One of the best volumes to come out of the 'Sailor Moon' manga. Reading this is just a joy.
Where to begin? Chibiusa becomes more tolerable as the characters - and the reader - get to know more about her. Sailor Jupiter is next to be kidnapped by Black Moon, but not before we are treated to an awesome character piece concerning her caring, motherly and tough badass nature. A guilt-ridden and frightened Chibiusa reveals that she is from the future - the 30th century, and is the princess of Crystal Tokyo, a utopian earth. Sailor Moon, Venus, Tuxedo Mask, Luna and Artemis, by using Chibiusa’s Space-Time Key, travel to the future to see what has become of the revived Silver Millennium. What happened that was bad enough for Chibiusa to desperately break a taboo and go into the past for Sailor Moon's help, and for the Legendary Silver Crystal of that time period? In between space and time is where we meet the best character of the Black Moon arc, Sailor Pluto, the Guardian of the Underworld and the Door of Space and Time. Despite putting on a cold and formidable front, Pluto is warm friends with Chibiusa, who is called "Small Lady" in the 30th century. In the ruins of Crystal Tokyo is also where it's revealed that Chibiusa is the daughter of Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion - Sailor Moon’s and Tuxedo Mask's future selves! And that she's really 900-years-old! And that Luna and Artemis also have a kid 1000 years in the future - Diana! Usagi struggles with this knowledge of the future, and of Chibiusa's relation to her - in addition to her grave worry for her missing friends - on top of her jealousy of Mamoru's almost-blind devotion to protecting the little princess. She's ashamed of herself for her selfishness, but it's understandable given the universe-shattering circumstances (in a time paradox, she was in danger of disappearing from existence from being near her comatose future-queen self, trapped in crystal). Through all this emotion, and in a good twist and subversion on the predictable, Sailor Moon is the next to be taken prisoner by Black Moon - on the forbidden planet Nemesis, where their base is. Black Moon oppose the rule and immortal life conditions of 30th century Crystal Tokyo. Their leader, Prince Demande, is in love with its queen, Serenity; he wishes for what he cannot have. So in his twisted obsession he’ll make do with the queen's past self. Meanwhile, Chibiusa continues to be lost and confused. She feels useless, without any power, and, not for the first time, doubts herself as Neo-Queen Serenity's daughter. The creepy Wiseman takes advantage of the plight of the little girl who can never grow up: He offers her a sure place of power, where she can at last become a lady and earn respect...
To be continued!
So much is going on now, what's not to love?
Sailor Jupiter /Makoto Kino is the star of her own beginning chapter, where, like with Mars and Mercury in the previous instalments, we learn more about her. The tall, domestic "tomboy" delivers an insightful speech about humanity and friendship to Asanuma. This shows how deep she truly is. Having had no lasting friends before the Sailor Guardians, she is all the more loving and protective of them. Mako-chan is outwardly confident, but possesses a great loneliness deep down. In view of so much tragedy in her life, it’s admirable that she lets nothing get the best of her. She is a fighter in every sense of the word; strong both physically and emotionally.
Usagi also shows surprising new developments to her character. When it comes to Chibiusa, she can be forceful and determined to get answers when the fate of her loved ones is on the line. As she grows in her responsibilities as a Sailor Guardian, we see that even the protector of love and justice has limits, and she can't always remain cheerful or level-headed. The part where she outwardly accuses Mamoru of caring more about Chibiusa than her or anyone else - even though she knows Chibiusa's their future child - really sticks out, because here is a taste of her expressing her frustration and confusion in an outburst that is selfish but human, and above all understandable. A genuinely angry Sailor Moon is something to behold, I can tell you.
Her and Tuxedo Mask are growing up and tackling obstacles that come with being a couple, including jealously. Their making-out moments are lovely and beautifully-drawn, too.
I love Sailor Pluto - her design; her set convictions in never breaking time-travelling taboos; her hard demeanour barely hiding a heart filled with love and loneliness; her sweet friendship with Chibiusa, whom despite superficial and positional differences, she shares quite a lot in common. You want to know more about the Sailor Guardian who nobody knew existed beforehand. An existence of protecting space and time for all eternity - what must it be like for her? It's also hinted that Pluto has a soft spot for King Endymion. But then again, who isn't in love with Mamoru Chiba in this series?
Even his daughter wants him all to herself. I would like to take this opportunity to express how confusing Chibiusa's character is in relation to the whole of 'Sailor Moon'. She's from the future - that in itself makes her a walking contradiction and plot hole emitter, for if she exists in a Utopian kingdom where everyone lives for a thousand years, then the audience knows how the series ends no matter what dangerous enemy subsequently comes. If there is no happily ever after, then Chibiusa won’t exist; we know that things will always turn out okay. And why is she so infatuated with Mamoru, and annoyed at Usagi, when she knows they are her future parents? Anything she does in the past might affect her own timeline. She's in constant danger of ceasing to exist, especially when she makes herself a rival of Usagi for Mamoru's affections, which doesn’t change throughout the series’ run. Jeez, she must have serious daddy complex issues. But she clearly loves her mother from the future as well, so...
Oh, and if she is meant to be 900-years-old, why does she still act and think like a little kid?
But in spite of all that, the Small Lady herself has her share of excellent moments in the manga. There is far, FAR less of the obnoxious kiddie crap serving as filler in the anime. The manga gives us glimpses into Chibiusa’s thoughts, her anxieties, her inferiority complex (it could be she acts like her appearance suggests because she feels she is no better than a worthless child with no future as queen), and even though she cries more than Usagi does, it's shown she holds within her courage and determination; qualities inherited from her parents.
Mamoru also doubts himself in this volume. In moments of self-reflection and awareness he feels useless compared to Sailor Moon and the others. But he receives his own magical attack power from Endymion's old guards, and from his future self, strangely enough. But like with everything else, it makes sense in context.
Naru is given a brief but significant instance where she acknowledges how Usagi has been spending less time with her. She wishes to be involved in her friend's other life, which is kept secret from her. It's a pity Naru pretty much disappears from the manga after this (the anime expands her role more, if just for getting saved from trouble every week), as it could have been very interesting to see how she'd fare with being Sailor Moon's friend, and a reminder of her old, ordinary life.
So the fourth volume of 'Sailor Moon' has such great character development, along with action, suspense, heart, and humour. It has a bit of everything. Nuanced and exciting, it’s wonderfully good.
Final Score: 5/5
P.S. I am sad to hear the news of the legendary David Bowie's passing. In light of this I can't help but notice that the majority of Black Moon/Nemesis's rebels bear a striking resemblance to Bowie's many famous styles of dress and body shape. I wonder whether this was intentional on Takeuchi-san's part...
RIP, David Bowie.
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