Review: Sailor Moon Crystal Act 5 - Makoto - Sailor Jupiter

The episode begins pretty much the same way as the manga, Usagi almost getting ran over by a car walking to school in the rain, and Makoto coming out of nowhere and saving her.

We then go back to Beryl's lair, where Nephrite asks his master to give him another chance at gathering enemy for their leader. She agrees.

Back at Usagi's school, Usagi and her friends are discussing wedding dresses when Makoto runs into them. Umino tells everyone that Makoto is a transfer student who was kicked out of her last school for her temper and superhuman strength. Everyone begins ignoring her, except for Usagi, who still remembers Makoto for saving her earlier. She sees Makoto eating lunch and joins her (more like asking her for her lunch). Makoto agrees though to have Usagi join her for lunch and the two begin a friendship.We also learn here that Makoto is an amazing cook and that she might be related to the Moon Kingdom as she sees a flash of her past life.

After school Usagi shows Makoto around town, mainly the Arcade, where she is amazing at the Sailor V game. Ami meets up with them and notices this as well. Makoto meets Motoki and she reminisces about a past love she had about someone who looked like him. Motoki tells the girls about a weird rumor about a haunted bridal shop nearby. Usagi and Ami go to check it out, along with Makoto. They overhear a few people passing by about how the mannequins come to life after the store is closed.

The girls then go visit Rei, who has a premonition about Makoto when she sees her with the girls. Makoto doesn't stay long and goes home. Luna tells the girls they should go check out the bridal shop.

Later that night as Motoki is closing up the arcade, the Bridal Ghost shows up and possesses him, The possessed Motoki finds Makoto and hypnotizes her. Mamoru sees this and pursues them as they walk off.

Usagi has a weird dream with Tuxdo Mask coming to her room and pulling her away, however it is not all a dream as Luna sees her fleeing her room. Luna calls Rei and Ami; the three girls end up outside of the bridal shop. The brid ghost shows up on top of the roof and reveals her plan to the girls. Usagi, Ami, and Rei all transform and battle the ghost bride. The ghost bride grabs Makoto and Nephrite shows up. Makoto has a flashback of her and an upperclassman named Kino who said he liked her, but lied and was already in a relationship. Sailor Moon gives a speech of encouragement to Makoto about love. Nephrite attacks them. Makoto breaks free of the ghost bride and learns she is Sailor Jupiter. Makoto transforms and our four Sailor Senshi fight together to eliminate the ghost bride. Nephrite however gets away.

The girls have a reunion that they have finally found Sailor Jupiter. With the four united, Luna gives Sailor Moon the Moon Stick, and declares her the leader of the team.

Overall, this episode has probably the most noticeable changes so far from the original manga. The manga has quite a bit more to do with the Dark Kingdom. We also have an extra transformation sequence in the manga, as Usagi should have used her disguise pen to transform into a groom before confronting the ghost bride. Also the manga had the bridal shop story, but there was no real enemy, except for Nephrite. I feel they added an actual enemy for the senshi to fight because this would have been Nephrite's last episode (made a mistake last review, they killed Nephrite's spirit), but for some reason the Crystal series seems to be extending the four generals lives. We also get our first real glimpse at Zoicite and Kunzite the manga, who were completely absent altogether in the anime version.

Rating: 5/10