WELCOME TO SEPTEMBER MOON!
This rereading of 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 5' has been a truly magnificent experience. There is never a dull, undramatic or unmagical moment. It's magical girl bliss.
'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Vol. 5' marks the end of the Black Moon arc, and here are my new thoughts as follows:
Wiseman is "Phantom", or "Death Phantom", not Prince Demande. He was a criminal and murderer whom Neo Queen Serenity banished to the planet Nemesis in the future. Over hundreds of years, Death Phantom, using the power of the "Malefic Black Crystal", absorbed himself fully into Nemesis, becoming one with it, and cursing its very existence; as a negative energy black hole that absorbs all light in the universe. Other things he calls himself are "the Ruler of Darkness" and "the king of solitude". It turns out Death Phantom/Wiseman/Nemesis is a formless evil darkness, like Queen Metalia before him. And his true form, the source of his power and being, is in "the Castle of Darkness", at the core of Nemesis, where the "negative energy of the "Malefic Black Crystal" twisted into existence". Not enough convoluted villain details for you? Well, underneath the Castle of Darkness is the "Chamber of Darkness", which was where Phantom was once a prisoner, and is now the prison of death for the Sailors Mercury, Mars and Jupiter.
Prince Demande is a creep and a predator, a receptor of toxic masculinity and male entitlement, and a destructive death to literally everyone around him. I'm glad he meets his demise at the hands of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, in using the Moon Rod together.
His brother Saphir is more levelheaded, thoughtful and cautious, at least, even though he is still evil. His main character trait is he is a stickler for perfect planning and organisation, and everything going smoothly. He is not spontaneous, overemotional and reckless like Demande.
I was quite sad to see Crimson Rubeus vanquished at the hands of Wiseman. He was a fun baddie.
Sailor Moon is a brave, almighty badass in this volume. She smashes through a floor to find her kidnapped and imprisoned friends. She can defend the Crystal Palace and her loved ones by her very presence - no weapon needed, apart from the "Legendary Silver Crystal". And she takes charge and delivers speeches such as, "The "Legendary Silver Crystal" is a stone that protects peace! It brings love and comfort to those who need it! If you people hadn't brought in your twisted logic... If you hadn't initiated your evil actions... then there would be no war! Everyone would be living in peace! Open your eyes! You know you're using the "Malefic Black Crystal" incorrectly!... It's dangerous!", and "You will never... kill me!", and "I will not
hand this planet, our Earth... over to such a formless evil thing!! I will protect it!!... I won't let you have this planet!". She never gives up, even when Tuxedo Mask isn't by her side.
Black Lady, the "Queen of Darkness" and "Queen of Nemesis", officially appears! She is Chibi-Usa's "awakened form" by Wiseman, and I must say I prefer her over every other version of Chibi-Usa. Extreme daddy complex aside, Black Lady is so cool, and devious - a twisted perversion of the kind of adult, with beauty, power, respect and prestige, that Chibi-Usa always wanted to be.
The number of times Mamoru/Tuxedo Mask gets brainwashed in both the manga and the anime is comical. Here, again, he attacks Sailor Moon, with the very same Moon Rod they created together with their love and the "Legendary Silver Crystal" at the end of the previous arc.
Sailor Moon/Usagi acknowledges her insecurities over Mamoru caring for Chibi-Usa again (which affected her belief in herself and her ability to fight evil properly as Sailor Moon), in seeing Black Lady relishing having the brainwashed Tuxedo Mask all to herself: 'I see in her the old me, back when I wanted Mamo-chan all to myself... it made me so jealous of Chibi-Usa at that time!' "...All I understood was that I loved him! But I didn't know how to show that love! I just lost control... [...] Chibi-Usa...! You know, we're all awkward like that! You really are precious to us, and we need you. Why do we have to fight like this?!" Love cannot be forced. Say no to entitlement and treating people like objects and possessions, everybody.
Connecting to the above is this speech by Sailor Jupiter to Sailor Moon: "Do you know why [Mamoru]
Black Lady, the "Queen of Darkness" and "Queen of Nemesis", officially appears! She is Chibi-Usa's "awakened form" by Wiseman, and I must say I prefer her over every other version of Chibi-Usa. Extreme daddy complex aside, Black Lady is so cool, and devious - a twisted perversion of the kind of adult, with beauty, power, respect and prestige, that Chibi-Usa always wanted to be.
The number of times Mamoru/Tuxedo Mask gets brainwashed in both the manga and the anime is comical. Here, again, he attacks Sailor Moon, with the very same Moon Rod they created together with their love and the "Legendary Silver Crystal" at the end of the previous arc.
Sailor Moon/Usagi acknowledges her insecurities over Mamoru caring for Chibi-Usa again (which affected her belief in herself and her ability to fight evil properly as Sailor Moon), in seeing Black Lady relishing having the brainwashed Tuxedo Mask all to herself: 'I see in her the old me, back when I wanted Mamo-chan all to myself... it made me so jealous of Chibi-Usa at that time!' "...All I understood was that I loved him! But I didn't know how to show that love! I just lost control... [...] Chibi-Usa...! You know, we're all awkward like that! You really are precious to us, and we need you. Why do we have to fight like this?!" Love cannot be forced. Say no to entitlement and treating people like objects and possessions, everybody.
Connecting to the above is this speech by Sailor Jupiter to Sailor Moon: "Do you know why [Mamoru]
treasures Chibi-Usa so much? It's because Chibi-Usa is your child with him! He's thought through what his role and responsibility is. He wanted to help in a way that leaves you with the freedom to move. Usagi, it's because we're with you and he trusts us implicitly... He's decided to devote all of his energy to protecting Chibi-Usa--[..]--the child he had with you, the most precious thing in the world to him." It's nice, but... how does Jupiter know that Chibi-Usa is Usagi and Mamoru's future child? She wasn't there at the Crystal Palace in the ruined Crystal Tokyo when King Endymion revealed all, and she only just got out of the Chamber of Darkness. Did somebody tell her everything that's been going on during the Sailor Guardians' wandering in the dark, far reaches of space-time with Sailor Pluto?
Wiseman is as creepy as Demande in how he keeps referring to Black Lady as his "cute Rabbit", and just "cute". This is the lost, lonely, insecure, vulnerable little girl he took advantage of and corrupted to his side of evil.
Additionally, he tells Black Lady: "Those who obtain strong power can manipulate the world as they wish." Like every evil ruler, tyrant and dictator ever.
Sailor Pluto remains one of the best characters in the series. Her death scene, where she says she always wanted to fight alongside the Sailor Guardians, but she had to do her duty as the guardian of the space-time door... and when she finally gets her wish, she dies. It's where her immortality, her antecedently lonely, solitary life, ends. It's brilliantly touching and tragic. Terribly sad, even knowing she will come back eventually.
Tiny kitten Diana temporarily takes Pluto's place as guardian of the time door while the aloof and mysterious Sailor Guardian goes out to fight for the first time in her existence. There are a myriad of touching (and cute) moments in the manga, I love it.
The scene where the Sailor Guardians, and Luna and Artemis, take Sailor Moon/Usagi home when she collapses from exhaustion, as a respite from fighting evil in the most dangerous and dire circumstances, is another great, human moment. Usagi has friends who care deeply for her, and she did risk her life to save theirs, so they owe her a break from everything until she recovers. The maturing Usagi says, "You know... it all seems unreal, being able to come home with everybody like this! I'm so happy! I'm happy, but... I'm also greedy. And the house without Chibi-Usa... is lonely." She swears to rescue Chibi-Usa and Mamoru, with the help of her friends, once she is ready.
Usagi's home scene is the most useful that the Sailors Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter are in this volume, I'm afraid. They're given practically nothing to do - it's Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Chibi-Moon who defeat Nemesis, and save the world and the future, as a family.
Sailor Chibi-Moon is the reawakened form of Chibi-Usa, from Black Lady, over the tragic death of her dearest friend Sailor Pluto. She can use the "Legendary Silver Crystal" now, and presumably, finally grow up, after 900 years. She emerges from a light from the "Legendary Silver Crystal", emitted between an embracing Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, for the final battle. It's definitely a conception and birth metaphor. Sailor Moon even thinks, '...It's like a newborn light.'
Neo Queen Serenity, once awakened from her crystal at the Crystal Palace at last, grants the Sailor Guardians "new Planet Powers" - Sailor Mars is the Guardian of War, Sailor Mercury is the Guardian of Wisdom, Sailor Jupiter is the Guardian of Protection, Sailor Venus is the Guardian of Love, and Sailor Moon is the Guardian of Mystery. How... intriguing, and strangely appropriate, in hindsight.
Even as a powerful queen who has ruled over Crystal Tokyo for nearly a thousand years - and who is pretty much the queen of the whole of Earth - Neo Queen Serenity of the future is still Usagi, and has fears and insecurities, stemming from no longer possessing the ability to fight and protect as a Guardian.
Usagi Tsukino, to develop from a girl who is so ordinary, flawed, vulnerable and incompetent, to the quite literal queen of the world, and the most powerful and important person in the universe - what a heroine; a brave, loving, caring, altruistic heroine, for all girls and women to aspire to, and gain confidence, drive, determination, a sense of worthiness and validation, and hope from.
I love the ending. Among my favourite moments are when Neo Queen Serenity reassures her daughter Chibi-Usa/Small Lady that she loves her, and when she and Sailor Moon briefly meet, despite the taboo and danger of the same person from different time periods being at the same place together. They are still alike. So touching and teary!
At the end also we are given snapshot panels of Rei, Makoto, and Ami and Minako reuniting with Kotono, Asanuma, and Furuhata respectively. At least those characters are not forgotten about. However, there isn't really a payoff to the character arcs of Rei, Ami and Makoto from before they are kidnapped by Black Moon.
So was it the original Queen Serenity who gave Sailor Pluto her guardian of space-time role, as well as informing her of the three taboos of time she must never break? What about Pluto's blood relation to Chronos? Does that come back in some way?
Veneti and Aquatici, yet more minions and droids created by Black Moon, don't last long in the slightest, do they? Usagi doesn't even need to transform into Sailor Moon to get rid of them; it's all the "Legendary Silver Crystal".
That's it! That's it for the Black Moon arc.
Next up is the Death Busters arc, and volume 6.
Happy September Moon!
Final Score: 4.5/5
Original Review:
A magnificent, breathtaking conclusion to the Black Moon Arc of 'Sailor Moon'. Each arc delivers on excitement and a beating heart.
Space-time has been distorted; a storm of chaos ensues throughout the time dimensions. Chibiusa is awakened by Wiseman into Black Lady, Queen of Darkness and of the cursed planet Nemesis. Usagi, imprisoned on Nemesis in Black Moon castle, searches around for answers, and with her belief in the Legendary Silver Crystal's goodness, and the help of her still-dormant future self, she unleashes new unlimited power. As Sailor Moon once more, she frees the other Guardians from a darkness-chamber deep within Nemesis's core. Together, along with Sailor Pluto, the girls set out to find and save Chibiusa and Tuxedo Mask, who's been brainwashed again. More than anything, Black Lady wants him to herself - in all her cunning and wicked glory, she's also a dark reflection of Usagi, and her jealousy of Mamoru and Chibiusa’s closeness. Wiseman is revealed to be Nemesis itself - the planet of darkness of the future, and origin of the Malefic Black Crystal, the evil counterpart to the Legendary Silver Crystal. Wiseman is then revealed to be Death Phantom, the criminal Neo-Queen Serenity banished to Nemesis centuries ago. The battle is on: Nemesis is coming into orbit with the earth of the past, engulfing everything in darkness. The betrayed and malevolent Prince Demande plans to put the Legendary Silver Crystals of the past and the future together and destroy the universe. But then, after little Diana offers to take her place temporarily as guardian of the Door to Space and Time, Sailor Pluto breaks the biggest taboo - using her Garnet Rod, she stops time. And so she dies. At the death of the most precious friend she's ever had in her lonely and unsatisfied life, a grieving Black Lady turns back into Chibiusa - and awakens as a Sailor Guardian. This is the key to reviving Neo-Queen Serenity from her crystal slumber; at her daughter's finally experiencing life as a true adult and royal of the Silver Millennium. Near the end the queen shows, for wanting the Small Lady to grow to believe in herself, that she does love her only daughter more than anything; that the former protector of love and justice still has a heart after a thousand years of ruling a kingdom. Anyway, Sailor Moon's and Tuxedo Mask's love and powers combined quite literally help give birth to Sailor Chibi-Moon and her power of light alongside them, and together they seal away Dark Phantom/Nemesis. Black Moon is defeated and Silver Millennium is restored. The Sailor Guardians are given new titles by Neo-Queen Serenity: Mars, Guardian of War; Mercury, Guardian of Wisdom; Jupiter, Guardian of Protection; Venus, Guardian of Love. And Sailor Moon, Guardian of Mystery. Sailor Moon briefly meets her future self - no longer than necessary in case of a time paradox - and back in the present earth we are granted a tearful reconciliation between Usagi and Chibiusa, as through hardships in space and time and chaos the two have become bosom friends. They say their goodbyes as Chibiusa returns to the 30th century, not yet a woman but not quite a little girl anymore...
But then she returns under the pretence of Usagi offering to train her as a Sailor Guardian. Let the hilarity ensue!
End of the Black Moon Arc.
Every panel in this edition to the 'Sailor Moon' manga series is a marvellous treat. It is a dark story that retains a hopeful heart in the presence of Sailor Moon herself.
While the other Guardians don't get to do much in this finale, the Pretty Guardian of Love and Justice demonstrates the strongest resolve to fight, and a determination to protect everyone, than she's ever had before. It really is as if she's grown with the power of herself as a queen and mother in the unfathomable but blessed utopian future. For a queen and mother is what she will be someday. She is drawn in the best fighting poses, and the art even has her clenching her fist in anger at the enemy. Yet there are panels which show her in prayer; at inner peace and tranquillity when up against evil. When taken prisoner by Prince Demande, Usagi doesn't wait to be rescued - without hesitation she uses the opportunity to bravely seek out her captured friends. She also reveals more of her pessimistic-yet-reasonable side when she begins to have doubts about whether the Legendary Silver Crystal's power does more harm than good, like Black Moon believes; and whether she is in fact a “fearsome woman”, as they call her. However, Usagi wants to believe in peace and the goodwill of others - a strength befitting a queen. Sailor Moon is more multilayered than anyone gives her credit for, and at any stage of her life she will fight to protect the universe and those she loves at any cost.
There are other outstanding, heartfelt moments: Such as Sailor Pluto finding a new friend in the cute little kitty Diana, just before her death scene. Her speech to Chibiusa about there being different kinds of love and different ways of expressing it is also superb. Then there’s Usagi and Chibiusa's growing development as they come to work as a team, and their words of farewell which feel unscripted and true.
Everything is wrapped up neatly and with all the sentimentality known and loved in 'Sailor Moon'.
Next up, the Death Busters Arc!
Final Score: 5/5
Wiseman is as creepy as Demande in how he keeps referring to Black Lady as his "cute Rabbit", and just "cute". This is the lost, lonely, insecure, vulnerable little girl he took advantage of and corrupted to his side of evil.
Additionally, he tells Black Lady: "Those who obtain strong power can manipulate the world as they wish." Like every evil ruler, tyrant and dictator ever.
Sailor Pluto remains one of the best characters in the series. Her death scene, where she says she always wanted to fight alongside the Sailor Guardians, but she had to do her duty as the guardian of the space-time door... and when she finally gets her wish, she dies. It's where her immortality, her antecedently lonely, solitary life, ends. It's brilliantly touching and tragic. Terribly sad, even knowing she will come back eventually.
Tiny kitten Diana temporarily takes Pluto's place as guardian of the time door while the aloof and mysterious Sailor Guardian goes out to fight for the first time in her existence. There are a myriad of touching (and cute) moments in the manga, I love it.
The scene where the Sailor Guardians, and Luna and Artemis, take Sailor Moon/Usagi home when she collapses from exhaustion, as a respite from fighting evil in the most dangerous and dire circumstances, is another great, human moment. Usagi has friends who care deeply for her, and she did risk her life to save theirs, so they owe her a break from everything until she recovers. The maturing Usagi says, "You know... it all seems unreal, being able to come home with everybody like this! I'm so happy! I'm happy, but... I'm also greedy. And the house without Chibi-Usa... is lonely." She swears to rescue Chibi-Usa and Mamoru, with the help of her friends, once she is ready.
Usagi's home scene is the most useful that the Sailors Venus, Mercury, Mars and Jupiter are in this volume, I'm afraid. They're given practically nothing to do - it's Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Chibi-Moon who defeat Nemesis, and save the world and the future, as a family.
Sailor Chibi-Moon is the reawakened form of Chibi-Usa, from Black Lady, over the tragic death of her dearest friend Sailor Pluto. She can use the "Legendary Silver Crystal" now, and presumably, finally grow up, after 900 years. She emerges from a light from the "Legendary Silver Crystal", emitted between an embracing Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, for the final battle. It's definitely a conception and birth metaphor. Sailor Moon even thinks, '...It's like a newborn light.'
Neo Queen Serenity, once awakened from her crystal at the Crystal Palace at last, grants the Sailor Guardians "new Planet Powers" - Sailor Mars is the Guardian of War, Sailor Mercury is the Guardian of Wisdom, Sailor Jupiter is the Guardian of Protection, Sailor Venus is the Guardian of Love, and Sailor Moon is the Guardian of Mystery. How... intriguing, and strangely appropriate, in hindsight.
Even as a powerful queen who has ruled over Crystal Tokyo for nearly a thousand years - and who is pretty much the queen of the whole of Earth - Neo Queen Serenity of the future is still Usagi, and has fears and insecurities, stemming from no longer possessing the ability to fight and protect as a Guardian.
Usagi Tsukino, to develop from a girl who is so ordinary, flawed, vulnerable and incompetent, to the quite literal queen of the world, and the most powerful and important person in the universe - what a heroine; a brave, loving, caring, altruistic heroine, for all girls and women to aspire to, and gain confidence, drive, determination, a sense of worthiness and validation, and hope from.
I love the ending. Among my favourite moments are when Neo Queen Serenity reassures her daughter Chibi-Usa/Small Lady that she loves her, and when she and Sailor Moon briefly meet, despite the taboo and danger of the same person from different time periods being at the same place together. They are still alike. So touching and teary!
At the end also we are given snapshot panels of Rei, Makoto, and Ami and Minako reuniting with Kotono, Asanuma, and Furuhata respectively. At least those characters are not forgotten about. However, there isn't really a payoff to the character arcs of Rei, Ami and Makoto from before they are kidnapped by Black Moon.
So was it the original Queen Serenity who gave Sailor Pluto her guardian of space-time role, as well as informing her of the three taboos of time she must never break? What about Pluto's blood relation to Chronos? Does that come back in some way?
Veneti and Aquatici, yet more minions and droids created by Black Moon, don't last long in the slightest, do they? Usagi doesn't even need to transform into Sailor Moon to get rid of them; it's all the "Legendary Silver Crystal".
That's it! That's it for the Black Moon arc.
Next up is the Death Busters arc, and volume 6.
Happy September Moon!
Final Score: 4.5/5
Original Review:
A magnificent, breathtaking conclusion to the Black Moon Arc of 'Sailor Moon'. Each arc delivers on excitement and a beating heart.
Space-time has been distorted; a storm of chaos ensues throughout the time dimensions. Chibiusa is awakened by Wiseman into Black Lady, Queen of Darkness and of the cursed planet Nemesis. Usagi, imprisoned on Nemesis in Black Moon castle, searches around for answers, and with her belief in the Legendary Silver Crystal's goodness, and the help of her still-dormant future self, she unleashes new unlimited power. As Sailor Moon once more, she frees the other Guardians from a darkness-chamber deep within Nemesis's core. Together, along with Sailor Pluto, the girls set out to find and save Chibiusa and Tuxedo Mask, who's been brainwashed again. More than anything, Black Lady wants him to herself - in all her cunning and wicked glory, she's also a dark reflection of Usagi, and her jealousy of Mamoru and Chibiusa’s closeness. Wiseman is revealed to be Nemesis itself - the planet of darkness of the future, and origin of the Malefic Black Crystal, the evil counterpart to the Legendary Silver Crystal. Wiseman is then revealed to be Death Phantom, the criminal Neo-Queen Serenity banished to Nemesis centuries ago. The battle is on: Nemesis is coming into orbit with the earth of the past, engulfing everything in darkness. The betrayed and malevolent Prince Demande plans to put the Legendary Silver Crystals of the past and the future together and destroy the universe. But then, after little Diana offers to take her place temporarily as guardian of the Door to Space and Time, Sailor Pluto breaks the biggest taboo - using her Garnet Rod, she stops time. And so she dies. At the death of the most precious friend she's ever had in her lonely and unsatisfied life, a grieving Black Lady turns back into Chibiusa - and awakens as a Sailor Guardian. This is the key to reviving Neo-Queen Serenity from her crystal slumber; at her daughter's finally experiencing life as a true adult and royal of the Silver Millennium. Near the end the queen shows, for wanting the Small Lady to grow to believe in herself, that she does love her only daughter more than anything; that the former protector of love and justice still has a heart after a thousand years of ruling a kingdom. Anyway, Sailor Moon's and Tuxedo Mask's love and powers combined quite literally help give birth to Sailor Chibi-Moon and her power of light alongside them, and together they seal away Dark Phantom/Nemesis. Black Moon is defeated and Silver Millennium is restored. The Sailor Guardians are given new titles by Neo-Queen Serenity: Mars, Guardian of War; Mercury, Guardian of Wisdom; Jupiter, Guardian of Protection; Venus, Guardian of Love. And Sailor Moon, Guardian of Mystery. Sailor Moon briefly meets her future self - no longer than necessary in case of a time paradox - and back in the present earth we are granted a tearful reconciliation between Usagi and Chibiusa, as through hardships in space and time and chaos the two have become bosom friends. They say their goodbyes as Chibiusa returns to the 30th century, not yet a woman but not quite a little girl anymore...
But then she returns under the pretence of Usagi offering to train her as a Sailor Guardian. Let the hilarity ensue!
End of the Black Moon Arc.
Every panel in this edition to the 'Sailor Moon' manga series is a marvellous treat. It is a dark story that retains a hopeful heart in the presence of Sailor Moon herself.
While the other Guardians don't get to do much in this finale, the Pretty Guardian of Love and Justice demonstrates the strongest resolve to fight, and a determination to protect everyone, than she's ever had before. It really is as if she's grown with the power of herself as a queen and mother in the unfathomable but blessed utopian future. For a queen and mother is what she will be someday. She is drawn in the best fighting poses, and the art even has her clenching her fist in anger at the enemy. Yet there are panels which show her in prayer; at inner peace and tranquillity when up against evil. When taken prisoner by Prince Demande, Usagi doesn't wait to be rescued - without hesitation she uses the opportunity to bravely seek out her captured friends. She also reveals more of her pessimistic-yet-reasonable side when she begins to have doubts about whether the Legendary Silver Crystal's power does more harm than good, like Black Moon believes; and whether she is in fact a “fearsome woman”, as they call her. However, Usagi wants to believe in peace and the goodwill of others - a strength befitting a queen. Sailor Moon is more multilayered than anyone gives her credit for, and at any stage of her life she will fight to protect the universe and those she loves at any cost.
There are other outstanding, heartfelt moments: Such as Sailor Pluto finding a new friend in the cute little kitty Diana, just before her death scene. Her speech to Chibiusa about there being different kinds of love and different ways of expressing it is also superb. Then there’s Usagi and Chibiusa's growing development as they come to work as a team, and their words of farewell which feel unscripted and true.
Everything is wrapped up neatly and with all the sentimentality known and loved in 'Sailor Moon'.
Next up, the Death Busters Arc!
Final Score: 5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment