Act 23 - In Order to Awaken Her Senshi Powers, Rei Sings

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Minako forces Rei to sing for the children at a local hospital, which helps her awaken as a Senshi.

Summary

PGSM Episode
act23.jpg
Sailor Mars awakens her Senshi power
Name (kanji/kana): 戦士の力を目覚めさせるため、うたうレイ
Name (romaji): Senshi no Chikara wo Mezame Saseru Tame, Utau Rei
Name (translated): In Order to Awaken Her Senshi Powers, Rei Sings
Episode Number: 23
Director: Takemitsu Sato
Writer: Yasuko Kobayashi
Air Date: March 13, 2004
Previous Episode: Act 22 - Ami Becomes an Enemy
Next Episode: Act 24 - I Can't Forget About Mamoru Chiba After All

The image of Zoisite tells Mamoru that he knew who he was. Mamoru is shocked and remembers when he first saw Zoisite, who called him "Master Endymion." Zoisite says that he wants Mamoru to remember back when he was called Endymion. Mamoru demands to know his visitor's name, and asks if Zoisite knows him. Zoisite replies that he did, long ago, and continues to play his piano while Mamoru watches him intently. Hina sudddenly calls to Mamoru from down the hall, and starts to enter. Mamoru tells her to wait a minute and hurries out to meet her, closing the door to the living room behind him. He suggests that they go out for coffee, and doesn't give her answer when she asks what the noise was.

At the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite plays his piano. Queen Beryl, Kunzite, Jadeite, and Nephrite hear it, and comment that he has finally revived. Beryl says that it's because Queen Metalia is growing stronger, and congratulates Jadeite on his efforts to collect energy. She then turns to Nephrite and asks if he is going to do anything worthwhile soon. Nephrite insists that he will retrieve the Silver Crystal soon and just needs time, but Jadeite mocks him as Kunzite looks on with a smirk.

Nephrite stalks down a hallway, cursing Jadeite, and runs into Dark Mercury. She offers to help him out, but he angrily refuses. She shrugs it off and warns him not to touch the Sailor Senshi, because they're hers. Nephrite glares at her as she walks away.

In the Secret Base, Luna theorizes that it will take everyone's combined power to turn Ami back to normal, because when Sailor Moon used her power, for a second she almost turned back. Rei says that they need to awaken their powers, like Usagi did, and Makoto nods in agreement. Luna tells them that their powers as Senshi should be much stronger, and they remember what Sailor Venus said about remembering their real powers.

Rei walks up the steps to the Hikawa Shrine, thinking about how exactly she should try to awaken her powers. Once at the shrine, she is greeted by a woman and her daughter, Nana, who has just gotten out of the hospital. Nana tells Rei that while she was there, Minako Aino paid a visit, and Rei looks thoughtful.

Rei arrives at the hospital, and there finds Minako just finishing a small concert, after which she is mobbed by small children requesting autographs. As Rei watches, she is approached by a small girl requesting her autograph as well. Rei says that Minako is over there, but the girl's mother informs her that Minako told them she was also an idol, named Reiko Mars.

As Minako leaves she find Rei waiting for her. Rei angrily demands to know why Minako was telling people she was an idol, and Minako retorts that she'd told Rei not to follow her around. Rei says that she'd heard Minako came to the hospital every month and wondered if something was wrong, but Minako says she just gets a checkup and encourages the children. Minako observes that she was surprised Sailor Moon had awakened first, because she'd thought it would be Rei. She thinks that being unable to awaken her powers means that Rei is lacking something and isn't good enough to be the leader of the Senshi.

A nurse then leads a small group of children out and says that Minako told her Rei would be singing for the children, and thanks her, saying the children are very excited; Minako looks away with a mischievous grin on her face. Rei drags Minako to one side and demands to know what's going on, and Minako replies that it's her punishment. When the nurse asks if Rei needs anything for the performance, she insists that she's not famous at all, but the nurse tells her that it doesn't matter, it will still cheer up the children, and they're all looking forward to it. Rei turns to Minako, looking very angry, but Minako says that the power of the leader requires cooperation. She excuses herself, wishing "Reiko Mars" luck as she goes. Rei glares after her, furious.

Back at the Secret Base, Rei pulls out karaoke books and, looking determined, tells herself she can do this. She tries to figure out the karaoke machine on the stage, but cannot prevail against it.

Minako emerges from a machine at the hospital and turns to Artemis, admitting that she might have gone a little too far with Rei, and he sighs in response. In the next room, doctors discuss Minako's test results, saying that she only has six months left to live. Minako starts to get up off the table, but has to sit back down again, clutching at her head.

Mamoru arrives at his apartment and enters cautiously, but finds it empty. He sets his things down on the table and flops onto the couch. In his room in the Dark Kingdom, Zoisite begins to play his piano, saying that he wants Mamoru to remember when he was called Endymion. Mamoru says that he knows that man, Zoisite, and wonders that Endymion used to be his name. After a moment he stands, and wonders what he should do.

Usagi is in her room, working on her homework. She suddenly drops her pencil and looks up, as Zoisite's music continues to play in the background.

Mamoru picks up his passport and looks at it, thinking that it's already decided.

Usagi nods slightly and picks up her pencil to resume working on her homework, but her cell phone rings. Rei is on the phone, and sounding distinctly uncomfortable, asks for some help. Usagi looks at her phone in disbelief.

Usagi excitedly rushes into Karaoke Crown, pausing at the front desk to show her passport to Kamekichi, and bursts into the Secret Base while excitedly calling Rei's name. She pulls books and CDs from her bag while talking happily about Rei's live performance. Luna hops onto the table and remarks that Rei has never shown this ability before. Rei tries to dismiss it as nothing, and in the face of Usagi's enthusiasm looks rather uncomfortable.

In the Dark Kingdom, Nephrite creates a new Youma using a stone.

Minako lies in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm. Artemis watches her, concerned.

Rei sings on the karaoke stage as Luna and Usagi watch her. When the song is over, Rei notices that her audience doesn't look very enthusiastic, and asks if she did okay. Usagi replies that she sang well, but her expression is kind of scary. Rei nods a little and walks off the stage, and Usagi asks her if she really hates the idea of performing this much. Rei says that's not it, she's disgusted with herself for needing to ask for help. Usagi purses her lips thoughtfully as Rei continues, saying that she'll never awaken her Senshi powers if she's like this. Luna speaks up and tells them that it's almost time, and Usagi scrambles to gather her things together.

Usagi and Rei arrive at the hospital, where a crowd of children is already starting to gather. In the back room, Rei uses her Teletia S to change into a new outfit, and Usagi enthuses over how cute it is. The music starts to play and Rei steels herself to go out. Before she leaves, though, Usagi tells her that she's glad Rei asked for her help, because it made her feel like Rei trusted her. Rei is surprised, and Usagi says that when you rely on someone, you have to trust them. She smiles and gets behind Rei, giving her a little push toward the performance room.

As Rei gets out onto the stage, she remembers Minako telling her that she lacked something. She takes hold of the microphone and starts to sing, looking uncomfortable at first. Usagi looks on with a happy smile. Luna suddenly senses a Youma and alerts Usagi; Rei, sensing the same thing, glances over as she keeps singing. Usagi gestures and exaggeratedly mouths to Rei that she'll go take care of it, and Rei needs to keep singing. Rei nods and continues her song, starting to look less awkward on stage.

The Youma stalks the hallway of the hospital, and Artemis alerts Minako to its presence. Minako leaps out of bed and transforms into Sailor Venus. She goes out into the hall and uses her Venus Beam attack on the Youma, but it deflects the attack. Sailor Venus looks dismayed, but just then Usagi arrives and transforms into Sailor Moon.

The two Senshi chase the Youma down a stairwell and into an open lobby area. Some ballet-fu ensues, then the girls position themselves to either side of the Youma, and Venus uses Venus Love-Me Chain at the same time Sailor Moon uses Moon Twilight Flash. They destroy the Youma, however it left behind a messy goo that firmly sticks the Senshi's feet to the floor. As they realize that they can't move, Nephrite appears, looking pleased with himself.

Nephrite stalks toward Sailor Venus, accusing her of being behind all his troubles, and reaches out toward her. He is suddenly interrupted by a blast of fire; when he looks toward the source Sailor Mars sends another blast of fire, then flips over his head and strikes a pose. The two of them face off. Nephrite concentrates on summoning a large ball of energy, but Mars creates swirls of flame, then sends a powered-up version of Youma Taisan at him which easily breaks through his attack. Nephrite, injured, then disappears.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Venus, now freed, come up to join Sailor Mars. Sailor Venus observes that Sailor Mars found what it was she was lacking, and Sailor Mars glances at Sailor Moon, remembering Usagi's earlier words about trusting someone. Sailor Mars thinks that she needs to trust her companions. Sailor Venus interrupts her thoughts, though, and says she hasn't fully awakened - there's still more to remember. She then picks up Artemis and leaves.

Sailor Moon congratulates Sailor Mars, and says that they now just need Makoto to awaken, and then they'll be sure to get Ami back. She excitedly adds that now they can sing karaoke together, but Mars replies that she still hates karaoke. Shocked, Sailor Moon points out that she just sang a song, and Sailor Mars says it was a special occasion and isn't going to happen again. She walks off as Sailor Moon calls after her, dismayed.

Nephrite staggers down a hallway in the Dark Kingdom before finally collapsing. Dark Mercury arrives and looks down at him, dismissing him as pathetic before she turns and walks away. Furious, Nephrite summons a weapon and attacks her from behind.

Episode Trivia

  • "Reiko Mars," Rei's stage name, was first coined by Minako in this episode, which also showed Rei's informal debut.
  • In this episode, it was mentioned that Minako only had six months left to live. Minako died in Act 47, which was aired about six months after this episode.
  • Minako having a terminal illness echoed a traditional feature in Japanese dramas/movies of a main character suffering from a terminal medical condition. Such tradition had been revived by the rising popularity of similarly themed Korean dramas/movies at the time of this series.
  • Keiko Kitagawa, the then-teenage actress playing Rei, once mentioned in her blog (September 2006) that she was distrustful of others during her teenage years, and that she had changed her attitude since then. Hence, at the time of shooting, she shared a similar personality trait with the character she was playing, before the character started to change in this episode.

Goofs

  • Continuity: While Minako was getting tests done, she was wearing a hospital gown. When she jumped out of bed to go after the Youma, she was fully dressed (including boots).

Cast

Previous episode:
22
Season
Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon
Next episode:
24