Tag: Zoisite

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 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 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 Episode 24 (Naru’s Tears: Nephrite Dies for 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 Junichi Satou and Takuya Igarashi

If the title wasn’t a good enough indication, this is gonna be the last time we see Nephrite.  Not only that, but it also kind of spoils HOW he’s gonna meet his end if the whole “dying for love” thing isn’t some red herring.  Still, there is potential here for a solid conclusion to this subplot that, despite my misgivings, is certainly an interesting diversion before we get back to the actual story line.  Will this be a satisfying way to capstone the end of Nephrite’s career, or will his tenure as the big bad guy fizzle out the way pretty much all of his evil schemes did?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Naru and Usagi at nearby park; the former of which is still feeling distraught over the events of the last episode.  She now knows that Nephrite is a bad guy but has also bought into his (obviously phony) story about trying to quit the Evil Organization, so now she’s faced with the prospect of never seeing him again which… I guess would be a bad thing.  I won’t continue to drone on about how bad of a relationship they would end up have if they ACTUALLY got together and about how much of a manipulative prick Nephrite is, but it does make it hard for me to care whether or not they will be an OTP by the end of the episode.  Usagi, not feeling too different from what I’m feeling, has the problem of having to see her friend suffer over her current situation which means she’s feeling pretty bad about it herself but knows what the right move would be which is to keep them apart.

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“I’m sure he’s doing what’s best for you.”     “He didn’t even bother to send a good bye letter though!”     “A goodbye letter… that could work!”     “What was that Usagi?”     “Nothing!”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 23 (Wish Upon a Star: Naru’s First Love)

~ 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 Harume Kosaka

We’re back with another episode of The Naru Diaries!  Before we ran off to the beach, visited an animation studio, and attended a fancy ball, there was a subplot brewing about Naru loving Masato Sanjoin and Nephrite planning to use that to his nefarious advantage!  While it was brought up a bit in the last episode, this is the first time that that will be the focus of its own episode!  Will the fact that Usagi has to protect someone she cares about change up the formula and give us a fresh look at the series, or was this story dead on arrival three episodes ago?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Naru who is still pining for Masato Sanjoin and is not in the least bit deterred that, in her short time knowing him, he accused her of being Sailor Moon while wearing a stupid outfit and then following that up with possessing her to assault an international figure head.  It MUST be true love!

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“Who DOESN’T love a bad boy?”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 22 (Romance Under the Moon: Usagi’s First Kiss)

~ 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 Great Moon-spectations!  After eleven episodes straight of filler, we get to another episode that’s part of the manga and was also remade in Sailor Moon Crystal!  Will this one manage to be the better of the two, or did Crystal manage to improve on whatever shortcomings this episode might have?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Usagi; late as always and running her ass to school before the bell rings.  On her way there, she runs into Naru who’s recalling the events of episode nineteen where Masato Sanjoin (Nephrite’s secret identity) started stringing her along because he thought she was Sailor Moon.  Naru already had a crush on the guy, but her last interaction with him left things a bit awkward to say the least.

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“On the one hand, he tried to murder me.  On the other hand, he has AMAZING hair…”

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 19 (Usagi’s Joy: A Love Letter from Tuxedo Mask)

~ 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 Takao Yoshizawa

We’re back with another episode of Everybody Loves Nephrite!  He certainly seems to have a way with people, though I’m guessing at least forty percent of his charm comes from being a monster spawned from the depths of hell.  Everyone loves a bad boy!  That is except Queen Beryl who’s getting just a tad tired of his failures and is itching to dish out some punishments!  Will he be able to finally take out the Scouts before Beryl has him sleeping with the fishes?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins with Nephrite in his personal command center where he’s desperately searching for a way to defeat those pesky Scouts before Queen Beryl ends up Jadeite-ing his ass.  The stars come to his aid once again (I imagine that he’s accruing quite a debt with them by now like Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog) and show him that the one weakness is the same weakness that all heroes have; their heart!  The key to defeating the Scouts (and Sailor Moon in particular) is to go after Tuxedo Mask!  Sadly, he can’t jump on his new project just yet because he’s being requested to return to the head offices of Hell Corp for a performance review.  Needless to say that Queen Beryl has had it up to here with the lack of dead Sailor Scouts, but doesn’t seem to have any ideas other than to blame the underlings.  To be fair though, they can be QUITE sassy with her.

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“YOU FOOL!  How hard is it to kill a couple of teenagers!?”     “Harder than waving your hands in front of a crystal ball.”     “What was that?”     “Nothing.”     “WHAT WAS THAT!?”     “…I’m sor-“     *ZAP*

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Super Recaps: Sailor Moon Episode 18 (Shingo’s Love: The Grieving Doll)

~ 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 Harume Kosaka

We’re back once again with another episode of Serenity’s Angels!  With Nephrite’s plans failing over and over again (just like Jadeite’s) he’s in a precarious position as his chickens must eventually come home to roost.  This episode seems to be heading in that direction, and we’re not that far off from Sailor Jupiter joining the cast, so maybe desperate Nephrite will be a bit more interesting than smug Nephrite.  Even though his plots haven’t resonated as well for me as Jadeite’s have, it really doesn’t seem like it would take all that much to get the formula right.  Can they pull it off this time, or is this doomed to be another example of them ALMOST but not quite getting it?  Let’s find out!!

The episode begins in a place we haven’t seen for some time; the head office of Hell Corp.  Nephrite is FINALLY being dragged back before the Mistress of Dark Kingdom to answer for his failings with Zoisite in attendance just to pour some salt in the wound.  Not only is this scene great because we finally get to see Queen Beryl again, but also because we get to see Zoisite prove himself to be a mischievous little jerk as he intentionally tries to goad Nephrite into either working with him or sinking his own promising career; both of which seem to help him towards… whatever end goal he’s going for.

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“Don’t you think it would be PERFECT if we were to work together?  I mean, he’s CLEARLY been struggling to take out those Sailor Hussies!”     “I’m inclined to agree with Zoisite.”     “HELL NO!  I’m not working with this jackass!”     “…what did you just say to me?”     “And MY work here is done!  LATERS!”

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