Sailor Moon Crystal

Episode 9

Sailor Moon is the Moon Princess. Last week ended with Tuxedo Mask throwing himself in the way of Kunzite's killer blow in order to save Usagi. Now as he lays dying, cradled in Usagi's arms, she remembers her previous life as Princess Serenity of the Moon Kingdom, her fairytale romance with Mamoru's past self Prince Endymion, and her kingdom's violent downfall. Her sorrow summons the Silver Crystal, which enters Mamoru, giving him life anew. However, the Dark Kingdom manages to make off with his unconscious body, leaving the senshi in an apparently hopeless situation. Finally aware of their previous lives on the Moon, they decide to return there to come to grips with their past identities and uncover a way to stop the Dark Kingdom at the cusp of victory.

First of all, I'm confused - why doesn't this episode look terrible? I mean, that's a low bar, and it still has some of the problems that have plagued Sailor Moon Crystal as a whole. The faces are pretty much impossible to make work from certain angles and Usagi's hair will always look like she has latex streamers taped to her head, but otherwise this episode's visuals demonstrate actual strength. There's animation in the Kunzite fight. Beyond that, still shots are well composed and the colors pop. At times they even manage to convey a mood. However, the episode's strongest point was definitively Usagi's expressions, which succeed at conveying how traumatized she is by regaining her old identity. They can even shift within a shot using fluid animation. I don't know how to deal with this. I thought that there were stable things in life. The sun comes up in the morning, people die when they are killed, Sailor Moon Crystal gets criticized for how it looks. It's a brave new world, where up is down, bad anime is good, and I'm not sure I'm ready for it.

Narratively, this was also the episode where Sailor Moon Crystal laid down all its cards. "I will never be a tragic princess ever again," Usagi says at the end, with determination in her eyes as she gazes on the Moon where the team will soon be returning to to confront her identities. She's played the damsel in both this life and the last, and having gained nothing from it, she's not going to take it any more. It's a really excellent, cathartic moment that almost pays off Mamoru's faffing about that we've endured for the past few episodes. This is the strongest Usagi we've seen yet, and it's largely because of the weaknesses she's allowed to express and how they're dealt with. Having suddenly become aware of her violent past, she feels shock, sorrow, and fear, but is never whiny. She's grown as a character! Usagi, who cries at the slightest inconvenience, is subject to a major tragedy and faces it with her head held high. This is the heroic core of Usagi's character - that she seems weak, but when it really matters she's stronger than anyone. It's also nice that she overcomes this through the kindness of her friends, who come to comfort her when she experiences night terrors. Good job remembering why young girls feel empowered by this franchise, Sailor Moon Crystal.

This episode is an anomaly. It's completely incongruous with the level of quality that I've come to expect from Sailor Moon Crystal up to this point, and difficult to evaluate because of that. It's not worth suffering through the first eight episodes of the series for this one, but if you've committed to the long haul, it's a wonderful surprise. Best case scenario, this episode could signal a permanent rise in quality, and has at least proven that salvation is possible. Onwards to redemption!

Grade: B+

Sailor Moon Crystal is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Gabriella Ekens studies film and literature at a US university. Follow her on twitter.