“Protect the Children’s Dreams: Friendship Through Anime” is the 21st episode of the 1st season of Sailor Moon anime and the 21st episode overall. It aired in Japan on August 8, 1992. The DiC English dub title for this episode is "An Animated Mess" and it aired in North America on October 3, 1995.
Summary[]
Nephrite uses his most powerful Youma to target an animator working for the new Sailor V movie.
Plot[]
Usagi sees a trailer on television for the new Sailor V anime, after it ends she expresses her wish that someone would make one about her too. Luna thinks up a snarky comment about how she wants to meet the animator dumb enough to make one.
Two animators walk down the street, Hiromi shares the fact she doesn't understand what her producer wants from her anymore. The producer of Sailor V explains their sketches aren’t good enough, but fails to explain what’s not working. Discouraged, Hiromi says she doesn’t want to animate anymore, when Kazuko gets upset. She says it was a joke, and they go back to Studio Dive. Hiromi drops one of her sketchbooks as Ami walks by, deciding to return it later.
Nephrite consults the stars for a new target, choosing to use the strongest Youma he has on Hiromi, Castor and Pollux who happen to be twins. That night as Ami looks for the studio, she sees Masato Sanjouin driving past and realises it’s Nephrite.
In the studio Hiromi works more on the Sailor V animation, but hates all her sketches. She peeks at Kazuko's work she left on the desk, instantly feeling jealous and useless. She takes out a pencil box, when they were still in school they bought a set of special pencils. Both paying half, they promised to use them only for special occasions with the other's permission. Looking inside, she see's a single worn down pencil, and feels guilty as she's been using them.
Nephrite walks into the studio, claiming to be a fan of Hiromi's and introducing himself. He grabs one of her pencils, placing his crest to possess it. As he leaves, Sailor Mercury confronts him at the door, leaping on his car and declaring justice. Nephrite knocks her down onto the pavement and speeds off in his car, gloating.
Kazuko comes back and hands dinner to Hiromi, who stares her down as if she were disgusted. Ami comes by to return the sketchbook, and Kazuko thanks her for the favour, though Hiromi refuses to, slamming the door to another room. Kazuko asks Ami to come back later, sensing something’s wrong.
The next day at school, Ami tells Usagi about what happened the other night. Usagi’s annoyed as she wanted to go too, but only to take a sketch as a souvenir from the studio. Ami suggests they should go back to check what Nephrite had done. Later, Kazuko’s astonished at how much work Hiromi had completed overnight. She compliments the progress, though Hiromi ignores her and insists to use the room by herself again, closing the door.
Usagi calls Rei about going to Studio Dive on the communicators, though Rei insists anime is for children. Usagi and Ami walk out of school, ready to leave for their mission when Rei yells that they’re late then Luna says the reason is that because Usagi have to stay after about her homework. Ami recalls that Rei wasn’t interested, though she replies with an excuse. That's when her bag tears open and boards to get autographs drop out. Nephrite sits on the balcony finishing his tea when Zoisite appears, asking him about the outcome of his persistence.
At Studio Dive, Rei and Usagi obsess over the work, screaming excitedly. Ami talks to Kazuko, asking if something out of the ordinary has happened recently. Hiromi walks past and snaps at Rei and Usagi, scolding and demeaning them for making so much noise. Kazuko hears this and immediately tells her to treat them better as her fans. Hiromi then gets a phone call from the producer, who adored the work she finished. She shocks everyone by declaring she’s killing off Sailor V’s character in the last scene of the anime for despair. Kazuko asks what happened to her in disbelief, and Rei begins to sense the presence of a Youma.
Hiromi walks outside and goes up to the roof, Kazuko and three girls chase after her. Hiromi boasts about how she's finally on the pedestal Kazuko looked down at her from, when her energy level peaks. She falls unconscious as Castor and Pollux appear, and the Sailor Guardians transform. Nephrite tells Zoisite of the twin Youma, which would be the end of the Sailor Guardians. Castor and Pollux who are tied together, blast the girls with the same copied techniques they use. The two then start arguing who would give the final blow, ending their synchronised teamwork. Sailor Moon takes advantage of this, and the Sailor Guardians combine their attacks to defeat them. Zoisite laughs at Nephrite once again for failing his mission.
Later Hiromi tells Kazuko that she has used her pencils, and Kazuko returns the same guilt. The two are relieved they don’t have to hide their secret anymore, and become best friends again.
International Dub Titles[]
- Brazilian Portuguese: Proteja os Sonhos das Crianças: Amizade Através do Anime ("Protect the Dreams of Children! Friendship Through Anime")
- European Portuguese: Salvem os Sonhos das Crianças ("Save the Dreams of Children")
- Latin America Spanish: ¡Hay que salvar los sueños de los niños! ("Children's Dreams Must be Saved!")
- French:
- TV: Sauvez Les Rêves ("Save the Dreams")
- DVD: Protégez Les Rêves de Enfants ! Une Amitié Forgée Dans L'animation. ("Protect the Dreams of Children! A Friendship Forged in Animation")
- German: Großes Ehrenwort ("Great World of Honor")
Changes[]
Changes from the Manga[]
- This episode was a filler. None of the scenes happened in the manga.
Dub Changes[]
- In the Catalan dub, when In the Name of the Moon, We'll Punish You played, it was replaced by an instrumental version of Maiden's Policy.
- In the Portuguese dub, it was replaced by an instrumental version of Luna Luna.
- In the Korean dub, it was replaced with a translated version of Moonlight Legend.
- In the Hebrew and the second English dubs, the song was replaced by an instrumental version.
- In the first English, German and Castilian dubs, the song was removed completely.
- In the English dub, Hiromi and Kazuko's names are changed to Lori and Cassie.
- In the original version, Hiromi worries that her drawings of Sailor V has no sex appeal, according to her boss. In the DiC dub, Lori's boss wants her drawings of Sailor V to be better because she keeps making minor animation mistakes.
- In the Japanese dub, Hiromi/Lori and Kazuko/Cassie work as animators at a studio. In the DiC dub, they're animation school students doing work on the Sailor V movie as part of their final project before graduation.
- The DiC version cuts the part where Nephlite karate chops Sailor Mercury in the legs, making her tumble off his car. The edit makes it look like Sailor Mercury fell off Nephlite's car after he jumped in front of her.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- When Usagi is watching the trailer for the Sailor V anime movie, the Sailor Moon theme can be heard.
- This is the last episode where a Dark Kingdom general attempts to steal energy. In the succeeding episodes of the season, the focus is shifted on retrieving the Silver Crystal and finding the Moon Princess.
- After Hiromi runs outside, one can see a poster of Sailor V, which also contains Sailor Mercury, Sailor Mars, Artemis, and Tuxedo Mask.
- Usagi breaks the fourth wall by wishing her life was an anime.