Anime, Watchthroughs

The Watchening: Sailor Moon Crystal Act.2 ~ Ami, Sailor Mercury

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Mmmmm yeah
Mmmmm yeah

This is by far the episode I’ve been looking forward to the most.  Not that next week’s episode won’t have a couple potential bombshells I’m also looking forward to, but… AMIIIIIIIIIII~!

For the rest of the Sailor Moon watchthrough, I will NOT be wasting a lot of time recapping.

First off, I like the cold opening establishing Ami Mizuno as a genius kid that’s seen with awe by the other students.

I'm afraid we'll have to use... math.
I’m afraid we’ll have to use… math.

But I have to say, the animation is very noticeably lazy.  I mean, it was noticeable in the first episode as well, but… just look at this scene:

What a depressing school.
What a depressing school.

It’s just so… DEAD.  It was such a horrible idea to pan across this huge, empty field.  The scattered students on it just make it look even worse.  WHY are there people just randomly standing around, looking at nothing?  It would have been less embarrassing AND more effective to have NO students there and pan to Ami studying alone on a bench.

And in seconds flat, the entire scene is more lively for no reason.
And in seconds flat, the entire scene is more lively for no reason.
I don't have a comment. I just like posting images of Ami's face.
I don’t have a comment. I just like posting images of Ami’s face.

Also, it seems the animation director had some… interesting ideas for Jadeite.

Jadeite couldn't come to work today, so the will be played by an extra from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.
Jadeite couldn’t come to work today, so the will be played by an extra from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.

One of the more unexpected changes is that Luna’s command center got  a massive upgrade.

Cats searching for humans on the Internet? Wh-wh-what?!
Cats searching for humans on the Internet? Wh-wh-what?!
Luna's been busy. She already knows about Rei.
Luna’s been busy. She already knows about Rei.
Just three days off from my birthday... so close.
Just three days off from my birthday… so close.

I have nothing to transition with, so… more Ami pics.

Though I do wonder why her uniform seems to be a shade of gray instead of the regular white.
Though I do wonder why her uniform seems to be a shade of gray instead of the regular white.
It was either post every freeze frame or make a GIF.
It was either post every freeze frame or make a GIF.
HNNNNNG
HNNNNNG

Rather than using floppy discs for the programs of doom, we have CD-ROMs.  Because honestly, I don’t see how you can fit a brainwashing program in 1.44 MB.

And speaking of technological upgrades, Usagi has a laptop.

Update the drivers!
Update the drivers!

She’s also a master hacker.

Hey, it works in Hollywood.
Hey, it works in Hollywood.

Even the Youma got an unexpected upgrade, showing resistance to Sailor Moon’s sonic cry.  It even attacks onscreen, meaning for once the anime has more detail than the manga.

It's slightly less intimidating when you learn those are test papers.
It’s slightly less intimidating when you learn those are test papers.

Sailor Mercury’s transformation was good and bad.  Mercury’s CG wasn’t distracting, but the CG water she was covered with WAS.  Oh lord was it distracting.

Fun fact: the CG tends to look awkward in motion, but they’re better appreciated in freeze frame.

Yes.
Yes.
YES!
YES!
HNNNNNNNNNNNNG!!!
HNNNNNNNNNNNNG!!!
She actually gets her planet in the final pose!
She actually gets her planet in the final pose!
Dunno what to think about that stance though.
Dunno what to think about that stance though.

Sailor Moon’s transformation sequence was recycled in full, but interestingly enough, it seems Moon’s and Mercury’s attacks will have familiar enough movements, but won’t be recycled.  This can only be a good thing.

But why does it look like fire?
But why does it look like fire?

One element from the manga that I’m disappointed did NOT make it in was that Mercury’s attack doesn’t just make it difficult to see; it freezes the area around her.  We didn’t get any of that, and I’m actually pretty sure the OLD anime did.

By the way, this fight is where one of the most blatant animation shortcuts is.  In this scene, Luna frees Sailor Moon, and Tuxedo Mask pulls her away from the Youma’s attack.  Sounds good, right?  But THIS is how it looks:

cheapanimation01That’s right.  Neither Luna nor Tuxedo Mask appear in the sequence because it’s just plain easier not to draw moving people.

Anyway, just like last time, we get a very short preview of the next Sailor Guardian: Sailor Mars.

Fun fact: This character never appeared in the original anime. You might think she did, but that was just some chick that looked like her.
Fun fact: This character never appeared in the original anime. You might think she did, but that was just some chick that looked like her.

As was the case last week, the next episode preview is only on Niconico.  Half of the preview was Sailor Mars’ transformation sequence.  NONE of the preview for this episode was Sailor Mercury’s transformation, which honestly leads me to believe not enough of the episode was animated for a full preview.

By the way, there’s a new video out for Moon Pride.  It looks REALLY well done… until the CG at the end.  The CG is well done, but the animation for the walk is terrible and awkward.  It’s like Toei blew all their budget on the models and couldn’t spring for animators to make them move naturally.

I imagine the people in charge being a bunch of old men easily impressed by 10-year-old technology and 15-year-old standards.

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