In MURCIÉLAGO, Volume14 (ムルシエラゴ ), the gang learns of a new, exciting horror to infest their city; someone is chomping chunks out of the necks of women.
Narumi and Kuroko team up to discover just what the hell is going on, but Narumi finda herself purposefully disabled and stuck in a sewer with a bunch of other girls, all of whom have the same injury she’s been given. Narumi and the others…have been put in the larder. She quickly learns the horror this time is not new at all…in fact, it’s the return of one of the most complicated and interesting antagonists of the entire series.
Rose Marie is back and creepier and more horrific than ever! Narumi holds out until Kuroko and Shizuka arrive and help her take out this new/old scourge.
The counterpoint to all of this is that Hinako and the remaining half of the team go to the pool where they swim, eat, and pound the living shit out of some assholes. All good fun.
Chiyo has one of those serious moments, when speaking about Kuroko to Hinako and explains that her “like” is definitely different than Hinako’s like – she’s not above a little fantasizing that they might be married one day… Hinako’s main objection is that the idea of Kuroko in a dress really annoys her. ^_^
Ratings:
Art – 8 On repeat: In so far as it is conveying horrific violence, I think it’s getting better.
Story – 8 Creepier than usual, which is saying a lot
Characters – 8
Service – 5 less than usual, skimpy bathing costumes
Yuri – 4 Chiyo is the Yuri carrier drug here, and I’m okay with it
Overall – 8
I am in awe of Yoshimurakana’s ability to come up with new skin-crawling terrors. I am also a little in awe that this series, which is very heavy on the violence against girls doesn’t make me want to punch someone. The only thing I can think of is that the violence against women is the only part that’s taken seriously. When guys are killed, it’s like, “eh, whatevs.” ^_^
One of the several exciting events associated with our 100 Years of Yuri Tour was a visit to the Sailor Moon Restaurant, Shining Moon Tokyo. We included this, in part because Sailor Moon is foundational to a whole generation of not only Yuri fans, but also Yuri creators. (I recall a story in one of Hayashiya Shizuru-sensei’s early doujinshi on how she met her partner/assistant Makise Ren at a video rental store, as they both reached for a Sailor Moon S tape.) Also in part because I thought it sounded awesome and wanted to include it.
Shining Moon Tokyo was awesome, and I’m really glad we went. ^_^
To begin with, we were met at the door by a person who confirmed our reservation and took our dinner orders before we had set foot in the place. We then proceeded down stairs into a basement wonderland. Well…a relatively low-budget wonderland, anyway.
The tables and chairs were white resin, very 1960s. The stage was small, with stair up each side to a catwalk across the top and the smallest proscenium I had ever seen, not even a meter square. There was a screen across the stage, welcoming us to Shining Moon Tokyo.
The ceiling was hung with the planets…two of which became part of the show, in a rhythmic gymnastics kind of way.
Costumes in one section of the restaurant were the only decorative items. In most other ways the space felt like a cave or a basement theater…or a kind of modern Mithraeum, where a ritual enactment was about to take place. ^_^
The screen kept telling us that the show would start shortly, but first, we were served dinner. The choices were limited, so between us, we had all three options. I had the sushi platter, with little planetoid sushi.
There was the moon somen plater.
And the moon bunny curry.
Drinks were Senshi-themed. We split between the Sailor Moon (peach), the Venus (mango and green jello) and the Mars (shiso and some kind of berry.)
For dessert I think we all got the Silver Millennium cake.
The food was pretty good as far as it went, which is as far as microwaved platters can go. ^_^ They were served on planet symbol-themed wax paper over special Shining Moon Tokyo plates, which were a gift – after the dinner, we were handed boxes to take them home with us. We joked that if we came back a few times, we’d have enough for a service.
Just as the screen told us the show would begin shortly, I noted that the screen has English subtitles. Huh, how about that.
Then the show began. Not surprisingly, no pictures were allowed of the show, but we were encouraged to take pictures of the revue portion.
The show was the entire first season boiled down into a half-hour, with key points -including the death of the Senshi – kept intact. The individual fight scenes were pretty amazingly well-done. The screen functioned as some of the special effects, so Ami’s and Makoto’s attacks were shown on screen. Rei’s fight was exceptionally well done, using a large puppet for a nine-tailed kitsune and she twirled some kind of effect bar that showed up as flames – we all really liked that effect.
Even Tuxedo Mask had a decent fight scene that included lasers and smoke. “He” was still brainwashed for a bit there, but visually, the whole scene was cool.
Which brings me to Minako. We saw Abe Nanami as Minako/Sailor Venus, and we all commented that she leaned into her role hard. She was fantastic. Her fight was the most abstract, with nice use of light and shadow – and she made good use of the scenario. She also managed to dominate any scene she was in, in a good way. Additionally, as the performance wrapped up, I swore I saw a little byplay between her and Taguchi Mika, who played Mars. It was just a moment of interaction in which I was positive Rei was acting jealous. ^_^
I also want to shout out to the deathlings, played by the other set of actresses that switch off with the team we saw. My god, they were athletic. Even beyond flips and dance-fighting kicks and stuff, they did rhythmic, acrobatic, and aerial gymnastics. These 12 young woman work really hard for this show and I want to thank them all.
And then the actresses came out to greet those of us in the audience and my suspicions about Minako were totally confirmed. ^_^ I wasn’t filming, but I did capture photos of Venus throwing a kiss at my wife, and Mars reacting with jealousy, then Venus holding on to Mars for the rest of the greet. ^_^
Here’s the photos in a time lapse video.
Of course by then, we were all ready to spend money at the shop. Belatedly, I noticed we had nothing Mercury themed. Had I realized, I would have ordered a blue drink. Poor Ami.
It was a wonderful time and we all enjoyed the heck out of it.I recommend it highly if you’re already a fan of the series or are looking for a themed cafe and show.
After watching Minako in this little scenario, I’m more than ever convinced that it’s way past time for a 21st century update of Sailor Moon, in which the full range of gender and sexuality in the characters is openly acknowledged. Haruka as genderfluid, Minako as pansexual, the Starlights as trans…I think it would be swell. ^_^
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful book, with the “holographic cover” and color images that grace this definitive edition…but it’s that this is the definitive edition that sort of bugs me.
One of my big complaints about the 20th anniversary edition was the choice for transliteration of Haruka’s, Michiru’s and Setsuna’s family names. I argued with the translator who rightfully insisted that the transliteration she chose was correct. I equally insisted that it may have been correct, but it is fugly. Sadly, this 25th anniversary edition has continued using them.
Ten’ô, Kai’ô, Mei’ô
Tenoh, Tenou, Tennoh, Tennou, Ten’ou, Ten’oh but… … Ten’ô? Vile. It is an abomination. I do not care that it is “technically correct.” I care that it jangles my nerves and ruins my ability to read the story smoothly because it just looks so awful.
Let’s just stop here and take a look how names are transliterated in the real world. You may know the name Ichiro. He’s kind of a famous major league baseball player. His name is 鈴木 一朗, which is transliterated as Suzuki Ichirou or Suzuki Ichirō and is commonly just written Ichiro in English.
The second jersey belongs to 佐藤 友亮 Satō Tomoaki, transliterated as Satoh Tomoaki, a Japanese baseball player with the Saitama Seibu Lions. I only picked baseball players, because they typically have their names on the jerseys, but this applies for most Japanese athletes. Haruka is an athlete.
When we see Haruka in her racing gear in the original anime her name is very sensibly transliterated Tenoh, as it is on this collectible card.
Ten’ô. There is no sane reason for this choice. 天王 =てんのう Tenou. Frankly for scan, I would have chosen Tenoh, Kaioh and Meioh,, but Tenou, Kaiou and Meiou would have been *fine*. I hate Ten’ô so much, it’s an insult to my eyes every time I see it. It may be correct, but it is terrible.
In every other way, this volume is just fine, but this was – and will continue to be – such an affront that I actually am considering not getting the rest of this series in this edition and just sticking with the Japanese, which will not irritate me. I was so looking forward to a sensible correction to this hideous choice in what is meant to be a magnificent definitive edition in English. It really scarred what is otherwise a momentous edition, as we meet genderfluid Haruka, her partner Michiru, and Setsuna miraculously comes back to life with no explanation whatsoever, bringing Sailors Uranus, Neptune and Pluto together, with their three talismans.
It’s a great volume about which we could talk for hours. To make me feel better about the name issue, I’ve written a short scene for the the “25 years have passed and *we* understand gender and sexuality differently” version I conjectured yesterday in my discussion of Queerness in Sailor Moon. In this version,after the Outer Senshi are introduced, we get an better answer to a question Usagi asked Haruka days ago:
“I never wanted to upset you,” Uranus’s face took on that look of endless sadness that make Usagi ache for her.
“Your Highness,” Neptune’s eyes were wet, “Uranus is both a man and a woman. She is a Guardian of both, with her attributes and strengths limited to neither.”
“I don’t understand,” Sailor Moon looked back and forth at the two women she wanted so much to fight with, not against.
“I’m genderfluid,” Haruka said gently. “I can present as a man or a woman as I want. When I dress as a man, I am seen as a man, and when I dress as a woman, I am seen as a woman.” She smiled tightly, “When I am dressed as a Senshi, I am seen as a Senshi.”
“Oh!” Sailor Moon nodded, “I understand.”
Michiru continued, “Each of us has…”
THERE. Fixed that scene. I feel better. I was >this< far from setting off yesterday in a complete 21st century rewrite of this entire season to fix all the many, many problems. But instead I wrote about queerness.
Ratings:
Art – 8 Visibly stronger than earlier volumes
Story – 7 Kind of a mess by our standards now, but amazing for the time
Characters – 7 Same. Hotaru becomes incredibly interesting from this point on.
Yuri – 5 Haruka trying to seduce Usagi off her case is something; still needs a real love scene between her and Michiru
Service – Same as above
Overall – 7 with a point off for the name issue. 6
Yamada and Kase-san have officially begun their lives as college students in the big city. It’s a life full of challenges; getting around, meeting people, balancing their relationship and the physical distance separating them against the rest of their lives.
Yamada makes a friend, Hana, a girl whose family runs a flower store. Hana is very similar to Yamada and feels equally as in love with the school program, as she is overwhelmed by city life. To help Hana, Yamada agrees to go to a meet-and-greet event. Kase-san forcefully asks her to decline, but Yamada wants to live her own life, as well as be with her lover.
The defining challenge of Yamada to Kase-san (山田と加瀬さん) is jealousy. Both Yamada and Kase-san are threading thin needles, keeping up with their work, forming peer groups and trying to fit each other into these new lives. When Kase-san shows up to the meet-and-greet, Yamada knows that Kase-san wasn’t wrong, but stands firm on her own motivations. Kase-san backs down – probably the single most important moment of the book. And of course, Hana, innocent that she is, is appalled at the party becoming a drinking party and bails. ^_^
All is well, as they get together with Mikawacchi and Yamada is recruited to a job at a Garden Center – where she is greeted as a savior. Then it his her turn to face down jealousy, as it suddenly dawns on Yamada that Kase-san is sharing her dorm room, with a woman who will know more about the day-to-day life of her lover than she does. Kase-san’s birthday forces her to confront her jealousy.
There’s another conflict brewing in the background, too, but that is saved for another time.
This was an exceptionally strong volume of this series. The translation of Kase-san and Yamada from provincial high school into a more adult world is not without its sacrifices….sometimes the humor comes of as a bit facile, but, more often its a welcome relief to an otherwise difficult emotional situation. It is delightful to have kept Mikawacchi’s chaotic influence in the story and a triumph to see Yamada with a peer of her own.
Ratings:
Art – 8
Characters – 8
Story – 7
Service – Does Kase-san in a suit count? Yes? 7
Yuri – 9 With the slightest frisson of the real world edging in
Overall – 9
Ultimately, my desire to see them happy continues unabated.
The English-language volume, Kase-san and Yamada, is slated for winter 2020 release.
After the wonderfulness of the Sailor Moon Super SSpecial on Disk 1, is there really anything left worth talking about in this season? Apparently…yes. ^_^
Sailor Moon SuperS Anime, Part 1, Disk 2 continues what I personally find to be the most difficult season to watch – not only because it focuses so heavily on Chibi-Usa, but also because Usagi is positioned as exceptionally grating as a result of her jealousy of Chibi-Usa and Mamoru. Much more importantly, the rest of the Senshi are largely sidelined throughout this season, until their power-ups are needed.
Nonetheless, I think it’s worth mentioning the very queer character who steps front and center on this disk – Fisheye. All of the Amazon Trio are boys, Tigereye tells us explicitly. Fisheye appears to see themselves as female, certain as female presenting. Fisheye’s affection is for men. Fisheye might be gender non-binary, gender-X, gay, trans, or some other identity, but that is not the point I wish to make. The point that is worth noting is that, 25 years ago, yet another season of this cartoon gave queer folks a character they could claim as theirs.
I have been thinking about this a lot these days; about how critical it is for young people especially to see someone like, if not the same, as themselves. This is the heart of why I think Shimanami Tasogare is so important. In the story itself, the young protagonist is given a number of older role models who each contribute to his evolving understanding of himself and the people around him. Before Misora, before Shuu-chan from Wandering Son, there was Fisheye, a doomed character because they were on the side of evil (through no fault of their own,), but who provided an example of a way to live to young folks in the mid 90s in Japan. And how powerful a thing is that?
Ratings:
Art – 6
Story – 2 Usagi is not much better than Chibi-Usa, frankly
Characters – 4 I’m feeling for Fisheye
Service – More lolicon creepiness than I’m comfortable with, frankly.
LGBTQ – 5
Overall – 6
I am literally keeping a list of queerness in Sailor Moon. I expect to write up an article on it when I’ve finished reviewing the Viz edition, In the mean time, I find myself impressed all over again at how freaking queer this 25 year old kid’s anime was. ^_^
Erica Friedman is the Founder of Yuricon, ALC Publishing Lesbian Icon. Speaker, Writer, Editor/Adapter, LGBTQ manga tastemaker, 百合人. Proud to be a MLS. Learn more >>
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In MURCIÉLAGO, Volume14 (ムルシエラゴ ), the gang learns of a new, exciting horror to infest their city; someone is chomping chunks out of the necks of women.
