Episode 01 - Crybaby Usagi’s Beautiful Transformation
THIS EPISODE
Charlit and Mei summarize Sailor Moon's first episode and notice boomerangs for the first time!
Charlit and Mei summarize Sailor Moon's first episode and notice boomerangs for the first time!
TRANSCRIPT
Charlit 0:15 Hey, this is Charlit. I'm recording much after we had originally talked, because we haven't come up with a name yet. So we're gonna go with the sailor mood podcast. I'm going to be adding some clips, it's going to be in Japanese but that's just because the dub is truly terrible. So I hope you enjoyed the episode.
Mei 0:48 Hey, my name is Mei. I'm a teacher in Japan and I'm teaching kids who are basically the age of Sailor Moon right now so it's great!
Charlit 1:03 Okay, so my name is Charlit and I work in animation and illustration. Probably partly because of sailor moon.
Mei 1:12 I first watched Sailor Moon when I was sailor moons age, so that was a long time ago. I had just come to Canada my first experience as a Fresh Off the Boat newbie. And so I watched Sailor Moon on YTV. Remember that? When it was a dub? it was a travesty.They called her what? Selena or something.
Charlit 1:41 Serena! And Darien.
Quote 1:46 "I am Tuxedo Mask." "You are? He is a mask I don't believe it"-
Mei 1:55 Anyway. It was god awful and I couldn't get over how vapid Selena, Serena was. Whatever. I couldn't I couldn't digest any of it. I was like such a weird emo kid that they were like the antithesis to me.
Charlit 2:17 Right... oh my god, it was Mississauga based. Wow. It was happening underneath our noses this whole time.
Mei 2:30 That's not surprising. I mean, they're probably just some Sound Studio.
Charlit 2:35 Yeah, I think they were but um, so you didn't really enjoy it because the dub was so bad.
Mei 2:41 It was. And I think like the really dumbed down like the nuances of a lot of things which actually I realized I was missing out on because I was watching cardcaptor Sakura simultaneously.
Charlit 2:54 Watching cardcaptors dubbed?
Mei 2:57 I did start dubbed but then I found somehow I think I got into torrenting and I found the subbed-version and that just kind of like blew my mind. I was like, everything is so different. They talk way differently. Their personalities come across as differently. And then I just could not get back into dubs and least of all Sailor Moon dubs. So I dropped it pretty quickly. I think in the first season, I think 10 or 15 episodes in. Unfortunately, it was not a very strong connection with Sailor Moon.
Charlit 3:33 That's okay. I was in grade three, grade two or grade three. How old are you then?
Mei 3:40 Holy shit. How old? Were you in grade two?
Charlit 3:43 Like seven?
Mei 3:44 I was 14.
Charlit 3:50 Oh my God, we were watching Sailor Moon at the same time. Wow, that's crazy. But I remember being seven and we had to wake up like I had to wake up to go to school at eight. But Sailor Moon played at 7:30 so I would ask my dad to wake me up at 7:30 so I could watch an episode of Sailor Moon before I got ready for school. And then just like loved it role played for five years that I was a sailor moon. I had the stick and like the costume was great
Mei 4:24 For Halloween?
Charlit 4:26 I didn't and I think that might be because you know not the prettiest kids. Like, I'll just stick with like different stuff for halloween.
Mei 4:38 But you guys did the Spice Girls thing!
Charlit 4:41 That was a birthday party that wasn't Halloween. Also my sister like we did so much together and my sister never really got into Sailor Moon so... I guess it was just like to fam for her. I was alone in that venture. But we watched like Inuyasha that was like our bridge anime It was like we would both watch together.
Mei 5:05 She could totally be Tuxedo Mask though? S
Charlit 5:08 She wouldn't even watch it with me, like she hated the whole idea of it. Too many sparkles. I don't know, because like the first impression of Sailor Moon is like, Whoa, this is for girls, like capital G girls. So we both watched the first episode and Mei the last time you watched the first episode was in college, which was like, how many years ago? Six years ago?
Mei 5:38 Six years ago? Yeah.
Charlit 5:39 Yeah, I've been rewatching sailor man on and off for a while, but it's still interesting to see like how they slowly introduce the characters. And what did you think about the opening sequence? Did you skip it?
Mei 5:58 I did.
Charlit 6:02 omg. but It's so iconic!
Mei 6:10 I think I seen the opening so many times that I..
Charlit 6:15 This is the first episode so we only see three sailor soldiers in the opening- And then the title of this episode is Crybaby Usagi's Magnificent transformation.
Mei 6:39 Yes.
Charlit 6:40 Which is such a cute and loaded title for our first episode.
Mei 6:46 It is well I just thought it was really interesting how they juxtapose like she because she still talks like a baby like she literally talk like a baby. Right? Like it's entirely she talks and then gets in they get into it so quickly, like the creepy music and...
Charlit 7:07 When?
Mei 7:10 basically when she meets Luna. Like they just don't they don't like slide into anything. It's just like suddenly there and then you know, and I actually even forgot you know how important Naru was in the beginning. And she but she comes she's basically the second character to be introduced.
Charlit 7:38 The first character other than her Usagi that's being introduced as her mom and like, I feel like that kind of relationship is very rare to see on screen.
Mei 7:50 I don't know about that.
Charlit 7:52 But her mom contains, like, supporting character. But so you had no real thoughts about the mom.
Mei 8:00 No, I even forgot what her mom looks like I even forgot that. She had a mom like actually Oh, well anyways continue.
Charlit 8:10 Okay, so she's like really late for school.Which is like classic is Usagi.
Mei 8:16 I half expected her to like grab a toast
Charlit 8:25 The art style so cute. Did you see the little kids like the little kids are attacking Luna they're so small.
Mei 8:39 Luna and then she like opens her eyes like that that animation just like caught me off guard
Charlit 8:51 when she pulls the band aid off
Mei 8:52 I'm not even sure if it's just like the low framerate animation that makes it so impactful but it was like it came across as like- it just like hits you with this like oh whoa weird suddenly experiencing a mood shift surprised about it because like I just kind of expected the first episode to be complete fluff.
Charlit 9:20 Yeah, definitely later on like in the coming episodes there will be many many fluffy episodes
they introduced so many characters and so many things in the first episode. Also something like after she sees Luna she goes to class and then she gets put out into the hall because she's late. I Love that line, where she says "How could they make a fragile girl said in the hall." And then she starts to eat her lunch.
Mei 10:13 I actually tried really hard to see what her lunch was, but I couldn't make it out. I wanted to know what her mom knew
Charlit 10:18 What she was eating? oh, yeah. And then they also introduced sailor V super early, which I didn't really remember it being that early.
Mei 10:29 Yeah, and you know, what, actually, does it seem that Sailor V is way older?
Charlit 10:36 I mean, they all look older when they're transformed.
Mei 10:39 I've always wondered, you know, whenever they're transforming, like, I've always wondered if something compelled them to do the motions in the transformation. You know? Like the twirling.
It's like, so practiced.
Charlit 11:02 Well...you know, spoiler warning, but past life.
Mei 11:05 Oh, my God, I totally forgot about that.
Charlit 11:08 Oh, yeah. So then, okay, so when she's talking to Naru, she got a 30 on her test, which is like a pretty big thing in the plot. So she's, like, really dumb, which is part of the reason why I love her. And she's, like, kind of upset about it. And so she's talking to Naru and was trying to cheer her up. And then they start talking about jewelry, and how like, isn't jewelry great. And that's what makes Usagi feel better.
Mei 11:35 I thought it was a pretty clever lead-in
Charlit 11:37 It is, I just think it's so perfect with Sailor Moon, sort of like how they handle consumerism. Because it's like, she's in such a low point. And then they immediately start talking about like jewelry and buying jewelry.
Mei 11:50 Yah that's not surprising. I was actually kind of shocked because when, when they went to the the jewelry store, the mother was like, like, Here, take this ring. It's like, she the so they say (mei uses the Japanese) and she reduces it to (Also the japanese) and I was like, Wait, h ow much is that? And I had to stop that part. And then think about what so I think the sub was actually wrong because they changed the only reduced it by like $200, but it was actually from $5,000 to $300.
Charlit 12:27 That's the dub I saw.
Mei 12:30 okay, well, then my sub was wrong. And I was like, that was such a huge drop, and it kind of made sense. I never deserved why in that episode, why they overreacted like that, like jewelry. Oh, okay. Well, but also where she how she gonna get like, she got rich that she asked $300
Charlit 12:54 Its A lot of money! But she gives up like right away. So I'm like, huh? Okay.
Mei 13:00 I mean, the fact that she considered it though, was like,
Charlit 13:03 she's a 14 year old man.
Mei 13:05 Yeah.
Charlit 13:06 Oh my god. And then we get our first look at Queen barrels. Like later.
Mei 13:11 I found out that Queen barrel and Luna have the same voice actress
Charlit 13:15 no way cuz he like picked it up?
Mei 13:19 No, I looked at the credits.
Charlit 13:20 Oh hahaha
Mei 13:22 That's crazy, isn't it? voice actors...
Charlit 13:26 So talented. I love you, girl. I think she looks so good.
Mei 13:30 I don't remember enough about her to be honest.
Charlit 13:33 I knew but just aesthetically like her character design. So beautiful.
Jedaite, there's so many other beautiful men in this he's like my least favorite villain.
Mei 13:48 Wait, why?
Charlit 13:50 I think he's boring. Then we go to the jewelry store.
Mei 13:57 Yeah, they're all going crazy.
Charlit 14:00 And then, and then it does that tonal shift or like, everything turns from pinks to blues. And she's like half in shadow. Like with an inner monologue. What does she say? "She's like foolish humans."
Mei 14:20 I've been picking up on how many times they go into like these parallel universes basically like for their monologues
Charlit 14:29 You mean from like the internal world to the external world or do you mean like versus good?
Mei 14:34 I think before go background animation
Charlit 14:38 Oh, yeah.
Mei 14:39 Which is remarkable. Like
Charlit 14:42 There's literally a scene where it's just Jedaites hand floating on a black background with a ball like a like an effects balls around. It's like definitely just looped animation likebut it works.
Mei 14:56 And like just immersed in it already. You don't give a shit that It's like what, like, 20 fps or whatever?
Charlit 15:03 Yeah.
Mei 15:08 Yeah, that's I think that's like that's the beauty of like old animation like because their their animation was so janky like they had to make the story compelling, you know?
Charlit 15:19 Yeah. At least the like, pace and backgrounds. But it's also very playful. Like there's a part in the jewelry store where Usagi, what does she say? Oh, The the mom is like, oh, if you're not his friend, I'll give you a discount. And then Usagi is like, yeah, and a little heart pops out of her head.
Mei 15:44 Yeah, in that in that scene, actually. I was like, man, how did Naru not notice her mother is not normal.
Charlit 15:52 Yeah. scary thought. Also, they have like one rich, plump lady, which I'm like,
Mei 16:00 do you do you remember that theme in that moment when they're all starting to like, get their energy sucked out? Like in one of the shots? The plump lady is like falling over something but I couldn't quite make out if it was like, like, what was I looking at? I hadn't looked at her back, was it her boobs? Was it her cleavage?
Charlit 16:25 So much emphasis on this character and I wasn't sure if it's because she was obviously different. Or if it was like some sort of like fat phobic joke. I don't know.
Mei 16:35 I don't I mean, they're probably just being true to the manga. In some ways.
Charlit 16:39 Oh, the anime is not true to the manga.
Mei 16:44 Did you read it?
Charlit 16:45 I did. It was a while ago, though.
Mei 16:47 I'm so interested to know if they just inserted character like that.
Charlit 16:52 Yeah, I think it's pretty different than I think they wanted to make it like more funny. But maybe I should reread the Mongo while we're doing this podcast, so I could be like better informed. Oh but After she leaves the jewelry store. She bumps into.....what does he call her?
Yeah, they translated to dumpling head.
But can you can you explain what dango is?
dango is just a rice ball. Like it's made of glutinous rice? Not a dumpling per se, I guess it is a form of a dumpling? It's not like an Onigiri?
Yeah. Or potsticker
Mei 17:46 No, no, yeah, it's not.
Charlit 17:48 I was thinking like dimsum dumpling when they you know like the BBQ pork.
Mei 17:54 Because they are perfectly round Dangos like either. Even like potsticker there not round, right? Like the way they've drawn her head is like, dango's generally like super, you know, there's an emoji actually. It's delicious.
Charlit 18:14 So he calls her is Odongo Tama?
Mei 18:17 Odango Atama,
Charlit 18:18 Odango Atama. Theres a moment where, you know, she's all mad, but then she like turns around?
Mei 18:31 Like with his glasses?
Charlit 18:32 Oh, so she does this thing where she turns around, she looks at him. He's just not looking at her. And then she goes, What a weirdo. And then she walks away. And then there's the camera. She's back to two feet of our Mamo-Chan. And he's looking up at the sign but I thought for my stupid brain was like, Oh, he's gonna pull the glasses off and be looking at her. But then of course, he's not. He's just like, he senses an evil aura inside. He's just working. (I recently watched the scene in the original dub. And he actually does pull down his glasses and think of Usagi in this like weird internal monologue. So I'm wondering if I remember that.)
Mei 19:14 How old is he at that point?
Charlit 19:17 Oh my God, that He was very uncomfortable, but we're not going to think about it because past life Moon Princess Earth prince reincarnate. So just try not to think about it too much.
Mei 19:31 You know what, though, like, you know, how I feel about like taboo romances in general. Like, I'm pretty, like, easygoing. So
Charlit 19:40 yeah, it's just sucks that she's so young.
Mei 19:43 Yeah, and I've always wondered like, at what point in time because like, that's the only thing about like, taboo romances is if it gets predatory, you know, and then that's always like, one of the things that I watch out for when I'm watchingromances if it's just like some sort of weird predatory fetish that happens to still be predatory.
Charlit 20:10 The show is framing them as a romantic couple. So with that she is being at least romanticized if not sexualized, but she is also because of the animation, but it's like it is problematic.
Mei 20:23 Speaking of sexualized. Okay, so after the whole brouhaha, she goes back and she's like, I'm so tired. I gotta go take a nap. And she like, turns over to take a nap. So let's keep in mind she's 14 right? She's napping and then you see the silhouette of her body is so voluptuous. Yeah, I was.
Charlit 20:52 It's a big problem with this show. But that's why like, I kind of wish they just like, because when they're in the school uniforms, they just look so cute. And like round, you know, I mean, the skirts might be a little short. But yeah, they're just like really cute. But then yeah, the transformations and then them. Yeah, we'll just talk about them when they've come up. So what happens after Mamo-chan? Oh, yeah, she sees the sailor v arcade game.
Mei 21:30 Oh, yeah.
Charlit 21:32 Did you watch that? this one this one I especially find sexual. Like, you know what I mean? Like the intermission animations are always so hot. And you're like, Okay. She's just turning back. I know. But look at her legs. And this skirt is like so short. It's crazy.
Mei 21:57 Actually, though, like I've wondered if do they make her look longer? Because
Charlit 22:02 They do! when she's transformed she's like, longer and her bought like her body is different. It's so wild.
Mei 22:09 Is I swear to God, she looks as a college student. That's why it was always so confused about like a she aged up like, what the transformation happens like what was happening? When cardcaptor Sakura transform. She ain't really transforming. She's just wearing an outfit. Yeah, she's wearing costumes. You know. And there was like, when I was watching the two of them side by side. When I was 14. It was like jarring. And I think that's why I couldn't really buy into Sailor Moon.
Charlit 22:39 Yeah, cuz you were her age. Yeah. Yeah, man. I was like, seven. So I was like, that must be what being 14 is like.When you get older, that's what happens to you. So funny, but that Yeah, that would be really weird to watch. Like as a 14 year old.
Mei 22:58 Yeah, exactly. cuz she's like, really dumb. And then she transforms and then she's just like this mature and like, beautiful and like, and then I was like, What? And then in the meantime, we're watching our cat. There's like no pretense, you know?
Charlit 23:14 But we can't just be comparing Cardacapters this whole time. That's like the one rule
Mei 23:27 Oh, yeah, like so apathetic towards it.
I mean, I loved it. But yeah, I didn't get me like sailor moon. But anyways, um, Usagi's house there's like a watercolor painting background halfway through. That's just like stunning. Do you do you think that home like the home that they live in is like an upper middle class home because they're in Tokyo?
Yeah, for sure. They consider European style here. Which is like, it's freaking huge. They're definitely upper middle class. Okay.
Charlit 23:56 Yeah, I wonder I can't remember. Like, I guess I wasn't really thinking about it last time I watched it. But if most of the characters are from upper middle class backgrounds, like I don't really remember. I guess they show the home life of a lot of other characters.
Mei 24:11 Yeah, they don't. But like Sailor Mercury She is well to-do and then Mars she's got old blood like she's a priestess. Yeah. So they're fairly well to do. I can't remember Jupiter.
Charlit 24:27 Yeah, I don't know if we ever see her apartment. I think there might be one episode so maybe we'll talk about it then. Yeah, so then it's like he comes home and her mom is trying to get her to show her the test. Cuz Umino like kind of sold her out. But she looks so young here. Like she's she's kind of like a chibi version of the other Sailor Moon. And then her mom gets so mad and kicks her.
Mei 24:53 And her brother's a little shit.
Charlit 24:55 Yeah, but he's like kind of endearing. You know? Cuz she is just
Mei 25:00 Honestly, I didn't even remember that she had a brother.
Charlit 25:04 Yeah, you don't remember her family. Did you remember she had a dad?
Mei 25:08 What does he know? I don't. Do they play into her reincarnation story at all?
Charlit 25:14 No, they're just like a random family that raises her.
Mei 25:18 I never fucking understand that, you know, when that kind of thing happens and like, they're reborn and they have the same genes like genetically that would mandate you to have the exact same parents.
Charlit 25:36 Yeah, I wonder if the transformation plays into that like maybe she does become... it's hard to tell them animate because they truly all have the same face. Oh, and then Okay, so after that is what she gets kicked out. But then she gets back in that's what she takes a nap. But we go back to the jewelry store and all the ladies in there start feeling pretty shitty.
Mei 25:55 Yeah, and that scene that one frame that I'm like, What am I looking at? Is it her? Like? Is it like her back?
Charlit 26:07 kind of weird should weird character for it didn't like fit with the other ones at all? Um, but Naru's outfit in this scene is so cute. It's like a long-sleeve mustard turtleneck with a-
Mei 26:19 Her design in general. It's super cute.
Charlit 26:22 -But the high waisted like green skirt with a giant bow in the back. Oh my god. Stunning.
Mei 26:28 You want that?
Charlit 26:29 I want that. And then we had the iconic mom turning the head and turning into a monster.
Mei 26:40 Yeah, that's scary. Horror material.
Charlit 26:47 And then so we come back and sailormoon sleeping on her bed. I love her line. She says "I'm tired from crying." And she's like, "it's good that I can fall asleep in times"
Mei 27:04 But her like, bottom is so round. I was like, there's no way where is this silhouette coming from? If that happened after transformation, then I could like buy it a little more easily. Like, okay, maybe she aged up. But this was during a time when she is still a 14 year old girl.
Charlit 27:23 I mean, this is definitely gonna continue to be a problem the whole time we watch the show, but that's okay. It's still fun to watch it. And then so this is Luna and Usagi's first meeting. And it's so pretty. The sky is like purple coming through the window. Luna's trying to like stay calm and be chill, but it's Usagi's freaking out a little bit.
Mei 27:52 And then she doesn't take Luna seriously.
Charlit 27:55 Luna was like, okay, you don't believe me? So here's something for you. And then she gives her the locket and then she's like, trying it on in the mirror and like making faces while Luna is trying to tell her like, these really horrible things are happening. We need her. And she's like, Yeah, okay.
Mei 28:13 She like she's very cute. In hindsight for me now.
Charlit 28:18 Yeah, it's kind of beautiful. It's almost like, um, you know, what, what first wave feminism was like getting rights and being able to vote and stuff right? And second wave feminism was like rejecting gender roles.
Mei 28:33 Wait I thought that was like the sexual revolution in like, the 60s or 70s or something, and people were like, reclaiming their sexuality.
Charlit 28:47 Yeah. But they were also like, rejecting feminine, like ideals, right? Like, that's when it was like cool to like, burn your bras and like, not wear makeup and like grow your all your hair. And then third wave for them was like reclaiming some of those things and being okay with how any woman chooses to, you know, be. So it's kind of it's interesting, because it's like, when you first watched it, you were maybe were like, Okay, this is like playing into all these roles for girls. Like, I'm not stupid. I'm not a crybaby. I don't just want to be pretty.
Mei 29:19 Yeah.
Charlit 29:20 But now you see that? It's like, there's a little t to it. And it's okay to be like stupid and a crybaby and like, just want to be pretty. Because it's like there's enough room for everybody.
Mei 29:33 I think there's also like a gained sense of maturity from knowing that just because this girl is like that, I don't have to be like I didn't I was no Sure.
Charlit 29:45 I think this and that's probably why like my sister didn't enjoy the show either was because she is like, it's like there's nothing for her here because the characters just like what she wants in like, probably the whole show like outwardly on the surface is exactly what society tells us that we should want it's annoying to like have that be the protagonist. But then yeah, watching it now. Oh, there's like more nuances here than I thought.
Mei 30:09 There definitely is. And I'm actually looking and watching it through like a different lens, right. And like when the the second time I rewatched Sailor Moon was with you guys in college and that was the first time I had like, a group of friends that was female, you know?
Charlit 30:25 Yeah.
Mei 30:26 Which is so different for me, like I've had at most one at a time, girlfriends who were just not really connected to each other, you know?
Charlit 30:37 Yeah.
Mei 30:37 And at that time, when I was watching Sailor Moon as a kid, when I was 14, I was like, I kind of I hated group dynamics for teenage girls.
Charlit 30:52 I mean its a rough time.
Mei 30:55 It was like, I still do I just better handling it now. You know, but like, at the time, it was just bringing up this like violent rejection inside my heart, you know, and watching it on TV. Now I think about it. I was like, It should have been more empowering. Like I should have focused on like the positives of like, how Sailor Moon interacted with her friends, but then I just kind of hated how they like shat all over her and then made her feel dumb. You know? Even tho she was like, the kindest one she was the one actually go and do shit. Like I hated that weird powerplay that would happen between the girls. And that was like one of those things that I felt like I just could not understand.
Charlit 31:44 Definitely gonna be fun to talk about those. There's not a lot in in this episode yet when they get like a good girl group that dynamics like so. So much heart in it.
Mei 31:55 I'm actually really glad how they introduced Naru.
Charlit 32:01 Oh, yeah, they have a one they have one girlfriend and one guy friend. Yeah. And they make like a cute little elementary trio.
Mei 32:09 Yeah, like they feel emotionally healthy. Yeah. So important to have emotionally healthy characters.
Charlit 32:18 So Luna gives her the the pendant and then she's like whatever and then Luna is like okay just say moon present power makeup and then Usagi somehow knows to put her hands up and we get the first transformation. Oh my god, I can watch this forever. Just non stop. It's so beautiful. The sounds are so like, satisfying. With the animation.
Mei 32:50 I've always wanted like to see like a sliver of acknowledgment that like how did I know how to do that? You know?
Charlit 32:58 Yeah. And then her like I don't know what you call them. I don't even know what material they are those things that are on her the red things that somehow can like hear Naru yelling for help. Then they had to go save her mom.
Mei 33:13 And kind of like how they in the first episode she she says you know that what "I'm supposed to do what?"
Charlit 33:23 She just points out herself and she gets like what? And it's really scary. Like the this monster is choking out Naru and she's like, stop it Mom and the moms like "I'm not your mom."
Mei 33:39 And then she does the terrifying transformation into like this decrepit monster kind of like a zombie. And then she's like, after I kill you. I'll send your mom to the other world. It's like, okay, so dark. And her only hope is Usagi. And she comes up with that whole monologue about I'm this I know sailor of love and justice.
Anyone who can do that on the spot like I cannot be dumb.
Charlit 34:10 Yeah. Or she has like an intuition that just doesn't get translated in our in our definitions of what makes someone intelligent.
Mei 34:20 Anyway, I know what happens.
Charlit 34:22 Oh my god. Okay, sorry. I have it up on my screen so I should like reference What happened. And I had I made a note of this one part. There's a woman that comes at Usagi with a broken bottle.
Mei 34:38 So scary.
Charlit 34:39 And it's like they really render the broken bottle like it looks so dangerous.
Mei 34:46 The glint and everything like they textured it. Where did they get the bottle from?
Charlit 34:55 I don't know. They're like we need weapons. What do women use? For some reason this? Oh, and then I love how her power is like her crying. Perfect.
Mei 35:15 But you know what, I actually really appreciated that Luna and even Tuxedo Mask is like, good job. You know, like know nobody said what the hell was that shitty ass power? Like you cried?
It's just like Sailor Moon just become so it becomes so deep, I think with like its purpose.
Charlit 35:41 Yeah, it's got great metaphors. Sometimes they're mixed. It tries.
Mei 35:45 But you know, I think it's so much easier to digest this then, like, I was watching Utena. And I was like, these metaphors are just- I can't handle that kind of metaphor, where it's like ram rotting symbolism.
Charlit 36:00 Yeah, yeah, it's more like more like a dream where you're like, some things are symbolic of something, but I'm not sure what. Where Sailor Moon is like, pretty, like hard hitting like, I feel like they're not very subtle. Like, they're like, this is a metaphor for capitalism. Like, you know, sucking energy from people being a thing. We're gonna capture your energy and you're like, yeah, I get it. Like labour and money. Makes sense. So that's when she throws the tiara and then the Youma turns into dust.
Mei 36:51 As an animator, Charlit,
Charlit 36:53 yes.
Mei 36:55 What is your two cents on that entire little bit between you know, her throwing the tiara and the dust.
Charlit 37:03 I never loved the tiara move. That was one of my least favorite Sailor Moon moves. But yeah, it just cut to effects and you're like what happened? But it's also effective you know, they needed to save money. So
like why did they give her a better weapon? She literally has to use her index finger and her thumb and pull off her head-
Mei 37:28 and how does it get back on my head? They never explained that. That fucked me up as a kid What happened? Does another one just like grow in his place?
No, no, it Boomerangs back.
Charlit 37:39 Yeah, I was like, is this a boomerang? I don't know. You never see it returned to her forehead or maybe you do and I just forgot. Yeah, I remember like constantly thinking about that. But Boomerang is like a pretty big-it keeps showing up and shows
Mei 37:53 what
Charlit 37:54 Wasn't there. No Yahshua Boomerang Yeah, that was giant. It was another giant Boomerang
Mei 37:59 Was Boomerang even historically known in Japan. I thought it was like a just australian
Charlit 38:06 it's also in Avatar The Last Airbender sockos weapon is a boomerang. Oh, yeah, so
Mei 38:15 What is this Boomerang thing. I don't know.
Charlit 38:17 yeah, it's a weird weapon. And I guess I haven't seen it like work in real life are boomerangs like effective.
Mei 38:25 Oh, my God boomerangs have also been found in ancient Europe, Egypt and North America.
Charlit 38:31 Oh.
Mei 38:33 Commonly known Australian icon like why.
Charlit 38:38 So yeah, that that whole but this you know, the sequence is great for a boomerang tiara. Like I don't like the weapon itself. But I think it's, it's okay. It's like pretty well animated. And then sometimes, you know, Tuxedo-kamen is like, still on the window. Yeah, this whole time. And then celery looks up. And then he says, "I'll remember this night" Aad like, does the cape thing and then flies away. And she's shook, she's in love immediately. Face red, hearts coming out of the eyes.
Mei 39:15 I just love that he never does anything.
Charlit 39:18 He's very useless. He helps a little bit but you know,
Mei 39:22 he's moral support?
Charlit 39:24 Yeah. comes in and is like, I'm gonna give you a little bit of time and some words of advice and encouragement.
Mei 39:33 That's all you want in a partner.
Charlit 39:36 So true. And then immediately it cuts to school, and everybody's saying, Oh, I had such a weird dream. Where like, you know, I was in a jewelry store and like Sailor Moon was there. And Usagi's just trying to sleep because she didn't get any sleep last night.
Mei 39:53 Which is basically the perpetual state of every student in Japan. The end.
Charlit 40:04 The end! And then ends and did you watch the end credits?
Mei 40:07 I did. Of course I did.
Charlit 40:10 It's kind of nice.
Mei 40:12 It's very pretty.
Charlit 40:13 Yeah. It's also like kind of sad. Like it's weirdly kind of like a melancholic tone.
Mei 40:19 Is it Usagi or is it the princess?
Charlit 40:22 No, it's Usagi.
Mei 40:26 Its such a short episode, I keep forgetting how short- I've gotten. So used to marathoning like hour long k dramas, 20 minutes is like, oh,
Charlit 40:39 The first episode might be longer, because there's more things to talk about. But for some of the filler episodes, they might be just like really short, because we have nothing to say and obviously, this is our first time podcasting. So hopefully, you will get better at it. And then they'll be cooler in the future.
Mei 41:01 And if there's like themes or like ideas that anyone can share with us, that would be super awesome.
Charlit 41:09 Yeah. Yeah, but excited to watch this whole series with you. We let me do the math 200 x 25 equals 5000 minutes, okay, divided by 60 hours. That's actually not that long.
Mei 41:30 I mean, the watching is not the problem. It's the podcasting. Like how long are we going to be podcasting? Is it a long time? Like probably years?
Charlit 41:41 I hope years. We have nothing else to do with our friendship. Okay, so I guess we should sign off.
Mei 41:51 Yeah.
Charlit 41:52 Are there any like Sailor Moon themed sign offs we can use wait doesn't tuxedo mask have a catch phrase?
Mei 42:03 When he says goodbye.
Charlit 42:04 How do you spell that in like the Romanized?
Mei 42:08 SARABA.
Charlit 42:10 Okay, like farewell. Okay.
Oh my god, you listen to the end! The opening song is by Alastair M. Campbell. We'll put a link in the description, but I reached out to them. We don't have permission yet, but I love it so much that I hope they reply to me but if it's a problem, we'll find something else. And the end song is from the Sailor Moon OST, Moonlight Densetsu the locket version. Thanks so much and hopefully see you again soon. Saraba!
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
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