The Animation Art of Ikuko Itoh – Episode 31

Episode 31: Loved and Chased! Luna’s Worst Day Ever

Observations:

• This episode should be called “The One Where Luna Makes Every Silly Expression Ever”
• The other three Senshi are drawn to look fairly average, but Rei looks exceptionally beautiful. It probably helps that she’d dressed up in anticipation of a date with Mamoru.
• This is yet another episode directed by Ikuko Itoh that focuses on a supporting character. (Which I define as any “good guy” who isn’t a Senshi)
• There are lots of Gone With The Wind references in this episode. This was lost in translation in the English dub since they renamed Rhett Butler to  Hercules.”
• Some of the references include: Rhett Butler’s owner’s name is An Ohara, her hair looks somewhat like Scarlet O’Hara’s, and her dress resembles the “curtain dress.” Rei mentions the film after her failed attempt at playing hard-to-get with Yuuchirou. When Bakene catches Luna and brings her closer to stare at her, the flaming background resembles the artwork for Gone With The Wind’s promotional poster.
• We see a lot of Rhett Butler’s…Rhett Butthole. A cat owner was definitely involved in animating this episode.
• When Rei and Yuuchirou are discussing possibly going on a date, the posters behind them change text and expressions in reaction to how badly the conversation is going.
• When Mercury fails to perform Bubble Spray and falls over, her butt is directly in Jupiter’s line of sight. Look at her eyes. They don’t move. She keeps looking at Mercury’s butt. Draw your own conclusions from that.
• There was quite a bit of self-parody in reference to the poses the Senshi make. Sailor Moon hits Mercury and Jupiter in the face when trying to do the “I’ll punish you!” hand motions, and Luna tells Mars off for posing instead of properly surveying the situation. There was also some self-parody of Tuxedo Mask’s rose-throwing when Rhett Butler throws the fishbone.
• I’d say Zoisite had a much worse day than Luna. All that effort and humiliation and he doesn’t even get to keep the crystal.
• It took about 8 tries to get that very quick smear frame when Zoisite steps into the…sewage.
• Another episode where Tuxedo Mask doesn’t get much to do. Gotta wonder if Itoh doesn’t like him much.
• I can only assume it’s a cultural thing, but I found it really concerning that An Ohara was not only left home alone (and she can’t be older than 6 or 7) but her parents didn’t even instruct her not to tell strangers she was alone.
• We went from one of the saddest episodes (Nephrite’s death) to one of the funniest ones. This one has a similar comedic art style to Sailor Moon R episode 55 (the one where Jupiter performs Supreme Thunder Dragon), which is another one Ikuko Itoh directed.
• I love Mako’s grin at Luna when she finds out Luna has a “boyfriend.”