From: sunniechan@comcast.net   
      
   Rick S wrote:   
   > Phoenix  wrote in   
   > news:u6evp2p34dkn12njf9sgkl0rnh7rfdhm5d@4ax.com:   
   >   
   >   
   >>Act Zero - Sailor V's Birth!   
   >>   
   >>This episode was released on DVD after the TV series ended and gives   
   >>us the origin story of Sailor V.   
   >>   
   >>The story opens on Christmas eve and Minako has skyrocketed up the   
   >>music charts with her debut album "Imitation". Our first view of   
   >>Minako is as she is looking out from her balcony singing the Christmas   
   >>song "Silent Night" (in English!). In a scene reminiscence of when   
   >>Luna fell onto Usagi in Act 1, Artemis falls out of the sky onto   
   >>Minako's face in the same way.   
      
   I ended up starting this episode 3 different times.  2 times with the   
   same fansub (Ryuusei), and the third time with the one Sailor Moon   
   Center did with Dark Water.  For some reason, the lips were off in the   
   Ryuusei fansub, and at first I thought Komatsu Ayaka just wasn't trying   
   to do well lip-synching, until the same thing happened to a speak Usagi.   
     Thankfully, the final copy I used worked just fine. ^_^v   
      
      
      
      
   >   
   >>Most of the major characters get a role in this episode.   
   >   
   >   
   > So Makoto is trying to find a way to live alone (emancipated minor?) I   
   > wonder who she was talking to, it doesn't seem like her father. Where is   
   > she living now? Do we have any background on this?   
      
   She was talking to the landlord of that building, it seems, or perhaps a   
   real estate agent.  He refused her because she lacks a cosigner, which   
   seems to be crucial (it's also an important part of the first few   
   episodes of the show NANA).  I can't remember if they keep the "moving   
   because of fighting/getting kicked out of school" theme in PGSM or not,   
   but that would explain why she's looking for a place, and that she'd   
   probably lived elsewhere in general before, or perhaps with a relative?   
     That's something I've always wished they'd clarified--just how long   
   has Makoto lived alone?   
      
      
   >>With a humorous touch, Motoki gets started on his turtle obsession...   
   >   
      
   Why did he have to be such a loser in this series?  He was so awesome in   
   all of the others, but in this one he starts creeping me out (at least   
   in a later episode he goes one step too far)   
      
      
   >   
   >>Usagi and her friends Naru, Momoko and   
   >>Kanami cosplay as imaginary Sailor Senshi to protect Naru's mother's   
   >>jewelry shop.   
   >   
   >   
      
   Ami imagining herself as Sailor A had to be one of the funniest and   
   cutest scenes in this episode.  It kind of broke my heart all at the   
   same time, because she so clearly wanted to be involved in that   
   conversation, but was also so afraid to jump in.  Moreover, it's kind of   
   sweet and sad that she longs for something like that.  Although I can't   
   quite explain why.   
      
   >   
   >>The episode ends with Minako recalling her memories as a senshi, Usagi   
   >>wishing on a shooting star (Luna falling from the sky!) for wonderful   
   >>things to happen and the other three senshi sensing that something   
   >>special is about to happen.   
   >   
   >   
   > Luna appeared because Artemis recognised Usagi as Sailor Moon and called   
   > for her. So, why didn't Arty recognise her as the Princess? Why is Luna so   
   > clueless about Minako, didn't Arty bother to mention that little detail to   
   > her?   
      
   In the anime as well, Artemis liked to keep Luna in the dark.  I've   
   never figured out why he's always had more information, aside from   
   having arrived first (in all the variations, it seems).  I'm guessing   
   he's piecing things together slowly.  He's figured out Sailor Moon fast   
   enough, but it'll take time before the swiss cheese continues to fill out.   
      
   >   
   >   
   >>The acting was exaggerated and over the top, but somehow that worked   
   >>for me in this case.   
   >   
   >   
   > It's a fun episode, but the little mistakes forshadow the lack of coherincy   
   > in the story telling.   
      
   I think this episode was as funny (if not moreso) than my favorite PGSM   
   episode, the one where they go to the amusement park.  I was laughing so   
   hard I got a bit of a stomachache.  The best part for me was the Kings,   
   especially with Jadeite being the woman, and Nephrite's "Mazui! Mazui!"   
   exclamation as he takes his "Ami-tan 2000"...Great reference to that   
   *other* episode.  I really enjoyed this episode.  I can't believ I   
   waited this long to watch it (in part due to the fact I have 3 different   
   copies of it, and then there are all the bonus interviews, etc, that   
   made me just give up trying to figure out what to watch first).   
      
   I just watched PGSM for the first time last year, so I'm really looking   
   forward to getting such a quick refreshed.  This is especially due to   
   the fact that I really plowed through the last half of the show, and   
   barely remember any of it, I watched it so fast.  It'll be nice to be   
   able to work out the plot a bit better this time around.   
      
   Sunnie   
   ~About to go watch Act 1, methinks~   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)