Sailor Moon Crystal – Act 8: Minako – Sailor V (SPOILERS)

SPOILERS

So, this is the episode that I was really waiting for.  The true introduction of Minako/Sailor Venus.  She’s never actually called Sailor Venus in this episode, only Sailor V, V-chan, or Princess.  Yes, that’s right – here is where the deviation from the first 90’s anime is getting REALLY apparent.

We start off with everyone staring at Sailor V in awe, as they should because she’s fucking rad.  In the 90’s anime, I still loved her to death, but my love for her was cemented upon reading the manga (and watching the live-action TV series.  If you haven’t watched Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, YOU MUST!).  She was kind of a background character who didn’t get nearly the character development of some of the other Senshi, but here she’s tough, duty-driven, and gets a lot more meat to her character, even in one episode.

Artemis and V-chan tell the other Senshi that she’s Princess Serenity, and while all the girls are agog, Zoisite vanishes, still injured by not dead.  We also get to see a reverse transformation from V-chan, who turns back to Minako Aino in front of the other girls.  She points out that she’s been communicating to them through the video game arcade, training them through the game.  Man, if only playing video games would train ME to be a Senshi – I’d be pretty awesome at it by now.

Metalia is also aware of the Princess returning, and tells Beryl to get the Legendary Silver Crystal at any cost.  Kunzite appears out of the shadows like a total stalker and says that it’s his turn to be of service of Beryl.  She agrees.

After seeing Mina, Usagi and Mamoru both have dreams, their memories starting to return.  As she’s walking, thinking about her dream with Endymion, she comes across Mamoru.  He is ashamed to look her in the face because he couldn’t protect her, but she’s pretty okay with it.  She offers to give him back his broken moon phase watch, but he says to keep it.  He also mentions that he has something of hers, and they’ll trade at a later date.

Kunzite telepathically contacts Minako, and tells her to come to Tokyo tower, or everyone will die.  The power then goes out across the entire city, and people drop down from having their energy drained.  Of course, Mina goes, and we get to see her transformation.  It’s not necessarily as badass as Rei or Makoto, but it’s so pretty and more romantic.  It’s very fitting that she gets ribbons kind of like Sailor Moon (being the ‘Princess’ and all), but it’s also fitting in that she’s the guardian of love and beauty.  Her transformation is just so pretty.

She urges Kunzite not to fight, and to remember his true self (ah, here we go.  With the 90’s anime, the Generals being Mamoru’s ‘senshi’ was never delved into, but they’re doing it here).  Minako speaks to him with a lot of familiarity, and he starts to maybe remember something, but Beryl’s voice turns him back full to a servant of the Dark Kingdom.  His green bubble of doom protects him from any attacks, including those from the Sailor Senshi who come to Minako’s aid.  Mina doesn’t like this (since that means Sailor Moon is putting herself in the line of fire).

Usagi is in the path of an attack, and she’s blown back and starts to fall.  The other Senshi protect Venus, thinking she’s the one that they’re supposed to protect, but Tuxedo Mask catches Usagi.  She’s so happy to see him that she flings herself into his arms, then tells him to get back.  She knows he has no magical powers, so this fight is beyond him.  She then is very bold (and I love it), and kisses him on the mouth.  I love, love, love this more take-charge Usagi.

Again she tries to attack Kunzite, but even Moon Healing Escalation doesn’t do anything.  He charges a huge attack towards her, but then Mamoru flings himself in front of the attack, and…. THE EPISODE IS OVER???!  What the FUUUUUCCCKKKKK???  NOOOOO!

Wow, that went fast, and wow, I can’t believe we’re going to have to wait two weeks for the next one!  WHYYYYYYYYYYYY??????