WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER MOON!
Is the whole Dead Moon Circus arc a metaphor for growing up and adulthood? I think it is. One of the reasons this fits so well is it's the penultimate arc of 'Sailor Moon'. Amid all the silliness and sweetness, there is a pervasive sort of sadness and bittersweetness to it, as well; lingering, about to pounce.
I also keep forgetting to mention just how funny this arc is. The series blends comedy, drama, action and worlds-and-beyond-saving high stakes so seamlessly and spectacularly.
Anyway, onto 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 10', which I enjoyed immensely on a reread:
The Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Pluto and Saturn arrive and save the Sailors Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter from the Amazoness Quartet and the Lemures. Chibi-Usa is at Usagi's sickbed, then upon hearing the awakened Saturn's voice and seeing the assembled Guardians in Neptune's mirror, she comes to their aid as well. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask join them, despite their accursed illness. To their horror, the nine Guardians can't protect their princess and prince.
A dark moon - the Dead Moon, the Kingdom of Nightmares - and Zirconia and Queen Nehelenia, show up. Zirconia traps the Amazoness Quartet inside orbs, and Sailor Saturn and Sailor Chibi Moon inside mirror shards. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are turned into children (as part of their curse, or the Dead Moon's attack...?), and are rescued by Helios and taken to the ruined, cursed Elysion, which is the sacred land at the heart/core of Earth, and where the Golden Kingdom, Prince Endymion's original home, is. The Silver Millennium on the Moon has the "Legendary Silver Crystal" (though is it not in quotations anymore? and is renamed the "Silver Crystal"?) as its sacred gem, and Elysion in Earth has the Golden Crystal as its own sacred gem, and big surprise, it has been inside Mamoru's body the whole time (... really? No reason given for why it never came up before? Not even when a piece of the Silver Crystal was inside him in the first arc?).
Usagi and Mamoru learn they share the same dream, mission and powers, and they are strongest when they are together, and sharing their powers, to protect each other and their friends and family.
Long story short, Helios sends the couple back to the Earth's surface, which has been darkened by nightmares, and he sacrifices himself to crystalize the surface world for its protection, using prayer and "the purifying power of Elysion". It also subsides the black rose curse. The Priest, who was a cursed and caged Pegasus, is gone (for now).
Zirconia infects everyone with terrifying nightmares. With Sailor Planet Power, the Guardians destroy Dead Moon. Sailor Moon follows Zirconia into Nehelenia's dark mirror prison, and rescues Sailor Saturn and Chibi Moon. She is a determined Guardian who is dedicated to protecting Earth, and won't fall for Nehelenia's tricks, not when it comes to saving her loved ones.
Elysion, and therefore Earth, remain accursed in darkness and nightmares, so everyone heads off to Elysion, where the final battle commences. Nehelenia, the queen of darkness, shines some clarity: she is a tyrant from the dark side of the Moon/Silver Millennium, who supposedly cursed the kingdom to fall into ruin long ago because she wasn't invited to the celebration of Princess Serenity's birth ('Sleeping Beauty', much?), and because she's an invader who represents the darkness to the Moon's light. Queen Serenity imprisoned her in a mirror using the Silver Crystal.
Nehelenia rips the Silver Crystal out of Sailor Moon's brooch, claiming to be the new queen of the Moon and the Earth. With the power of love, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask break their curse, and Sailor Moon gains a new Holy Grail. Filled with the powers of the Solar System Sailor Princesses/Guardians, and Tuxedo Mask and his Golden Crystal, and the transported and transformed-human Luna, Artemis and Diana, she becomes Eternal Sailor Moon - "She who possesses the closest power to the Queen's", according to Diana.
Using the Eternal Tiare, powered by all the Solar System Sailor Guardian Crystal planetary powers (phew what a mouthful!), and the Silver and Golden Crystals, Nehelenia is blasted and sucked back into her mirror prison... and Zirconia is revealed to be her future self (yeah, best not to dwell on that, just go along with it), and she is in the mirror, too.
The total eclipse has truly come to an end. Earth is saved, and in Elysion Sailor Chibi Moon gives Helios, uncursed and human, but lifeless, a kiss that brings him back to life. Well, that and her transformed Silver Crystal, now the "Pink Moon Crystal". He remains humanoid, not a Pegasus anymore - and Chibi-Usa was always his "young maiden", his "Princess Lady Serenity".
Then the Priest of Elysion practically marries Sailor Moon/Serenity and Tuxedo Mask/Endymion, in a coronation ceremony, and their royal power staffs destroy Nehelenia/Zirconia's dark mirror. Elysion is completely restored; it is lush, beautiful and healthy again. Sailor Saturn asks Serenity to free the Amazoness Quartet from their orbs using her Silver Crystal Moon powers, and it is revealed that the Quartet are the Sailor Guardians of planetoids, brainwashed by Nehelenia (more on this in bit).
Helios leads everyone back to the surface world on his "beloved steed, Pegasus!". Both Chibi-Usa and Helios swear to see each other again. Chibi-Usa pledges to herself to one day become a full-fledged Sailor Guardian and "true Lady", with the Quartet as her Guardian and protector team, and Helios as her prince.
The nightmare is over. Everywhere is peaceful once more...
...for now.
Usagi to Mamoru: "My dream is to keep protecting this planet, so that everyone can be happy. [...] ...I want to do that together with you."
Mamoru's dream is the same, and his ambition is to be a doctor, similar to Ami. A doctor as well as the king of Crystal Tokyo and the world, then?
Sailor Saturn/Hotaru and Chibi-Usa still have a bond, thank goodness. Hotaru awoke to carry out her mission... and to fight alongside Chibi Moon. And at the end of the volume, Saturn takes Chibi Moon's hand, in declaring to the Amazoness Quartet, before they disappear to await the day of their true awakening: "We swear to keep the princess safe until then."
The Sailor Guardians of the solar system have new Crystal powers and transformations.
Sailor Princess Mercury protects and draws power from Mariner Castle on her planet; for Sailor Princess Mars it's Phobos & Deimos Castle on her planet; for Sailor Princess Jupiter it's Io Castle on her planet; Sailor Princess Venus has Magellan Castle; Sailor Princess Uranus has Miranda Castle; Sailor Princess Neptune has Triton Castle; Sailor Princess Pluto has Charon Castle; and Sailor Princess Saturn has Titan Castle. Sailor Chibi Moon has the Crystal Palace of the thirtieth century, and Tuxedo Mask, who is the closest to there being a Sailor Earth in the series (despite being male), has the Golden Palace in Elysion.
Additionally, Sailor Uranus's renewed status is the Protector of the Planet of the Heavens and Guardian of Flight; Sailor Neptune's is the Protector of the Planet of Deep Seas and Guardian of Encirclement (...?); Sailor Pluto's is the Protector of the Planet of Space-Time and Guardian of Reformation; and Sailor Saturn's is the Protector of the Planet of Silence and Guardian of Ruin and Rebirth.
Saturn is no longer misunderstood. She ruminates, upon Silver Millennium's fate and "curse", 'Back then... numerous tragedies lined up like dominoes and led to the fate of ruin. I thought all had been erased and then reborn... but one player had remained behind, here!' (Meaning Nehelenia, who was never reborn on Earth; she remained imprisoned in the mirror by Queen Serenity.)
I loved seeing all ten of the solar system Sailor Guardians gathered and fighting evil together, side by side, and caring for one another, as true friends. The Dead Moon Circus arc might be my new favourite for that alone.
It turns out the Amazoness Quartet are the Sailor Guardians of the four solar system planetoids. They are Sailors Ceres, Pallas, Juno and Vesta, and they had not yet awoken in the Earth's Amazon, before Nehelenia corrupted them and plagued them with nightmares, turning them into her evil minions. Their backstory explains their Amazon jungle aesthetic.
There is foreshadowing of the next and final arc, with talk of everyone originally coming from a cosmos - a cauldron, if you will - of stars at the "far reaches of the galaxy", and everyone possessing stars in their chests.
Eternal Sailor Moon's Eternal Tiare's attack name, after gathering everyone's Crystal power, is, "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss!!" There are lots that can be read into that, and I love it for how absurd and seemingly random that string of words together is.
A fantastic yet completely understated highlight: Sailor Jupiter punches Nehelenia's mirror, to free Sailor Moon, Chibi Moon and Sailor Saturn. She doesn't use her Sailor powers like the rest do. It's not often I see magical girls in the magical girl genre use their fists and other physical attributes instead of magical accessories. It's awesome. Jupiter is awesome.
Usagi's dream at the beginning of Act 46, of her and Mamoru's domestic bliss, where they look like little kids, and Mamoru is too sweet, submissive and indulgent to Usagi, is an amusing and brief respite from the nightmares and horror.
I don't like the moment where Tuxedo Mask slaps practically all the Sailor Guardians' cheeks to snap them out of their nightmares on the Earth's surface. The only man slapping like, eight superpowered women, when they got too emotional and scared, and it's depicted as a necessary thing? No, don't do that, 'Sailor Moon'. Please. You were doing excellently otherwise. I wonder how Tuxedo Mask got out of the nightmares himself? It's not like he's ever had a strong will.
The flashbacks starring Queen Serenity and baby Princess Serenity are too adorable and precious, and the baby's Guardians - Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter - were children, who tried to protect their queen and princess from the uninvited guest Nehelenia. Cute!
Luna, Artemis and Diana as humans is a delight to see. They don't really do much of anything by the end - they're just there. But still, they look great!
The two Menaeds, Helios's priestesses of the sanctuary in Elysion, appear, but only very briefly. They're doorwomen, really.
I love the art yet again. There are so many drawings of Sailor Moon looking effing badass in fighting stances and poses. The Pretty Guardian of the Moon, love and justice will end you if you are evil and try to take over Earth, make no mistake. And the Act 46 cover art contains a shirtless, nippled Mamoru, sleeping in bed, and holding kitten Diana on his chest, up to his chin. It's too much - I'm going to die of cuteness
The art is amazing everywhere, I can't stress that point enough.
Continuing on the subject of the art, I have a feeling Takeuchi-sensei really liked drawing Sailor Venus and Sailor Uranus together. They are drawn side by side many times in this volume, in prominent, unmissable panels and positions, even when they don't actually interact. What could be their relationship, besides friendship, I wonder...? Is it merely their joint roles as Guardian leaders - Venus of the Inners, and Uranus of the Outers?
Nehelenia, just like every woman in the series, wanted to marry Prince Endymion. Granted, it was part of her plan to rule both the Moon and the Earth, and their solar system powers, as queen, but it's typical, nevertheless.
The new Holy Grail's design is cool and cute.
There are other things I could add, but I've said enough.
It's time for the final arc, the Sailor Stars arc, starting in volume 11.
Sailor Moon's journey as a Guardian, a princess and a queen is far from finished. Everything is about to change. Everything is about to get much darker than ever before.
Everything comes to an end. And a beginning. Everybody dies. And is reborn. Again.
It's the darkest arc.
Prepare to join me on it, as I reread and rereview the final two volumes of the main 'Sailor Moon' manga canon series.
Until then, have a happy September Moon.
Final Score (for 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 10'): 4.5/5
Original Review:
"We all, every one of us, carry a star inside our chests. In order to realise our dreams... and protect those precious to us... In order to keep fighting... please keep shining on and lending me strength, O star inside my chest!"
A beautiful, dazzling finale.
The Outer Senshi arrive to save the Inner Senshi. Together the eight Guardians must protect their prince and princess, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. Dead Moon - the new moon - has enveloped earth into darkness and nightmares. Usagi and Mamoru grow sicker from the curse, and Helios’s spirit transports them to Elysion, deep within the earth, in order to protect them. Sailor Chibi-Moon and Sailor Saturn become trapped in mirror shards by Zirconia.
After a funny dream sequence of Usagi and Mamoru as children living together - reality has no place in a child's dreaming - Helios leads the two of them through Elysion towards the Golden Kingdom - Mamoru/Prince Endymion's kingdom in his past life. Menaeds encased in crystal are protected from Dead Moon's curse on the once-sacred land. Usagi and Mamoru share the same destiny, the same power, the same dream of protecting people together. The same similar crystal gems. Usagi figures out that since her Legendary Silver Crystal lives inside her, Mamoru's Golden Crystal must live inside his body. They give each other strength, as they've always done. Queen Nehelenia, Dead Moon's ruler and dark counterpart to Queen Serenity, finds them out after Usagi tries to break Helios's body free from imprisonment. He sends the couple back to the surface, now having it in them to defeat the enemy. Upon further prayer, the Priest of Elysion sends his land's purifying crystals to the surface of a darkened earth - at the cost of his life.
Magnificent artwork takes over as the excitement is truly set in motion. Nightmare battles, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask shining, and the other Guardians fighting alongside them (Sailors Uranus, Neptune, Mercury and Jupiter especially have their brief but badass moments). Sailor Moon also frees Chibi-Moon and Saturn; the latter goes on to collect the orbed souls of the Amazoness Quartet. All the heroes travel to Elysion for the final showdown. The Menaeds, priestesses of the sanctuary of the Golden Kingdom, have awakened.
It's Sailor Moon versus the vicious and insane Queen Nehelenia (as someone who could possibly be the true queen of the Silver Millennium, and the dark side of the moon of shadows, whilst Serenity is the queen of the moon of pure light, Nehelenia is definitely more interesting than Queen Beryl.) There is a 'Sleeping Beauty'-inspired story of Nehelenia cursing the old Silver Millennium to fall, over not being invited to baby Princess Serenity's birth celebration. The dark queen rips the Silver Crystal from Sailor Moon's chest, and obtains the power to rule the universe. But with the power of love, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon use their inner light to incapacitate Nehelenia.
A coronation of destiny takes place - even Luna, Artemis and Diana are transported to the group, and in grand human forms! With the power (I’m using that word a lot, aren’t I?) from each of the Guardians' mother planet castles sent to the Holy Grail, Sailor Moon is upgraded into Eternal Sailor Moon (awesome). Together with everyone's protective power, she seals Queen Nehelenia inside her own mirror of darkness. It is also revealed that Zirconia, the spirit guide and servant of Dead Moon, is actually Nehelenia's future self. It isn't explained how this came to be. Shame.
Earth and Elysion are back to normal - all long nightmares and curses lifted. Sailor Chibi-Moon heals Helios with a kiss, then her own Silver Crystal turns into the Pink Moon Crystal. Helios is Chibiusa's prince, and the Amazoness Quartet - Pallas, Ceres, Juno and Vestas - are her awaited Sailor Guardians awakened too soon by Nehelenia, and were manipulated into her nightmare slaves. Sailor Saturn swears to protect Chibi-Moon until she becomes a full-fledged Guardian like Sailor Moon, which is really sweet, and shows what true friends these girls have become, through hell and back.
Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask transform into the queen and king of the Silver Millennium, and banish the darkness of Dead Moon - the new moon’s eclipse - for good. In farewell, Helios rides on his Pegasus back to Elysion to continue praying for everyone's collective safety.
Dreams can come true. Girls can become powerful ladies. Destiny can make queens and warriors out of little princesses.
Darkness and Light coexist - even within people's own hearts, like stars...
I've summed up pretty much everything there is to know about this volume. It's all action, action, action! And every page is glorious. Additionally, I love that Queen Serenity's presence - as both a tough, regal monarch and a loving, protective mother - still holds great significance to the story.
Sailor Moon is braver, more determined and knowledgeable than ever, too. The future queen and mother is everyone’s light, in spite of always needing their help and combined power - especially from the man/prince she loves - to save the universe.
The ending to the Dead Moon arc is spectacular; while nonetheless feeling complete on its own, it serves as a perfect prelude to the final arc of 'Sailor Moon'.
Join me next time for the beginning of the end with the eleventh volume: The Sailor Stars arc, the darkest yet.
Final Score: 5/5
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