BSSM14

**A Powerful New Enemy! Nephrite's Evil Crest** (新たなる強敵、ネフライト魔の紋章, ***Aratanaru Kyouteki, Nefuraito Ma no Monshou***) is the 14th episode of *Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon*, and also the 14th episode overall.

This episode is the 11th episode of the first English dub, and its title is "**Match Point for Sailor Moon**." While the Viz dub title is "**A New Enemy Appears: Nephrite’s Evil Crest**."

## Summary

Nephrite is appointed as Jadeite's successor and begins selecting individual targets for energy, the first one being Naru's friend Rui.

## Major Events

* Nephrite attacks the Sailor Senshi for the first time.
* Zoisite appears for the first time.

## Synopsis

Nephrite, now in charge of collecting energy, informs Queen Beryl of his new strategy. He plans to take energy from specific individuals at a point when their energy peaks. He is mocked by another general, Zoisite, but assures Beryl he will be successful. He consults the stars and chooses Rui Saionji, a tennis player from Juuban Junior High, as his first target.

Rui is actually a close friend of Naru's - Naru refers to her as "big sister" - and she is hugely popular. She is approached by Nephrite, who is posing as a tennis coach named Masato Sanjoin. He surreptitiously infects Rui's racquet with a Youma, then advises her on improving her technique. She immediately becomes much more powerful as the Youma causes her energy to increase. Soon, she has defeated everybody at the tennis court. Usagi is impressed, but Naru worries that Rui is acting differently.

Luna is informed by her mysterious contact that the enemy is the Dark Kingdom, an organization that steals human energy. She advises Usagi, Ami, and Rei to train harder. Usagi suggests taking up tennis, having become infatuated with "Sanjoin." Rei and Luna bemoan Usagi's attitude, telling her to take her position more seriously. Meanwhile, the Youma's sinister influence on Rui continues to grow.

Naru confides in Usagi that she is worried about Rui, who has become cold and unfriendly. The pair visit Rui's tennis school and find her in the midst of terrorising two male tennis pros. As Usagi and Naru confront her, Rui's energy level peaks, and the Youma Tesuni comes out of her racquet, taking her energy. With Naru unconscious, Usagi transforms into Sailor Moon and takes on the Youma. Without the other Senshi to help, she is vulnerable to attack, and finds herself trapped in a giant tennis ball. Tuxedo Mask steps in to help, and briefly incapacitates the Youma, allowing Sailor Moon to escape with him. They prepare to attack Tesuni together, and Tuxedo Mask blinds the monster with one of his roses. He suddenly falls down in pain, but urges Sailor Moon to finish the job. She defeats the Youma just as Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars arrive. Tuxedo Mask, meanwhile, has gone. To Naru's relief, Rui returns to normal, with no memory of what happened.

## Characters

### Sailor Senshi

* Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon
* Ami Mizuno / Sailor Mercury
* Rei Hino / Sailor Mars

### Villains

* Queen Beryl
* Nephrite
* Zoisite
* Youma

### Secondary Characters

* Mamoru Chiba / Tuxedo Mask
* Naru Osaka
* Rui Saionji

## Trivia

* This episode featured the first time an individual was specifically targeted by an enemy, though it became the formula for the majority of episodes in the anime.
* When Sailor Moon told Tesuni that "Navratilova would be ashamed," it was a reference to tennis player Martina Navratilova.
* This was Rino Romano's last episode playing Darien in the English dub.

## Gallery

*Main Page: BSSM14/Image Gallery*