Anime Expo 2014: Geekscape Reviews ‘Sailor Moon Crystal’ Episode 1: ‘Act 1- Usagi, Sailor Moon’
Back in 2012, the 20th anniversary of Sailor Moon was marked with some of the best news possible; the classic series was getting a reboot series! Promising to stick closer to the Manga, the new take on the series was planned for a mid 2013 release. So we waited… And waited… News was scarce and the show never came, plagued with numerous delays. Fast forward to a year after the originally scheduled release, and the highly anticipated Sailor Moon Crystal is finally here! But after building up so much anticipation on top of trying to live up to the legendary go-go boots of a series that got so many people into anime in the first place, it would be impossible to live up to these expectations. Yet, not only does the first episode do just that, but it does so many things better.
Seeing Crystal in motion is a thing of beauty.
Starting off with a dream of a beautiful princess running towards an armored prince, the stage is quickly set in a very familiar way. We’re introduced to Usagi Tsukino, a clumsy, lazy, crybaby of a middle schooler who would much rather play video games and sleep the day away than do anything remotely important like saving the world. In her mad dash towards school, she accidentally steps on a stray cat with a crescent moon symbol on its forehead. This sets events into motion that will lead Usagi towards becoming the pretty guardian of love and justice, Sailor Moon, but how will such a clutzy whiner stand a chance against the evil forces of the Dark Kingdom?
Right off the bat, the show aims straight for our nostalgia for the old show, complete with sequences, scenes and even voice acting that look and sound almost identical to the show we were used to, only with a new animated style. Speaking of the new animation, it’s proven to be a point of contention leading up to the debut of Crystal, but watching it in motion should put these concerns at ease. Nearly every aspect of the episode felt more fluid, with beautiful, bright animation that stands out in so many ways, although the lanky characters still might be jarring for some. After multiple viewings, the only real complaint I have towards the style of the show is that Usagi has the same facial expression for most of the episode, a far cry from the goofy variations of the Serena many of us grew up with. Emotion and slapstick are better conveyed with over the top expressions, so let’s hope this develops more as the series progresses.
No selling cat claws to the eyeballs like a boss
But as a long time fan who’s watched the 90’s series ad nauseam, I really appreciate the more fleshed out story that Crystal presents. While there were plenty of familiar aspects sprinkled throughout this show, this version just made so much more sense story wise. Small things like the foreshadowing of Usagai’s dreams, the fact that the overaged love interest, Mamoru Chiba, (you know, Tuxedo Mask?), has an actual reason to be outside of the jewelery store where Sailor Moon’s first fight takes place aside from waiting for someone to be saved and Jaedite of the Dark Kingdom having a motive other than “collect ALL the energy!”, makes the future pieces that I know are coming fit so much easier. If I were to introduce this show to a brand new viewer, these changes would make the decision so much easier to start them on Crystal. For older fans, it looks like we’ll have quite a few new surprises to keep us on our toes while still staying faithful to the story we fell in love with. What more do you want from a reboot?
She’s too young for you, bro
So now that Sailor Moon Crystal‘s debut has come and gone, I’m more excited for the future of the series than I’ve ever been. The first episode fired on all cylinders to deliver a fantastic reintroduction of one of the most iconic anime characters of all time, one that has plenty to offer to new and return viewers alike. Some aspects of the series like the expressiveness of the characters and the transformation sequence, (which could do without the 3D/2D hybrid animation and should be a few seconds shorter), might take some time to get used to, but let’s be honest. Did we like everything about the original, or did we just grow to accept some of it? I say give it a few episodes to see if it grows on us, or if it feels like a legitimate downgrade. Still, the worst part about Crystal so far is that we’ll have to wait TWO WEEKS for a new episode. Oh, the torture!
Random thoughts:
– Just TRY to say the new theme song sucks. It’s impossible. I’ve been listening to it nonstop since the premiere!
– Why is Sailor Mercury crying in the opening? Is she upset that she’s still throwing bubbles at monsters?
– I can’t be the only one that finds it ironic that the lyrics state they don’t need a man’s protection, yet Tuxedo Mask rescues them in almost every episode in the original’s first season. Heh.
– Was anyone else surprised when they saw Usagi’s mom’s hair?
– This bothered me in the original series too. So Sailor V is in the newspapers, is the talk of the school and has her own video game, but Usagi’s seriously never heard of her?
– Why does Mamoru wear the exact same outfit in public compared to when he’s Tuxedo Mask? Worst disguise ever.
– But then again, it’s probably not hard to confuse Usagi.
– RIP bun radar and supersonic cry attack. Episode 1-Episode 1.
Final Score: 4.5 / 5
