The Pure Heart Of Asai

Cardcaptor Takato · Post by **Cardcaptor Takato** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 12:38 pm

IN episode 100 of Sailor Moon, one of the Death Buster's targets is a boy on Minako's school's volleyball team, Asai, who she develops a crush on during the episode. But what exactly is it about Asai that makes him have a pure heart? For all the other episodes in the S season, Toei at least tries to make the viewer care about the heart crystal target so we can sympathize with them when their crystal is stolen. However, this particular episode gave me very little if any reason to care at all about what happens to the heart crystal victim. Asai comes across not as someone with a pure heart to me but more of someone who's extremely materialistic. Throughout the entire episode, Asai is constantly bugging Minako about why she dropped out of the volleyball team. He makes it very clear that he would only date a girl if she did the same sport as he did. So, why didn't he date Minako when she was still on on the volleyball team? Because Asai also says that not only will he refuse to date a girl unless they're playing the same sport, but he also has to be better than a girl at it before he can date them. Asai barely gives Minako any time at all to actually reconsider joining the volleyball team. As soon as Minako turns him down, he immediately hooks up with the next girl available that's playing the same sport he does. I actually felt really sorry for that poor girl Asai dumped Minako for because when they showed him together, he got pissed at her because she wanted to go home ahead of him and demanded that she HAD to go out with him next Sunday without giving her any choice in the matter.

Throughout the entire episode, we see Asai as being nothing but materialistic and sexist, so what about him is it that makes his heart "pure"? I know this is just a filler-in episode and I'm probably making too big of a deal about a cartoon character, but is Toei trying to to tell us that guys have to act like this to have a pure heart? IMO, I've always felt like Minako should have been the pure heart target in this episode instead because she was more pure hearted during it than Asai was. What are your thoughts about this episode? Do you love it, are indifferent towards it, or does it bug the crap out of you like it does me? What traits in Asai do you see as being "pure"? Do you think he should have deserved to be the heart crystal target for this episode?

nap* · Post by nap* » Sat Dec 16, 2006 1:20 pm

You made a good point about that, I really didn't take notice because it was a useless filler, but maybe it was because he was captain of the team thats why whoever went after him

Jeff · Post by **Jeff** » Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:38 pm

Well, the Professor said that Kaorinite should target a sportsman, so that pretty much explains it. I don't really find Asai sexist. Would most guys feel comfortable asking out a girl who could beat them at sports? Probably not. And considering it's Japan in 1994... Sailor Moon was a pretty non-sexist show. Except for the whole "I wanna be Mamo-chan's bride!" thing. Can't fault them for showing reality, though.

Crecent beam · Post by **Crecent beam** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 5:13 am

He was passionate about volleyball, that's the main reason why he was chosen.
Remeber in episode 98 the targetted motorbike rider, he wasn't such a good person, his men even tried to kill Haruka, he was just obsessed with motocross, so they attacked him.

Sailormars Obsessed fan · Post by **Sailormars Obsessed fan** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:23 am

the Witches 5 test for a person with a pure heart was obviosuly lacking a lot of logic. And it also seemed that they truely believe that no one outside of japan (or Tokyo for that matter) had a pure heart.

Gamer8585 · Post by **Gamer8585** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:29 am

I don't think that "pure" is used in the absence of evil sense. I think its used more in the hyper focus sense. Its the passion one feels that makes a kokoro/heart pure.

When a "heart" is "pure" it is outputting much more energy in a very focused way. It is why these "hearts" are able to sustain Hotaru/Mistress 9.

Also if the grail is considered a "pure heart" then that explains why it would have enough energy to power a machine to bring in a being the size of Master Pharaoh 90.

Post by **Tiff** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 1:14 pm

Gamer8585 wrote:I don't think that "pure" is used in the absence of evil sense. I think its used more in the hyper focus sense. Its the passion one feels that makes a kokoro/heart pure.

When a "heart" is "pure" it is outputting much more energy in a very focused way. It is why these "hearts" are able to sustain Hotaru/Mistress 9.

Also if the grail is considered a "pure heart" then that explains why it would have enough energy to power a machine to bring in a being the size of Master Pharaoh 90.

Agreed.