Usagi and the Sailor Senshi now have two mysteries to
contend with. As the mission of the
Sailor Starlights becomes more clear, so does their determination to complete
it, and they don’t want the Sailor Senshi getting in their way. But will Seiya’s feelings for Usagi cause a
rift in the trio? And then there’s Chibi
Chibi, who’s beginning to show powerful abilities that give Sailor Moon a much
needed power boost in battle. With more
and more questions piling up, the time has come for the Inner and Outer Senshi
and the Starlights to put all their cards on the table and get some answers.
We’re close to the home stretch of the Series Finale of
Sailor Moon and today’s set of Sailor Stars episodes felt like a true
transitionary period for the season.
There were some nice fun little diversions with Chibi Chibi and the
usual antics with the Senshi and the Three Stars.
Midway through however, the mood changed
considerably.
Truths are out (some of
them anyway).
Another Villain has been
dispatched.
And even the Outer Senshi
turned up once more to have a long overdue talk with the Starlights.
Things are getting tense and at the heart of
it all is something that SHOULD be a romance but cant because even though he
hasn’t been in much of the season (for good reason), Mamoru is still the Man of
Usagi’s dreams when Seiya has proven time and time again, they’re just
better.
Indeed Seiya’s one sided romantic feelings for our
loveable Bun Head proved to be the thing that brought out the best and worst of
these latest episodes and its one of the reasons I feel that the Starlights are
coming off as a better realized version of what Uranus and Neptune should have
been in their first appearance back in Sailor Moon S.
Like those two, the Starlights have one
mission on the mind and would rather not be distracted by constantly having to
aid the Senshi.
Eventually, after Seiya
is injured, Taiki and Yaten just straight up cut ties with the girls and even
admit that if Galaxia is being drawn out because of them, they can just let the
Senshi act as bait to keep Galaxia off their tail while they search for their
Princess.
Now that is classic Season
Three Haruka/Michuru thinking, putting the needs of the mission ahead of
anything and I’m surprised those two haven’t noticed that two out of the three
Starlights are behaving as coldly as they used to (and sort of still are but
not to the same degree).
The difference
here is Seiya.
Their bond with Usagi has
grown so powerful that they’ll stand up to their colleagues and insist they
still have to protect a planet that isnt theirs with allies they don’t want to
admit they need.
Heck, Seiya even took a
near death blow to protect Usagi, God I love em.
This division helps make the dynamic of the
Starlights more complex while furthering that Seiya is the best love interest
for Usagi in the series, DAMMIT THIS SHOULD BE THE CANNON ROMANCE!!! (ahem, sorry
about that).
But said division has created a new kind of civil war
amongst the Senshi themselves and Usagi doesn’t want any of it.
It’s rare to see Usagi blow up at anyone but
considering how overprotective the Outer Senshi are being, it was bound to
happen.
Even if Haruka and Michiru have
become better characters, they still don’t trust Usagi’s instincts that
everyone needs to work together, regardless of where they came from in the
Universe.
The Starlights, except for
Seiya, have made it clear they want to stay away from everyone and even make
Seiya in particular promise to stay away from Usagi.
Considering in how bad of shape Seiya is in
right now and the stubbornness of Uranus and Neptune (and even Pluto a little),
it’s hard to see how Usagi is gonna broker any kind of peace between the three
teams of Senshi (Inner, Outer and Starlights just to be clear).
That said, this is some of the best drama in
the entire series.
But it isnt without
its heartfelt moments like Luna encouraging Usagi to seek out Seiya even after
they’ve agreed to stay away.
I
especially liked that Rei, dressed as a Fortune Teller for some work for her
Grandfather, even advocated Usagi just go find Seiya so the two of them can
clear the air.
She actually helped both
Seiya and Usagi in the same scene in separate sessions and made sure to know
for sure that Usagi wasn’t romantically interested in Seiya (gotta defend the
timeline for better or worse).
Still,
Usagi’s friends are doing what they can to cheer up their girl, even if things
aren’t looking so bright at the moment.
Usagi wasn’t the only one on hard times.
The Villains had another shake up in this set
as the loveable Sailor Siren met her end at Galaxia’s hands.
Her card was already up when she found out
Usagi’s secret identity, cause that’s always a kiss of death with any
underling.
And yet I’m surprised she
didn’t share this vital piece of intel with Sailor Crow before her end.
I really liked the friendship between these
two and its one of the more unique dynamics between baddies in the series.
Galaxia terminating Siren for one failure too
many was made even harder as Crow tried as hard as she could to keep her friend
from dying.
In a show full of bad guys
constantly backstabbing and trying to one up each other, you don’t see this kind
of care and even love between them that often.
I wish we could have seen more with these two, so much so that the
newest subordinate, Sailor Tin, just doesn’t come off as strong, mainly her
outfit, after the incredibly sexy looks of Siren and Crow, Tin just looks way
too silly.
It wasn’t all dissension in the ranks and Usagi crying
over her fracturing friendship with Seiya.
I’m really surprised Sailor Moon hasn’t done a series of shorts based on
Chibi Chibi, now revealed as the littlest Sailor Senshi, Sailor Chibi Chibi
Moon.
I don’t even care about the
mystery of where she came from: she’s tiny, she’s adorable and I could watch
her go on adventures all day.
The
baseball episode wasn’t bad either and was a great showcase for how mature
Usagi has become over five seasons when she makes peace with the stuck up
leader of the Three Lights Fan Club.
And
once again, cudos to the creative powers that be for giving the Senshi another
unlikely setting for a fight.
Siren
holding a plane full of people hostage in the air was one of the more daring
plots of any Villain and there was plenty of fun to be had as Rei, Ami, Mako
and Minako fended off Phages while not transformed while Usagi was dealing with
the Starlights reveal on the upper deck.
With a tidal wave of secrets revealed and hearts being
broken, mended and shattered all over again, Sailor Moon Sailor Stars dialed up
the drama as it gears up for its final act.
Usagi’s got her work cut out for her if she wants to unite three teams
of Sailor Senshi against the biggest threat they’ve ever faced.
But I’ve got faith in my favorite Bun Head
(also man Seiya calling Usagi “Bun Head” as they threw themselves in front of
Tin’s energy blast…how can you not support this ship?).
Just two more reviews left before we close
out Sailor Moon for good.
Right now
things are positioned for a really big ending this legendary show
deserves.
And we’ll be starting the
beginning of the end This Friday with the penultimate chapter of Sailor Moon
Sailor Stars right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.
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