Given the rumored kerfuffle going on behind the scenes during this season (the studio pushing for one kind of show, Ikuhara for another), a part of me wonders if these two episodes didn’t have their basis in some real-life frustrations. It’s artists’ week here on SuperS, and it’s all about finding the courage to create and share those works with others—and to do what feels right to you, The Artist, regardless of what The Authority says you “can” or “can’t” do with your landscape paintings.
So suck on that, Toei Animation.
Our other central topic this week is, of course, Friendship, and what defines it. For Makoto and Tomoko, it’s honesty, whether that comes in the form of much-needed encouragement (a writer’s ego is a delicate, fragile creature) or an equally needed scolding/pep talk. For Chibiusa, it’s about respect and agency—about giving your friend the right to say “no,” and not using them for your own gain. Good stuff all around, really, and the artsy themes… well, they speak to me, for obvious reasons. So despite some weird tonal hiccups (as expected of SuperS at this point), I had a pretty fun time this week.
The Recaps
Episode 134 – Write in the Feels
Moon Night Pegasus is the hot new novel everyone (except Rei) is reading, a passionate! tale of the forbidden! love between a Pegasus and a human woman. (Because nothing says romance like beastiality?) The author is Takase Tomoko, an old friend of Makoto’s, and Mako had the good fortune of being both her Beta Reader and the person who encouraged her to submit her novel for publication. So you could say Tomoko owes all her success to Mako, but like, whatevs, NBD.
Mako hasn’t seen her old friend since she transferred to Juuban Junior High, and since she’s dying to know why Tomoko forgot to mention her in the Acknowledgments catch up on life, Usagi suggests an autograph outing.
“I’m definitely doing this for you, Mako! Definitely not for my raging inner fangirl, no, ma’am.”
Meanwhile Zirconia is ripping into the Amazon Trio for randomly picking hawt girls instead of, like, researching said hawt girls’ dreams, so she sends them after the Beautiful Dream Candidate who’s been writing novels about Pegasus. That’s… actually super smart. +10 Bad Guy Points, Madame Zirc.
Tiger sets off to woo another his first target, and winds up at Tomoko’s house at the same time as… a horde of fanboys? Or reporters? At any rate, DUDE FIGHT! Mako and the Moonies come ‘round the corner, VERY confused, only to discover that Tomoko has fled her house because this happened to her:
Yep, she’s a writer, all right.
Mako finds her down by the river under her favorite thinkin’ tree, right where the two of them met after Mako saved Tomoko from a bunch of literature-hating bullies (by FAR the most dastardly of the bullies). Modern-day Tomoko confesses she hasn’t been able to come up with any new stories, and flees, declaring that she has “nothing left to dream.”
Actually, she’s upset over a boy. See, while Makoto encouraged Tomoko from Day One to publish her book, she didn’t convince her until she saw Tomoko staring longingly at some rando soccer player so inconsequential he doesn’t even get a name. But Tomoko liked him, and Mako got it in her head that if she published her book this guy would TOTES notice her and DEF understand that the Pegasus was a metaphor for him even though they’d never spoken before and she didn’t use his name.
But dude had no appreciation for allegory, got himself a different girlfriend, and it’s been:
ever since.
Cue Chibiusa, breaking her promise to Pegward by screaming outside Tomoko’s window about how she, too, has hung out with a Pegasus and totally shares Tomoko’s dream. Then Mako and Usagi come along and Makoto continues the shout-lecture, reminding Tomoko that she has FANS and a RESPONSIBILITY to them and her dreams aren’t just hers anymore, they also belong to READERS who are DYING for the next volume in her EPIC FANTASY, like it’s been FOUR YEARS AND THE TV SHOW IS ABOUT TO PASS YOU, GEORGE.
…So anyway.
I’m not sure I agree with Makoto here, but I do like the part where she reminds Tomoko of her old philosophy: “If only one person reads a story, finish it for that one person.” Tomoko is inspired!… just as Tiger swoops in pretending to be her new editor. She is 100% chill about the random dude appearing in her bedroom—until he transforms into a circus performer, that is. THE HORROR! Mako and the Moons get their transformation on, and with a little help from our good friend Deus Ex Maskina they’re able to take out the Time Bomb Escape Magician Lemures (could not possibly make this stuff up) and keep Tomoko safe. Go team!
As they’re battling, the half-conscious Tomoko sees Pegward fly around all sparkly-like, and it inspires her to write again. Onwards to the sequel, Pegasus Fantasy! And it’s dedicated to her rockstar Beta Reader, as all second novels should be.
Episode 135 – The (he)Art of the Matter
Chibs begins this one being like “Yo Pegward tell me more about you, after all I’m letting you camp out in my chest and I’m totally keeping your secret for you” even though we JUST SAW HER tell Tomoko about it, but Pegs says he can’t do that and blips out again.
Down in Cirque du Ombre, Madame Zirconia talks world-building with the Trio (more on that later) and they discuss Pegward’s currently unlisted, rent-controlled heart full of Beautiful Dreams. This gets Tiger a-ponderin’, so he hatches a scheme with Shadow Ninja Hebihanabiko who specializes in stealing hearts, and orders her to invade Peg’s home and steal it while he’s still inside. Which… sounds like a legit plan, too. Much better than wandering around Juuban spirit-groping people. +10 Bad Guy Points to you too, Tiger.
Meanwhile, Chibiusa is being adorable in art class.
She’s full of creativity, dressing up like an artist to feel “more artistic” and adding bright colors and a Pegasus to her landscape painting because it just feels right. To which her teacher gasps: “IMAGINATION?! And in ART CLASS, of all places?! F-MINUS.”
(Okay, so Chibs didn’t do the assignment the way she was told and following instructions is, like, important and stuff, I GUESS. But I, too, was the kid who added gnomes to the still life sketches and cowboys to the perspective exercises, so forgive me if I’m a little mean to Ms. Morino this week. And MY teachers still gave me an A, so suck on that, Toei Animation.)
Morino’s a bit of an awkward turtle who struggles to connect with her students, despite her lifelong dream of being a teacher. And yes, I did just use the word “dream,” which means Tiger needs to show up dressed as a fortuneteller to draw her in and continue his trend of being a paragon of casual sexism.
I’m glad he’s sitting at a table. Makes it a lot easier to find one to throw at him.
In the meantime, Usagi and Chibs are struggling to take a load of groceries home, when who should drive up but OH DAMMIT, MAMORU, NOT AGAIN.
It’s possible my computer has a hand print on it from where I instinctively tried to slap those sunglasses off his face.
The trio hear Ms. Morino’s screams from down the street and rush to help her. Well, the Moons rush to help her. Tux has to get his costume out of the trunk, dust off his hat, find his spare holster of roses, and iron out a few wrinkles in his suit coat. But he’ll be RIGHT behind you, he swears!
For now, the Moons get to play with Hebihanabiko, The Lady Who Walks Through Walls. (Man, they’re really stretching with these circus-themed monsters, ain’t they?) Chibs calls for Pegward, and Hebi puts her and Tiger’s plan into motion, using Pegward, who exists in this world as a “shadow,” as a conduit between him and the heart where he resides. And for once I don’t have to struggle to explain this, because:
Chibs goes all dead-eyed and collapses, turned inwards to deal with the new interloper. Hebi tries to tempt Chibiusa with Phenomenal Cosmic Power—all she has to do is take Pegward’s reins and wield him as her weapon. But Hebi underestimated something vital: Chibs doesn’t give two cowbells about world domination. Her dream… is FRIENDSHIP!
She boots Hebi out of her heart and wakes up in time to remind Usagi that, um, maybe she should be fighting or something. She stages Hebi out and peace arrives in Juuban once more. Now let’s go have a heart-to-heart with Miss Teacher. Oh, no, not you, Mamoru. You go bring the car around.
There’s a good lad.
Ms. Morino asks Chibiusa why she kept the Pegasus in her painting even though she knew she’d get a poor grade on it, and Chibs says she doesn’t care about grades: She liked the painting better this way, and she likes herself better this way, too. I suppose there’s some part of me that should be like “following directions is a vital life skill, too!” but nope. No, I love this moral, and I love that Ms. Morino admits to loving it, too.
… She’s still not gonna grade on a curve, though. So thanks for paying lip-service to creativity but not actually, you know, rewarding it. Jerk.
That night, THINGS GET WEIRD, as Pegward presents Chibiusa with a new Lovely Item: Some kind of rod that he can hang out in and watch her ALL THE TIME. He also gets embarrassed about a shirtless human child (because nothing says romance like beastiality?), and promises to chat with Chibs privately and often from now on. And all I can think is:
This, That, and the Other
- Advice from Rei: Take three copies of a novel to all signings, one to read, one to store, and one to show off to people. Advice from me: Do not do this. Your favorite writer is already traveling a road that takes them straight through the Carpal Tunnel. No need to put your foot on the gas and get them there faster.
- “Only criminals and vicious dogs should be chained!” Tuxedo Mask, don’t you and your stupid catchphrases ever change.
- Oh good another female teacher who is mocked because she is single, that is not a tired joke at all. -_-
- Chibiusa’s imaginary friend refuses to tell her his name. GOOD. I spent a long time coming up with Pegward Cullen and I intend to get some damn mileage out of it.
- Hark! A plot point! Hawk and Zirconia insist it’s impossible for Pegward’s Heart Home to wield his power as their own, since the very act of doing so would make their dreams no longer beautiful, forcing Pegward to find a new apartment. But Tiger seems skeptical, and I sort of do, too, seeing as how I’m preeeeetty sure Chibs is currently wielding Peg’s power like it ain’t no thang.
Dee is a nerd of all trades and a master of one. She has bachelor’s degrees in English and East Asian studies and an MFA in Creative Writing. To pay the bills, she works as a technical writer. To not pay the bills, she devours novels and comics, 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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