Sailor Moon Crystal is a new adaptation of the beloved graphic novel series Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon by Naoko Takeuchi. The first animated adaptation of the property aired in its home country of Japan from 1992 to 1997 spanning a total of five seasons. As Sailor Moon, it was partially broadcasted in the United States from 1995 to 2000. The new series is being broadcast all over the world online through sites like Hulu, Crunchyroll, Nico Nico, and Neon Alley. New episodes are being released every 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. The Lunafix will faithfully recap the episodes on Sunday as long as I don’t sleep through my post deadlines.
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| Naoko Takeuchi, PNP, Kodansha, Toei Animation, Hulu |
Word around Juban Public Middle School is that Ami Mizuno from Class 2-5 is perfect. She has an IQ of 300, gets perfect scores on every test, and studies during breaks. The funny thing is, she doesn’t seem to have any friends. On paper, she’s the spiritual opposite of our slacker heroine, Usagi Tsukino.
The show is set in Tokyo, so the scenes that take place in Juban Public Middle School give you a glimpse at the academic life of Japanese students. Students’ test scores are posted in public spaces, sort of how cast lists for plays would be in an American school. It’s a tool that contributes to the rigorous and competitive academic culture in Japanese schools. Imagine how this public scoring system would affect your self-esteem and your social status. Everyone at JPMS is painfully aware of the fact that Ami is the school’s top student. She’s achieved the position that they are all dying to have. Most students see Ami sitting by herself all the time and interpret that as her way of saying that no one is good enough to be her friend. Her classmates automatically distance themselves from her without question. Usagi is the only one that reaches out to her.
