[DreamSword]

Act 46

Remember episode 31? The Lita episode wherein I had no idea what it was trying to say?

We finally get some elaboration on it here, wherein it's revealed that Lita actually took in the wrong lesson, and that really, deep down, she was seeing signs that she wasn't alone anymore, and thus gained empowerment from that.

This also qualifies as an episode for Mina, wherein a combination of her own words getting thrown back in her face, as well as seeing just how valued her and her work really is inspires her to try and keep living for as long as possible. Thus, she's the final Sailor to get a power-up.

While I think this might've worked best as two separate episodes, I did think the episode managed to divide the screen time between the two plots pretty well(while also sneaking in some time for other characters to boot), and it managed to make both girls self-actualizations come in different, equally valid ways, too.

What the climax of this one ends up meaning for Mina and Serena, given all that's been going on, I don't know. Are all five girls finally allowed to be close companions and friends now?

[DreamSword]

Act 47

Some very ambitious visual direction in this one.

Like with the previous episode, this one deals with two different plots simultaneously, but whereas one is setup, the other is a conclusion.

For the latter, it's the end of Sailor Venus. I could see people having mixed feelings on this one, as it's a rather harsh life lesson and deconstruction in a show that has unironically celebrated the power of friendship.

Essentially, Mina waited too long to make her mind up on getting the operation that could've cured her condition, and as such, she passed on just as she'd been feeling hopeful for life again. And to the show's' credit, it's played for all of the tragedy it's worth, to the point that the credits theme doesn't even play.

...And yet...

Call me an unfeeling monster if you want, but I feel like this dramatic move sort of falls short of the mark. It didn't make me sad, it made me more annoyed. All throughout the show, Sailor Venus has been actively keeping everyone away, the viewer included, with not much of a case being made for why she should stay around other than osmosis via those familiar with the 90s anime.

So when it finally comes time for Venus to be a full fledged party member, only for the show to then immediately pivot and say "Nope. Nevermind." It comes across less as a tragedy befalling a dear friend and moreso as if the show itself just hates the poor girl. The tragedy of her situation, her not being given much screen time in comparison to everyone else, and her lack of interaction with the cast(heck, she doesn't even get a one-on-one with Amy) means I just don't care.

The other half of this episode is much more straightforward and simple. It involves how Queen Metallia is now very close to fully awakening, and how various forces at play are planning to take the creature of darkness' powers for themselves. Beryl wishes to use Metallia's' power for conquest, Darien attempts to seal Metallia within his own soul, and Metallia itself?

Metallia just wants destruction.

[DreamSword]

Act 48

The Midnight Knight has arrived.

As cool and appropriately dramatic as this episode is, you can tell that certain aspects of our "final" two episodes had to be rushed for time.

Malachite basically does a 180 on his entire personality and philosophy in an incredibly quick manner, a proper fight with Beryl is entirely skipped, and Darien's' entire dilemma is over as soon as it begins.

And yet, despite that, I feel like this episode did a real fine job is carrying the emotional weight of everything in the best way it possibly could. Even if the pacing issues are noticeable, I feel like everything came together pretty cohesively, and the atmosphere did a ton of heavy lifting.

For example, I actually rather liked the execution of how the show skipped having a climactic fight with Beryl, as it ties into both the plot and Beryl's' character rather well. Metallia has fully awoken, Darien is for all intents and purposes dead, and as such Beryl sees basically no reason to gun for much of anything anymore, much less fight the Sailor Scouts.

But of course it's the climax that this episode lives for, and yeah, while "logically" some beats of it definitely don't pan out so hot, thematically, emotionally, I was right on the show's' side when it came to Darien's' possession and what Serena ultimately has to do for the good of the world. It's tragic and cruel, but it's exactly what the show is gunning for, and frankly, they nailed it.

I do wonder how current me is going to feel about next episode in comparison to my past self, however.

[DreamSword]

Final Act

It's funny, seeing this now that I have alot more tokusatsu under my belt.

The best way I can think to describe the ending of PGSM without fully giving things away, is that it's like an alternate take on the ending of Kamen Rider Zi-O.

And while I definitely like this ending more than the one in Zi-O, it still has some pains to it that I find hard to ignore. Past me, who was totally in love with this ending, is rather disappointed, I'm sure.

I will say upfront that for what the ending is, it is rather ambitious, as it's not the sort of thing you'd expect to see in a show like this. But the finer details really do drag it down some. Like, for example, how the heck did the painting that was draining Darien's' life force survive the explosion?

But, things like that aside, I really do respect this ending for being as daring as it is, and, emotionally, it really works for the type of show that Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon ended up being. So I really can't blame past me or really anyone else who ends up being totally into it. It really does end up bringing the message home that love and friendship can overcome damn near anything.

And that's a message that I can always get behind, especially if it's executed in any sort of coherent capacity.