EPISODE 178

Luna ha Mita!? Idol Yaten no Sugao
(Luna Saw It! The True Character of Yaten)

Original Air Date: 06-22-1996



A poster depicting a drawing of Luna is seen hanging on a post. Above Luna's head it says, "There's a crescent bald spot," and below it asks, "Have you seen Luna? Give a call to the Tsukinos." Minako, Ami, Makoto, and Rei huddle around Usagi, who is holding one of the posters. She says that Luna has been missing for a week. Artemis, who is sitting on Minako's shoulder, says that it is very strange... Luna would have informed everyone. Everyone wonders if something bad has happened to her, but Minako cheerfully says that maybe she was picked up by a travelling troupe.

The group walks away, still discussing Luna's disappearance. They walk past a store window with several televisions in it and see Yaten on the screen. As part of a special on the pets of stars, Yaten is shown being interviewed by a reporter. He is holding a cat, and when the reporter asks about the cat, Yaten says that she is his family. Suddenly, everyone realizes that he is holding Luna. Artemis is quite distressed!

[Title Screen]

At Juuban High School, Yaten is sitting under a tree outside. Ami, Minako, Usagi, and Makoto hide behind the bushes and talk about him. Makoto tells Usagi that she should directly ask Yaten about Luna. Minako is outraged that the two were on television together.

Just as Usagi resolves to ask Yaten, and begins to walk over, a girl suddenly appears behind her. The girl says, "Excuse me, you're Tsukino-san in class one, first year, aren't you?" She then hands Usagi a letter sealed with a heart sticker. It is a love letter! Usagi blushes and says, "Well, I appreciate your feelings, but there is already someone." The girl begins to cry, but Usagi says, "Don't cry! Even though you can't be a girlfriend, you may want to be one of my friends. And it's better to fall in love with a boy." The girl asks, "When you said there is already someone, was that about yourself?" Usagi confirms this. The girl immediately cheers up and says, "Oh... I understand! Please pass this to Yaten! See you!" She then hands the letter to Usagi and runs off.

Minako elbows Makoto and says, "Who thought it would go to Usagi?" Ami blurts out, "Sorry, I thought Usagi is that type of girl!" Everyone looks at her, shocked. She blushes and says, "Oh, I don't mean that in particular!"

Usagi walks up to Yaten, who is reading a book, and says hello. Her friends cheer her on from the bushes. She asks what he is reading, and he responds with, "Nothing special. When I'm reading, no one bothers me unless they have errands, like you." Usagi snatches the book away from him and says, "I called you because I have some errands." Yaten coldly says, "I guess what you call an errand is something like handing over someone else's love letter." He says that he gets too many of them, but she hands it to him anyway.

Yaten throws away the love letter, along with a plastic water bottle. Usagi yells at him, "The love letter! You disposed of it without reading it! Why do you ignore a girl's decision?" He tells her that it is none of her business, and walks away.

At the Hikawa Jinja shrine, Makoto, Minako, Ami, Usagi, Rei, and Artemis discuss the issue of Luna's appearance with Yaten. Artemis says that they should first make sure that it was actually Luna who was with Yaten. Minako and Makoto get distracted thinking about Yaten, and say that they wish they were Luna. Artemis tells them that they should be more serious!

Luna suddenly appears behind them and surprises them, giggling and telling them not to worry. Artemis is quite upset, and asks where she's been. She says that she's been with Yaten the entire time.

She has a flashback... she's stretching out on top of a wall, saying that it's a nice day for a nap. She hears Seiya and Taiki reaching for something, and looks down to see them grabbing at the top of the wall. She looks up to see a large chameleon! Much to her relief, it quickly crawls up a tree. She looks down again and see's Seiya saying that he bought it at a department store. Taiki tells him that there's nothing that they can do, because it's now hiding behind leaves in the tree. Yaten walks up and asks what's going on. Seiya and Taiki chastise him for getting them involved with a "stars with pets" project, although they have no pets. Yaten says its Taiki's fault because he is the one who took it out of the cage. Since they can't get another chameleon, they decide it's ok to have a dog or... a cat! They look up at Luna... who is thrilled to be able to work with Yaten.

The flashback is over, and Minako is quite excited about what she's heard. She picks up Luna and smells the soap on her. Luna admits that she and Yaten took a bath together! Minako is rather upset, saying, "A cat is ok... A cat can take a bath with him, sleep in the same bed, enjoy his tickling... and a lot more!" She develops a nosebleed, and Makoto rushes over with a handkerchief. Minako decides she wants to be a cat.

At Ginga TV, a shoot is wrapping up. Luna sees Yaten walk out, followed by the idol Noriko Okamachi. Noriko says that Yaten always goes home so quickly. She asks if he has a cat, and then says that "a person who has a cat is often lonesome, so I wonder if you're lonesome, too." She pets her own cat, Juliana, and says that she feels lonesome without her pet. She then says that she used to have a Siamese cat, but she got tired of it, because its fur wasn't as soft. She asks Yaten if his cat is a mixed breed, but says that she recommends a Himalayan, much to Luna's dismay.

Annoyed, Yaten coolly asks what she wants. She tels him that she likes cooking, and would like to cook for him, then asks him if he would like to come over. She always speaks in the third person, and Yaten finally tells her that the way she talks is dull. He snaps at her, saying that he's already fed up with her posing as his girlfriend in the upcoming play. Luna, looking on, exclaims, "That hurts!"

Noriko begins to cry, but Yaten says, "You're so dull! Please stop that! You're not my type and I don't want to be with you except on business!" Angered, Noriko tells him to keep being cheeky... she says that he's just a seasonal idol anyway. Juliana meows loudly, and Noriko hits her, telling her to shut up! She then storms away. Yaten mutters, "I think we are both seasonal, alright."

Luna appears at Yaten's feet and quietly meows. Yaten picks her up and smiles. Luna lovingly thinks that she can't resist his smile.

Later, in a car, Yaten holds Luna. Seiya says, "As I told you, Kuro came back, didn't she?" Yaten tells him not to call her such a strange name, saying he'll come up with a better name. Taiki suggests Juliana. Seiya asks Yaten if he said something to Noriko, because she was very upset. He says he told her the truth.

Seiya also asks if Yaten is throwing out his fan letters, much to Yaten's annoyance. Taiki says that he shouldn't do that... he's reducing the number of fans. Yaten says that he can't believe the letters, because the people who write them don't know their true selves... how can they love them? He asks if they've forgotten about "someone," and says that they don't care about those without "the true shine of a star." He says that he'll never accept anyone except "her." Seiya says that he knows, and that's why they're singing.

Luna looks on, wondering what they could be talking about. Yaten says that he can't believe in a single person in this world, and that they only need that one person...

[Commercial Break]

Yaten is at a pet store with Luna. A clerk is bathing Luna in a tub. The clerk tells Yaten that the cat is soft, but Yaten snubs him, saying to stop chatting and do it quickly. Luna is not enjoying her bath, and thinks to herself that she has bubbles in her mouth! The clerk quickly submerges her in the soapy water, asking if she itches anywhere.

Later, the clerk displays Luna in a dress and a hat. Luna is annoyed at first, but Yaten says that it looks good... Luna quickly changes her opinion. The Inner Senshi and Artemis look on from the store's window, saying that the dress looks funny, and that Luna looks "heavy-eyed, almost like a girlfriend!" Rei tells Artemis to stop worrying.

Just then, Noriko walks in holding Juliana. The girls press their faces to the glass, trying to get a better look. Noriko walks up to Yaten and says, "You use this shop, too? Your cat's dress is pretty, Yaten.... but underneath, there is something that totally doesn't match!" She then laughs and says she's sorry to have invited him to her place the other day... she "didn't know [he was] gay."

Luna smacks Noriko as hard as she can! The girls, still looking on, are absolutely shocked.

Noriko raises her hand to slap Luna, but lights flash on. Nezu Chuuko appears behind them and says, "In the drama, Mr. Higashi's girlfriend is a handsome one!" She speaks into her microphone, saying, "We know that Yaten and Noriko are acting, but in fact, they are intimate in private life, too!" She then holds up her business card to introduce herself.

Juliana scratches Noriko and runs away, but Nezu reminds the star that the cameras are rolling! Nezu asks her how long she and Yaten have been dating, but she says that they're not... yet. Yaten is rather annoyed, so he stalks off. Noriko is totally distracted, and Nezu asks her what the secret to love is. She stutters, "like a shining star... I mean... something like that."

Excited, Nezu says, "Well, then, the source of that shine is your Star Seed! Let me see it!" She screams "Chuu!" and quickly turns into Sailor Iron Mouse.

At the back of the building, the girls watch from behind some bushes as Yaten walks into the parking lot. A scream is heard, and Luna quickly runs towards it.

Inside the pet store, Noriko is totally baffled by Iron Mouse's presence, asking where the camera is. The senshi run to the scene, but Usagi trips over Juliana and all of the girls fall on top of a bird cage, releasing all the birds.

Iron Mouse uses her bracelets to attack Noriko, but the idol dodges it the first time around. When it does hit her, a flower emerges from her forehead, blooming to reveal her Star Seed. Yaten looks on, about to transform, but says, "I give up." Luna watches him. He sits on the floor and says, "What we do means nothing without finding her! Space would end..."

Luna runs over and attacks Sailor Iron Mouse. Yaten wonders why she's trying to save Noriko, even though she was so mean to her. Iron Mouse grabs Luna, raises her hand in the air, and knocks Luna through the window of the pet store. Yaten runs to her side.

Inside the store, Iron Mouse laments over the fact that her suit has been torn. She looks up in time to see that Noriko's Star Seed has clouded over... it's a blank.

Eternal Sailor Moon yells out, "Stop right there!" Iron Mouse mutters, "I didn't hear you," and begins to walk away, but she is hit in the head with a ball! The senshi appear in the pet store, telling Iron Mouse that they won't forgive her. The villain, meanwhile, says, "Today's business is over. Are you paying me for overtime work?" The senshi continue with their speech, and Iron Mouse says, "Hey, are you even listening?"

Just as Eternal Sailor Moon finishes her speech, Iron Mouse disappears inside of her phone booth.

Noriko, meanwhile, is transformed into Sailor Ojo! She says, "Good looking with pretty eyes and teeth, a clear head, and further..." She rips off her shirt as the senshi cover their eyes, calling her a pervert! She continues, "I have a great body!" Luckily, she is covered. She then proceeds to tell Eternal Sailor Moon that she has no waist, much to her dismay. As a whip appears in Sailor Ojo's hand, she says, "Too easy! Sagging in your body means sagging in your mind!" She attacks the girls.

Outside, Yaten places Luna on the ground. Artemis runs up to him, and Yaten says, "Hi! Are you her friend? Don't worry, she's just unconscious. Please stay here and protect her." He then runs off, thinking, "If fighting is our fate, then we must do it." He quickly transforms into Sailor Star Healer.

Back inside the pet store, Sailor Ojo prepares to attack the senshi again when Sailor Star Healer appears and performs her "Star Sensitive Inferno" attack, knocking the villain to the ground. She looks to the senshi and says, "I'll help you this time, if only for the sake of the brave little cat." Sailor Moon tells Star Healer that the cat's name is Luna.

Sailor Ojo tries to get up, but Eternal Sailor Moon quickly attacks her with "Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss," healing her and causing her to transform back into Noriko. The idol's Star Seed descends back into her body.

Sailor Star Healer says, "We probably need your power..." and then quickly jumps away.

Back at school the next day, Yaten opens his locker and dozens of love letters fall out. Usagi hides behind some lockers with Luna, looking on. She says, "As I thought! He's going to dispose of the love letters again!" Luna says, "It's ok! Yaten has a woman that he loves, so his eyes can't respond to those letters."

Just then, Yaten turns around and sees Usagi, who protests, "What? I'm not peeping!" He says good morning to Luna, who simply meows. Yaten asks if the cat belongs to Usagi, and she says that it does. He says, "Come and see me any time." Usagi is angry, "What's with this huge change in tone?" Luna hopes that Yaten finds his special person soon.