Sailor Moon R episode 78 review

This Sailor Moon episode is set in the year 2020. Everyone’s wearing masks, and there’s the hope of a vaccine on the way that’s going to make everything right. Two people are immune to the virus, though, those being Minako and of course Chibi-Usa. Apparently those two have been playing sports nonstop, because it is impossible to catch the virus on the field, but the instant you take the bench you have to put your mask on and stay six feet from everybody. (Only the part about Minako and Chibi-Usa playing sports did I make up.)

Most of the episode is a humor episode with Minako trying to play nurse to everyone. Esmeraude, who gave everyone the virus, now has a vaccine to give Chibi-Usa that way she can catch it too. I wish I was making this up. Eventually, Chibi-Usa awakens as the Rabbit, while Sailor Venus gets pinned to the wall. But Sailor Moon suddenly gets healed just in time for the 2022 midterm elections, I mean, just in time to deal the finishing blow to the Monster of the Week.

If this episode didn’t scare the living daylights out of me as to what is probably coming in the near future, in a year that just so happens to be an election year, it would have been an all-time classic for how funny it was. Even so, I guess I can sit back and laugh, as I get locked down in my house for two weeks to flatten the curve, which turns into two months, which turns into two years.

Best Sailor Guardian of the episode: Venus (4)

Episode rating: 8/10

Sailor Moon R episode 77 review

“I’ll stand my ground, and I won’t back down.” Mamoru refuses to go back into a relationship with “Usako,” which is what he calls Usagi. He has a pet name for someone who he refuses to get together with. Meanwhile, Usagi tries to make friendship bracelets that will somehow connect the two of them back together. Again, as I say often in these reviews, I am not making this up.

Eventually, we get wash, rinse, repeat of a monster battle, brought on by Esmeraude. But after the Sailor Guardians win, Rei of all people is the one to prod Usagi into chasing after Mamoru and telling him her feelings. What happens? Well, the pic above should tip you off. Actually, I think I accidentally stopped the episode before I saw the whole reconciliation. But it’s not like I or everyone else in the world didn’t know that the two get together.

A jumbled episode, but still not that bad.

Sailor Guardian of the episode: Mars (11)

Episode rating: 7/10

Sailor Moon R episode 76 review

Esmeraude has quite the laugh, doesn’t she? If there’s one reason to watch this arc, it’s to hear her laugh. And laugh she does, quite a bit. There’s got to be a TV Trope for it. But even if there isn’t, she’s one of the best laughers in anime history.

As for this episode, it is no laughing matter (you saw that coming a mile away). All the girls get turned into pastries except for Sailor Mercury, who manages to save them, including Sailor Moon, which is why I don’t get to used my trademark phrase today. Tuxedo Mask also shows up and does… something. Now they’re all united in defeating Esmeraude.

If I didn’t know the relationship between Mamoru and Chibi-Usa from the future, then I’d be really grossed out over the fact that Mamoru dumped Usagi for Chibi-Usa. It really is disturbing. Fortunately, we know that there’s nothing creepy actually going on, but it isn’t a good look, that’s for sure.

Sailor Guardian of the episode: Mercury (4)

Episode rating: 7/10

Sailor Moon R episode 75 review

Before I go to Carolina in my mind, there’s a new Sailor Guardian in tow: Sailor Pluto. She isn’t there in the flesh, but she appears on a little crystal ball thing to tell everyone that they’ve got to go forward in time to save Chibi-Usa. And this is the part I just realized that Chibi-Usa is going to take over everything and anything, and the entire show revolves around her, even more so than the main character. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have realized this about 20 episodes ago. But yes, Chibi-Usa is now the focal point of just about everything.

Also, look at how useless the Sailor Failures™ have become. When they attack, it’s all of them attacking at the same time, meaning they’re basically just one person with four bodies. As much as the characters have been developed, there’s now nothing to them except being there to get beaten up on so that the battle can move over to Sailor Moon’s court. I know this series gets better in S, but right now R is really struggling.

Sailor Guardian of the episode: Pluto (1)

Episode rating: 4/10