Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Crystal Episode 01 Review
美少女戦士セーラームーンクリスタル
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon Crystal

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

A clumsy middle school girl named TSUKINO Usagi is late for school and steps on the cat on the way there. After being punished for being tardy, she goes with her friends to a jewelry store owned by her friend Naru’s parents, but bails on the sail because of her bad grades. She runs into a guy in a tuxedo, who teases her about her low grades and hair style. On her way home, she stops by the local arcade to play the Sailor V game, wishing she could be like the real Sailor V, whom the game is based on. While there enjoying her time with the boy she likes who works there, the black cat from earlier shows up. When Usagi finally gets home, she gets busted for her bad test score.

That evening, the teen in the tuxedo cases out the jewelry store as Naru discovers her mom is not what she seems. Meanwhile, Usagi crashes for a nap in her room and is awoken by the black cat, who can speak and is called Luna. Luna gives Usagi a broach and an English activation phrase to allow Usagi to become Sailor Moon, causing Usagi to note how similar she looks to Sailor V. Hearing Naru’s cry for help, Luna and Sailor Moon go to defeat the Youma who’s taken the appearance of Naru’s mother. The Youma possesses the women who bought jewerly to come to her aid, but Sailor Moon’s sonic crying stops them as Luna instructs Sailor Moon how to use her tiara as a weapon. The tuxedo guy, Tuxedo Mask, makes himself known to Sailor Moon before leaving as the Silver Crystal wasn’t there.

Thoughts/Review:

I don’t really have a lot of time to do this, but I kinda wanted to take a peek at this anime series, especially since I read the manga (well, the first part). I never really watched the first Sailor Moon series, so I don’t know how faithful it was to the original manga. I am curious to see how faithful Sailor Moon Crystal is, and I’m curious to see if the anime writers accommodate for certain things from the manga that could be seen as retcons.

To get things started, why do some folks feel that the term “Mama” needs to be translated? I mean, it is a pretty common term for one’s mother, so I don’t get that at all.

I know it is traditional for mahou shoujo titles to have their magic girls go through these long henshin sequences so that we can see said girl magically transform herself from normal girl to magic girl. I know that a lot of fans expect it. Speaking for myself, I keep thinking, “spin on” during these sequences because they are nothing but silly filler.

Anyway, this first episode is about as silly as I remembered the first part of the manga being. Despite the modern look of the art and such, I really could not get over the retro vibe coming from this episode. I’m not sure if it is because I know this is a remake of something from that originated in the early 90s, or if it is because the story methodology is so rooted in the 90s.

Either way, I think it is going to be difficult for me to watch this one for the same reasons I had difficulties reading the manga, namely I’m not the demographic target for this series.  Further, I’m just not into the blonde bimbo type who somehow stumbles through because her enemies are dumber than she is. I’ll keep trying to watch though. ^_~

I am glad that there were all of the Sailor V references that remained. I am glad that the arcade remained as well. That makes me wonder if this anime is supposed to be set in the 90s or not.

Regardless, even though I’m behind on the series, I am going to continue to try to keep watching it and blogging it.