Sailor Moon Crystal: Act 1 - Usagi, Sailor Moon - Review 

Sailor Moon: Crystal: "Act 1 - Usagi, Sailor Moon" Review

Over twenty years after its original release in Japan, Sailor Moon still captures the imagination of millions around the world. There is something endearing about the story of a clumsy teenager attempting to save the universe while chasing boys and stuffing her face with food. Sailor Moon: Crystal, Toei Animation’s reboot of the original 1990s anime, attempts to capitalize on this enduring popularity by pulling double duty as both a vehicle for nostalgia and a re-introduction of the series to a whole new generation of Moonies. The result is as clumsy and charming as the titular character herself.

Act One: Usagi Sailor Moon immediately sets about establishing 14 year-old Usagi Tsukino as an unlikely heroine. She\'s a klutz, she\'s a crybaby, and she\'s a terrible student.  So when a monster suddenly appears in Tokyo and starts stealing people’s energy via magical jewelry, Usagi is probably the last person anyone should call on to help. Only Luna, a talking cat that has been secretly monitoring Usagi’s activities, realizes the bun-headed goofball is really Sailor Moon, a celestial guardian sworn to protect the universe and the only one who can stop the monster that’s consuming human energy. Of course, Usagi is rather dubious about the whole thing, until Luna gives her a pendant and instructs her to call out the words “Moon Prism Power, Make Up!” This triggers a transformation sequence where Usagi changes into a magical sailor suit, complete with magical tiara and hair pieces. Thus Sailor Moon is born, ready to fight evil by moonlight and win love by daylight.

Anyone who watched A Moon Star is Born back in 1995 will be familiar with the events that play out in this first episode (in fact I experienced many moments of deja vu, as even the art direction is nearly identical). This doesn’t mean that Sailor Moon: Crystal is a lazy rehash, though. Toei (the studio responsible for the original show) tries to adhere more closely to the manga series by Naoko Takeuchi this time around, both in terms of style and storytelling.

Sailor Moon Crystal: English Subtitled Trailer

For example, while the classic first episode of Sailor Moon had random moments of slapstick comedy (Usagi getting trampled by a horde of greedy women during a jewelry store sale), Sailor Moon: Crystal jettisons the comedy for a more serious tone (Usagi simply leaves the jewelry store despondent, convinced her parents won’t buy her jewelry because of her bad grades). The result is that Crystal is both more grounded and mature than the original Sailor Moon, which I appreciate because it allows me to take Usagi’s battle against evil much more seriously.

The show\'s overall aesthetic is also a bit different, thanks to upgraded visuals.  I love that Usagi\'s hair now moves about freely instead of jutting out from her head like McDonald’s arches, and Tuxedo Mask actually wears his tuxedo out in the daytime, instead of the nondescript suit he used to walk around in. Some fans may not like the change in the character design (I admit I initially cringed at Usagi\'s new, somewhat emaciated form), but keep in mind Toei is attempting to more accurately depict the manga’s unique art style, which they\'ve managed to do pretty well.

Unfortunately, not all the changes are good. The opening song “Moon Pride” composed by Revo isn’t as epic as Takanori Arisawa’s “Moonlight Legend" from the original series, and most of the background themes in Crystal sound bland and generic. The pacing of Act One also seems a tad sluggish, with too many shots of Usagi staring vacantly around her, instead of actively doing something.  In fact, Usagi seems less expressive overall, but that may be because I\'m used to the rubber-faced, hyper Usagi of days gone by. Luckily there were plenty of times when I laughed out loud during the 24 minute long episode, so even with a more serious Sailor Moon, I was still entertained. (My favorite moment is when Usagi\'s brother calls her Baka Usagi, which literally translates as "Dumb Bunny." It\'s a wonderfully accurate description.)

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Sailor Moon: Crystal Act One is both a wonderful trip down memory lane and a new experience, thanks to Toei’s attempts to bring the series into the 21st century via upgraded visuals and a more mature form of storytelling. It stumbles a bit on pacing and music, but what would Sailor Moon be without a few klutz-out moments?

Meghan Sullivan is a database editor at IGN, and loves Sailor Moon and RPGs . You can follow her on Twitter at @Meghan_IGN and IGN at Meghan-IGN.

Sailor Moon: Crystal is both a wonderful trip down memory lane and a new experience for Moonies everywhere.  RT

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