#pgsm ep 11

[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*

[real-life-senshi]

Happy Birthday Hino Rei!

I rarely work ahead enough to do any celebratory illustration, and I only memorized Rei, Minako and Usagi's birthdays somehow in my time loving PGSM. lol But working on all the PGSM 20th anniversary posts back in October 2023, and resuming fanfic writing really rekindled how much I love the grumpy lesbian that the live-action gave us.

Going on the themes of PGSM appreciation for the 20th anniversary, I thought I'd compile a list of my fave/memorable character analyses I've done on Rei in my liveblog sessions so far. (I don't want to just reblog them coz then I'm just spamming followers. lol)

Just Rei being Rei

Act 3: Rei intro

Act 4: Rei and Ami

Act 5: Rei with Usagi and how that impacts Ami

Act 6: Usagi says Rei's the person to go to when in trouble

Act 7: Rei and the weird turtle guy

Act 8: Rei vs Makoto (and this, and this, and this, AND THIS... Act 8 was a gold mine on Rei and Makoto both.)

Act 11: Rei being done with Usagi and Makoto (Part 2)

Act 18: Mars and Venus's argument

Act 18: Rei and Minako's one-up attempts

Act 18: Mars being badass and Venus's minder

Act 18: Mars and Venus fighting together

Act 19: Rei brooding, while being smart and astute

Act 19: Rei & Luna discussion

Protective and empathetic Rei:

Act 5: Rei and Usagi's talk re Ami

Act 10: Rei and Usagi

Act 15: Rei and Ami, and then again at the end of the ep

Act 16: Mars and Mercury (part 2 here)

Act 17: Rei and Minako

Act 17: Mars and Venus

Act 18: Mars saving Venus

Act 18: Mars confronts Venus, claiming she's Venus's protector

Act 19: Rei worried about Minako

My liveblogging of PGSM rewatch is paused on Act 19. So hopefully I can add to this list in the future. (If I remember.)

[pigtailedgirl]

PGSM USAGI/MAMORU IS MY FAV

Brought over from dreamwidth. Spoilers.

I love lots of things about PGSM and surprisingly Usagi/Mamoru is one of the biggest. I've watched the anime dubbed and subbed and the Usako/Mamo relationship didn't do it for me. The reason is that relationship was rarely about either of them as their present selves. It always felt mired in past or future ideas that implied who they were now was not as important, and when we are following and falling in love with Usagi as she is now that's an odd disconnect. PGSM changes that and the relationship comes alive.

Ridiculously simple changes which I will now list.

1) Mamoru actually knows he's Tuxedo Karmen. There's no waiting til ep. 26 of 46, the latter half where he's brainwashed and doesn't know himself again, for his character to discover his own influence and motives. He doesn't start out only as Sailor Moon's hero to worship and focus on, but as an equally developing character. Being conscious of battling Sailor V, helping Sailor Moon, and stealing jewels in an effort to solve really effed up dreams means PGSM Mamoru has something to do. He gets to react to his own alter ego, not just become him. We, the audience, then get more info to determine his compatibility with Usagi.

2) Mamoru discovers Usagi is Sailormoon by Act 7. Act 7 out of a 49 Act series and over 11 Acts before the Princess/Endymion reveal. This allows their relationship so much more development because Mamoru gets to admire both Usagi and Sailor Moon and contrast and compare them as two halves of the same person. We gain insight into his growing affection for her and how he sees her, which leads to a greater understanding of their choice to be a couple. We can only infer what Mamoru thinks of Usagi and Sailor Moon in the anime, and indeed can't really know because he doesn't know either of them, or himself, or the struggles of that duality Usagi faces. Which makes their being in love a mystery or just a relation to their past selves. 3) There is no obligation required in saving Sailor Moon or showing up in Usagi's life. It happens organically through plot. Thank Motoki's friendship. Thank the downplaying of the I know when Sailor Moon is in trouble ping and instead having reasons for Mamoru being around in both fight scenes and daily life things. Thank the development of Mamoru actually wanting to hang around Usagi, and her then doing the same. Thank Usagi's early crush on Tuxedo Karmen. It all means they choose to interact with each other and that we cannot argue that purely external forces are behind their connection.

4) Hina. OH NOES HE HAS A GF! Hina, not Rei. Thank goodness not Rei, cause I didn't want to be crying for her like I did when she found out Mamoru was Tuxedo Karmen in the anime. Right in the Princess reveal episode their dating was shoved aside, implying anything in Mamoru's life, or Usagi's even, that didnt align with a Princess Serenity/Endymion destiny did not matter. Instead in PGSM we get Hina; the relationship of niceness but the one of obligation based on past affection and promises. The one that makes Usagi jealous and sad and shows the longing of Usagi and Mamoru for each other. The one that highlights Usagi's growth in herself, as we see her explore her feelings on love and jealousy and how she battles them as Usagi and Sailor Moon and her choices. As we see her thoughts of interest in Mamoru versus Tuxedo Mask.

5) The Princess is a persona that is questioned and separate. This allows the past lives to be questioned and explored. Thinking Sailor V is the Princess? Still not wanting to pick her. Finding out Usagi's the Princess? Still both not sure if doomed is a good relationship setting. Coming back to try the relationship in Endymion outfit or Usagi possessed by the ghost of Serenity? Notice how they never address each other by past names in their right mental states EVER. Their past lives influence their relationship sure, but it is not the basis. They have a destiny and a past love but they are active as the people they are now in building and maintaining their current one. In making it a healthy non-doomed romance, in choosing to continue it, in wanting one another above obstacles or past influences. We don't see this reflective outlook on their identities as Serenity and Endymion in the anime. 6) I shall throw in the bonus of Mamoru not going evil until the last episode. He's goes to work for Beryl willingly because DRAMA but it means that once again the relationship of Usagi/Mamoru can continue to develop because they are both still active participants, even when they conflict.

It's simple. The relationship they have is something forged in the present. They have happiness, angst, conflict and triumph all built into their current actions and character's arcs. It's truly about Usagi and Mamoru as they develop into a couple. It's what they define and what they use to rally against unknowns and past lives. Hell, when it all falls down and he goes evil and she destroys the world she brings him back and he does her and that is how they win out; By being Usagi and Mamoru and being there for each other. A tragic past love or a destined love is cool. A love in front of me, that I see explored and created, is EPIC. I ship them, yes I do.

[keyofjetwolf]

Thank you, PGSM, for immediately reminding me of this moment, and yet with the brand new context that BOTH OF THESE IDIOTS INTENTIONALLY AND BY HAND CHOSE EVERY ELEMENT OF WHAT THEY ARE WEARING

[docholligay]

Pitch Me is now OPEN.

Hello my angels, it’s that time, where you get the chance to try and sell me on your thing and get me to pick it, instead of me just drawing something! Half the wildcard day will still be a draw, but the other half will be a pitched item, selected for its own merit! 

PLEASE FOLLOW THESE RULES OR YOUR ENTRY WILL BE TOSSED OUT

Pitch Me will be open from December 1st, to December 8th at 11:30 pm Mountain Time. 

I reserve the right to winnow it down to a handful and use the randomizer. 

The Entry Form is set to allow for you to nominate multiple things. Just remember, you’re playing against yourself. 

Item MUST have been previously nominated for Eight Days. There is a full list of every nomination under the cut. 

Entries MUST be unsigned. I’m trying to do this as anonymously as possible. 

I will NOT accept nominations for an episode where I have not seen the preceding episodes. So, for example, I would accept, Sailor Moon, episode 100, but not Hannibal, episode 5. For anything I haven’t seen, entering the name is sufficient. (Exception: Cooking competition shows I will accept episodes for) 

Entry can only be 100 words or less. I WILL put them into a word counter. 

The title does not count against you as far as this specific formatting goes. Words in italics would NOT count against the submitter for the 100 words. 

Sailor Moon, Episode 200: This episode contains so many things that I know you hate: Heterosexuality, poor plotting, lack of consequences, and I think we all deserve the treat of you getting furious at something. 

For policies on Spoilers as well as some stylistic assistance, please see this post!

For help crafting this that ISN’T me, I recommend the Discord, which is mainly made up of people who have been following me for awhile.  

AND HERE IS THE ENTRY LINK

Animation: 

Cells at Work

Barbie in The Princess and the Pauper

Gargoyles

Jem (ep voted due to the show being what it is)

Sasameki Koto (continued from last liveblog)

Katana Maidens

Princess Tutu (continued from last liveblog)

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Sweetness and Lightning

Danger Mouse

Teen Titans

Madoka Magica: Rebellion* (what part of the movie)

Dirty Pair

Zombieland Saga

Girl's Last Tour

Project A-ko (continued from last liveblog)

Red Garden

Death Note

Gravity Falls*

X-Men: Evolution*

Rose of Versailles (continued from last liveblog)

From the New World

Bojack Horseman*

Princess Principal

Death Parade

Cutie Honey

Rugrats*

Aggretsuko

Psycho Pass

Home Movies*

Disenchantment

Ducktales (2017)

Adachi and Shimamura

Monster (Naoki Urasawa)

The Twelve Kingdoms

Carole and Tuesday

Plague Dogs

Dear Brother

Over the Garden Wall

Kim Possible

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

A Place Further Than The Universe (continued from last liveblog)

Daria

Owl House

The Hobbit

Bubblegum Crisis

Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts

Live Action: 

Russian Doll (continued from last Liveblog)

Lost Girl

Good Omens

Schitt's Creek

Stranger Things* (Season one, or starting from season two)

The Twilight Zone (original)*

Twin Peaks

Ghost Hunters*

Cloak and Dagger

Great British Bake Off*

The Super Mario Bros Movie* (Part of the movie

The Good Place* (seasons 1-3 are what I've seen but honestly I don't give a shit about spoilers)

The Umbrella Academy

What We Do In The Shadows

Gran Hotel (Spanish language)

Searching

Jesus Christ Superstar* (Part of the movie)

It Follows* (Part of the movie)

The Haunting of Hill House*

The Great*

The second Utena Musical

The Supersizers*

Ratched

The Prisoner

Frasier*

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly* (Part of the movie)

Leverage

Hell's Kitchen (Voted because of the type of show it is)

Hannibal

The Haunting of Bly Manor*

The Untamed

Gentleman Jack

Kim's Convenience*

Westworld (HBO)

Star Trek: The Next Generation*

Sailor Moon Episodes/Items:

A Sailor Moon Vampire Musical

PGSM*

Episode 98: To Save Our Friends: Moon and Uranus Join Forces

Episode 97: Ami the Targeted

Doc's favorite scene(s) from myu

Top Ten Haruka/Michiru scenes, with commentary!

Episode 127: A Guardian’s Realization: Strength Lies Within a Pure Heart

My reactions to Jet's PGSM liveblogs

Episode 92: A Beautiful Boy? Haruka Tenoh's Secret

Rewrite exact parts of the original anime as prompted by audience

Episode 109: The Shocking Moment: Everyone's Identities Revealed

Episode 45: Death of the Sailor Guardians: The Tragic Final Battle

Sailor Moon Super S the Movie

Kotaete Moon Call trivia gameplay video

Episode 42: Sailor Venus' Past: Minako's Tragic Love

Fanfic commentary/reading WITH author's express permission

Episode 167: The Flower of Nightmares Scatters: The Queen of Darkness Returns

Utea episodes:

Episode 16, The Cowbell of Happiness

Episode 2, For Whom the Rose Smiles

Episode 23, Nemuro Memorial Hall

Episode 9, The Castle Said to Hold Eternity

Episode 20, Wakaba Flourishing

Episode 27, Nanami's Egg

Episode 17, Thorns of Death

Episode 39, Someday, Shine Together

Episode 36, And The Doors of Night Open

Episode 24, The Terms of a Duelist

Episode 34, The Rose Signet

Episode 7, Unfulfilled Juri

Episode 1, The Rose Bride

Episode 8, Curry High Trip

Episode 33, The Prince Who Runs Through the Night

Episode 29, Azure Paler Than the Sky

Episode 3, On The Night of the Ball

Misc:

Watching anime ops

Sleepless Domain (webcomic)

Reeves/Witten pictures update/Witten/Reeves fanfic, etc

X-men Comics (Voted on, I guess? Or I can have Jetty pick them? also there's no way I can asterisk this whole thing but I have read SOME, years ago)

The Holligay Method of Worldbuilding

Liveblog the Harry Potter series*

School-Live (Manga)

Digger (webcomic by Ursula Vernon)

Holligay reviews her favorite Stephen King novels*

Doc reads Daredevil Comics and painstakingly rewrites them because there’s no way they will be what she wants (I laughed, I admit, IT IS PROBABLY TRUE)

Holligay's Favorite Dancing Songs (PODLING DANCE PARTY MIX)

Kindred Spirits on the Roof (visual novel)

The House in Fata Morgana (visual novel)

Mare Internum (webcomic)

Holligay designs the perfect Jewlet Nursery (either showing off what you guys actually are doing or the most facetiously impractical thing you can think of, like, ‘it’s ocean themed so we’re putting in a full-wall aquarium’)

Kill Six Billion Demons (webcomic)

Holligay’s Opera Recommendations

Holligay does essays/recommendations on great horror movies

Open Turn of the Screw/Bly Manor discussion*

A day of non-liveblogged tv. Watch episode 1 of a bunch of various series that people recommend that you're on the fence/leaning towards no on, give your opinion of it after the fact.

Doc recommends novels with essays/passages/etc.

Holligay Liveblogs A Wild Jetwolf, in the style of a nature documentary

Rice Boy (webcomic)

Tori Amos - Iieee (Song)

Gunnerkrigg Court(webcomic)

Essay(s) on Turn of the Screw*

Thoughts/essay(s) on Haunting of Bly Manor

Writing:

Holligay Rants/Raves About (positive or negative, prompts sent in)

Holligay Answers For Her Crimes

Outline for a more satisfying final season of She Ra Holligay style / HBO style

Holligay Screams About Her Favorite Characters (any media)

Holligay Loves Food (questions/prompts sent in)

Holligay History posts (Y'all will have to actually send in questions/prompts, mind)

Sailor Moon Scene Rewrites

Nonfiction/Personal writing (prompts sent in, however vague or specific)

Original Fiction Day

Prompt Day (I will collect a bunch of lists, and y'all can winnow them down to five-seven? So there can be spoopy prompts, fluff prompts, platonic prompts, etc)

AU writing/bullet point day

Livestream:

Holligay Samples and Eviscerates The Most Obnoxious Looking Snack Foods She Can Find (And Eat)

Sober Doc Tries to Explain History to Drunk Jet Wolf

Doc Talks History

Holligay Cooks Out of a Cookbook We Pick

Holligay Talks Local/Montana HIstory

Holligay teaches Formal Etiquette

Doc Angrily Makes Christmas Food while Listening to Christmas Music

Holligay Tries to Invoke The Spirit of Closet Ghost

Holligay Teaches Common Household Repairs (That All Lesbians Should Already Know)

Holligay Reads Those Magazines She Keeps Buying But Piss Her Off

Holligay Teaches Basic Car Stuff

Holligay Cooks (general, may be nominations)

Holligay Teaches All About Knives (And How To Maintain Them)

Holligay Explains Character Arcs/Themes in (your choice of media, nominated/voted)

We Cook For Dinner in the Apocalypse (Holligay cooks meals using ingredients scavenged in an actual disaster scenario)

Holligay Talks About Her Favorite Cons

Holligay Talks Cocktails and Liquor HIstory (assistant Jettison Wolf)

[nocturnal-impala]

Best of PGSM: Episode 49, part 11

So, now you’ve revived Minako. You just couldn’t do it a few eps earlier, huh? And Ami are you cheating on Usagi with Naru?

[tirorah]

PGSM is really good at constantly shifting the status quo. Even if it's just a little, all of those nudges add up. This is a big one though; it's the first big change on the Shitennou side of things.

[tirorah]

It's a bit difficult to communicate this with screenshots because movement causes them to be a bit blurry with this version, but I really like the choreography for this little scene. Again, the action scenes are still hit-or-miss at this point, but they frame it nicely here. You can tell they're nowhere near hitting one another, but the camera angles sell it well enough (and Usagi crawling under Rei's kick is just hilarious).

Anyway, oh no! Only Usagi and Makoto are left! This'll be a titanic battle--

SOMEONE is failing Guardian class today!

Zoisite is a bit OP, unfortunately. But his clash with Tuxedo Kamen in this scene will make him less of a threat, so I guess that's why they thought it was okay to make him this powerful.

[tirorah]

There are always two parts to a character introduction in PGSM: introducing the character to the audience, and then introducing the character to the others.

This is Minako's introduction to Usagi (and Makoto, although no mention is made of whether Minako recognises her or not). And it's a complete disappointment. Usagi may as well not even be involved, she says. She's completely carefree, she obviously has zero awareness of Minako's true identity and she can't distinguish a man running with still-drying nails from a Youma.

And yet, Minako can't help but sit down and stare at these pictures. Look at them, being all happy together. Bonding, doing normal things that normal girls do.

Minako will never have any of that. She's accepted that fate, but isn't it supremely unfair of the universe to rub it in her face like this?

[tirorah]

Pictured: Aino Minako slowly dying inside

[tirorah]

I appreciate you reining her in but I think we passed that point when you two impersonated medical staff to get here

[tirorah]

PGSM And the Art of Escalating Nonsense

(this show is THE BEST)

[tirorah]

Our next instalment in the Stealthy Senshi anthology is here! This time, we're revealing the secret location of a celebrity ten seconds after we enter the building! That's what I call efficiency!

[tirorah]

It's fucking hilarious to me that Makoto nods along to this earlier in the episode, because the moment Usagi finds out which hospital it is...

MAKOTO IMMEDIATELY GOES ALONG WITH IT

Don't try to hide behind Usagi's disaster-ness, Makoto! You know very well how this looks!

Rei is shocked! Shocked and appalled!

So yes, this episode is partially an Usagi & Makoto dynamic episode. They're contrasted well here with Ami and Rei, the more responsible introverts. Thing is, Makoto is plenty responsible...but she's ALSO an Aino Minako fan. And she has a habit of indulging or tolerating Usagi's whims.

Gods, this episode is juicy.

[tirorah]

You know what? I forget to do this every episode.

The antagonist's side ALSO has a national treasure: this utterly fabulous Queen Beryl! The hair, the insanely detailed outfit, the nails... *chef's kiss* And the actor, Sugimoto Aya, is a queen in her own right. She has perfect stage presence with this performance.

[tirorah]

My god, the effects! They...they exist! ...Honestly, they tried, kudos for that.

In the prequel act, we find out Minako can 'transform' into Sailor V with her phone, so I feel like this costume is just a backup in case she loses her Teletia S. OR it's a clever ploy for plausible deniability in case she ever gets recognised as Sailor V! She can pretend she was cosplaying.

Anyway, this is the first real scene with Minako that we get. That's right: This is the audience's introduction to Aino Minako. So far she's been posing on tall things and warning Sailor Moon, but not much else. Now, though, we get our first proper look at the character.

When in the presence of her team/staff as an idol, she seems like a normal, although reserved, young girl. She smiles, she's polite, and she works hard at her career. But once she's left alone, things change. It's as though a switch has just been flipped.

PGSM actually executes a good editing trick here. We immediately switch from the familiar footage of Sailor V to this face from Minako. Sailor V is taunting Tuxedo Kamen in this shot. It gives her a playful feel. However, Minako seems anything but playful.

Through this simple cut, we're shown that the Sailor V we saw at the start is not what Minako is like in her day-to-day existence, especially in private.

As is known by most people who have heard of PGSM, this version of Minako is the biggest departure among the five main characters. This Minako is stoic, pragmatic and serious to a fault. As both a teen idol and a solitary Sailor Senshi, she's been completely cut off from a normal life. Hell, she doesn't even go to school on-screen. (I say on-screen because there are a few deleted scenes with her in a school uniform.)

Minako may have a habit of being expertly positioned to assert authority over those she speaks to, but she's also utterly alone as a result. Isolated. Always on the outside, looking in on the things she can't have. How that affects her is something that--like every main character's emotional baggage--will shape the story of PGSM.