EPISODE 041

Mou koikara nigenai! Ami to Mamoru taiketsu

(I Won't Run Away From Love Anymore! Ami and Mamoru Face Off)

Original Air Date: 01-23-1993
Director: Yuji Endo
Animation Director: Akira Nakamura
Writer: Katsuyuki Sumizawa

Did you notice...?
Screencaps

What's In This Episode?
Crane Game Joe, Endymion, Ginzuishou, Juuban Land, Kurozuishou, Nijizuishou, Priest, Queen Beryl Rei's Grandfather, Reika Nishimura, Rhett Butler, Ryou Urawa, Seven Great Youma, Yumemi Yumeno

Reika Nishimura is busy taking notes on an archaeological dig in Africa. Suddenly, Endymion appears and says, "I've been looking for you, Reika Nishimura. Or should I call you Rikokeida, one of the Seven Great Youma?" He holds out the Kurozuishou, which begins glowing. Soon, she is trapped within the crystal. Endymion holds it up. Crane Game Joe, the priest, and Rhett Butler are also trapped inside, leaving three more Nijizuishou carriers who have not yet been captured.

It is snowing in Tokyo. Ami's phone rings, and when she answers, Ryou Urawa is on the line. He tells her to quickly turn on her television, which she does. She sees on a news bulletin that the popular illustrator Yumemi Yumeno is missing. Urawa tells Ami that including Yumemi, five of the former Nijizuishou carriers are now missing. He knows that he is the next target due to his residual ability to predict the future. She offers to meet him, but he tells not to, saying that if she does meet him, she will only get involved in the trouble as well. He asks her to protect Rei's grandfather and prevent the Dark Kingdom from achieving their goal.

After he hangs up the phone, he thinks to himself that he was going to ask Ami for her help, but he doesn't want to trouble her and her friends any more than he already has. As he walks away, Makoto passes him on the street. She briefly recognizes him as he walks past, but doesn't stop him. Suddenly, her communication device begins beeping. Luna appears on the screen and tells her that there has been "an incident," and she should go to Hikawa Jinja as quickly as possible. She puts away the communication device and runs towards the shrine.

In the Dark Kingdom's lair, Kunzite asks Queen Beryl why they are gathering the former Seven Great Youma. She tells him that although they were healed by the Crescent Moon Stick and returned to their normal human form, she hopes that the Dark Kingdom will be able to use their energy and the power of the Kurozuishou to transform them back into youma. Kunzite protests that they were already defeated by the Sailor Senshi once, and are useless to them now, but Queen Beryl tells him that he knows nothing.

She says that once the Seven Great Youma are reunited, they will merge together to form the biggest, most powerful youma ever born. She hopes that it will be able to destroy the Sailor Senshi once and for all.

Kunzite asks why the task of gathering the youma was assigned to Endymion rather than him. She evades the question and asks if he has a problem with her decision. He backs down and says that he does not, so she tells him to sit back and watch Endymion's "handiwork."

At Hikawa Jinja, Yuuichirou and Rei's grandfather shovel the snow outside. Inside, Ami talks to the other Sailor Senshi about Ryou's prediction. Artemis correctly guesses that the Dark Kingdom must be plotting something terrible. Makoto is determined to find Ryou, so she and Ami leave to locate him in town, while the others stay behind to guard Rei's grandfather.

Usagi begins to cry, telling Luna that she feels bad for the heroine in the comic book that she's reading. Rei tells her not to read her comic books without permission. She says that Usagi will get them dirty with her tears. They begin to fight.

Endymion is in town waiting for Ryou to show up. When he approaches Ryou, the boy immediately knows who he is. Endymion knows that he can predict the future, and he asks him if he knows what is going to happen to him. Ryou knows that he will be trapped in the Kurozuishou. Endymion tells him that he should quietly go with him, but Ryou remembers what Ami told him in episode 27 and says that he has decided to make his own destiny. He says the he won't just give up! He screams, "MURDERER! HELP ME!" As the crowd panics and surrounds Endymion, Ryou runs away.

Makoto and Ami wander around on the streets of Tokyo. Ami finally says that although she feels bad for Ryou, she doesn't think that they will be able to find him. Makoto scolds her, saying, "He's your boyfriend, isn't he?!" Ami says that he is just a friend. Makoto tells her that Ryou loves her, and she says that she knows, but she needs to focus on their mission, so she can't return the feelings. Makoto is persistent. She says, "If you keep telling yourself that, you will regret your youth. Even champions of justice should be allowed to love! What's wrong with dating a boy that you like? Ami, you're just running away from it. You're scared of being in love. That's why you came up with all the excuses... so you don't have to deal with Urawa. Why can't you be more honest about your feelings?"

Ami blushes and attempts to stammer an answer, but she suddenly sees Ryou in the crowd. The girls run after him. Ryou is running down a long alley, and when he reaches the end, Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury are blocking his path. They tell him that he is safe now that they're here.

Endymion overhears what they say and laughs, taunting them. He leaps down from a fire escape above them. They call him Mamoru, but this only confuses him. He says that someone else called him Mamoru before, but they have the wrong person... his name is Endymion.

[Commercial Break]

Sailor Jupiter tells Sailor Mercury to take Urawa away and let her handle the situation with Endymion. Sailor Mercury agrees and leaves with him. Sailor Jupiter warns Endymion that she will not go easy on him, but Endymion says that it is just what he wanted; he doesn't think that she can handle him all alone. She uses Supreme Thunder, but he easily dodges the attack.

As Sailor Mercury is running away with Ryou, she uses her computer to communicate with the other Sailor Senshi and let them know that she has Ryou with her. She tells them that Mamoru showed up and that Sailor Jupiter is fighting against him. She begs Sailor Moon to hurry to the scene, knowing that the Moon Stick's power is the only way to restore Mamoru. Usagi and Luna leave.

Meanwhile, Sailor Jupiter is physically fighting Endymion. He is able to easily dodge all of her punches, causing her to become tired very quickly. He finally tells her he will go on the offensive now, and soon begins striking back at her. She dodges the attack, but is forced to back up. She ultimately trips over a trash can and falls, putting Endymion in a better position. He throws one final punch, but stops just short of her face. He then laughs and walks away, saying, "As I thought you are no match for me alone. Polish your skills more and fight me again." Sailor Jupiter is quite disappointed in herself.

Sailor Mercury and Ryou flee to find a safe area. He suddenly stop her and points out a nearby amusement park, saying that they should go there instead.

Usagi and Luna run towards Sailor Jupiter's location, but Usagi is cold and concerned about her skin's health in the freezing temperatures. Luna tells her to run faster to warm up. She slips on some ice and begins to cry. Sailor Jupiter appears behind her and tells them that Endymion has disappeared.

At the amusement park, Juuban Land, Sailor Mercury asks Ryou why he wanted to go there. He tells her that it was his dream to go to an amusement park with her, and now he has nothing to regret. He suggests that they go in separate directions from here, but she refuses, saying that they don't know when the Dark Kingdom will come back for him. He insists that he has found the resolve to take them down with him, and that he wants her to be able to fulfill her own mission. "After all," he says, "I was never human anyway. If the sacrifice of my unworthy life could save the world..."

Sailor Mercury smiles and tells him that they are really both the same, always trying to avoid something. She says that her friend told her that she needs to be honest with herself. "Sacrificing yourself is certainly very honorable, but if you're honest with what's in your heart, don't you feel that you want to make it through alive? Aren't you forgetting that there are people who will grieve over your death? Let's both stop running away. Let's take the obstacle head on, no matter what it is."

Suddenly, the lights on the ferris wheel behind them come on. Endymion appears on the ferris wheel and says, "That sounds wonderful, Sailor Mercury." He leaps down, and Sailor Mercury warns him that she won't hesitate to beat him anymore. He says that he planned to wait until the ferris wheel's lights attracted the other Sailor Senshi, but that Sailor Mercury has made that unnecessary.

Sailor Mercury uses Sabão Spray to obstruct his vision, but he manages to see through it and appear directly in front of her. Leaping into the air, he says, "Before I fight you, I am going to take care of my business first." He produces the Kurozuishou, which begins glowing and captures Ryou inside. Sailor Mercury is enraged, and Endymion taunts her by saying, "If you want your boyfriend back, just destroy this Kurozuishou. But of course, that is only if you can defeat me. Come, let us fight."

Much to Sailor Mercury's dismay, he transforms so that he is wearing Tuxedo Kamen's wardrobe. Although she doesn't think that she can defeat him, she is determined to try. She runs past him and uses Sabão Spray again. This time, Endymion easily knocks the bubbles away with his cane.

Thinking quickly, Sailor Mercury takes advantage of Endymion's distraction and leaps through the air to grab the Kurozuishou from his hand. She throws the crystal to the ground, shattering it into six pieces which land nearby and transform in to the six unconscious former Nijizuishou carriers.

Sailor Moon, Sailor Jupiter, and Luna arrive on the scene. Jupiter tells Mercury that she is looking much better now, and Mercury say that it is all thanks to her. She then tells Sailor Moon that she must restore Tuxedo Kamen quickly.

Endymion tells the Sailor Senshi that he will take care of all three of them together, but Sailor Moon stands up to him. Sailor Jupiter and Sailor Mercury use Supreme Thunder and Sabão Spray to stun him, while Sailor Moon uses Moon Healing Escalation. He begins to remember his time with the girls. Sailor Moon uses as much energy as she can in her attack, and finally, Mamoru is restored to his former self. Both he and Sailor Moon collapse.

Suddenly, black energy surrounds the unconscious Mamoru and he disappears. Sailor Mercury realizes that it is the work of the Dark Kingdom, and Sailor Moon begins to cry.

In the Dark Kingdom's lair, Queen Beryl brainwashes Mamoru again. She realizes that his memories of the past were still not completely erased, so this time, she transfers Queen Metallia's energy directly to Mamoru's body to ensure that he becomes a faithful Dark Kingdom servant.

Later, Ami and Ryou visit Juuban Land during the day, when it is open for business. They ride the ferris wheel together, and Ami suggests that they visit again sometime. The other girls look on from below. Usagi wonders if even Ami can forget their mission, then who will be their leader? Minako reminds her that technically, it is Usagi's job to be the leader. Rei taunts Usagi by asking if she is jealous of Ami and Ryou, and she responds, "But so are you."

Makoto intervenes and says they should watch over Ryou and Ami a little longer.

Episode 041 - Did you notice...?

The letter A appears throughout the episode in various places, because this episode focuses on Ami. Some of the places it appears include Ami's jacket and many signs.

When Ryo is walking through the crowd, a man is holding a sign with Rhett Butler (the cat) on it.

The comic book that Rei and Usagi are fighting over is actually Nakayoshi, the manga magazine in which Codename wa Sailor V and Sailor Moon both appeared.

After Makoto and Mamoru fight, there is a sign above the city that says "Sailor Moon" with a crescent moon.

Usagi's jacket has a white bunny on it.