Final Thoughts on PGSM
May. 1st, 2008 07:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ladybug_archiveWell, I still have Act 0 to watch, but eh, I'd say that's good enough to write up my thoughts. I'll just say above the cut that No, in the end I don't prefer PGSM over the anime after all.
Everything was seeming so good, and yet towards the end it all started feeling so rushed. The emotions Mars expressed in Act 47 were beautiful and heart-wrenching (and gave me a KH plunnie), but the episode was so vague. Why did Minako die? Did she have the surgery and it failed? Did she arrive for the exam and suddenly have a terrible spell and they realized that she was too far gone to attempt surgery? Why?! There was no explanation.
Nephrite turning up as a normal human after being stabbed. Again, why? And why did he stay dead after the planet was restored at the end? We never got to see him getting a thank you present for Ami! That pairing was starting to look so cute! I had never believed in it before I saw the show, because I thought people were basing it only on the five seconds of interaction between him and Dark Mercury. But when I saw the scenes of them interacting later on, it was so squee!
And the ending. Okay, so Usagi's past self keeps possessing her and wants to destroy the world if Mamoru/Endymion dies. That's intriguing and intense and I have no problem with that.
The world actually being destroyed before Usagi is able to take control and reverse it with the Silver Crystal? I do have a problem with that. Why couldn't the destruction be growing worse with everything shaking and Usagi trying to break free and panicking? They had a couple scenes with her talking to the Princess in her mind, so why didn't they do it again for the ending? Why didn't she take control and be panicked wondering what to do, and then Mamoru could come and tell her to use the Silver Crystal for good? I've never been crazy about reversing time/the situation after it's all said and done. It seems so hand-wavy.
Also, with all the emotion in 47, I didn't like how Minako was suddenly restored at the end, apparently whole and fine, and that was never really noticed. They all had a wonderful reunion with Usagi at the end, but since they were all remembering stuff then, they should have also remembered that Minako had been dead and have had the same kind of joyous reunion with her specifically.
But I think if they'd left it open for more at the end, I could even accept the way they handled the resolution. Instead, the special act makes it very clear that there wasn't anymore; shortly after the last battle they must have started going their separate ways. And don't get me started on Ami being a doctor at 18/19! WTH? Would that even be possible with a real-life prodigy? Being a doctor requires so much more extra schooling and training than some occupations.
Seriously, though, I think the fact that in the anime/manga you always knew the girls would be together as the Senshi really comforted me. A set of friends who won't be drifting too far from each other because of other things getting in the way? That's so wonderful. I loved the concept that they would always be needed and that even in the far distant future, they would be together. The fact that PGSM took that away honestly depresses me. And it kind of colors my whole view of the show. I think about most scenes and then the thought comes, "But it was all leading up to *that.*"
Also, it was really crummy that Mars didn't even get to join in with everyone in the battle in the special act! Why did they have her get injured early on so she wasn't there for the rest? Did the actress have time constraints? If that wasn't the reason, then they shouldn't have done it like that.
... I guess, though, if I really wanted to, I could pretend the special act doesn't exist. XD; I imagine that's what PGSM fanfic writers do when they want to write PGSM versions of other seasons? If it wasn't for the special act, I'd still be a little dissatisfied, but not downright disappointed and depressed by the way it ended.
The show, overall, is wonderful. The characters are amazing and well-rounded and the story is very interesting and creative. And I've gotta say, I love how Mars and Venus's friendship seems like KH Cloud and Seph. XD; With Venus using tough love to teach Mars and whatnot. But I guess in the end, the anime is still my favorite. I'm going to watch the two-parter that ended the first season anime now.
Everything was seeming so good, and yet towards the end it all started feeling so rushed. The emotions Mars expressed in Act 47 were beautiful and heart-wrenching (and gave me a KH plunnie), but the episode was so vague. Why did Minako die? Did she have the surgery and it failed? Did she arrive for the exam and suddenly have a terrible spell and they realized that she was too far gone to attempt surgery? Why?! There was no explanation.
Nephrite turning up as a normal human after being stabbed. Again, why? And why did he stay dead after the planet was restored at the end? We never got to see him getting a thank you present for Ami! That pairing was starting to look so cute! I had never believed in it before I saw the show, because I thought people were basing it only on the five seconds of interaction between him and Dark Mercury. But when I saw the scenes of them interacting later on, it was so squee!
And the ending. Okay, so Usagi's past self keeps possessing her and wants to destroy the world if Mamoru/Endymion dies. That's intriguing and intense and I have no problem with that.
The world actually being destroyed before Usagi is able to take control and reverse it with the Silver Crystal? I do have a problem with that. Why couldn't the destruction be growing worse with everything shaking and Usagi trying to break free and panicking? They had a couple scenes with her talking to the Princess in her mind, so why didn't they do it again for the ending? Why didn't she take control and be panicked wondering what to do, and then Mamoru could come and tell her to use the Silver Crystal for good? I've never been crazy about reversing time/the situation after it's all said and done. It seems so hand-wavy.
Also, with all the emotion in 47, I didn't like how Minako was suddenly restored at the end, apparently whole and fine, and that was never really noticed. They all had a wonderful reunion with Usagi at the end, but since they were all remembering stuff then, they should have also remembered that Minako had been dead and have had the same kind of joyous reunion with her specifically.
But I think if they'd left it open for more at the end, I could even accept the way they handled the resolution. Instead, the special act makes it very clear that there wasn't anymore; shortly after the last battle they must have started going their separate ways. And don't get me started on Ami being a doctor at 18/19! WTH? Would that even be possible with a real-life prodigy? Being a doctor requires so much more extra schooling and training than some occupations.
Seriously, though, I think the fact that in the anime/manga you always knew the girls would be together as the Senshi really comforted me. A set of friends who won't be drifting too far from each other because of other things getting in the way? That's so wonderful. I loved the concept that they would always be needed and that even in the far distant future, they would be together. The fact that PGSM took that away honestly depresses me. And it kind of colors my whole view of the show. I think about most scenes and then the thought comes, "But it was all leading up to *that.*"
Also, it was really crummy that Mars didn't even get to join in with everyone in the battle in the special act! Why did they have her get injured early on so she wasn't there for the rest? Did the actress have time constraints? If that wasn't the reason, then they shouldn't have done it like that.
... I guess, though, if I really wanted to, I could pretend the special act doesn't exist. XD; I imagine that's what PGSM fanfic writers do when they want to write PGSM versions of other seasons? If it wasn't for the special act, I'd still be a little dissatisfied, but not downright disappointed and depressed by the way it ended.
The show, overall, is wonderful. The characters are amazing and well-rounded and the story is very interesting and creative. And I've gotta say, I love how Mars and Venus's friendship seems like KH Cloud and Seph. XD; With Venus using tough love to teach Mars and whatnot. But I guess in the end, the anime is still my favorite. I'm going to watch the two-parter that ended the first season anime now.
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no subject
Date: 2008-05-02 07:38 am (UTC)Mamoru was definitely more interesting than in the anime. XD He amused me, and I loved seeing how his and Usagi's relationship developed.
no subject
Date: 2008-05-02 08:26 am (UTC)I didn't like the acting in PGSM because there were no nuances. The actresses playing the Sailors tried to look childish and cute without being convincing. Everything was overdone for my taste. Usagi's facial expressions and smiles seemed extremely faked and artificial to me. I agree that Mamoru was much better than in the anime, though. He was even amusing (which anime-Mamoru seldom was).