Sailor Moon Crystal Act 5

Sailor Jupiter makes her debut!

This episode has already received an overwhelmingly positive response with many fans in agreement that this is the best episode yet. The animation looks great throughout and while this is the first episode to break away from following the manga scene by scene, this break-away presumably allowed the production team to devote more time to establishing Makoto’s personality and back story, along with a brief hint at a past relationship between Nephrite and Makoto.

Act 5 – Episode Summary

Act 5 begins with Usagi walking with Luna who is getting onto her about her lack of awareness. Usagi, not paying attention, walks out in front of a car but is saved by Makoto who tells Usagi to be careful and watch for cars. Elsewhere, Nephrite asks Queen Beryl for another chance and proposes to collect energy by taking advantage of human’s weakest spot — love. At school, Usagi is looking at a picture of Naru-chan in a wedding gown (she was a stand in for her cousin) and Umino mentions that he’s heard that some men who visited the bridal shop Naru-chan was at have gone missing. Makoto makes her appearance at school as a new transfer student and everyone shys away from her due to rumors of her strength. Usagi spots Makoto sitting by herself during lunch time with a pretty lunch box and hovers beside her until Makoto offers her a treat and Usagi compliments Mako-chans cooking, lunch bag, and earrings. Mako-chan has a brief flashback of the Moon Palace but shrugs it off and ask Usagi some questions about town. After school Usagi is praising Mako-chan’s video game abilities when Ami and Motoki walk up and Mako-chan is caught off guard by Motoki’s similarily to her old senpai. Motoki mentions a weird rumor and we find the girls in front of the bridal shop connected to the rumors of the missing grooms and the bridge ghost. The girls visit Rei at the temple to ask her thoughts about the cursed bridal shop rumors. As Makoto leaves Rei predicts that they will meet again soon.

Motoki is closing the arcade when a bride appears across the street, commands him to look into her eyes, and then seizes control of him. Makoto is walking home thinking of Motoki when he approaches her, looks into her eyes, and tells her he loves her. Mamoru is walking by and notices a strange green energy around Motoki that no one else seems to of noticed. Usagi is at home in bed dreaming of Tuxedo Kamen when he appears in her window and takes her hand. Luna wakes up to see Usagi running after Tuxedo Kamen who leads her to the street where a possessed Motoki is stealing Makoto’s energy. Ami and Rei appear at the scene right after Usagi, all three transform, and are attached by the bridge ghost/mannequin who grabs Makoto. Nephrite appears and Luna realizes he’s the one controlling the mannequin.

Pathetic humans, you’re fooled by appearance! – Nephrite

Flashback: Makoto ask Senpai if they can walk home together and he tells her he has a girlfriend now.

Was I fooled? … You said you loved me… But it was a lie? – Makoto

Humans are so obsessed with appearances, but ignorant of the true nature of things. – Nephrite

Makoto laments over not being understood and Nephrite tells her ‘You are a fool to believe in love.’

Loving someone is foolish. I don’t believe in anything anymore. The feeling of love and everything… – Makoto

Usagi reaches out to a depressed Makoto begging her to believe in love while the scene pans to Tuxedo Kamen.

That’s wrong Mako-chan! Loving someone is not a foolish thing to do! … I believe in love. We all have someone we’re destined to be with. I believe one day, I will meet someone I love from the bottom of my heart! – Usagi

Nephrite, tired of listening to Sailor Moon run her mouth, tells the Sailor Guardians enough. The mannequin bride holding Makoto attacks the three senshi and Makoto then twist her way out of the mannequin’s hold.

Be a fool in love and ruin your, and ruin yourself. – Nephrite

I will show you the pure heart of a lady with my power!

Believe in love and ruin yourself? All right, bring it on! – Makoto

Makoto has another flashback of the moon palace and the Jupiter symbol flashes on her forehead. Luna quickly runs in and tosses Makoto Jupiter’s transformation pen and Makoto transforms into Sailor Jupiter, Guardian of Love and Courage.

I’ll make you feel so much regret, it’ll leave you numb! – Makoto

Usagi and Nephrite are both surprised to discover Makoto is also a Sailor Guardian. Sailor Jupiter cast Flower Hurricane and looks intensely at Nephrite who says ‘I’ve seen this look before’ as she cast Jupiter Thunderbolt destroying the bridge mannequin and forcing Nephrite to retreat.

No one can bring down a girl who believes in love!

My Guardian star, Jupiter! Let the storm rage on! Let the lightning strike! Jupiter Thunderbolt!

In a dark room we see the missing grooms awakening next to their mannequin brides. Motoki wakes up in the street with no memory of how he got there, and Tuxedo Kamen, who’s been watching the confrontation with Nephrite takes off leaving Luna wondering about his intentions. Sailor Jupiter tells the other guardians that she transferred schools because the senior she was in love with broke her heart, but the real reason she came to their school is because she felt she had to.

But the reason why I came to the new school is, I felt like I had to. Something more than just a romance was waiting for me here. That’s what the wind told me. – Sailor Jupiter

Right. We don’t have the time it takes to cry over a man. – Sailor Mars

They all acknowledge Sailor Jupiter, then Luna summons a crescent moon wand and tells Sailor Moon that she will be the one to lead– now that there are four Sailor Guardians.