- Location
- New Hampshire
Funny. Like what @Usili 2.0 says, I'm surprised the dub kept it in and kept the context pretty much the same.
To the Stars! A Sailor Moon Let's Watch
- Thread starter Usili 2.0
- Start date
- TV
Episode 58: Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree
- Location
- Ohio
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Woo, at the finaleish. Hopefully, the next part should be up relatively soonish, and then probably a bit of a break after that.
Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree
The episode goes to open up with Usagi 'perfect' for her day off, and disappointed the boys (I imagine Mamoru in this case) not looking after her, with Ail vowing to go and steal Usagi's heart. It then shifts to Mamoru in a bookstore I think, inspecting a book about the moon upon which An goes to do the same to him, and grabs onto him.
The scene then shifts towards an outdoor eating establishment, where Usagi and Ail are just sitting at a table, with Usagi just chowing down upon something, while Ail is just trying his best to… flirt I think with her? But then there's Mamoru trying to get An to let go of him… upon which the both of them see. Meanwhile Ail and An just get utterly pissed at each other for what they are doing, accusing each other of lying for what they were planning to do.
Sometime later outside the apartment building they occupy, they both go to ask each other what makes them so special about Usagi/Mamoru. The Makai Tree however suddenly appears to be… dying? That is kind of a shock, and it's clear it is a shock for the both of them as well, and that they can't survive if it winds up dying.
Meanwhile, sometime later, Usagi is present at a 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Show' of which I am kind of just shocked by. And like… what in the world is Jadeite doing there as a villain? I am so confused on that bit. Both Naru and Umino are in the crowd, and they are both shocked at how popular she seems to be now.
But then comes to appear a Cardian that is thought to be a part of the show. It then proceeds to suck their energy away. And of course Naru appears for like… thirty seconds to get herself drained of energy. Both Usagi and Luna come running out, with Luna saying that 'every bit of their energy' has been drained away.
Meanwhile with the Makai Tree, there is no reaction from the energy being delivered by the Cardian. Ail goes to assume that it just means the Tree isn't able to well, absorb the energy from the humans. Which… shouldn't it have before? Odd.
At school, Umino and Naru are both out sick, with An also out sick and Usagi then going to say that also means it also means Ail is out sick, upon which Miss Haruna questions. That's like… should be a tad bit obvious? Meanwhile, Ami and Mako are walking with Usagi to go and check up on them, with Mako just not wanting to. Ami meanwhile goes to assume that considering how drained of energy that Naru and Umino are, it's gone to an entirely new method of attacks, which does make sense!
They go to arrive at their home, and the immediate first thing that is noticed by the Sailors is how they have matching uniforms… something that is usually a boyfriend/girlfriend type thing (as stated by Mako). Ail just quickly tries to cover for it, by saying their parents died as children. An just goes to then ask in a sharp tone for why they appeared without telling them, with Mako going to answer it's because Usagi cares and wanted to check up on them. Ail offers to let come in while An is just entirely hostile to it, and there is some strange kitchen gadgetry while he's in the kitchen, and just feels an entirely strange feeling.
In the living room, Usagi goes to ask why An didn't show up for school, and she just says it isn't any of her concern, and the framing of the shot here is wonderful, with Usagi just really indicating how much she cares, while Mako is just utterly pissed at her with the way her posture is, while Ami is just sort of in a curious look. Usagi then goes to explain why she was worried, with Mako saying that is what friends do, and Ami of course weighing in about studies. Usagi then tries to go into the 'study' (aka the Makai Tree room), upon which both Ail and An stop her from doing so. Usagi just tries to be friendly, but An just tells them to leave, while Ail is just disappointed a tad. Ail just continues to describe feeling a 'warm, glowing sensation around your heart' that he hasn't experienced until now.
The next day, Usagi has apparently woken up before the alarm clock/Luna did, to go and greet An to get her to go to school and not skip it. Which is… kind of astonishing considering how much she oversleeps. Ail however is shocked to see her, thinking it relates to him, but it's in fact over An. An just wants her to leave, but Ail then goes to invite her in via food (to An's utter frustration).
An just goes to quiz over why Ail went to do that, which he's just not sure why on it, as An comments on his weirdness. Usagi is meanwhile curious about that room, and you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat or in this case the rabbit. Meanwhile, she goes to open the door and the Makai Tree awakens and goes to grab her, as Ail goes to shut the door. Ail however knocking Usagi's… lack of necessarily thinking stuff through goes to say that astrobotany was being done in that room. An proceeds to yelling at her over it, and that she's not going to school as she leaves. Outside, she gives a bit of a wave to Ail, who has that feeling around his heart again.
With the Makai Tree, a new sapling has suddenly seemed to come forth… which An suddenly thinks is connected to having taken Usagi's energy caused it to grow. An then just goes forth to think in to take every bit of energy from her in order to rejuvenate her. He however wants to go and try something first… which is to give the Cardian's energy to the sapling… which doesn't work and causes it to die. The Makai Tree then suddenly makes some kind of noise again. An then goes to wonder just what is the Makai Tree, as he goes to break it was passed down from the ancestors, and to bring forth the energy needed for their bodies. Interesting.
Back at school, Usagi, Mako, and Ami are conversing, with Mako and Ami impressed by her going back. Suddenly, Ami notices something on her hair that is just pulled off that is moving and terrifies all three of them. At the Shrine, the thing is secured in a tube, upon which Artemis is then forced to demonstrate what it was (by Luna). Mako then goes to ask how she got it stuck on her, to which Usagi doesn't answer, as Artemis says it is from the Makai Tree. Usagi then goes to say, "I get it" before going to ask what a Makai Tree is, as its then explained its an energy sucking tree that is in space. Rei then wonders what it was doing in their apartment, with Usagi saying they were doing some kind of astrobotany experiment… until she says that it must be some kind of plant. Just… how Usagi.
It's then put bluntly that the two of them are suspicious because what in the world would you have a Makai Tree in your room for, as Artemis in essence goes to lead that Natsumi and Seijuro are Ail and An. Usagi however can't believe it. Amid this, a creepy alien music track was playing.
Near the end of the day, Usagi is then close to their building, with Luna saying she can't go alone. Usagi then decides to go and head there to look around, but Luna does make her pause. However, Mamoru is there ready to bring flowers to An because she isn't feeling well. Usagi however says she is faking it, and can't believe that he's bringing flowers to her. Mamoru goes onto say in that she helped with setting up the Snow White play, and it'd also be a chance to thank her. But she then goes to say she has a 'Makai Tree' in her house to steal his energy, upon which he just laughs it off as Usagi chases after him.
An however is mystified by the flowers, and Mamoru goes to say it is that friends worry that friends get sick and to check up on her. An however also has the same warm feeling, and sees Usagi and allows her to come in, and Usagi is just mystified by what is going on as Ail says there is still the food available. On the couch, Usagi is just chowing down on the meatbuns while An is just trying to figure out how to get her with the Makai Tree. Upon Mamoru talking about the view, An then goes to get Ail to lead him out on their deck to take a look at the view.
As they do that, An in essence goes to lead her to the Makai Tree room, as Usagi is just worried about it. An in essence then just goes to hit Usagi's 'save people' stuff, as she says that they are threatened by what is in that room and that they are asleep right now. Usagi however is just kind of worried as An then proceeds to just shove her in and orders the Cardian to suck up all her energy as she proceeds to shut the door.
As the Cardian starts to absorb energy… the Makai Tree suddenly talks and breaks out of the room and is somehow just present across the entirety of the roof like a sinister demon as the rest of the Sailors arrive. They then proceed into a group transformation (is this the first episode without Usagi actually transforming now that I think about it?), and Mako then tries to blast an entrance open which fails. The episode comes to a close as Usagi screams, with the shot of the Makai Tree occupying the building…
Now, time to discuss "Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree", which is as clear as day bringing forth the conclusion of the Makai Tree arc. The initial setup of the episoe goes to deal with Ail and An's attraction towards Usagi and Mamoru respectively, upon which the both see what each other is doing and sparks anger/jealously and upon them coming home sees that the Makai Tree is dying. This sparks the both of them to commit on a new strategy to ramp up energy gathering, that fails to support the Makai Tree at the cost of draining energy from numerous people. Usagi, thinking that Ail and An were caught by the Cardian as well (from how I interpreted it at least), goes to check up on them to Ail's happiness and An's frustration, and while there accidentally opens up the Makai Tree room. While she does get forced out, this doesn't stop Usagi as she wakes up early the next day to get An to go to school, and upon being invited inside, decides to try and investigate the room, and results in her getting grabbed by the tree. This results in two things, the first being to showcase that Usagi's energy somehow enabled a sapling to form from the absorbed energfy and the second for a piece of the Makai Tree to have been lodged in her hair, and alert the Sailors about the existence of the makai Tree. Usagi however isn't sure about Seijoru and Natsumi being Ail and An, and is hesitant upon checking them out until she sees Mamoru making his way there and follows along. An however is utterly joyous upon seeing Usagi is there and upon the two of them being caught alone, tries to convince Usagi that what is in the room is threatening them and then shoves her in before ordering her energy to be asorbed. The Makai Tree then speaks and bursts out of the room, bringing the culmination of the episode. This episode really moved plot-wise, just bounding along as the setup of last episode comes into culmination here. Like for instance, it goes to push for what in my view was the pressing issue of An's lack of energy collection into full-storm here with the Makai Tree suddenly moving into a stage of dying. Further, it goes to give the the first part one-part two since the finale in the first season, and has a superb cliff-hanger culmination for this. This episode was just really strong plot-wise as it just didn't stop moving whatsoever, leaving very little breathing room and just kept bounding along.
The motivations of An to use Usagi as the battery to revitalize the Makai Tree is something that I found interesting when thinking a bit on it. Like first and foremost, the both of them have always been focused around survival, but I think in a certain sense An could be said to be a bit more… ruthless of the two perhaps in terms of energy collection? Like consider for instance in that she was the one suggested to target the kindergartners. And so upon seeing seeing this ability to bring back the Makai Tre, of course she would jump upon it, especially in my view considering this was Usagi. Like, I think it's obvious that An sees Ail's reluctance on it, and in my view kind of also has the aspects of… jealously tied upon into it as well with seeing Ail's attractions towards Usagi, and I think it is something as well to think about here?
An interesting observation I was thinking about, is how in a sense the last episode functioned more like a part one if anything, with this episode serving as an immediate continuation of what was introduced in the last episode. For instance, An found it surprising for how much energy Usagi had when she voluntarily went and let An in a sense suck her energy. And that point directly continued into this episode with the surprise on Usagi's energy allowing a sapling to come forth and then An's decision to use her to save the Makai Tree. There's also in a sense something that is directly continued with the Makai Tree, if we assume that kind of relationship exists between the Makai Tree, Ail and An, and the Cardians. It was shown in that the Cardian and the Makai Tree di at least seem to be linked, and it might've served as a potential reason for why the Cardian rebelled in the last episode. And this is something to consider in that it spoke before it blew out the doors.
As for my thoughts on this episode as a whole? It was really fucking good and just fired on all cylinders imho. It's something I've at least noticed with Sailor Moon in that when it gets close to finales or major plot episodes in that usually everything from like the writing to animation is just really good. Like, both the plot and the animation on this episode I felt were just really good! I honestly don't think I have much to say explicitly on this episode as I do admit I am just getting a tad tired of well, the Ail and An show, and it's also very much a part one of an explicit two part episode that doesn't necessarily have a conclusion so much as a cliffhanger.
Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree
The episode goes to open up with Usagi 'perfect' for her day off, and disappointed the boys (I imagine Mamoru in this case) not looking after her, with Ail vowing to go and steal Usagi's heart. It then shifts to Mamoru in a bookstore I think, inspecting a book about the moon upon which An goes to do the same to him, and grabs onto him.
The scene then shifts towards an outdoor eating establishment, where Usagi and Ail are just sitting at a table, with Usagi just chowing down upon something, while Ail is just trying his best to… flirt I think with her? But then there's Mamoru trying to get An to let go of him… upon which the both of them see. Meanwhile Ail and An just get utterly pissed at each other for what they are doing, accusing each other of lying for what they were planning to do.
Sometime later outside the apartment building they occupy, they both go to ask each other what makes them so special about Usagi/Mamoru. The Makai Tree however suddenly appears to be… dying? That is kind of a shock, and it's clear it is a shock for the both of them as well, and that they can't survive if it winds up dying.
Meanwhile, sometime later, Usagi is present at a 'Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon Show' of which I am kind of just shocked by. And like… what in the world is Jadeite doing there as a villain? I am so confused on that bit. Both Naru and Umino are in the crowd, and they are both shocked at how popular she seems to be now.
But then comes to appear a Cardian that is thought to be a part of the show. It then proceeds to suck their energy away. And of course Naru appears for like… thirty seconds to get herself drained of energy.
Both Usagi and Luna come running out, with Luna saying that 'every bit of their energy' has been drained away.
Meanwhile with the Makai Tree, there is no reaction from the energy being delivered by the Cardian. Ail goes to assume that it just means the Tree isn't able to well, absorb the energy from the humans. Which… shouldn't it have before? Odd.
At school, Umino and Naru are both out sick, with An also out sick and Usagi then going to say that also means it also means Ail is out sick, upon which Miss Haruna questions. That's like… should be a tad bit obvious? Meanwhile, Ami and Mako are walking with Usagi to go and check up on them, with Mako just not wanting to. Ami meanwhile goes to assume that considering how drained of energy that Naru and Umino are, it's gone to an entirely new method of attacks, which does make sense!
They go to arrive at their home, and the immediate first thing that is noticed by the Sailors is how they have matching uniforms… something that is usually a boyfriend/girlfriend type thing (as stated by Mako). Ail just quickly tries to cover for it, by saying their parents died as children. An just goes to then ask in a sharp tone for why they appeared without telling them, with Mako going to answer it's because Usagi cares and wanted to check up on them. Ail offers to let come in while An is just entirely hostile to it, and there is some strange kitchen gadgetry while he's in the kitchen, and just feels an entirely strange feeling.
In the living room, Usagi goes to ask why An didn't show up for school, and she just says it isn't any of her concern, and the framing of the shot here is wonderful, with Usagi just really indicating how much she cares, while Mako is just utterly pissed at her with the way her posture is, while Ami is just sort of in a curious look. Usagi then goes to explain why she was worried, with Mako saying that is what friends do, and Ami of course weighing in about studies. Usagi then tries to go into the 'study' (aka the Makai Tree room), upon which both Ail and An stop her from doing so. Usagi just tries to be friendly, but An just tells them to leave, while Ail is just disappointed a tad. Ail just continues to describe feeling a 'warm, glowing sensation around your heart' that he hasn't experienced until now.
The next day, Usagi has apparently woken up before the alarm clock/Luna did, to go and greet An to get her to go to school and not skip it. Which is… kind of astonishing considering how much she oversleeps. Ail however is shocked to see her, thinking it relates to him, but it's in fact over An. An just wants her to leave, but Ail then goes to invite her in via food (to An's utter frustration).
An just goes to quiz over why Ail went to do that, which he's just not sure why on it, as An comments on his weirdness. Usagi is meanwhile curious about that room, and you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat or in this case the rabbit.
Meanwhile, she goes to open the door and the Makai Tree awakens and goes to grab her, as Ail goes to shut the door. Ail however knocking Usagi's… lack of necessarily thinking stuff through goes to say that astrobotany was being done in that room. An proceeds to yelling at her over it, and that she's not going to school as she leaves. Outside, she gives a bit of a wave to Ail, who has that feeling around his heart again.
With the Makai Tree, a new sapling has suddenly seemed to come forth… which An suddenly thinks is connected to having taken Usagi's energy caused it to grow. An then just goes forth to think in to take every bit of energy from her in order to rejuvenate her. He however wants to go and try something first… which is to give the Cardian's energy to the sapling… which doesn't work and causes it to die. The Makai Tree then suddenly makes some kind of noise again. An then goes to wonder just what is the Makai Tree, as he goes to break it was passed down from the ancestors, and to bring forth the energy needed for their bodies. Interesting.
Back at school, Usagi, Mako, and Ami are conversing, with Mako and Ami impressed by her going back. Suddenly, Ami notices something on her hair that is just pulled off that is moving and terrifies all three of them. At the Shrine, the thing is secured in a tube, upon which Artemis is then forced to demonstrate what it was (by Luna). Mako then goes to ask how she got it stuck on her, to which Usagi doesn't answer, as Artemis says it is from the Makai Tree. Usagi then goes to say, "I get it" before going to ask what a Makai Tree is, as its then explained its an energy sucking tree that is in space. Rei then wonders what it was doing in their apartment, with Usagi saying they were doing some kind of astrobotany experiment… until she says that it must be some kind of plant. Just… how Usagi.
It's then put bluntly that the two of them are suspicious because what in the world would you have a Makai Tree in your room for, as Artemis in essence goes to lead that Natsumi and Seijuro are Ail and An. Usagi however can't believe it. Amid this, a creepy alien music track was playing.
Near the end of the day, Usagi is then close to their building, with Luna saying she can't go alone. Usagi then decides to go and head there to look around, but Luna does make her pause. However, Mamoru is there ready to bring flowers to An because she isn't feeling well. Usagi however says she is faking it, and can't believe that he's bringing flowers to her. Mamoru goes onto say in that she helped with setting up the Snow White play, and it'd also be a chance to thank her. But she then goes to say she has a 'Makai Tree' in her house to steal his energy, upon which he just laughs it off as Usagi chases after him.
An however is mystified by the flowers, and Mamoru goes to say it is that friends worry that friends get sick and to check up on her. An however also has the same warm feeling, and sees Usagi and allows her to come in, and Usagi is just mystified by what is going on as Ail says there is still the food available. On the couch, Usagi is just chowing down on the meatbuns while An is just trying to figure out how to get her with the Makai Tree. Upon Mamoru talking about the view, An then goes to get Ail to lead him out on their deck to take a look at the view.
As they do that, An in essence goes to lead her to the Makai Tree room, as Usagi is just worried about it. An in essence then just goes to hit Usagi's 'save people' stuff, as she says that they are threatened by what is in that room and that they are asleep right now. Usagi however is just kind of worried as An then proceeds to just shove her in and orders the Cardian to suck up all her energy as she proceeds to shut the door.
As the Cardian starts to absorb energy… the Makai Tree suddenly talks and breaks out of the room and is somehow just present across the entirety of the roof like a sinister demon as the rest of the Sailors arrive. They then proceed into a group transformation (is this the first episode without Usagi actually transforming now that I think about it?), and Mako then tries to blast an entrance open which fails. The episode comes to a close as Usagi screams, with the shot of the Makai Tree occupying the building…
Now, time to discuss "Disconnecting Love: The Raging Makai Tree", which is as clear as day bringing forth the conclusion of the Makai Tree arc. The initial setup of the episoe goes to deal with Ail and An's attraction towards Usagi and Mamoru respectively, upon which the both see what each other is doing and sparks anger/jealously and upon them coming home sees that the Makai Tree is dying. This sparks the both of them to commit on a new strategy to ramp up energy gathering, that fails to support the Makai Tree at the cost of draining energy from numerous people. Usagi, thinking that Ail and An were caught by the Cardian as well (from how I interpreted it at least), goes to check up on them to Ail's happiness and An's frustration, and while there accidentally opens up the Makai Tree room. While she does get forced out, this doesn't stop Usagi as she wakes up early the next day to get An to go to school, and upon being invited inside, decides to try and investigate the room, and results in her getting grabbed by the tree. This results in two things, the first being to showcase that Usagi's energy somehow enabled a sapling to form from the absorbed energfy and the second for a piece of the Makai Tree to have been lodged in her hair, and alert the Sailors about the existence of the makai Tree. Usagi however isn't sure about Seijoru and Natsumi being Ail and An, and is hesitant upon checking them out until she sees Mamoru making his way there and follows along. An however is utterly joyous upon seeing Usagi is there and upon the two of them being caught alone, tries to convince Usagi that what is in the room is threatening them and then shoves her in before ordering her energy to be asorbed. The Makai Tree then speaks and bursts out of the room, bringing the culmination of the episode. This episode really moved plot-wise, just bounding along as the setup of last episode comes into culmination here. Like for instance, it goes to push for what in my view was the pressing issue of An's lack of energy collection into full-storm here with the Makai Tree suddenly moving into a stage of dying. Further, it goes to give the the first part one-part two since the finale in the first season, and has a superb cliff-hanger culmination for this. This episode was just really strong plot-wise as it just didn't stop moving whatsoever, leaving very little breathing room and just kept bounding along.
The motivations of An to use Usagi as the battery to revitalize the Makai Tree is something that I found interesting when thinking a bit on it. Like first and foremost, the both of them have always been focused around survival, but I think in a certain sense An could be said to be a bit more… ruthless of the two perhaps in terms of energy collection? Like consider for instance in that she was the one suggested to target the kindergartners. And so upon seeing seeing this ability to bring back the Makai Tre, of course she would jump upon it, especially in my view considering this was Usagi. Like, I think it's obvious that An sees Ail's reluctance on it, and in my view kind of also has the aspects of… jealously tied upon into it as well with seeing Ail's attractions towards Usagi, and I think it is something as well to think about here?
An interesting observation I was thinking about, is how in a sense the last episode functioned more like a part one if anything, with this episode serving as an immediate continuation of what was introduced in the last episode. For instance, An found it surprising for how much energy Usagi had when she voluntarily went and let An in a sense suck her energy. And that point directly continued into this episode with the surprise on Usagi's energy allowing a sapling to come forth and then An's decision to use her to save the Makai Tree. There's also in a sense something that is directly continued with the Makai Tree, if we assume that kind of relationship exists between the Makai Tree, Ail and An, and the Cardians. It was shown in that the Cardian and the Makai Tree di at least seem to be linked, and it might've served as a potential reason for why the Cardian rebelled in the last episode. And this is something to consider in that it spoke before it blew out the doors.
As for my thoughts on this episode as a whole? It was really fucking good and just fired on all cylinders imho. It's something I've at least noticed with Sailor Moon in that when it gets close to finales or major plot episodes in that usually everything from like the writing to animation is just really good. Like, both the plot and the animation on this episode I felt were just really good! I honestly don't think I have much to say explicitly on this episode as I do admit I am just getting a tad tired of well, the Ail and An show, and it's also very much a part one of an explicit two part episode that doesn't necessarily have a conclusion so much as a cliffhanger.
- Location
- New Hampshire
Yeah, the Makai tree arc's just about done. Not much I can say at the moment until the next episode, but it is good, yeah.
- Location
- USA
Trivia from the Sailor Moon wiki! This episode marks the final time Haruna-sensei appears in the anime. This was also the first episode that did not feature Sailor Moon but instead had Usagi remain in her civilian form the whole time.
- Location
- supernatural
Some sad news the YouTube channel which uploaded clips of the DIC dub has been taken down today so (most) of my clips are now gone. 
DeadlyViperQuill
oliversimpsonuk@yahoo.co.uk
- Location
- england
Darn, as much as the DIC Dubs are of a acquired taste and a product of the 90's and the way anime was dubbed back in on many levels.
It was still great to see clips of Sailor Moon scenes and all the wonderful quirks, Naru's Brooklyn accent, silly lines and Serena lessons that we 90 kids all remember that drew us to the series in the first place.
Let us bow our heads in a moment of silence or wailing as Usagi i mean Serena would do and remember this tragic tragic loss .😥
It was still great to see clips of Sailor Moon scenes and all the wonderful quirks, Naru's Brooklyn accent, silly lines and Serena lessons that we 90 kids all remember that drew us to the series in the first place.
Let us bow our heads in a moment of silence or wailing as Usagi i mean Serena would do and remember this tragic tragic loss .😥
Some sad news the YouTube channel which uploaded clips of the DIC dub has been taken down today so (most) of my clips are now gone.
I spent much of yesterday just watching clips from that channel back to back, and I still didn't get through all of them before time was up.
At least Sailor Moon Says still has a Twitter account with clips. Plus, there's a Discord group that has saved a bunch of the clips and comments from Youtube.
- Location
- supernatural
Some sad news To The Stars! is dead. Usili2.0 has no plans to continue.
- Location
- New Hampshire
Aww, that's a shame.
I really enjoyed their reviews. Well, least the first season was finished.
blast flame
How far will we go if it means lighting the way?
- Location
- Perth, Australia
- Pronouns
- They/Them
That's unfortunate, I was using it to pace my own watch of Sailor Moon. Now I'm going to need to find the drive and motivation to just watch episodes in some other way.