So episode 38 is out now, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. It was very suspenseful at parts.

• Pharaoh 90 merging with Mistress 9 and the Earth was intense. So glad they didn't add the red smiley face this time.
  
• I could understand why all but Sailor Moon fainted. Chibi Moon and the Inners were recovering from having their souls removed and Tuxedo Mask used his energy to keep Chibiusa alive.
  
• I'll just get this thought out of the way. Sailor Moon dead? Yet Chibi Moon still alive? I've seen enough works of fiction involving time travel that could explain how this could be possible, but we see her in the preview of the next episode so I think it's safe to say that if she is dead, it didn't stick.
  
• Sailor Saturn awakens and she is so cool. It's nice to see her do stuff other than jump into a big ball of fire. And the way she took down Pharaoh 90 was much more interesting that the 90s anime version. But the translaters still seem to like using Ribbon over Reborn.
  

Loved the episode and can't wait to see what happens next episode. And I'm especially interested in seeing how the finale goes, whether it is just the end of one arc, or if it ends one arc and begins another.

Well, this episode served as confirmation for my suspicions that Hotaru never awoke as Sailor Saturn, but that Silver Millennium Saturn's soul is the one that greeted them.

Edited to add:

As I've said previously, Saturn's design seems to be the most inconsistent of the senshi forms.

In the two anticipated pieces of promo art she looks rather young, and in the Silver Millennium flashback, she doesn't quite look the same as she was depicted in her first official appearance. I've noticed that as opposed to the bob of the 90's and the manga, she's been given something closer to a cross between a pixie cut and a bob. Perhaps I notice these things more readily, because she's my favourite senshi, but also because of how infrequently she's been depicted throughout Crystal. But not solely Crystal, but the series as a whole. It is the only time we ever have the opportunity to interact with her pre-Super senshi form. True, it wasn't Hotaru whom we encounter as Sailor Saturn, and as such, we never quite see her grow as a character. We're only informed by Saturn herself that she was not intended to awaken and that Hotaru was supposed to have died in that fire and gone on to her repose.

Something that I must admit is that I am intrigued by the fact that we get to interact with a Silver Millennium senshi who is able to wield and employ her powers at full force (Compare her power and strength to the rest of them). This is intriguing considering that Saturn is not limited by the confines of her reincarnated state as are the other senshi (including Usagi and Pluto). Saturn is able to use the crude force of her planetary powers as granted her by Queen Serenity. This leads me to suspect that Sailor Saturn is unique amongst all senshi. Saturn doesn't necessarily have to awaken if time and circumstance do not demand it. She could live out her life as a normal civilian never having been awakened (She implies as much.).

Okay, honestly these episodes just keep getting better and better! The suspense was amazing, the introduction of Sailor Saturn (was the closest to her getting a transformation, but it was a lot like Chibi Moon's first) was just amazing!!! Honestly, I cannot fathom how much emotions and how involved I was. The suspense in the end as well! Gosh! (I mean Tuxedo Mask's ending kinda ehh'd it) but honestly, everything was just amazing.

From the moment everyone fainted, to Usagi giving her smile, to Chibi-Moon shouting for her "mama", it was all just far too amazing and emotional!

Yeah, this episode was awesome and had me on the edge of my seat. Saturn was a bawse from beginning to end and I was so mad when the episode was over because I wanted more xD

"I'm always the uninvited guest."

She's party crashing and she knows it.

Watching the episode right now and love the fact that Tuxedo La Smokng Bomber was in it!

ToriJ wrote:

"I'm always the uninvited guest."

She's party crashing and she knows it.

Yeah, it's my belief that Sailor Saturn doesn't want to end the world, but it's her mission to do so when she awakens. But really she'd rather never be want to be awakened to end everything.

I liked the animation (a few iffy shots here and there and repeated stills -looking at you Outers- but it was good for the most part) and the sheer power that Moon, Chibimoon, and Saturn demonstrated. Oh and that group attack on Pharoah 90, that was awesome!

I also loved Saturn's VA performance, she managed to be soft and delicate while still being very serious as well. I especially liked that slight change in pitch when she said that she no one anticipates her arrival.

Now, here's where I get to my issues with this episode. I was a little bothered when Moon had risked her life for the others. Don't get me wrong, it's not the act itself I have issues, it's moreso the events leading up to it. I didn't feel like the Inners and Outers had struggled enough for Moon to see that yes, she must protect them. That they fought and powered through their weakened state but Pharoah 90 had weakened them. And yes, you could say they showed that but the fight wasn't fleshed out to warrant any sense of desperation. Which is why whrn Saturn arrived, it did look great, but I as viewer didn't feel that things were at stake enoguh for her appearance to be as exciting as it should have been. I dunno, maybe I just wasn't into it today, or I was thinking of 90s anime finale, and maybe I should watch it again. But at the moment I feel underwhelmed and I don't like feeling this way.

Overall, okay episode, just wished they fleshed things out more to make it feel it really was the end. Still looking forward to the next episode and hoping Infinity ends in a shabang!

PrincesseNee wrote:

 I was a little bothered when Moon had risked her life for the others. Don't get me wrong, it's not the act itself I have issues, it's moreso the events leading up to it. I didn't feel like the Inners and Outers had struggled enough for Moon to see that yes, she must protect them. That they fought and powered through their weakened state but Pharoah 90 had weakened them.

In the manga, I think they stayed unconscious throughout Sailor Moon's decision to sacrifice herself. Like right after they got completely depleted of energy, they all stayed unconscious. I think it was a bit weird that they had them IMMEDIATELY gain consciousness and get up during Sailor Moon's sacrifice, since it just doesn't seem like their thing >.> Like if they can still move they'd probably still go to Sailor Moon's rescue...

MANGA PART:

I guess in the manga they only woke up to gasp at Moon's sacrifice.... lol but I think you're right. They recovered far too quickly to even say that it was a difficult struggle. But considering they had to give some of their power to Moon and use more of it for Pharaoh 90 to use, I'd say it makes sense why Moon would decided to use all of her powers to try and save everyone.

I think next weeks episode is the final one =(

This episode was so awesome!!! gosh Saturn is indeed the most awesome outer senshi <3! sometimes I think she's more powerful than Usagi but then again she has the silver crystal and that theory goes down xD.

Neo-King Kronos wrote:

In the manga, I think they stayed unconscious throughout Sailor Moon's decision to sacrifice herself. Like right after they got completely depleted of energy, they all stayed unconscious. I think it was a bit weird that they had them IMMEDIATELY gain consciousness and get up during Sailor Moon's sacrifice, since it just doesn't seem like their thing >.> Like if they can still move they'd probably still go to Sailor Moon's rescue...

MANGA PART:

I guess in the manga they only woke up to gasp at Moon's sacrifice.... lol but I think you're right. They recovered far too quickly to even say that it was a difficult struggle. But considering they had to give some of their power to Moon and use more of it for Pharaoh 90 to use, I'd say it makes sense why Moon would decided to use all of her powers to try and save everyone.

I can see that. I mean they did give SSM some of their power and fought Pharoah 90, so that's probably why they were as weak as they were. Perhaps there is some element of desperation that I wasnt aware of. That and that I probably wanted to see some hardcore  fighting lol.

I was taking the episode so seriously until this happened in the subtitles:

...Uh what?

The scene where Sailor Saturn awakened and gave her little talk was really cool though.

silverskywind wrote:

Watching the episode right now and love the fact that Tuxedo La Smokng Bomber was in it!

SAME!  

Sailor Venus wrote:

I think next weeks episode is the final one =(

This episode was so awesome!!! gosh Saturn is indeed the most awesome outer senshi <3!

Yessss!

Saturn is the best senshi EVER!






Neptune said something in the episode that wasn't translated. Does anyone know what "Sankasu" (sp?) is?

east02west wrote:

Neptune said something in the episode that wasn't translated. Does anyone know what "Sankasu" (sp?) is?

I think it's just the collective name for the three buildings (and central area?) in reference to their triangular arrangement, but don't quote me on it. I'm just guessing since I remember sankaku meaning triangle.

Oh, that makes sense.

Thanks!

I'm so glad that Saturn's reveal turned out better than these:




That said, I think we have our first indication that we'll see the Dreams Arc as the bottom design is consistent with Hotaru's and is younger.

Sailor Saturn is perfect. I loved her transformation. It was more subtle than the others which felt appropriate for the scene. Saturn doesn't have time for all the bells and whistles when she's got a world to annihilate!

Also, this part BROKE MY HEART:

I have to say that the drama is SO well played in these last few episodes. I really felt the episode flew by! I love Saturn's semi-transformation and speech; her voice is dark by soft which fits her character really well. I think that it's nice that the Inner Senshi actually attack (along with Tuxedo Kamen) rather than sit on the sidelines like the 90's anime.

I guess what we'll find out next week is how Hotaru is reborn even though her original body is dead.

Finally a Crystal episode that leaves me wanting more! XD I didn't think itd ever happen but it did. These past few episodes have been much better than what I would have expected all while following the manga! But with this arc, I'm actually torn on if I prefer the 90s anime version of the finale (cause like Sailor Moon desperately trying to become super sailor moon again is just great) or the manga version of the finale (i'll hope off on explaining why cause it'll all be in the next ep xD). Anyway, i think they did a pretty good job with adapting the manga to animation for this episodes. Saturn was super cool! I loved how she got like a half transformation and all that. I eagerly await next Monday's ep xD

Something that did strike me about this episode was that we saw little interaction between Pluto and Saturn.

Considering that who we see is Silver Millennium Saturn (I LOVED her VA's mature, graceful,playful, and yet cold tone!), how come Pluto didn't tap into her Time Lord powers to foresee her eventual awakening, and know that Saturn wasn't ever really a threat?

Remember Sailor Saturn said history had been twisted, and neither Hotaru's body nor Sailor Saturn's soul should've been awakened bit Prof. Tomoe and the Death Busters changed that. Maybe time isn't all that linear. 

Or maybe because Pluto is taking a more active role, something prevents her from using powers of foresight, as to prevent her from potentially abusing such knowledge.

Idk...time tavel=headache.

I am still halfway through this because work and life and tiredness but an interesting thing I noted when I watched was when the senshi fall, and they did it in this order: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, which kind of fits with my headcanon on who's strongest physically among the inner senshi. I don't know if it's just a happy coincidence or a character touch, but I hope it's the latter because that's cool.

[/end nerding on small details]

This episode... I just... Oh my goodness. <3
Saturn finally got a non-game transformation of sorts. <3 wOOp!!!

Finally we get to see La Smoking Bomber again <3

And FINALLY ChibiUsa calling Usagi mom. I love little moments like that. 

Can't believe we're almost finished for this season. *cries* x

I think out of the whole episode, my only complaint is Saturn's swinging of her sickle. Like, IT WAS AMAZING HONESTLY I LOVED IT, but I mean it was established that if she swings it down, everything is destroyed... But I suppose she has to use Death REBORN (not Ribbon) Revolution then swing it down to destroy the world.

i just saw the ep now as i was out of town. it was really good and i'm glad i don't have to wait a week for the next one.

This episode was absolutely amazing and I pray they make a season.