Should you watch this, Wiki this, or wait for the recap? Watch this.
A lazy, greedy, whiny girl unexpectedly finds herself appointed as the Sailor Guardian known as Sailor Moon. In her first battle, she finds herself allied with the enigmatic Tuxedo Mask, who might be someone she knows in real life. Meanwhile, dark forces have conspired and have noticed her presence…
“Usagi –Sailor Moon–” is the first episode of the first season of Sailor Moon Crystal. It’s in Japanese and of course, subtitled in English. This is the introductory episode to Sailor Moon Crystal, a reboot of the Sailor Moon franchise. It’s difficult to watch a show when you already know all the major beats and twists of the story, so forgive me when I don’t quite have the same amount of suspense as a newcomer to the series would.
They’ve definitely got a much higher budget and more advanced animation techniques this time around – but then we are comparing it to a show that was made 20 years ago. There are going to be inevitable comparisons with the original series, but it’s not a fair judgement to make – they were both made with different aims and objectives in mind. With that, I’ll be reviewing the episodes as a newcomer as far as possible.
Highlights
Usagi is more graceful, but still clumsy
Yes, my very first highlight is an inevitable comparison, but I like how this Usagi maintains a certain grace and poise while still exuding that Everyman, bumbling quality. It helps in her relatability – you feel that she’s like one of us when you see all her flaws, but then you look up to her when you see how she maintains that ethereal air through all her falls and mistakes. It blends the two best aspects of Saior Moon together.
Air of royalty throughout the episode
Thanks to the flowers, the choir score, and the numerous decorations and designs littered throughout the episode, there’s this atmosphere of grandness throughout the episode. You know that Usagi is special, royal, of a breed that is far above the average person, yet it doesn’t force that idea upon you.
Attempt at injecting mystery and foreshadowing
I say “attempt” because I’m not sure how effective it would be if I had never heard of or watched the series before. However, I acknowledge the attempt at building a grand series arc that can be traced back to the very first episode. Spotted Tuxedo Mask’s locket yet?
Letdowns
Tuxedo Mask has a fair amount of screen time but little to do
Tuxedo Mask is one of the major protagonists, and to take up the amount of screen time that he does is rightfully done. The problem is that he doesn’t fulfill any plot point – take him out and the whole episode wouldn’t be any different. If the story could have been tweaked such that Tuxedo Mask was critical to Sailor Moon’s victory (or even discovery of the monster), then it would have made more dramatic sense.
Luna comes across as an insufferable know-it-all
She’s not cute, she’s irritating. It’s sad that she’s portrayed as a naggy, impatient, vicious little feline instead of the helpful adorable cat of yore. Sorry to make another comparison like this, but Luna’s going to feature heavily into the rest of the series – she can’t continue on as a grumpy cat!
“Usagi –Sailor Moon–” is a great opening to the series. It has the right amount of grace and aplomb, balanced with everyday events and some action to appeal to all fans. Perhaps it doesn’t have that larger-than-life quality that the original did, but it’s an anime for today’s sensibilities. But if that’s the case, where are the mobile phones?
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