From: sunniechan@comcast.net   
      
   Phoenix wrote:   
   > Act 11 - We Got to Meet the Real Minako!   
   >   
   > The last act ended with Minako about to be hit by a truck. This one   
   > opens with Usagi sneaking into Crown Karaoke, apparently attempting to   
   > avoid Mamoru who had been working there temporarily. She seemed happy   
   > to hear that he was not there, but I wonder if maybe she was a little   
   > disappointed too.   
      
   There was a brief spark of disappointment, I'm sure.  Moreover, Mamoru   
   is keeping that handkerchief of hers very close--on his nightstand!   
      
      
      
   > In the hospital, a banged up suitcase from Minako's wrecked car is   
   > returned to her with the assurance that no one had opened it or looked   
   > at her personal things. Inside the suitcase is her Sailor V costume. I   
   > find that a bit confusing. Rick had said something earlier about maybe   
   > Minako has not really transformed yet. Maybe that is the case. Other   
   > then those crescent moon shuriken, I've not seen her use any special   
   > powers. Maybe ballet-fu just comes naturally to her. I think it would   
   > violate some anime law of physics to be able to simply take off your   
   > henshin outfit.   
      
   Not really sure about how this is working.  BUt I knew I remembered that   
   happening when we were talking about it in an earlier episode's   
   discussion.  Perhaps because she transformed using the cell phone, she   
   was able to remove the costume as desired?  Which means the girls could   
   do a lot of "shoplifting" of sorts... ^_-   
      
   >   
   > BTW, if Minako's hospital was undisclosed, how did she manage to   
   > receive so many flowers and gifts?   
      
   I assume that the gifts and cards were sent to her agency, and then   
   transferred to her. Makes sense to me.   
      
   >   
   > After learning the name of the hospital from her mother (via her   
   > father the reporter we never, ever see), Usagi and Makoto sneak into   
   > the hospital as two very cute nurses.   
      
   Like Rick mentioned, they keep poking each other on the escalator (it's   
   sad that everytime I say that word, I now start thinking of Azumanga   
   Daioh's "Osaka"), and it's really cute.  They're portraying their   
   friendship incredibly well.  I wonder how many of the girls became real   
   friends?  I'm pretty sure I've heard that Mew and Chisaki at least try   
   to keep in touch from time to time...   
      
      
      
   > In the Dark Kingdom cave, Nephrite receives permission from Beryl to   
   > change his mission from searching for the silver crystal to searching   
   > for the Moon Princess. Their hope is that if she does have the   
   > crystal, perhaps she has not yet learned to use it to seal them away.   
      
   I find it interesting that this Beryl greatly prefers devotion over   
   competence--to the point of not seeming to like those who are very good   
   but not doting.  I kind of like that about her, it makes her more human   
   in my eyes.  She just wants to be loved!  Is that so much to ask?  Of   
   course, she's clearly not satisfied with the ones that currently love her...   
      
   >   
   > After creating a major scene at the hospital as they mistake Minako's   
   > manager for a youma, Usagi, Makoto and Minako end up together in   
   > Minako's hospital room. Minako recognizes Usagi as Sailor Moon, but   
   > wonders at her immaturity. Usagi is acting as a deranged fan girl   
   > telling Minako that she is 14 (according to IMDb, Miyuu Sawai was   
   > actually 16).   
      
   The manager carries a man-bag.   
      
   SK: "No, in his case it's just a purse."   
      
   Okay...so...since we've clearly seen October, that means that this is   
   November-December-January time, right?  (I know Valentine's Day will be   
   showing up soon).  That means that Ami and Minako should already be 15,   
   Makoto will be on December 5th, and Rei will be in the spring, followed   
   by Usagi's June 30th birthday.  However, Usagi says she's 14 "too"   
   indicating that Minako is still that age.  Have we somehow not hit   
   October 21 (I think that's the right date...) yet?  I mean, has each   
   episode just covered 2 days at most thus far?  Or are they not using the   
   traditional birthdates?   
      
   >   
   > Zoisite has arranged a clever trap, luring Luna, Rei and Ami to a fake   
   > "Star Festival" hall. Rei and Ami are enthralled by Zoisite and then   
   > forced to battle Makoto and Usagi who are tricked into following them.   
   > A ballet-fu vs ballet-fu battle ensues and then Jupiter is enslaved as   
   > well.   
      
   Makoto does some pretty fine ballet-fu without actually being   
   transformed.  My Mako-chan is always so impressive. ^_^v   
      
   >   
   > Just when Sailor Moon was about to fall to the same fate, TK shows up   
   > to save the day. Zoisite recognizes TK from the past and immediately   
   > retreats. TK appears to see the princess in Sailor Moon (or maybe   
   > Sailor V) and he retreats as well.   
      
   I think he's either seeing it in Sailor Moon, or realizing the girl in   
   his dreams/visions is the Princess, one of the two.  Or has he already   
   realized she was a princess by this point?   
      
   >   
   > The act ends with Minako once again in danger as her manager,   
   > controlled by Zoisite's youma, approaches her hospital room.   
      
   Okay, so here's my dilemma.  Artemis keeps reminding Minako she's the   
   princess.  So, is he lying?  Is he confused?  Or are they trying to get   
   so far into the 'scheme' of hiding the princess' identity that they talk   
   like that?  Quite honestly, I think for the moment it's option 1 or 2,   
   and later (as Minako does seem to awaken more and more as things go by), 3.   
      
   Also, if it does happen to be that Artemis is confused, I wonder if   
   possibly Venus wasn't the Princess' decoy on the Moon as well.  Perhaps   
   that's why he thinks she's the Princess--he's just got a few crossed wires.   
      
   >   
      
   >   
   > Names used (Sunnie-chan, please help me out if I got this wrong):   
   > Makoto and Rei are on personal name basis (no -chan) with each other   
   > and Usagi. Usagi uses '-chan' with everyone. Everyone calls Ami   
   > 'Ami-chan' (maybe indicating that Ami is still a bit outside this   
   > group of friends. More foreshadowing).   
      
   That's exactly what I've had written, including the issue with Ami being   
   the only exclusive -chan of them all.  That's gotta make her feel left   
   out...   
      
   Also, Ami wasn't wearing her glasses (at least not at the beginning of   
   the episode, and I don't htink I saw them on her when she and Rei went   
   to the trap).   
      
   Wasn't the best episode, but it was a good "thinking" episode.  They do   
   a nice job in PGSM with moving the plot forward but not at too fast of a   
   pace (at least not early on--later it feels a bit rushed, although that   
   might have been from me marathoning through the last episodes).   
      
   Sunnie   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)