T5W#407-Top 5 Strongest Inner Senshi (as of Sailor Moon S)

We’ve just wrapped up the Third Season of the original 90’s Sailor Moon series and man have Usagi and the girls come a long way from their humble beginnings.  From everyday cute school girls to inspiring superheroines, these girls have braved world ending odds multiple times against the worst of the worst and the most diabolical of mad men and women.  Since this is the first true and proper watch for me, it’s been a pleasure watching the girls grow and mature in their roles as defenders of the planet.  Recently I’ve wondered, even though there are still two season left to go, just how strong is each of the Inner Senshi at this point?  I gave it some thought and think I’ve got answers to that, even if some might be more obvious than others.  I should also say that while this is a ranking list at the end of the day, it’s by no means a reflection on the characters of each Senshi, theyre all amazing and bad ass in their own right.  It’s just in this case some are a bit more powerful than others but still, each of their talents is vital to the success of each battle.  With that out of the way, consider this a mid series report card for the core five magical girls as I present the Top 5 Strongest Inner Senshi (as of Sailor Moon S).

Sailor Moon S: The Movie

When an ailing Luna is rescued by a kind hearted scientist, Kakeru, the last thing she expects is to fall in love with a Human.  But Kakeru’s fate has suddenly become tied to a strange crystal from space, one that heralds the return of a powerful and dangerous enemy, Princess Snow Kaguya.  As an invasion of ice descends upon the planet, Sailor Moon and the rest of the Sailor Senshi stand ready to defend the Earth from Kaguya’s never ending Winter.  Can the power of the Silver Crystal thaw a heart of ice and warm the heart of an unlikely romance for Luna?

Coming off the heels of the strongest TV Season yet and a pretty impressive feature film debut, my expectations were pretty high for the Sailor Moon S Movie.  After all, Sailor Moon R’s film showed how much higher the series could soar with a larger budget and it even did an amazing job of showing that a failed TV arc could have been done better.  Sailor Moon S: The Movie, dubbed “Hearts in Ice” when it was originally released in the States, has a strong premise and once again places the spotlight on a supporting character to great effect.  It’s too bad everything else can’t measure up.  From the lackluster Villainess to the recycled attack animations, this wasn’t the strongest sequel I’d hoped it would be.
 

Sailor Moon S Part 7 Episodes 121-127

At last, the final battle has come.  The Mugen Academy.  Doctor Souichi Tomoe.  His daughter, Hotaru.  The mysterious Mistress 9 and Pharoh 90.  The war against the Death Busters reaches its dramatic climax as Rei’s apocalyptic premonition closes in.  As the Senshi prepare to hold back the end of the world, Usagi faces her most dangerous challenge yet.  Lives are on the line and not every Senshi will make it out of this battle alive.  And when Sailor Saturn fully awakens, will she help Sailor Moon save the world…or destroy it?

Season Finales for Sailor Moon have always been mega events, a perfect culmination of everything the series has been building towards that also offers solid bookmarks for some character arcs and conclusions for others.  The Finale of Sailor Moon S went above the usual fare and offered a very dark and apocalyptic setup in more ways than one.  While of course things turned out ok, the build up to and during the last battle with the Death Busters was pretty chilling thanks to some nightmarish atmosphere and some of the most maniacal villains yet.  This was a pretty big finale, even I didn’t realize that in my attempt to round the numbers to every 5 episodes or so that I gave myself 7 episodes to look at…and honestly three of them couldve been omitted.  Point is, there’s a lot to go through here.  So how was Usagi and the girls third turn at saving the world?
 

GBT#8-RX 78-2 Gundam

You know how the old saying goes, “Every Legend has a Beginning.”  Before the times of transformations, super forms, and brooding bad boys, there was just one Giant Robot that stood a chance at ending a year long war that devastated humanity.  Last Thursday we looked at the newest iteration of one of the most famous mecha in Anime history.  Today, we take a look at the model all Gundams, and Gunpla, have come from.  And this isn’t just any particular Gunpla build.  This is a special, simple kind, one of the few non High Grades I’ve worked on.  Did I know that at the time? No I didn’t but it was still a learning experience nonetheless.

 

T5W#406-Top 5 Arrowverse Stories that Could Continue in Anime

Today marks a momentous yet sad occassion for one of my favorite fandoms.  Ever since kicking off in 2012 with Arrow, the Arrowverse has been one of most popular on screen iterations of DC Comics coming to be inhabited by such heroes and heroines as Green Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Black Lightning, Batwoman and the Legends of Tomorrow.  With the Series Finale of The Flash airing tonight, this marks the conclusion of the Arrowverse (yeah Superman & Lois is still around for now but it’s connection to the central Arrowverse is nearly non existent that’s it’s basically it’s own thing by now).  It’s sad to see this universe come to an end but as a long time fan of this world, I’ve sometimes wondered how it can expand into another of my favorite fandoms: Anime.  I already did another Arrowverse Top 5 years ago about my Top 5 Arrowverse Characters Who Need Their Own Anime and you can check out that list right here: http://gundamanimeblog.blogspot.com/2017/02/t5w77-top-5-arrowverse-characters-who.html  Today though, I’m gonna talk about how the Arrowverse could continue beyond live action and comics, with Anime picking up several threads and storylines left unresolved.  These are the Top 5 Arrowverse Stories that Could Continue in Anime.

Sailor Moon S Part 6 Episodes 116-120

Chibiusa continues to enjoy her newly formed friendship with Hotaru and the girls welcome her into their group as well.  But disaster always seems to strike when Hotaru is around and it isn’t a coincidence.  It isn’t just that she’s the daughter of the leader of the Death Busters, Professor Souichi Tomoe.  If the symbol on her forehead is to be believed, Hotaru might be another long lost Sailor Senshi and not just any Senshi…but the most powerful and dangerous of them all.  Between this shocking reveal and the continued danger posed by the Outer Senshi and the Death Busters, Sailor Moons battle for the planet just got a lot more hectic.

At last we’ve come to the beginning of the end of Sailor Moon S and I’m not ready for this season to be done at all.  Only six episodes remain after this set but this season has been such a fun watch, despite my frustrations with the biggest draw of the Season, Sailor Uranus and Neptune.  Things have only gotten better with Chibiusa getting a new friend to hang around and develop a genuine bond with, which has done wonders to advance her already well rounded character.  This penultimate set of episodes continued to advance Chibiusa’s potentially doomed friendship with Hotaru while also clearing the board of another of the Witches 5 in preparation for next weeks sure to be epic finale.  Let’s break it all down, shall we?
 

Initial D (2005 Live Action)

By day, Takumi is an aimless high school student working at his best friends gas station.  By night, he’s an infamous drift racer secretly roaming the hills of Mt. Akina.  But Takumi’s secret cant stay hidden for long.  When he catches the attention of a famous racing team, Takumi finds himself drawn into the secret world of mountain drift racing and his legend begins to grow.  Between rivals, romance and an out of control father, Takumi finds his world changing rapidly.  The only way he can discover his true destiny is to drift against the best of the best and show he deserves to race alongside them.

As a longtime fan of The Fast and the Furious franchise, with a special soft spot for the often derided Tokyo Drift, it surprises me that I never got into Initial D.  I watched a couple of episodes and while the cars looked great and the soundtrack is a Dance Dance Revolution compilation waiting to happen (if it hasn’t already), I wasn’t a fan of the characters or the character designs themselves.  They just looked dull, uninteresting and actually kind of terrifying.  Still, I know Initial D is a very popular evergreen Anime title, especially for fans getting into the genre in the late 90s/early 2000’s.  So imagine my surprise when I found there was a live action adaptation made in Hong Kong that dropped in 2005.  Alright, Initial D’s animation might not be my cup of tea but I don’t mind a good car racing flick every once in a while.  For a movie I only just learned about recently, is Initial D’s live action debut a hidden gem or one that’s been lost for a reason?
 

GBT#7-Gundam Aerial

Mobile Suit Gundam’s return to television has become one of the franchise most popular entries since it started in late 2022.  With several interesting changes to the Gundam formula granting easier access to even casual Anime viewers, The Witch from Mercury is enjoying a success not seen with Gundam since the days of Gundam SEED or Gundam 00.  Of course, while we’re all here for the continuing drama of Suletta and Miorine, we’re also here to watch Mobile Suits kick ass…specifically the new titular Mobile Suit Gundam, the Aerial.  I fell in love with this thing the moment I saw it and clearly, so did a great many other fans because when I went to Katsucon 2023, finding a Gunpla of the Aerial was damn near impossible, it probably sold out withing the first couple of hours of the Dealers Room being open.  Thankfully, there’s the internet and plenty of vendors to shop from and the Aerial has always been a priority since I started building Gunpla again.  I’ve been looking forward to this one for a long time…so how did I do?

 

T5W#405-Top 5 Messed Up Moms in Anime

This past Sunday was Mothers Day, a day to celebrate the amazing women who brought us into the world and have been some of our biggest supporters in life.  While the world of Anime has plenty of amazing and kick ass role models who range from nurturing to those who jump right into the heart of the fire to protect their kids, Anime is Anime so there are plenty of Moms who are demented and messed up beyond belief.  World Domination, over inflated egos, or really, just plain nasty, some of these maternal figures have headlined their stories as the main baddies…and in some cases worse than that.  On today’s Top 5 Wednesday, I’m looking at the Top 5 Messed Up Moms in Anime, aka the ones who shouldn’t get such heartfelt shoutouts on Mothers Day.

 

Sailor Moon S Part 5 Episodes 111-115

The three Talismans are brought together, revealing the Holy Grail and granting Usagi a new form: Super Sailor Moon.  Despite this revelation, Haruka and Michiru still refuse to work together with the Senshi.  What’s more, the newly returned Sailor Pluto stands with her fellow Outer Senshi, furthering the divide between the two teams.  Meanwhile, Chibiusa meets a kind but sickly girl named Hotaru Tomoe and a friendship soon blossoms.  Little does the girl know, her new best friend actually has very close ties to the leader of the Death Busters themselves. 

If Sailor Moon S has demonstrated anything thus far it’s that it’s been learning and heeding the lessons of its previous two seasons.  This third outing for the Senshi has been the strongest so far and every set of episodes continues to cement that claim, hardly a dud of an episode in the bunch. Character work still needs…well work, especially when it comes to the increasingly frustrating Sailor Uranus and Neptune, who refuse to grow and change their minds about Usagi and the others even after they saved their lives big time.  Overall though, Sailor Moon S has been excellent and now that we’ve crossed the midpoint of the Season, new changes to the status quo have come as well, mostly for the better.  Before we get into all of that though, let’s pick up where that amazingly dark cliffhanger left us on Friday.
 

Sailor Moon S Part 4 Episodes 106-110

Haruka and Michiru’s mission began long before they even met the Sailor Senshi and now its reached a crucial point.  With Eudial of the Witches 5 growing more and more desperate to retain her status amongst her peers, she sets a trap for the beautiful duo and despite Usagi’s pleas, they head out anyway.  As Haruka and Michiru face an unexpected disaster, Usagi and the others race to their aid but could find themselves too late to save the doomed lovers.  At last, the pure hearts holding the promised Talismans will be revealed.  All the while, a familiar friend waits for the right moment to return.

So we’ve reached the mid point of Sailor Moon S and…well I have some thoughts.  Look I know how important Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune are to the world of Anime and far more in general.  I know how iconic they are and I do like them…but since I’ve been working my way through Sailor Moon properly I have to say, it’s hard to see how they became popular when their actions have very much been of an Anti Heroic nature.  Sure they’ll help the Sailor Senshi out of boredom or if the situation somehow calls for them to do so.  But for the most part, the pair will gladly leave the girls to clean up a mess when there isn’t a Talisman in a Pure Heart Crystal as if its no longer their problem, and regardless of any possible casualties.  Even when Usagi has challenged this mindset for them as Sailor Moon, Uranus and Neptune have remained steadfastly dedicated to their mission with a “Whatever it takes” mindset.  Look, I love their designs (they are incredibly hot).  I love their interactions with the girls when they’re just Haruka and Michiru, they’ve been a highlight of the season.  But there is no way I can believe that those two have Talismans because unless you count their unshakeable love for one another, Haruka and Michiru might have the least purest hearts compared to the rest of the Senshi.  But I’m getting ahead of myself.  There was a lot going on well before that major bombshell left us on a pretty dark cliffhanger, so let’s talk about everything else and get back to this later…wow this was a long intro. 
 

GBT#6-Gundam Delta Kai

One of the best parts of the Gundam Multiverse are the endless possibilities for Mobile Suit designs.  Gundams, Zakus, Goufs, if they exist, you can tweak them however you like.  The Gundam Breaker Battleogue takes full advantage of this concept by repainting familiar favorites or combining elements from various suits from the Gundam Multiverse into one bad ass combination.  Today, however, I’m looking at a non GBB Model and instead am looking at a MSV (Mobile Suit Variation) from Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn.  I’ve had my eyes on the Gundam Delta Kai for a long time.  It’s just one of those suits that just jumps out at you the moment you see it and makes you want to build it yourself.  As excited as I was, I had no idea what I was getting into with this one and it resulted in one of the most frustrating and complex builds I’ve ever attempted.

 

T5W#404-Top 5 Gundams in SD Gundam Battle Alliance

The last couple of weeks I have been immersing myself in a new Gundam game that might very well be my most favorite since Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3.  Released in 2022, SD Gundam Battle Alliance follows an Earth Federation Squad Leader and his Operator being plucked from their timeline to defend the Gundam Multiverse.  Honestly, the story is the weakest part and it’s hard to follow (it kind of reminds me of Fate/Grand Order really).  But the real draw is being able to play as dozens of Gundams from across the entire franchises history, from the original series to the newest entries like Gundam Narrative, Hathaway and they just announced there will be a Witch from Mercury expansion as well.  I’ve been experimenting with several suits until I’ve found my go to few, or in most cases one, for every mission and I think I’ve managed to narrow down my five favs.  So, without further ado, let’s jump into my Top 5 Gundams in SD Gundam Battle Alliance.

Sailor Moon S Part 3 Episodes 101-105

It’s Usagi’s birthday and Mamoru is determined to get her a gift she’ll remember.  But the Death Busters don’t stop on holidays.  Kaolinite takes Mamoru captive in order to lure Sailor Moon and the Senshi into a final showdown.  Even if the Senshi succeed in taking her down, the Death Busters are only getting stronger and more vicious with their search for the Three Talismans.   Thankfully, the girls are getting some back up.  Chibiusa returns from the future, now a newly minted Sailor Guardian: Sailor Chibi Moon, and she’s prepared to do whatever it takes to show Usagi she’s ready to fight right by her side.

While we haven’t exactly reached the halfway mark of Sailor Moon S (that’ll probably be next time), we have reached the halfway mark of Sailor Moon overall.  Our last set of episodes felt like a fun celebration of everything that makes Sailor Moon work from the bonds of our amazing quintet to the life lessons the series doles our regularly.  I have to say though, given how things kick off this time, I’m surprised three out of the five episodes weren’t also candidates for the big 100^th Episode.  We got a major showdown with one of our main villains and also saw the return of a familiar favorite from Season Two.  Not gonna lie, there was also a lot from this set that hand me laughing a lot, like a lot a lot.  Honestly, the humor and return of Chibiusa was enough to make me ignore the rising list of complaints about Uranus and Neptune but we’ll have to talk about that at some point in this review. 
 

Sailor Moon S Part 2 Episodes 96-100

Haruka Tenoh and Michiru Kaioh.  Theyre the two newest and most popular girls on the block and Usagi and the others find themselves inexplicably drawn to them.  Unbeknownst to them, however, Haruka and Michiru are also the mysterious Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune.  They have their own mission pertaining to the Three Talismans hidden within the crystals of pure hearts and they will stop at nothing to find them.  As if the Death Busters weren’t enough of a threat, will Sailor Moon and the others find themselves in another battle with these two powerful beauties, or can they find a way to work together towards a common goal?

The rumors that Sailor Moon S might be the best season of the series are not exaggerations it seems.  The season started strong on Monday and I’d argue it’s only getting stronger with each new episode.  Even if the main storyline isn’t progressing quickly, which is kind of the norm for Sailor Moon at this point, there were a strong string of character focused episodes for everyone.  Now that I think about it, Usagi, Mako, Ami, Rei and Minako all got episodes to themselves and they were all pretty good.  Uranus and Neptune were still around too, continuing to show why there the best new additions to the show despite their infurating coldness towards the Senshi…and even that kind of starts to get addressed too.  Considering this also marks the official halfway point of the entire series as we hit Episode 100/200, it makes sense these character driven stories are all very special in their own way.
 

GBT#5-Kampfer

I guess you could call this weeks Gunpla Builder Thursday the second part of a two part episode.  After all, since I looked at the primary Gundam of Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket, aka the Gundam “Alex”, it only makes sense to look at the rival Mobile Suit that is often associated with it.  Like so many mecha throughout the Gundam franchise, the Kampfer is exclusive to Gundam 0080 and isn’t a mass produced model.  It is a customized one off with a very terrifying design and an arsenal to rival a small battalion of Zakus.  And who doesn’t love a Mobile Suit with a ton of guns amirite Gundam Heavyarms fans?  This Gunpla also came recommended in a way by a Gunpla expert I got to meet at Katsucon 2023, Vampy Bit Me.  Sure this isn’t the Master Grade I’d hoped to find based on her suggestion during a panel, but it’s still a Kampfer and lemme tell you, this one might easily be one of my favorite Gunpla Builds to date, tying right up there with the Alex from last week.
 

T5W#403-Top 5 MCU Heroes Who Should Visit My Hero Academia

This Friday, the galaxy’s most loveable bunch of A-Holes returns for one last adventure with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3.  With the Marvel Cinematic Universe celebrating it’s 15^th Anniversary this year…yikes, that thought just occurred to me, it strikes me as odd that it hasn’t taken the chance to do some sort of Anime tie in.  Yeah Marvel had that slew of Anime projects in the early 2010’s but none of those took place in the MCU.  I’m just saying, if Star Wars can tap into the power of Anime with Star Wars: Visions, there’s no reason Marvel cant do the same for its cinematic universe.  At the very least, it’s fun to think of ways their heroes can cross over into Anime and there’s no better setting than the Anime that does heroes sometimes better than Marvel (and definitely DC): My Hero Academia.  The brightest minds, the noblest of warriors and the ultimate fanboys and fan girls could fit right in with Class 1-A and the shenanigans they get up to.  So on today’s Top 5 Wednesday, I’m counting down the Top 5 MCU Heroes Who Should Visit My Hero Academia.

 

Sailor Moon S Part 1 Episodes 90-95

After a hard fought battle against the Black Moon Clan, Usagi Tsukino and friends are long overdue for some R&R.  But such a thing hardly lasts when Rei has a nightmarish vision of the future: the total destruction of the world that even the Sailor Senshi cant stop.  As if on cue, a new threat appears and theyre targeting the very hearts of their victims.  What’s more, a new pair of beautiful Guardians have also appeared but aren’t too keen on teaming up with Sailor Moon and the others.  Looks like break time is over as a new battle begins.

Annnnnnd…we’re back, or rather, theyre back.  This is the Season I’ve been looking forward to the most, well maybe second after Sailor Stars cause I haven’t seen any of that Final Season before.  Still, when I was watching Sailor Moon on Toonami, this was the pinnacle of the shows popularity and for good reasons too.  New gorgeous bad asses join the fray and a new enemy emerges that poses a far darker threat than ever before, though they haven’t escaped some very repetitive early villain tropes.  Dear Readers, our year long look at Sailor Moon continues starting today with Sailor Moon S (The S stands for “Super”, the eyecatches confirm it, so no guessing like I did with Sailor Moon R).  And boy, is there a lot to cover in these first six episodes.