EPISODE 026

Naru-chan ni egaowo! Usagi no yuujou

(Smile, Naru-chan! Usagi's Friendship)

Original Air Date: 09-12-1992
Director: Kunihiko Ikuhara
Animation Director: Akira Nakamura
Writer: Sukehiro Tomita

Screencaps

What's In This Episode?
Boxy, Chinatown, Ginzuishou, Kunzite, Kurozuishou, Orgel, Priest, Queen Metallia, Seven Great Youma, Zoisite

The episode begins with Mamoru having a recurring dream. He dreams that he is Tuxedo Kamen, and a young woman is pleading with him to find the Ginzuishou quickly. He wakes up in his apartment and walks out onto the balcony. He wonders who the woman is, and if he is Tuxedo Kamen. He speculates that if he is able to find the Ginzuishou, perhaps all of his questions will be answered.

In the Dark Kingdom's lair, Queen Beryl discusses her plan with Zoisite. She already has one of the seven Nijizuishou needed to form the Ginzuishou, and she needs Zoisite to locate the remaining six. He informs her that the Kurozuishou already senses another Nijizuishou carrier. He tosses the crystal into the air, and it begins to glow. It then produces an illusion of a priest, who is the next Nijizuishou carrier.

At Juuban Junior High School, Haruna-sensei teachers her class while Usagi absentmindedly daydreams. Her best friend, Naru, hasn't been to school for a week, and she is beginning to worry. She thinks back to the night that Nephrite died, and how upset Naru was. Later that day, she tells her friend Umino that she plans to visit Naru, and Umino says that he will go with her.

Usagi and Umino visit Naru in her apartment above the Jewelry Osa-P store, and Umino tactlessly asks her if she was absent from school because of a broken heart. Usagi punches him and calls him a moron, asking him if he has nothing else to say. He then suggests that they all go somewhere for a chocolate parfait, but of course, this doesn't help matters. Suddenly, Naru quietly asks if Usagi would like to go out somewhere and get something to eat. She turns, and she is smiling!

At the Hikawa Jinja shrine, Luna tells Ami, Makoto, and Rei that the Ginzuishou has great power, depending on how it is used... it even has the power to blow up planes! Although she doesn't know where the Ginzuishou itself can be found, she tells the girls that she found out that there are seven shards of the Ginzuishou called Nijizuishou (Rainbow Crystals). She tells them that during the Silver Millennium there were Seven Great Youma, and apparently, someone trapped them inside the seven shards of the Ginzuishou. The youma then became humans on Earth, with the Nijizuishou still inside them. Now, Zoisite is using his Kurozuishou to search for the Nijizuishou carriers, and if he can take all seven of them, he can gain the Ginzuishou. Luna says that in addition, if the Nijizuishou is removed, it will also revive the youma, so the Dark Kingdom is "killing two birds with one stone."

After hearing what Luna has to say, Makoto says, "As long as I'm in this, there's no way I'll let those villains get in the way." Rei angrily thinks that she was going to say that. Ami asks Luna how they will find the Nijizuishou, and Luna says that the new wand she gave to Usagi will respond to any Nijizuishou. Rei says that in that case, there is no way she will let Usagi have the wand... Usagi will probably use it as a hammer for some amateur carpentry!

Luna cheerfully says that she trusts Usagi, even though she "completely lacks a sense of duty," and is irresponsible. She wants to give Usagi the position of leader in order to build her confidence and allow her to become more responsible. Rei thinks that it won't work, but Luna pleads with her to give Usagi a chance. Ami begins to agree with Luna, but Rei pinches her leg until she gives in and says, "I suppose. It'd be nice to see how things go first." Luna is discouraged, and thinks that Usagi must not inspire people's trust in the end.

Makoto uses her communication device to contact Usagi and ask her to come to the shrine. Usagi says that she can't right now, because she has to go to Chinatown in Yokohama with Naru and Umino to eat lots of good food!

In Yokohama, Usagi, Naru, and Umino visit a cemetery. Umino remarks on how quiet they've been. Naru looks out over the graves in the cemetery and says, "So many tombs, but I guess there isn't one for Nephrite." She suddenly begins to cry, but Umino doesn't notice, and begins talking about how he plans to have Peking duck in Chinatown, since he has never had it before. Usagi starts to strangle him, but Naru suddenly disappears.

Naru sees a priest in the cemetery and runs towards him, asking him what she should do. She says that someone very precious to her died, and that he suffered so much, although she wasn't able to help him. She still has the makeshift bandage that she used for his wounds on the night that he died. The priest says, "You have a very beautiful heart. I am sure that person's soul was saved." She tells him that now that Nephrite is gone, she has nothing left. The priest says, "That is not true. Love will be right next to you before you know it. Turn around and you will find love."

Unfortunately, when she turns around, she see Zoisite. She recognizes him as the one who had Nephrite killed.

[Commercial Break]

Umino and Usagi search for Naru, but are unable to find her. Suddenly, Usagi's Moon Stick begins to glow. Luna appears out of nowhere and tells her that the wand is showing that a Nijizuishou is near. She says that she will explain everything about the Nijizuishou later, but that the wand's reaction means that a youma may appear soon. Usagi uses her communication device to contact Makoto, and says that the origin of the signal is the cemetery. Makoto, who is in Chinatown, runs to the cemetery, while Usagi and Luna follow the wand's signal.

The priest asks Zoisite to identify himself, but Zoisite says, "Wouldn't you rather learn more about yourself?" He says that he is just a simple priest, but Zoisite says that the Kurozuishou will reveal who he really is. Naru recognizes the crystal as belonging to Nephrite, and tries to take it from Zoisite. Despite Luna telling her to wait for Makoto, Usagi quickly transforms into Sailor Moon to help her friend.

Zoisite throws Naru to the ground and is just about to attack the priest when Sailor Moon confronts him. He tosses the crystal into the air. It begins glowing, then shoots a beam of light towards the priest. The orange Nijizuishou is removed from the priest's chest, and flies through the air. The priest then transforms into the youma Boxy. He says, "I can hear the crowd cheering me on. I am a champion! Wow!" Zoisite then tells him to knock out Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon says that she isn't a boxer, but the youma says that they will fight to see who is the real winner.

The bell on the youma's belt rings, and he runs towards Sailor Moon saying, "I am a champion! Lovely punch!" He sends one of his boxing gloves flying towards Sailor Moon. She manages to dodge the glove, but it destroys a tombstone behind her. A new glove appears on his hand. Naru begs him to go back to being a normal priest, but he sends a boxing glove flying towards her.

Luckily, Umino sees what is happening and manages to push Naru out of the way. Boxy sends another glove towards Sailor Moon, but Tuxedo Kamen quickly grabs her and carries her to safety. He says, "A true boxer would never hit a beautiful young girl. Instead, he would embrace her gently."

Boxy attacks Tuxedo Kamen, but his glove hits the tombstone on which Tuxedo Kamen is standing. The tombstone is smashed to pieces, but Tuxedo Kamen jumps to safety, putting Sailor Moon on the ground. He then leaps into the air, using his cane to deflect further attacks from Boxy. Meanwhile, Sailor Moon sees a star-shaped locket lying on the ground.

Makoto runs to the scene and quickly transforms into Sailor Jupiter. Boxy runs forward to attack Sailor Jupiter, but she uses her Supreme Thunder attack against him, rendering his boxing glove useless.

Sailor Moon uses her "Moon Healing Escalation" attack to heal Boxy, causing him to transform back into a human. The priest is now wearing white robes, and he says, "Do you believe in God? I do. Love thy neighbors."

Zoisite is looking for the orange Nijizuishou, but Tuxedo Kamen finds it first and leaves. Zoisite disappears, swearing to get the Nijizuishou back. Luna tells Sailor Moon that they have to retrieve the crystal, but Sailor Moon is distracted by thoughts of Tuxedo Kamen.

After leaving the scene, Tuxedo Kamen holds the orange Nijizuishou and transforms back into a civilian, as Mamoru Chiba. He finally realizes that he is Tuxedo Kamen.

Later, Usagi, Naru, and Umino sit on a park bench. Naru bandages Umino's arm with the same makeshift bandage she used on Nephrite the night he died. Usagi realizes that it is the same bandage and begins to say something, but Naru says that it's ok because Umino got hurt while trying to save her. She apologizing for worrying her friends, and resolves to go back to school the next day.

Usagi opens the locket that she found lying on the ground, which begins to play the Sailor Moon theme song. Makoto and Luna look on, and Luna apologizes for asking Makoto to go all the way out to Chinatown. She says that she wanted Makoto see Usagi's good side. Makoto says that at least she found out that Usagi is very caring for her friends.

Naru asks Usagi where she got the locket, but she says, "Just something I picked up."