The Sailor Senshi investigate Mugen Academy, only to have a daimon set upon them by the Witches 5!

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ThisSailor Moon Crystalreview contains spoilers.

Before they can argue the point, Kaolinite sends the Witches 5 to take care of the Sailor Senshi.

Were two for two, people.

The second part of our two-parter didnt just match the quality of Part 1, it surpassed it.

Thankfully, they sidestepped that pitfall with tremendous elegance.

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This was a sensible move.

It is, quite simply, the proper ending to that episode.

Thats just storytelling 101.

Narratively, theres a difference between an end and a stop.

Check out French cinema, particularly the films on the more artsy end of the spectrum.

Dozens of them just stop without any kind of resolution or even a point being made.

Its like an actual ending was filmed and the director just decided to cut out the last five minutes.

In a TV show, it just doesnt really work, and this criticism is not limited toCrystal.

Its not ditching source material.

Its just shifting it a little, and the show is immeasurably better for it.

Now, will this continue?

Well, its hard to say.

And OH MY GOD, just DO THIS!!!

Because this episode was even better than the last, and thats saying something.

First of all, it hits the ground running, like a good Part 2 should.

I loved that quick line in the opening scene about the Womens Association meeting.

Its nice to know that Ikuko has a life of her own outside her husband and kids.

The Mugen Academy mission itself is great.

Here it feels much more like an actual school than just some office building were told is a school.

Here, we get a sense of the academys personality and vibe.

Either way, wow.

Ive been digging the music this season a lot so far.

This is a soundtrack Im very much looking forward to collecting.

His voice was super high and nasal for those first few lines).

The tables keep turning.

The Senshi have the advantage, then the daimon, then the Senshi again.

It was just so watchable and satisfying.

To the manga andCrystals credit, theres never been a silly-looking antagonist.

It just doesnt happen.

Even the lame, ineffectual ones at least look like a credible (if not terribly serious) threat.

This episode was a perfect example of that.

Its almost as though having its delivery be an organic part of the plot makes it easier to take.

Who would have thought?!

My only gripe with it goes all the way back to the manga.

Its not a mistake or anything, just something thats always bugged me.

The whole Uranus Mask misdirect… like… what even was the point of that, Naoko?

What kind of sense does it even remotely make?

Of course, I cant neglect to comment upon the visuals which… oh… yes.

This is just the new standard of animation quality and its here to stay.

The regular animation is solid and smooth, and were getting more SD goodness.

Thank you, Toei!

I neglected to talk much about the closing theme last time.

Im a really big fan.

In fact, I like it more than the new opening.

It looks beautiful, and the lyrics are lovely.

Now, was this episode perfect?

I do have a few nitpicks, of course.

We can see Mamorus increasing irrelevance begin here.

Ironically, he finally has something officially unifying him with the Senshi, his communicator, which…

It comes so close to manly without quite hitting the mark.

How was he so late to the party?

Doesnt he have some kind of preternatural ability to sense when his soulmate and daughter are in danger?

Time was, he would have been on the scene almost before our girls were.

What the hell took him so long?

What was he doing?

Here, he doesnt show up until the fight is over, and hes not even transformed.

Youre losing your touch, bro.

Two, its only the second time, and the sequences are still new and refreshing, so whatevs.

But do I think well need them every time?

All around, though, we got another solid episode.

It was well written, well animated, the performances were on point, and the music was tight.

Rating:

3.5 out of 5