Tag: Viz Media

Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 30 (Grandpa Loses Control: Rei in Danger)

~ 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 Kazuhisa Takenouchi

Welcome back to another episode of Everybody Loves Rei!  So it’s become clear that the writers here have decided that the Rainbow Crystal arc will primarily be about the other Scouts working through their love lives; a concept that MIGHT work if they could come up with good ideas on exploring that and they have yet to prove that that’s gonna be the case.   Still, maybe they can succeed with Rei where they failed with Ami and were merely underwhelming with Makoto?  Is this a new leaf for the arc that started off really well, or will we just have to ride this out until we finish up with all this filler?  Let’s find out!!

First two minutes of the episode, and BAM!  Rei’s grandpa gets hit by The Dark Crystal and starts turning into a monster!  No bullshit!  We know that Zoisite is gonna turn SOMEONE into a monster, so might as well get it done upfront!  Unlike all the other times he’s done this though, the transformation doesn’t complete as Grandpa Rei apparently has powers that allow him to resist the Dark Crystal and keep his Rainbow one intact (which I don’t THINK he’s aware is inside him, but I’m not certain about that).  Still, while the attack wasn’t quite what Zoisite wanted, there’s no doubt that the transformation process has begun and that Grandpa Rei will turn into the monster, albeit at a slower pace (similar to Joe the Crane Game Troll from episode 25).  On top of that, this JUST SO HAPPENS to be the night that Grandpa Rei takes on a bum for an apprentice named Yuichiro who at first looks like a lame knock off of Spike from Cowboy Bebop.  What, was Crazy Gramps not enough to carry this episode?

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The plight of the unemployed cosplayer…

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 29 (Total Chaos: The Messy Love Rectangle)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ Leave a comment

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

Episode directed by Harume Kosaka

We’re back with another episode of When Makoto Met Motoki!  While I would definitely prefer more episodes where she’s performing Double Knee Facebreakers of baddies, the creators would rather focus on her Tragic Love StoryTM which is the case here as they move full steam ahead on her trying to hook up with Motoki.  Oh well, I’m sure it’ll end up being fun considering this is still a Makoto episode (she IS the best), but are the writers up to the task considering how badly they dropped the ball on the last Ami episode?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Makoto having to run her ass through a thunderstorm due to the dumbass meteorologist getting the weather prediction wrong, and while planning her revenge on those at Channel Four News she runs right into someone and lands flat on her ass. Mere seconds before she pile drives the motherfucker on the concrete, she looks up and sees that it’s her one true love (or at least the replacement for her one true love) Motoki; the super hottie who works at the arcade.

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“I’m so sorry!  Can I help you-“     “Out of these wet clothes?”     “Come again?”     “If you insist!!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 28 (The Painting of Love: Usagi and Mamoru Get Closer)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

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

Episode directed by Yuji Endo

We’re back with another episode of Reading Rainbow Crystals!  When we last left our heroes, it was on a particularly weak note as the show had REALLY botched an Ami episode which is a shame because she doesn’t get as much of the spotlight as she should.  Now it looks like we’re already going back to focusing on the destined romance of Usagi and Mamoru which isn’t completely devoid of intrigue, but doesn’t feel as necessary as making sure the other Scouts remain a prominent part of the series rather than becoming background objects.  Still, does the show manage to give us another really strong episode in the Rainbow Crystal arc, or was the last episode a warning of mediocrity to come?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins in the bowels of Hell Corp where Queen Beryl is giving her usual speech about the incompetence of her underlings, and frankly it’s becoming clear that she’s starting to phone these in.  She’s gotten so used to failure that she can barely muster the energy to destroy Zoisite’s self-confidence with her expert tongue lashing, yet doesn’t seem all that interested in taking direct action or to come up with a plan that’s at least SOMEWHAT different from the last twenty or so that have failed.  At least with Jadeite, there was a bit of variety in the schemes!  Here, they’re just throwing goons at the Scouts and getting surprised when yet another one gets its ass handed to them!

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“Oh do whatever you like.  I’m sure you’ll fail once again and we’ll be right back in the same place next week.”     “I hate to see you so dejected, but then I also like how you’re not threatening to rip my large Intestine out and then choke me with it.”     “Oh it’s all about YOU isn’t it?”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 27 (Crushing On Ami: The Boy Who Can See the Future)

~ 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 Takao Yoshizawa

We’re back with another episode of Japanese Rainbow Brite!  So far the Rainbow Crystal arc has actually been pretty solid with stories that focus more on characters and the other Scouts rather than only Usagi fighting whatever overly designed punching bag the bad guys see fit to throw at her.  It really seems to be what the Nephrite era SHOULD have been but didn’t really manage to live up to.  Can the show continue to make the most out of what can be accomplished with the new arc they’ve set up?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with a meeting in the bowels of Hell Corp as Queen Beryl is demanding a progress report from Zoisite and Kunzite; neither of whom have much to show for their efforts as Zoisite managed to lose one of the Rainbow Crystals and Kunzite hasn’t done shit.

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“I assure you my queen that we are doing everything in our power to get the Rainbow Crystals.”     “Do I look like an idiot to you?”     “I beg your pardon.”     “It’s a simple question.  When you look at my face, do you think that it belongs to that of an idiot?”     “…No?”     “Then why are you lying to me as if I don’t know how often you update your Facebook page?”     “…Well, I mean…”     “SEVENTEEN UPDATES IN ONE HOUR, KUNZITE!!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Crystal Act 38 (Infinity 12: Infinite – Journey)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 3 Comments

We’re back with another episode of Sailor Moon Crystal, but it’s not just ANY episode!  We are at the end of season three which had one stated goal of winning back fans after the less than stellar first two seasons!  Did they manage to not only  succeed in surpassing the first two seasons but in also outdoing their finales?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins by recapping what had happened at the end of the last episode, mainly that Sailor Saturn was about to nuke the planet to kill General Smooze (also known as Master Pharaoh 90) and no one was particularly happy about that.  Sailor Moon is still somewhere inside General Smooze’s goop of evil, but I’m sure she’ll be just fine!  I feel like I’m starting to repeat myself…

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“We know that already!”

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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 Crystal Act 37 (Infinity 11: Infinite – Judge)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

We’re back with another episode of The Saturn Seal!  When we last left our heroes, they had just managed to get one over on Mistress 9 due to the fact that Chibi Moon has now become SUPER Chibi Moon with the help of Hotaru’s ghost!  Still, there’s the matter of General Zod on the planet below trying to break free of the barrier put up by the Outer Senshi so that he can finally take over the world for reasons that I’m sure make perfect sense to him, so that’s something they’ll have to deal with eventually though I’m still convinced this guy is kind of a pushover.  I mean, a puddle?  Just get some giant paper towels or a Moon Powered blow dryer!  So will the Scouts’ new found source of ULTIMATE POWER be enough to stop the space tyrants once and for all?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with the Monstrous Mistress 9 barreling towards the Scouts with everything she’s got left, though it may not be enough as Sailor Moon AND Chibi-Moon have both gone Super Sailor Guardian and are preparing to stop her in her tracks; firing off one last blast together as mother and daughter in the hopes of saving the world from certain doom.  Kind of reminds me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on it…

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“Release it Chbi-Moon!  Release everything!  Remember all the pain she’s caused!  The people she’s hurt!  NOW MAKE THAT YOUR POWER!!”     “I’m DOING it already!  Quit hassling me!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Crystal Act 35 (Infinity 9: “Infinite Labyrinth” 2)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 1 Comment

We’re back with part two of the Sailor Scouts in the tragically Bowie-less Labyrinth!  When we last left our heroes, they had managed to kick the Witches5 asses AGAIN and were trying to find their way to wherever the hell the bad guys were before it was too late to save Chibi-Usa as well as the world!  Now the last episode has some really great ideas in it, but didn’t really come together very well which left things a bit disappointing at the end.  Does this episode manage to pick up the slack as they work their way through this maze, or is it just as underwhelming as the last one turned out to be?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Evil Hotaru feeling the effects of eating the Future Silver Crystal, which are significant indeed.  She seems really happy about this development.  Like… REALLY happy…

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The lily opens!

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 25 (Jupiter, The Powerful Girl in Love)

~ 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 Kazuhisa Takenouchi

We’re back with another episode of Sailor Jupiter Ascending!  The day has FINALLY come to introduce the greatest of all the Scouts who knows how to kick ass and take names like nobody’s business!  Does the first episode to bring this Scout into the mix turn out to be a great way to start her tenure as the Badass Supreme, or does the Best Scout Ever deserve a better introduction?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Queen Beryl (clearly not mourning the loss of Nephrite nor concerned that Zoisite’s the one who killed him) seems to be in the bowels of Evil Corp using all that collected energy to finally raise her boss from their deep slumber.

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“There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture.”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Crystal Act 34 (Infinity 8: “Infinite Labyrinth” 1)

~ Matt Vetrano ~ 2 Comments

We’re back with another episode of Grey’s Moon-atomy!  The last episode ended on quite the cliffhanger with Hotaru turning into Evil Hotaru and then proceeding to rip the crystal right out of Chibi-Usa’s uniform; leaving her in a coma and the Sailor Moon absolutely distraught.  Now that Usagi has to face the consequences of letting her daughter fight bad guys while still in grade school, she must decide how she should handle the new Hotaru moving forward.  Will she stick to her guns and refuse to let someone else’s death be an acceptable sacrifice for the rest of humanity, or will she listen to the great Mr. Spock and realize the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Chibi-Usa in the hospital after getting attacked by the full grown Evil Hotaru and her wicked hair.  We’re not sure exactly how we got from the fight to here (did the Scouts just run away?  Did Haruka teleport herself to General Zod?), but that seems a bit inconsequential considering that Chibi-Usa is… well…

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“Gee doc.  You think we should DO something about that?”

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