Sailor Moon Crystal - Act 8: Minako, Sailor V

Previously, Act 7: Mamoru Chiba, Tuxedo Mask

Photo Credits: Sailor Moon Crystal

This episode picks up immediately after the last episode, where they come face to face with Sailor V and Artemis. The girls talk among themselves until they realize Zoisite was still there and in need of being dealt with. To his credit, Zoisite realizes that he is in a no-win scenario in this one and teleports out of Dodge, leaving everyone in plain view of an embarrassed Tuxedo Mask. Shamed that he couldn’t protect Usagi like he normally does, he runs off, leaving Usagi perplexed. The girls continue their conversation and Sailor V de-powers herself and reverts to her schoolgirl persona: Minako Aino. She explains that she is the Princess they have been looking for, and Artemis tells them that the Sailor V game has been used for training the girls in preparation for their big battles. Back at the arcade, Minako - hereafter known as Mina - explains that she has been fighting crime in Tokyo far before the others got their memories. She realized that the Dark Kingdom was behind all of the drama and duress, and she realized it was high time to finally meet her fellow Guardians. Meanwhile, Queen Beryl reports to Queen Metalia that all five Guardians have been awoken, and Queen Metalia essentially tells Beryl to deal with them so they can take over. As she leaves Metalia’s chambers, she is met by the debonair Malachite, who says he can handle the Guardians; Beryl agrees and lets him get to it.

During a walk and talk, Mina and Artemis are confronted by Malachite’s voice; he tells her to bring him the “Legendary Silver Crystal” to Tokyo Tower, or he’ll kill everyone in Tokyo. Artemis argues against it, but Mina begins to sprint off towards the tower to handle this herself - until she runs into Usagi, Makoto, Ami, and Rei; the girls are going to Mako-chan’s place for some good home cooking, and they invite Mina to come along. However, Mina’s not interested, and she sprints off in disappointment, with Artemis pleading behind her. Mina makes it to Tokyo Tower and transforms to Sailor Venus Lite (she never calls herself Sailor Venus, so I’ll wait until she does so to do so myself) to confront Malachite - who has taken home in an impenetrable green bubble. Malachite orders Sailor Venus Lite to give up the “Legendary Silver Crystal;” when she refuses, he drains Tokyo of all its power. This alerts the other Guardians, and they take off to the Tower. Meanwhile, Mamoru awakens from a bad dream and realizes the power is out throughout the city. Back at the tower, Malachite is about to take out Sailor Venus Lite, before he is confronted by the rest of the Sailor Guardians. Sailor Moon lets her know in no uncertain terms that she doesn’t have to fight alone, and the others will always be with her. The Guardians all use their powers to try to get him out of that bubble, but it fails, and he starts mopping the floor with them. He hits Sailor Moon with a particularly large blast that knocks her off the tower, but she is caught by Tuxedo Mask just in the nick of time. She gives him a nice thank you kiss before going back to save her fellow Guardians from a blast from Malachite, but Tuxedo Mask leaps in front of it and takes the blast head-on.

Here are my five standout moments of the episode:

I didn’t mention it up top, but Mamoru and Usagi have a nice chat after he turned tail and ran. She still has his pocketwatch, and he still has her handkerchief. Awww…

Mina and Artemis, besides being a new Guardian and familiar, drop a lot of exposition in their opening scenes. It’s important to catch them - and us - up, so I really don’t take umbrage with it.

I don’t recall anyone transforming in reverse in the original anime, so I’m assuming this is the first time we’ve ever seen a Sailor Guardian transform back to their civilian guise.

Okay, listen…how many more damn tiaras is Sailor Moon gonna get? It’s only eight episodes in, and she’s already on her third one! The first one, I get; it burned up. The second one was cool, and it decided to change itself? That’s…weird.

The first thing I thought when I saw the shot of all five Guardians together was “Reunited, and it feels so good.” Look the song up, kids.

I liked this episode. I didn’t love it, but that’s only because it was heavy on the exposition. Episodes like this are entirely necessary, and I expect to see a lot of them, but after the last two episodes, I was expecting the arc to be wrapped up in a nice, red bow. I’m not disappointed in it, but I wanted more. In the end, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s probably my being greedy, and can you really blame me? The previews for the next episode look like they’re about to wrap up part of this long story arc and set forth another one, and I can’t wait!