From: phoenix@mediaone.net   
      
   Act 1 - I am Sailor Moon!   
      
   Three years ago in October of 2003, new life was breathed into Sailor   
   Moon with the premiere of Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, a live-action   
   version of Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon.   
      
   The anticipation was so high that we were happy to get any scrap of   
   news on this series. Episode summaries and raw torrents were eagerly   
   snapped up in order to experience this new version of Sailor Moon.   
      
   The first episode started off with a familiar theme. Usagi oversleeps   
   and then must run to get to school on time. Unfortunately, she still   
   arrives late and Haruna-sensei chides her for her continued tardiness.   
      
   I remember that when I first heard Minako's song "C'est la Vie"   
   playing, I thought the main refrain was actually "Sailor V".   
      
   According to the "Making of" video on PGSM, it took seven takes to get   
   the scene of Luna falling onto Usagi's face correct. Also, there are   
   43 rabbits in Usagi's bedroom, 44 if you count Usagi herself.   
      
   Tuxedo Mask and Sailor V continue their conflict that had started in   
   Act zero.   
      
   The Game Center Crown has been replaced with Crown Karaoke.   
      
   I loved that first tumultuous meeting between Usagi and Mamoru. Usagi   
   assuring Mamoru that she was not a model, Mamoru assuring Usagi that   
   no one would ever mistake her for a model and then Usagi's disdainful   
   shoulder check and hair flip in response. ^_^   
      
   Naru attempts to save her mother and Jadeite makes his appearance.   
      
   Luna give Usagi three items in this episode. The first is a camera   
   cell phone which serves as both a communicator and takes the role of   
   the disguise pen from the original; Then there is the brooch and   
   lipstick which she uses to transform into Sailor Moon. I thought the   
   transformation sequence was great. I loved how her odango pony tails   
   formed a heart shape as she spun around.   
      
   The battle scene worked just fine for me. At first Sailor Moon flailed   
   her arms helplessly, but then at Luna's prompting, her tiara glowed   
   and suddenly she was gifted with the ability to fight back using this   
   sort of acrobatic ballet style. On the surface, it might seem silly   
   that the senshi could fight youma with pirouettes, arabesques and   
   cartwheels, but I think it fits the idea behind Sailor Moon perfectly.   
      
   For her signature attack, Sailor Moon uses Moon Healing Escalation,   
   the purifying attack that transforms people from youma back into their   
   normal human form.   
      
   At the end of the battle, Jadeite throws a crystal dagger at Sailor   
   Moon and Tuxedo Mask makes his first heroic appearance to protect her.   
   The stage is set for Usagi to dislike Mamoru but to be attracted to   
   his alter ego, Tuxedo Mask.   
      
   And finally, we see Queen Beryl herself as she rages at Sailor Moon   
   for standing in her way.   
      
   In all, this is a great start to this new version of Sailor Moon.   
      
   --   
   Phoenix   
   www.phoenixanime.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)