Sailor Moon Crystal Act 7 Review :: Tuxedo Mask Power, Make UP?
Things are getting hot and heavy in Sailor Moon Crystal episode 7. Secret identities are revealed, nicknames bequeathed, and our fifth senshi joins the group! If you haven’t seen the episode yet, be sure to check it on Crunchyroll… unless you’re the type who prefers to just read reviews; in which case, don’t stop!
We open where the last episode left off, with Usagi in Mamoru’s room. She’s finally put two and two together and realizes that Tuxedo Mask is, in fact, Mamoru Chiba. When asked why he became Tuxedo Mask, Mamoru explains that he lost his memory after a car crash that killed his parents. Since then, he’s had recurring dreams of a girl pleading for the Legendary Silver Crystal. In the hopes of regaining his memory, Mamoru assumed the identity of Tuxedo Mask to find the Crystal.
Unfortunately, Usagi doesn’t have as good of an idea as to why she’s searching for the Legendary Silver Crystal. (For some reason, “Because Luna told me to.” pales in comparison to Mamoru’s tragic tale.) The two engage in another awkward staring contest, before Usagi realizes that Luna is probably looking for her and heads for the door. Before she can exit, however, Mamoru grabs her shoulder, calls her “Usako,” and tells her she’s forgetting her bag. Now for those of you unfamiliar with the world of Sailor Moon, let me hit you with some knowledge. Mamoru’s calling Usagi “Usako” here is pretty ballsy. You see, names and titles are very important in Japan. Typically, upon first meeting someone, its customary to call them by their last name until you’re given permission to call them by their first. And maybe once you know a person extremely well would you call them by a nickname. In this situation, Mamoru’s skipped all pleasantries and started calling her by a nickname. Presumably, as Mamoru has never been one for words, this gesture is meant to communicate to Usagi how much she already means to him.
We then get our first voiced appearance of Sailor V as she receives an update from Luna on the senshi’s progress. In this first encounter, it seems that Sailor Venus is going to be everything I’d hoped she’d be. While Luna argues that Sailor Moon needs more time to train, Sailor V insists that time has run out: the enemy has arrived and they need to kick some ass!
Meanwhile, in the Dark Kingdom, Queen Beryl temporarily revives their “Great Ruler” Queen Metalia. Metalia urges Beryl to find the Legendary Silver Crystal and not let the successors to the Moon Kingdom’s throne awaken. We also discover that Queen Beryl is slightly afraid of Queen Metalia, and plans to keep the Legendary Silver Crystal for herself. Though with this revelation, one does wonder whyBeryl and her four shitennou keep collecting energy to revive Queen Metalia…they could just leave her as a harmless, swirling, dark cloud of energy.
Nevertheless, Queen Beryl tasks Zoisite with finding Sailor Moon, who she believes holds the secret to the Legendary Silver Crystal.
Later, we can assume Zoisite’s plan is underway, when a creepier-than-usual Umino interrupts Usagi & friends’ conversation about Sailor V. He exclaims that Sailor V is old news and all anyone cares about now is Sailor Moon. After a crazed declaration that he’ll be the one to find her first, Umino rushes off.
Luna arrives, and the team continues their conversation about Sailor V. While Luna denies Sailor V having a connection to the Moon Kingdom, Ami insists that Usagi may be able to sense something the others don’t due to her special leader powers. Though the discussion quickly comes to an end as Usagi, in typical form, gets ketchup all over her face after wolfing down some sandwiches. In a frantic search for her handkerchief, Usagi discovers Mamoru’s broken pocket watch. Since Mamoru had kept Usagi’s handkerchief in a previous episode, we have a sweet side moment where the two pine over their stolen mementos of the other.
But now is not the time for romance! It turns out that the new rental shop in town has been brainwashing unsuspecting people into searching for Sailor Moon! After encouragement from the Sailor V game sprite, Usagi heads off to find the enemy while Ami stays behind to more thoroughly research a DVD from the rental place.
After transforming, Sailor Moon quickly returns the people to normal using her new “Moon Healing Escalation” attack. When the people return to their senses, Zoisite also wastes no time in attacking Sailor Moon to demand she reveal the location of the Legendary Silver Crystal. Sailors Mars, Mercury, and Jupiter arrive to help, but are easily blown away by Zoisite.
And here’s where the real drama starts. In the manga, Tuxedo Mask is supposed to be prevented from saving Sailor Moon by a barrier erected by Zoisite. But not in Sailor Moon Crystal ladies and gentlemen, oh no! Just as Sailor Moon begins to pass out from Zoisite’s chokehold, Tuxedo Mask arrives on the scene and punches Zoisite in the face.
Yeah. Way cooler than throwing roses.
A surprised Zoisite jumps back (and who can blame him, there’s not usually punching in shoujo), putting up a barrier to prevent Tuxedo Mask’s next jab. Tiring of his continued frontal assault against the barrier, Zoisite knocks him back with a pulse of energy and seizes the opportunity to grab Sailor Moon again.
Some impassioned speeches follow, where Tuxedo Mask proclaims that obtaining the Legendary Silver Crystal is no longer his wish. Instead, he wishes for Usagi. While the girls at home are going wild, Zoisite decides that he’s had enough of this nonsense. He conjures a giant pointy ice shard, intending to kill Sailor Moon.
All seems lost as Tuxedo Mask seems incapable of attacking Zoisite again, or running to pull Sailor Moon out of harm’s way as he had in the past. But never fear, Sailor Venus is here to save the day! She shatters the ice shard with a beam of light and cuts up Zoisite with a crescent-shaped boomerang.
But what’s with the crescent mark on her forehead? Is Sailor V actually Princess Serenity? Well we’ll have to wait until October 18 to find out, but until then you can repeatedly watch the next week’s preview or check out the new dub of the original Sailor Moon anime over on Hulu! Though of course I have my own thoughts about that…
