Sailor Moon Crystal Act 5 Review :: Jupiter Power, Make UP!

Posted by Jess on September 8, 2014

It’s been a long three weeks, fellow Moonies, but Sailor Moon Crystal episode 5 was well worth the wait! Sailor Jupiter joins the team with some kick-ass attacks and we get a hint of a richer background history. Plus, the animation quality has stepped back up AND we’ve got plenty of theme music to set the scene. If you haven’t seen the episode yet – hurry and check it out!

The episode opens with a tired Usagi making her way to school. In the midst of teasing Luna, Usagi steps into the crosswalk against the light and is almost hit by an oncoming vehicle. Fortunately, she’s pushed out of harm’s way by an altruistic brown-haired girl. (Side note: Let me just say how happy I am that Mako-chan’s hair accessory is green instead of aqua. I always wondered why they chose not to match it with her costume in the original anime and it always bugged me…)

After the opening credits, we find the Dark Kingdom is up to more shenanigans – this time with a plan to steal energy from humans using their greatest weakness: “love.” Nephrite is particularly eager to prove himself after his failure during their last operation. Though this does make me wonder – if Nephrite is trying to prove himself, what is Jadeite doing? He also failed multiple times, so why is he not trying to win favor? Maybe the Dark Kingdom got smart and is defying all cartoon logic by attacking countries where the sailor senshi don’t live.

Back at school, Umino continues to fulfill his role of “weird news know-it-all” and tells Usagi and her friends that men who visit a specific bridal shop end up disappearing. Nearby, Usagi’s savior from earlier is scolded by a teacher for not wearing the proper uniform (which is apparently too small for her). This prompts Encyclopedia Umino to divulge what he knows: she’s a new transfer student in class 6 who apparently has super-human strength and got kicked out of her last school for fighting.

At lunchtime, Mako/ Jupiter eats alone outside, unable to stand the gossip from the other students. Usagi catches sight of her cute lunch box and sneaks over to get a closer look at what’s inside. While ogling its contents, Usagi is almost hit in the face with a fly baseball only to be saved at the last minute by her new ponytailed protector. Usagi, not one to be denied yummy food, proceeds to pester her new pal until Makoto offers her some.

The two new friends hit it off, and the establishment of Usagi and Makoto’s friendship seems the most natural out of the three. Perhaps it’s because both Ami and Rei tried to brush Usagi off, but it seemed very fitting to have Mako-chan tag along with Usagi throughout the afternoon. Even her exit is smooth as she excuses herself while Usagi, Rei, and Ami discuss the threat of the “Ghost Bride” who steals fiancés at the bridal shop.

As it turns out, the ghost bride is a mannequin from the bridal shop that comes to life and hypnotizes unsuspecting men. Motoki-oniisan falls under the spell of one of the mannequins as he closes up the arcade, and subsequently goes after Mako-chan. He tells her he loves her and Mako-chan, who is reminded of an unrequited love, goes weak in the knees as the mannequin steals both of their energy. Mamoru Chiba notices the exchange, and since he can’t really do anything on his own, decides to find someone who can.

Through an impressive bit of stalking, Tuxedo Mask has determined where Usagi lives. He appears in her window and with only the slightest hesitation (which is really just her wondering if she’s dreaming – not whether or not this masked crusader is stalking her), she takes his hand and the two run off into the night. Luna see this, gets concerned, and calls for Ami & Rei’s help.

Tuxedo Mask leads Usagi to Motoki-oniisan, Mako-chan, and the Demon Bride. Unlike in the manga, Usagi’s didn’t use the pen to transform into a groom, only to transform into Sailor Moon a panel later. At first I was glad, because that sequence always seemed pointless to me. BUT when I thought about it a bit more, it could have been a clever move on Usagi’s part. Transforming into someone else before the enemy spots you and THEN transforming into Sailor Moon could serve to keep the enemy from putting two-and-two together that the girl who wears her hair in odangos is actually Sailor Moon. But I’m probably reading too much into things.

However, we do see a lovely bit of character development from Usagi. Rather than being urged to fight by Luna or her fellow senshi, Usagi leads the charge in identifying the Youma and transforming to save her friends.

The battle begins, and Nephrite appears to taunt the senshi for being fooled by appearances and not realizing he was controlling the mannequins. Mako-chan is then plunged into despair when she realizes that Motoki’s words were false and he did not, in fact, love her after only meeting her a few hours ago.

Now I’m going to stop here for a moment, because I think this was a very important part of the episode. The first time I watched this episode I got a little eye-rolly and felt that the writers could do better by Mako-chan. But on second watch I realized something: these feelings are incredibly true to the feelings of most 14-year-old girls. Fourteen is one of the worst ages; girls are incredibly self-conscious and easily broken-hearted. We’ve all had feelings of wanting to shut ourselves away when the boys we like don’t like us. And it’s only when reminded of true friendship (like Usagi does for Mako) that we’re able to grow, mature, and finally grow out of those early teen years.

And that’s what makes this show so magical: the girls may be superheroines, but they’re also normal girls trying to navigate normal lives.

But back to the action! Mako-chan decides to fight against the Youma, flipping it over her shoulder to escape it’s grasp. The only help she needs to awaken as Sailor Jupiter is for Luna to throw her the transformation pen.

After transforming, Sailor Jupiter doesn’t miss a beat. There’s no pausing in awe of what’s just transpired; there’s an enemy to attack and no time to waste! She launches her Flower Hurricane attack, which creates a gust of wind and hurls razor-sharp rose petals at the enemy and holds them in place. Immediately following, she calls down a lightning storm to hurl at the Youma and turns it to dust. Freakin’ badass.

Though just like Jadeite, Nephrite does not meet his end as he was meant to in the manga. But instead, we see a brief inner commentary where Nephrite recognizes the look in Jupiter’s eyes. Does this hint that we’ll get to see a richer backstory for the senshi and shitennou? Kami-sama, I hope so!

Next time on Sailor Moon Crystal, Tuxedo Mask hatches a plan to find the Legendary Silver Crystal. But is he friend, enemy, or frenemy? Thankfully we’re back to our standard two week schedule this time, so until then, check out the trailer for episode 6 below!

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About Jess

She's is just your average cat-herding, world-traveling, tech-loving otaku. She'll brazenly defend her love of Harry Potter and Sailor Moon to any who challenge it, and can usually be found under a stack of unread books and graphic novels.