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azuriteAlong with my many other summer projects, I plan on working on Mare Serenitatis, my first, original, and probably my most comprehensive (and out-of-date) site-- for Sailor Moon. I actually had a new layout in the works featuring PGSM, but I never went anywhere with it. Now that I'm making it a point to watch all the episodes and specials, I hope I'll get more into Sailor Moon and PGSM again.
As people have done with the manga vs. the anime, here's my mini-guide on changes between the Sailor Moon anime and the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon live action show. I'll occasionally mention the manga, since that's what the ANIME was based on, and you can most definitely see its influence in the live action, but I'm trying to go in order (manga --> anime --> live action) here.
This is going to be a continuing feature here, and eventually I'll copy it and spruce it up over at my site. So keep your eyes peeled as I go through each episode. So far, I'm on episode 4. Let's start with Episode 1, though! (it goes in kind of haphazard order)
* The episodes aren't named, unlike the ones in Sailor Moon. I suppose that this gives you even less of a hint as to what might happen in the episodes, previews or no.
* Sailor Moon and all the other senshi (from what you see of them in the opening sequence "Kirari*Sailor Dream") are all "normal" Japanese school girls-- black hair, no exotic hair styles or colors... it is their transformation sequence that turns them into the colorful senshi that we know. This was actually something most people tinkered with when considering why more people didn't recognize the senshi in their normal identities-- because we as outside viewers see them as colorful senshi all the time, but "normal people" within the show (people like Motoki, Ikuko-mama, etc.) just see Usagi and her friends as normal Japanese people, no different from anyone else. This live action exemplifies that belief.
* Luna is a stuffed animal! No live cat here-- though they do seem to spend a lot of time CGing her from time to time. She's also got a collar on, which is different from the anime and the manga, where Luna later met Kakeru the astronomer, fell in love with him, and transformed into a human for a brief time. This tiny little cue (of Luna wearing a collar) indicates that the anime universe is not the same as the live action one.
* Usagi and Luna first met when Luna fell on top of Usagi's head from the sky-- there were no young boys torturing Luna, nor did she have a restricting bandage over her crescent moon. Luna also immediately knew that Usagi was a senshi-- she didn't spend any time contemplating it. It's not known how Luna fell on Usagi... but then again, she is a MAGICAL cat.
* When Luna finally does approach Usagi, the reaction is the same as in the anime: Usagi thinks she's dreaming. But instead of forcing Usagi to believe with a transformation, Luna merely leaves for the night-- and leaves Usagi with a cell phone. This goes to show that the live action is more "modern," taking place in the 21st century rather than the 20th, as the original Sailor Moon did.
* Usagi's favorite hangout, Crown, is not an arcade in the live action-- it's a karaoke place. And while Luna does have a secret area, she doesn't have to sneak in to access it-- she accompanies Usagi in her "stuffed animal" form, and only Senshi can access the secret room. It's not known whether Luna communicates with "Central Command," Sailor V, or Artemis in any way. It's also not known how much Luna remembers-- in the anime, Luna's memory was garbled from her interrupted stasis, which is why she though Usagi was Sailor Moon, not the Princess. The secret area is designed to be a fun hangout-- chairs in each of the senshi's colors surround a table, nearby counters feature candy machines and "gachapon" toys, and there's also a distinct ambient atmosphere, with flowers and lava lamps placed around the room. Though the room doesn't "exist" in the real karaoke place, it does have a window looking out, though it's not known how clear it really is (Usagi snapped a picture of a girl walking down the street to transform into her; however, if it were clear enough to take such a picture, why couldn't people see INTO the secret room, thereby making it NOT secret?)
* Motoki is also not that much of a genial guy-- and if Usagi has any sort of feelings for him, she doesn't seem to show it. Motoki (though he isn't named by episode 3) seems rather obsessed with his pet turtle, and if he knows Mamoru at all, it's not stated.
* Speaking of Mamoru, our favorite caped crusader, he doesn't meet Usagi the way he did in the anime and the manga-- Usagi merely bumps into him at a Jewelry Show that Naru's mother is holding. There is no failed test, and since Usagi doesn't have buns while in her "normal" state, he can't call her "Odango Atama." The other time we saw Mamoru is in his Tuxedo Mask form-- and he faced Sailor V head on. They never met in person in the anime, (prior to Sailor Venus's appearance) and it was clear in the anime that Mamoru initially had no control over his transformation or where he teleported to when the senshi were in danger. However, Mamoru is still a jerk to Usagi, and Usagi doesn't forget it.
* Usagi's first mission against the youma possessing Naru's mother (Mayumi Osaka) is nothing like the episode in the anime-- for one, the youma POSSESSES Naru's mother, rather than merely mimicking her and stuffing her away in the basement. The youma doesn't seem to have a definitive form outside of Naru's mother-- it only appears as clear, sparkling hands emerging from nowhere. It's also not known whether this youma had the ability to control anyone else-- the only other "baddie" that was also in disguise was Jadeite himself. In the anime there was no jewelry show, just a big jewelry sale at OSA*P. Usagi doesn't cry like a baby when she faces the youma, and in fact, instinctively knows how to fight! While the fights do seem very choreographed (and resembling the fights the Power Rangers had against the Puddies), Sailor Moon definitely seems like more of a butt-kicker.
* Usagi summons forth the crescent wand of her own will-- Luna doesn't give it to her. It's notable that she gets what will turn out to be such a powerful weapon so early on, rather than having to put up with using her tiara over and over again. Luna also doesn't have to tell Sailor Moon what attacks to use-- Sailor Moon knows them "by heart." She heals Naru's mother's possession with "Moon Healing Escalation," destroying the youma in the process.
* Tuxedo Mask didn't show up to save Sailor Moon from certain death (and give her a pep talk)-- rather, he took the opportunity to be at the show to steal some jewels in the hopes that one of them would be the Silver Crystal. However, when he speaks to Sailor Moon, he merely says that he didn't find what he was looking for-- but he did find something interesting (Sailor Moon).
* Also notable is that Usagi's compact is NOT the same as the one she had in the anime and the manga-- rather, it's what most Sailor Moon fans will recognize as the "Cosmic Moon Compact," or perhaps the "Crisis Moon Compact" that Sailor Moon used to transform into [Super] Sailor Moon. When she's not using it, it hangs around her neck in pendant form. Her cell phone, originally a communication device for contacting Luna (unlike the calculators Luna initially gave the senshi in the anime) also doubles as a disguise device, replacing the Disguise Pen/Luna Pen. Usagi and the other senshi (Mercury gets a cell phone too) use the phone's camera to snap a picture of someone, and the magic of the phone then transforms the user into whoever they just took a picture of. It's not known whether it works on still images (like in photographs) as well. Usagi is also given a lipstick tube, though whether it really aids in her transformation or just makes her look prettier is not known. Usagi doesn't remove the compact and hold it up, nor does she stick her hand up when she transforms-- she and all the other senshi have very elaborate hand movements to signal their transformation.
* In episode 2 prior to Ami's awakening as Sailor Mercury, Jadeite reports that a Senshi (Sailor Moon) has been awakened. Beryl obviously recognizes the name-- when for all intents and purposes, she shouldn't. According to the anime and manga universe, Sailor Moon never existed before Luna "created" her, so Beryl would not know who she is. She'd still despise her-- she's a Sailor Senshi, the same people responsible for destroying her forces that led the attack against the moon, and on top of that, someone who's getting in the way of her energy-sucking plans.
* In episode 2, Ami is not initially thought to be suspicious because of her brains-- Luna recognizes her almost immediately as the second Sailor Senshi. But she doesn't attend Crystal Academy (or Crystal Seminar), but Alto Seminar, and there are no Crystal Disks. While her personality seems mostly the same (introverted, shy), she comes off as pretty cold and desperate to please her mother-- rather than being the driven, heartfelt girl we see her as in the anime. When Usagi first hears from Luna that Ami is a Soldier, Usagi immediately tries to convince Ami to join her-- and Ami brushes her off, upset that Usagi only wanted to be her friend because they're senshi.
* Jadeite placed a crystal (perhaps a stone of Jadeite) to transform a sculpture at Alto Seminar into a youma. That youma took over the Seminar teacher (same as in the anime), and used audio waves (similar to the Crystal Disks) to knock everyone unconscious. However, Ami was listening to a mini-disk at the time-- and not just any mini disk, but that of idol Minako Aino! (In the anime, Minako being an idol is merely a dream of hers.) The youma attacks her, but Ami manages to escape-- and only when her and Sailor Moon's lives are in danger does Ami decide to become Sailor Mercury. However, she doesn't get a transformation pen from Luna-- nor does she "win" one from an arcade (given that Crown isn't an arcade, it's a karaoke joint). Instead, Luna "projects" a transformation BRACELET to Ami (and in the future, the other senshi), who catches it while hanging in mid-air. To transform, she lets herself drop (and it looks ridiculous too, because she's transforming while horizontal to the ground).
* Ami becomes the blue-haired senshi we know, but her whole color scheme is a bit lighter than the Mercury you might be familiar with. However, her outfit is modeled directly after the manga, and has no "sleevelets," and her collar has the traditional 3 stripes, rather than 2 she had in the anime (the "higher ranking" soldiers such as Venus and Mars had only one stripe). If Mercury has a super computer or VR goggles, we haven't seen her in them yet. She also fights, rather than sticking to the sidelines for strategy-- fighting youma is instinctual to her, and she attacks the youma with a brand-new power-- "Mercury Aqua Beam!"
* Ami continually refers to Usagi as "Tsukino-san," since it's out of respect to a girl she doesn't know too well-- even though Usagi quickly takes to calling her "Ami-chan," as if they've been friends for years (a fact which Naru and Usagi's other classmates take note of). She even calls her this when they're transformed, which might be dangerous since people might overhear-- though we're not sure if Tuxedo Mask really did. He did appear at the end of episode 2, having watched the fight (he bumped into Usagi on her way to HER Cram School, which resulted in her heading to Alto and starting the fight with the youma)-- but it's not known whether he knows Usagi's or Ami's true identities. Why he showed up at the fight is a mystery as well, since there were no jewels to be stolen, and that was his only reason for being at the previous fight. If he has a "sixth sense" for detecting when Sailor Moon is in danger, it's not known.
* Luna stages a "Sailor Senshi Quiz" for Ami and Usagi to take at the beginning of episode 3-- something she never did before in the manga, and in fact, seems more encouraging. Though Usagi seems to know part of her mission, Luna does chastise her for not remembering the important part-- about the Silver Crystal. In the anime, Luna didn't remember anything about the Silver Crystal until the enemies started going after the Nijizuishou (Rainbow Crystals).
* Naru and the others hear about the disappearing girls (something which scares Usagi, though her being scared of RUMORS is a bit silly...) at Hikawa Jinja, and also say that the temple priestess (Rei) is cursed. This is close to the anime and the manga, with the exception of the bus that was really doing the dirty work-- route 66, if I remember correctly (Hell's numbers, in western society. If they really wanted to use the bus again and scare Japanese people, they'd use 44 or 444, since "4" is "shi" in Japanese, and that word also means "die"). A youma is stealing young girls near the temple away, though it's doing it with the help of robotic arms (!?) and a mysterious vortex... Jadeite also does NOT disguise himself as a helper at the temple, so Rei has no reason to approach him.
* Speaking of Rei, while she is still a Shinto priestess and does presumably still attend a Catholic academy, she's much more cold (ironic, ne?) in the live action than in the anime or manga. In the manga, she's very sophisticated, calm, etc.-- it's why Luna initially thought she could be the princess. In the anime, she's hot-headed and rude to Usagi, which is why they don't initially get along. When they do first meet in the live action, it's when Rei bumps into Usagi as she and Ami are crossing the bridge on their way home. Also notable is the fact that Ami overheard Naru and the others talking about the disappearing girl rumors (even though she left the room when Usagi invited her to join them at lunch) and decided to do something about it immediately. Even Usagi was gung-ho about the idea of defeating a youma without Luna's direction. Rei also has much shorter hair compared to her anime counterpart, but as usual, that can be attributed to her anime appearance only bearing similarity to the live action when the actress is "transformed."
* When Usagi and Rei bump into each other, Rei doesn't say a word as she walks off-- leaving Usagi a bit dumbfounded. However, she finds a bracelet with Rei's name on it, which prompts her into going to the temple to see if there's a youma-- but now she's got a real reason for being there.
* If Rei has a perverted grandfather or ever meets a bumbling wannabe-rockstar named Yuuichirou, we have yet to find out about it.
* It is revealed that there's a youma behind the disappearances-- but it's an airplane-like youma, rather than one based off the leaves it uses to disguise itself. Also, its attacks are not random-- it's intentionally targeting miko, or shrine priestesses.
* When Usagi does to return the bracelet, she gets a bit lost-- unlike the anime (or even the manga) Hikawa Jinja, the temple is actually quite expansive in the live action-- which makes sense, since most temple grounds (even those in Tokyo!) are quite large. Usagi is pretty scared of how abandoned the temple seems, especially when she remembers what Naru said about the "cry of the crow" (when she first said it, Naru said "raven," which Phobos and Deimos are NOT-- and they do appear after the youma sucks another girl into its trap). There are ravens in Tokyo, but the reason why crows are more feared is because they're larger, and more scavenger-like. They're also creepier, if you're into dark stories and the like. Think "harbingers of death" birds, sort of like mini-vultures.
* Usagi is so intensely creeped out by the time she gets to the temple buildings that when Rei sees her, Usagi panics without even looking at her, and runs away. She bumps into a girl from Rei's school, but she hardly notices. Later that evening, Ami tries to reassure her that there's no curse of the priestess, and Usagi feels guilty for hanging onto the bracelet.
* Ikuko-mama later appears, but she's far from the housewife with a sharp tongue we've come to know her as. She's outspoken, playful, and quite possibly a bit eccentric-- even encouraging Ami to dog pile Usagi when Usagi makes a crude remark about her mother's tea.
* Luna is "away" for the episode, chasing down Sailor V-- who is quite active in Tokyo. In fact, when Usagi first transforms and realizes her mission --to find the other senshi, defeat the youma, and track the princess and her crystal-- we see faceless forms of Sailor Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus... and Sailor V! Of course, that's because at this time, no one knows the connection between Sailor V and Venus, unless you see the clues-- Minako Aino's new album is entitled "Venus," and the song is "Cest la Vie," which sounds suspiciously similar to "Sailor V." For some reason, Venus also runs like she's an airplane about to take off... and unlike Luna, who accompanies Usagi to every battle (or almost every battle so far), Artemis is nowhere to be found.
* Luna sees the crescent moon on V's head and thinks she's the princess-- which is good, since that's what V originally intended. In fact, with Artemis awakening her as Sailor V, they knew all along she wasn't the princess, only that she had to protect the princess by disguising herself as her. This was much more clear in the manga than in the anime, where Sailor V got very little screen time. However, this bumbles the fact that Luna initially thought Rei was the princess because of her sophistication and grace... in the live action though, it doesn't take Luna long to deduce who is a senshi and who is not, so if she were with Usagi and Ami when they first met Rei, Luna would most likely recognize Rei not as a princess, but as the senshi she is.
* When Usagi finally goes back to the temple (again, alone) she sees some of Rei's classmates bullying her-- they took a plant that belongs to Rei, and demand that Rei stop casting her "creepy spells" before they give it back. This is quite unlike the anime and the manga, where Rei is not the least bit afraid to stand up to people that bully or bad mouth her, and on top of that, her ego would prevent her from admitting any fault in anything (by not saying anything about a "creepy spell" she makes it sound like she actually did it with the intent to be malicious; however, Rei does say 'it wasn't a spell' as if that would be explanation enough for the girls). Also, in the anime and the manga, many people admire Rei, and it's unlikely any of her classmates would stand up to her as they do in the live action.
* However, the girl that Usagi bumped into the previous day cites Usagi as an example of the girls that Rei is "making disappear," even though Rei's not behind it at all (though her sixth sense has allowed her to sense that something on the temple grounds is behind it). Usagi walks up to the girls and tries to demonstrate that not only was the girl her, but she's in perfect health, and Rei was not behind the disappearances at all. She tries to convince the girls to give the plant back, standing between Rei (who got pushed to the ground) and the girls, wearing a bright smile on her face the whole time. The plan works, but Rei doesn't speak to Usagi at all-- until Usagi says her name (she read it off the bracelet). Rei admits that the bullying actually happens all the time!
* Ami tells Usagi to meet her at the Manjukaku Wedding chapel (it's more like a reception hall), and Ami reports that the girls who disappeared were all priestesses in that year's festival (though which festival, it's not stated-- there are many Japanese festivals, especially in the fall, when this seems to be taking place). Ami has deduced that the last priestess (as there were seven in the festival) is there at the hall, but Usagi and Ami see Rei there! (I'd like to know how Rei got there so fast!) Rei uses her ofuda scroll to disperse the vortex of leaves the youma is using to disguise itself before it targets the final priestess, though initially Usagi thought Rei was the youma, and that the ofuda scroll was an attack against them.
* The youma then attacks Rei, but Usagi grabs onto her and they both get sucked into the vortex. When they come out, Usagi's disguise as a miko is broken, and she's back in her school uniform (in the anime, Usagi's disguises are only broken when she transforms into Sailor Moon). Meanwhile, Ami uses the phone to contact Luna (presumably the cat's on speed dial, though how Luna "answers" is unknown).
* Usagi tells Rei to hide and she transforms into Sailor Moon-- however since they're in an alternate dimension, it's unlikely that Rei got far enough fast enough to NOT see/hear Usagi transform. On top of that, it's interesting to note that Usagi's transformation includes a rotating disc with the symbols of all the planets on it-- including that of the sun! The symbols used are the more modern ones (that we usually associate with the senshi), rather than the older ones, which Uranus, Pluto, and other planets have. The order is something like this (counterclockwise): Pluto, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Moon, Saturn, Neptune (though with a circle on the bottom), Jupiter, and Venus (Unlike Moon's transformation, there's no "sun" symbol). (In fact, Rei DID see Usagi transform...)
* Usagi begins the fight with the youma as a physical fight-- in previous fights, she used her tiara (Moon Tiara Boomerang) and her wand (Moon Healing Escalation, Moon Twilight Flash-- the latter of which was originally a tiara-based attack). However, she's quickly captured-- meanwhile, Rei's bracelet (the one with her name on it) starts glowing red (even though she didn't get it from Luna), repelling the youma, while Ami meets up with Luna outside, and uses another new attack (Mercury Aqua Mist) to open up the vortex! The bracelet transforms into a "transformation bracelet," similar to Ami's, which Sailor Moon recognizes. She encourages Rei to transform, but the youma attacks (with leaves! o_O) before Rei can.
* Like Moon and Mercury, Mars has her own transformation pose and everything... she also says "Soldier of Flames and Passion," an introduction tidbit missing from the anime and the manga (though it's stated on some trading cards, and it's not always the same). She also says a line similar to Sailor Moon's "In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" except she (and Mercury) replace "tsuki ni" (the moon) with the traditional name of their planet (Suisei = Mercury, Kasei = Mars). Mars is the only one for her symbol to appear in the background (so far-- for Mercury, it was an oversized drop of water, and for moon, it was the moon itself-- not a symbol of it, like a crescent moon). She also has roses in her transformation sequence, but flames as well. Mars's outfit is modeled after that of the manga-- she has a red jewel on her waistline, not seen in the anime. She also has 3 stripes on her collar, unlike the anime, where she only had 1. Like Mercury, she also keeps her transformation bracelet ON her wrist post-transformation. One wonders if a youma managed to get that bracelet off, would she de-transform?
* Mars's first attack is a fire-based "Youma Taisan," which is similar to her Ofuda-powered attack in the original anime (what dubbies knew as "Mars Fireball, Charge!") After that attack, Usagi is freed (though we don't see how) from her binds, and the youma is presumed defeated. The other priestesses start to wake up... Mercury contacts the other senshi through the portal (dangerous, since she calls Sailor Moon "Tsukino-san" -- though the girls could interpret that as "Moon-san") and asks her if she's okay. They get the girls through the portal, but before Moon can join Mars and Mercury on the other side, the youma attacks! However, Tuxedo Mask saves the day, and they rush to get through the portal before it closes-- however, doing so leaves the youma undefeated (and unable to return to the real world?). Mercury goes to check up on Moon (whom she again calls "Tsukino-san"), and Moon turns to find Tuxedo Mask-- who is just WALKING off (no flashy appearance/disappearance, or vanishing without a trace).
* Luna approaches Mars, who still looks a bit shell-shocked over what happened-- and when Mars sees Luna is a talking STUFFED cat, she looks like she's going to faint. Rather, she inspects herself for the first time, realizing what Luna says ("You are the third Soldier!") is true. Rei is glad to realize that her powers aren't an ill omen after all, but a sign of her powers as a soldier. However, she's not quick to join the other girls, even though Usagi suggests a karaoke party. She flat out says she hates karaoke and has no plans on joining their forces.
* In episode 4, Nephrite makes his first appearance. We first notice that he's not long-haired and roguish at all, but like Jadeite, bears SOME resemblance to his anime/manga counterpart (he is a redhead). However, like Jadeite and unlike the anime or the manga, he has a very elaborate outfit only somewhat like his uniform in the original series. He also has a short cape, similar to Kunzite (in the anime). He also has a very obvious dislike for Jadeite.
* Outside, Usagi and Ami are watching a broadcast announcement of a Mystical Blue Crystal going on display at a Sakuraki Zaibatsu's birthday party (probably similar to Princess D's party in the anime). Usagi bumps into Mamoru (again) while enthusiastically telling Ami that they can sneak into the party using their cell phone/disguise devices. Mamoru is again rude to her (he calls her a fool and tells her to stop loitering around him), and as he walks off, makes the same observation Luna did-- that maybe the Silver Crystal is only silver in name, and that the Blue Crystal is what he's looking for. Nephrite, nearby and in "everyday" clothes, makes the same observation. (He looks like a punk.) Meanwhile, Rei is watching the sacred fire at her temple, and she realizes that the "ominous shadow" she senses is another youma-- so she walks off, determined. She ends up at the square, same as everyone else, and senses Nephrite's "presence" as he walks by her-- presumably the same as the "ominous shadow" she detected before. Once again she refuses Usagi's advances to be friends (Usagi ran up to her when she saw Rei there too), saying that she always does everything alone-- though she detected a youma and plans on fighting it.
* Usagi openly uses her disguise device when she realizes she'll get to wear a dress to the party-- something she never did in the anime or the manga, since she treated the transformation as secret, akin to turning into Sailor Moon. Why Usagi is so flippant about it in the live action, I don't know. It turns out the party is a Halloween party anyway, and Ami dresses up as a cat maid, while Usagi's in a full bear suit. Meanwhile, Rei shows up only in her priestess robes with a red mask on, while Tuxedo Mask shows up... well, as himself! (The latter is the only thing remotely similar to the anime episode this is clearly based off of.)
* Oddly enough, when the party finally gets started, the owner of the Mystical Blue Crystal is called "Yuka" rather than "Sakuraki" as was her name in news broadcast. Maybe it's a nickname? Yuka arranges for security to be tightened for the debut in one hour-- but Nephrite, watching her from the shadows, sends a youma made from a nephrite stone and a plant (though the plant was a fern, the youma looks like a cactus) after Yuka. I suppose it helps that the youma have a mostly humanoid form then, with odd "tops" (airplanes, cacti) -- they look more in disguise at a Halloween party!
* Usagi once again bumps into Tuxedo Mask and recognizes him (she's even got little hearts reflected in her eyes)-- and even observes he smells good (though how she can smell anything in that bear suit is beyond me)-- and doesn't let go of him, even when he stares at her! Tuxedo Mask finally forces himself away from her. Usagi, meanwhile, is dejected that she didn't get the chance to say anything, and wanders to the DJ stand-- though she bumps into it before hitting on the idea to request a song in the name of Tuxedo Mask.
* Ami, out of her costume, bumps into Rei (no longer wearing her mask) in the back halls-- Rei has the decency to warn Ami about the youma. Ami proposes they go to find the youma together, since more versus a youma is always a better idea. Ami also asks Rei if she's afraid of friends, and judging by Rei's reaction, she's hit the nail on the head. Ami admits she can relate. Rei says it's probably true-- for her, friends and family always disappear someday, so it's best not to make friends at all (if you're just going to lose them in the end). Ami and Rei hear a scream, and see Yuka looking at the Mystical Blue Crystal, an unearthly green glow cast over her face. When Rei pushes Yuka, the cactus youma appears and Yuka faints. The girls transform, and Mars tells Mercury to run off with the crystal. However, as Mars prepares to go after the youma, it splits in two, one going after Mercury, the other binding Mars. Luna walks in and calls Usagi, who takes off her bear mask and rushes to help before her song request can get put on.
* Usagi goes into the room to save Mars, but gets caught in her bear suit. They escape from the youma until Mars can help her out, at which point Usagi thanks her, saying "it's good to have friends." Mars seems a bit surprised, but smiles. They find Mercury on the roof, surrounded by the two youma, and decide to help-- but the youma splits into three (this is something that never happened in the anime, which is why I'm going on and on about it...), each one resistant to attacks. The youma also resurrect one another when the attacks hit. They realize they must all attack at once (something similar to the Moon Tiara combined with the original Mercury Bubbles and Mars' Fire attacks), but their timing is off. After they get hit, they hide for a bit, during which point Moon hears her song request (Cest la Vie) from below, and sings it. She knows Mercury recognizes it, but Mars does not. Moon admits that though Mars hates to sing, if they follow Mercury's suggestion and time their attacks to the song's rhythm, they might succeed. They defeat the youma, but Nephrite's got the Crystal-- but Tuxedo Mask appears, and fights him for it. Tuxedo Mask manages to knock it out of Nephrite's hand, but it goes flying-- and Moon catches it. However, she loses her balance on the roof's edge, and falls-- but Tuxedo Mask catches her just in time. However, Moon's holding the Crystal box in one hand and her Crescent Wand in the other, which certainly doesn't make it easy to hoist herself up. They fall together, and instead of the Disguise Pen transformed into an umbrella (as it was in the original anime), it is the Crescent Moon wand that encases them in a protective bubble and sets Tuxedo Mask and Moon safely on the ground. Before they get there though, Moon starts singing Cest la Vie-- to which Tuxedo Mask smiles.
* When they finally get to the ground, Mars and Mercury catch up with them-- and Mercury again calls Moon "Tsukino-san," while Usagi calls Mars and Mercury "Rei-chan" and "Ami-chan!" Though Tsukino could mean "Moon" and be a literal, yet formal way of referring to Sailor Moon, there is no doubt that Rei and Ami are the names of Mars and Mercury. However, they're very common names, and if anyone wanted to use that information to deduce the identities of the senshi, they'd likely need a bit more information to go on.
* Luna approaches Tuxedo Mask (who doesn't look the least bit fazed that he's talking to a stuffed animal), who opens the box and realizes the crystal within is not the Silver Crystal. Luna asks who he is and what he wants-- Tuxedo Mask replies only that he doesn't know (who he is), and that if they're after the same thing, maybe they're enemies. When the girls head home (de-transformed), Usagi starts singing "Cest la Vie," and Ami joins in. Rei mouths the lyrics for a bit, and keeps time with a stick she's picked up. Ami smiles when she notices this, and the girls turn around and walk backward. Usagi asks Rei to a karaoke again, to which Rei scathingly replies, "You're joking, right?" However, she amends by saying she'll come if there's no karaoke. (By the way, Usagi's got a Louis Vuiton handbag! Since when does she have the money for that!?)
...Episodes 5-8 will be in the next entry I do (about Sailor Moon). Look forward to it!
As people have done with the manga vs. the anime, here's my mini-guide on changes between the Sailor Moon anime and the Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon live action show. I'll occasionally mention the manga, since that's what the ANIME was based on, and you can most definitely see its influence in the live action, but I'm trying to go in order (manga --> anime --> live action) here.
This is going to be a continuing feature here, and eventually I'll copy it and spruce it up over at my site. So keep your eyes peeled as I go through each episode. So far, I'm on episode 4. Let's start with Episode 1, though! (it goes in kind of haphazard order)
* The episodes aren't named, unlike the ones in Sailor Moon. I suppose that this gives you even less of a hint as to what might happen in the episodes, previews or no.
* Sailor Moon and all the other senshi (from what you see of them in the opening sequence "Kirari*Sailor Dream") are all "normal" Japanese school girls-- black hair, no exotic hair styles or colors... it is their transformation sequence that turns them into the colorful senshi that we know. This was actually something most people tinkered with when considering why more people didn't recognize the senshi in their normal identities-- because we as outside viewers see them as colorful senshi all the time, but "normal people" within the show (people like Motoki, Ikuko-mama, etc.) just see Usagi and her friends as normal Japanese people, no different from anyone else. This live action exemplifies that belief.
* Luna is a stuffed animal! No live cat here-- though they do seem to spend a lot of time CGing her from time to time. She's also got a collar on, which is different from the anime and the manga, where Luna later met Kakeru the astronomer, fell in love with him, and transformed into a human for a brief time. This tiny little cue (of Luna wearing a collar) indicates that the anime universe is not the same as the live action one.
* Usagi and Luna first met when Luna fell on top of Usagi's head from the sky-- there were no young boys torturing Luna, nor did she have a restricting bandage over her crescent moon. Luna also immediately knew that Usagi was a senshi-- she didn't spend any time contemplating it. It's not known how Luna fell on Usagi... but then again, she is a MAGICAL cat.
* When Luna finally does approach Usagi, the reaction is the same as in the anime: Usagi thinks she's dreaming. But instead of forcing Usagi to believe with a transformation, Luna merely leaves for the night-- and leaves Usagi with a cell phone. This goes to show that the live action is more "modern," taking place in the 21st century rather than the 20th, as the original Sailor Moon did.
* Usagi's favorite hangout, Crown, is not an arcade in the live action-- it's a karaoke place. And while Luna does have a secret area, she doesn't have to sneak in to access it-- she accompanies Usagi in her "stuffed animal" form, and only Senshi can access the secret room. It's not known whether Luna communicates with "Central Command," Sailor V, or Artemis in any way. It's also not known how much Luna remembers-- in the anime, Luna's memory was garbled from her interrupted stasis, which is why she though Usagi was Sailor Moon, not the Princess. The secret area is designed to be a fun hangout-- chairs in each of the senshi's colors surround a table, nearby counters feature candy machines and "gachapon" toys, and there's also a distinct ambient atmosphere, with flowers and lava lamps placed around the room. Though the room doesn't "exist" in the real karaoke place, it does have a window looking out, though it's not known how clear it really is (Usagi snapped a picture of a girl walking down the street to transform into her; however, if it were clear enough to take such a picture, why couldn't people see INTO the secret room, thereby making it NOT secret?)
* Motoki is also not that much of a genial guy-- and if Usagi has any sort of feelings for him, she doesn't seem to show it. Motoki (though he isn't named by episode 3) seems rather obsessed with his pet turtle, and if he knows Mamoru at all, it's not stated.
* Speaking of Mamoru, our favorite caped crusader, he doesn't meet Usagi the way he did in the anime and the manga-- Usagi merely bumps into him at a Jewelry Show that Naru's mother is holding. There is no failed test, and since Usagi doesn't have buns while in her "normal" state, he can't call her "Odango Atama." The other time we saw Mamoru is in his Tuxedo Mask form-- and he faced Sailor V head on. They never met in person in the anime, (prior to Sailor Venus's appearance) and it was clear in the anime that Mamoru initially had no control over his transformation or where he teleported to when the senshi were in danger. However, Mamoru is still a jerk to Usagi, and Usagi doesn't forget it.
* Usagi's first mission against the youma possessing Naru's mother (Mayumi Osaka) is nothing like the episode in the anime-- for one, the youma POSSESSES Naru's mother, rather than merely mimicking her and stuffing her away in the basement. The youma doesn't seem to have a definitive form outside of Naru's mother-- it only appears as clear, sparkling hands emerging from nowhere. It's also not known whether this youma had the ability to control anyone else-- the only other "baddie" that was also in disguise was Jadeite himself. In the anime there was no jewelry show, just a big jewelry sale at OSA*P. Usagi doesn't cry like a baby when she faces the youma, and in fact, instinctively knows how to fight! While the fights do seem very choreographed (and resembling the fights the Power Rangers had against the Puddies), Sailor Moon definitely seems like more of a butt-kicker.
* Usagi summons forth the crescent wand of her own will-- Luna doesn't give it to her. It's notable that she gets what will turn out to be such a powerful weapon so early on, rather than having to put up with using her tiara over and over again. Luna also doesn't have to tell Sailor Moon what attacks to use-- Sailor Moon knows them "by heart." She heals Naru's mother's possession with "Moon Healing Escalation," destroying the youma in the process.
* Tuxedo Mask didn't show up to save Sailor Moon from certain death (and give her a pep talk)-- rather, he took the opportunity to be at the show to steal some jewels in the hopes that one of them would be the Silver Crystal. However, when he speaks to Sailor Moon, he merely says that he didn't find what he was looking for-- but he did find something interesting (Sailor Moon).
* Also notable is that Usagi's compact is NOT the same as the one she had in the anime and the manga-- rather, it's what most Sailor Moon fans will recognize as the "Cosmic Moon Compact," or perhaps the "Crisis Moon Compact" that Sailor Moon used to transform into [Super] Sailor Moon. When she's not using it, it hangs around her neck in pendant form. Her cell phone, originally a communication device for contacting Luna (unlike the calculators Luna initially gave the senshi in the anime) also doubles as a disguise device, replacing the Disguise Pen/Luna Pen. Usagi and the other senshi (Mercury gets a cell phone too) use the phone's camera to snap a picture of someone, and the magic of the phone then transforms the user into whoever they just took a picture of. It's not known whether it works on still images (like in photographs) as well. Usagi is also given a lipstick tube, though whether it really aids in her transformation or just makes her look prettier is not known. Usagi doesn't remove the compact and hold it up, nor does she stick her hand up when she transforms-- she and all the other senshi have very elaborate hand movements to signal their transformation.
* In episode 2 prior to Ami's awakening as Sailor Mercury, Jadeite reports that a Senshi (Sailor Moon) has been awakened. Beryl obviously recognizes the name-- when for all intents and purposes, she shouldn't. According to the anime and manga universe, Sailor Moon never existed before Luna "created" her, so Beryl would not know who she is. She'd still despise her-- she's a Sailor Senshi, the same people responsible for destroying her forces that led the attack against the moon, and on top of that, someone who's getting in the way of her energy-sucking plans.
* In episode 2, Ami is not initially thought to be suspicious because of her brains-- Luna recognizes her almost immediately as the second Sailor Senshi. But she doesn't attend Crystal Academy (or Crystal Seminar), but Alto Seminar, and there are no Crystal Disks. While her personality seems mostly the same (introverted, shy), she comes off as pretty cold and desperate to please her mother-- rather than being the driven, heartfelt girl we see her as in the anime. When Usagi first hears from Luna that Ami is a Soldier, Usagi immediately tries to convince Ami to join her-- and Ami brushes her off, upset that Usagi only wanted to be her friend because they're senshi.
* Jadeite placed a crystal (perhaps a stone of Jadeite) to transform a sculpture at Alto Seminar into a youma. That youma took over the Seminar teacher (same as in the anime), and used audio waves (similar to the Crystal Disks) to knock everyone unconscious. However, Ami was listening to a mini-disk at the time-- and not just any mini disk, but that of idol Minako Aino! (In the anime, Minako being an idol is merely a dream of hers.) The youma attacks her, but Ami manages to escape-- and only when her and Sailor Moon's lives are in danger does Ami decide to become Sailor Mercury. However, she doesn't get a transformation pen from Luna-- nor does she "win" one from an arcade (given that Crown isn't an arcade, it's a karaoke joint). Instead, Luna "projects" a transformation BRACELET to Ami (and in the future, the other senshi), who catches it while hanging in mid-air. To transform, she lets herself drop (and it looks ridiculous too, because she's transforming while horizontal to the ground).
* Ami becomes the blue-haired senshi we know, but her whole color scheme is a bit lighter than the Mercury you might be familiar with. However, her outfit is modeled directly after the manga, and has no "sleevelets," and her collar has the traditional 3 stripes, rather than 2 she had in the anime (the "higher ranking" soldiers such as Venus and Mars had only one stripe). If Mercury has a super computer or VR goggles, we haven't seen her in them yet. She also fights, rather than sticking to the sidelines for strategy-- fighting youma is instinctual to her, and she attacks the youma with a brand-new power-- "Mercury Aqua Beam!"
* Ami continually refers to Usagi as "Tsukino-san," since it's out of respect to a girl she doesn't know too well-- even though Usagi quickly takes to calling her "Ami-chan," as if they've been friends for years (a fact which Naru and Usagi's other classmates take note of). She even calls her this when they're transformed, which might be dangerous since people might overhear-- though we're not sure if Tuxedo Mask really did. He did appear at the end of episode 2, having watched the fight (he bumped into Usagi on her way to HER Cram School, which resulted in her heading to Alto and starting the fight with the youma)-- but it's not known whether he knows Usagi's or Ami's true identities. Why he showed up at the fight is a mystery as well, since there were no jewels to be stolen, and that was his only reason for being at the previous fight. If he has a "sixth sense" for detecting when Sailor Moon is in danger, it's not known.
* Luna stages a "Sailor Senshi Quiz" for Ami and Usagi to take at the beginning of episode 3-- something she never did before in the manga, and in fact, seems more encouraging. Though Usagi seems to know part of her mission, Luna does chastise her for not remembering the important part-- about the Silver Crystal. In the anime, Luna didn't remember anything about the Silver Crystal until the enemies started going after the Nijizuishou (Rainbow Crystals).
* Naru and the others hear about the disappearing girls (something which scares Usagi, though her being scared of RUMORS is a bit silly...) at Hikawa Jinja, and also say that the temple priestess (Rei) is cursed. This is close to the anime and the manga, with the exception of the bus that was really doing the dirty work-- route 66, if I remember correctly (Hell's numbers, in western society. If they really wanted to use the bus again and scare Japanese people, they'd use 44 or 444, since "4" is "shi" in Japanese, and that word also means "die"). A youma is stealing young girls near the temple away, though it's doing it with the help of robotic arms (!?) and a mysterious vortex... Jadeite also does NOT disguise himself as a helper at the temple, so Rei has no reason to approach him.
* Speaking of Rei, while she is still a Shinto priestess and does presumably still attend a Catholic academy, she's much more cold (ironic, ne?) in the live action than in the anime or manga. In the manga, she's very sophisticated, calm, etc.-- it's why Luna initially thought she could be the princess. In the anime, she's hot-headed and rude to Usagi, which is why they don't initially get along. When they do first meet in the live action, it's when Rei bumps into Usagi as she and Ami are crossing the bridge on their way home. Also notable is the fact that Ami overheard Naru and the others talking about the disappearing girl rumors (even though she left the room when Usagi invited her to join them at lunch) and decided to do something about it immediately. Even Usagi was gung-ho about the idea of defeating a youma without Luna's direction. Rei also has much shorter hair compared to her anime counterpart, but as usual, that can be attributed to her anime appearance only bearing similarity to the live action when the actress is "transformed."
* When Usagi and Rei bump into each other, Rei doesn't say a word as she walks off-- leaving Usagi a bit dumbfounded. However, she finds a bracelet with Rei's name on it, which prompts her into going to the temple to see if there's a youma-- but now she's got a real reason for being there.
* If Rei has a perverted grandfather or ever meets a bumbling wannabe-rockstar named Yuuichirou, we have yet to find out about it.
* It is revealed that there's a youma behind the disappearances-- but it's an airplane-like youma, rather than one based off the leaves it uses to disguise itself. Also, its attacks are not random-- it's intentionally targeting miko, or shrine priestesses.
* When Usagi does to return the bracelet, she gets a bit lost-- unlike the anime (or even the manga) Hikawa Jinja, the temple is actually quite expansive in the live action-- which makes sense, since most temple grounds (even those in Tokyo!) are quite large. Usagi is pretty scared of how abandoned the temple seems, especially when she remembers what Naru said about the "cry of the crow" (when she first said it, Naru said "raven," which Phobos and Deimos are NOT-- and they do appear after the youma sucks another girl into its trap). There are ravens in Tokyo, but the reason why crows are more feared is because they're larger, and more scavenger-like. They're also creepier, if you're into dark stories and the like. Think "harbingers of death" birds, sort of like mini-vultures.
* Usagi is so intensely creeped out by the time she gets to the temple buildings that when Rei sees her, Usagi panics without even looking at her, and runs away. She bumps into a girl from Rei's school, but she hardly notices. Later that evening, Ami tries to reassure her that there's no curse of the priestess, and Usagi feels guilty for hanging onto the bracelet.
* Ikuko-mama later appears, but she's far from the housewife with a sharp tongue we've come to know her as. She's outspoken, playful, and quite possibly a bit eccentric-- even encouraging Ami to dog pile Usagi when Usagi makes a crude remark about her mother's tea.
* Luna is "away" for the episode, chasing down Sailor V-- who is quite active in Tokyo. In fact, when Usagi first transforms and realizes her mission --to find the other senshi, defeat the youma, and track the princess and her crystal-- we see faceless forms of Sailor Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus... and Sailor V! Of course, that's because at this time, no one knows the connection between Sailor V and Venus, unless you see the clues-- Minako Aino's new album is entitled "Venus," and the song is "Cest la Vie," which sounds suspiciously similar to "Sailor V." For some reason, Venus also runs like she's an airplane about to take off... and unlike Luna, who accompanies Usagi to every battle (or almost every battle so far), Artemis is nowhere to be found.
* Luna sees the crescent moon on V's head and thinks she's the princess-- which is good, since that's what V originally intended. In fact, with Artemis awakening her as Sailor V, they knew all along she wasn't the princess, only that she had to protect the princess by disguising herself as her. This was much more clear in the manga than in the anime, where Sailor V got very little screen time. However, this bumbles the fact that Luna initially thought Rei was the princess because of her sophistication and grace... in the live action though, it doesn't take Luna long to deduce who is a senshi and who is not, so if she were with Usagi and Ami when they first met Rei, Luna would most likely recognize Rei not as a princess, but as the senshi she is.
* When Usagi finally goes back to the temple (again, alone) she sees some of Rei's classmates bullying her-- they took a plant that belongs to Rei, and demand that Rei stop casting her "creepy spells" before they give it back. This is quite unlike the anime and the manga, where Rei is not the least bit afraid to stand up to people that bully or bad mouth her, and on top of that, her ego would prevent her from admitting any fault in anything (by not saying anything about a "creepy spell" she makes it sound like she actually did it with the intent to be malicious; however, Rei does say 'it wasn't a spell' as if that would be explanation enough for the girls). Also, in the anime and the manga, many people admire Rei, and it's unlikely any of her classmates would stand up to her as they do in the live action.
* However, the girl that Usagi bumped into the previous day cites Usagi as an example of the girls that Rei is "making disappear," even though Rei's not behind it at all (though her sixth sense has allowed her to sense that something on the temple grounds is behind it). Usagi walks up to the girls and tries to demonstrate that not only was the girl her, but she's in perfect health, and Rei was not behind the disappearances at all. She tries to convince the girls to give the plant back, standing between Rei (who got pushed to the ground) and the girls, wearing a bright smile on her face the whole time. The plan works, but Rei doesn't speak to Usagi at all-- until Usagi says her name (she read it off the bracelet). Rei admits that the bullying actually happens all the time!
* Ami tells Usagi to meet her at the Manjukaku Wedding chapel (it's more like a reception hall), and Ami reports that the girls who disappeared were all priestesses in that year's festival (though which festival, it's not stated-- there are many Japanese festivals, especially in the fall, when this seems to be taking place). Ami has deduced that the last priestess (as there were seven in the festival) is there at the hall, but Usagi and Ami see Rei there! (I'd like to know how Rei got there so fast!) Rei uses her ofuda scroll to disperse the vortex of leaves the youma is using to disguise itself before it targets the final priestess, though initially Usagi thought Rei was the youma, and that the ofuda scroll was an attack against them.
* The youma then attacks Rei, but Usagi grabs onto her and they both get sucked into the vortex. When they come out, Usagi's disguise as a miko is broken, and she's back in her school uniform (in the anime, Usagi's disguises are only broken when she transforms into Sailor Moon). Meanwhile, Ami uses the phone to contact Luna (presumably the cat's on speed dial, though how Luna "answers" is unknown).
* Usagi tells Rei to hide and she transforms into Sailor Moon-- however since they're in an alternate dimension, it's unlikely that Rei got far enough fast enough to NOT see/hear Usagi transform. On top of that, it's interesting to note that Usagi's transformation includes a rotating disc with the symbols of all the planets on it-- including that of the sun! The symbols used are the more modern ones (that we usually associate with the senshi), rather than the older ones, which Uranus, Pluto, and other planets have. The order is something like this (counterclockwise): Pluto, Mars, Mercury, Uranus, Moon, Saturn, Neptune (though with a circle on the bottom), Jupiter, and Venus (Unlike Moon's transformation, there's no "sun" symbol). (In fact, Rei DID see Usagi transform...)
* Usagi begins the fight with the youma as a physical fight-- in previous fights, she used her tiara (Moon Tiara Boomerang) and her wand (Moon Healing Escalation, Moon Twilight Flash-- the latter of which was originally a tiara-based attack). However, she's quickly captured-- meanwhile, Rei's bracelet (the one with her name on it) starts glowing red (even though she didn't get it from Luna), repelling the youma, while Ami meets up with Luna outside, and uses another new attack (Mercury Aqua Mist) to open up the vortex! The bracelet transforms into a "transformation bracelet," similar to Ami's, which Sailor Moon recognizes. She encourages Rei to transform, but the youma attacks (with leaves! o_O) before Rei can.
* Like Moon and Mercury, Mars has her own transformation pose and everything... she also says "Soldier of Flames and Passion," an introduction tidbit missing from the anime and the manga (though it's stated on some trading cards, and it's not always the same). She also says a line similar to Sailor Moon's "In the name of the moon, I'll punish you!" except she (and Mercury) replace "tsuki ni" (the moon) with the traditional name of their planet (Suisei = Mercury, Kasei = Mars). Mars is the only one for her symbol to appear in the background (so far-- for Mercury, it was an oversized drop of water, and for moon, it was the moon itself-- not a symbol of it, like a crescent moon). She also has roses in her transformation sequence, but flames as well. Mars's outfit is modeled after that of the manga-- she has a red jewel on her waistline, not seen in the anime. She also has 3 stripes on her collar, unlike the anime, where she only had 1. Like Mercury, she also keeps her transformation bracelet ON her wrist post-transformation. One wonders if a youma managed to get that bracelet off, would she de-transform?
* Mars's first attack is a fire-based "Youma Taisan," which is similar to her Ofuda-powered attack in the original anime (what dubbies knew as "Mars Fireball, Charge!") After that attack, Usagi is freed (though we don't see how) from her binds, and the youma is presumed defeated. The other priestesses start to wake up... Mercury contacts the other senshi through the portal (dangerous, since she calls Sailor Moon "Tsukino-san" -- though the girls could interpret that as "Moon-san") and asks her if she's okay. They get the girls through the portal, but before Moon can join Mars and Mercury on the other side, the youma attacks! However, Tuxedo Mask saves the day, and they rush to get through the portal before it closes-- however, doing so leaves the youma undefeated (and unable to return to the real world?). Mercury goes to check up on Moon (whom she again calls "Tsukino-san"), and Moon turns to find Tuxedo Mask-- who is just WALKING off (no flashy appearance/disappearance, or vanishing without a trace).
* Luna approaches Mars, who still looks a bit shell-shocked over what happened-- and when Mars sees Luna is a talking STUFFED cat, she looks like she's going to faint. Rather, she inspects herself for the first time, realizing what Luna says ("You are the third Soldier!") is true. Rei is glad to realize that her powers aren't an ill omen after all, but a sign of her powers as a soldier. However, she's not quick to join the other girls, even though Usagi suggests a karaoke party. She flat out says she hates karaoke and has no plans on joining their forces.
* In episode 4, Nephrite makes his first appearance. We first notice that he's not long-haired and roguish at all, but like Jadeite, bears SOME resemblance to his anime/manga counterpart (he is a redhead). However, like Jadeite and unlike the anime or the manga, he has a very elaborate outfit only somewhat like his uniform in the original series. He also has a short cape, similar to Kunzite (in the anime). He also has a very obvious dislike for Jadeite.
* Outside, Usagi and Ami are watching a broadcast announcement of a Mystical Blue Crystal going on display at a Sakuraki Zaibatsu's birthday party (probably similar to Princess D's party in the anime). Usagi bumps into Mamoru (again) while enthusiastically telling Ami that they can sneak into the party using their cell phone/disguise devices. Mamoru is again rude to her (he calls her a fool and tells her to stop loitering around him), and as he walks off, makes the same observation Luna did-- that maybe the Silver Crystal is only silver in name, and that the Blue Crystal is what he's looking for. Nephrite, nearby and in "everyday" clothes, makes the same observation. (He looks like a punk.) Meanwhile, Rei is watching the sacred fire at her temple, and she realizes that the "ominous shadow" she senses is another youma-- so she walks off, determined. She ends up at the square, same as everyone else, and senses Nephrite's "presence" as he walks by her-- presumably the same as the "ominous shadow" she detected before. Once again she refuses Usagi's advances to be friends (Usagi ran up to her when she saw Rei there too), saying that she always does everything alone-- though she detected a youma and plans on fighting it.
* Usagi openly uses her disguise device when she realizes she'll get to wear a dress to the party-- something she never did in the anime or the manga, since she treated the transformation as secret, akin to turning into Sailor Moon. Why Usagi is so flippant about it in the live action, I don't know. It turns out the party is a Halloween party anyway, and Ami dresses up as a cat maid, while Usagi's in a full bear suit. Meanwhile, Rei shows up only in her priestess robes with a red mask on, while Tuxedo Mask shows up... well, as himself! (The latter is the only thing remotely similar to the anime episode this is clearly based off of.)
* Oddly enough, when the party finally gets started, the owner of the Mystical Blue Crystal is called "Yuka" rather than "Sakuraki" as was her name in news broadcast. Maybe it's a nickname? Yuka arranges for security to be tightened for the debut in one hour-- but Nephrite, watching her from the shadows, sends a youma made from a nephrite stone and a plant (though the plant was a fern, the youma looks like a cactus) after Yuka. I suppose it helps that the youma have a mostly humanoid form then, with odd "tops" (airplanes, cacti) -- they look more in disguise at a Halloween party!
* Usagi once again bumps into Tuxedo Mask and recognizes him (she's even got little hearts reflected in her eyes)-- and even observes he smells good (though how she can smell anything in that bear suit is beyond me)-- and doesn't let go of him, even when he stares at her! Tuxedo Mask finally forces himself away from her. Usagi, meanwhile, is dejected that she didn't get the chance to say anything, and wanders to the DJ stand-- though she bumps into it before hitting on the idea to request a song in the name of Tuxedo Mask.
* Ami, out of her costume, bumps into Rei (no longer wearing her mask) in the back halls-- Rei has the decency to warn Ami about the youma. Ami proposes they go to find the youma together, since more versus a youma is always a better idea. Ami also asks Rei if she's afraid of friends, and judging by Rei's reaction, she's hit the nail on the head. Ami admits she can relate. Rei says it's probably true-- for her, friends and family always disappear someday, so it's best not to make friends at all (if you're just going to lose them in the end). Ami and Rei hear a scream, and see Yuka looking at the Mystical Blue Crystal, an unearthly green glow cast over her face. When Rei pushes Yuka, the cactus youma appears and Yuka faints. The girls transform, and Mars tells Mercury to run off with the crystal. However, as Mars prepares to go after the youma, it splits in two, one going after Mercury, the other binding Mars. Luna walks in and calls Usagi, who takes off her bear mask and rushes to help before her song request can get put on.
* Usagi goes into the room to save Mars, but gets caught in her bear suit. They escape from the youma until Mars can help her out, at which point Usagi thanks her, saying "it's good to have friends." Mars seems a bit surprised, but smiles. They find Mercury on the roof, surrounded by the two youma, and decide to help-- but the youma splits into three (this is something that never happened in the anime, which is why I'm going on and on about it...), each one resistant to attacks. The youma also resurrect one another when the attacks hit. They realize they must all attack at once (something similar to the Moon Tiara combined with the original Mercury Bubbles and Mars' Fire attacks), but their timing is off. After they get hit, they hide for a bit, during which point Moon hears her song request (Cest la Vie) from below, and sings it. She knows Mercury recognizes it, but Mars does not. Moon admits that though Mars hates to sing, if they follow Mercury's suggestion and time their attacks to the song's rhythm, they might succeed. They defeat the youma, but Nephrite's got the Crystal-- but Tuxedo Mask appears, and fights him for it. Tuxedo Mask manages to knock it out of Nephrite's hand, but it goes flying-- and Moon catches it. However, she loses her balance on the roof's edge, and falls-- but Tuxedo Mask catches her just in time. However, Moon's holding the Crystal box in one hand and her Crescent Wand in the other, which certainly doesn't make it easy to hoist herself up. They fall together, and instead of the Disguise Pen transformed into an umbrella (as it was in the original anime), it is the Crescent Moon wand that encases them in a protective bubble and sets Tuxedo Mask and Moon safely on the ground. Before they get there though, Moon starts singing Cest la Vie-- to which Tuxedo Mask smiles.
* When they finally get to the ground, Mars and Mercury catch up with them-- and Mercury again calls Moon "Tsukino-san," while Usagi calls Mars and Mercury "Rei-chan" and "Ami-chan!" Though Tsukino could mean "Moon" and be a literal, yet formal way of referring to Sailor Moon, there is no doubt that Rei and Ami are the names of Mars and Mercury. However, they're very common names, and if anyone wanted to use that information to deduce the identities of the senshi, they'd likely need a bit more information to go on.
* Luna approaches Tuxedo Mask (who doesn't look the least bit fazed that he's talking to a stuffed animal), who opens the box and realizes the crystal within is not the Silver Crystal. Luna asks who he is and what he wants-- Tuxedo Mask replies only that he doesn't know (who he is), and that if they're after the same thing, maybe they're enemies. When the girls head home (de-transformed), Usagi starts singing "Cest la Vie," and Ami joins in. Rei mouths the lyrics for a bit, and keeps time with a stick she's picked up. Ami smiles when she notices this, and the girls turn around and walk backward. Usagi asks Rei to a karaoke again, to which Rei scathingly replies, "You're joking, right?" However, she amends by saying she'll come if there's no karaoke. (By the way, Usagi's got a Louis Vuiton handbag! Since when does she have the money for that!?)
...Episodes 5-8 will be in the next entry I do (about Sailor Moon). Look forward to it!
