only so much of her lazy, whining attitude you can take
before you just scream at her to get in the giant robot…er change into Sailor
Moon.
It may be a bit repetitive and Usagi is a mixed bag for
right now, but Sailor Moon is a show that knows exactly what it is and, for
now, is content staying that way.
What
way is that?
It’s a kids show with
important messages and one that wants to build up a strong and inspirational
heroine…eventually, and she started out as just another girl who didn’t know
what to do in the beginning.
Give her
time though, she might come around.
Looking forward to maybe seeing more of the other Senshi when we return
to Sailor Moon on Friday right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.
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