From: chriskern99@gmail.com   
      
   On Sun, 18 Jun 2006 08:36:44 -0400, Phoenix    
   posted the following:   
      
   >Is the genius girl a youma? The scary brain-washing cram school   
   >   
   >We find out that Luna is not working alone. Who is that mysterious   
   >voice on the other side of the game console screen?   
      
   She won't be very happy to find out. :)   
      
   >This is also where we get a hint of why Usagi is different from all   
   >the rest. Although the other girls look at Ami with suspicion and   
   >jealousy, Usagi wants to reach out to her and be friends.   
      
   I like the beginning of this episode where Beryl and Jedite are   
   talking about the Japanese education system and entrance exams. Beryl   
   compares the mothers who push their kids into juku to youma. I guess   
   the system steals all their energy :) (I wonder if it's going to far   
   to see this as a slightly subversive episode...the zombified cram   
   school students and such.)   
      
   Of course this episode introduces Sailor Mercury. I like Ami's   
   character because too often in kids' shows (both Japan and here),   
   people who do well in school are portrayed as basically insufferable   
   geeks who are friends with the main characters despite their   
   intelligence. Ami has some geeky qualities but (to me) she's a bit   
   more well-rounded than characters like Screech (or Umino, for that   
   matter).   
      
   At one point Ami tells Usagi that the only thing she can do well is   
   study; this isn't dealt with this time but provides fodder for future   
   Ami-centered episodes.   
      
   -Chris   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)