Sailor Moon Stars (Season 5)

SuperS was a weird season, one that I couldn't fully vibe with, and I think a lot of people feel the same. Thankfully, Sailor Moon Stars is a fantastic return to form for the anime, even if it plays things a bit too safe.

Sailor Moon Stars starts off with a six-episode arc about the return of Nehellenia to get revenge on Usagi by kidnapping Mamoru, which in turn threatens to erase Chibiusa from reality. It's a dramatic and high stakes conflict that brings back the Outer Guardians, with a dark tone that manages to capture the same magic that S had. I really love so much from the Nehellenia arc, from the brisk pacing, to the several dramatic transformations, to the crushing brutality of Nehellenia's traps and attacks, to the emotional rollercoaster that is its final episode. But what solidifies this as one of the best storylines in the whole anime is the character work, since halfway through Nehellenia splits up the cast into unlikely pairings. Sailor Moon rarely deviates from the same character combinations, so this was an incredible breath of fresh air that allowed for some great moments of development and bonding. Moments like Pluto and Minako's conflict over what makes a leader, Ami's defensive nature clashing with Haruka's more aggressive nature, and Makoto serving as Usagi's human shield were all fantastic, and I loved seeing the Senshi and Outers gain more respect for each other throughout the course of the arc. It's truly fantastic stuff.

Once Nehellenia is dealt with, we can get into the actual meat of the season, which focuses on the evil Sailor Galaxia. She, and her empire Shadow Galactica, conquer planets by stealing Star Seeds, and she's got her sights set on Earth. Meanwhile, a group of genderbending aliens (who are also Sailor Guardians) called the Starlights are also on Earth and are looking for their princess after their planet was attacked by Galaxia. It's a pretty solid storyline with a lot of great ideas going for it, particularly the Senshi getting to fight evil Sailor Guardians, the Starlights continuing Haruka and Fish's trend of completely destroying gender norms, and the sheer galactic scale of the whole conflict. While I initially feared the Starlights would come off as simple HaruMi clones, I did end up really enjoying their role in this season, even if some were better than others (Seiya was awesome, Taiki kinda sucks). And the villains are really solid too. Galaxia isn't as fleshed out as Nehellenia, but the lore regarding her character is great and I found her to be a very terrifying and bleak antagonist. I also really loved a lot of the side villains, with Iron Mouse being absolutely hysterical and Tin Nyanko being such a lovably hateable asshole. But then there's Siren and Crow, who are easily two of my favorites in the series. They have a dynamic so charming that I'd genuinely like to see a spinoff about the two of them going on missions. It's also worth noting that this whole storyline is only a measly 28 episodes, which makes for one of the best-paced arcs in the anime as well.

But while the plot is already pretty solid, it's actually the character work that really blew me away. Once the Nehellenia arc, Mamoru and Chibiusa are both written out of the series, the former with a clumsy plane crash. While I'm mixed on Chibiusa leaving (more on that later), this more "back to basics" approach means the show can focus solely on the Sailor Guardians, and it's great! We get way more cute slice of life interactions between the Senshi, Usagi and Luna get the most heart-to-heart scenes since Season 1, and the Outers show up periodically causing them to actually feel like a part of the world of Sailor Moon compared to their radio silence in SuperS. It also helps the cast is now in high school, so Stars also spends a decent chunk of its episodes focusing on this new environment and the hijinks that the Senshi get involved in there. But what really makes the slice of life elements in Stars work for me is just how damn funny this season is. Stars might not be quite as funny as the majority of the Eudial arc in S, but it's definitely up there, with way more creative and consistent humor than even the comedy-focused SuperS. The slice of life elements of Sailor Moon have always been an integral part of the anime for me, so it really helps a season more full when it manages to be enjoyable and fun like it is in Stars.

However, I do have one big complaint with Sailor Stars, and your enjoyment of the season will depend on how much it's an issue for you. SuperS was criticized for a lot, so Stars feels like a reactionary attempt to fix the issues with SuperS and capture the magic of the first three seasons. In that way, it's like the Rise Of Skywalker of Sailor Moon. Some of these attempts at winning back the crowd were great, like Nehelenia getting an arc based on the manga, the Outers returning, and putting Mamoru out of the picture for a bit. On the other hand, Stars ends up repeating several plot points from previous seasons (the Senshi dying, hunt for a princess, Seiya acting like Season 1 Mamoru), which causes it to come across as a bit unoriginal. But by far the worst instance of this is the debut of Chibi-Chibi, a replacement for Chibiusa who is not only introduced in the exact same fashion, but is worse in every single way. Chibiusa was pretty widely hated for her brattiness, so she got replaced by a literal baby who can barely speak with a sickeningly sweet personality. Where Chibiusa was a complex character with great development and a compelling arc about dealing with trauma, Chibi-Chibi is a blank slate and a plot device, and not to mention incredibly annoying. I can let all the unoriginal elements slide since the season was so fun and well-executed, but Chibi-Chibi would've been so close to ruining the whole season if Siren & Crow weren't there to keep things entertaining.

Highlights:

For Love (Episode 5): While both of the episodes in which the cast is split up are great, I think For Love is still the better of the two. Rei and Michiru competing over their predictive powers was great, Pluto and Minako together was a ton of fun, and Chibiusa and Hotaru managing to be the only ones to make it to Nehellenia was a very great ending. But the highlight was easily Makoto defending Usagi, quite possibly the character's finest moment.

Moon Power Of Love (Episode 6): What a phenomenal episode to end off the Nehellenia arc, absolutely crammed with legendary moments. There's finally getting to see Sailor Saturn fight, Chibiusa stopping Saturn from sacrificing herself, Chibiusa's heartwrenching disappearance, and the reveal of Nehellenia's true backstory. Everything gets wrapped up in a satisfying, if a bit neat, ending, and the voice actors sell the hell out of the whole thing.

Seiya And Usagi's Heart-Pounding Date (Episode 15): I actually really like Seiya and Usagi's dynamic this season so the episodes where they go on dates together tend to be really fun. But even with all the perfectly-timed comedic gags, the highlight of this episode in particular was actual Iron Mouse. Her panicked attempts at running away from death at Galaxia's hands was just perfect black comedy, with probably my favorite usage of the Funeral March in any show ever.

A Night Alone Together (Episode 18): Easily the funniest episode of Stars, and one of the funniest episodes of Sailor Moon period, A Night Alone Together shows what happens when you cram 12 different Sailor Guardians in the same room. The best way to illustrate how good this episode is to just list a bunch of hilarious moments, like the cockroach freakout, the towel incident, HaruMi transforming on a table, Siren being called an airhead, Usagi struggling to move with her wings, the frozen pizza toss, and Usagi trying to find a place to transform without being spotted. Even Chibi-Chibi made me chuckle this episode, it's that funny.

Invitation To Terror (Episode 22): The villain deaths have really been crushing me this season, Galaxia killing Siren in front of Crow was so painful because both of them deserved so much better! Outside of that, though, this episode also had a very fun fight inside of a plane as well as the Starlights and Senshi finally revealing their true identities to each other in an overall fantastic second half. 

Princess Kakyuu Perishes (Episode 29): And thus begins the most heartwrenching final stretch of episodes in all of Sailor Moon, really saving the best for last. There was a bit of a bittersweet aura to Princess Kakyuu Perishes, especially with that great extended performance of the Starlights' performance. But then shit hits the fan, as Kakyuu dies, Tin Nyanko is predictably betrayed, and Galaxia finally begins her assault on Earth. Things just keep getting bleaker and bleaker from here on out.

Countdown To Destruction (Episode 30): So I know that the Senshi dying has been done already, but that doesn't make Countdown To Destruction all the less devastating. If anything, Rei's speech to Usagi might even be more heartwrenching. And of course, Galaxia only twists the knife by subsequently revealing to Usagi that Mamoru is dead too. The whole final stretch has this great sense of crushing hopelessness, and this episode is probably the most hopeless.  

Ruler Of The Galaxy (Episode 31): While it really sucks that the Outer Guardians' plans all added up to pretty much nothing in the episode, I like Ruler Of The Galaxy for the sheer fact that we finally get to focus on the Outer Guardians for the first time since S. Saturn and Pluto get so much screentime, and at time, Haruka and Michiru's face-heel turn was a pretty shocking and fun twist.

Usagi's Love (Episode 34): I'm not a fan of Galaxia having been possessed the whole time, I much preferred the idea of her just simply being a power-hungry conquerer. However, that doesn't mean I didn't find this finale great in pretty much every other way. We got a flying sword fight between Galaxia and Usagi, everyone manages to get brought back to life, and the final few minutes wrap up the show pretty much perfectly.

Overall, while Chibi-Chibi tried her damned hardest to make me like it less, I did actually really love Stars and think it's one of the best seasons of the series. It may be a bit unoriginal, but when the character interactions and comedy are some of the strongest in the series, the pacing is pretty much perfect, the villains are a ton of fun, and the first and last acts make for some of the best stretches of episodes in the whole anime, it's hard for me to complain too much. Sailor Stars is a great season, and a suitably high stakes and satisfying ending for the anime.

4/5 Stars

Sailor Moon is a lengthy show with a lot of characters, episodes, and story arcs, so let's go over some of my rankings and personal favorites of the anime:

Ranking The Seasons

1. S: S is hands down my favorite season of Sailor Moon and it's not even close. I love the Outer Senshi, I love the antagonists, I love how well-paced and well thought-out the story is, I love the balance of comedy and drama, it's just all so good.
2. Stars: While not super original and Chibi-Chibi sucks, Stars is just really consistently strong. The character interactions and comedy is fantastic, the pacing is tight, the villains are great, and the Nehellenia arc is easily a series highlight, 
3. R: Chibiusa is a bit annoying here, but I found most of R to be an improvement on the first season. The Makai Tree arc is really funny and gives more screentime to a lot of the side characters, the final story arc makes for a tense climax, and the villains are categorically more interesting and fleshed-out.
4. Classic: The first season of Sailor Moon takes a bit of time to get going, but once most of the team is assembled, Sailor Moon Classic becomes an incredibly fun time for much of its second half.
5. SuperS: There are parts of SuperS I like, particularly the antagonists, but between Helios, the general lack of plot progression for most of the season, and the uncomfortable elements like the sexual assault metaphor, this is easily the worst one.

Ranking The Arcs

1. Hotaru Arc (S: Episodes 23-38)
2. Nehellenia Arc (Stars: Episodes 1-6)
3. Talismans Arc (S: Episodes 1-22)
4. Zoisite/Kunzite Arc (Classic: Episodes 25-46)
5. Future Arc (R: Episodes 29-42)
6. Makai Tree Arc (R: Episodes 1-13)
7. Starlights Arc (Stars: Episodes 7-34)
8. Nehellenia/Quartet Arc (SuperS: Episodes 25-39)
9. Rubeus Arc (R: Episodes 14-28)
10. Amazon Trio Arc (SuperS: Episodes 1-22)
11. Jadeite/Nephrite Arc (Classic: Episodes 1-24)
12. R's recap episode (R: Episode 43)

Ranking The Finales

These are the final episodes for all the aforementioned arcs, but I bolded the actual season-ending finales.

1. Dreams Forever: Fill The Heavens With Light (Nehellenia/Quartet)
2. Moon Power Of Love: The Nightmare Ends (Nehellenia)
3. Mirror Of Dreams: The Amazon's Last Stage (Amazon Trio)
4. Defeat Rubeus: The Battle In Space (Rubeus)
5. Usagi's Eternal Wish: A Brand New Life (Zoisite/Kunzite)
6. Usagi's Love: The Moonlight Illuminates The Galaxy (Starlights)
7. The Final Between Light And Dark: Pledge Of Love For The Future (Future)
8. Naru's Tears: Nephrite Dies For Love (Jadeite/Nephrite)
9. True Love Awakens: The Makai Tree's Secret (Makai Tree)
   
10. The Holy Grail's Mystical Power: Moon's Double Transformation (Talismans)
11. A Guardian's Realization: Strength Lies Within A Pure Heart (Hotaru)
12. Usagi And The Girls' Resolve: Prelude To A New Battle (R)

Top 5 Favorite Characters

1. Minako - Super charming and funny, but has some great dramatic material too, all of her episodes are fantastic
2. Ami - Probably the character I have most in common with, admirable sense of empathy
3. Hotaru - Such a tragic character in S who you really want things to get better for, very fun in Stars
4. Artemis - An absolute treasure who deserves so much better
5. Chibiusa - Bad first impression but a very fleshed-out and fascinating character who I came to love

Top 5 Least Favorite Characters

1. ChibiChibi - Literally the worst possible replacement for Chibiusa we could've gotten
2. Taiki - They're kinda just a jerk
3. Helios - Such a creep...
4. Jadeite - Who is this again?
5. Witches 3 - Everyone after Mimete got hardly any screentime or depth

Favorite Villains Per Season

• Classic: Zoisite, I guess? The Shittenou was pretty boring.
• R: Esmeraude, if anything because of that laugh.
• S: Eudial is my favorite villain of the series for being hilarious and genuinely competent. Honorable mention goes to Tomoe, but he's more of a tragic figure than an actual villain.
• SuperS: Fish's Eye for their gender fluidity and redemption arc, and Nehellenia for her depth, backstory, and sheer unrelenting cruelty
• Stars: This should be pretty obvious by now but I adore Siren & Crow. They have a great dynamic and I love how they're only villains out of fear, it makes their deaths all the more heartwrenching

Favorite Ship: SirenXCrow, duh

Favorite Episode: The Shining Shooting Star: Saturn And The Messiah

Episode Rankings: Sailor Moon

The Sailor Moon anime is pretty much a classic, and even watching it today, I can see why. It may be disjointed, it may have its poorly-aged elements, it may have some truly awful romantic subplots, and it may have plenty of weak monster-of-the-week episodes, but even with its flaws, the anime has a dorky melodramatic charm that made it a joy to watch. The characters are fleshed-out and likable, the villains are charismatic and fascinating, the plot twists are grand, the comedy usually lands, and when the anime goes for a darker tone, it almost always leads to its best episodes. I think Sailor Moon is greater than the sum of parts and still stands out as a top-notch magical girl show, and I'd say it's still worth watching today. I watched 200 episodes of this thing thoroughly engaged, so while it may not go down as one of my absolute favs, I'm sure Sailor Moon and its characters will stick with me for years to come. Here's my ranking of its episodes:  

1. The Shining Shooting Star: Saturn And The Messiah (S3.36)
2. Death Of The Sailor Guardians: The Tragic Final Battle (S1.45)
3. The Death Of Uranus And Neptune: The Talisman Appears (S3.21)
4. Dreams Forever: Fill The Heavens With Light (S4.39)
5. The Stolen Pure Heart: Usagi's Crisis (S3.13)
6. Countdown To Destruction: The Sailor Guardians' Last Battle (S5.30)
7. Saphir Dies: Wiseman's Trap (S2.40)
8. Moon Power Of Love: The Nightmare Ends (S5.06)
9. Mirror Of Dreams: The Amazon's Last Stage (S4.22)
10. Battle Inside The Demonic Space: The Sailor Guardians Gamble (S3.29)
11. The Shining Silver Crystal: The Moon Princess Appears (S1.34)
12. Shadow Of Destruction: The Messiah Of Silence Awakens (S3.34)
13. Defeat Rubeus: The Battle In Space (S2.28)
14. Steal A Kiss From Mamoru! An's Project Snow White (S2.10)
15. Usagi's Eternal Wish: A Brand New Life (S1.46)
16. Seiya And Usagi's Heart-Pounding Date (S5.15)
17. Usagi's Love: The Moonlight Illuminates The Galaxy (S5.34)
18. The Coming Terror Of Darkness: Struggle Of The Eight Guardians (S3.35)
19. The Final Battle Between Light And Dark: Pledge Of Love For The Future (S2.42)
20. Naru's Tears: Nephrite Dies For Love (S1.24)
21. Storm Of Love: Minako's Grand Two-Timing Plan (S4.14)
22. The Shocking Moment: Everyone's Identities Revealed (S3.20)
23. An Invasion From Another Dimension: Mystery Of Mugen Academy (S3.31)
24. For Love: The Endless Battle In The Dark World (S5.05)
25. Wiseman's Evil Hand: Chibiusa Disappears (S2.38)
26. Invitation To Terror: Usagi's Night Flight (S5.22)
27. Returning Memories: Usagi And Mamoru's Past (S1.35)
28. Higher And Stronger: A Cheer From Usagi (S3.28)
29. Dream To Be An Adult: The Amazoness' Confusion (S4.33)
30. Princess Kakyuu Perishes: Advent Of Galaxia (S5.29)
31. True Love Awakens: The Makai Tree's Secret (S2.13)
32. Protect Chibiusa: Clash Of The Ten Warriors (S2.22)
33. A New Transformation: Usagi's Power Up (S2.05)
34. Sailor Venus' Past: Minako's Tragic Love (S1.42)
35. A Night Alone Together: Usagi In Danger (S5.18)
36. The Golden Crystal Appears: Nehelenia's Magic (S4.37)
37. Shadow Of Evil: The Trio's Last Chance (S4.21)
38. Ruler Of The Galaxy: The Menace Of Galaxia (S5.31)
39. The Holy Grail's Mystical Power! Moon's Double Transformation (S3.22)
40. Loved And Chased: Luna's Worst Day Ever (S1.31)
41. I Want To Quit Being A Sailor Guardian: Minako's Dilemma (S3.11)
42. Let's Become A Princess: Usagi's Bizarre Training (S1.37)
43. The Messiah Of Silence Awakens? Stars Of Destiny (S3.30)
44. Wish Upon A Star: Naru's First Love (S1.23)
45. We Love Fashion: The Stylish Guardians (S4.13)
46. Believing In Love And The Future: Usagi's Decision (S2.41)
47. Is Seijuro The Moonlight Knight? Mako Falls In Love (S2.09)
48. The Bond Of Destiny! The Distant Days Of Uranus (S3.17)
49. A Handsome Boy? Haruka Tenoh's Secret (S3.03)
50. Chibi-Usa's Little Rhapsody Of Love (S4.32)
51. Crusade For The Galaxy: Legend Of The Sailor Wars (S5.28)
52. A New Life: Parting Of The Stars Of Destiny (S3.37)
53. Rubeus The Heartless: The Tragic Sisters (S2.26)
54. Enter Venus, The Last Sailor Guardian (S1.33)
55. Calling Of The Shining Stars: Enter Haruka And Michiru (S5.14)
56. The Arrival Of A Small Pretty Guardian (S3.14)
57. Usagi's Awakening: A Message From The Distant Past (S1.44)
58. Shadow Of Silence: The Pale Glimmer Of A Firefly (S3.26)
59. The Dark Queen: Birth Of Black Lady (S2.39)
60. Night Of Destiny: The Sailor Guardians' Ordeals (S5.04)
61. Usagi's Joy: A Love Letter From Tuxedo Mask (S1.19)
62. The Labyrinth Of Water: Ami Targeted (S3.08)
63. The Painting Of Love: Usagi And Mamoru Get Closer (S1.28)
64. Usagi Vs Rei: Nightmare In Dream Land (S1.11)
65. Battle Of The Flames Of Love! Mars Vs Koan (S2.24)
66. The Light Of Hope: The Final Battle For The Galaxy (S5.33)
67. Labyrinth Of Mirrors: Chibi-Moon Captured (S4.36)
68. The Dark Gate Is Completed? The Targeted Elementary School (S2.35)
69. Usagi Dancing To The Waltz (S3.19)
70. Become A Prima: Usagi's Ballet (S4.18)
71. The Flower Of Nightmares Scatters: The Queen Of Darkness Returns (S5.01)
72. Fighter's Secret Identity: The Shocking Super Transformation (S5.10)
73. Believe In Love: Ami, The Kindhearted Guardian (S3.33)
74. Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree (S2.12)
75. Go For Your Dream: Minako Becomes An Idol (S5.26)
76. Don't Lose Sight Of Your Dreams: The Mirror Of Truth (S4.29)
77. The Snow, The Mountains, Friendship, And Monsters (S1.38)
78. The Targeted Kindergarteners: Venus To The Rescue (S2.06)
79. Premonition Of The Apocalypse: The Mysterious New Guardians Appear (S3.01)
80. A New Enemy Appears: Nephrite's Evil Crest (S1.14)
81. Crushing On Ami: The Boy Who Can See The Future (S1.27)
82. The Stolen Silver Crystal: Princess Kakyuu Appears (S5.27)
83. Journey To The Future: Battle In The Space-Time Corridor (S2.36)
84. The School Festival Is For Me?! Queen Rei's Song (S2.08)
85. Venus: Minako's Nurse Mayhem (S2.32)
86. For Friendship: Ami Vs Bertheir (S2.25)
87. Making New Friends: Chibi Moon's Adventure (S3.15)
88. Farewells And Encounters: The Transitioning Stars Of Destiny (S5.07)
89. Destined Partners? Makoto's Innocence (S4.20)
90. Coldhearted Uranus: Makoto In Danger (S3.07) - Side note: I'm just referring to the Viz version of this episode, the original sub did not age well
91. The Girl Genius Is A Monster: The Brainwashing Cram School Of Horror (S1.08)
92. I Love Idols: Mimete's Dilemma (S3.25)
93. Flames Of Passion: Mars's Raging Super Attack (S4.25)
94. Jupiter, The Powerful Girl In Love (S1.25)
95. The Mysterious New Guardian: Sailor Pluto Appears (S2.29)
96. Dying Stars: The End Of Uranus And Neptune (S5.32)
97. The Terrifying Illusion: Ami All Alone (S2.34)
98. A Bewitching Flower That Steals Hearts: Tellu, The Third Witch (S3.32)
99. Saturn Awakens: The Ten Sailor Guardians Unite (S5.02)
100. Truth Revealed: The Star Lights' Past (S5.24)
101. I Won't Run Away From Love Anymore: Ami Vs Mamoru (S1.41)
102. Terror In Motion: The Dark Queen's Evil Hand (S4.34)
103. Girls Unite: The End Of Jadeite (S1.13)
104. Becoming An Idol: Minako's Ambition (S5.09)
105. Catch Pegasus: The Amazon's Trap (S4.04)
106. To Save Our Friends: Moon And Uranus Join Forces (S3.09)
107. Usagi's Crisis: The Tiara Stops Working (S2.04)
108. Who Is The True Messiah? Chaos Of Light And Darkness (S3.23)
109. Usagi's Parental Love: The Curry Romance Triangle (S2.20)
110. For Love And For Justice: Sailor Guardians Once Again (S2.02)
111. Juban Holiday: The Carefree Princess (S4.19)
112. A UFO Appears: The Sailor Guardians Abducted (S2.27)
113. When The Crystal Shines: The Beautiful Power Of Dreams (S4.65)
114. The Shocking Future: Demande's Dark Ambition (S2.37)
115. Usagi Abandoned: The Falling-Out Of The Sailor Guardians (S1.43)
116. Drive To The Heavens: The Dream Car Fueled With Love (S4.11)
117. Usagi In Tears: A Glass Slipper For My Birthday (S3.12)
118. True Power Explodes: Ami's Melody Of The Heart (S4.24)
119. Invaders From Outer Space: The Coming Of Siren (S5.16)
120. The Crybaby: Usagi's Beautiful Transformation (S1.01)
121. The Summer, The Beach, Youth And Ghosts (S1.20)
122. Shared Feelings: Usagi And Mamoru In Love Once Again (S2.31)
123. Usagi's Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil? (S1.36)
124. Meeting Of Destiny: The Night Pegasus Dances (S4.01)
125. Overcome Your Fear: The Jump To Freedom (S4.28)
126. Sunny Skies After A Storm: A Friendship Dedicated To Hotaru (S3.27)
127. Usagi's Idol! The Graceful Genius Michiru (S3.04)
128. Shining Summer Days: Ami Under The Sea-Breeze (S4.17)
129. Grandpa Loses Control: Rei In Danger (S1.30)
130. A Guardian's Friendship: Goodbye, Ami (S2.16)
131. The Cursed Bus: Enter Mars, The Guardian Of Fire (S1.10)
132. A House Filled With Evil Presence: The Beautiful Hotaru's Secret (S3.24)
133. After School Trouble: Usagi Is A Target (S2.11)
134. Taiki's Song Filled With Passion And Faith (S5.19)
135. Restore Naru's Smile: Usagi's Friendship (S1.26)
136. The Mysterious Sleeping Sickness: Protect The Girls In Love (S1.03)
137. Art Is An Explosion Of Love: Chibiusa's First Love (S3.18)
138. Let Moon Help With Your Love Problems (S3.06)
139. A School Storm: The Transfer Students Are Idols (S5.08)
140. Protect Mom's Dream: Double Moon's New Attack (S4.03)
141. Duty Or Friendship: Conflict Between The Sailor Guardians (S5.23)
142. A Guardian's Realization: Strength Lies Within A Pure Heart (S3.38)
143. Usagi's Panic: Rei's First Date (S1.15)
144. Moon Returns: The Mysterious Aliens Appear (S2.01)
145. The Amazoness: Nightmare From Behind The Mirrors (S4.23)
146. The Cursed Mirror: Mamoru Caught In A Nightmare (S5.03)
147. I Want A Boyfriend: The Luxury Cruise Ship Is A Trap (S1.12)
148. Luna's Discovery: The Real Face Of Yaten (S5.12)
149. Makoto's Friendship: The Girl Who Admired Pegasus (S4.07)
150. Artemis's Adventure: The Monster Animal Kingdom (S2.33)
151. In Search Of The Silver Crystal: Chibiusa's Secret (S2.18)
152. The Source Of Darkness: Dead Moon Circus (S4.35)
153. I Want Power: Mako Lost In Doubt (S3.16)
154. The Rod Of Love Is Born: Usagi's New Transformation (S3.02)
155. Protect The Melody Of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid (S1.06)
156. Magic Of Darkness: Esmeraude's Invasion (S2.30)
157. Forest Of Illusion: A Beautiful Fairy's Invitation (S4.10)
158. Awaken The Sleeping Beauty: Mamoru's Distress (S2.23)
159. The Shining Power Of A Star: Chibi-Chibi's Transformation (S5.21)
160. Clash Of Dreams: Minako And Makoto's Broken Friendship (S4.27)
161. Total Chaos: The Messy Love Rectangle (S1.29)
162. Usagi's Disaster: Beware Of The Clock Of Confusion (S1.09)
163. Romance Under The Moon: Usagi's First Kiss (S1.22)
164. Protect The Pure Heart: The Three-Way Battle (S3.05)
165. Super Transformation Once Again: Pegasus's Power (S4.02)
166. Umino's Resolve: I'll Protect Naru (S1.32)
167. Angel Or Devil? The Mysterious Girl From The Sky (S2.14)
168. Butterflies Of Light: A New Chapter On The Horizon (S5.25)
169. The Secret Mansion: A Menu Of Love For You (S4.15)
170. Friend Or Foe? Starlights And The Sailor Guardians (S5.13)
171. Usagi's A Model: The Flash Of The Monster Camera (S1.17)
172. Aiming For The Top: The Pretty Swordswoman's Dilemma (S4.12)
173. The Legendary Lake Youkai: The Bond Of Usagi's Family (S1.40)
174. For Whom Is The White Rose? The Moonlight Knight Appears (S2.03)
175. The Perfect Couple: Usagi And Mamoru's Love (S4.05)
176. Dispute Over Love: Minako And Makoto's Conflict (S2.19)
177. Dentist Of Horrors: PallaPalla's House (S4.26)
178. Scent Of A Monster! Chanela Will Steal Your Love (S1.05)
179. A Star Of Dreams And Wishes: Taiki's Transformation (S5.11)
180. Paired With A Monster: Mako, The Ice Skating Queen (S1.39)
181. Shingo's Love: The Grieving Doll (S1.18)
182. Punishment Awaits! The House Of Fortune Is The Monster Mansion (S1.02)
183. Usagi Devastated: Mamoru Declares A Break-Up (S2.15)
184. Connecting Hearts: Chibiusa And Pegasus (S4.08)
185. The Screaming Dead: Terror Of The Camp Monster (S5.17)
186. Pegasus Disappears: Wavering Friendship (S4.30)
187. A Man's Kindness: Yuichiro Heartbroken By Rei (S3.10)
188. Mamoru And Usagi's Babysitting Mayhem (S2.07)
189. Usagi Learns Her Lesson: Becoming A Star Is Hard Work (S1.07)
190. Women Must Be Strong And Beautiful: Rei's New Special Technique (S2.17)
191. A Girl's Dream: Usagi Becomes A Bride (S1.16)
192. Artemis Is Cheating? Enter The Mysterious Kitten (S4.06)
193. Protect The Children's Dreams: Friendship Through Anime (S1.21)
194. Chibi Chibi's Mystery: The Big Noisy Chase (S5.20)
195. Pegasus's Secret: The Boy Who Protects The Dream World (S4.31)
196. Learn How To Be Skinny From Usagi (S1.04)
197. Protect Mamoru: Ninja Usagi's Jealousy (S4.09)
198. The Beach, The Island, And A Vacation: The Guardian's Break (S2.21)
199. Usagi And The Girls' Resolve: Prelude To A New Battle (S2.43) - It's better than Shades Of Grey, I'll give it that much
200. Believe In Pegasus: The Four Guardians' Super Transformation (S4.16)

Sailor Moon SuperS (Season 4)

As much as I enjoyed the first two seasons of Sailor Moon, S was so far beyond anything the anime had done up to that point, both in terms of comedy and drama. It was a consistently strong season, with good pacing and a straight-forward plot. I knew without question that it was a great season of television. SuperS, on the other hand, is a lot more complicated. It does a lot right, but it also does a lot wrong. It's not just the most uneven season of Sailor Moon, it's one of the most uneven season of anything I've seen to date. It took as many steps forward as it did steps back, though I can't say it didn't take some bold swings, and thus, I have a lot to talk about here. Expect one of my longest reviews to date.

Most of the SuperS mostly involves Chibiusa having a dream of a Pegasus and trying to find him, all the while the evil Dead Moon Circus invades peoples' dreams in an effort to do the same. Up until the last few episodes, that's pretty much it as far as plot goes. There really isn't much more to the story, and much of this season is comprised of Monster Of The Week episodes. I'm split on this approach. On one hand, Sailor Moon's "filler" episodes are great for character development, and the return to a slice of life structure allows for minor characters who were neglected in late-season R and S to return. I also like that Chibiusa takes the lead this season. I've been getting a bit sick of Usagi hogging the spotlight so a brief change in protagonist was a pretty good call. And Chibi is a good choice, I really liked her in S, and this season does a good job of continuing her development. The comedy is really solid, the circus-themed Monster Of The Weeks are just as creative as they were in S, and the animation is quite possibly the best in the series to date, which just helps the comedy land even more.

On the other hand, the Pegasus hunt drags, and with the Outers gone, the Inners slightly sidelined, and a light-hearted tone akin to early Season 1, SuperS just feels like a step back in a lot of aspects. Even some of the characters feel like they've regressed, with Usagi probably getting the worst of this. She's always been a bit immature and jealous, but my god was Usagi flanderized to hell and back at times. If I had a nickel for every time Usagi accused Mamoru of cheating on her this season, I'd probably have a dollar. Actually, I'd probably have multiple dollars if you added together all of the cheating accusations. There are a lot of bad Out Of Character episodes that stick out as some of the worst of the series, with 133, 136, and 143 being so bad that I think it's for the best if I pretend they never actually happened. I also really dislike Chibiusa's relationship with Pegasus (aka Helios) that develops throughout the season. Between the age/species gap and Helios coming off as simultaneously creepy and very dull, I find their romance to be really uncomfortable, at least when it's not an absolute bore. I actually really like the idea of Chibiusa getting moments to reflect and be introspective, but geez, I'd rather she talk to a blank wall than the melodramatic expositor that is Helios.  

Speaking of uncomfortable, let's talk about the Amazon Trio, the villains from the first half of the season. I'm mixed on the Amazon Trio, because I really like them as characters. Their bar banter every episode is so natural and fun, every single one of them gets a ton of depth and characterization, and their redemption in the last two episodes of the storyline is fantastic. However, the decision to frame their attempts at searching for Pegasus like they're sexually assaulting their victims is a really uncomfortable metaphor that feels really out of place in such an otherwise lighthearted season. This metaphor also makes the Trio come off as a lot more creepy, and makes it harder to sympathize with them for their eventual redemption. And that's not getting into the times the "victim" is a child (139 and 143 are the biggest ones) which just makes things worse.

But then there's Fish's Eye, the genderqueer character who appears as a girl when out in public. For a 90s show, Fish's androgyny and gender fluidity is super groundbreaking, especially it's treated as normal by pretty much everyone (Episode 140 is particularly ahead of its time). However, because of the aforementioned sexual assault metaphor, Fish gets dangerously close to falling right into the transphobic trope of "cross-dresser who preys on men". And that's not bringing up the aforementioned Episode 143 where Fish tries to invade the dreams of a kid and I'm sure you can see how offensive that is. Thankfully, aside from that fluke of an episode, I think Fish just manages to dodge that stereotype due to the fact that they're implied to actively enjoy cross-dressing, get genuinely attached to their "victims", and probably biggest of all, is the one to spearhead the Trio's redemption arc in the first place.

Once the Amazon Trio gets redeemed, the season starts to gain a bit more in the way of plot, as the chaotic and immature Amazoness Quartet takes the role of villain. Though they lack the banter, depth, or sheer unadulterated gender of the Trio, they're still pretty fun, as I like how much they shamelessly bully Zirconia as well as the fact that they don't need to assault people to look for Pegasus. They get a lot more time to interact with the Senshi too, and it's always a joy whenever it happens. We quickly learn the Quartet wants to remain children forever, which also opens up the show to some pretty interesting conversations on maturity and adulthood, especially considering the Senshi are continuing to get closer to starting high school. However, I do have a few gripes with the Quartet too, since their appearance does make Zirconia come off as a bit more incompetent for replacing the Trio with objectively worse workers (at least until we learn they were being used the whole time) as well as not telling them they didn't actually need to assault people this whole time (yeah, there's no excuse for that). 

The final few episodes of SuperS are genuinely fantastic, feeling a lot more like S in terms of its writing. The characters (especially Usagi) have gone back to their pre-flanderized selves, and the storylines start to utilize all of the Senshi rather than just focus on Usagi and Chibiusa. But what really amps up the quality is the true villain of the season, Nehellenia, quite possibly the best thing about SuperS. As much as I don't care about Chibiusa and Pegasus's relationship, I very much care about Nehellenia's mature story about her quest for eternal beauty at the cost of loneliness and alienation (basically Queen Sectonia from Kirby, which I'm perfectly fine with). She's a fascinating antagonist who elevates the final stretch of episodes, so SuperS at least gets an ending on par with the first three seasons. 

Highlights:

Storm Of Love (Episode 14): If Sailor Moon can feel like a magical girl sitcom sometimes, then this episode feels like it's right out of Frasier. Minako trying to date both Tiger and Hawk at the same time is a simple but very fun farce that makes for one of the most fun episodes in the show, and the Senshi watching from the sidelines just makes it better.

Shadow Of Evil (Episode 21): Sailor Moon is really good at making you feel bad for the villains in the course of a single episode, as Shadow Of Evil reveals some pretty tragic realities about the Amazon Trio that were foreshadowed really well. The Trio are actually animals given human form, which is why they can't dream, and watching Fish especially deal with that truth is pretty painful. It all sets the stage for...

Mirror Of Dreams (Episode 22): The Trio's fantastic redemption episode! Mirror Of Dreams was great, on par with the best S had to offer, from the cute scenes with Fish at Usagi's place, to the confrontation to Zirconia, to one of most unassumingly creepy MoTWs to date, to the emotional rollercoaster of an ending where Usagi and the Trio briefly die before coming back to life. I'm glad the Amazon Trio got a happy ending here, it's just a shame we don't get to see more of them post-redemption.

Chibi-Usa's Little Rhapsody Of Love/Dream To Be An Adult (Episode 32/33): Two of the best MoTW episodes in this season, mostly because of their fantastic character interactions. The former episode has some of the funniest gags since Storm Of Love (especially the "all white, long face" joke), and is quite possibly the only episode where Ami, Minako, and Chibiusa (three of my favorite characters) share a lengthy scene together. The latter episode has a lot of bonding moments between the Quartet and Senshi, allowing every character to have their time to shine, and has plenty of fascinating conversations about the Quartet's overarching conflict and theme. Both of these episodes are character-driven, and I kinda wish we had more like them if SuperS was to have so many filler episodes.

The Golden Crystal Appears (Episode 37): While plenty of Sailor Moon villains have been redeemed, I don't think a single one of them really deserved that redemption like the Amazoness Quartet did. At their worst, they were really just immature kids that never really had the chance to understand what they were doing wrong, so seeing them betray Nehellenia multiple times over the past few episodes and break their crystals allowing them to become adults felt very satisfying. Also, Chibiusa and Helios's confrontation with Nehellenia was surprisingly tense and actually made me genuinely care about those two, if anything for their survival.

Dreams Forever (Episode 39): As uneven as this season has been, its finale might just be one of Sailor Moon's best episodes to date, definitely its best animation. Similarly to S's climax, the final confrontation between Usagi and Nehellenia is entirely character-driven, as we learn about the latter's very tragic backstory. I love how Nehellenia isn't defeated here, per se, she gets what she wants. It's just that it's at the cost of eternal loneliness, and she's too angry to care. And that skydiving sequence is absolutely fantastic, one of the most beautiful scenes in the show so far.

As you can tell from my long review, SuperS is a bold and messy season, with a lot going on. However, it's so uneven that it's easily my least favorite. SuperS has its good elements, both of its main arcs get great final episodes, the antagonists (especially Fish's Eye and Nehellenia) are super fun and well-developed, Chibiusa proves she can be a really solid protagonist, the comedy is solid, and the animation is some of the best yet. However, the season suffers from a lack of plot especially in its first half, character regressions (Usagi) and exclusions (the Outers), an failed attempt at an emotional core surrounding a character I feel next to nothing for, and plenty of moments that just made me feel uncomfortable with their implications.

2/5 Stars

Sailor Moon S (Season 3)

I'm just going to get right to the point. Sailor Moon S is the best season of Sailor Moon to date, by a long shot. Everyone talks about how great it is, I absolutely agree. It's funny, dramatic, clever, thoughtful, complex, character-driven, and generally a ton of fun. Sailor Moon was worth watching for this season alone.

Sailor Moon S starts with the introduction of two entirely new Sailor Guardians, Uranus (Haruka) and Neptune (Michiru), who have the goal of finding three talismans, which an evil professor seems to be after as well. These talismans are hidden in the purest hearts on the planet, but what adds a bit of a wrinkle is the fact that removing said talismans would kill the people who hold them. That's a bit of a dark turn, and it not only creates a compelling conflict between HaruMi and the more idealistic Senshi that deals with whether or not the ends justify the means (I guess Madoka wasn't the first magical girl show to tackle utilitarian themes). It also helps that I really like Haruka and Michiru, for both their ground-breaking relationship and their more flawed and abrasive characterizations. The rest of the cast gets slightly more flawed characterizations as well, as a subplot about their attempts to get into high school brings out the Senshi's insecurities in some really great ways. The first half of S focuses entirely on the hunt for the talismans, and with a consistently strong quality of episodes, my favorite antagonist to date in the hilarious yet highly competent Eudial, and a phenomenal final stretch of episodes that brings all the characters and themes to a head, it's a strong start to the season.

But then Hotaru shows up, and the season gets even better. Hotaru is the professor's daughter, a sickly and sheltered girl who ends up becoming friends with Chibiusa. However, she also happens to be Sailor Saturn (whose appearance beckons the end of the world) as well as possessed by the show's main antagonist, so obviously HaruMi (+ Sailor Pluto) want to kill her. It's with Hotaru's appearance that Sailor Moon S really turns into the most serious thing the show did by a long shot, and easily the most compelling as well. Hotaru is such a lovable yet tragic character who's trapped in such an awful situation, between her possession and her awful relationship with her father, who also ends up being one of the most fleshed-out villains of the series. You want her to make friends and get a happy ending, and her development throughout the season is great. This also ends up reflecting really well on Chibiusa, of all people. I hated her last season but she's genuinely a fantastic character here. Her friendship with Hotaru is adorable and her refusal to let the Outers sacrifice her forms one of the emotional cores of the storyline. Once again, the final few episodes are fantastic, a truly heart-wrenching, intense, and emotional stretch where the Senshi try to save Hotaru while defeating the evil force that's possessing her. My only gripe with this half of the season is Haruka and Michiru, who are a bit more unsympathetic and frustratingly unreasonable compared to the first half, but that's pretty much it. The storyline was otherwise close to perfect.

But in case all that wasn't great enough, S has some of the strongest standalone episodes to date as well, especially in regards to its comedy. Despite how dark this season is, it's also probably the funniest one yet. The Senshi hiding behind a waiter, Usagi and Chibiusa fighting in a teahouse, drunk Usagi, Eudial's car, the Twister game, the comedy this season is all on point, while still not watering down the dramatic elements. I think the villains do a lot to make this season more charming, as we get a lot more slice of life scenes focusing on them rather than the Senshi, treating their villainous job like an actual workplace. In addition, the Monsters Of The Week of this season (aka the Daimons) actually speak and can have actual characterization sometimes, which serves to make them way more fun to watch. And then there's the fact that S also redeems characters that I previously didn't like, particularly Chibiusa and Mamoru. Aside from her great role in the Hotaru storyline, Chibiusa was made to be a lot less bratty and a lot more genuinely charming. Meanwhile, Mamoru didn't appear quite as much as last season, but when he does show up, he's become a lot more laidback and reasonable in his relationship with Usagi. Unfortunately, I don't think this reflects all that well on Usagi herself. While Mamoru and Chibiusa have matured, Usagi is still as immature as always, and those moments where her jealous streak shows felt more frustrating than ever.

Being the most consistently strong season of the bunch, Sailor Moon S has a lot of amazing episodes, more than any season so far:

I Want To Quit Being A Sailor Guardian (Episode 11): Minako is my favorite character, and all of her focal episodes are consistently fantastic, blending comedy with pathos incredibly well. This episode tackles Minako's past once again, as she considers quitting being a Senshi so she can stop sacrificing the normal life she wish she had. It's a really introspective episode by Sailor Moon standards, and has one of my favorite endings in the series, which solidifies Minako and Artemis as the anime's finest duo.

The Stolen Pure Heart (Episode 13): What a phenomenal ending to the season's first arc, genuinely one of the show's best episodes to date. That car ride scene alone, with Ai no Senshi playing in the background, Usagi's realization, and the argument about sacrifice was so freaking good. But then there's also the reveal about Usagi's Pure Heart, Minako's disguise (best character, I swear!), Kaolinte's death (for now), Uranus's change of heart, the heartwarming birthday party, and the Eudial cliffhanger. The Stolen Pure Heart is packed and fantastic.

The Shocking Moment (Episode 20): Hey, it's another Minako episode! And this one might just be her best yet. It's hilarious, especially everyone chasing after heartless Minako. It deals with some very deep themes about selflessness as well as the phenomenon of being jealous for not having to deal with an unpleasant experience that everyone else seems to go through. And biggest of all, it's a huge plot bomb of an episode where the Senshi and HaruMi reveal their identities to each other, setting up... 

The Death Of Uranus And Neptune (Episode 21): This episode ranks up with the penultimate episode of Season 1 as the most iconic in the whole anime, and while Haruka and Michiru turning out to not actually be dead in the next episode did mild the impact a bit, this was still an incredibly intense and well-directed episode. From the confrontation in the aquarium, to Michiru's shocking death, to Haruka's mind-blowing suicide, this is easily one of the darkest episodes in all of Sailor Moon.

The Holy Grail's Mystical Power (Episode 22): While a bit of a let-down coming after the previous episode, this was still a satisfying ending to the first half of the season, with Sailor Moon getting a new upgrade, Eudial's shocking death at the hands of Mimete, and the debut of Hotaru.

Higher And Stronger (Episode 28): What should have just been your average filler episode ended up being one of the best of the season thanks to the direction of Kunihiko Ikuhura (the guy who made Utena). His style can only be described as avant-garde, every single frame is unconventional yet manages to convey everything to the viewer perfectly. Higher And Stronger is stuffed with bizarre sight gags that makes for one of the anime's funniest episodes, from Chibiusa's hilarious cheerleading routine, to the literal whistle-blowing guards, to the aforementioned Twister scene.

Battle Inside The Demonic Space (Episode 29): This might just be the greatest Monster Of The Week episode in the series, stuffed to the brim with creative setpieces and clever gags. The first half where Chibiusa, Hotaru, and the rest of the Senshi are hopping across dimensions is fun on its own, but when U-Ikasaman appears and challenges everyone to a bunch of rigged board games, the episode becomes simultaneously hilarious and genuinely tense. And it's all grounded by an important part of Hotaru's fantastic character arc, as well as a bunch of cute gags involving Tomoe's Professor side.

An Invasion From Another Dimension (Episode 31): Mimete is a good side-villain... but she killed Eudial, my favorite side-villain. So I was very happy to see her die in such a cathartic way. But what really surprised was how it happened right in front of the Senshi. Usually when antagonists kill each other in this show, it's on the sidelines in their secret base, so the fact that Tellu pulled the plug on Mimete (get it?) so publicly was kind of shocking in its own way. Oh, and we also get Professor Tomoe's backstory which was way darker than I expected from the anime.

Shadow Of Destruction (Episode 34): When I finished this episode, I only had one thought: "What the actual fuck?!". Even with how dark this season had been, I still wasn't prepared at all for how goddamn bleak this episode would be. Hotaru turned into Mistress 9, Mugen Academy got destroyed, Kaori was betrayed in cold blood by Tomoe, and most shocking of all, they killed Chibiusa! I can't believe I'm saying this given how much I hated her last season, but that scene absolutely crushed me. Oh yeah, and the fight with Cyprine is probably the best animated one in the show to date, so that's pretty sick.

The Coming Terror Of Darkness (Episode 35): I've complained a lot about Sailor Moon's action scenes so I'm very pleasantly surprised to see the animators decide to put in a lot more effort than they usually do, all the fights here were great, especially the one with Haruka and Michiru! While this is very much the first part of the season's climax, this episode was incredibly tense and still did have a bunch of great moments in it, particularly Pluto's sacrifice and Tomoe being freed from his possession.

The Shining Shooting Star (Episode 36): This was the most intense climax of a Sailor Moon season so far, and there wasn't a single bit of action in the episode. We didn't even see Hotaru or Usagi fight Pharoah 90, the entire story was conveyed through dialogue and voice acting, and it worked so damn well. This episode was an emotional tour de force with at least half a dozen series-defining moments contained in its length. The entire confrontation with Mistress 9, Tomoe's appeal to his daughter, Sailor Saturn saving Chibiusa, Hotaru's sacrifice, Usagi's utterly painful breakdown, and that chill-inducing final shot. This is one of the best anime episodes ever, everyone involved did such a phenomenal job here.

Overall, Sailor Moon S is fantastic, absolutely living up to the hype. It perfectly balances some of the best comedy and drama of the show to date, introducing a bunch of fantastic fleshed-out new characters, developing and improving its existing characters, and nailing every single one of its emotional beats with the utmost confidence. 

5/5 Stars

Sailor Moon R (Season 2)

Sailor Moon's first season was great and it told a complete story, but between taking a while to establish the whole cast and the very thin antagonists, there are things that a potential second season could improve on even more. Personally, I thought Sailor Moon R does actually improve on the first season in a lot of ways, but seeing as it was divided up into two storylines, I have a lot to say about both...

Makai Tree Arc: So remember when I said filler was primarily when an anime makes their own original storyline to buy time to catch up with the manga, well that's what this entire arc was meant to do. However, the Makai Tree arc being filler doesn't necessarily make it bad, I actually found it to be pretty fun! This storyline is primarily about two aliens named Ail and An (that's such a stupid pun, I love it) who go to Earth in the hopes of stealing life energy from humans so that they don't die. I love these two, they're way better antagonists than the Dark Kingdom. Their motivations are more interesting and even sympathetic, and seeing them struggle to interact with the humans on Earth is genuinely charming and funny. Ail and An aren't quite as menacing as the Dark Kingdom, they're much more comedic villains, but that's not much of an issue to me since they're just flat-out better characters. There's just a bit more depth in the conflict and I couldn't help but want the Senshi and the aliens to find a solution that'll work for everyone.

There's a lot more going on, though. Obviously, the Senshi had to have regain their memories after the events of last season, which means Usagi has some trauma to work through after... you know... seeing all her friends die. However, Mamoru still doesn't have his memories, and there's a mysterious new figure named Moonlight Knight who, despite looking and acting like Tuxedo Mask, showed up in the same room as Mamoru. I knew Mamoru was Moonlight Knight from the start but this was a pretty solid mystery that left me engaged. As you can see, despite being "filler", this arc has a lot of material to work with, and at a light 13 episodes, I found the arc's pacing to be fantastic, striking a nice balance between fun episodic stuff and plot progression without feeling like it drags. Each of the Senshi even get an episode that develops their character, ending with them learning a new power, it's really cool! 

However, my one big gripe with the arc is that you can really tell there were some cuts in the animation, with plenty of scenes where you can tell the animators had to take some shortcuts either for a lack of budget or time. It definitely gives the arc a bit of a cheap feel at times. But when my only complaint is the animation (and the admittedly weak babysitting episode), that's a testament to how strong this first arc is, in spite of being "filler". It does a good job of dealing with the events of Season 1's finale, boasts a fairly complex storyline with fantastic antagonists, fleshes out the cast, and has strong pacing to boot. It's as I always say, just because it's filler, doesn't mean it's bad.

4/5 Stars

Black Moon Clan Arc: Oh boy, do I have a lot to say about this one, both good and bad. The Black Moon Clan arc involves the titular villains, who start the arc trying to go after the Silver Crystal as well as who they call the "rabbit". The rabbit in question is a mysterious little kid who claims to be named Usagi, so the Senshi tries to protect her from the clan. I'll be honest, this arc doesn't make a good first impression on me, especially in its first two episodes. Chibiusa starts the arc by pointing a gun at Usagi, gaslighting her family and friends, and drugging multiple people, how the hell was I supposed to care about her? And then in the episode after the premiere we get the start of the infamous breakup arc, where Mamoru breaks up with Usagi right after getting together after getting visions of the future where she dies, and he doesn't tell her about it. I don't have patience for characters who refuse to communicate with each other, and it made this breakup plot a slog. In hindsight, I think that was the point. This arc is partially about the importance of teamwork and these storylines contribute to that theme, but it doesn't make them any less frustrating. Thankfully, this frustration doesn't go on for too long. As a matter of fact, I think that once Sailor Moon gets that awful dinosaur episode off its chest, this arc goes from pretty bad to genuinely pretty great.

As time goes on, we learn that Chibiusa is actually Usagi and Mamoru's daughter from the future, and that the Black Moon Clan is also from the future, a group of exiled rebels who don't like Usagi's eventual rule. These two reveals turn this arc into a legitimately awesome time travel storyline about the future of the Senshi, with fantastic villains that balance the cruelty and darkness of Beryl and the depth of Ail and An. There's nothing quite like an antagonist with differing ideals than the protagonist and having them fight about said ideals. Chibiusa still frustrated me quite a bit, but she never did anything nearly as immoral as in her debut, and her very tragic backstory helped me at least understand her a bit more. You can tell everything that's happened to Chibiusa messed her up, and she develops enough throughout the season that I really started to feel for her in the arc's second half. Meanwhile, Usagi and Mamoru get back together at the halfway point as well, fixing the last of the arc's issues, and allowing for the rest of the season to stay pretty consistently fantastic. And that final stretch of episodes was probably the best in the show to date, between the Black Moon Clan tearing itself apart, Chibiusa's intense Black Lady storyline, and the many fantastic emotional sequences. 

Another thing I think this arc did well was the animation. Where the Makai Tree arc was pretty obviously a low budget affair, the Black Moon Clan arc generally looks a lot better. While there aren't as many obvious scenes of character stills replacing animation, the episodes as a whole look a lot more fluid. Even the fight scenes are probably the best they've ever been, even compared to Season 1! Overall, the Black Moon arc makes a bad first impression with a frustrating arc that relies on miscommunication and one of the worst debuts a character could have, but as it goes on, it evolves into the show's most complex storyline to date, a fun and deep time travel storyline with great character development, neat twists and lore reveals, and a damn solid set of villains. While this arc's lows are pretty low, its highs are absolutely soaring.

3/5 Stars

With a lot more going on this season, there was a lot more episodes that I felt were worth highlighting:

A New Transformation (Episode 5): While a bit standard at first, the second half of this episode was absolutely fantastic. From the reveal that Usagi was losing her powers because she's still shaken by the events of her reincarnation to her reunion with Serenity, culminating in the debut of Sailor Moon's new transformation and rod. That whole episode built up to that scene, and it left me with goosebumps when it happened.

Steal A Kiss From Mamoru (Episode 10): Easily one of the funniest episodes of Sailor Moon to date, Steal A Kiss From Mamoru revolves entirely around the cast (plus An) making a Snow White play. And as you'd expect with An taking the helm, it goes awry. From Umino's costumes, to the fights over casting, to An trying to get a kiss from Mamoru whatever chance she can get, the whole play is a disaster and it was a joy to watch it fall apart.

True Love Awakens (Episodes 13): If there's one thing Sailor Moon knows how to do, it's end an arc. While the Makai Tree arc was mostly pretty light and comedic, this episode has plenty of fantastic emotional moments, between An's breakdown and subsequent Disney Death, Ail's realization about love, and the Makai Tree's backstory. Usagi and Mamoru finally start dating (for all of two episodes), the Moonlight Knight reveal was pretty sick, and I like how Ail and An get a fairly happy ending.

Protect Chibiusa (Episode 22): "She's precocious, mischievous, and pretty annoying, and yet I can't seem to hate her". Well, that just sums up Chibiusa in a nutshell. I'd say this episode marks the point where the Black Moon arc becomes legitimately great, with a decent serving of plot and lore bombs that helps to make Chibiusa a slightly more sympathetic character. But what really got me was the entire final third where the Senshi fight to protect Chibiusa, proving how much they're there for her, all as Ai No Senshi plays in the background. It's just peak Sailor Moon.

Defeat Rubeus (Episode 28): The good thing about having a frustrating storyline is just how satisfying it can be when the characters learn from their mistakes and grow, and this happens with Usagi and Chibiusa. Usagi admits to her lack of maturity, and Chibiusa finally takes responsibility for something and realizes that the Senshi were just trying to help. That latter one is especially important, since Chibiusa's development here was what caused me to actually start to really like her. And that's not even talking about the plot, which packs in a hostage situation, Usagi breaking the laws of gravity through sheer force of will, Chibiusa actually being useful, and Rubeus getting the most karmic death a villain could get. 

The Last Five Episodes (Episodes 38-42): I meant it when I said the ending of R is absolutely phenomenal. It's dark and emotional but ultimately very satisfying. Wiseman is such a great villain here in the way he systematically kills off the entire clan, and I love how the Black Lady balances entertaining hamminess and plenty of devastating scenes where Usagi has to fight her own daughter. Every single episode here has at least one amazing moment in it:
  Wiseman's Evil Hand (Episode 38): Esmeraude's tragic death
  The Dark Queen (Episode 39): The Senshi vs the Black Lady
  Saphir Dies (Episode 40): The return of the Spectre Sisters, Saphir's sacrifice, and Demande turning against Wiseman
  Believing In Love And The Future (Episode 41): Demande vs Wiseman
  The Final Battle Between Light And Dark (Episode 42): Chibiusa and Usagi vs Wiseman, Chibiusa's goodbye
What an amazing way to end a season. What? There's also a recap episode? Let's just pretend that didn't exist, shall we?

Overall, I really enjoyed Sailor Moon R, probably even more than the first. While having two separate storylines makes it disjointed, and it suffered from a rough stretch of episodes at the start of the Black Moon arc, this season generally improved on a lot of my issues with the first season. The villains were more interesting, the storylines were more complex, the characters were all established from the start, and the pacing was a bit tighter, and at its best, this season had some fantastic episodes.

3.5/5 Stars

Sailor Moon (Season 1)

At this point, I've seen several magical girl anime, like Madoka, Princess Tutu, and Kill La Kill, but they've all been a bit unconventional. For a while now, I wanted to watch the series that started the whole genre, Sailor Moon, but was a bit intimidated by its length. Well, I finally decided to bite the bullet, and I'm very glad I did.

Sailor Moon is an anime about a girl named Usagi, who runs into a talking cat named Luna who gives her the power to turn into the titular magical girl. With four other magical girls (who I'm just gonna call Senshi to keep things simple), Usagi has to stop the Dark Kingdom and its queen Beryl from reviving an evil entity who had previously destroyed the Moon Kingdom. At first, the season mostly follows a standard Monster Of The Week structure, with the development of the villains being fairly lacking. I do like how Queen Beryl is willing to replace her lackeys if they disappoint her enough times, but it's not until the halfway point where the season starts to really get interesting plot-wise. Between a story arc about the Senshi and Dark Kingdom racing for crystals, added moral ambiguity to the mysterious hero figure Tuxedo Mask, some really fascinating reveals to the Moon/Dark Kingdom lore, and a surprisingly dark two-part finale, the second half of Season 1 is fantastic, and the slow episodic buildup made this slightly more serious stretch of episodes hit all the more. It all pays off in the end, and while there are four more seasons to come, there's something about Season 1 that feels so complete.

But even more than the actual story, I found Sailor Moon's greatest strength to be its characters. While one could argue that all of this anime's episodic Monster Of The Week storylines are just hollow skippable filler, I actually enjoyed a large portion of them because of how they all helped to develop the bonds between the characters. I was initially surprised that Usagi was the only Sailor Scout for the first seven episodes, but I ended up really liking how it allowed for Usagi and Luna to develop a strong mentor-mentee dynamic. And whenever a character is introduced, the next batch of episodes focus on pairing said character up with every other character in the cast. It helps to develop a strong dynamic and rapport between the cast, and I ended up really enjoying seeing them all interact. The whole series has a great sense of charm that only increases as the cast grows. And while Usagi is very much the main character here, the show isn't afraid to have episodes focus almost exclusively on side or minor characters, and they can even make for some of the best of the season.

As for the presentation, it's mostly pretty good. Emphasis on mostly. Let's start with the positive stuff. The characters are incredibly expressive, like to a very impressive degree. It's a joy to just watch the cast interact because of how expressive they are, and I'm surprised reaction frames from the anime aren't as common as they should be. I also really love the anime's backgrounds and scenery, all containing a pastel watercolor look and stunning pink hues. And when the anime starts playing with shadows, my goodness does it look fantastic. I also love how diverse the characters' clothes are. They don't just wear the same clothes every episode, there's a nice variety while still giving each character their own unique and detailed wardrobe. However, Sailor Moon does suffer a bit whenever the Senshi face off against a villain. Many of the fights use still frames and reused footage, making them feel a bit stale and visually lacking a lot of the time. This doesn't drag down the show by a massive amount, the fights were never Sailor Moon's biggest priority, but between Madoka, Utena, and the Precure fights I've seen, I feel like I expect a bit better from magical girl shows. As for voice acting, I listened to the Viz dub, and I thought it was pretty good. No voice felt like a weak link. I also liked the music quite a bit. It's not going to be on my favorite anime soundtracks list or anything, but I found it to be pretty charming 90s anime fare.

At its best, Sailor Moon's first season boasts some really great episodes, both on the comedic and dramatic fronts:

Wish Upon A Star/Naru's Tears (Episodes 23/24): This two-parter was a big turning point for Sailor Moon, both in terms of its tone and quality. Nephrite was never the most interesting villain of this season, but his arc in these episodes about developing feelings for Naru and turning good was really great, and his subsequent death was a shocking gut punch that proved Sailor Moon could also do some truly fantastic drama.

Loved And Chased (Episode 31): Rhett Butler, enough said.

The Shining Silver Crystal (Episode 34): This was another big turning point episode, filled to the brim with fantastic plot twists. Obviously Usagi and Mamoru learning of each other's true identities was pretty big, but in case all that wasn't enough, Mamoru gets stabbed and Usagi turns out to actually be the Moon Princess. Also, shoutout to Usagi's reaction to learning Mamoru is Tuxedo Mask in the DiC dub, absolute comedy gold.

Returning Memories (Episode 35): Serving as a great follow-up to the previous episode, Returning Memories was essentially one huge lore-dump, between the return of Mamoru's memories, the Moon Kingdom lore, the reveal of Endymion, and the reveal that the Senshi are all reincarnated people from the Moon Kingdom. There's also the big twist of Mamoru being kidnapped and "healed by darkness", setting the stage for the season's final story arc.

Let's Become A Princess (Episode 37): Season 1 of Sailor Moon rarely took itself too seriously, but this episode in particular left me in stitches with how goofy it is. Tasked with training to be a princess, Usagi is at her most clumsy, and it's a joy to watch. And between Luna seeing Artemis behind the camera, Endymion and Kunzite interrupting the big battle with their bickering, and Usagi revealing she's now the best frisbee player of all time, I really enjoyed how this episode poked fun at the show's formula a bit.

Sailor Venus' Past (Episode 44): Given the success of Sailor Moon, I'm surprised we didn't get an anime adaptation of Sailor V because wow is Minako's backstory both fascinating and heartbreaking. Her romantic subplot here is probably the most effective one of the show, and her big decision at the end of the episode reveals an impressive layer of maturity to Minako. Venus has had the least screentime out of any of the characters and she's already becoming one of my favorites.

Death Of The Sailor Guardians (Episode 45): Sailor Moon's first season truly saves the best for last, with a phenomenal two-part finale. Part 1 might be the most iconic episode of the show, since even I knew about it before starting my watch. But even knowing that almost all the Senshi die here doesn't remove any of the episode's impact, not in the slightest. Each Senshi goes out in a way that perfectly suits their character, so their deaths aren't just for shock value, they're genuine heroic sacrifices and they get they deserve to really sink in. It's also not just tragedy, this episode is super action-packed and surprisingly funny at times, the fact that it manages to balance all of these things makes for my favorite episode of the season.

Usagi's Eternal Wish (Episode 46): While it wasn't quite as good as the previous episode, this was still an emotionally impactful and satisfying end to the season. Usagi's final confrontation with Endymion and Beryl is great, and the big twist where everyone gets resurrected and loses their memories is a heartwrenching but intriguing hook for Season 2. 

Overall, Sailor Moon's first season was a ton of fun. While its first half was a bit episodic, the charm and cute character interactions were there from the get-go, and once the plot kicks in in the second half, the show becomes genuinely fantastic. 

3/5 Stars