Live Action Sailor Moon update (First episode synopsis)

An AMAZING thank you to "Claudia" for providing us with an incredible synopsis of the first episode of the new live action Sailor Moon series. You can digest the short version, if you don't feel like getting too many spoilers, or read the long version to get all the details.

The short version, summarizing the highlights of the episode:

Sailor V stops Tuxedo Kamen from stealing jewels. A stuffed cat, Luna, falls on Usagi’s head when she’s late for school. Naru’s mother is having a jewelry show. Usagi meets Mamoru backstage there. Luna tells Usagi she’s a senshi. Jadeite turns Naru’s mother into a Youma. Usagi realizes Naru is in trouble and goes to help her. The Youma tries to steal the energy of the people at the show. Usagi transforms and defeats the Youma. Tuxedo Kamen saves her from Jadeite’s attack. Luna tells Usagi that the battle is just beginning.

The long version with dialogue:

The Live Action Sailor Moon is now the only version that doesn’t start with shots of Usagi... Instead, it opens on a jewelry shop in shambles – broken glass all over the place, and shots of a man wearing black dress shoes, who, as he is seen running away from the shop, we realize is Tuxedo Kamen. Sailor V appears, and they face each other off. Sailor V smiles a mysterious smile, and shakes her head at him, waving her finger in the classic ‘You’re not going to get away with this, you know’ gesture. She goes through several combinations of acrobatics, cart wheeling and leaping and finally manages to knock the jewelry from under his cape. All of it clatters to the floor and he runs off, Sailor V hot on his heels.

Then I believe the opening song came on. I was surprised to see that they didn’t use a version of ‘Moonlight Densetsu’; instead the show has a completely new theme, which seems to mention senshi and whatnot in the lyrics. The Opening is various shots of the senshi, in costume posing, in their civilian identities, all laughing together. Each girl gets her own little sequence. I actually forget what Usagi and Ami’s are like, but I can write that next week when I see the opening again. Rei is shown walking in the grounds of a jinja, Mako-chan is throwing a baseball, and Minako is at some press event with fans and flowers. There is also a shot of Mamo-chan in a stupid looking hat, and Sailormoon and Tuxedo Kamen holding hands and gazing at each other. 
After the opening, we are taken to Usagi’s bedroom, where she is asleep, hair down. She has a poster of ‘Aino Minako’ above her bed. Her CD alarm clock is set to ‘C’est la vie’. The alarms goes off, but I don’t know how she expected to wake up to it, because the volume is really low. Of course she doesn’t wake up. Shingo is standing in her room, watching her, and tells her to get up. He puts an alarm clock in her bed. She finally gets up, asking why her alarm clock didn’t go off, to which Shingo replies that it did...

 She rushes around, and Shingo leaves the room with a ‘Stupid Usagi.’

Cut to a shot of the outside of the house, and the ‘Tsukino’ nameplate. Inside, a wearing young looking Ikuko mama is making Usagi’s lunch. Usagi, hair now in her odango style, is rushing around. The TV is on, showing a news report about Sailor V’s foiling a jewel robbery the night before. Ikuko-mama and Usagi watch the TV, and Usagi wonders if Sailor V really is a champion of justice. Shingo dryly asks them what they’re doing, and Usagi is off to school.

Usagi is running to school, and all of a sudden a stuffed cat (Luna) falls out of the sky on to her head. ‘Ah! What is this?’ She flails around struggling to rip it off her face. She does, and looks at it. The moon on the stuffed cats forehead glows for a moment. ‘What a weird stuffed animal.’ Usagi remarks. Then she remembers the time, and putting Luna down on the stone wall, runs off to school. The Luna doll starts to move, and says ‘She must be the one!’

At school her face is twisted and prodded by Haruna-sensei, who tells her that she’s late yet again, and tells her that there are some students who are at school half an hour early every day, like Mizuno-san. Every turns to look at Ami, who looks down.

Usagi is made to stay after school and clean the classroom. Just as she’s complaining about it, Naru-chan appears in the doorway with a cleaning rag. ‘I couldn’t just leave you!’ Usagi runs over and gives Naru a big hug. ‘Naru, you’re the best!!’ Naru says, ‘Let’s finish up quickly, so we can go karaoke! They just got in a bunch of songs from Aino Minako’s album!’
Usagi and Naru are at karaoke. Usagi is singing a song, presumably one of Minako’s songs, about how life would be more interesting if it was a little out of the ordinary. After a montage of the two girls singing and eating and laughing together, Naru tells Usagi that her mother is having a jewelry show tomorrow. ‘Oh yeah, because your mother’s a famous jewelry designer.’ Usagi says. Naru tells her that they’re setting up the show today, and the two decide to go see the preparations.

At the building the jewelry show will be held, Naru’s mother is watching the preparations, and looking over a pamphlet which says ‘Mayumi Osaka, jewelry designer’, with a young AV. She greets Naru and Usagi with a smile, and tells Naru-chan that everything's going great. ‘What do you think?’ She asks the girls. ‘It’s great!’ Usagi cheers. ‘It’s like a party!!’ ‘Look at that model’s waist!’ Naru whispers enviously. ‘She’s so thin!’ ‘Wow!’ Usagi watched the models with a huge grin on her face.

Meanwhile, Luna has entered the building and is walking around. The crescent moon on her forehead glows red.

Usagi is wandering around the building, after the models, and she comes across the costume rack. She immediately takes one of the costume, a white dress, and holds it up to herself in the mirror. She poses with it, but seems to lose confidence as she watches herself in the mirror. She sighs, and as she goes to put the dress back, she bumps into some. ‘Excuse me!’ The boy (it’s Mamoru) just glares at her and keeps on walking. She glares after him. ‘What a bad attitude…’ 

An AV boy comes out. ‘One of the models is missing. I think she’s around her somewhere, I’ll go look!’ He rushes off. Mamoru turns and looks at Usagi, who is still holding the dress. ‘Oh! No! I’m not a model!’ She explains, flustered, as she quickly puts the dress back. Mamoru gives her a very cool once over. ‘Don’t worry. No one would ever thing you were.’ She looks down at herself. ‘What’s that supposed to mean!?’ But Mamoru doesn’t answer, and simply walks away. Usagi flips her hair, and thrusts her chin out haughtily, making sure to ram into Mamoru with her shoulder as she passes him. He glares at her, and she flips her hair again. Mamoru watches her for a while, and then turns to where the jewelry is being laid out. ‘I may be able to find it here….The Maboroshi no Ginzuisho…’

Luna is walking on the seats in the auditorium, her crescent moon glowing red. ‘There’s something here!’ She says, as huge gelatinous hands stretch down from a vent in the ceiling.
That night, Naru’s mom calls her to tell her that she’ll be working all night again. Naru asks if she’ll be ok, and says she’ll make her some lunch for tomorrow and asks what she wants. Her mom says she wants those cutlet sandwiches that Naru makes so well. Naru agrees, and they hang up.

Her mom goes back into the building, and the huge gelatinous hands follow her. She looks back in fear.

Cut to Usagi’s house. ‘Good night!’ She flops her head down on the pillow. Besides her is Luna. Usagi opens her eyes, and picks up the stuffed animal. ‘Huh? What’s this?’ She sits up. ‘This is the that stuffed animal from this morning….’

‘Usagi-chan….’ Says a voice. Usagi looks around. ‘Usagi-chan.’ The ‘stuffed animal’ is standing. Usagi yelps and pushes Luna away, leaping out of bed and running towards the door. Luna scuttles after her.

‘Don’t be scared. My name is Luna. I’ve been looking for you.’

Ikuko-mama calls to see what’s wrong. Luna says, ‘Please listen to what I have to say.’

Usagi looks at her for a while, looking scared, and calls, ‘No! It’s nothing!’

Usagi sits down,and Luna jumps on the table, pacing. ‘A huge evil has begun to move on Earth.’ She tells Usagi. ‘And the only ones who can fight that evil are the Princess and her four senshi. You are one of those senshi!’

Usagi looks at her. ‘Senshi?’ She scratches her head. Then she smiles. ‘Oh! I get it! I fell asleep! This is a dream! Cuz this could never be happening!’ She gets back into bed.

‘Usagi-chan please.’ Luna implores. ‘Fight with me.’ 

Usagi watches her warily. ‘This is just a dream!’ She pulls the covers over her head.

‘ I can’t believe that a completely ordinary girl like you could be a senshi. But the crescent moon on my forehead tells me you’re the one.’ Luna goes over to the window sill, and makes a pink cell phone appear with her crescent moon. ‘Contact me with this when you’ve decided to believe me. Also, you shouldn’t go neat that jewelry show, it’s dangerous.’ she says, and then leaves through the window. Usagi peers at her from under the covers. Usagi sits up and stares at the cell phone.

The next day, Naru’s mom comes in to find Naru in her room at the convention center. ‘This is off limits to the public.’ She tells her. Naru stares. ‘What are you talking about Mama?’ Her mom smiles after a moment. ‘Oh, I thought you were someone else.’ Naru stares at her, looking worried. ‘But this….’ She hold out a bag. ‘What?’ Her mother snaps. ‘You told me to bring it…’ Her mother smiles and turns around. ‘Oh that’s right, I did.’ She advances on Naru. ‘Tell me what’s in this bag.’ Naru says. ‘You asked me for it, Mama.’ She takes a step back. 

Meanwhile Usagi wakes up. ‘today’s Saturday! No school! Alright!’ She runs out of the room, leaving the pink cell phone behind. ‘Mama! Let’s go shopping!’

In the convention center, Naru says ‘Tell me what’s in it! You asked for it, Mama!’ Her mother tries to grab the bag. ‘Just give it to me. I’m busy!’ Naru looks at her in fear. ‘You’re not my mother! Who are you!?’ Her ‘mother’ smiles evilly. ‘I’m you’re mother.’ 

‘No!’ Naru pushes her away, and runs from the room. Her mother walks after her ominously. Naru runs to an AV boy. ‘Help me! My mother’s acting strange!’ But the AV boy smiles evilly, and his eyes flash green. He turns into Jadeite. (complete with blue colored contacts). He zaps Naru and she falls to the ground unconscious. ‘The show will start soon! The moment the women are mooning over the beautiful jewelry, steal all their energy! For her majesty Queen Beryl!’ His voice echoes. Naru’s mother is enveloped in the huge gelatinous hands.

Outside, Luna says ‘Oh no! I’ve got to do something!’ A pink bag falls on her head. She looks up to see Usagi, who is trying to climb from the scaffolding onto the ledge of the building, several feet up. ‘Naru-chan! I’m coming!’ She slips and falls on top of Luna, who asks her what she’s doing. ‘I couldn’t get it…’ Usagi explains. ‘The doors wouldn’t open!’ 

‘Why are you here? I told you it was dangerous.’

‘Cuz…I don’t know how, but I knew Naru-chan was in danger. I don’t know how I knew, but…’ Usagi stares at the building. ‘Hurry! We have to save Naru-chan!’ Luna tells Usagi that the reasons she knew was because she is a senshi. ‘Maybe I understand a little bit why you’re a senshi.’ Luna says. ‘Usagi-chan, let’s save Naru-chan together.’ Her crescent moon glows, and a lipstick tube and brooch appear in Usagi’s hands. 

Usagi and Luna watch the models getting ready. Luna tells Usagi to take a picture of the model with the ‘cell phone item’. Usagi does, and she transforms into a model, with her hair done up, and a dress and makeup. Luna explains that she can transform into whatever she takes a picture of with the cell phone. ‘Now you can get in easily.’ Usagi grins. ‘This is too cool!’
Usagi and a giggling Luna easily get past the guard.

Meanwhile the show is over, and Naru’s mother comes out on the stage. Everyone claps. She raises her arms and purple smoke shoots out. The models all drop to the ground, unconscious. The audience tries to run, but they too fall unconscious. ‘I’ll take your energy.’

‘Wait!’ Usagi, back to her normal self, runs down the step. 

‘Why are you still alive?’

‘Because I…’ She trails off and looks at Luna. ‘Why am I?’ She whispers.

‘Because you’re a senshi.’ 

‘Oh. I get it.’ She turns back to Naru’s mom. ‘Because I’m a senshi!!’

‘A senshi?’ The gelatinous hands rises out of Naru-chan’s mom.

‘Eww! What is that!?’ Usagi yelps.

‘It’s a youma!’ 

Usagi screams and runs away, out of the building. The youma follows her, trying to grab her with it’s huge hands.

‘Now!’ Luna yells.

‘Right! Moon Prism Power, Make up!’ Usagi transforms. ‘I’m the sailor-suited soldier for love and justice, Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!’

Newly transformed, Sailormoon looks down at herself, feelings her hair and her costume. She smiles. ‘This is amazing!’

The youma comes after her, and she runs back into the building, screaming. She falls onto the floor. ‘No! No! No! I’m scared!’ 

‘It’s ok.’ Luna tells her. ‘Calm down. You know how to fight. You’re a chosen senshi.’ The stone on Sailormoons tiara glows. She looks up at it. Then she gets up, and proceeds to fight much like Sailor V did, spinning and kicking and dodging. The she puts her hand over her brooch, and the Moon Stick appears. ‘Moon Healing Escalation!’

The gelatinous hands disappear and Naru’s mom collapses to the ground. Usagi looks at the moon stick and jumps up and down. ‘I did it! This is awesome!’ She runs over to Luna. Jadeite appears from behind a column and throws a jagged metal shard at her. ‘Look out!’ yells Luna. But Tuxedo Kamen appears, and pushes her out of the way. Jadeite glares, and leaves.

Sailormoon and Tuxedo Kamen gaze at each other. ‘Um…’ says Sailormoon eloquently. Tuxedo Kamen, hand still on her shoulder, gives her his hand, and helps her up. ‘I didn’t find what I was looking for, but I saw something very interesting.’ He tells her. Then he starts to walk over. Sailormoon runs over. ‘Thank you for saving me! Um..who are you?’ He looks back at her, covering his face with his cape. ‘Tuxedo Kamen’. He flings his cape over his shoulder and walks off. ‘Tuxedo Kamen…7 Sailormoon stares after her. ‘How weird. But…he’s pretty cool!’ She smiles dreamily.

In the convention center, Naru wakes up and wonders if it was a dream.

In the Dark Kingdom, Queen Beryl is looking into a ball of fire. ‘Who is this that’s getting in my way? I won’t allow it!’ Purple light speeds out from her.
Sailormoon is standing looking out over the water. ‘I’m Sailormoon…’ ‘One of the senshi who protect the Princess.’ Luna explains. ‘ The battle has begun.’
Sailormoon stares out into the distance, and there is a random group shot of all the senshi (including both Sailorvenus, and Sailor V), Jadeite, and Tuxedo Kamen. Sailormoon smiles. ‘I don’t know if I’m nervous or excited, but somehow my heart is beating so fast…’ 


Differences between the anime and manga.

‘Right! Moon Prism Power, Make up!’ Usagi transforms. ‘I’m the sailor-suited soldier for love and justice, Sailormoon! In the name of the moon, I’ll punish you!’

A lot of the main events, such as how Usagi meets Luna, and Mamoru, etc, are different, so I’ll just list the main points.

In the manga, Naru’s mother owned a jewelry store, and the first trap to get energy was a huge sale.
The Crown Game Center has been turned into the Crown Karaoke Box.
Sailor V and Tuxedo Kamen don’t ever run into each other.
The senshi’s communicators have been changed from watches to cell phones, and Usagi has a new item of lipstick.
‘Moon Healing escalation’ is not performed for some time in either the manga or the anime, and Usagi doesn’t have the Moon Stick yet. 
The biggest difference I think, is that in the new show, Minako is actually an idol singer, not just a girl who wants to become one. She seems to be a very popular idol singer at that, because Usagi has a poster of her, and she has an album out. Also remember the opening sequence shows her surrounded by fans with flowers.

Also, I just need to say that Jadeite looked way too young. He looked like was about 15. And I thought they stretched it a bit with not having Luna actually tell Usagi how to transform, or how to get the Moon Stick, etc, and having her know it all somehow. 

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Wow, alright! Once again, a gigantic Thank You to Claudia for writing this up for us! 

All idiotic, unfunny and poorly written picture captions are by me so don't blame her for those. (And keep in mind that I personally have not seen this episode, so please do not e-mail me with questions.)

Its Friday and I've got this week's diary entries for you.

Moon:

So finally we're just 5 days away. Those hot days of last week suddenly turned into a cold spell, and its been very difficult on Sailor Moon... I've had to use a pocket heater for warmth! I think I'll have to keep an entire space heater in my pocket this winter. (laughs)

Mars:

Because of the typhoon it became so cold, so quickly... it feels like the middle of winter already! I keep having to borrow a jacket from wardrobe, otherwise I start shaking.

Mercury:

I have this week off so I was really happy to go home to Kyoto. When I began considering what I'd update this week with, I thought, "I'll write about all the fun I've been having at the film sites" but there's always so much tension with Miyu-chan and I've forgotten everything. (joke) So on that note, I'm going to have a lot of fun this week too. This has been Hama Chisaki.

Jupiter:

So its Thursday. Recently the weather has been rather wintry. Its almost unbelievable how cold it is to an Okinawan such as myself. It feels to me like Okinawa in December, and yet its October! [I think she's fearing what December will be like in Tokyo, and its supposedly pretty bad.] But Mako-chan wouldn't lose to something like a little cold weather. I'm going to do my best and keep on rolling!

Venus:

This is my third journal... I had a break from filming today, but tomorrow I've got a test so I've just been sitting at home studying. I'm going to do my best on the test tomorrow!!

Venus wins again! Yay! Ok, so maybe Moon's was a bit funnier.

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