EPISODE 009

Usagi no sainan! Awate dokeini goyoujin

(Usagi's Misfortune! Beware of the Rushing Clock)

Original Air Date: 05-09-1992
Director: Harume Kosaka
Animation Director: Akira Nakamura
Writer: Katsuyuki Sumizawa

Did you notice...?
Screencaps

What's In This Episode?
Jadeite, Ramua, Ikuko Tsukino, Kenji Tsukino, Haruna Sakurada, Naru Osaka, Gurio Umino, Clock Look, Harajuku

In the Dark Kingdom's lair, Queen Beryl and Jadeite discuss the fact that a second Sailor Senshi, Sailor Mercury, has awakened. Queen Beryl says it's all the more reason to hurry and collect energy. Jadeite tells her about a new idea he has recently had: humans produce more energy when they are psychologically stressed, such as when they are pressed for time. So if they steal the humans' time and cause them to "rush about," they will become more stressed and generate more energy for collection. Queen Beryl approves his idea and tells him to proceed.

Usagi and Ami arrive at Harajuku Station and marvel at all the people there. Usagi says that Ami probably hasn't been places like this before, but Ami says that she's read about such places in books. Usagi tells her she is still young and she needs to get out more. The two decide to do some window shopping, and visit several shops, trying on clothing and looking at different books. At one point, they stop at a book store and show each other what they've picked up; neither seems to like the other girl's selection very much. At the end of the day, they're both very tired.

They spot a new store called "Clock Look," which has a banner outside announcing that it's the "Big Spring Bargain Week." The store attracts their attention because there are dozens of people crowded outside the entrance. The store is having its grand opening, and prices are between fifty and seventy percent off. Usagi wants to go look, but Ami says she already has a watch from her mother, so she's ok. Usagi tells her she should act more her age. "It's free if we're just going to look! So it would be a waste if we don't!"

Inside the store, the beautiful sales clerk greets them and tells them to feel free to look around. The prices of all the products are very cheap; both Ami and Usagi are impressed. They look at several clocks, one of which looks just like Luna. Usagi decides to buy it because she's always late for school. The sales clerk appears behind the girls and talks about what a bargain the clock is, but Usagi doesn't have enough money to afford it. She cries, thinking that if she's late to school one more time, she'll break her own record. Ami tells Usagi not to cry; she can even come get her every morning! Usagi enthusiastically hugs Ami and tells her friend that she loves her.

At Usagi's house that night, Usagi's mother, Ikuko, says that she got a present for Usagi. She says that she went shopping with Naru and Umino's mothers that day, and hands her daughter a box wrapped in pink paper from Clock Look. She also tells Usagi that they were having an incredible sale, and that Umino's mother bought seven clocks! Usagi opens the box to reveal the clock that looked like Luna. Ikuko says, "I just remember that you are always late for school." Usagi thanks her mother and thinks, "Looks like God didn't abandon me after all."

In Usagi's room, she sets her new clock. Luna is a little miffed that Usagi thinks the clock looks like Luna; Luna thinks that she looks much better! Usagi agrees with her, and says that since Ami will be there tomorrow, she won't have to worry about being late to school. Luna continues with her diatribe, saying that the cat on the clock looks sneaky... she asks Usagi if she looks that sneaky. Usagi falls asleep, and Luna looks up at the clock.

Later on in the night, at midnight, the clock begins to glow with a mysterious green light shining down on Usagi. Luna wakes up and notices the light. Meanwhile, in Ikuko and Kenji's room, their own new clock shines down on them with the same mysterious light. Luna jumps onto Usagi's bed and glares at the clock, wondering about it...

The next morning at 7:00 AM, Ami arrives at the Tsukino household and rings the doorbell. Ikuko answer the door and tells Ami that Usagi has already left for school, and that Shingo left before that. Kenji suddenly runs out of the door as fast as he can, still eating his toast, saying that he's late! Ikuko waves to him, thinking about everything she has to do. She says that it's almost time for dinner!

At Juuban Junior High School, everyone runs in as fast as they can, saying that they're late. In Usagi's classroom, her teacher, Haruna Sakurada, complains that most of her students are late. Naru Osaka suddenly stands up and says she can't wait anymore! Usagi, already eating her lunch, agrees... Umino soon stands up and begins to complain as well.

Haruna finally tells all the students they can study by themselves today... it's already 8:00, and most of the students have not shown up. She leaves the classroom, saying that she has four dates today anyway, and can't stay like this. Usagi agrees. Umino says, "In the old days, they used to say, 'fall in love, life is short,'" but Naru and Usagi tell him he's wrong. Naru stands up and says they shouldn't waste their time like this. All of the students decide to go home.

Ami is walking towards school, and everyone around her seems to be in a rush. She wonders why all of the shops are opening so early. Luna suddenly runs towards her with the cat clock strapped to her side and tells her that something is wrong today... Usagi even left home early for school! Luna says that she thinks something is wrong with the clock, and asks Ami to check it.

They sit on a bench and Ami holds the clock in her lap. Luna suddenly flips into the air and produces a mini supercomputer for Ami, telling her that it's useful for analyzing things. She also says that Usagi would never figure it out, but she knows Ami will be able to use it easily.

Ami pulls the back off of the clock and a bright light flashes from inside. An orb shoots out of the clock and whizzes past Ami's head, just missing her. When the two look inside, the clock's back compartment is totally empty. Luna realizes that the clock isn't ordinary, and the strange way people have been acting must have something to do with Clock Look.

[Commercial Break]

All over the city, people are acting strangely and getting into accidents due to their excessive stress and hurry. They are all rushing to get everywhere as fast as they can, and producing large amounts of energy. Jadeite laughs as he collects the energy generated by their impatience.

At Clock Look, the sales clerk looks at a large clock inside the store and laughs, saying, "All the energy collected by my clocks will be gathered in this gigantic clock no matter where they are..." The shop around her suddenly goes dark, and the sales clerk transforms into her youma form. Jadeite appears next to her saying, "You certainly know how to manipulate time, Ramua. Your magical power really paralyzed their sense of time." She thanks him for his words and leaves, saying that he is leaving everything to her, and that she should be careful of the Sailor Senshi.

On a city bus, Usagi runs in place, complaining about the slowness of the bus. Everyone tells her to be quiet, because she's not the only one who is in a hurry. The bus driver is driving very badly because he is so impatient, and Usagi falls on the bus. The passengers beg him to stop at their bus stops, but he tells that the bus is running "express" today and won't stop until the last stop. One woman becomes irate and begins strangling him.

Ami steps out of a phone booth and says that nobody at school answered the phone. She feels uncomfortably trying to do things alone, so she and Luna decide to try to find Usagi. Suddenly there is a loud crash - the bus slams into a pole behind them. The driver panics as the passengers (including Usagi) angrily get off the bus.

Ami, Usagi, and Luna arrive at Clock Look, but it is closed. Usagi, who is still under the influence of the clock, is impatient to go in because Luna thinks the store is behind everything. She says that she has a lot of things to do today, such as eat snacks, finish her game, and take a bath. She looks at her watch and panics about how late it is. Luna and Ami try to think of a way to get in. Ami says they could go in through the back, but the youma could be waiting for them there already. Usagi gets impatient and says that they should go through the front if either way is just going to be a trap anyway. The two girls quickly transform.

Sailor Moon uses "Moon Tiara Action" on the door to create a temporary hole, which Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury run through. Just as Luna tries to run through, the hole disappears and she slams into the door, leaving a large red mark on her face. She says, "I'm so unlucky."

A door opens and the two senshi come upon Ramua, who says that she never expected them to show up so early. Sailor Moon says, "I cannot forgive someone who toys with a girl's precious time! Even the cuckoo in the cuckoo clock is mad!" Ramua transforms into her youma form and says, "I'll show you that this where you're going to die!"

The clock in the store begins to strike, and Ramua floats through it, telling Sailor Moon to come and get her. Sailor Moon and Sailor Mercury rush through the clock and emerge through a door on the other side to find themselves in an alternate dimension. Warped images of clocks float all around them. Sailor Mercury tells Sailor Moon to be careful, because the youma could have set a trap, and Sailor Moon become irritated. She yells out to Ramua, "You coward! It's cheap not to show yourself!"

Ramua's voice sounds all around them, saying, "I'm waiting right here! Why don't you come?" Sailor Moon gets impatient and looks for Ramua, despite Sailor Mercury telling her that it's dangerous. Sailor Mercury touches her right earring a visor appears over her eyes.

Sailor Moon kicks her way through a door, and Sailor Mercury tells her that they'll get lost if she just walks around without thinking. Sailor Mercury begins typing on her supercomputer, and Sailor Moon asks about it. Ramua's voice suddenly asks, "What's wrong? Are you still there?" Sailor Moon yells at her that she'll be there soon.

Sailor Mercury looks up in time to see that Sailor Moon is shrinking! Her age is reversed to the point that she is only a small child. Luckily, Sailor Mercury grabs her and pulls her back towards the door. Sailor Moon's age then returns to normal. Sailor Mercury says that time here is very unstable: it can go faster or slower, or even backwards. Sailor Moon says, "The we could be in a room where we become grannies?" She thinks about herself as an old woman.

Inside the Clock Look store, Tuxedo Kamen appears in a window and leaps down to the floor, but does not find the Sailor Senshi, as he had hoped. In the alternate dimension, Sailor Mercury continues to type on her supercomputer, and Sailor Moon becomes even more frustrated. Finally, Mercury's visor disappears and she says that this maze is set up in a certain way. She says there is a 78% probability that they will find Ramua in the direction she points. The two girls quickly run through and come across Ramua.

Ramua says that this is the end, and Sailor Moon rushes towards her. Suddenly, Sailor Moon falls to the ground and says that she can't stand up. Ramua steps forward and tells her opponent that her energy has been drained by the clock. She then whips her spear-like weapon through the air and gives Sailor Moon a cut on her face. She then raises her hand and emits a beam of yellow energy towards Sailor Mercury, paralyzing the Sailor Senshi by "stopping her time."

Ramua begins jabbing her spear at Sailor Moon, while the young girl ducks and dodges it as much as possible. Sailor Mercury looks on helplessly, unable to move. In the store, Tuxedo Kamen hears the girls yelling and realizes that the sounds are coming from inside the clock. He throws one of his red roses and the clock and strikes it, causing Ramua's energy to be drained, while Sailor Moon regains her own energy.

Sailor Mercury is finally able to move again, and she uses her "Sabão Spray" attack so that Ramua is unable to see the Senshi. She then rushes to Sailor Moon's side and helps her up. They see two flashes of light where Ramua's eyes are, and Sailor Mercury points out the direction. Sailor Moon then uses her "Moon Tiara Action" attack to destroy Ramua.

Outside of the store, Luna is waiting. The store front suddenly vanishes to reveal an empty lot, and Ami and Usagi appear in their civilian clothing. As the two girls walk home, Usagi says that she is really exhausted and that she doesn't want to get stressed out anymore. Naru suddenly runs up and tells Usagi that a cake shop is doing a speed eating contest! The two girls begin to run off to the event, but Usagi trips and begins to cry. Luna winks and says, "I don't think her personality will ever change!"

Episode 009 - Did you notice...?

Ami and Usagi go window shopping in Harajuku, a real-life area in Tokyo. The scene pictured is almost identical to Takeshita Street, which targets young teenagers. If you look closely, there is even a sign that resembles the familiar McDonald's golden arches (although not quite - this sign only displays one arch!)

On the door of Clock Look, the four on the face of the clock is written as a Roman Numeral, but it is written upside-down.

Sailor Mercury's supercomputer shows Officer Murphy's directives from the movie "Robocop." The screen reads (in English): "1. Serve the Public Trust, 2. Protect the Innocent, 3. Uphold the law."