Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon
(Season 1)
Shown in the USA?: Yes
Episodes: 46
Original Air Dates (Japan): March 7, 1992 - February 27, 1993
My thoughts:
The first season isn't as mature or well developed as the other four seasons, but it's still a classic. It really sets the scene for the story, and a lot of things in the later seasons wouldn't make sense if you hadn't seen the first season. The interaction between Mamoru and Usagi is REALLY cute, and it's fun to see the beginnings of the relationships between the sailor senshi. The love story between Endymion and Princess Serenity is beautiful and terribly romantic, and really makes this season worth watching.
Summary:
Many, many years ago, the Dark Kingdom, with Queen Beryl as its leader, brought the Silver Millenium to ruin. The Silver Millenium was a time of peace and prosperity when the Moon Kingdom was at the height of its power, ruled by Queen Serenity and her daughter Princess Serenity. After the Moon Kingdom was destroyed, Queen Serenity used her remaining strength to seal away the Dark Kingdom, and send her daughter as well as her court (the Princesses of the other planets in the solar system) to the future, in case the Dark Kingdom would somehow break free. Now, the seal of the Dark Kingdom has been broken and the evil Queen Beryl has been set loose, bent on reawakening her master, Queen Metallia, and ruling the world.
The season begins with the introduction of Tsukino Usagi, a 14 year old school girl who lives in Tokyo. She is a careless young lady who is rarely on time and loves to eat sweets. One day, when Usagi is once again late for school, she finds a black cat. It turns out that the cat is able to speak and is named Luna. Luna tells Usagi that she is the sailor senshi (soldier), Sailor Moon.
As Sailor Moon, Usagi enters into combat against the forces of the Dark Kingdom as led by Queen Beryl and her generals. This combat is also in addition to her primary objective (which she is told by Luna) of finding the Moon Princess (the daughter of Queen Serenity, Princess Serenity) and protecting her; however, Usagi has no idea where to begin looking, and is quite against the whole superhero business anyway.
During her combat with the Dark Kingdom, Usagi is often rescued by Tuxedo Kamen. No one, not even Sailor Moon, can figure out who this stranger is. In his mysterious guise (a tuxedo and mask), Tuxedo Kamen appears to serve as a neutral character (at the beginning) in the struggle between Usagi and the Dark Kingdom. Tuxedo Kamen protects Usagi by tossing roses, but his motives are unknown.
As the season progresses, more of the senshi are found. The first senshi found is Sailor Mercury who is then followed by Sailor Mars and then Sailor Jupiter. After a few more battles, the final inner senshi Sailor Venus is discovered in a particular time of need for the senshi. In the action preceeding the story, the senshi are warriors of the Moon Kingdom sworn to protect the moon princess against all evils. And so, with the inner senshi finally united, they begin to search for their moon princess.
The latter portion of this season is concerned with the search for both the moon princess and the seven nijuzuishou (rainbow crystals). The nijuzuishou are important for both the senshi and the Dark Kingdom because when they are all combined, the Ginzuishou (Silver Crystal) can be reformed. The Silver Crystal has the power to defeat the Dark Kingdom, but if Queen Beryl has it she can revive Metalia and rule the universe. During this time, Tuxedo Kamen appears to be in the opposition, fighting to get the seven nijuzuishou for himself. Also during this portion of the season it is revealed that Usagi is the moon princess and that Mamoru Chiba is Tuxedo Kamen, aka Prince Endymion of the past, the moon princess's true love.
Mamoru is then captured by the Dark Kingdom and brainwashed into opposing the senshi. Throughout this, Usagi maintains her devoted love for Mamoru, and this is the only thing that prevents Mamoru from killing her in the end.
In the final three episodes of the season, Usagi leads the rest of the inner senshi to oppose Queen Beryl and the Dark Kingdom. Each of the inner senshi, save Usagi, is killed leaving Usagi as the only one able to oppose Queen Beryl; even so, Usagi is still aided by the spirits of her deceased friends. Beryl is killed by the now restored Tuxedo Kamen, and the true ruler of the Dark Kingdom, Metalia, posesses Beryl's body to fight Usagi.
During her fight against Metalia, Usagi becomes Princess Serenity and is able to kill Metalia with the support and power of the dead senshi's spirits. As Usagi lies weakened and near death after using the power of the Ginzuishou, she wishes that she could be a normal girl.
The next day begins as did the first episode with Usagi late for school. Each of the senshi are alive again, but none know each other; all of the inner senshi have lost their memories of their roles as sailor senshi. And so ends the first season.
-portions of summary from BSSM for Neophytes-
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