EPISODE 017

Model ha Usagi? Youma camera no nessha

(Usagi is a Model? The Focus of the Youma Camera)

Original Air Date: 07-04-1992
Director: Yuji Endo
Animation Director: Kazuko Tadano
Writer: Sukehiro Tomita

Screencaps
Did You Notice...?

What's In This Episode?
Cameran, Kijin Shinokawa, Ikuko Tsukino, Naru Osaka, Nephrite, New Japan Hotel, Shingo Tsukino

Usagi sits at her desk at Juuban Junior High School and begins eating her lunch. She overhears a group of her friends, including Naru, talking. They are looking at a magazine article featuring Kijin Shinokawa, a junior high school student who won the Japan Picture Grand Prize. Usagi rushes over to get a better look at the article, and sees that Kijin attends Gohongi Number 1 Junior High School, which is near Rei's school, T*A Girls' School. Usagi shows the article to Ami, and suggests that they go try to get an autograph from him after school. Unfortunately, Ami has to attend cram school in the afternoon. Usagi tells her that she is wasting her "precious youth" by studying, but Ami says that studying is her precious youth.

After school, Kijin is accosted by several reporters who ask him a variety of standard questions about his photography. Usagi, Naru, and two of their classmates run up to attempt to get an autograph from the boy, but they are stopped by Rei, who tells them not to act like groupies. She also says that if Usagi can't appreciate his art, she shouldn't make such a fuss just because a famous photographer is in the area. Of course, Usagi argues back that it is none of Rei's business. Just then, Kijin approaches the two girls and asks them to stop arguing.

Later, Kijin goes to the coast to take scenic pictures of the ocean. He slips on a rock and almost falls down a cliff, but a a stranger grabs his wrist to prevent him from falling. The stranger, who is really Nephrite, picks up Kijin's camera and stealthily marks it with his evil crest, causing it to become possessed by a youma and increase Kijin's energy output. He leaves and tells the boy to keep up the good work. Later, at his hidden mansion in the forest, Nephrite consults the stars for his next victim: Kijin Shinokawa. By photographing young women, Kijin's energy output will increase to its peak.

At Kijin's home, the boy's personality has taken a turn for the worse. He laughs evilly as he works on his camera, feeling that his imagination is "getting really fired up." He has become obsessed with taking "explosive" pictures of girls, no matter who they are.

Usagi reads a magazine advertisement that says, "You could be the next model to be photographed by the talented Kijin Shinokawa!" She is very excited about the opportunity. Luna attempts to give Usagi a new communication device (having already given them to Ami and Rei). Usagi decides to use the device to contact Ami and tell her that she's going to be a model. She does so, but Ami scolds her for using the device in such a way. Ami "hangs up," so Usagi decides to contact Rei... until she realizes that Rei will probably just scold her, too.

Later, Usagi tells her brother Shingo that she hopes to become a model. He laughs at her and says that there's no way she can become a model with her face, and besides, models have to be smart, too. Usagi says that she'll study hard, but he doesn't believe her: he reminds her that she hates studying and says that she's stupid. Shingo thinks that she will get disqualified after the judges see her photo in the first round. Usagi tells her mother that Shingo is being mean, but Ikuko agrees with Shingo, so Usagi begins to cry, saying that her family is cruel and merciless!

Usagi goes to Game Center Crown, where Motoki tells her that she should never give up before she starts, and that it is important to challenge oneself. Mamoru overhears the conversations and says the Motoki is right, but Usagi will probably fail anyway... although participation is the important thing. He goes on to say that men and women have the wrong idea lately... they think they've become beautiful just because they "pretty themselves up," but a person's beauty isn't limited to looks alone. Usagi demands to know what else counts, and Mamoru says that important things include a kind heart and "the guts to carry out what's right." He doesn't think Usagi has either, and he doesn't feel that it's right for Kijin to only want to photograph any young girls. Motoki scolds Mamoru for talking to Usagi like she's a little kid, and Mamoru says that he knows... but they always end up fighting when they talk.

Back at Usagi's house, she nervously waits for the mail, to see if she has gotten an acceptance letter for the competition. Shingo walks up and tells her that she probably got rejected. The mail delivery person drives up and gives Usagi a letter... she has passed the first round of screening! The letter says that she should go to the New Japan Hotel the next day (July 4) to do a photo shoot by the pool. Later, Usagi goes up to her room to "practice" being a model by reciting vowels and tongue twisters. She also attempts singing and decides to look for her bathing suit for the photo shoot. Unfortunately, her swimsuit has moth holes in it!

The next day, Usagi arrives at New Japan Hotel for the photo session. There are already hundreds of hopeful girls there, and Kijin Shinokawa tells the girls to wait in their assigned rooms because he doesn't want to be disturbed while taking pictures. Luna is hidden in a basket, and as Usagi walks to her room, she tells the girl that something doesn't seem right: Kijin is behaving completely differently than before. Usagi denies this claim, saying that all artists are a little weird. Just then, Haruna Sakurada and Naru Osaka walk up, also having been accepted for the photo shoot.

Later, Usagi sits in the dressing area and practices different facial expressions in front of a mirror. Naru and Haruna step out of a changing room in their swimsuits, and Naru tells Usagi that she should change into her swimsuit soon. Usagi says that she's already wearing hers underneath her clothes, but she seems embarrassed to show it off. When she does take off her dress to reveal her bathing suit, it seems that she has put yellow ribbons over all of the moth holes!

Luna sneaks into the photo shoot area near the pool. She sees that Kijin is taking photographs of the young girls, and he is acting very strangely. When he takes a picture of the girls, the flash zooms forwards... and when it hits the girls, they disappear! Luna is shocked!

[Commercial Break]

Luna goes into the dressing room and tells Usagi what is happening to the girls when they are photographed. Usagi thinks it is nonsense, but Luna insists that it is a Dark Kingdom plot, and that Ami and Rei should be contacted. To convince Usagi, Luna tells her that she will tell everyone about the swimsuit's moth holes! Usagi contacts Ami, but doesn't tell her about the danger.

Naru and Haruna walk out of the room to go to the photo shoot; both girls think that they have gained weight. Usagi begins to go with them, but Luna snatches a bow off of her swimsuit, so Usagi chases after her! Luna goes directly to the pool, where the photo shoot is taking place. Naru and Haruna are posing with two other girls. When Kijin takes their picture, they disappear!

Usagi and Luna run forward and demand to know what Kijin is doing. He says, "Art is self expressions! I don't care who she is! I'm going to snap pictures of girls!" Just as he is about to take Usagi's pictures, she says, "You're wrong. You don't care who it is, as long as she's a young girl? Anyone who takes photographs with an attitude like that is a third-rate photographer! You're supposed to be a photographer who understands the beauty in this world! Please wake up!" Kijin shoves Usagi aside and says, "Back off!" She then quickly transforms into Sailor Moon and says, "You can't judge how beautiful a girl is just by how she looks! You have to look at our hearts and our love of justice!" She introduces herself and challenges the youma possessing Kijin to come out.

Kijin laughs and attempts to take pictures of her. She dodges the flash from the photos and uses her "Sailor Moon Kick" attack to knock the camera into the pool. Kijin is knocked unconscious and the youma Cameran appears nearby. The youma immediately photographs Kijin with an eye in the center of her hand, causing a flash to shoot forth. When the beam hits Kijin, he disappears. Anyone caught in the flash will be trapped in the picture. Cameran then attempts to take Sailor Moon's picture, but she is able to dodge the beams. Just as one of the beams is about to hit Sailor Moon, Luna jumps in front of the girl and is hit instead, causing her to become trapped in a photograph. Cameran throws photographs of Luna and Kijin at Sailor Moon.

Cameran backs Sailor Moon into a corner, but Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars suddenly appear to thwart her plans. Sailor Mercury uses her Sabão Spray attack to fill the air with bubbles and mist, while Sailor Mars uses her Akuryou Taisan attack to fling ofuda at the youma. Cameran is able to deflect the ofuda by blasting them with photographic beams, and she even manages to hit Sailor Mars and Mercury, causing them to become trapped in photographs as well.

Sailor Moon backs up against a mirrored wall, and remembers that if the camera captures someone, they are instantly turned into a picture. She suddenly has an idea...

When Cameran tries to take Sailor Moon's picture, Sailor Moon leaps out of the way at the last second, causing the flash to be reflected back onto the youma. Cameran instantly begins to melt, and Sailor Moon uses her Moon Tiara Action attack to destroy her once and for all. Everyone whose picture was taken reappears.

At Nephrite's mansion in the forest, the villain sees that he cannot collect energy from Kijin Shinokawa. Zoisite appears before him and mocks him for his failure, but Nephrite tells him that he should properly fulfill his own duties before worrying about others.

Late that night, at the Tsukino household, Usagi has locked herself in her bedroom. On television, the Tsukino family sees that Kijin has decided to take a break from photography for a while. He says in an interview that someone taught him a lesson - that a woman's true beauty is not about how she looks, but what's in her heart and her love for justice. He says that when he learns what that truly means, he will take up photography again. He refuses to say who the person was, just "a wonderful girl." Ikuko mentions that she wishes for Usagi to become a wonderful girl like that one day, and Kenji agrees. Shingo, however, thinks it is impossible. Meanwhile, Usagi sleeps after a long day, dreaming of becoming a beautiful model.