Sailor Moon Crystal - Act 2 Ami - Sailor Mercury - Review

 

Summary:

Ami gets the best grades, some boys say she has no friends and she hears this. She sees Usagi with her friends, who doesn't score well on tests. Meanwhile, Jadeite faces Queen Beryl and he is told to collect energy, he calls a new Youma. At Usagi's home, Usagi is surprised she has to fight youma once again. Luna says they have find their allies and the princess. Usagi wonders about Sailor V and Tuxedo Mask. Luna has someone in mind. While Usagi sleeps, Luna is at a computer that seems to be a palace that has files on Usagi, Tuxedo Mask and Ami.

 

Next day at school, the kids talk about a Crystal Seminar that Ami is a part of. Umino says Ami's mom is a doctor. The other kids think Ami is cold. On Juban Street, Usagi looks a ther bad grades when Luna jumps on Ami and they become fast friends. Usagi speaks to Ami, who says she thought Luna was an angel as she jumped from the sky. Usagi grabs Luna from Ami and Ami gets a flash of the Moon Palace in the Silver millennium. Usagi introduces themselves, wonder if Ami will teach her how to study. Usagi invites Ami to the arcade where she excels at the Sailor V game, to the surprise of Motoki and Usagi.

 

 

As a prize, the Mercury transmation pen comes out of the machine but Ami thinks it is a regular pen. Usagi bangs the machine, wanting a prize too and the transformation pen comes out for her too.  Ami tells Usagi she wants to be a doctor like her mom and runs off to the Crystal Seminar. Over there, we meet the teacher who is also a Youma and she gives Ami the Crystal Disk which ends up hypnotizing Ami. At school, Usagi and her friends notice that their friend Kuri is also going to the seminar and is too involved in her studying. Ami uses her new pen at the Media Center where Usagi spots her and asks her to go for Ice Cream.

 

 Ami gets hypnotized and leaves. Luna tells Usagi that they have to check on her, they grab the Crystal Disk she left behind. In town Usagi bumps into the youma woman and gets a flyer. The flyer has Ami's face on it, Luna tells her not to litter and she throws it and it hits Mamoru. Mamoru says he is not a trash can and asks if her cat was talking. Usagi runs off. At home, they check the disk on the computer and Usagi presses random keys, making the disk come out with the secret hypnotizing message that mentions the Silver Crystal. They go to the seminar place. Luna tells her to use her Change Pen and say "Moon Power."

 

Usagi changes to a doctor and goes passed the security guards. The youma is above Ami and wants her to solve problems faster. She wants to use Ami's intelligence and grabs the Mercury Pen. Ami remembers Usagi. The teacher throws the pen, Ami goes for it but she stops her. Usagi comes in and tells Ami that she is being used. She shows off the disk, saying she knows it has a brainwashing program. The Youma shows her true self. Luna tells her to transform but she worries about Ami, Luna says it is fine. Usagi transforms into Sailor Moon. Moon calls her a friend which Ami repeats. Moon cries, breaking glass but the waves don't work on the Youma.

Moon gets hurt by Youma's attacks and gets pinned to the wall. The monster comes closer when Ami screams to stop and her symbol glows on her forehead. Ami tells her to use the pen, which shocks Ami of course. Ami transforms Sailor Mercury. She does a speech similar but different than the Moon one. Luna says she is the brains. She does Mercury Aqua Mist which makes a fog. Moon is freed and saved by Tuxedo Mask.

 

He tells her to finish the monster. Moon with a new sequence uses the Tiara and destroys the monster. Jadite watches from outside and knows there is  another Senshi. Ami and Usagi walk and agree to be friends and deduce Luna gave them the pens in the arcade. Ami has many questions but Usagi is tired. We get a quick glimpse of Rei.

 Review:

Like I said two weeks ago, we have been through this before. I hate to reiterate but PGSM did handle it differently and uniquely. As with the Manga and original Anime, Ami is part of the Crystal Seminar. In the Anime, Luna thought Mercury was evil but not so in the Manga nor here. I did like how Ami's need for friends is still prevalent. Also, I like how her uniform is a bit darker and shabby. The pens coming from the arcade is from the manga. Luna in a palace computer is also from the manga but I am not sure if it is from Act 2 or not. It is not clear here in SMC if it is at the arcade, Usagi's room or somewhere else.  

 

I did like how Mamoru quickly noticed that Luna talked, he did in the Anime too but it was dismissed and sort of not sure if he knew for sure. I like Sailor Mercury's transformation sequence, it is similar to the original Anime. Also in the whole episode wasn't bad, it was just too similar with not much anything new, just new venues and different order. The animation like always beautiful. I just feel like this series is going through the motions.