Love is in the air this week, which I know is like saying “the girls battle monsters this week,” but it’s noteworthy because of the character’s understudy. Our main Moonies are almost completely sidelined this week in favor of a Sailor Duo love back no, love story and Chibiusa’s new crush, and while no week with minimal Ami and/or Makoto is a perfect week, it was still a nice change of pace and helped to shed some light on our enigmatic antiheroes.
The larger cast is making it easier for Sailor Moon to mix up its character episodes, so that even when the main story is nowhere in sight, it still feels like we’re moving forward in terms of individual growth. Honestly, I think this season has only been about 5% actual plot, but when the episodes are this entertaining and the characters this likable, it’s hard for me to be upset about that. Bring on the miracle romances, SM, in all their many shapes and sizes!
The Recaps
Episode 106 – When Haru Met Michi
This episode is so focused on Haruka and Michiru that we don’t even get the Usagi opening monologue. Moon, you best be careful, or they’re gonna steal your show from under you. Instead, we spend our opening monologue learning about Haruka’s old desire to be free as the wind so she can win “a new self” with each battle. Haru likes to run, is the gist of it.
So does Professor Petty, thanks to the tread mill he installed in his underground/trans-dimensional magic lab (which is a mouthful, so how about we just call it “The Undercraft”?). Aaand so does our next talisman target, a high school track star named Elza Gray, who—hey, fancy that! She just so happens to go to the high school Minako and Makoto are scoping out, and she just so happens to run into them while they’re visiting!
Elza is quite sparkly, a little gropey(?!), and she used to be the Ash to Haruka’s Gary, forever chasing her but never quite able to best her in a race. And Haru doesn’t even compete anymore, so now all Elza can do is use her memory as motivation to get even faster.
Our stroll down Memory Lane takes a sharp detour when Eudial tears onto the scene and goes for Elza’s heart. Scout time! Haruka observes from the tree line, waiting for Michiru to arrive so they can get down to business. In the meantime, we can pop on over to Reminiscence Road again, as Haruka thinks back to that one time Elza introduced her to Michiru and changed her life forever.
“’Sup! I’m your future partner in every meaning of the word. We met in a Spooky Prophecy Dream. It’s actually super romantic if you think about it.”
Michiru attacks the monster, unsure if it will kill the boy in the process (it doesn’t) but willing to make that sacrifice if it means saving other lives. She gets claw-smacked protecting Haruka, but still owns the monster, ‘cause supah badass.
While Haruka cradles her in her arms, Michiru admits that she doesn’t want to do this, but it’s her solemn duty as a scout. She also admits that she’s admired Haruka for a while now, long before the Spooky Prophecy Dream, and that all she really wants to do is go for a drive together.
Saving the world AND falling in love? Damn, Haruka, this backstory’s got everything!
And because no one could possibly resist all that, Haruka picks up the wand and becomes Sailor Uranus, fighting alongside her lady love.
Oh, and speaking of fighting, there is a present-day story line to wrap up. You know the drill: Neptune arrives, the Duo team up to swipe the stolen heart, fight the Daimon, and help Usagi save the day. And Haruka is so glad that she met Michiru, she lets her draw her wearing nothing but sexy sheets. And if that ain’t love, I don’t know what is.
Episode 107 – Cupid Is As Cupid Does
Chibiusa and her quest for “friendship” returns this week, as she’s crushing hard on Masanori, a boy in her art class who’s something of a sculpting prodigy. In fact I suppose you could say his work is… pure genius? Or that he puts a lot of… heart into it? Or that he’s not your… eudial 10-year-old?
Okay, that last one was a stretch, but you get the idea. The Heartbreakers are comin’ for ya, son!
But first, shenanigans! Usagi swipes a pie from the oven for the gals to share, only to discover that Chibiusa had made it to take to art class. Chibs is miffed, but she has to run to class before she can exact proper revenge. Then her day goes from bad to worse as she sees Masanori give a bouquet of roses to Michiru and declare his love for her.
“Well, my flower petal entourage WAS getting a little sparse, so…”
She rewards him with a peck on the check, breaking Chibs in the process. Meanwhile, Usagi gets guilted by the gals into following Chibiusa to her class to see if there’s anything she can do to make up for the pie incident. Seeing Chibs mooning (heh) over Masanori, Usagi quickly connects the dots and vows to play Cupid. So she busts through the door and begins embarrassing the crap out of Chibiusa. MOOOOOM!
Eudial saves Chibiusa from any further awkwardness by crashing into the room and busting out her shot(to-the-heart)gun. Thanks, Eudial! Before the Bunnies can transform, Sailor Duo storms onto the scene, so now they CAN’T transform ‘cause Usagi is still maintaining this illusion that her identity is a secret.
But that’s fine, ‘cause Chibiusa don’t need no fancy costume to take back her boy’s heart!
Chibs may have interpreted McGruff’s call to “Take a bite outta crime” a little TOO literally.
With some help from the Duo, Chibs returns the talisman-free heart to Masanori. Worried for the art students, the Duo lead the Daimon off into the woods, which gives the Bunnies time to give chase and transform. The half-conscious Masanori looks on, declaring that he’s “found his goddess.”
A ridiculous fight ensues versus Daimon Chokokka, who is every annoying artist stereotype smashed into one abstract body (or maybe I just think that ‘cause I DON’T UNDERSTAND ART, MAAAAAAN). Also, she can make golems. So basically:
It doesn’t take long for local smarty-pants Michiru to figure out the monsters’ weakness (water), and she throws down some Tsunami Bombs, weakening the Daimon enough for the Moons to finish it off. Teamwork!
Later, a blushing Masanori and Chibiusa walk home together, holding hands(!) and calling each other by their first names(!!). Chibs made a friend after all! Masanori is so smitten with her that he even turned her into an art project, presenting her with a sculpture of her own head.
So even though our young couple got together, it looks like the episode still ended in a bust.
This, That, and the Other
- The day may come when I no longer giggle uncontrollably at Chibi Moon whacking monsters in the face with pink hearts. BUT TODAY IS NOT THAT DAY!
- Woohoo, Uranus and Neptune got their own transformation sequences this week! Gals, I do believe this officially makes you Moonies.
- Wow, Eudial, and I thought I sucked at putting on lipstick.
- The Sensei Next Door (Bad Joke Edition): For Minako’s terrible apple pie pun, she says the appuru pai (apple pie) is appuru ippai (full of apples), which hinges on the English “pie” (pai) sounding a lot like the Japanese ippai. But the translator didn’t even TRY to localize the joke, completely missing an opportunity to say the pie looked appletizing. See, this is why all anime and manga companies should hire me as their Freelance Pun Localizer.
- Hark! A plot point! Chibiusa knows what the Holy Grail looks like because her mom has a picture of it, which means Usagi will get up close and personal with it sometime between the next episode and 1000 years from now. Geez, Sailor Moon, spoilers much?
Dee is a writer, a translator, a book worm, and a basketball fan. She has bachelor’s degrees in English and East Asian studies and a master’s degree in Creative Writing. To pay the bills, she works as a technical writer. To not pay the bills, she writes young adult novels, watches far too much anime, and cheers very loudly for the Kansas Jayhawks. You can hang out with her at The Josei Next Door, a friendly neighborhood anime blog for long-time fans and newbies alike, as well as on Tumblr and Twitter.
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