Sailor Moon Crystal: Act 1 - Usagi - Sailor Moon

omg, it was SO GOOD.  I'm talking about the first episode of Sailor Moon Crystal, of course.  If you've never seen the manga, but watched the 90's anime, you will find this episode very familiar.  The 'introductory' episodes are going to be very similar, since that was one of the ways that the first anime stuck close to the manga.  However, you can feel the differences in tone.  Not only is the anime style and art very different than the first anime, but there is more of an air of maturity.  There isn't NEARLY as much super-deformed style, and Usagi is a bit more sensible, though still clumsy and a crybaby.

The 90's anime did something very different than the manga in one HUGE regard - the anime was from a very masculine stand-point.  It was made with male viewers in mind, with the girls being a bit (a lot) more sexualized, and the girls needing Tuxedo Mask all the time to save them.  And also being completely boy crazy.  They changed Rei and Mina's characters quite a bit to fit that.  Rei is very cold towards men in the anime, and Minako is the leader of the Sailor Senshi, and a lot more driven.

The new theme song, Moon Pride, stamps this out even in the first 10 minutes.  The translated lyrics to the song say that they don't need the prince to save them, and they aren't helpless girls and don't need a man's protection.

It's also nice to see a more dynamic anime style.  If they'd tried to imitate the older anime, it would have looked REALLY dated.  Actually, I can't wait to see the girls' modern fashions, because in the first anime, their clothes were damn ugly.

Another HUGE thing we'll see that wasn't in the first anime is that the Four Generals will have a much larger role.  If you only know the anime, this will be a SPOILER, but the Four Generals are actually Prince Endymion/Tuxedo Mask/Mamoru's 'senshi'. They were his guardians, and were possessed by Queen Metallia's evil.  Though, I DO hope that they keep Kunzie and Zoisite a couple, like in the first anime.

I don't want to give away anything else really about the episode, because I want you to watch it, but everything looks very pretty!  The opening theme and the ending theme are both really awesome.  I think Naru looks a lot better, and Usagi is prettier than ever.  Unfortunately, this will only be airing every OTHER Saturday, so we won't see it again until July 19th.  There was a small teaser shown on Nico Nico, the Japanese website that is streaming Crystal, and the episode title is called "Ami - Sailor Mercury", so we know that it will be Ami's introduction.  Yay!  Minako's my fave, so I can't wait until she shows up.

If you're a Moonie, I hope you're over the... moon, like I am. :D  Moon Prism Power!!!!!