Mind, Body, Soul, Delphius' Ambition

Episode Data
Pinako and Delphius at 2 and 6 Victory Points, respectively
Original Episode
Name (Kanji/kana):	心、体、魂　デルフィオスの野望
Name (Romaji):	Maindo, Bodii, Souru Derufiosu no Yabou
Name (Translated):	Mind, Body, Soul, Delphius' Ambition
Name (DVD Dub):	Mind, Body and Soul: Delphious' Ambition
Episode Number:	24 (Original) 2 (International)
Director:	Masterson Asatou
Writer:	Tomomi Shimabukuro
Animation Director:	Matahitsu Andou
Air Date:	March 13, 2023
Previous Episode:	The Legendary Silver Crystal in a Youma's Hands, Pinako's Miracle of Friendship! (Japan & North America) Pinako's Battle! The Legendary Demon King Emerald (Internationally)
Next Episode:	Journey to Battler's Paradise, The Lost Silver Crystal
TV English Dub Episode
Name:	Invitation to Paradise
Number:	24 / 183
Company:	DHX Media (formerly DiC)
Air Date:	December 8, 2023
Previous Episode:	Pinako's Silver Battle of Destiny
Next Episode:	Battler's Paradise Lost

With her victory over Val The Csar already giving her a reputation, Pinako is sent a Blu-Disk package by the revivor of Knights and Guardians, Delphius. Pinako is then forced into a game of Light & Darkness as Delphius challenges her to a battle.

Summary

In the Japanese and Uncut versions of the episode, the opening scene is as follows: It has been two months since Devil's Game and the battle against Val The Csar, and Pinako rushes off to school early, so as to not miss the bell. Minako and Kurenai watch her go, and observe that things have gone back to normal.

Elsewhere Delphius is informed that the uncontested champion Val The Csar has been defeated by someone named Pinako Aino. Delphius smiles and the mysterious crystal in his hand flashes.

In the international versions of the episode, the opening scene is instead as follows: In class, Daniel Kano plays Knights & Guardians against Katrina Sweeno. He Summons "Mars Warrior", claiming it will knock her socks off. However Katrina flips over her face-down warrior "Mercury Warrior". Daniel laughs that wimpy card doesn't stand a chance against Mars Warrior due to the lower HP and urges her to give it up. Katrina agrees that she doesn't stand a chance, unless she exploits Mars Warrior's weakness against water. Startled, Daniel asks Pinako if she can do that. Pinako replies that the Water Warriors are strong against Fire Warriors (In the actual card game, there are only Mind, Body and Soul types, with weaknesses depending on the card). "Mars Warrior" is hit destroyed, stunning Daniel, who has run out of Warriors. Katrina celebrates over defeating Daniel yet again, who moans and buries his head onto the desk.

Both versions have the same story from this point forward.

Later, outside school, Daniel hangs out with Pinako and admits that he stinks at Knights & Guardians. He asks Pinako for help.

Pinako takes Daniel and Katerina home. Kurenai is the real game expert in the family, Pinako says, maybe she can help. Inside, Kurenai and Minako are watching an advertisement for an upcoming National Knights & Guardians tournament with a 10,000,000 yen prize. Daniel's all excited about the tournament, and wants to enter it and win the money. Kurenai says if Daniel thinks he's going to win that tournament, it's just an illusion. Pinako asks Daniel if it's true. Daniel falls to his knees and bows to Pinako, telling Pinako he really wants to win that tournament. Daniel asks her for help, and Kurenai says he must start by changing his attitude. He shouldn't want to win for the prize. Kurenai will teach him about the Souls of the Senshi. They begin training and Daniel screams, while Kurenai orders him to try again.

Later, Pinako and friends are all watching the National Knights & Guardians Championship, where Koshiro Wakagi and his brother Toshio are announced as the finalists. Daniel thinks he should be up there, and Katerina points out that he's been training for weeks, but the Wakagi Brothers are in another league. Pinako adds that maybe her mother's lessons were too hard on Daniel, who's so tired that he can't keep his eyes open.

Kurenai and Minako suddenly enter, Kurenai telling Daniel that he's come a long way so far. Minako is carrying a package for Pinako, but it doesn't say who it's from. Daniel also asks Pinako why she didn't enter the tournament, and Pinako decided that she'd only enter a tournament if Val was there.

The final match of the tournament starts. Pinako says that Koshiro specializes in tricky Sun-Based monsters, while Toshio uses powerful Monsters. Daniel thinks Toshio will have the match in the bag, but Pinako disagrees. Toshio Levels up "Jinzo Cakes" to "Jinzo Maker Texis", his most powerful Jinzo card, while Koshiro brings out "Aloha Mask". Rex orders "Jinzo Maker Texis" to crush "Aloha Mask", but Koshiro uses "Hidden" to stop it. He then uses "McGuffin Attacks" to power up "Aloha Mask" and defeat "Jinzo Maker Texis", winning the Battle.

Delphius appears to present the tournament trophy to Koshiro, then invites him to compete in his upcoming Battler's Paradise tournament. As he leaves in his limo, he hopes the tournament will attract lots of Battlists, then asks his underling one question, and he confirms that the package he sent to Pinako was delivered.

Pinako has opened the package, and it contains a Battle Card, three Battle Chips, and a Blu-Ray Disc. She places the Disc in the player, and Delphius appears on the TV, to everyone's surprise. He says that he has heard of Pinako's recent victory over Val The Csar, and it has intrigued him into challenging Pinako to a Battle immediately. They'll play for ten minutes, and whoever has more Victory Points at the end will win. Pinako and her friends are confused about how Pinako can Battle against a Blu-Ray Disc, until Delphius uses The mysterious crystal to drag everyone in.

Pinako finds herself in a dark space, with her friends and family behind her, frozen like statues. Delphius says they're no longer in their own world, and will not return until after their Battle. Pinako transforms into Sailor Pinako and accepts the challenge, and the clock starts. Delphius starts simply by placing a card face-down–then tells Pinako she won't win with her usual "Moon Warrior" card, which shocks Pinako, as she is indeed starting off with "Moon Warrior". Delphius claims to be able to know every move Pinako will make before she does, and proves it by playing "Warrior Redirect" to make Pinako start off with another Warrior.

Delphius tells Pinako that the place they are in is called the Negaverse (in both the original Japanese Version and the TV English Dub), and that the cards they are using contain real beings. He says he didn't actually create the game; it has existed since the time of the Silver Millenium, where they battled by using magic to pit their warriors against real monsters, but the magic was so powerful that one powerful monster and one powerful witch destroyed the world and its moon. Pinako doesn't want to believe the warriors and monsters are real.

Delphius continues by playing "Lunar Flute", which releases "Moon Warrior" from Pinako's Deck onto Delphius's side of the field. Pinako responds by playing "Silver Warrior", but "Moon Warrior" defeats it, bringing Delphius' Victory Points up to 2.

Delphius claims that Pinako cannot defeat him, and when she loses, she'll have to enter Delphius's Battler's Paradise tournament. The winner of the tournament will receive a cash prize and the title Battle King or Battle Queen. Pinako says she's not interested, but Delphius tells her that she will not decline, as there is no way she can win.

Pinako plays "Sailor Mask", but Delphius still has control of "Moon Warrior" and uses it along with a new unknown card to destroy "Sailor Mask". Delphius is now up to 6 Victory Points, and Pinako is running out of time. She tries to take the lead by playing "Miracle Romance" and bringing "Moon Warrior" back to her side, but time expires before the card completes its effect, and Delphius wins as per the rules of the Battle.

Delphius warns Pinako that their next Battle will be for higher stakes, and uses the Shin Kurozuishou to capture the Souls of Kurenai and Minako Aino. Pinako and her friends are returned to her house, but Kurenai and Minako fall unconscious. They appear on the TV screen, banging the glass from inside and calling out to Pinako, and Pinako clutches the TV, calling to them as well.

Cast

• Pinako Aino/Sailor Pinako - Toshie Tanimoto
• Daniel Kano - Shigeru Kase
• Katerina Suino - Emio Takagi
• Delphius - Daisuke Jono
• Kurenai Aino - Ino Tominaga
• Minako Aino - Megumi Yamamoto
• Toshio Wakagi - Hikaru Ogawa
• Koshiro Wakagi - Mariou Kutaragi (as MARIO)
• Val the Csar - Tobias Reynolds (Archive footage, English TV Dub Only)

Episode Trivia

• Koroki Yumejiro, who would later voice Hikaru Kindai, made his first appearance in this episode as an announcer for the National Tournament.
• This was the first episode in which Narun Osaka, Barry and Youma Metalia did not have speaking roles since their respective introductions, in the English TV Dub however, Barry is the only one of the three that gets a spoken line.
• This was the second episode of the Croatian, Malaysian English, German, French, Spanish (Spain), Portuguese, Catalonian, South Korean, and Italian dubs. These dubs started with the episode Pinako's Battle! The Legendary Demon King Emerald
• This is the first time a term from an international dub is used in the original version, the Term "Negaverse" (負介（ネガバース） Kanji Lit. Negative World, usual reading: ふかい) is used not only to describe the dimension Pinako and Delphius are in, but it would later be used as the term for Knights & Guardians' Discard Pile.
• In the Dub, during one of the conversations between Sailor Pinako and Delphius, scenes of the Silver Millenium from Usagi's Awakening! A Message From the Distant Past / The Past Returns can be seen in the background.
• the Episode is known by the following titles in other dubs:
  • Croatian - Pinako se bori za svoju obitelj - Pinako Fights for her Family
  • Malaysian English - The Invitation
  • French - Chevaliers et gardiens de l'anti-monde - Knights & Guardians of the Anti-World (Negaverse)
  • German - Um Pinako einzuladen: Stehlen Sie ihre Familie! - To Invite Pinako: Steal her Family!
  • Italian - Battaglia di carte nella dimensione oscura - Card Battle in the Dark Dimension
  • Spain (Castillano) - Caballeros y Guardianes del Anti Mundo - Knights & Guardians of the Anti World (Negaverse)
  • Spain (Catalan) - Serena vs. Delfias: El principi - Serena (Pinako) Vs. Delfias (Delphius): The Beginning
  • Spain (Galician) - Cabaleiros e Gardiáns do Mundo Nega - Knights & Guardians of the NegaWorld (Negaverse)
  • Portuguese - Cavaleiros e Guardiões do Mundo Negativo - Knights & Guardians of the Negative World (Negaverse)
  • South Korea - 마음, 몸, 영혼 델피우스의 야망 - ma-eum, mom, yeonghon delpiuseuui yamang - Heart, Body, Soul Delphius' Ambition
  • Mexico - Invitación al Paraíso de los Batalladores - Invitation to the Battler's Paradise
  • China - 心、身、魂 德尔菲斯的野心 - Mind, Body, Soul, Delphis' Ambitions
• This was the last episode until in which Pinako narrated about the episode of the day before the opening theme song in the English TV Dub, The narration would continue for one more episode in the original Japanese Version.
• This is the only episode in Season 2 to have its Previous Episode recap cut from the English TV Dub, though this may be due to the fact that other International versions of the series did not dub The Legendary Silver Crystal in a Youma's Hands, Pinako's Miracle of Friendship! due to the above mentioned fact of the International versions starting with Pinako's Battle! The Legendary Demon King Emerald as their first episode.

Episode Comparison

Episode Comparison, From "Tokyo Side Stories Uncensored"
Blue	Side Note
Red	Scene that was Cut
Green	Altered Scene
Purple	Stupid Dialogue Alert (S.D.A)
JPN EP 24 23-2-27	Maindo, Bodii, Souru Derufiosu no Yabou (Mind, Body, Soul, Delphius' Ambition)
ENG EP 24 / 183 23-12-8	Invitation to Paradise
Chandler's Two Cents	The second season begins for Tokyo Side stories, but for many countries outside of the US and Japan, this is the second episode of the series. as of this writing, the Japanese version has since long passed this season and is in the middle of a mini-arc that went back to the MOTD formula, but they'll need to get out of it soon enough if hews about a new arc is to be believed.
Side Note	This Episode's script was pretty alright, but could have used a little more work. I can't fault the Negaverse reference in the dub this time because it popped up in the original as well. Koshiro Wakagi is renamed to Kenny Williams in the Dub Toshio Wakagi is also renamed to Tommy Williams Delphius retains his name, but gets an added "o" in the uncut dub. Ok, so this might be the standard for the original version going forward, but not only do we get a "This Episode" preview, but we also get a "Previous Episode Recap", we were informed that it's because the skeleton episodes which helped to make Tokyoma Gaiden from this point are 22 episodes long, while the series itself is 24 minutes. for the last three episodes, even the Japanese version had to make cuts for it to air on TV, and now they have to make ADDITIONS? If you're wondering what the dub has to do with this, for this episode only, the Previous Episode recap is cut, but only because it shows the wrong episode that needed a recap (if the international versions are anything to go by since they're all based off of this dub in terms of video) even the Japanese version shows the special episode, and that's supposed to be the one that hands off from the last 23 episodes! anyways, going onto the comparison. Edit, January 1 2025: I WISH the episodes for Tokyoma Gaiden were 22 episodes long, we'd get a memorial per episode. I meant to type Minutes there. Another win for the fans (in my opinion) is that starting this season, the dub will be treating the Japanese music like Pioneer treated the music in the Sailor Moon movies, it just ADDS to the ambience of the episode, along with the dub music, speaking of which, more on that later. (This means the music isn't completely replaced from here on in, just certain moments and possible silent parts, I guess Episode 23 was just a trial run of this "keep some Japanese music, don't replace all of it" thing.) a lot more Knights & guardians cards are about to start popping up, because the series shifts from full on battles of Senshi Against MotDs, to a full on series of card battles of Senshi Against MotDs, VotDs and FBs (Final Bosses), funnily enough, played by Senshi and BotDs (Battlers of the Day) BotD for this episode is Delphius, the battle is a Timed battle of 10 minutes, highest VP total wins, if Sailor Pinako won here, we'd have no second season, so of course she loses on a technicality here of running out of time.
Scene Alteration	Since the original is making additions due to runtime, so is the dub apparently, one scene from the Japanese version does pop up, it's Pinako saying goodbye to Minako and Kurenai (or Mina and Theia for those not caught up yet), but other than this and Delphius's very early in the episode appearance, the video is mostly edited from the International cut of the episode.
Side Note	No transitions this episode, I guess they're saving on their special effects budget.
Scene Alteration	This dub contains a flashback to the unseen during airing Special episode Here's how it goes: "Draw your last pathetic card so I can end this, Pinako!" - Val The Tsar "My Mother's deck has no pathetic cards, Val, but it does contain... The 'Imperium Silver Crystal'" - (Sailor) Pinako "AHH! Impossible!" - Val The Tsar (fades to Moon Queen Attack) "Diana... Annihilate!" - Sailor Pinako Val The Tsar Screams The dub already went through all of Season One, but I don't think it's for the U.S. TV dub, the other international versions of this episode contain this flashback as well. there is no flashback in the Original Japanese or the Uncut DVD Version, the Latin Spanish version actually cuts this out (but uses the dub footage, meaning as the flashback starts, it quickly cuts to Daniel looking at Pinako (no zoom out, since it was affected by the fading out of the flashback) and that's it.
Scene Alteration	The BRAND-SPANKIN NEW transformation scene from the special episode replaces the original one in the dub, with Yu-Gi-Oh!'s music accompanying it. The dub will be using this transformation scene in future episodes while the Original version (And DVD Uncut version) would continue to use the old one. Pinako also gets a new transformation phrase to fit the new scene. "I Call on the power of the Moon to Transform!" - Pinako, prior to transforming That's a sort of Raye-esque or Jupiter-esque phrase, but it fits the lip flaps. In the Uncut version, she now simply says her usual Transformation phrase, "Moon Power Transformation, Make Up!"
Side Note	One thing to note is that back in the day, when Sailor Moon got a new transformation sequence for the R season, the two moonlight combo still stayed there, unchanged from when it happened after the first sequence, it looks like DHX got rid of it completely starting with this one.
Side Note	This is probably where the music SHOULD have been changed, in the original version, there is a very long version of Yu-Gi-Oh Toei's Exodia theme, the problem is, the dub actually kept it, but there is a commercial break in there between the Blu-Ray Player display, and the Victory Point counter scene, the music rolled right along in the Japanese version, so the dub had to interrupt it be putting the end by the closing to commercial, and the opening part at the end of the break, and then fade in said pieces of music, since they don't line up right. yeah, I'm all for keeping the music, but in this instance, it should have been replaced.
S.D.A.	"You see, I have found that, given the proper incentive, Anyone can be made to play my games." - Delphius In the original, this is a silent moment, and while Pinako calls out to her mother and aunt, which also has no monologue/dialogue aside from "Pinako!" "Mama!, Auntie!", the dub decides to add in the following. "We will battle again, Pinako Tsukino, how else will you ever hope to reclaim the souls of your family? (Evil Laughter)" - Delphius