When Tuxedo Mask sacrifices himself in battle, it shocks Sailor Moon into re-awakening as Princess Serenity. This event leads to the emergence of the Silver Crystal and causes Queen Beryl to take drastic actions to secure the illusive jewel.
"Act 9 Serenity -PRINCESS-" picks up where the last episode left off. After a climactic battle against Kunzite, Tuxedo Mask jumps in front of a blast to save Sailor Moon's life. He falls in battle and Sailor Moon transforms into Princess Serenity. For the first time in an adaptation of Naoko Takeuchi's manga, the reveal of Princess Serenity and the Silver Crystal has not been dragged out and happens early on in this series. Ordinarily, this would be a good thing. Instead, it completely deflates the tension and creates melodrama.
This episode follows its corresponding act within the manga so closely that it actually re-creates panels from the source text. This form of tribute should be applauded, especially as these images are actually quite effective when translated to animation. However, this fidelity to the manga also poses a dilemma. This particular chapter in the manga was slow-burning and was a denouement from the previous one, with much of the narrative comprising of exposition and dealing with the aftermath of Serenity's awakening. This works when read, but when animated it's a little dull. The lack of action causes the narrative to drag. In fact, the entire episode is just build-up to the Sailor Guardians travelling to the moon.
Despite the revelations made in this episode, "Act 9 Serenity -PRINCESS" was a bit of a letdown. Its pacing is a mess and is overall a little boring. The animators are also to be chastised for Sailor Moon's transformation into Princess Serenity. It's such a crucial moment and yet it's over in just a few seconds. While this episode should be praised for its fidelity to the manga, it's still too dull and likely should have been condensed and combined with the tenth act of the manga.
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