WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS
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Here’s my review on -Le Mouvement Final- after watching the senshuuraku live viewing,
平光琢也(Hiramitsu Takuya) was once again the director of this musical, I’m not as disappointed as with Amour Eternal, but still in this, there were too many nods to ’90s anime/musicals that I could live without. Still not as blatant as in the previous one, and even though the manga elements were clearly dominant, the 90s nods were still there at the expense of some favourite monents in the manga.This lack of originality just makes the viewing of this show an one time thing.
It started with the manga approach, Mamoru disappears in front of Usagi but she has no memory of it, the Three Lights drive her home, as revealed later, but she has no memory of that either. At the joined concert, Seiya offers Michiru a rose, but Haruka steps in front of it jealous, Seiya greets her instead. That approach is a hybrid that ponders on Haruka’s jealousy that was pronounced in the anime, but also Seiya linking hands with her from the manga. To my disappointment, Taiki who was originally interested in Michiru, and Seiya only interested in Haruka, in the manga, is lost, as apparently showing possessive behaviours is so much more appealing to those ’90s thumpers… 😦
Then there is a scene taken from the ’90s musical, Usagi is in pain Seiya assists her, and Setsuna steps in, Seiya calls her oba (that’s something you never call young women, it’s rude, so she has an age crisis then and there, it’s supposed to be funny, and it would have been if it was not a copy-paste) In the manga the one stepping in is Haruka.
Later Setsuna gathers them all so to talk about the Three Lights. Sadly Haruka and Michiru are not in Juuban highschool uniforms like in the manga, but Haruka can list all of three things (from the manga) that have upset her, Ami, and Michiru. Earlier there is another nod to the 90s anime, when Michiru says that Haruka doesn’t like popular dudes. Hotaru brings it up again, Haruka acts like a five year old. Michiru is being seductive telling her “I’ll treat you gently later when we are alone” to ease Haruka’s anger. Then Setsuna suggest that the Three Lights have the light of the stars, Rei exclaims that, something like that means they are sailor warriors as well, to which Minako yells “WOMEN”. So at least they kept that from the manga, even thought I would like Tin Nyanko to be the one revealing this fact. They also kept from the manga the whole Chibi-Chibi questions.
Then there is a scene that was supposed to melt my heart, because HaruMichi, but instead it kinda angered me…
Haruka is being all gentle and wants to take Michiru to the beach, but Michiru pushes Haruka away, and tells her she is careless…apparently Michiru is still angry about her lipstick being judged by Yaten, and thinks that Haruka is inconsiderate about it…Haruka says “when she said she will be gentle to me later, when that time will come?” painting Michiru as a spoiled bitch, and Haruka as a total idiot…”Yeaaahhh”…cis-het dudes writing about lesbian relationships! 😦
Am I angry? YOU BET I am!
In the manga not even ONCE, Michiru was angry at Haruka because of something else. (she was angry at Haruka joking that they have patrons, to pay for their expensive lifestyle, but that was a stupid joke). Haruka hasn’t shown any possessive traits towards Michiru, other than when some fan was being noisy, and Haruka crashed his hand in a handshake. I’m also so bitter that both Haruka and Michiru’s fashion sense is reduced to pants & green dress (they look fantastic in them, but I would like to at least see them in the Juuban high uniforms).
Another lost opportunity was Michiru protecting Usagi on her own like in the manga. But that goes down at the story arc of Tin Nyanko.
Seiya is clearly attracted to Usagi (YEAH LESBIANS! GO LESBIANS!), and there was a similar to the old Myu scene of them singing their feelings. I don’t understand why they didn’t use the plot of Seiya giving Usagi cards. Out of nowhere Haruka jumps on Seiya, and asks her to stay way from Usagi, Seiya asks to talk to her one last time like in the anime, and Haruka gives her five minutes of closure. (literally out of nowhere).
By now Ami and Makoto, have been killed, and so have Iron Mouse and Tin Nyanko. Rei and Minako have their gay epiphany “we don’t need men, you have problem with that?”, when confronted by Yaten. (YES LESBIANS!) (Galaxia appears and kills Rei and Minako before they can even transform)
Somewhere in between all these, there is a ’90s musical nod to the infamous find the culprit from Kinmoku to realize why their princess is silent, and they want to find who’s fault is. It was cute, but out of place.
On the villains, Galaxia is powerful, arrogant, and scary. Iron Mouse and Tin Nyanko are a team, like Lead Crow and Aluminum Siren are. When Usagi purifies the first two, there is an anime nod, as they seem to both be good people. I’m not sure about this part, but I think one of them says that they are not sailor warriors of their planets but were given the star seed by Galaxia. Crow instantly steps in and says that’s a lie. When Galaxia kills Mouse and Nyanko, Siren and Crow are the ones fighting, and Usagi refuses to attack them because these two are real sailor warriors like them. I really need subtitles for this part to understand it, but if what I got is true, then we have a hybrid, that was not too bad. Mouse and Nyanko are fakes who betrayed their planet(like in the manga), but Crow and Siren are not fakes, they are the real deal (like in the anime). I like this if it’s true, I like all versions of this actually.
And then we have the lesbians fighting! HaruMichi VS SirenCrow, that was a fantastic scene, with Michiru taking a more upfront role, to question their morals. Then Galaxia appears, Three Lights step in to fight her, Galaxia attacks them and HaruMichi take the hit, they die and the 90s “Haruka I want to touch you” occurs which is really nice, no complains about it.
The first act closes with the Kakyuu appearing, similar to the old Myu’s (no complains about this though, as it’s just a beautiful way to introduce her).
Act 2 took a manga turn, which was refreshing,
Usagi has a dream sequence, everyone is still alive, when Chibi-chibi wakes her up she is at the Three Lights place, Kakyuu convinces Taiki and Yaten, to protect Sailor Moon, Seiya pronounces her devotion to Usagi. Once everyone is convinced they go to the Gauldron. From there on is Manga heavy. They first come across Crow and Siren (that was Phobos and Deimos in the manga, I think), after they attack, and everyone is separated, ChibiMoon and Saturn appear(Puu had saved Saturn by sending her to the 30th century to bring Chibimoon for help). Crow and Siren are letting Sailor Moon go, but Galaxia interferes and kills them, Star lights and Kakyuu, step in. Kakyuu strikes Galaxia while singing about the light of hope (she means the good side of Galaxia), Galaxia tell her how Kakyuu’s lover is no more. And I honestly SHIP THEM, because what if Kakyuu’s lover was good Galaxia? Galaxia didn’t say she killed the lover, but that the person is no more, Kakyuu sings for Galaxia’s light as if she knows it too well. I’m sorry but it sailed gloriously right then and there.
And then there is this:
😀
ANYWAY.
Galaxia kills Kakyuu, then the Star Lights are angry, and go and attack Galaxia, giving Sailor Moon the time to escape to where the star seeds are(an info Crow had given to Sailor Moon before she was killed). The Star Lights strike Galaxia, she falls down even, but she kills them the moment after.
Then she brings back from the dead, all the sailor warriors and Mamochan as her puppets, they fight Sailor Moon until everyone is awaken and they give Sailor Moon power to go eternal. Galaxia takes her to meet Chaos. As Galaxia tries to choke Sailor Moon, Chaos has other plans and attacks her instead, Sailor Moon steps in front of Galaxia and takes the hit for her. Then everything is mellow, Chibi-chibi has feels, Galaxia has feels, she even believes in Sailor Moon, and then Usagi tells Chibi-chibi that there is hope so please don’t lose yours, and then Chibi-chibi transforms to Sailor Cosmos.
Usagi jumps into the Cauldron, and Cosmos & ChibiMoon stay behind to watch. Finally Sailor Moon reincarnates everyone. A BEAUTIFUL scene with everyone in HORRIBLE white dresses, beautiful dancing, the scene kind of recreating this:
We see that everyone has returned to their worlds, even Galaxia and the Animamates. Then the scene shifts to Usagi’s wedding telling Mamochan that she feels that a star was born inside her at that very moment. Then everyone steps in wearing wedding dresses themselves, YEP EVEN HARUKA!! LOOOOOK AT HER!!!!
And then comes the end!
That was way more spoilerry than it should have been, but I had a lot of feelings.
On to the performances:
The inners have improved 100% as I have predicted, they are still vocally weak but hey when did that ever stopped anyone from enjoying seramyu. Not me for sure. Everyone was excellent in their roles.
Most grand performances come from Galaxia and Lead Crew, I’m biased so sue me!
Kakyuu was phenomenal, her opera training always a pleasure to experience.
Sets were great as always, very good use of projections, smart lighting, and cool way to show the demise of the warriors into those boxes.
Costumes as per previous musicals, were very well done, I really wanted to see HaruMichi it Juuban uniforms though.
CHIBI-CHIBIs WERE FREAKING ADORABLE!!!!
Last but not least, moments from the greetings.
Galaxia was eying everyone like this >_> and when her turn to introduce came my darling Coco yelled destruction and death to everything from tomorrow on. YES THAT’S COCO for you guys 😀 I love her so much ahahha.
Then THE CHIBI-CHIBI’s OH MY EFFING EVERYTHING I WAS YELLING KAWAIIIIIIII what in this world!!!
When the second Chibi was crying, the first one pat her, multiple times and everyone was AAAAWWWWWW
LOOK AT THESE LITTLE PRECIOUS BABIES!!!!!
I melted like butter!
Chibimoon cried too and even Galaxia rubbed her back soothingly, and Setsuna could very well be Chibichibi as she cried equally as much as this kiddo above.
And finally Michiru said that she loved her role AND HARUKA! YES LESBIANS! GO LESBIANS!
Shuuchan just cried and was shy and almost forgot what she wanted to say.
Overall the show was good, the pacing rolled rather smoothly. It could do without the 90s nods, but it was not as bad as Amour Eternal.
Pros:
- props/costumes/sets as always
- excellent performances from everyone (inners 100% improved)
- Story rolled smoothly
- GALAXIA (everything about her)
- LESBIANS
- Women three lights
Cons:
- hybrid scenes
- unnecessary nods to the 90s anime/musicals
- cis-het dude writing about lesbian relationships
- unnecessary possessive elements of Haruka, Michiru being a bitch, for comic relief
SeraMyu Sparkles 