#tirorah rewatches pgsm

[tirorah]

Luna: I suspect it will happen for each of you after you overcome a core character flaw!

Ami: That's insightful of you, Luna. How did you know that?

Luna: Oh you know, just moon cat things. *quickly hides the script* So...what are things you dislike?

Rei: Why?

Luna: *takes out notepad* No particular reason.

Rei: *suspicious stare*

Makoto: Well... I don't like raw potatoes.

Luna: Hm-hmm... *scribble scribble*

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 11 #little did they know the notepad would become a webshop order #five kilograms of raw potatoes and one confetti tube please

[tirorah]

Ohh this is interesting! I don't remember this at all!

How did Kunzite fail, exactly? And is that why she banished him? I question this because given how hyper-competent Kunzite ends up being, I have some trouble believing he failed at anything.

But like I said before, he does not love Beryl. Even worse, he openly defies her! And if there's one thing Beryl can't stand, it's that.

It's just that she currently has no options left.

Nephrite: Hey, I exis-

She's all alone and all of her brainwashed generals have been turned into rocks!

Edit: Please check the replies to this post for additional information!

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 14 #what is that red smudge on the edge of the screen and why is it miming speech? #hmm

[tirorah]

Um yeah, about that...

:(

(Rei may look more emotional here than expected. That's apparently because Kitagawa Keiko couldn't help herself at this scene. I'm glad they leave that kind of stuff in sometimes.)

This entire scene is so, so important to this story! This revelation is a big shock to the system, and it should be. Other versions don't exactly ignore that angle, but PGSM is eager to tackle how awful this kind of thing is for one's identity.

And remember, they're only 14 years old! They're still at that age where they're trying to figure out who they are and who they want to be. This is devastating.

It also makes sense for Usagi to be the most upset. She's the most emotional out of all of them and she's the only one with a healthy family life.

I'm so glad that Luna immediately clarifies that this doesn't change who they are. They're still their parents' children; they're not aliens from the moon who were inserted into some humans' wombs. They just...inherited some extra things from somewhere else.

Of course, although Usagi bounces back, this revelation will continue to affect them for the rest of the show. Remember, the central theme is: past life versus present life. How each of them grapple with the past life's influence in their current lives is the creamy centre of this story and I can't wait to experience that all over again.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 10 #really though Luna...did you really never have a good opportunity to tell them? #it's been 4 episodes since the team's been united you know #but I suppose it's tough to start such a conversation #anyway it's good that she apologised #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm

[tirorah]

Remember how in episode 4, they needed to sing along to C'est La Vie to get their timing down? Not the case anymore!

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 16 #congratulations! you can now do the timed puzzle in FF7's second reactor in one go

[tirorah]

I adore that this entire episode is devoted to building up this dynamic. Although Usagi certainly plays a role--and the NakoNako contest sets up the reveal that Minako is Sailor V--she's the inciting incident and not much else.

Rei and Makoto have both suffered loss and abandonment, yet they emerged as two very different people. Makoto's parents were ripped away from her and she's spent the years since longing for the love and stability she used to have. Rei lost a loving mother and was abandoned by her scumbag father, so she decided she didn't need that love anymore and created stability for herself.

Makoto is strong because she had no one to rely on; Rei is strong because she didn't want to rely on anyone.

When Usagi came to them for help (having done the wrong homework, so she HAD tried), Makoto became the overprotective friend to Rei's tough love approach. They were diametrically opposed and so they didn't understand each other on a fundamental level. That fight landed them in each other's bad books.

This episode addresses all of that. They find out about each other's pasts and how it shaped them into the people they are now. They realise that there's more to the other than meets the eye. And it demonstrates to them that there are upsides to both of their approaches: Makoto protects Rei in her time of need, and Usagi succeeds on her own merits.

They might still not understand each other fully, but they've proven themselves to each other, and that's enough. From now on, they'll have each other's backs.

And so concludes what I consider the 'introduction arc' of PGSM. The audience knows the characters, and the characters know each other. Next, we'll have a batch of episodes that deepen their bond while the challenges they face slowly ramp up.

Fun details:

Rei and Makoto's positions are reversed at the end, compared to their fight at the start. And because they're both sitting down in that shot, the height difference is no longer in play, symbolising a mutual respect and understanding.

When Rei was feeling vulnerable after her phone call, she drove away Makoto by accusing her of eavesdropping. Makoto was so offended by this insinuation that she defended herself twice. She also left without giving peace a chance, despite her intention to honour Usagi's request. At the end, though, she's obviously developed an understanding of Rei-speak and flawlessly counters Rei's "You're too soft" with a "Looks like you are too".

Makoto uses a non-lightning attack for the first time here. This coincides with Rei discovering she likes cute things. Makoto becomes defensive, feeling vulnerable, but Rei's good-natured teasing makes her comfortable enough to admit it. This outward acknowledgement of a girly aspect of herself triggers her use of Flower Hurricane.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 08 #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm #wow sorry; this one turned out rather long

[tirorah]

I said in my big post that I couldn't afford to write about all the clever things this show does because that would take too many words there. Here, though, I can elaborate on one really smart thing PGSM does: Keeping the core group limited to four people.

One reason this show can characterise its main cast so well is that it knows when to hold back on introducing them to one another. Makoto isn't here yet, and Minako won't be coming in for quite a while, so currently we only have the trio of Usagi, Ami and Rei to work with. And Usagi, for all her sterling qualities, is not the best at understanding the deeper insecurities of her two new friends. She gets a bit better at it later, but she simply doesn't have the benefit of experience.

Ami and Rei do. It's a big leap for Ami to bring this up, but she sees something familiar in Rei: they both have trouble trusting people. Although their circumstances and issues are very different, Ami can 100% relate to being afraid of this new friendship blowing up in her face. She understands that fear of putting herself out there, only to be left alone to wallow in disappointment.

Usagi has already proven herself to Ami, so she's willing to believe, despite her crippling anxieties. Rei still needs to wait and see, and Rei's standards are exacting. Ami respects that, and Rei appreciates that Ami respects that.

This nascent friendship between the two of them is vital. Not only does it allow them to bond outside of Usagi's influence--which is another thing I love about PGSM--but there's a sense that they can truly understand one another. They're on the same wavelength.

Later on, Usagi and Makoto will be paired off in a similar manner. And then it also develops Usagi and Ami, and Rei and Makoto as duos. In this way, there's always one half of a group that complements the other. If they'd added Minako to the mix sooner, those dynamics wouldn't have had as much room to breathe.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 04 #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm #the character writing in this show is just *chef's kiss*

[tirorah]

So here's a funny thought: This flip phone (which is apparently called the Teletia S) can store outfits, sure...but we never see them manage their 'inventory' so to speak.

Does this thing even have a delete button in-universe? What if it *doesn't*? Usagi goes all shutterbug with it and then finds out she can't delete any of the outfits she changed her mind on, so they forever take up space in the lineup and she has to thumb past them every time she's choosing an outfit.

Two years later, as fashion trends have moved on, Usagi will groan at all the outdated, useless stuff she has on there. No one would wear this, she'd moan! This won't make for an effective disguise at all!

She also quickly flips past all the outfits she didn't mean to take a picture of. Either her thumb slipped or her aim was thrown off by something. Suddenly she has the most unflattering outfit ever on her phone and she can never ever delete it. Oh, the possibilities!

Also consider: if this thing has an infinite hard drive for outfits, that means Rei can go on a quest to photograph every single profession in the world. She'll be like a Pokémon master, just for work-related disguises.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 01 #that also means that one dress Ami photographed is forever stored on there #and everyone else KNOWS it's there #they'll never trust her phone again #anyway I'm not a clothes connoisseur. feel free to contribute ideas for ill-fated outfits forever stored on the flip phones #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm

[tirorah]

D'aww, look at Rei and Minako, having their meet cute. Minako even makes an effort to act like she doesn't remember Usagi! (As if she could ever forget.)

Heh, and look how pleased Rei is. "Yeah that's right, I don't watch a lot of TV! Heh!"

The difference between Minako's introduction to Usagi and her introduction to Rei is like night and day.

Usagi and Makoto ended up meeting Minako because they tried to do something selfless and were mistaken, but Minako isn't an idiot; those two shouldn't have been able to get there in the first place. (I assume so, anyway. Why else would they have disguised themselves?) Their motives at the start weren't so selfless.

And Usagi made a right fool of herself, although it has to be said that Minako's expectations were way too high. After all, Makoto wasn't THAT much better, yet she wasn't commented on at all. That's also because Usagi is special, of course, but the amount of disappointment Minako felt in that moment was huge. She'd obviously talked up Sailor Moon in her head and it all fell apart at that moment. Usagi made up for it the next episode, but Minako was dying inside at first.

Rei, on the other hand, didn't notice her at all at first. Yeah there was slow-motion and sound effects going on, but Rei didn't actually stop. She was leaving; she only turned back because she heard concerned voices. So she arrived at the scene behind Minako, and what did she do? She immediately volunteered to help out the dog. No ulterior motive. The fact Rei isn't a fan, the fact she didn't even recognise her, is the cherry on top.

Obviously Rei has the situation massively in her favour here, but I don't think any of that would've mattered if her behaviour had matched Usagi's. The fact it doesn't--that Rei is talking to Minako like she's a normal human being--must be incredibly refreshing for Minako.

And that's doubly nice because Minako is here for a depressing reason. Her illness is starting to manifest itself more. The clock is ticking down. There was probably a tempest of emotions running through her. Fear, anger, despair, helplessness. The last thing she'd need right now is a fangirl squealing in her ear.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 17 #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm #pgsm spoilers

[tirorah]

Wait. WAIT.

I always laughed about how Mamoru conveniently had a spare bike helmet with him for that one episode... But it was Hina's, wasn't it?

Usagi wore Hina's helmet?!

fuuuuuuu

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 17 #I completely missed stuff like this!

[tirorah]

Jadeite is Queen Metalia, confirmed!

Fine, Kunzite, I guess your energy farm worked. Boo, industrialisation.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 16 #it brought back Jadeite oh no!

[tirorah]

Wow, this episode really is just the 'Usagi inadvertently makes Ami feel worse by praising her' parade, isn't it?

In any other situation, Ami would be ecstatic to hear this. Her face would light up with that cute smile and she'd shyly glow at the compliment! But not now. Ami is aware there's a darkness at work inside of her.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 16

[tirorah]

Last time on this rewatch of PGSM:

One of the girls kicked off the time-honoured PGSM tradition of keeping secrets from one another.

Makoto blamed a monster for getting her sick even though that's probably not the cause and this is truly the vilest of all Dark Kingdom schemes.

And Ami's anxieties continued to spiral out of control, how fun.

Now back to the liveblog! I have at least an hour to kill, so maybe I can make it to the halfway mark (she said optimistically).

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 16 #hello! it's been a few days!

[tirorah]

It's incredible to know that Sawai Miyuu was actually NOT selected to play Usagi after the auditions. She only landed the role because Takeuchi Naoko herself insisted.

I think the original creator being involved in an adaptation has nothing to do with quality; the pendulum can swing either way no matter what. But Takeuchi was dead-on with this casting pick. Not only does Sawai do a great job of portraying Usagi (after initial episode jitters, which all of the leads had), but she has the range to do this stuff too. This face is haunting and creepy. There's something...wrong about it.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 13

[tirorah]

Wait. Wait wait wait, you DIDN'T know Endymion had also been reborn? Even though the Senshi and the Princess were?

Hmm... This changes things. I think I understand something now.

I thought it was odd that Beryl started out wanting to destroy the world, as I remember this very much not being the case near the end. If she didn't know at that time that Endymion had also been reincarnated, then it WOULD make sense for her to want to burn the whole thing down.

Will she begin to shift her goals now? Interesting! I need to pay close attention to this.

I do wonder though...was it ever explained how and when the "Great Evil" awakened? And what about Beryl and the Shitennou for that matter? Were they reincarnated as well or were they transported to this time? I'm pretty sure there's an explanation for that somewhere in the overall Sailor Moon lore, but I don't think it's mentioned in PGSM... I'll keep an eye out.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 13

[tirorah]

WELP the Princess is dead, everyone, that's a wrap. Time to go home.

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 10

[tirorah]

Wait, Ami, you're...you're in her class. You are! You should know! Do you just not pay attention to who gets cleanup duty? Were you too busy going over trigonometry in your brilliant mind to notice?

Ami and Makoto never get the pronounced dynamic establishment that Usagi and Ami, or Rei and Makoto do. In fact, some scenes featuring the two of them were cut, indicating a deeper dynamic was written but didn't make it into the final product. That's not to say they have no relationship at all, but like Usagi and Rei, it's emphasised less than the other dynamics in this group of four.

But maybe that's okay. Ami and Makoto get along naturally. There's no tension here, just support. It's all very comfortable and I doubt there's much potential for drama between them, which makes it more difficult to generate interesting character moments.

Of course, I'm an old Ami x Makoto shipper at heart and so the fact that these scenes were cut is a personal attack directed at me, myself and I! Release the Ami x Makoto cut!

(There's one cut scene where they've both been working on their knitting projects in the base. Makoto's fallen asleep on the couch and somehow her and Ami's knitting have combined. It's really sweet and I want it in the show proper so bad.)

#tirorah rewatches pgsm #pgsm ep 08 #pretty guardian sailor moon #pgsm #eh...at least I have Reika and Nao from Smile Precure #they make a surprisingly effective substitute