A New Transformation: Usagi's Power-Up

Ail and An discuss the crowds gathering for Tokyo's cherry blossoms and recall how the Makai Tree once bloomed just as brightly before withering to nothing. That same day Ms. Sakurada leads her class to the park for the flowers, with Makoto, Rei, Minako, and the cats among the group, and Umino proudly holds a prime picnic spot he claimed by sleeping there overnight for Naru's sake.

While the students eat, Ail secretly admires Usagi and covers his slip by claiming he meant the blossoms, then joins An in choosing their next Cardian to harvest energy. Nearby, Umino confesses his feelings to Naru moments before a strange tree traps them in a glowing ring that saps their strength, and Ms. Sakurada and a passing woman soon fall to the same drain.

Suspecting the new enemy, Usagi searches the park, but Rei, Ami, Makoto, and Minako stumble onto the same tree and are drained in turn. Sailor Moon's Moon Tiara Action fails against the Cardian Leshy, which pins her, shatters her brooch, and opens a pit that swallows both her and Luna. Drifting through empty space, Luna explains that Usagi's powers have faltered because her heart is no longer committed to her duty, and Usagi admits it is true.

Queen Serenity appears and thanks Usagi for reaching out, setting the Silver Crystal into the broken brooch and teaching her the command "Moon Crystal Power, Make Up." Newly transformed, Sailor Moon returns to the park where the Moonlight Knight has held Leshy off, and Serenity drops down the Cutie Moon Rod. Wielding it, she unleashes Moon Princess Halation to purify the Cardian and revive her friends, though much energy has already fed the Makai Tree.

The fifth episode of the second season aired in Japan on April 17, 1993, and reached North America as "Cherry Blossom Time" on November 28, 1995, written by Shigeru Yanagawa and directed by Kunihiko Ikuhara. It debuts the Cutie Moon Rod, the Crystal Star, the phrase Moon Crystal Power, Make Up, and the attack Moon Princess Halation, while retiring Moon Prism Power, Make Up.

This marks Queen Serenity's third and final appearance and the first time a monster of the day broke Usagi's brooch to block her transformation. The DiC dub trimmed several moments, including a sandwich prank and scenes of a nude Usagi during Serenity's arrival, which other regional dubs handled through cuts or digital editing.