Review: Sailor Moon Crystal, Episode 26: Replay -Never Ending-

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sailor-moon-crystal/episode-26-act26-replay-never-ending-677517

Review:

When we last left our heroes, they were facing off against Nemesis in some sort of dark dimension. This series finale picks up there, with Sailor Moon shortly delivering what seems to be a death blow to their foe. Shortly thereafter, the Sailor Senshi and Tuxedo Mask find themselves once again on the barren landscape of the future Earth, but just when they think it is all over they notice that Sailor Moon is missing. It doesn’t take long for Tuxedo Mask to be whisked away to wherever his beloved is. Meanwhile, the long sleep that had enveloped Neo Queen Serenity and King Endymion begins to wear off, and the two exit their palace to meet the remaining Senshi in the flesh. Serenity discourages the Senshi from pursuing Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask while ultimately sending Sailor Chibi Moon to assist them. In space, Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask reaffirm their love for one another, which provides a catalyst for Chibi Moon to appear. Together, Sailors Moon and Chibi Moon face Nemesis to deliver what is truly the final blow to this battle. The aftermath of this finds Serenity bestowing new powers upon the Senshi and Sailor Moon before they head back to the past. Both Sailor Moon and Neo Queen Serenity surrender to their curiosity and briefly meet face-to-face before parting ways. Back in the present, Usagi must deal with the reality of Chibi-usa having to return to the future for good, but just when things appear to be back to normal a previous scene repeats itself.

If we needed further affirmation that this is ultimately Sailor Moon’s story, this episode certainly provides it by excluding the Senshi from the majority of the final battle. While the previous episode received praise for actually including them in the final battle, it is evident that they really weren’t part of the true final battle. Perhaps their powers helped get the fight to the point it is in with this episode, but it again feels like they were sort of just…there. Given that the earlier part of this arc had an episode focused on each of the Senshi (with some getting a deeper look than others), it would have been nice to see an ending that relied on some unique aspect of each girl to defeat the final boss. I realize that the goal in all of this is to be more faithful to the manga, but it feels like the Senshi ultimately get the short end of the stick when it comes to the big battle, while Sailor Chibi Moon gets to play a pivotal role in defeating the final enemy despite having only recently awoken.

That gripe aside, it really was a satisfying ending. True, there is not a lot of action this time around, but the climax of this arc has been a slow build over several episodes, and there has been significant action spread out across those episodes to make the final battle(s) actually feel like battles, instead of long-winded speeches that were just waiting for Sailor Moon to find some new power. Of course, new powers do seem to awaken (such as Tuxedo Mask’s ability to teleport to Sailor Moon), but Sailor Moon ultimately uses what she already has to defeat Nemesis. Granted, it could be argued that it still takes a new power to defeat him (it?), as Sailor Chibi Moon aids in Nemesis’ destruction, and her powers are newly granted. Either way, the ending doesn’t really seem to rely on any kind of deus ex machina, which is nice. My one question here is in regards to continuity, though. I may be wrong, but I had thought that it was previously determined that the two Legendary Silver Crystals could not be used in conjunction with each other—the past had no power in the future and vice versa—yet it would seem that both are in use for the destruction of Nemesis between Sailor Moon and Chibi Moon. Then again, there are some minor things that still stick out, such as the lack of weakness from the past characters being in the presence of their future selves (even though this was played up as a plot point earlier on) and the lack of consequence of Sailor Moon and Serenity meeting each other, despite it being said that this shouldn’t happen. Then again, maybe that’s the whole point of that second one: there really wasn’t anything wrong with it, despite their misgivings.

Whether my previous thought is right or not does, in my opinion, have some impact on the ending, because if the two crystals weren’t supposed to function in conjunction with each other, then the victory was only possible by overwriting a plot device. If I’m wrong (which I would prefer to be the case) then there is no concern. Either way, the episode does nicely tie up all of the threads that have been hanging loose thus far (Pluto even gets a “burial” of sorts), and it ends on a happy note, with Usagi and Mamoru seeming to finally have some time alone together. Prior to this, Usagi’s tears over Chibi-usa having to return to the future were a nice touch, as it truly showed that the two had grown to care for each other despite Usagi’s initial hostility and jealousy. And, of course, the ending is both touching and comedic at the same time.

Of course, we all know that this isn’t the end of Sailor Moon’s journey, so while the ending of Crystal could be accepted as a series finale, there is always the possibility that the rest of the story will be animated as well. If so, hopefully the writers will release episodes weekly instead of only releasing two a month because, honestly, that was one of my biggest grievances with this show. Still, it would be nice to see the other arcs covered with the new art style and manga-centric story lines. Only time will tell. If this was your first encounter with Sailor Moon, then I encourage you to see the rest of the story, although there are content concerns tied up with that. The biggest (and perhaps most well known) is the inclusion of Sailors Uranus and Neptune, who are a lesbian couple. If you want to check out more of the story, then I want you to know that going into it. If you plan to just leave it here, then you have at least been given a satisfying ending. And, of course, if you’re a Sailor Moon veteran, then you already know all of this. If Crystal does continue into the other story arcs, then you can certainly expect these reviews to continue.

A Christian Perspective:

1 Corinthians 13:8a – Love never fails.

I honestly wasn’t sure what to write as a perspective for this episode. Nothing particularly stuck out at me as a “lesson” this time around, but as I thought about some of the events that have transpired in the last couple of episodes I came to settle on the above verse, short as it may be. Truly, it was love that brought about the victories of this episode and the last. Love caused Pluto to violate the rules of her post. Love caused her to sacrifice her life for the Senshi and, more importantly, for Chibi-usa. Love is what transformed Dark Lady back into Small Lady and awoke her powers as Sailor Chibi Moon. Usagi and Mamoru’s love is what seemingly allowed Sailor Chibi Moon to appear with them in space, and it was the combined powers of Sailors Moon and Chibi Moon that defeated Nemesis. Finally, love—which had developed over time—is what caused Usagi to grieve over Chibi-usa leaving. In short, it was only because of love that the victories were won in these final episodes. Not only that, but it was love that changed and transformed both Usagi and Chibi-usa. While this may be a fictitious story, it still serves as a powerful example of what love can do, as well as an example of the verse above—love never fails.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: Chibi-usa is encouraged to pray (mentioned here because what or who she is praying to is not mentioned)

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Neo Queen Serenity’s dress shows cleavage

Violence: Sailor Moon and Sailor Chibi Moon cause Nemesis to explode

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Magical girl powers; Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon float inside of some kind of force field in space

Review: My Teen Romantic Comedy Too!, Episode 13: Spring, Bound Beneath the Thick Snow, Begins to Sprout.

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/my-teen-romantic-comedy-snafu/episode-13-spring-bound-beneath-the-thick-snow-begins-to-sprout-678763

Review:

Some shows go out with a bang, and others fade out with a whimper. Sadly, My Teen Romantic Comedy takes the latter route for its swansong episode. To be fair, the show does follow the light novels, and as I understand it the show has pretty much caught up to the plot of the light novels at this point. While the show could have gone with an anime only ending, doing things this way does leave the show open for the possibility for a third season once more source material is available. Sadly, this means that we get what might as well be “just another episode” as a finale.

The episode begins almost as if it is introducing a new story arc—Yukino is faced with the fact that her sister will now be living with her. Hikigaya ultimately disarms the situation, and the three friends retreat to Yui’s house, where Yukino decides to spend the night per Yui’s suggestion. The episode does continue to explore the idea that Yukino is unable to think for her self, as evidenced during this portion, specifically when she uses Hikigaya’s exact words to justify to her sister why she is not coming home. Even the climax of the episode builds on this theme, as Yui confronts Yukino with a “solution” to all of her problems, one which will cost Yukino “everything”. Yet again Hikigaya has to step in for this, and while it seems to push Yukino into some kind of progression, we don’t get to see the fruits of this, as it is the very end of the episode.

To be fair, this was a good episode of OreGairu. It continued the focus on Yukino that had begun a few episodes ago, and made an effort to show evidence for some of the claims that have been made about her. Had this simply been another stepping stone in OreGairu’s second season, there would be no complaints, but it really does not do anything to wrap up the story or provide a satisfying end. The episode does present content that seems to further the possibility of romance between Hikigaya and either of the female leads, but again nothing definitive is put in place to suggest which route he will go. Yui’s statement at the end is probably the closest thing to a declaration that has been made throughout the entire season. Of course, there is also the reoccurring vague-speak for which this season has been notorious, making it difficult for the viewer to understand what is being discussed at some points.

Overall, this episode’s biggest weakness is the fact that it is the season finale. It would have received a much warmer review had it been a normal episode, but it does nothing to round out the season or provide a satisfactory conclusion to everything that has happened thus far. At best, it leaves the viewer with an imaginary “To Be Continued?” in his/her mind, and since there is no guarantee that a third season will be made (especially since more light novels will have to be written first), the fact is that we may never have closure. OreGairu was one of the stronger shows I reviewed this season, and I honestly wish it would have gotten a better send off than it did.

A Christian Perspective:

James 5:12 – But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. (ESV)

So I’m not usually a fan of changing up versions for the sake of better wording (I typically post from the NIV only), but honestly this is how I know this verse moreso than the NIV translation (which is ironic, since the NIV is what I read during my own devotions, although maybe the version I read is older than the one online). At any rate, I found myself thinking about this verse in conjunction with this episode, and it occurred to me that you might be able to take James’ statement as, “Say what you mean.” Now, my friend tells me that this is a bad paraphrase, and that what James is saying is to not let your opinions be swayed by other people… but I really don’t get that from this verse, and I still feel like, “Say what you mean” is one way to take his statement to “let your yes be yes and your no be no”, so I will move forward with that train of thought.

In this episode, as with several others this season, we have the characters saying a lot of things that are less than clear. Whether the characters themselves understand what is going on or not is uncertain, but the viewers are certainly left confused (I felt better at my lack of understanding when I read similar thoughts in the Crunchyroll comments). One such example is Hikigaya’s statement that he wants the “real thing”, yet he never actually explained what he meant by that. Haruno even asks him if this is the “real thing” he wanted at one point. This episode ends with similarly vague statements by Yui—statements that at least seem to be understood by Yukino, if no one else.

Clear communication is important. In entertainment, it helps the viewer to understand what is going on with the story and what the motivations of the various characters are. In real life, clear communication is essential to making sure people understand pretty much anything. Just think about how hard explaining salvation through Christ would be if all we did was beat around the bush with vague terms. The point is, we need to make sure that we are communicating in such a way that others can comprehend what we are saying and, if necessary, act on it.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: 1 “Oh G*d”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: None

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Sailor Moon Crystal, Episode 25: Showdown

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sailor-moon-crystal/episode-25-act-25-showdown-677515

Review:

With the destruction of all life as we know it imminent, Sailor Pluto breaks the third and final taboo of her position and stops time, providing the opportunity the Senshi need to stop the threat at great cost to herself. Pluto’s sacrifice is enough to finally break through Black Lady’s hard shell, restoring her to her original form and awakening a new power within her. While that threat is dispatched, the Senshi still have to deal with the threat of Nemesis looming overhead once the time freeze ends, and while their combined powers seem to initially end the battle it quickly becomes clear that Nemesis will not be dealt with so easily. While the Senshi seem to briefly find an ally in the form of an enemy, it doesn’t last long, and they are plunged into darkness, where the stage is set for the true final battle.

In terms of storytelling, this may have been one of Sailor Moon Crystal’s stronger episodes. Pluto’s final taboo is actually explained, and more of her backstory with Chibi-usa is explored. Unlike some of Sailor Moon’s previous solutions, this actually provides a strong and believable catalyst for Dark Lady’s return to Chibi-usa, as it confronts her with the fact that there was someone who truly cared for her, and how the hatred and anger within her were so ill-placed. The episode also does a good job of tying up loose ends (namely, Demande) by giving him a scene that is almost redeeming, were it not for the comments that he makes. It was also a nice change of pace to see all of the Senshi working together to take down Nemesis, instead of having the Senshi knocked out and Sailor Moon taking on the final boss alone.

It probably isn’t surprising that the final battle does not end here, and really it is better that way, as the Senshi haven’t really dealt with Nemesis directly up until this point. To have such a great threat dealt with in only a few minutes would have been anti-climactic at best, and would have undermined all the danger that has been previously presented. Instead, the episode focuses on tying up the other plot lines that have been introduced before leading into the climax of the series. While I have had a lot of negative things to say about Sailor Moon Crystal throughout its tenure, I can honestly say that this was a completely enjoyable episode, and I have no real criticisms to offer.

A Christian Perspective:

John 15:13 – Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

Be honest and raise your hand if you saw this one coming. Yeah, I thought so.

Sailor Pluto’s sacrifice in this episode was a perfect example of the above verse, as she knew exactly what would happen to her when she chose to stop time. Her desire to help her friends was greater than her desire for self-preservation (although she would have died had Demande touched the Crystals together), which lead to her decision. That’s pretty much cut-and-dry laying one’s life down for one’s friends.

It gets a little trickier, though, because in order to do this she had to break a taboo. While it’s not clear what (or who) makes the three taboos “taboo”, the question that I have is whether these things amount to sin, which brings up a discussion about how the above verse plays out if you sin in the process. To be fair, I don’t have an adequate real life example, but if Pluto essentially sinned in her methods, then was her sacrifice truly godly? It’s not my intention to say if she did or didn’t, but to rather present an alternate thought that occurred based on the fact that she broke a “taboo” in order to protect her friends.

Whatever your take on the taboo stance, we can at least take this at the surface level as an example of someone laying their life down for their friends. The question we must ask ourselves is whether we would be ready and willing to do the same.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: None

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Black Lady shows cleavage; Neo Queen Serenity shows cleavage; Chibi-usa is shown naked (but clothed in light, so nothing worse than a transformation sequence); Sailor Moon transforms

Violence: Sailor Moon and the Senshi attack Wiseman; Wiseman attacks the Senshi; Demande is engulfed in dark energy; Demande is blown up

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Magical girl powers; Demande’s third eye

Review: My Teen Romantic Comedy Too!, Episode 12: Still, The Thing He Seeks Is Out of Reach, And He Continues to Mistake What’s Real.

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/my-teen-romantic-comedy-snafu/episode-12-still-the-thing-he-seeks-is-out-of-reach-and-he-continues-to-mistake-whats-real-678761

Review:

Leave it to My Teen Romantic Comedy to never stick to the stereotypical approach. This time around, our cast tackles Valentine’s Day. While there are a couple girls who want to give Hayato chocolate, it is revealed that he doesn’t accept chocolate for the sake of keeping the peace. Meanwhile, Yui seems to have some interest in giving Hikigaya chocolate, although this theme remains more in the background. Instead, the Hayato theme is brought front-and-center as both Isshiki and Yumiko approach the Service Club for help in giving chocolates to Hayato. These requests, along with a third, separate request, ultimately result in the Isshiki organizing an event with the other school council from earlier in the season. While the event goes off without a hitch and everyone seems to enjoy themselves, a heavy atmosphere is brought about when Haruno shows up and throws a wrench into the atmosphere between Yukino, Yui, and Hikigaya. On top of this, the three Service Club members encounter Yukino’s mother on the way home, which results in Yukino receiving a weighty lecture. Ultimately, the episode concludes with Hikigaya reflecting on whether they really know who they are at this point.

The hook thrown in this episode is quite effective, as the majority of the events lead the viewers to believe that they are (finally) getting a lighthearted episode, especially as the end of the series is approaching. While most of the episode is, in fact, sugary and sweet, the ending manages to bring us back to the fact that some of these characters are a bit messed up and have issues (both external and internal) that they need to work on. It also continues to raise questions as to what, exactly, Haruno is trying to do. She seems to be friendly with Hikigaya, but she also seems to show up and ruin moments for him, at least when those moments involve Yukino. This episode is no different. While Yui and Yukino are presenting Hikigaya with their chocolates, Haruno shows up and suggests that what they are feeling may not be “real”, which completely tarnishes the mood.

It is also nice to see the conflict of Yukino’s mother finally brought back into the picture, even if it is (again) thrown in at the very end of the episode. At some point, it would be beneficial if we could actually get a full explanation of Yukino’s home situation, as her mother certainly seems to be a point of strife, but we are ultimately left in the dark far too often. Add to that the fact that whenever the issue comes up, it is quickly dropped (see the end of episode 10/beginning of episode 11), and it is easy for the viewer to feel like they are on the outside looking in, instead of fully understanding these characters. This would be fine if the purpose was to build up to the overall conflict, but there is only one episode left in the season, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for introducing and resolving new conflict, unless another season is planned after this one.

That’s not to say that re-introducing Yukino’s mother was a bad thing. It has already been shown to be a conflict, so it is better for it to be brought back up and addressed than to be left as a loose plot thread. It would just have been nice to see it addressed more thoroughly throughout the season, but given that most of the season focused on Hikigaya, there wasn’t a whole lot of room to fit it in. Perhaps it would have been better to hold off on transitioning to a focus on Yukino until a potential third season. In any event, what’s done is done, and this episode does not leave one hopeful for a happy ending for our protagonists. After the ending of this episode, it does not seem likely that every bad situation can be neatly wrapped up into a happy ending, at least not in a way that would be satisfying and realistic.

A Christian Perspective:

At the end of the episode, Hikigaya makes comments about they have yet to find their true selves hidden behind their personas. This could be said about the vast majority of humanity. If we read the beginning of Genesis, then we can see that God had originally created man to be in communion with Him, a relationship that was tarnished by sin. I would argue, then, that our true selves are meant to be in God’s image, living in relation to Him. Sin tarnished that, but thankfully God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for us, which allows our relationship with God to be restored if we trust in Him as Lord and Savior. Christian metal band “Becoming the Archetype” once said that their name was based on the fact that since Jesus was the only One to ever be sinless, he was the archetype of humanity, and the band’s name reflects that belief. If we use their reasoning, then we can start there and build on it with the fact that, as Christians, we are supposed to become more like Jesus (hence, becoming the archetype), and if Jesus represents how we all should be, then we don’t really know who we are until we have come to meet Jesus.

Okay, so maybe that was a bit wordy and sloppy. The too long, didn’t read version is that humans don’t truly know who they are supposed to be until they come to know Jesus, because sin has tarnished our relationship with God and the purpose for which He created us.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: 1 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: A girl’s top shows some cleavage

Violence: None

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Plastic Memories, Episode 13: I Hope One Day You’ll Be Reunited

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/plastic-memories/episode-13-i-hope-one-day-youll-be-reunited-678549?t=0

Review:

The sun rises on Isla’s last day of life, and it is revealed that Isla and Tsukasa had seemingly spent the night going through Isla’s journal and discussing all of her memories. Despite the imminence of her demise, the pair moves on to cleaning their apartment, which then leads to a playful bath time (don’t worry—there is nothing worse that Tsukasa’s chest shown) before the two head off to work. Presumably, Isla wanted to spend her last day as normally as possible, given that she said something similar in the previous episode. Kazuki won’t have it, though, and she revokes Isla’s work badge, forcing her and Tsukasa to leave work for the day. Instead of working, they end up spending their last day together at the amusement park, and as time begins to wear on, the reality of the situation takes its full grasp on Tsukasa. The episode finally breaks the emotional dam as our doomed couple sits in the ferris wheel where their first date ended. Although the inevitable conclusion does come about, the writers were at least gracious enough to not leave us there—be sure to watch after the credits for a happier (and somewhat mysterious) conclusion.

One thing Plastic Memories has managed to do well is to keep the viewer aware of Isla’s impending doom while also keeping so much cute, feel good content around that it becomes easy to forget what is coming… or at least to deny it for the duration of the episode. That doesn’t particularly change here, as the early part of the episode shows Isla and Tsukasa enjoying their time together while cleaning, bathing, going to work, deciding what to do once they’re kicked out of work, and playing at the amusement park. It’s not until the sun begins to set and Tsukasa notices the growing length of his shadow that the tone of the episode really begins to shift. Let’s be honest, somewhere in the backs of our minds we were all hoping for a magical solution to Isla’s fate. Plastic Memories does not concede.

To be honest, I did not catch the fact that Isla’s last day meant that this was the day she would die. I suppose her leaving the letters one everyone’s desk (and, more telling, on Tsukasa’s counter) should have been a dead giveaway, but my initial thought was that this would be her last full day alive. The ending coming up this way was a bit more surprising. The show also deserves credit for not shying away from the pain of these events. While Tsukasa has kept a pretty brave face up until this point, he begins to lose it at the aforementioned shadow scene, and eventually fully loses it in the ferriswheel. Isla had realized what he was doing, and she made it possible for him to finally let go, which also gave her a chance to see his crying face.

I realize that much of this review has focused on the latter part of the episode, but that really is where it has its impact. While the first half is certainly enjoyable—providing us with one last hurrah in our favorite couple’s lives—the second half finally stops playing games and deals with what we have all been expecting. In short, it’s where the meat of the episode lies, and watching Isla and Tsukasa’s final moments together will likely draw tears from all but the most hardened viewers. The impact of Isla’s death isn’t wasted, either. It gives Tsukasa a new perspective on life, and his changed character can be seen in the epilogue. The only part of the final episode that may leave viewers frustrated is the mystery character introduced in the last few seconds, whose face we are never shown…

Plastic Memories may not have been the perfect show. What started as a sci-fi show complete with antagonists and all quickly turned into a tragic romantic comedy, with the former elements almost completely dropped in the process. The transition could have been done more smoothly, and other elements could have been left out (or the show could have been given 25-26 episodes to more fully flesh out the world while pursuing the romantic relationship), but the things the show does well far outweigh the things it doesn’t. The show made good use of its supporting cast and, once it started on its intended path, it stayed there until completion. Although not the best anime to ever be made, it is certainly worth your time to check out.

A Christian Perspective:

Ecclesiastes 3:4 – a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Tsukasa exhibits similar behaviors to these throughout this episode. During his fun times with Isla he is clearly enjoying himself. He may not actually be laughing, but the spirit of laughter (happiness) is certainly there. At the appropriate time, he begins to weep, and of course once Isla is gone, he mourns. But he doesn’t stay there. As the verse above says, there is a time for these things, and eventually those times pass, and we must move on. Tsukasa learns from Isla. He learns to make the most of his time, and he becomes stronger for it. If the Giftia at the end of the epilogue is indeed a reformatted Isla, then Tsukasa’s composed reception really does show that he has had his time to mourn and has moved past it.

I’ll be honest, I am not good with death. This episode left a heavy weight on my mind once it was over, even though I knew Isla’s death was coming, and had known for some time. Ironically, I think I’ve handled real life deaths better than I handled this fictitious death. My grandfather is a good example. I watched him ebb and flow for two weeks before he finally passed away, with the hope of him living being held over my head for that period of time. Yet, despite that, I was not the emotional wreck I expected to be when he did die. I will say that I held back my tears when I wanted to shed them most, because I wanted to give my dad the room he needed to cry. While I did cry a bit in my room (this was before I was married and living on my own) while praying, I don’t think I ever fully mourned. Whether this story adds anything to the point or not, I don’t know. I really wasn’t sure what to say, and having such a skimpy perspective on the final episode seems weak. If nothing else, let it serve as a story of what not to do when you lose someone (and as a contrast to how Tsukasa handled his situation).

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: 1 “j**z”, 1 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Isla and Tsukasa are shown in the bath together; however, the most you see is Tsukasa’s bare chest, as he and Isla are wearing towels; Eru cleavage

Violence: Kazuki puts Tsukasa in a headlock

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Sailor Moon Crystal, Episode 24: Attack -Black Lady-

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/sailor-moon-crystal/episode-24-act24-attack-black-lady-677513

Review:

Black Lady’s identity is now known to the Sailor Senshi, and despite their pleas she refuses to budge or turn from the path that she is now on. Joined by Demande, Saphir, and Wiseman, she presents an overwhelming force that the Senshi cannot stand against despite their intentions. Once again, Sailor Moon must watch as her friends are effortlessly beaten around her. To add insult to injury, she must also watch as the man she loves approaches her and beats her without a second thought. The odds are completely turned against the Senshi, even when Demande plays his trump card and appears to be a temporary ally. Though he attempts to kill Wiseman, he only serves to uncover the mysterious figure’s true identity, which is a power that even Sailor Moon cannot continuously resist. As she collapses, her crystal continuously falls into evil hands, with the very fate of the world on the line. Meanwhile, Sailor Pluto struggles with her desire to leave her post and join the fight, knowing that it violates her responsibilities. Although she is finally given the opportunity to leave, it may be too late for her to offer any assistance.

As far as finales go, this is shaping up to be much better than the finale for Sailor Moon Crystal’s first arc. True, it still contains more dramatic talking than it does fighting, but the enemies here still manage to be fiercer than their counterparts from the first arc. One point of criticism, though, is how easily the Senshi are defeated, much like in the end of the last arc. These are supposed to be the strongest warriors who defend the Earth, yet they certainly seem to be easily beaten. While the idea is most likely to show how much power the enemies possess, it would have been nice to see the Senshi actually put up a fight before being beaten, instead of them all being incapacitated in about thirty seconds. Once again, this leaves Sailor Moon to face the threat all on her own.

This episode contains perhaps one of the strongest characterizations the form of Black Lady. Through her reactions to the pleadings of her former friends, we see how truly dark her heart and feelings are. While these have no doubt been played on and amplified by Wiseman in order to manipulate her into doing his will, we still get a pretty good idea of where these things started, and how far Black Lady is willing to go to get her way. The inclusion of Demande’s plot twist also adds to the episode, as it adds a wild card element to the story. While the conflict between the Senshi and Nemesis is pretty clear cut, where Demande stands once he turns against Wiseman is unclear. Although his betrayal of Wiseman would raise hopes that he is now an ally, the conclusion of the episode seems to betray that hope, leaving us instead with a cliffhanger that, for the first time in a while, is truly tense.

Of course, Sailor Moon manages to pull out another now power in order to resist the enemy’s attacks, but at least this time it makes a little more sense. Also noteworthy is that, despite the immense power she is able to draw, it still ends up not being enough. Perhaps one of the biggest annoyances with the Sailor Moon series is that, no matter what trouble the titular character finds herself in, she is always able to pull out some new power that quickly negates the advantage her enemies had. While there is no doubt that the Senshi will prevail in the end, it is a nice change of pace to see Sailor Moon struggle for her victory this time around.

Only two episodes of Sailor Moon Crystal remain, so we should get to see how things resolve themselves soon. Of course, “soon” in this case means about another month, given Crystal’s release schedule. Will Demande be stopped in time? Will Pluto’s arrival on the scene make a difference? Will Black Lady see the error of her ways? Let’s keep watching and find out.

A Christian Perspective:

2 Timothy 3:12-13 – “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

This verse seems applicable to Black Lady’s character in this episode. Despite Sailor Moon’s attempts to plead with her, reason with her, apologize to her, and relate to her, Black Lady refuses to hear it, and is instead stuck on following the path that she has begun following with Wiseman. Of course, we don’t know for sure if Black Lady is Small Lady consciously choosing to behave in this matter, or if she is actually being controlled by Wiseman in some way, but given Wiseman’s history it is likely that she is being controlled to a degree. Either way, she could be called an evildoer or an imposter depending on the situation (evildoer if she is acting of her own accord, imposter if she is Wiseman’s will masquerading in Small Lady’s adult body). She has already been guilty of deception in a way (she took control of Mamoru), and she continues to be deceived by Wiseman. Given Wiseman’s threat to crush both Black Lady and Tuxedo Mask, it would seem that Black Lady is more of a pawn rather than the queen she sees herself as.

As far as going from bad to worse, we see Black Lady continue to bring about greater and greater destruction throughout the episode as she calls down more Malefic Black Crystals and, eventually, Nemesis itself. She becomes intent on fully destroying the Earth and her enemies, going from being someone who was simply malcontent with the way she had been treated as Small Lady to what amounts to a genocidal maniac. If we need a lesson in how these things go, though, we get that at the end when her plans suddenly go awry once Demande gets his hands on both Legendary Silver Crystals. In other words, evil will always suffer the consequences, no matter how many benefits it seems to have or how much power it gives.

The lesson for Christians, I think, is to consider how we should handle situations in our own lives. While there may be times where it seems like a great option to take revenge or follow some other evil path, we have to ask ourselves if we are ready to suffer the consequences. Of course, if we truly have Christ in us, then we cannot possibly live continuously in unrepentant sin, but we could make one bad decision that leads to a string of bad decisions, which potentially wreck our lives or relationships. It may seem satisfying at first to abuse our power, take revenge, hurt our offenders, or any other number of malicious solutions, but we have to ask ourselves if the long-term effects will be worth it, both in this life and in eternity. (Spoiler: the answer no, it isn’t).

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: A character is revealed to have had his will merged with a planet

Language: 2 “d*mn”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Black Lady’s dress shows cleavage and has a long slit running up her leg

Violence: The Senshi are slammed around; Sailor Moon is struck on the shoulder; a character is potentially killed

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Demande has a third eye; magical attacks

Review: Plastic Memories, Episode 12: Filling Up with Memories

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/plastic-memories/episode-12-filling-up-with-memories-678547

Review:

After a particularly bad (though unshown) dream, Isla makes her way to Tsukasa’s bed and asks him to never go away. Despite this bleak and ominous opening scene, things quickly get back to normal as the two sit down to breakfast together before heading into the office, where their co-workers rain gift after gift upon them so that they can go out on dates and such. While the couple take a day off together, they ultimately decide to continue going about life as usual, despite Isla’s limited time. During this period, Isla keeps up her usual routine—including training—and begins to teach Tsukasa about the various herbs she grows. She even seems to teach Tsukasa how to brew tea. In the midst of all of this, Tsukasa is also hit with the reality that he has to be the one to sign the retrieval agreement for Isla, something that appears to be harder for him than he had anticipated. Isla and Tsukasa also complete their last official assignment together, which is the retrieval of Sarah, before joining the rest of the team to celebrate Isla’s time as part of Terminal Service 1. On the way home, Tsukasa questions Isla about what she always says to the retrieval targets. After her reply, the two walk on in silence. Cue the credits.

Despite the predictions of some fans, this episode’s overall tone was still fairly light. There was the seemingly ominous dream that Isla has at the beginning, but that ultimately came to naught (for now; there’s still one episode to go). To an extent, the episode continues the theme of Isla and Tsukasa building memories from last week’s episode, as we are treated to a series of scenes where they go to the movies together (which, unsurprisingly, is another first for Isla). While the movie scene itself is nothing special, the following scenes are ridiculously cute. Yet again, we get to see Isla be more expressive in one scene than she has been in most of the series, and some of the facial expressions she makes are simply priceless.

Of course, the good times don’t just roll this time around. Once Isla expresses her desire to continue going about their day-to-day life rather than take a bunch of time off, things get a bit weightier. A good example is when Isla is teaching Tsukasa about her herbs. While the two seem to be enjoying their time together—and while Tsukasa seems to be enjoying what he’s learning—the underlying meaning behind this is clear as can be. Add to that the dilemma Tsukasa faces with signing Isla’s retrieval order, and the monster lurking below the surface does not remain well hidden. It really is a well done episode, as it captures the desire to enjoy the moments you have with someone that you know is going to die while also balancing the pain from the realization that no matter how much you enjoy the time, it’s still going to end. Anyone who has ever experienced the gradual loss of a loved one should be able to relate.

The episode also does a good job of trolling the viewers, as well. As Isla and Tukasa set out to retrieve Sarah, their boss is shown having a seemingly unpleasant conversation with his superior on the phone. The nature of what is being said puts all sorts of ideas into one’s mind, even if it doesn’t actually turn out to be anything bad. Also, near the end of the episode, it almost seems that Isla is about to become jealous of Tsukasa speaking to Michiru (who still hasn’t gotten over her case of tsundere). While this would have made an interesting plot point, it is probably for the best of the fans’ emotions that her concerned look quickly turns into a smile. From here, the episode begins to wind down, and while the ending isn’t particularly sad, it is sobering, especially once Isla reveals what she always says to her retrieval targets. Tsukasa’s lack of a response and the relative silence of the last few seconds strikes a dissonant chord with the happy ending music that follows.

A Christian Perspective:

1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 – Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

“I hope one day, you’ll be reunited with the person you cherish.” – Isla

As soon as Isla spoke these words at the episode’s closing, I knew that they had to be the focus of this Christian Perspective. Isla’s words express one of the deepest desires that we have when losing someone: the hope that we may someday see them again. While there are certainly those who believe that there is nothing after death, there seem to be more who believe in some concept of an after-life, although some people certainly have some crazy ideas.

Paul’s words in 1 Thessalonians express the answer to Isla’s statement. As Paul states, those who died in Christ will also live with Christ, and so long as those loved ones who have passed before us were saved, born-again believers, then we have the hope of seeing them again (if we, too, are saved, born-again believers, of course). The pain of separation and the longing to see these people again are both resolved in this promise. But doesn’t it seem selfish—or perhaps misguided—to place so much focus on seeing deceased loved ones again? After all, isn’t our ultimate goal and joy to be with Jesus forever, rather than to again see those we love again? Well, yes, that is the ultimate goal. Whether it is wrong to also hope for the second thing I cannot say, and so will not give an opinion on. I do think we will ultimately be much more excited to see Jesus than our loved ones, no matter what we may think in our moments of grief.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: None

Language: 2 “j**z”

Alcohol/Drug Use: Several characters are shown drinking alcohol, and Yasutaka is drunk

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: Eru cleavage; two male characters are shown topless

Violence: None

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Re-Kan!, Episode 6: A Super Awesome Holy Night

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/re-kan/episode-6-a-super-awesome-holy-night-678281

Review:

It’s kind of weird watching a Christmas episode in June, although this episode barely counts as a “Christmas” episode outside of the time frame and mention of a Christmas party. A neat little fact is that the episode deals a lot with a mother/daughter relationship, and it debuted on Mother’s Day. Why not just make a Mother’s Day episode, you ask? Who knows!

Anyway, Hibiki’s friends are quite surprised when they come into school to find Hibiki dressing and behaving in a manner completely out of her character, at least until Kana takes a picture of Hibiki, which reveals that a ghost is possessing Hibiki’s body. The ghost is that of a high school girl who wants to fulfill a particular desire before she can pass on, and Hibiki is now playing host to the ghost to make this happen. The episode ultimately delves into parent/child relationships, as it is revealed that Kana’s love of reporting comes from her parents, both of whom are career reporters and, as a result, are frequently absent from home. Throughout the episode, the line between comedic and serious is crossed several times, with some scenes (such as Inoue and Kana following possessed Hibiki) being flat-out amusing while others (such as the ghost girl confronting her mother) carry a much heavier, sobering tone. It is a good episode for reflections on how important it is to value the time we have with those we love, while also emphasizing the importance of being able to move on instead of being stuck in the past.

One thing that viewers should be able to appreciate about Re-Kan! is that it treats its cast of characters equally. While the beginning of the show seemed to focus primarily on Hibiki and Inoue (and, indeed, that still may be the primary focus), the show has sought to further develop the girls in Hibiki’s group of friends. This episode, for example, gives a strong emphasis on Kana, and actually features very little of Hibiki outside of her possessed state. Even Inoue takes a backseat in terms of character progression, although she is there for comic relief if nothing else. The fact that the episode also deals with some tough issues (the loss of a child and absentee parents) without feeling too overbearing or depressing is another highlight. Oh, and the lack of Eroneko was definitely an added bonus.

There really isn’t anything negative that stood out about this episode. Of course, Re-Kan! is an episodic show, so if you prefer shows with a more cohesive plot then the lack of such a thing will probably still be a sore spot for you, but otherwise this was a really touching episode that, ultimately, managed to be a feel good episode (just see the ending). It may not win any awards, but Re-Kan! serves as a great show to just kick back and enjoy when you want to relax.

A Christian Perspective:

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

This was one of those episodes where I wasn’t getting anything as far as a perspective. I’m sure some more perceptive viewers could probably pull out messages that I’ve missed, but for the majority of the episode no clear “Christian perspective” struck me, until almost the end of the episode.

Hibiki and her friends proceed to have their Christmas party once the ghost girl has delivered her desired message and, presumably, passed on. While they are enjoying themselves, Hibiki is suddenly possessed again, revealing that the ghost has not, in fact, passed on, and this time it’s for Kana’s sake. If you recall, Kana pretty much wrote off any chance of her parents actually coming home for Christmas, and simply chose to have the Christmas party with her friends instead. Ghost girl, having reconciled with her mother, returns to tell Kana that she has somewhere to be. Kana rushes home, opens her door, and is shown to have a very happy look on her face before the episode ends, suggesting that her parents were, in fact, home. She may not have found this out—or, at the very least, may have missed out on quality time with her parents—if ghost girl hadn’t encouraged her to go.

The same can be said of the Christian life. How many opportunities do we allow to pass us by because we feel discouraged, or because we simply think we can’t do anything? Perhaps we are just good at making excuses or justifying our procrastination. The point is, left to our own devices, we can do a good job of missing opportunity after opportunity, which is why it is important to have people to encourage us to go out and try new things. More importantly, it is also very easy to be discouraged in your faith, especially when Brother So-and-So seems to pray better than you, worship better than you, serve better than you, praise better than you, etc. Having people there to encourage us in our faith walk (and to remind us not to compare ourselves to Bro. So-and-So) is important, because we need to know that we are not alone and that there are people who care.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: Ghosts are shown, as usual; Hibiki is possessed by a ghost;

Language: 3 “j**z”, 2 “h*ll”, 2 “p*ssed”, 1 “d*mn”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: Yamada is hit with a can; Inoue tackles (possessed) Hibiki

Blood/Gore: None

Review: Re-Kan!, Episode 5: The Legendary Culture Festival

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/re-kan/episode-5-the-legendary-culture-festival-678279

Review:

School festivals are a staple of any high school anime, and the main character’s class typically goes with one of a few stereotypical selections. Given the fact that this is a show about a girl who can see ghosts, it only makes sense that Hibiki and her classmates would choose to put together a haunted house event. This, of course, serves a larger purpose than a simple school festival episode. As the early portion of the episode progresses, Hibiki’s friends (and, by extension, the viewers) are introduced to Hibiki’s father. This serves to launch into a series of flashbacks about how Hibiki’s parents met, along with the detail that Hibiki’s mother could also see and communicate with ghosts. Hibiki’s father, on the other hand, was more like Inoue—in fact, his hair turned white from shock and fear after only a week of dating his wife. As amusing as this portion of the episode is, it does set up an allusion to the idea that Hibiki and Inoue are intended to be more than just friends, which is an extremely annoying idea at best (not to mention uncalled for).

The second half of the episode actually focuses on the school festival itself, trailing off to put the spotlight on Inoue, who is forced to hand out fliers that only serve to scare her. This leads to her encountering Hibiki’s dad, and the two of them share a moment together, allowing for even more sentimental flashbacks to Hibiki’s mom before hilarity ensues. Inoue’s costume causes her to bear a resemblance to Hibiki, which apparently misleads the ghosts into offering their help to her as they would to Hibiki. Of course, since Inoue and Hibiki’s dad are both terrified of ghosts, this ends up being a frightening ordeal that sends them both tearing through the school.

All-in-all, this was a very good backstory episode that helped to flesh out Hibiki’s character a bit while also adequately introducing her dad. For once, we have an anime dad who is fairly normal. Overprotective, sure (we know this from a previous episode), but not over-dramatically so (see Working! for a go example of that). He is amusing, and fits right into the antics of the show. The suggestion of Hibiki x Inoue remains a point of frustration, but hopefully that will only be a running gag as opposed to the purpose of their relationship. Or hopefully it will be dropped altogether. Time will tell.

A Christian Perspective:

2 Corinthians 6:14 – Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, then you’ve probably heard the above Scripture used to explain that it is wrong for Christians to marry non-Christians. If you’ve heard that before, then you probably know where I’m going with this: Hibiki’s parents.

As shown in this episode, Hibiki’s mom was able to see ghosts, and made no real effort to hide it, while Hibiki’s dad was completely terrified of the supernatural, ultimately ending up with a head full of white hair because of his constant exposure to it (and subsequent shock/fear/etc.). While this is a more humorous attempt at explaining a biblical principle, I feel the point still stands. For as much as the two may have loved each other, they were incompatible, and it ultimately had a negative affect on one of them.

For Christians, it’s a bit more serious than that, because by marrying an unbeliever we are inviting someone who does not share the same beliefs or values as we do into the most intimate relationship possible (besides the one we have with God, of course). To think that we can let someone come that close to us and have them not affect our devotion to God and how we live for Him is ludicrous, and we would do well to consider that. Hibiki’s dad lost the color in his hair by staying with a woman whose abilities brought him terror. We stand to lose a whole lot more if we marry someone and allow them to pull us away from God.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Content: The usual stuff, Hibiki (and her mom, in flashbacks) can see and talk to ghosts; Hibiki’s mom appears to be possessed at one point; Hibiki talks about leaving offerings for the dead; it is suggested that Hibiki’s mom could see the future; ghosts appear and scare people

Language: 2 “h*ll”

Alcohol/Drug Use: None

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: None

Violence: A ghost swats Eroneko out of the way

Blood/Gore: Fake blood is painted on the walls of the haunted house

Other: Eroneko is Eroneko; suggestions are made to the effect of Hibiki having feelings for Inoue; Eroneko flips Inoue’s dress and comments on her underwear (the viewer sees no underwear, though)

Review: Re-Kan!, Episode 4: Summer Means the Beach

Screenshot taken from: http://www.crunchyroll.com/re-kan/episode-4-summer-means-the-beach-678277

Review:

Unfortunately, the cohesive-plot element from the previous episode did not stick around for this one. While there was something of a central theme here, it didn’t really reveal itself as a “plot” as much as it did a character history, and that much was only in the second half of the episode.

If you hung around long enough in the previous episode, then you would have seen the previews for this episode, which made it abundantly clear that this would be a beach episode. Well, it is half a beach episode—the other half takes place back in the classroom. Hibiki and company head out to a beach, chaperoned by Yamada’s older brother (who is just as strange as Yamada). They manage to find a beach that is deserted… at least by the living. Of course, this is Re-Kan!, so it wouldn’t make sense for ghostly stuff to not play a role!

To its credit, Re-Kan! does not go out of its way to make the beach scene overly fanservicey. Yes, the girls are shown in their bathing suits, some of which are bikinis, and some of which show cleavage, but that’s about the sum of it. There were no sexual shots or poses, no up-close-and-personal camera angles, or anything of that sort. Of course, the ever-annoying and never-welcome Eroneko makes several appearances throughout this portion of the episode, complete with some lewd comments, but each time a bunch of ghosts try to drown him, so at least he gets his just desserts.

This first portion of the episode lays the groundwork for the second portion, as well. It appears that Esumi has some connection to Yamada’s brother, who turns out to be a cop. As we ultimately find out, Esumi had an encounter with Yamada’s brother back in her gang days, when she was known as the “Flame-Haired Messiah” (am I the only one wondering if this is a Shakugan no Shana reference?). Much of the second half of the episode is devoted to espousing Esumi’s backstory, with some interjections from other characters (for example, Hibiki shares an “embarrassing” story from her past). I suppose it is nice to see some of the side characters getting fleshed out, instead of just being slung around for comedic relief or convenient plot points.

“Summer Means The Beach” may not have contained an overly cohesive plot like the previous episode, but it did manage to deliver a fun outing with a few doses of comedy while also managing to develop some character relations. It may not be heavily plot driven, but it certainly isn’t the worst way to spend 24(ish) minutes.

A Christian Perspective:

Alright, so I know the vast majority of my perspectives usually draw on a verse of Scripture, but this time it’s just on a facet of being a Christian. That facet is our testimony. If you’ve been a Christian for any length of time, then you’ve probably heard someone encourage you to share your testimony of how you came to Christ and how He saved you and changed you. This is how we relate to others and how we show them that Christ can change them. Stuff like that.

In this episode, we see something akin to this when Esumi describes a certain encounter she had during her days as the “Flame-Haired Messiah”. Apparently, she herself had a ghostly encounter, and yet she wasn’t scared by it. In fact, her telling this story creates a brief moment between her and Hibiki, presumably because most people can’t relate to Hibiki in the manner of encountering ghosts. Without Esumi sharing her story, though, Hibiki had no way of knowing this particular aspect about her friend. In the end, it creates a common ground between the two of them that may allow them to better relate to one another.

Sharing our testimony with another person may also help them see their need for Christ, or that they can find freedom in Christ. It is one thing for a man behind a pulpit to scream at his congregation about how pornography is a sin. It is quite another for a believer in Christ to come alongside his friend and share his testimony about how Christ freed him from his addiction to pornography. I’m not saying pastors shouldn’t preach against sin, I’m just saying that hearing from someone who has been through the crucible and ultimately brought out by Christ may have a better chance of leading someone to Christ (or at least giving them hope that there is freedom for them) than having a man who you don’t know and who you may already expect to condemn you tell you that what you’re doing is wrong.

Content Guide:

Spiritual Concerns: As always, Hibiki can see and communicate with ghosts; Esumi is referred to as “Flame-Haired Messiah”; Esumi has a ghostly encounter in a flashback

Language: 1 “j**z”, 1 “h*ll”, 3 “d*mn”, 1 “cr*p”

Nudity/Sex/Fanservice: The main female cast are all shown in bathing suits—some one pieces, some bikinis—some of which show cleavage; a picture also shows a woman in a cleavage-revealing bikini; Yamada and his brother are both shown shirtless and wearing swim trunks

Violence: Ghosts try to drown Eroneko several times; Esumi puts Yamada in some kind of body hold; Esumi beats up some bullies

Blood/Gore: None

Other: Yamada’s brother makes inappropriate comments to the girls; Eroneko makes several inappropriate comments, including it being the “summer of sexual harassment”