Anime: Emotions on a Rollercoaster

[Bartimaeus]

Good point - even though we're dealing with Nehellenia again, it does feel more like an attempt of a continuation of S otherwise instead.

Episode 3:

Spoiler

"Yeah, they were talking about that on TV this morning."
Wait, you were late for school - how did you have enough time to see that on TV this morning, Minako?
"Minako, instead of watching TV in the morning, you should just leave for school early."
*silence*
Oh, okay, so Minako being late isn't because she's constantly sleeping in like Usagi, it's because she's a bum. My girl!

Usagi with the problem-solving skills...and actually trying to do something about what she's learned! Although she loses points for hiding information from the others for dramatic reasons, tsk tsk. Actually, wait - she earned them back because right after visiting Mamoru, she then went to talk to them about it! Well done, Usagi - you've got your brain back from S!

lmao, I see Mamoru has gone full Homer-with-no-beer. ...And he's putting his face right in Queen Nehellenia's bosom. Yikes!

You know what's odd? Even though this is silly dramatic story stuff and feels like the wrong way to open a season, it still feels so much better written and edited and more digestible than the story stuff of SuperS still, so it's fine by me. Even Nehellenia seems better written than she did in SuperS!

>I know there are some people who take this as a reason to think that Haruka and Michiru have a butch/femme relationship with heteronormative undertones"

I think S pretty clearly sealed any possibility of that away, .

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[InsaneCommander]

Episode 194:
 

Spoiler

 

And… when everyone started getting along well, Haruka and Michiru appear.

 

Why are the enemy Sailors so obsessed with satisfying Galaxia? Is it a BDSM thing?

 

The girls following Usagi everywhere was funny. Minako spotted Nyanko twice without noticing. Why did they leave Usagi alone?

 

 

Episode 195:

Spoiler

 

Rei asking Chibi Chibi to turn off the radio, but then completely forgetting her important discussion with Usagi because of the Three Lights.

 

So the enemy Sailors are decent people being controlled by Galaxia. Yet they died one after another, unlike the three guys from Sailor S. Brilliant. And if they are under control, why kill them? Even if they keep failing, they can serve as cannon fodder.

 

Did everyone watching the show see the Star Lights’ transformation and the battle?

 

 

[Bartimaeus]

"You think we'll judge him? Remember, if there's anyone who knows about being different, it's us!"
*literally 30 seconds later*
"DONKEY FACE" "HORSE FACE" "ALBINO RHINO" "YETI BOY"

Edited March 31, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

8 hours ago, InsaneCommander said:

Episode 194:
 

  Hide contents

 

And… when everyone started getting along well, Haruka and Michiru appear.

 

Why are the enemy Sailors so obsessed with satisfying Galaxia? Is it a BDSM thing?

 

The girls following Usagi everywhere was funny. Minako spotted Nyanko twice without noticing. Why did they leave Usagi alone?

 

 

 

You're not supposed to know this yet, but it's like one episode off:

Spoiler

The enemy Guardians have no Star Seeds because Galaxia removed them. So... they essentially end up disappearing when she removes their bracelets. Hence the pleasing and all that.

I guess because Usagi stormed off off-screen. She didn't like being followed all the time and was really hurt that they all seemed to think she's a child that can't take care of herself. She sure was last season. Heh.

 

8 hours ago, InsaneCommander said:

Episode 195:

  Hide contents

 

Rei asking Chibi Chibi to turn off the radio, but then completely forgetting her important discussion with Usagi because of the Three Lights.

 

So the enemy Sailors are decent people being controlled by Galaxia. Yet they died one after another, unlike the three guys from Sailor S. Brilliant. And if they are under control, why kill them? Even if they keep failing, they can serve as cannon fodder.

 

Did everyone watching the show see the Star Lights’ transformation and the battle?

 

Spoiler

 

Rei and Usagi stop their talk because the Three Lights are leaving, and that means they're leaving Earth too. Plus they could as well have continued it off-screen, the important things have been said already anyway.

Also, welcome to the endgame. It's no longer of any consequence who saw what. You'll see.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

9 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Good point - even though we're dealing with Nehellenia again, it does feel more like an attempt of a continuation of S otherwise instead.

Episode 3:

  Reveal hidden contents

"Yeah, they were talking about that on TV this morning."
Wait, you were late for school - how did you have enough time to see that on TV this morning, Minako?
"Minako, instead of watching TV in the morning, you should just leave for school early."
*silence*
Oh, okay, so Minako being late isn't because she's constantly sleeping in like Usagi, it's because she's a bum. My girl!

Usagi with the problem-solving skills...and actually trying to do something about what she's learned! Although she loses points for hiding information from the others for dramatic reasons, tsk tsk. Actually, wait - she earned them back because right after visiting Mamoru, she then went to talk to them about it! Well done, Usagi - you've got your brain back from S!

lmao, I see Mamoru has gone full Homer-with-no-beer. ...And he's putting his face right in Queen Nehellenia's bosom. Yikes!

You know what's odd? Even though this is silly dramatic story stuff and feels like the wrong way to open a season, it still feels so much better written and edited and more digestible than the story stuff of SuperS still, so it's fine by me. Even Nehellenia seems better written than she did in SuperS!

>I know there are some people who take this as a reason to think that Haruka and Michiru have a butch/femme relationship with heteronormative undertones"

I think S pretty clearly sealed any possibility of that away, .

 

 

Spoiler

 

Indeed. Right from the start, Sailor Stars felt better than SuperS. It's such a strange feeling and for me was hard to put into words, but I remember when the season started I posted about the episode, about what the girls are talking about, how it went and eventually settled on: "This feels like coming home after having been away a longer time."

It's not any one thing, just the sum of everything.

And now you see how bad SuperS really was, when the filler arc has you liking it like that.

 

 

[majestic]

SU Shirt Club / Loveletters / Reformed
 

Spoiler

 

I'm guessing Reformed is the really interesting one out of the bunch. Lovletters confirmed that Garnet sees her long term fusion as a relationship, so there's that. Shirt Club... uhm. Yeah. Not sure. It was a nice episode, but besides Lars, the Hipster gang is probably the least interesting group of characters. Even if them sticking up for Steven in Joy Ride was great to see.

Anyway, I'm guessing the gems will keep getting new outfits and/or upgrades? Garnet looks different after being forcibly broken, now Amethyst changed. Huh, will Pearl change too? I'm not sure that would fit her character. I mean, except that ribbon after the stabbing bit. Not really counting the pilot here because pilot. Uhm. Hmm.

 

edit:

Sworn to the Sword
 

Spoiler

 

Well, what do you know. At the end when Connie asked Pearl if Rose made her feel like nothing I paused, shook my head and said: "No Connie, you don't understand at all." and hey, next thing Pearl says is "Rose made me feel like everything." Ah, Pearl.

Still not entirely sure that this devotion won't take a turn for the worse and has Pearl do something... not so great when it comes to Steven at some point.

Oh, and clearly the best training montage since Rocky IV.

 

 

Edited March 31, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

Horribly busy day, didn't have time to read your post until just now.

Spoiler

Shirt Club is not...bad, nothing about it really feels wrong, but it's certainly one of the least interesting episodes in the entire show, at least IMO. The problem with episodes like these is that they're predicated on character development of characters SIGNIFICANTLY LESS INTERESTING than the Crystal Gems...or Greg or Connie, or hell, even Sadie OR EVEN LARS, so it feels like a bit of a miss. It is one of the quintessential "townie" episodes that were not as beloved as the rest of the series to the fanbase, .

Since you've now watched Sword to the Sword, that means you can watch the full intro! There is only...I think, one thing that should be explicitly new to you, but you're pretty much at right about when this originally aired (I looked up dates to make sure), so it's more or less intended by Rebecca Sugar, I think: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ic0ppg0h34nsyx/bVa9hMnmuW.mp4?dl=0

7 hours ago, majestic said:

Oh, and clearly the best training montage since Rocky IV.

It was a really good training montage, especially with the episode ending as it did.

Speaking of Pearl... Ballerina Pearl, you died way too soon - RIP, .

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

Horribly busy day, didn't have time to read your post until just now.

  Hide contents

Shirt Club is not...bad, nothing about it really feels wrong, but it's certainly one of the least interesting episodes in the entire show, at least IMO. The problem with episodes like these is that they're predicated on character development of characters SIGNIFICANTLY LESS INTERESTING than the Crystal Gems...or Greg or Connie, or hell, even Sadie OR EVEN LARS, so it feels like a bit of a miss. It is one of the quintessential "townie" episodes that were not as beloved as the rest of the series to the fanbase, .

Since you've now watched Sword to the Sword, that means you can watch the full intro! There is only...I think, one thing that should be explicitly new to you, but you're pretty much at right about when this originally aired (I looked up dates to make sure), so it's more or less intended by Rebecca Sugar, I think: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4ic0ppg0h34nsyx/bVa9hMnmuW.mp4?dl=0

It was a really good training montage, especially with the episode ending as it did.

Speaking of Pearl... Ballerina Pearl, you died way too soon - RIP, .

 

 

Spoiler

 

Makes sense for that part to be sung by Greg as a stand in for humans.

If by one new thing you meant the bigger evil (?) gem that stood between Jasper and Peridot then yes, that one was new, but that's okay. As long as she's not called DEATH PHANTOM.

Shirt Club wasn't a bad episode by any means. To borrow the term, the townie episodes do feel a bit like the epsiodes in Sailor Moon SuperS that almost exclusively focus ond Chibi-Usa and her friends. With less Peodsus, just... who cares about Momo and Ky... Kyuyuuyuy, Kyuusu... whatever the name of green spiky hair was. Buck also has the issue of being totally admired by Lars, and Lars didn't endear himself to me with his treatment of Sadie.

The last thing isn't Buck's fault of course. Buck could also be an interesting character as an examination of how it is to have a public authority figure like that as a father, but that would require the show to be really different, and more focus. At least I got a good chuckle out of the ending when Steven flips the tables and makes everyone else wear Buck's drawing "ironically".

 

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

Steven Universe, about flashbacks:
 

Spoiler

 

Pearl is jealous and fuses with Rose in front of younger Greg, then tells him he's just a "phase" like... huh, what, Ramona had a "sexy phase" in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World? Wow, that's pretty... petty. She's not wrong of course, if one party is an immortal sentient crystal and the other party is human, you could call that a phase because let's face it, that's just what it will be, eventually (well, not in this case).

But that's not the confusing part, it's just more confirmation that Pearl really loves in Rose (in an almost creepy, obsessive way it seems). The animation was really good in the scene, because it was immediately obvious that Pearl is up to something that's not entirely good.

Not entirely sure yet what the timeframe of these flashbacks are. It looks like it happened years and years ago, but Steven isn't that old. Amethyst looks noticably younger, but that's based off appearances that can change on a whim, so, doesn't count. But Pearl's still wearing the same outfit with some color variations. Heh.

 

 

[InsaneCommander]

Episodes 196-200:

Spoiler

 

Why aren’t they all going in together? Even the Star Lights, who want to avenge their princess, should see that they would have a better chance together. Didn’t they see Sailor Moon’s attack destroy one of Batwoman’s bracelets? Why not try that against Galaxia? She waited until everyone was dead, missing multiple opportunities, like when Haruka and Michiru (obviously) turned on the enemy.

 

The three lights tried attacking together much later. And again Sailor Moon didn’t take the chance.

 

Galaxia was dumb too. When they teleported in front of her they immediately turned their backs to her and she just stood sat there doing nothing.

 

And of course the BDSM boss has a whip.

 

Why does Chibi Chibi wear high heels???

 

Why was Usagi naked?

 

And more important, how did she hit Galaxia if she was standing still? Did Galaxia unconsciously want to be hurt?

 

I guess Chibi Chibi was the true hero here, since Usagi didn’t do that much.

 

 

I enjoyed this season very much. I guess that is no surprise after Super S.
 

Spoiler

 

It had some really funny episodes and no childish tantrums involving Usagi, Chibiusa and Mamoru. No Mamoru also meant Usagi had some interactions with Seiya that look like how she first did with Mamoru. That is much better than the tantrums.

The ending was strange, since basically everyone died, usually doing nothing before that (Hotaru for example, why not use her superpower?. Then Usagi uses her special attack after missing every good opportunity she had had before. And of course Galaxia interrupts it. Still better than a random villain out of nowhere like in some previous seasons.

Not the best season, but still very entertaining.

 

 

[majestic]

1 hour ago, InsaneCommander said:

Episodes 196-200:

  Hide contents

 

Why aren’t they all going in together? Even the Star Lights, who want to avenge their princess, should see that they would have a better chance together. Didn’t they see Sailor Moon’s attack destroy one of Batwoman’s bracelets? Why not try that against Galaxia? She waited until everyone was dead, missing multiple opportunities, like when Haruka and Michiru (obviously) turned on the enemy.

 

The three lights tried attacking together much later. And again Sailor Moon didn’t take the chance.

 

Galaxia was dumb too. When they teleported in front of her they immediately turned their backs to her and she just stood sat there doing nothing.

 

And of course the BDSM boss has a whip.

 

Why does Chibi Chibi wear high heels???

 

Why was Usagi naked?

 

And more important, how did she hit Galaxia if she was standing still? Did Galaxia unconsciously want to be hurt?

 

I guess Chibi Chibi was the true hero here, since Usagi didn’t do that much.

 

 

I enjoyed this season very much. I guess that is no surprise after Super S.
 

  Hide contents

 

It had some really funny episodes and no childish tantrums involving Usagi, Chibiusa and Mamoru. No Mamoru also meant Usagi had some interactions with Seiya that look like how she first did with Mamoru. That is much better than the tantrums.

The ending was strange, since basically everyone died, usually doing nothing before that (Hotaru for example, why not use her superpower?. Then Usagi uses her special attack after missing every good opportunity she had had before. And of course Galaxia interrupts it. Still better than a random villain out of nowhere like in some previous seasons.

Not the best season, but still very entertaining.

 

 

 

I'll... try to be brief! There's another long ass post (and second one, yep) about this season in this thread anyway. You might want to check it out now that's you've seen the full show.
 

Spoiler

 

They're not working together because that is the theme of the entire season. People trying to do something on their own, without accepting help, or in some cases even seeking help. We have:

• Usagi who doesn't tell her friends that Mamoru hasn't replied to her letters or called at all. She does that for selfless reasons (not because of a false sense of pride like the others), but learns her lesson before the end and she talks to Rei about it. She's the only one who learns that lesson in time for it to make a difference, plus she's been an advocate for working together for the entire run of the show, but especially in Sailor Moon S and Sailor Moon Sailor Stars.
• The Outer Senshi, more specifically Haruka, who want to defeat Galaxia on their own, with "their methods" as they say, that differ from Sailor Moon's. They do learn their lesson, albeit only after they pay the ultimate price. First Hotaru and Sestuna are sacrificed (willingly, one might add here) for a shot at Galaxia, only for it to fail spectacularily. Brutal death scene ensues. This is one of the worst in the show for its utter futility. It was all for nothing. The other deaths, even if all of them ultimately got reversed, meant something. Well, and Haruka and Michiru lying next to each other, dying, saying "I want to touch you" was quite frankly heartrending.
• The Sailor Starlights, who just want to find their princess and leave Earth, who right from the start have an antagonistic relationship with the Outer Senshi that borders on xenophobia. They learn their lesson when both their princess and the Inner Senshi sacrifice themselves for their sake, but at that point it already is almost too late.
• Galaxia, who thought she needed to defeat Chaos on her own, and failing to do so didn't ask for help from anyone else, but tried some final sacrifice by containing Chaos within herself.

This isn't without flaws. One would think that the Outers learned their lessons in S. Specifically in the episode that wasn't in the source material where they bowed to Princess Serenity, accepting her authority and her way to doing things. That's the single most glaring issue of the season. It's okay for them to be mistrustful of the Sailor Starlights at first, they're just here to complete a mission. The conflict intensifies after Seiya alomst dies saving Sailor Moon, because Yaten and Taiki think that Seiya risks their mission for Usagi, but at this point it would have been better for the Outer Senshi to attempt to make peace with the Starlights. It would have been okay for the Starlights to refuse them anyway, but okay. It is what it is.

The things that happen at the end I talk about in the linked post (also about the working alone part, but anyway).

Why Usagi is naked is related to Japanese culture. Non-sexual nudity is related to purity. It's why the Guardians are all naked during their transformations. While them awakening as Guardians is very sexually connotated insofar as it stands for the onset of puberty for the Inner Senshi and for coming out and accepting themselves for Haruka and Michiru (as seen in their well intentioned but not quite ideal backstory episode in S), the nudity in the transformation scenes is spiritual. A cleansing ritual before turning into Soldiers for Love and Justice.

In the end Usagi is a combination of spiritual purity and Christian imagery, an angel, the messiah, free from sin or evil, while Chaos Galaxia doesn't look like a demon on accident. Usagi refusing to fight is also very much messianic in a Christian sense. When she apologizes to Chibi Chibi after her sword form is destroyed she doesn't apologize for failing, but for not being able or wanting to fight. She rejects "pride" and fighting for no reason.

I liked that scene very much. Usagi is handed a Deus ex Machina sword and would only need to use it, but uses it only to defend herself and even then stops when she accidentially hurts Galaxia with it.

 

 

The more I think about the ending, the more I like it in spite of all its flaws. It's great in what it was trying to show, but the contrivances to get everyone there (especially concerning the Outer Senshi) bring it down.

Edited April 1, 2021 by majestic

[InsaneCommander]

Spoiler

 

Maybe they should be guardians of Love, Justice and Friendship. Despite my criticism, I understand that Usagi is the main character so it wouldn't be the same if everyone acted like her. In that aspect, yes, the ending is great. The others seem to have finally learned to trust her and will probably behave differently in the future.

I will read your long posts later. So sorry if you explain it there, but what happened to Chibi Chibi? Was she turned back into Galaxia's starseed?

 

 

It's time to read the new Stormlight Archive books, so I'll slow down on watching anime. But I still have my list, with Legend of Galactic Hero and Jojo. I'll start with some with less episodes though. Next is season 2 of One Punch Man.

[majestic]

2 minutes ago, InsaneCommander said:

  Hide contents

 

Maybe they should be guardians of Love, Justice and Friendship. Despite my criticism, I understand that Usagi is the main character so it wouldn't be the same if everyone acted like her. In that aspect, yes, the ending is great. The others seem to have finally learned to trust her and will probably behave differently in the future.

I will read your long posts later. So sorry if you explain it there, but what happened to Chibi Chibi? Was she turned back into Galaxia's starseed?

 

 

It's time to read the new Stormlight Archive books, so I'll slow down on watching anime. But I still have my list, with Legend of Galactic Hero and Jojo. I'll start with some with less episodes though. Next is season 2 of One Punch Man.

 

Spoiler

Chibi-Chibi appears with Mamoru and then leaves. I guess she'll rejoin Galaxia. That's one open issue, because Galaxia leaves without her Star Seed. That's a bit strange, given how everyone without one dies.

 

You could add Puella Magi Madoka Magica to the list. It's only a handful of espisodes, and I liked it.

[Bartimaeus]

6 hours ago, majestic said:

Steven Universe, about flashbacks:
 

  Hide contents

 

Pearl is jealous and fuses with Rose in front of younger Greg, then tells him he's just a "phase" like... huh, what, Ramona had a "sexy phase" in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World? Wow, that's pretty... petty. She's not wrong of course, if one party is an immortal sentient crystal and the other party is human, you could call that a phase because let's face it, that's just what it will be, eventually (well, not in this case).

But that's not the confusing part, it's just more confirmation that Pearl really loves in Rose (in an almost creepy, obsessive way it seems). The animation was really good in the scene, because it was immediately obvious that Pearl is up to something that's not entirely good.

Not entirely sure yet what the timeframe of these flashbacks are. It looks like it happened years and years ago, but Steven isn't that old. Amethyst looks noticably younger, but that's based off appearances that can change on a whim, so, doesn't count. But Pearl's still wearing the same outfit with some color variations. Heh.

 

 

Unfortunately, I can't address any of your musings. Well, I mean, I can...but, you know, I can't. I am very interested to see how you...react to an episode that's coming up very soon.

[majestic]

25 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Unfortunately, I can't address any of your musings. Well, I mean, I can...but, you know, I can't. I am very interested to see how you...react to an episode that's coming up very soon.

 

Spoiler

 

I'm going to assume you mean the one where Steven and Jamie do a play, right? That one was fun, and Jamie is a much better character to focus on than Onion, or her mother, who for some reason is Amethyst's friend. Oh, and yeah, could have figured out sooner that he's the little brother of Sour Cream, what with the names and the looks and all.

Good thing Pearl changed the script, huh?

Spoiler

 

You thought I would talk about Sardoynx?

Spoiler

 

That joke has worn thin enough. I was afraid Pearl was going to do something totally... not so great with all the setup so far about how much she adored/loved/worshipped Rose and how's she doesn't seem to be all that well adjusted without her. To be honest I thought she'd do something with Steven, like fuse with him and not let go (kind of like Lapis Lazuli does with Jasper earlier in the season), or try to make Rose appear somehow, after the episode where she dreamt of Rose with Greg's face.

Didn't expect her to trick Garnet into fusing with her. And Garnet didn't see that coming? Or did she, and just played along because that's the only way things will turn out all right? But it does make perfect sense for her to do that, wanting to feel like Ruby and Saphire do, something she never really had for herself.

I'm already past the point where they talked it out in Friend Ship (need to sleep now after typing this), I just kept watching to see when they're going to resolve their problems with each other. That seems to have done the trick, although there might still be some leftover issues. But that episode opened up a whole different can of worms, how come Peridot can lose a foot and they keep it? Do the new (is Peridot even new?) Homeworld Gems have actual bodies?

Could Garnet lose a foot like that too? Because if Peridot was like the other gems, then she could have shapeshifted out of Steven's grasp instead of blasting her foot off. Eh.

...and now for the big one. How do I feel about Pearl tricking Garnet into fusing with her? That is a tough one. I feel for Pearl, I really do. She's lonely and lost without the light that guided her way ("I am nothing"  and "She made me feel like everything"), tries her best to be sensible and to help Steven, but he's this constant reminder of what she's lost, and Greg is around too a lot of the time.

On the other hand, if gem fusion really is supposed to be what it looks like, or better, what it is for Ruby and Saphire (and Garnet's reaction to the fused gem shards just reinforces this), then, that was really, really awful of her.

So, not sure how I feel about that yet. I'll sleep on it.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bartimaeus]

Spoiler

No, no I did not mean the silly play (although at least that episode was better than the Onion episode).

Speculation, because this isn't something that the show ever concretely explains: Garnet's* Futurevision is not really used for long-term projections, I think. Intuitively, that makes sense - the farther out you're trying to see the future, the more and more possibilities and branching paths there are going to be, and so the more difficult it is to be able to make sense or use of what you see. So I always thought she mainly uses it for short-term analysis - more in the realm of between what's going to happen in the next few seconds (if she's in the middle of combat) or maybe the next hour (if she's just sitting around ruminating through possibilities). Conveniently (for the story anyways), it also seems like she has trouble predicting possibilities involving other people acting very out of character, or at least what Garnet would think would be out of character for them. Like when Pearl was acting very strange while pursuing Peridot, it seemed like Pearl's decisions were making it so that Garnet couldn't even property react or formulate any kind of course of action, because her expectations were being constantly upset and thereby invalidating the plans she had for a different future that no longer happened. This is probably because Garnet is likely only looking at the possibilities where Pearl is acting like her normal cautious self as Garnet expects, not this particular anxiety and dread-filled unbalanced version of Pearl. Garnet is wise and her Futurevision is useful, but she still has her blind spots - good thing too, her being all-knowing about everything on top of being very strong would be a little boring, .

Additionally, I always thought that her Futurevision as being limited to her own perspective - in other words, her Futurevision is not just unlimited range clairvoyance where she can see or understand things outside of what she could personally conceivably perceive. When Steven is temporarily given Futurevision (such as in Winter Forecast), all the possibilities he sees are through his own eyes - I assume it's the same for Garnet. Like, she can't see what's currently happening (or what's going to happen) on a random spot on Mars as much as she'd like to unless she can see a possible future where she actually is able to physically get there and look around.

*Interestingly, Sapphire's Futurevision functions a little differently from Garnet's - sort of, I think. I don't think there's actually a technical difference, it's just that Sapphire is such a being of consistent, cold logic that her Futurevisions, which, again, necessarily revolve around herself, are much more likely to be, well, exactly one possibility, since she's overwhelmingly likely to always take the same course of action, allowing her to see further and with greater clarity into the future. However, same as Garnet, her Futurevision gets a lot more muddy and can be subverted when her future is being affected by others who are not as consistent or resolute in their actions as she is.

As for Pearl...I'll let you figure that one out. The whole 'uncomfortable home' environment she managed to create (where people feel like they can't even speak outside of hushed tones!) was a little too real for me, . The switcheroo in Cry for Help was something to behold for the first time - I remember thinking that they're playing Amethyst's sad plea just a little too much on the nose, and then BLAMMO, Pearl goes ahead and does that to throw everything for a loop.

Did you enjoy seeing waterfall-eyes-and-mouth Lapis Lazuli?

(e): Oh yeah, as for Peridot's foot and shapeshifting...unfortunately, I can't say anything about that either! Why does almost everything interesting in this silly show have at least some character or plot relevancy? Although...what I guess I can say is that no, someone like Garnet, Pearl, or Amethyst could not lose a foot like Peridot did. The good news? Unlike some other things I haven't been able to talk about, it won't be *that* long until you find out why!

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Episode 1 of Sailor Stars

Spoiler

So first things first, the intro change. Song is obviously different, but the into itself feels more silly and a break from previous intros which went for more of a serious vibe. After forcing through Super S, I'll take this.

This episode really does feel like more of a continuation of Sailor Moon S than the entirety of last season. You not only have the other guardians showing back up (including Hotaru-chan as a cute baby with the Professor and a reborn Sailor Pluto), but all that studying the girls did in S to get into high school seems to have worked because they're in highschool now. Chibi-Usa leaving got interrupted so I guess she may stick around for a bit, but she is noticeably absent from the intro so I am wondering if she does go back home to bother Neo-Queen Serenity. Otherwise the episode is pretty much a big setup for the arc, from the previous main villain becoming a henchman to a booming voice and the prophetic return of Sailor Saturn. As such my enjoyment of it mostly comes from it being an obvious break from Super S more than the fun moments with Minako and Usagi or the return of the kissing cousins even though that was welcome. At least I won't have to hear Twinkle Ell again. Hopefully.

 

5 hours ago, InsaneCommander said:

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Maybe they should be guardians of Love, Justice and Friendship. Despite my criticism, I understand that Usagi is the main character so it wouldn't be the same if everyone acted like her. In that aspect, yes, the ending is great. The others seem to have finally learned to trust her and will probably behave differently in the future.

I will read your long posts later. So sorry if you explain it there, but what happened to Chibi Chibi? Was she turned back into Galaxia's starseed?

 

 

It's time to read the new Stormlight Archive books, so I'll slow down on watching anime. But I still have my list, with Legend of Galactic Hero and Jojo. I'll start with some with less episodes though. Next is season 2 of One Punch Man.

Season 2 was pretty good, but

Spoiler

it ends on much more of a cliffhanger than season 1 did, and it does drag in places.

Oh yeah, and since you're playing Record of Lodos War, have you seen an anime of it from the 90s? I'm pretty sure I watched it as a kid.

Edited April 2, 2021 by ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP

[Bartimaeus]

@ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP The thing I was immediately struck by with the first few episodes of Sailor Stars is that the tone feels wildly different to me - in a good way. It's both...more lighthearted as well as appropriately serious when it needs to be (also the serious parts haven't just been characters awkwardly standing around while threatening and screaming at each other like all of the end of SuperS was), and I didn't feel this dreadful disconnect like I did with SuperS where the content is actually kind of horrifying and yet the show is playing pretty much everything for laughs like we're back in season 1 where all the villainous plots were silly schemes to steal people's energy. If they wanted to have that tone again, you could...but the content needed to be, well, not what it was, and it needed to not come at the sacrificing of character development already made in previous seasons.

It also helps that a few of our main characters haven't been constantly insulting and yelling and screaming at each other...and the Albino Rhino seems to be ever so mercifully gone. In just the three episodes I watched, Usagi seems like a completely different and much more likable, intelligent, and reasonable person - much more like what I remember from my increasingly faint memories of S. Gosh, thinking about it, I really legitimately feel like I was kind of abused physically and mentally by SuperS - and that was with loads of skipping. You said Chibi-Usa saying "Twinkle Yell" every episode made you want to kill yourself? I only heard her say it literally like 2-3 times the entire season because I skipped so much...you poor bastard.

Edited April 2, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

5 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

In just the three episodes I watched, Usagi seems like a completely different and much more likable, intelligent, and reasonable person - much more like what I remember from my increasingly faint memories of S.

Usagi just might be at her strongest in Sailor Stars. She's still funny and occassionally immature, but never really annoying (well maybe once or twice, heh) like she was in SuperS.

Spoilers, but an example:
 

Spoiler

 

There's a scene where she comes home hungry, and her mother isn't at home, and Chibi Chibi is eating what looks like donuts. Lots of them. SuperS Usagi would have started a major fight over this, but here she just sits next to Chibi Chibi and suffers. Chibi Chibi offers her one, and Usagi says: "Thank you so much, you're much nicer than Chibi-Usa!"

Heh. So she still can't stop herself from making an immature jab at Chibi-Usa, but she at least doesn't verbally or physically assault a three year old girl over it.

 

Best not to think of SuperS.

[InsaneCommander]

18 hours ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

Oh yeah, and since you're playing Record of Lodos War, have you seen an anime of it from the 90s? I'm pretty sure I watched it as a kid.

Yes, I watched that one a long time ago. Don't remember much about it, except that I like it.

 

12 hours ago, majestic said:

Usagi just might be at her strongest in Sailor Stars. She's still funny and occassionally immature, but never really annoying (well maybe once or twice, heh) like she was in SuperS.

Spoilers, but an example:
 

  Hide contents

 

There's a scene where she comes home hungry, and her mother isn't at home, and Chibi Chibi is eating what looks like donuts. Lots of them. SuperS Usagi would have started a major fight over this, but here she just sits next to Chibi Chibi and suffers. Chibi Chibi offers her one, and Usagi says: "Thank you so much, you're much nicer than Chibi-Usa!"

Heh. So she still can't stop herself from making an immature jab at Chibi-Usa, but she at least doesn't verbally or physically assault a three year old girl over it.

 

Best not to think of SuperS.

This was another funny episode. I remember

Spoiler

wondering if Chibi Chibi had a secret stash of sweets somewhere. And it was revealed in this episode where she gets them.

 

[majestic]

Record of Lodoss War is something I have in my anime VHS tapes stash, along with the Director's Cut of M.D. Geist, which is an 80ies B-movie shlock "so bad it's good" anime film, but I've been told that there are people who find this one great in an "unironic" way and my recordings of the Sailor Moon R, S and SuperS films when they aired on TV here, and a bunch of other things... and one thing I'm really not going to talk about (and just in case KP starts to speculate, no, it's not Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend, and if you don't know what that is, don't google it... really, just... don't). *cough*

Edited April 2, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

Steven Universe, short update:

Spoiler

So, hey, Peridot joins the team, but she gets no appearance in the opening credits. It might be too early to read something into this, but that doesn't bode well for her.

edit: And we're doing "The Core", really?

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

32 minutes ago, majestic said:

and just in case KP starts to speculate, no, it's not Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend, and if you don't know what that is, don't google it... really, just... don't

I didn't know what that was lmao.

[Bartimaeus]

22 minutes ago, majestic said:

Steven Universe, short update:

  Hide contents

So, hey, Peridot joins the team, but she gets no appearance in the opening credits. It might be too early to read something into this, but that doesn't bode well for her.

edit: And we're doing "The Core", really?

 

 

Spoiler

The Core?

 

[majestic]

34 minutes ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

I didn't know what that was lmao.

Well, now you do. Heh. When I was a good deal younger, Legend of the Overfiend was what you at least had to pretend to have seen to earn some street cred with the otaku crowd.

Unless you were like me and went with the other, more sophisticated option, and I use that term lightly...

Spoiler

...which was La Blue Girl.

It differs from Legend of the Overfiend in giving the girls involved some agency and power, is more lighthearted and parodies some H tropes.

The storyline is so incredibly bonkers it was fun in spite of what the rest of the anime was about.

Although it was more about actually getting a copy from somewhere than having seen it. Getting one in the mid 90ies outside of Japan wasn't easy, especially not when you're 15. It's not like you can ask your parents to buy it from some importer... and it ended up costing three months worth of allowance. Really not worth it just to impress a bunch of dipsh*ts. But hey, young and didn't know any better, and wanted to belong somewhere.

Sigh.

19 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

 

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The Core?

 

 

Waaaaaaaaaaaait.
 

Spoiler

 

You haven't seen The Core or even heard of it? Blessed are you, in that case. I urge you to not change that, because people who think Ed Wood made the worst movies ever clearly haven't seen that piece of garbage.  

I meant the drilling down to the Earth's core to prevent a global desaster part.

edit: At least it looks like Peridot and Lapis will stay at the barn. I wonder if any of them will fuse. Peridot tried but failed, and Lapis probably has enough of fusion for the time being.

 

Edited April 2, 2021 by majestic