Seconds from commiting sepuku in order to release the talisman from her body, Usagi promises that she can save the world without Uranus' ultimate sacrifice. Touched by Sailor Moon's words of hope, Sailor Uranus' cold-hearted exterior breaks.

Episode 110 is rich in European and Japanese symbolism and is another example in how well the mythology of both the East and the West are reflected in this anime. The most important of these, in my opinion, is represented in the final minutes of this episode through Uranus's use of 'seppuku'. Seppuku, or 'belly-cutting', is a key part of bushido, or the code of the samurai warrior. Seppuku is generally reserved for males; it is an incredibly painful procedure in which the person uses a small blade, called a tantou, and slices their abdomen in a ritualized left-to-right cut. Uranus's act of seppuku was done for two key reasons. The first, as with most samurai who committed seppuku in battle, was to prevent her talisman from falling into Eudial's hands. The second, and perhaps the more important of the two, was that, due to her disrespectful treatment of the kind-hearted future ruler of the Silver Millenia, Uranus felt disgraced. By committing seppuku, Uranus may have felt that she not only restored her honor but, as with many samurai who chose this route, may have contributed to the integrity of the Silver Millenia.

This is my favorite Sailor Uranus cel. I love the emotion portrayed by Uranus - it's one of the rare moments in the series where she seems truly happy.

From Episode 110 - "Uranus tachi no shi? Talisman shutsugen"(The death of Uranus? The talisman appears).


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