Anime - coasting on emotion rollers

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

3 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

But yeah, what the heck, Crystal? You completely dropped the ball when you should've had everything going for you that neither the manga or anime did 20 years after the franchise became a mega-hit.

To have a series of failures and shortcomings from two iterations of Sailor Moon and to have learned nothing from them is just baffling about Crystal. Whatever, I'm not watching it.

What I am watching is Stephen Universe and/or the London Snow arc of the Great Pretender. I've been feeling vaguely nauseous all week and I'm taking Friday off so I should be able to start them.

[majestic]

13 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

But yeah, what the heck, Crystal? You completely dropped the ball when you should've had everything going for you that neither the manga or anime did 20 years after the franchise became a mega-hit. Who's responsible for this disaster?

The most baffling part is that the manga has a couple of panels that Crystal simply dropped that are more lighthearted and fun. When Usagi and company go to the moon for instance, Makoto stops for a moment, looks at Usagi and says that she's now an actual tsuki no usagi*. Which causes laughter and embarrassment. It's a fun scene that's just been dropped in Crystal so everything is even more dour, serious and melodramatic than the material already is anyway (Usagi spends larger chunks of the previous chapters pining after abducted Endymion).

The makers of Crystal went out of their way to make it worse, it seems.

*Japanese pun explanation, I once already stated that Usagi's name means Moon Bunny or Bunny of the Moon, and because it is a name it is written Tsukino Usagi, used in a sentence it would be tsuki (moon) no (turn prior noun into an adjective) usagi (bunny), also Japanese folklore has bunnies on the moon (while for us the moon is made of cheese or there's a man in the moon due to it looking a bit like a face), hence the name already being a pun, and this being a pun on a pun.

5 minutes ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

What I am watching is Stephen Universe

Edited April 14, 2021 by majestic

[majestic]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

And yep, it was made so much better because Usagi only inserted herself because she was genuinely trying to help Makoto out, not simply trying to steal the spotlight. If this were written in SuperS, you just know it would've been the other way around... Sailor Stars Usagi has been so awesome in comparison to SuperS Usagi, thankfully.

Outside of the finale where she apparently transforms into Shinji for a bit (I hope I'll have enough time for NGE soon) Sailor Stars Usagi is really strong. I don't know if it is just the contrast to SuperS, but that might be my favorite version of her. S had more character time for everyone and the first season was fun in general, but in Stars she's still klutzy and a crybaby at times, but also sweet, caring, does nice things for her friends* (like the aforementioned making an ass of herself to help), isn't a complete dummy and once the other new character shows up (that we all know about, anyway), it shows how much better she got at dealing with these situations.

*

Spoiler

One situation coming up shortly before the story mode episodes where she has a wonderful exchange with Minako.

 

Speaking about your comments regarding Iron Mouse and her "whatever" when Sailor Moon shows up, that's the sort of thing that I meant with the meta fun where it seems like the show makes fun of its own formula, or like Iron Mouse didn't appear until the obligatory fight scene happens - and even then everything's resolved in a minute or two at best.

Edited April 15, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

First two episodes of Steven Universe.

I want a cookie cat.

It's a sweet show made for kids so it'll probably remain a lot more....benign in terms of tone but at least it's fun.

[Bartimaeus]

13 hours ago, majestic said:

once the other new character shows up (that we all know about, anyway)

Uh...I'm blanking out here. Who? Actually, never mind - I'll find out on my own.

13 hours ago, majestic said:

Speaking about your comments regarding Iron Mouse and her "whatever" when Sailor Moon shows up, that's the sort of thing that I meant with the meta fun where it seems like the show makes fun of its own formula, or like Iron Mouse didn't appear until the obligatory fight scene happens - and even then everything's resolved in a minute or two at best.

The show's been doing that like a couple of times each season back to season 1, though - I remember Zoisite pointing out that she'd made the same speech one too many times; VesVes interrupted one of Chibi-Usa's speeches repeatedly to try to actually talk to her but Chibi-Usa wouldn't respond because she had to finish the speech; a few times back in even season 1, Usagi screwed up something in her speech and was mocked by either Luna, Rei, or the villain for it; in S, I remember a time where Chibi-Usa inserted herself at the end of Usagi's speech and Usagi was like "what the heck are you doing!?"...and probably plenty more I can't remember! They've always been having fun with the speeches during the less important episodes, .

@ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP majestic might be able to vouch that the show gets just a little more interesting than it initially lets on.

Spoiler

It'll be kind of slow and silly at first with occasional bursts of genuinely really good stuff, but things should eventually start to pick up, particularly once you hit the second half of the first season.

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[majestic]

29 minutes ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

First two episodes of Steven Universe.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I want a cookie cat.

It's a sweet show made for kids so it'll probably remain a lot more....benign in terms of tone but at least it's fun.

 

It's not sweet, it is totally insidious and makes American children believe it is okay for small boys to live with three moms instead of a proper nuclear family. 'Tis making kids into the gays, I tells you. Plus something something satanism. I'm sure of it.

10 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

majestic might be able to vouch that the show gets just a little more interesting than it initially lets on.

Oh, that it does indeed.

Also... don't watch the next two episodes when you're hungry.

[Bartimaeus]

Episode 14:

Spoiler

Intro is playing right now...I've been having this silly song play in my head on and off over the past week - bit of an earworm. Also, I'm in a little bit of a state of fear for Nezu's future in this show here...she hasn't been around for very long, but she's right up there with some of the best lower-level villains, like Eudial, Mimette, Nephrite, Koan, PallaPalla, and Fish's Eye. ...Wait a second - one of those doesn't belong, but I can't figure out which. Weird.

Are they all trying to dial Mamoru here? Oh, they're trying to order tickets for the Three Lights. Based on how ominous the scene was, I definitely expected something a little more serious, haha. Oh man, a callback to the very first episode of season 1:

Quote

"That's amazing! ...What does a joint concert mean exactly?"
"Why were you so impressed if you didn't know what it meant?"

Naru and Usagi back in episode 1:

Quote

"Wow, that's amazing! ...Who is Sailor V, anyway?"
"Don't act impressed if you don't know what I'm talking about!"

Aaand straight from a goofy scene where Usagi's being the big dumb straight to Nezu getting tortured by Galaxia again. I love how Nezu is trying to identify her target, sees the poster above her and then says "THIS IS IT!" as the camera's paused on Michiru and the Sailor Star Lights...and then pans to the composer. Nice fake-out, show. Iron Mouse, you've only run into the Sailor Stars Lights like a half-dozen times now...

Okay, I'm starting to see why Haruka might have a problem with Seiya. And I didn't know Michiru was such a womanizer - okay, not really, but I'm not really sure what her plan was there unless she has some sort of Haruka-radar and knew she was going to be there literally in a couple of seconds. Heh, the English dub just made a terrible pun with the composer's name. His name is "Mr. Garajan", but Usagi mistakes it for "Mr. Carry On" - like plane luggage, .

Oh yeah, Mr. Garajan slamming onto the scene with the patented @ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP "OH MY GOD!". Classic. And Usagi finally convinces some new characters to actually align themselves with the Sailor Guardians without too much trouble...and there's Haruka to make sure it doesn't happen. Pfeh!

Episode 15, :

Spoiler

Great opening with Minako attempting to coerce Taiki into going to the movies with her, and then turning around and trying to sell the tickets to Makoto after Makoto kindly volunteered to go with her instead EVEN AFTER Minako explained that the movie was something horrible called "The Forbidden Love of Adults". Also, apparently Usagi is a hobbit: "For your information, after I get out of bed, I have to eat breakfast, catch up on my TV shows, eat SECOND breakfast..."

Oh wow, Nezu is just totally skipping town? That's a new one! Oh wait, no, she's just trying to redeem herself by continuing to work...without actually showing up to work. Bold strategy, I...don't think it's going to work out. The phones...the phones! Nezu even went Spiderman all over the walls to try to escape them. The bell is tolling for thee...

That dancing sequence between Usagi and Seiya was the most embarrassing thing to happen in this show yet...well done, Sailor Stars.

I love Nezu's Dr. Who magically apparating telephone booth. Well, she found out who Seiya was, and maybe even knows who Usagi is as well - that mean she's going to die momentarily here, same as every other lower level minion. It was nice knowing you, Nezu.

Damn it, she's dead. You're unforgivable, Sailor Galaxia.

Are you for real right now, Seiya? Are you serious? Like, really? You...figured it out already. You did! IT COULDN'T BE? Literally nobody else on the planet looks like Usagi/Sailor Moon. Gah! Stupid superhero/villain disguises...

 

[Bartimaeus]

Episode 16:

Spoiler

Man, screw this crap. Aluminum Siren ain't gonna even remotely compare to Nezu, I can already tell. Ugh. And the girls don't even care that a fellow Sailor Guardian was killed in extremely strange circumstances while she was begging for her life... It's not right, you guys. Man, screw you Aluminum Siren, already throwing away all of Nezu's stuff. ...Okay, wait, actually, these two might be pretty good too, but I don't know for sure yet - they won't replace Nezu, but maybe it'll be a Mimette-like performance where they replace someone who was already good and offer something totally different that's also fun.

Okay, now I vaguely remember you guys memeing something about "Chibi Chibi". Guess this must be her. Oh man, we're doing the whole little sister thing again? Well...alright - so long as she doesn't get into a romance with any horses, .

It's rare that old 'Dead Scream' Setsuna can be fooled, especially in such a silly way, but I dig it - she needs more silly stuff. Although the fact that the other four girls just abandoned looking for Chibi-Chibi in favor of going to the Three Lights concert is kind of messed up...but I won't hold it against them given the writers needed some kind of way to explain them not showing up.

I absolutely hate the visual design of Lead Crow and Aluminum Siren (we really don't need any more ridiculously skimpy women in this show...), but their personalities are at least a little fun, I guess. Oh hey, it's Robo-Cop. The artists did something weird to Chibi-Chibi's eyes at the end of the battle there while she sort of creepily stared on. What does it all mean?!

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

@BartimaeusHe says that in the sub too. In English. Lmao. The OH MY GOD man from JoJo would be proud.

[majestic]

There are many of these little callbacks in the season, which I really liked. The episodes were great too, except for the little things, and yes, by that I mostly mean the conflict between the two groups that feels more forced than it was in S.

That scene in the theme park where Usagi is eating and Seiya is carrying 6 packages, totally exasperated how Usagi can eat that much was one of the hardest laughs I had watching Sailor Moon. At least I think that was in the theme park episode. Stupid binging, this is so confusing.

Sailor Iron Mouse trying to run way from the constantly appearing telephones with the funeral march playing in the background was both funny and frightening at the same time.

Also, screw spoilers, ain't nobody gonna read them anyway.

8 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Episode 16:

  Hide contents

Man, screw this crap. Aluminum Siren ain't gonna even remotely compare to Nezu, I can already tell. Ugh. And the girls don't even care that a fellow Sailor Guardian was killed in extremely strange circumstances while she was begging for her life... It's not right, you guys. Man, screw you Aluminum Siren, already throwing away all of Nezu's stuff. ...Okay, wait, actually, these two might be pretty good too, but I don't know for sure yet - they won't replace Nezu, but maybe it'll be a Mimette-like performance where they replace someone who was already good and offer something totally different that's also fun.

Okay, now I vaguely remember you guys memeing something about "Chibi Chibi". Guess this must be her. Oh man, we're doing the whole little sister thing again? Well...alright - so long as she doesn't get into a romance with any horses, .

It's rare that old 'Dead Scream' Setsuna can be fooled, especially in such a silly way, but I dig it - she needs more silly stuff. Although the fact that the other four girls just abandoned looking for Chibi-Chibi in favor of going to the Three Lights concert is kind of messed up...but I won't hold it against them given the writers needed some kind of way to explain them not showing up.

I absolutely hate the visual design of Lead Crow and Aluminum Siren (we really don't need any more ridiculously skimpy women in this show...), but their personalities are at least a little fun, I guess. Oh hey, it's Robo-Cop. The artists did something weird to Chibi-Chibi's eyes at the end of the battle there while she sort of creepily stared on. What does it all mean?!

 

Chibi chibi. Chibi... chibi...

Chibi?

xD

Of course we're doing the little sister again, what else (although Chibi-Usa was a cousin, right?)... although admittedly, the one thing I found super hilarious about this particular rehash (although this one is straight from the manga) is how nobody at all does anything more than wonder if she's Usagi's second child or maybe Chibi-Usa's daughter. Another weird girl literally falls from the sky and brainwashes Usagi's parents (well, mother, her father's gone doing whatevever for a while now), the only reaction from everyone is "Ey, whatever, hey, Usagi, you think that one's yours too?" - dunno why, but that amused me to no end.

Just another day in Tokyo, huh?

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Just saw the Cheeseburger backpack episode. Pearl seems like she could snap eventually, but so far I think she's the best gem on the show. Steven is pretty much a male and american Usagi without a Mamo-chan or Tuxedo Kamen to obsess over (tho that can change, I'm only 3 episodes in so far). The gem placement seems weird, like I can see why Garnet's gem(s?) are on her hands to summon the big fists, but Pearl, Amethyst, and Steven's gems don't really seem to go with their gem weapons......unless Steven's belly is protection as is the shield. Which would be weird. So far it has been fun without too much to think about.

I'm not craving a cheeseburger tho.

27 minutes ago, majestic said:

Also, screw spoilers, ain't nobody gonna read them anyway.

I do. Let me know when you finish Battle Tendency, I think it's better than Phantom Blood in most ways but want to ask your thoughts about how it compares.

Specifically, I think Johnathan is a little boring and ends up getting overshadowed by Dio while Joesph is a lot more fun and definitely doesn't get beaten by the ancient Aztec super vampire gym gods.

[Bartimaeus]

I think he more meant "screw using spoiler tags" in the context of Sailor Moon, especially given that I am the final one watching it here. I'm more using them just to have my thoughts on each episode properly marked/encapsulated at this point, not because I'm not trying to spoil anybody, .

Also, don't read this, @ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP, it's only meant for literally anybody except someone named KaineParker, BEEG HUMONGOUS SPOILERS:

Spoiler

don't do it!

Spoiler

really!

Spoiler

i'm warning you!

Spoiler

och, you're gonna get it if you keep this up!

Spoiler

So @majestic, now that KP isn't here, we can totally admire him and his first "I've only watched three episodes" choice of favorite gem. What a remarkably intelligent fellow for choosing [GEM] he's shaping up to be!

HUGE PEARL CHARACTER ARC SPOILERS:

Spoiler

this is a picture of Pearl from her pothead phase that totally happens, #themoreyouknow

 

 

 

 

 

One positive with only being able to handle so much TV at a time is I think it allows me to remember details and general episode outlines a bit better. Oh yeah, I forgot that it was initially a "cousin" (gosh dangit, original English dub, not that kind of cousin!), but it seemed to be treated much more like sisters, particularly in SuperS. Also, yeah, really good episodes - but the entire season, even the "filler" arc at the beginning with Nehellenia, has all been good to great. So far, I'd put this season above SuperS (...obviously) and R in terms of just pure silly enjoyment...but probably not the first and definitely not S, which of course can't be matched.

Edited April 15, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[InsaneCommander]

1 hour ago, Bartimaeus said:

Episode 16:

  Hide contents

Okay, now I vaguely remember you guys memeing something about "Chibi Chibi". Guess this must be her. Oh man, we're doing the whole little sister thing again? Well...alright - so long as she doesn't get into a romance with any horses, .

 

[InsaneCommander]

On 4/14/2021 at 1:44 PM, Bartimaeus said:

Iron Mouse: I don't think so? I like Iron Mouse in general, though, so she doesn't even need to be doing anything "meta", really (also, it wouldn't be the first time villains have interrupted Sailor Moon's speech...although if she actually DOES something during her speech, I think that'd be new!).

It's funny how she was always ignored by Sailor Moon and eventually simply decided to leave during the speech. Well done Sailor Moon.

Also, Luna attacking Iron Mouse and dressed for the occasion.

[Bartimaeus]

Please, no more about Ms. Chuuko - I'm still grieving, . She was a real one, taken away from us all too soon... No, really - she only lasted 9 episodes. Actually...yeah, this is an outrage! I'm going to have start a campaign to #SaveSailorIronMouse - every Sailor Guardian's life is sacred, let not her be forgotten to the sands of time! No, I won't feel the same way at all about these other two clowns that will also inevitability bite it, but that doesn't matter - what matters are my feelings right now! What kind of world do we live in where good little mouse ladies like Nezu (who is clearly a helpless slave to evil, by the way!) are allowed to be murdered with nary a second thought spent upon them while literal freaks of nature like the Amazon Trio get to live and haunt everyone's beautiful dreams? It's not fair, I tell you.

[majestic]

6 hours ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

I do. Let me know when you finish Battle Tendency, I think it's better than Phantom Blood in most ways but want to ask your thoughts about how it compares.

@Bartimaeuswas right, I meant spoiler tagging Sailor Moon stuff everyone of us has seen already. It's not like anyone else is reading the posts anyway.

I already think Battle Tendency is better than Phantom Blood. It's goofier, more fun, more interesting and much better paced, and yes, JoJo is less boring than JoJo.

5 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Also, don't read this, @ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP, it's only meant for literally anybody except someone named KaineParker, BEEG HUMONGOUS SPOILERS:

  Reveal hidden contents

don't do it!

  Reveal hidden contents

really!

  Reveal hidden contents

i'm warning you!

  Reveal hidden contents

och, you're gonna get it if you keep this up!

  Reveal hidden contents

So @majestic, now that KP isn't here, we can totally admire him and his first "I've only watched three episodes" choice of favorite gem. What a remarkably intelligent fellow for choosing [GEM] he's shaping up to be!

HUGE PEARL CHARACTER ARC SPOILERS:

  Reveal hidden contents

this is a picture of Pearl from her pothead phase that totally happens, #themoreyouknow

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hahahaha. But yes, indeed.

5 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Also, yeah, really good episodes - but the entire season, even the "filler" arc at the beginning with Nehellenia, has all been good to great. So far, I'd put this season above SuperS (...obviously) and R in terms of just pure silly enjoyment...but probably not the first and definitely not S, which of course can't be matched.

It's still hard for me to properly place the first season, which comes back to me essentially starting the show with the second one, or almost at least. It was late first season for me, at a point where episodes happened that were still fun, but decidedly less goofy than the initial bunch. My memory of the olden times is a little hazy, but I do remember how... different the early episodes felt when I watched the first re-run (well technically the second re-run since the first season aired on a different channel earlier, but details schmetails).

R will always be special as the season where I really fell in love with the anime.

Regarding silly fun, Sailor Stars is often silly in a similar manner to the first season, only with a much older, different Usagi, and a different focus. The fights in Sailor Stars are often just there, granted, the sweat shooting football player was pretty weird, but there are no monster that turns Usagi into a giant tennis ball or anything that's close to S' level of monster goofiness, like that taiko drum daimon, and when they tried it turned out to be a bit derivative, like the cook offering Usagi cake and she falling for it saying she has a second stomach for chocolate cake. That was funny enough, but nothing new.

On the other hand, after almost 200 episodes it does become a bit difficult to come up with new jokes and new things that still fit neatly into the established universe. Pushing the fights a bit into the background was a pretty good choice overall.

Beating S - aside from you saying that you (might) prefer the first season for being the first season, essentially, which I understand - was something that probably couldn't have been done anyway. Rewatching S convinced me that not only was that the best Sailor Moon season, it's legitimately some of the best entertainment I've come across.

4 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Please, no more about Ms. Chuuko - I'm still grieving, . She was a real one, taken away from us all too soon... No, really - she only lasted 9 episodes. Actually...yeah, this is an outrage! I'm going to have start a campaign to #SaveSailorIronMouse - every Sailor Guardian's life is sacred, let not her be forgotten to the sands of time! No, I won't feel the same way at all about these other two clowns that will also inevitability bite it, but that doesn't matter - what matters are my feelings right now! What kind of world do we live in where good little mouse ladies like Nezu (who is clearly a helpless slave to evil, by the way!) are allowed to be murdered with nary a second thought spent upon them while literal freaks of nature like the Amazon Trio get to live and haunt everyone's beautiful dreams? It's not fair, I tell you.

Spoiler spoilers, so tell your brain to go into long term memory lock while should you choose to read:
 

Spoiler

 

You're much closer to the mark than you might realize, unless you've read that point somewhere already and remembered it. Have you noticed the bracers that Sailor Iron Mouse, Sailor Aluminum Siren and Sailor Lead Crow wear? They were given to them by Galaxia, and serve two main functions. First, they're essentially their phylacteries, i.e. they're all dead already after Galaxia removed their Star Seeds and are only kept alive by the bracers as long as they wear them, and second, they put a geas on the wearer that makes them unable to disobey Galaxia - hence why Sailor Iron Mouse didn't actually skip town and ended up pickup up the phone.

So yes, Nezu really was a helpless slave to evil, only alive because it amused Galaxia to do that to certain Sailor Guardians she came across. It's one of the crueller things the writers came up with, and the reveal comes so late in the season that you barely have any time to actually think about it. It was probably meant to make watchers hate Galaxia even more, but for that it should have been placed much earlier in the season, like at the halfway point maybe.

But it's not all terrible:

Spoiler

On the other hand, that also means Sailor Iron Mouse is among the thousands of Star Seeds freed by Usagi and returned to their rightful worlds by the newly redeemed Sailor Galaxia, so she's not truly dead and will be back eventually. Everyone else who had their Star Seed removed and freed comes back too, so I'm guessing there's a happy ending for Iron Mouse too.

WArning with SU spoilz:

Spoiler

Might have been the inspiration for Pink's first Pearl being dominated and kept around by White. I'd sure like to ask Rebecca Sugar how much of what seems to have been inspiration taken from Sailor Star's storyline was intentional and how much was incidental. There's a point in the storyline where Usagi says: "I love this world, and every living thing in it." which could just as well have come from Pink Diamond.

I mean, aside from the obvious parallels between Usagi and what KP just called "American male Usagi".

 

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by majestic

[Bartimaeus]

Whoa, uh, you kinda just inserted some SU spoilers into that SM spoiler...kind of some moderately-sized ones, too. (e): Looks like you actually edited them out by the time I posted this - must've had the page open for a while, was working on something, .

It seemed pretty clear Nezu wasn't acting of her own free will and wanted to do nothing more than to run away...given that's literally what she kept doing while also seeming to realize it was futile unless she actually delivered something useful hence why she kept working - it seemed like she was fighting an irresistible compulsion to answer that phone, made more and more difficult by the fact that it was appearing in front of her and all around her no matter where she went. I'm glad to know she's at least theoretically not dead, though...although the fact that these girls are apparently REAL Sailor Guardians from across the galaxy raises some pretty big questions...is this Star Trek, where all the aliens look exactly like humans but have the tiniest aesthetic differences? I know there's a kind of contrived explanation in that one episode for Star Trek why that is, but it was still kind of weird there and it's definitely weird here. ...I'm still kind of miffed that Usagi and company didn't even spare a thought for her, though. They just saw her die and were like "she vanished - so that's Galaxia, huh?". SHE WAS A PERSON, USAGI! Sure, a person that was a minor annoyance over the past 9 episodes...but a person! You've spared plenty more thoughts and sympathy for literal world-destroyers.

SU:

Spoiler

 

3 hours ago, majestic said:

Might have been the inspiration for Pink's first Pearl being dominated and kept around by White.

Huh, yeah, there is an obvious parallel there, even if the implementation is obviously a little different. Actually, the whole "sealing them inside of their bracelets" almost seems like very loose inspiration for the basic concepts of gems in SU too. Speaking of SU, when do you plan on watching SU:F? I'm anticipating your watching of it.

 

Edited April 16, 2021 by Bartimaeus

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Steven Universe Together Breakfast.

Wtf who puts popcorn on waffles, throw some chicken on instead if you're doing anything. Steven's taste is dubious lmao. Right now I'm starting to like Garnet's deadpan delivery a bit over Pearl's potentiall madcap antics, Amethyst is my least favorite in a way where I don't hate her but I'm not excited when she's on screen like I am for the other two.

Episode 5: Frybo's revenge. Funny and a spotlight on Pearl, which is nice.

Episode 6: Cat Fingers.

.....

.....

....

OH MY GOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!

Edited April 16, 2021 by ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP

[Bartimaeus]

Hey, you make fun, but Cat Fingers is only as far as I got into watching the show with my nieces because the end of that episode freaked them the hell out and I realized that yeah, maybe should wait a few more years for this.

6 hours ago, ArtistFormerlyKnownasKP said:

Wtf who puts popcorn on waffles, throw some chicken on instead if you're doing anything. Steven's taste is dubious lmao

Probably a kid who can't buy or make chicken in his tiny coastal town, . Though I have to admit, popcorn on all of that does seem pretty disgusting.

[majestic]

10 minutes ago, Bartimaeus said:

Probably a kid who can't buy or make chicken in his tiny coastal town, . Though I have to admit, popcorn on all of that does seem pretty disgusting.

Not that I eat such things, but there's sweet popcorn, right? Maybe it was that.

Spoilers!

Spoiler

Also probably early installment weirdness, right? Why would he make breakfast, he should know that the Gems don't eat. Except for Amethyst...

 

[majestic]

8 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Whoa, uh, you kinda just inserted some SU spoilers into that SM spoiler...kind of some moderately-sized ones, too. (e): Looks like you actually edited them out by the time I posted this - must've had the page open for a while, was working on something, .

It seemed pretty clear Nezu wasn't acting of her own free will and wanted to do nothing more than to run away...given that's literally what she kept doing while also seeming to realize it was futile unless she actually delivered something useful hence why she kept working - it seemed like she was fighting an irresistible compulsion to answer that phone, made more and more difficult by the fact that it was appearing in front of her and all around her no matter where she went. I'm glad to know she's at least theoretically not dead, though...although the fact that these girls are apparently REAL Sailor Guardians from across the galaxy raises some pretty big questions...is this Star Trek, where all the aliens look exactly like humans but have the tiniest aesthetic differences? I know there's a kind of contrived explanation in that one episode for Star Trek why that is, but it was still kind of weird there and it's definitely weird here. ...I'm still kind of miffed that Usagi and company didn't even spare a thought for her, though. They just saw her die and were like "she vanished - so that's Galaxia, huh?". SHE WAS A PERSON, USAGI! Sure, a person that was a minor annoyance over the past 9 episodes...but a person! You've spared plenty more thoughts and sympathy for literal world-destroyers.

SU:

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Huh, yeah, there is an obvious parallel there, even if the implementation is obviously a little different. Actually, the whole "sealing them inside of their bracelets" almost seems like very loose inspiration for the basic concepts of gems in SU too. Speaking of SU, when do you plan on watching SU:F? I'm anticipating your watching of it.

 

Yes, ever since I started to write, uhm, "longer" posts I'm just typing everything up and then putting spoiler tags around text because that way the forum software makes less of a mess of things, but then I noticed I had mixed Sailor Moon and Steven Universe spoilers and edited another spoiler section in.

I also don't think you should worry about why everyone looks humanoid - or even human - in Sailor Moon, even though they're aliens. Technically Usagi is from the Moon, the girls each are from their respective Guardian planets even though that makes no real sense. Yes, their current incarnations had human parents, but their past selves didn't - yet they still look human. Are human, maybe, except for their lifespans.

TNG had that explanation episode for the forehead aliens. It was super contrived, but carried a nice message regardless. I liked the MYSTARY hunt the first time, but it makes for a less exciting rewatch, like with everything where the mystery and the surprise are the main drive for suspense. Once the cat's out of the bag, it's less interesting. Like much of Babylon 5, for instance. The entire Vorlon vs. Shadows conflict was much more fun to watch unfold the first time around.

SM spoilers:
 

Spoiler

 

With regards to actually thinking about the enemies in this season, yes - they don't do that. Normally at least Luna is trying to make the girls think about them, what they could be up to, where they could be hiding, who they really are. Doesn't happen here, and I'm guessing that has to do with time constraints and everyone dying in the first few manga issues. Kind of hard to have your team trying to figure out things when they're all dead three issues in.

I kinda wish they had more episodes than 34 too, because that way the writers could have come up with an episode or two in between where a bit more setup happens. The season starts with the filler arc, has a long stretch of episodes where barely any storyline stuff happens and then crams everything into a ~7 episode stretch at the end. It's kind of telling that episode 192 is the last one to feature a monster of the week.

It's a pity insofar as Galaxia is, next to the Professor maybe, one of the few villains that get a more nuanced backstory in the anime - once that would have warranted a bit more time and exploration. But alas, no, what we get is an ending with pacing issues. To put that into perspective, the entire backstory of Galaxia is told in two or three relatively short flashbacks. I'm all for letting the viewers figure out things for themselves, but that's just ridiculous.

But as always, they did the best they could, under the circumstances. An epilogue episode would have been nice too, like KP said, even though it potentially would "ruin" the gravitas of the ending scene (more than the animation does, because ugh, why did the interns draw the very last scene of the anime, WHY?) giving it more time to breathe would not have been a bad idea, especially in the light of the wasted time in between.

More SU spoilers from here on:
 

Spoiler

 

You'll notice that once you're watching the final episodes. Almost everything of that storyline that has parallels in Steven Universe happens in the final episode, and only the braclets come up in an episode before that. The fight scene that I think Bismuth's confrontation with Steven is at least partly based on, for instance, the entire dialogue between Galaxia and Sailor Moon, almost all of that... is from the last 20 minutes of the anime, including the way how Usagi redeems Galaxia, by convincing her to take her hand and change.

In the Steven Universe finale, White dominates everyone, in Sailor Moon, Galaxia takes everyone's Star Seeds (except for the Sailor Starlights, but they're broken, defeated and powerless at that point) - functionally the same thing, Steven and Usagi are left to fend for themselves. Both Usagi and Steven are shown that they could, in theory at least, deal with their enemy by force. Usagi gets a deus ex machinaish sword that already defeated Chaos once, and Steven, reduced to his gem appartion (? or whatever that was) easily deals with White while trying to go back to his body.

Both reject the use force, but opt to elicit a change in their enemies. For White it's realizing that she's not perfect herself (I think), for Galaxia it is accepting that having to fight and wanting to fight is not the same (sort of, the finale can be interpreted in a good deal of ways). 

Steven dealing with White the way he does, even. There's the final exchange between Galaxia and Usagi:

"But I? I can never make amends for all the terrible things I have done." and Usagi replies with: "Just start over. From the beginning. It's never too late for someone to have a second chance."

Strange, Steven Universe didn't get the time it needed to make a not rushed ending, and in Sailor Moon the ending, similarily, is riddled with the problems of having to write it while the manga's still coming out, being totally unadaptable outside of a very much shorter season like they did with Crystal.

 

In the end, I guess... it would have been nice for the girls to acknowledge that they're fighting corrupted versions of themselves. Alas, it wasn't really meant to be.

 

Well, regarding Steven Universe Future, I'll try to make some time for it. I still want to watch Lindsay Ellis' long assed video about getting cancelled and there's the "minor" matter of having to use my weekend to wrap up things at work. Eh. Yeah. The week was really annoying.

 

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

4 hours ago, Bartimaeus said:

Hey, you make fun, but Cat Fingers is only as far as I got into watching the show with my nieces because the end of that episode freaked them the hell out and I realized that yeah, maybe should wait a few more years for this.

Probably a kid who can't buy or make chicken in his tiny coastal town, . Though I have to admit, popcorn on all of that does seem pretty disgusting.

I can believe that, of all things I was expecting in SU, body horror was not among them.

Popcorn is a weird thing to put on a waffle. It'd clash with everything on the plate and makes no sense with either flavor or texture.

[majestic]

So let me get this straight, the problem you have with the episode is that it's body horror, not that he has to drown the nice kittens to get rid of them?

You horrible speciest (specicist?) prick! #CancelKP

No seriously, that was one freaky episode indeed.

 edit:

4 hours ago, majestic said:

I still want to watch Lindsay Ellis' long assed video about getting cancelled and there's the "minor" matter of having to use my weekend to wrap up things at work. Eh. Yeah.

Quoting myself here... that was very painful to watch. It's absolutely worth it, but it is painful. Plus, she's not kidding about the part with the trigger warning.

Edited April 16, 2021 by majestic

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

27 minutes ago, majestic said:

So let me get this straight, the problem you have with the episode is that it's body horror, not that he has to drown the nice kittens to get rid of them?

You horrible speciest (specicist?) prick! #CancelKP

Cancel Culture has gone too far. I'm now going to take the Dershowitz initiative and get you fired.

Those kittens were not nice

[Bartimaeus]

@majestic

Lindsay Ellis: Yeah, I watched some of that yesterday, but not all of it. Half because it's ludicrously long (nearly two hours!), half because it was just really sad and depressing and none of it should've been anything that ever needed to be said online and she doesn't owe any explanation to either the right-wing diet Nazis (as she calls them) or the left-wing virtue signalers/tail-devourers on Twitter...or anybody else.

Edited April 16, 2021 by Bartimaeus