There are some really good things about Sailor Moon, Season 1, Part 2, Disk 2. Plot just happens to not be among them. ^_^

First of all and most importantly, Sailor Venus has arrived! She’s so cool, having been a Senshi for a whole year or more without any help. So as to not have to respect her too much, she is a bubblehead. I’ll take the Venus of the manga (and Crystal) over this Minako any day. (I’m in a minority I know, but I hated “Nurse Minako”. Blecch.)

Secondly, Zoisite steps up to be the new baddie after having dispatched Nephrite, then blows it almost immediately. The best part of Zoi is his death, in which we get confirmation that he and Kunzite were an item, and it wasn’t our imagination. In 1992, this was huge, let me tell you.

The third thing that happens is that MamorugetskidnappedbyQueenBerylandishypnotizeintofightingSailorMoon, but since I do not care even a little, I like to call this part of the season, the “OH GOD, WHEN WILL THIS END?” arc. ^_^

So one the good side, all the Senshi are gathered. On the bad side, filler episodes, auuuuggggh. Remember the time Usagi goes to Princess School? No? There’s a reason why we wiped this out of our memeories. On the good, Zoisite is dead and he had a very beautiful, very gay death in Kunzite’s arms. On the bad side, Kunzite’s a bore, Mamoru’s a bore, Queen Beryl’s obsession is  a bore (sorry Beryl, but really…) and Metallia…6 episodes to go and I know it will feel like 60. Much of Usagi’s character development was wiped away after she discovers she is the Moon Princess so we’re back to whiny, crying Usagi all over again. On the good side…did I mention Zoisite’s beautiful death? Well, yes, that was the volume’s high point. I guess for other people it might have been the Moon Princess reveal. I am not other people.

I’m still entirely fascinated as I stack up the complaints about Crystal against the reality of Season 1. We didn’t actually get much time with any of the Inners and they have very little personality a mere handful of episodes from the end. So, no…Crystal did not erase tons of character development. The first season is just weak all the way around. We’re not being rational when we compare 200 episodes, 12 volumes of manga and megatons of fanfic we read and wrote to the actual story.

Ratings:

Art – 5  It’s not getting any better.
Story – 7, then filler episodes from hell – 3
Characters – 7 Minako fits right in, Usagi and Rei get a tad more development.
Yuri – 1 Usagi and Rei get a tad more development ^_^
Service – 1 on principle

Overall – 6

Best character of the Volume? Umino. I give that boy serious props.