Tag: Kunihiko Ikuhara

Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 26 (Restore Naru’s Smile: Usagi’s Friendship)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 3 Comments

Sailor Moon and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Toei Animation and licensed by Viz Media

Episode directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara

We’re back with another episode of The Naru Diaries!  Part five I think…  Anyway!  Now that Makoto has officially become a member of Team Moon, we can back to that whole “Naru being emotionally destroyed” thing that was left kinda hanging after episode 24.  Will they manage to sew up that loose end with care and satisfaction, or is this an afterthought to fill out the number of episodes this season?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Mamoru having another one his Silver Millennium dreams where a very obvious Usagi is asking him ONCE AGAIN to find the Silver Crystal.  So wait, are these actual visions he’s having that someone is putting into his head?  If so, who else COULD it be besides Usagi considering the Princess here looks just like her no matter HOW much fog they use to try and obscure it?  I mean, I GUESS it could be part of his subconscious trying to give him a message, but this isn’t really a memory or something like that, so his subconscious is being REALLY unhelpful by giving out vague commands with no real direction!  Also, you may recall that the Tuxedo Mask persona is ACTUALLY a separate consciousness (I think) because Mamoru has no memories of being Tuxedo Mask, yet they made it clear in episode 19 that Tuxedo Mask has no memories of who HE is (Prince Endymion), so these dreams must not be coming from him specifically but yet another layer of his subconscious… or something.  He’s getting orders from a memory of a split personality with amnesia.  Did Christopher Nolan write this shit!?  It’s a memory of a memory of a memory of a taco!

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“And why was Marion Cotillard in my dream?  She’s only supposed to be in there on Friday nights!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 21 (Protect the Children’s Dreams: Friendship Through Anime)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

Sailor Moon and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Toei Animation and licensed by Viz Media

Episode directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara

We’re back with another episode of Where in the World is Sailor V!  The enigmatic vigilante looming of this series really hasn’t had an appearance outside of video games and merchandising, yet she’s still a very important part of the Sailor Moon universe once the series really gets going.  Until then though, I guess we’ll have to live with filler episodes that use her likeness instead of… you know; ACTUALLY showing her.  Still, this episode is all about an animation studio, so maybe it’ll be a fun look at the anime production world with a lot of in-jokes and lampshade hanging!  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with the news that Sailor V is getting adapted into an anime movie to the chagrin of Usagi who I guess is jealous that SHE’S not getting one.  I would be curious how that actually came about.  Did the animation have to contact Sailor V to get a licensing contract written up?  Then again, I guess she doesn’t have much legal recourse considering she’s supposed to have a secret identity.

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“Coming to a theater near you!  Along with forty knockoffs because no one has to pay to use her likeness!  CHA-CHING!!”     “These trailers just keep getting more and more depressing.”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 15 (Usagi’s Panic: Rei’s First Date)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 5 Comments

Sailor Moon and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Toei Animation and licensed by Viz Media

Episode directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara

We’re back with another episode of Scouts and the City!  For once, the focus isn’t on Usagi this time (the Carrie Bradshaw of the group) and is instead a chance for Rei to get some screen time (DEFINITELY our Miranda) as this one seems to focus on her relationship to someone else OTHER than Usagi.  Seriously, until now I’m pretty sure the only time the other Scouts got any character development was in reflection of their interactions with Usagi, so maybe this will be a chance for Rei and even Ami (Charlotte maybe?) to take a step outside of Sailor Moon’s massive shadow.  Oh, and uh… Luna is Samantha.  I guess.  Will this episode give everyone else a chance to shine, or will they be lost without their fearless leader guiding the ship?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with a very rare sight in this series which is the three Sailor Scouts getting along.  It probably has something to do with the beautiful park that Ami has brought them to for reasons that I’m sure many of you have already thought of and written forty pages of fan fiction about.

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“Wow, Ami!  This place is SO romantic!  I’m sure that if you brought ANYONE here, they would fall in love with you instantly!  Thanks for bringing Rei and I here by the way!”     “Uh… yeah.  The view from here is… quite nice.”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 11 (Usagi vs. Rei: Nightmare in Dream Land)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 5 Comments

Sailor Moon and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Toei Animation and licensed by Viz Media

Episode directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara

We’re back with another episode of The Three Amigos: Moon Edition!  After gaining another ally in their fight against evil, the Sailor Scouts are ready to face whatever challenges will be set out before them!  With Jadeite’s impending retirement on the horizon, will he be able to stop three Scouts when he couldn’t even stop one in prior schemes?  Will the new dynamic for Team Moon work in their favor or will they get in each other’s way when fighting the forces of evil?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with a Sailor Scout team meeting as Luna catches everyone up to speed on their current goals for the coming fiscal year.  Sadly, they have yet to find the Moon Princess, but the increase in staff will surely mean success in the coming months!  That is, if Rei and Usagi can keep from killing each other.

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“I wanna read it!”     “I’m reading it!”     “No you’re not!  You only grabbed it after I started!”     “It’s mine and I don’t have to share!”     “LUNA!!  REI WON’T SHARE!!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 6 (Protect the Melody of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 4 Comments

Sailor Moon and all the images you see in this recap are owned by Toei Animation and licensed by Viz Media

Episode directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara

We’re back with another episode of Luna and Usagi’s Excellent Adventures!  The last episode with the hypno-furbys was fine but it really didn’t do anything different from the other episodes except for kicking Luna across a room which is DIFFERENT but I wouldn’t call that an improvement to the formula.  Will the mix things up for this episode or are we doomed to see Usagi repeat the same story every single episode until the other scouts come in?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins in Dark Kingdom and… what’s this?  Do we finally have some new animation for Queen Beryl!?  She’s not waving her hands in front of a crystal ball this time!?  This MUST be a special episode!!  The reason for this change in her behavior is due to her undivided attention for the demonstration of Jadeite’s newest soul-sucking scheme.  Apparently, he’s developed a sound wave or whatever that drains the life out of those who listen to it.

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“It was discovered during our research into The Brown Noise”

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Super Recaps: Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 12) THE FINALE!!

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

And so we’ve finally arrived at the final episode of this crazy and sorta brilliant series about bears, lesbians, and whatever the hell else enters Ikuhura’s wonderfully twisted mind!  It’s all been leading to this final episode where everything has to wrap up into a satisfying conclusion to make it all worth wild.  That’s a lot of pressure to put on one episode, but it’s the corner they painted themselves into when they made something this enigmatic and complex.  Does it all end with a satisfying bang, or will it all fall apart as we realize they had no idea what the heck they were doing!?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins by reminding us what happened last time.  If you forgot already, prepare to feel the Feels!!

“KKAAHHHNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!”
“KKAAHHHNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!”

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Super Recaps: Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 11)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ Leave a comment

We’re almost at the end of this folks!  Lulu got to safety in the last episode, but Kureha was caught by the Exclusion Group!  Ginko as well has seemed to have snapped and is ready to rampage all over the place, so who knows how this crazy journey is going to end!?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with what appears to be a PRETTY ominous look into the future.

NO!!!!  IKUHARA, YOU BASTARD!!  WHY MUST YOU TOY WITH MY EMOTIONS!?!?
NO!!!!  IKUHARA, YOU BASTARD!!  WHY MUST YOU TOY WITH MY EMOTIONS!?!?

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Super Recaps: Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 10)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

We’re back with another episode of everyone’s favorite highbrow show about lesbian talking bears!  We left off the last episode on quite a strong note with the death of Principal Yuriika and the endless possibilities that this event can take the story.  With only three episodes left, are we about to watch this series become one of the all-time great anime series, or will this crash and burn like many others before it?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with a flashback to the night Reia died where Little Kureha is wandering the house looking for her mother who is nowhere to be found.  She ends up finding a note left by her mother that says she’s going to take Her back to her world.  Kureha doesn’t know who Her is which begs the question, how fast did Kureha lose her memory?  Reia died the night that Ginko left their house which means that the opening of episode seven (where Kureha is watching her mother craft the book and has no idea who Her is) had to have happened WHEN GINKO WAS STILL LIVING WITH THEM!!   After that, we cut to the present where things have changed significantly since the death of Principal Yuriika.

MUST... RESIST… GODWIN’S LAW!!!!!
MUST… RESIST… GODWIN’S LAW!!!!!

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Super Recaps: Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 9)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ Leave a comment

After the overly contrived cliffhanger ending of the last episode, this one has A LOT to prove to make up for that bit of nonsense.  We’re getting closer and closer to the end, so does this episode bring us that much closer to the show’s grand crescendo, or do we keep getting half-assed obfuscations like we did at the end of the last episode?  Let’s find out!!  By the way, I’m gonna tell you all up front that this episode was a NIGHTMARE to recap.  The whole episode is about small details being off that has great significance, flashbacks upon flashbacks, and more metaphorical imagery than in any other episode so far.  With that said, let’s get started!!

The episode begins with Ginko getting shot by Kureha and falling down the roof.  Huh.  I actually wasn’t expecting that.  It seems somewhat obvious that the secret Lulu told Kureha is that Ginko didn’t stop Sumika’s murder (something we found out in episode six), but even so, I was doubtful that Ginko would end up taking the bullet.  Hell, if nothing else Lulu would try to stop Kureha, right?  Well, at least SOMEONE is happy about all this.

“MWA HA HA HA HA!!!!!”
“MWA HA HA HA HA!!!!!”

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Super Recaps: Yuri Kuma Arashi (Episode 8)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ Leave a comment

We getting close to the end of this twisted little series, and it’s been on an upward swing for a while now!  Can the show maintain the momentum it’s built up for the past few episodes, or will all this build-up be for naught once everything is said and done?  Let’s find out!! The episode begins where the last one left off.  Kureha has just discovered that Ginko is her friend from long ago, but notices that she’s wearing her mother’s necklace and now wants answers.  Before Ginko can explain herself, we get a flashback to twenty years ago where a bear was left on the school steps.  GEE!  I WONDER WHO IT COULD POSSIBLY BE!!

BEAR SHOCK!!
BEAR SHOCK!!

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