Sailor Moon Crystal: "Act 7：Mamoru Chiba-Tuxedo Mask" Review 

One of the best things about Act 7 was all the revelations we got to...well, revel in. The haze surrounding Tuxedo Mask and Queen Beryl’s backstories finally lifted, and we learned that Sailor V is a real person who's been monitoring the activities of the Guardians for some time now. (Long-time fans already knew that, but indulge me here.) There was also some great action this week as Zoisite and the Sailor Guardians squared off for a second time.

Act 7 picks up where Act 6 left off, with Mamoru carrying an unconscious Sailor Moon back to his apartment after her big fight with Zoisite and Queen Beryl. This set the stage for his dramatic revelation that he is Tuxedo Mask, night prowler extraordinaire. I actually really liked this scene. The chemistry between Mamoru and Usagi felt warm and real, and the fact that he's opening up to her about his past and why he's looking for the Legendary Silver Crystal shows the growing trust between them. Well, almost. I thought Usagi's decision not to reveal everything she knows about the crystal was a smart move, considering Tuxedo Mask's continuing reluctance to join the Guardians as a full-fledged ally.

 Queen Beryl’s past was also unravelled, though her flashback felt a little disjointed. I didn't quite understand how she managed to get to the North Pole (is she an Arctic explorer or something?), or how she opened up the portal that led to the Dark Kingdom. I guess I'll just accept her explanation that it was fate that led her to Queen Metalia. By the way, it will be interesting to see how her power struggle with this malign being unfolds, since they both want the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal for themselves.

Act 7’s focus was mostly on character exposition, but the real highlight for me was the combat. Spells were tossed about like colorful party beads that explode on impact, and there were some rough and tumble moments that had me on the edge of my seat. Like when Zoisite choked out Sailor Moon and then attempted to impale her with ice. (This IS aimed at a younger audience, isn't it?) Of course, that made Sailor V's last-minute save all the sweeter (she's finally here!), and I love that Tuxedo Mask actually did something in battle. The guy can throw a mean punch!

Direction wise things improved exponentially, with some nice shots of Mamoru’s apartment and Luna’s fancy command center. I was a little worried the episode would look out of date, since the manga portrays Zoisite luring out Sailor Moon by brainwashing humans via video tape. Luckily, Toei upgraded that story bit and changed video tapes to DVDs, which was a nice touch. There was even a scene where Ami used an electronic tablet, a sly wink to the audience that says: "You thought you were going to see clunky old technology? Well, guess what? Sailor Moon: Crystal is young and hip!"

Act 7 is one of my favorite Crystal episodes to date. The edgy fight scene left me breathless, and good character exposition helped tighten up the narrative. I also appreciated the markably better art direction and music, which helped elevate the episode to even greater heights.

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