A hard earned peace is shattered when a mysterious, pink
haired girl, falls from the sky and demands Usagi hand over the Legendary
Silver Crystal. Not far behind her are
the agents of the Black Moon Clan, a force who’s power seems even greater than
the Sailor Senshi. As Usagi’s friends
are captured one after another, all eyes fall on the girl who hails from a
place unlike any Usagi could have imagined, a girl who is in desperate need of
Sailor Moon’s help to save not just her home but the future of the planet
itself.
After the disappointing and infuriating end of Season
One, I’m bracing myself for anything in Sailor Moon Crystal Season Two.
Chibiusa, the Black Moon, Sailor Pluto and
all the stuff in the future?
All bets
are off after how this shows treated everything and everyone else.
I guess it’s a small blessing then that they
went ahead and jetissoned the second worst arc of the original series, the
Makai Tree Arc.
That means no Ail and
Ann and we get right into Chibiusa’s Back to the Future Quest.
But like I said, small blessings.
Cause everything that was wrong with Season
One?
Yeah it’s not getting any better
four episodes into Season Two.
I’m actually gonna start with four characters who have
become the latest casualties of Crystals accelerated pace.
The Spectre Sisters were the strongest part
of Sailor Moon R, not only offering a solid team deathmatch dynamic for the
Senshi but also becoming villains who would earn their redemption arcs.
Yeah all four are wiped out in the first four
episodes as the Monsters of the Week of Crystal Season Two.
Are you…freaking…KIDDING ME???!!!!
We no longer have the close connection Koan,
Berthier, Petz and Calveras made with Rei, Ami, Mako and Minako
respectively.
Heck, they don’t even get
to finish them off themselves as the show gives that dishonor to Usagi and her
new special attack.
The funny thing is,
the redemptive arcs that made the Spectres so memorable, I think that was
partly jettisoned in favor or giving that kind of character arc to the Four
Kings in Season One…and that went NOWHERE (the Four would be suitors of the
Senshi even showed up in spirit form to give Mamoru pointless advice).
Honestly, as soon as Koan went down, I knew
we were still in trouble but this is a super deep cut considering my love for
the Spectre Sisters.
The Senshi aren’t doing any better really.
Mars, Mercury and Jupiter are all captured in
the first three episodes of the season in similar fashions.
It’s pretty much copy and paste plotting
actually, just swap out the Senshi and the Sister they face. It kind of reminds
me of what they did with the Ronin Warriors during their Second Season when
their rivals defeated and captured them (only that was done better despite a
certain drawback).
It makes the Senshi
look incompetent despite the fact that they got supposed power upgrades with
their new transformation tools.
But no,
let’s instead give all the “successful” action to Usagi and try to recenter
Minako, who to be fair has left her Queen Exposition self in Season One and
stepped up to her designated role as Team Leader (though maybe that’s just
because she has no idea what the hell is going on anymore and thus cant be a
Wiki).
Season One seemed to slowly push
away the Sailor Senshi team dynamic in favor of Usagi crying over Mamoru every
other scene.
Looks like Season Two is
just doing away with it altogether because this show just doesn’t know any
better and refuses to learn.
So, easily beaten Spectre Sisters.
Seemingly weakened Senshi.
I’ll get to Usagi and Mamoru in due time (God
I cant believe both have to share a rant paragraph in this review).
But how does the Season Two opener handle
Chibiusa?
She’s…ok, for now.
Her portrayal is still close to her original
debut in Sailor Moon R, just with a heaping helping of that pesky overdramatic
tone Crystal has infused just about everywhere.
Chibiusa’s first scene holding a toy gun to Usagi’s head is played super
over the top serious I was actually wondering if she was still holding a toy
gun (this show wants to be more mature and failing so I wouldn’t put it past
whoever thought they were writing a good show).
Just like the Spectre Sisters and the captured Senshi, Chibiusa’s role
is repeated throughout the first four episodes as well: popping in with a pout,
being unable or unwilling to answer any questions, then she either hangs out
with Mamoru or tries to do something stupid like steal Usagi’s Silver
Crystal.
She’s not super annoying
though.
Chibiusa’s still the scared kid
out of time trying to fix her future.
That’s
not to say that she’s safe from Crystals’ frequent character
assassinating.
Like I said, I’m bracing
myself for everything.
Alright, time to rag on Mamoru and Usagi.
Usagi’s terrible treatment continues,
especially when it comes to Chibiusa.
She shifts back and forth between being jealous of her closeness with
Mamoru, demanding Chibiusa give her answers as to what the heck is going on, or
being perfectly ok with Chibiusa in general.
How many times does Usagi ask about whether Chibiusa is an enemy or not?
Usagi is all over the map and losing three
friends sure isnt helping.
This is
totally a fault of the show trying to rush everything and not let Usagi
naturally warm up to her future daughter and declare she’s gonna fight for her
no matter what.
It’s like we’re speed
running her entire developing relationship with Chibiusa really.
As for Mamoru, I guess it’s another small
miracle we’ve ditched his trying to avoid Usagi to keep herself from a future
catastrophe.
He’s still as useless as
ever.
His Dad Mode with Chibiusa isnt
helping anyone get more answers out of her.
But the funniest bit with him this set is supposed to be a serious
development.
The Four Kings in Force
Ghost Form tell Mamoru he has power he hasn’t accessed yet.
Well he gets to use it against Rubeus…and
it’s a freaking Smoke Bomb attack…it’s so stupid I have to laugh.
If it isnt obvious already, Season Two of Sailor Moon
Crystal is not off to a good start.
Three Senshi have been captured pretty easily.
The best villains of Sailor Moon R just got
obliterated in a manor I’d love to have seen happen to the Four Kings in Season
One.
And this Usagi continues to be the
weakest version of the legendary Magical Girl thanks to inconsistent writing
and speeding up her story to wrap everything up in the Black Moon Arc in under
thirteen episodes.
At least Chibiusa
isnt bugging the Hell out of me yet and Venus seems more focused for the time
being…and Mamoru learned how to use a smoke bomb but he’s hardly Batman or
Nightwing.
If you were to ask me though
if I’d watch the Makai Tree Arc over these four episodes?
I’d say ask me that again when we get to the
end of Season Two for a more definite answer.
We’ll continue the journey to that answer when we resume Sailor Moon
Crystal Next Monday right here at the Gundam Anime Corner.
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