Should you watch this, Wiki this, or wait for the next episode’s recap? Watch this.
Chibiusa reveals her father to Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Venus – King Endymion, who is Tuxedo Mask from the future! He explains the plight that has befallen the future and the attack of the Black Moon Family. Usagi & Mamoru soon discover that they cannot stay too long in close proximity with their future selves, and Sailor Pluto gives them a time traveling key to allow them to return to the future whenever they want to. But Chibiusa escapes from the past and finds herself confronted by Esmeraude’s new Wiseman-bestowed powers! Will she be able to escape the Black Moon Family’s evil clutches?
“Crystal Tokyo –King Endymion–” is the twentieth episode of the first season of Sailor Moon Crystal. It’s Japanese anime and I watched it with English subtitles (I don’t speak Japanese, though I would like to at some point). This episode continues the second story arc and sees the first formal introduction of King Endymion and the 30th Century.
“Crystal Tokyo –King Endymion–” is one of those inevitable exposition episodes in anime where you finally learn about the villain’s master plan or the true identity of the hero or the ancient mysterious power hidden in the most common of characters or items. Those episodes usually go one of two ways – absolute snoozefests or exciting revelatory scenes. Fortunately, this episode follows the latter and gives us some good closure to the mysteries thus far, and even manages to squeeze in a small fight for us!
Highlights
Exposition and explanations are well done
The exposition is paced well, considering it takes up half the episode. The information is given in well designed stages, each piece of new info building upon the previous one, so that it lets you come to the conclusions yourself without being overly didactic. In addition, it answers most of your questions and confirms the bulk of your suspicions – so that you can go on to speculate about other issues.
Double Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber
Tuxedo Mask & King Endymion team up to do a double version of their Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber! While it doesn’t outrightly kill Esmeraude (and it’s the first time an attack doesn’t destroy the villain or villainess), we have to remember that Esmeraude was upgraded by Wise Man, so she’s already a more powerful villain by default. Maybe a normal attack wouldn’t even have scratched her!
Revelation of the future and Diana
Just as excitingly is the knowledge that Usagi & Mamoru are the canon couple, and will go on to rule the world beneficially and wonderfully. It’s a nice implication that if the Silver Millennium had continued, it would have resulted in a golden era of the future. Also, the offspring revelation, that of Chibiusa & Diana, also serve to reinforce the idea that all our characters will, indeed, have a happy ending.
Letdowns
Time travel rules not consistent
It’s odd that only Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask start fading away, while Sailor Venus doesn’t feel any ill effects at all. It’s even stranger that King Endymion can actually touch Tuxedo Mask without both of them losing corporeality, while just the mere proximity of Neo Queen Serenity and Sailor Moon results in such severe effects for Usagi. How come cats are immune from these effects too?
Future Sailors & Mamoru don’t look any older
I know, I know, no comparisons with the previous series right? But in Sailor Moon R, there was a distinct visual difference between the Sailors of the present and future. They didn’t just look older, they had faces that looked more… seasoned. And that also helped us immediately identify which Sailors were which if they all stood together. Maybe it’s too early to tell, but the future Sailors look exactly like their past selves – their faces are virtually indistinguishable!
Inner Senshi have been absent for too long
This is more of a macro beef, but the Inner Senshi have been gone far too long – or at least Sailor Mars has been. Only Sailor Venus is left, and if the other Sailors aren’t rescued soon then we’ll have seen more of the Black Moon Family than the actual Sailors themselves!
“Crystal Tokyo –King Endymion–” is a great episode to watch, and serves as the mid point of the Black Moon arc. With the villains clearly defined and the goals of the Sailors laid out, it remains to be seen what the ultimate enemy is, and how the Sailors will band together to save the future.
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