Crane Game Joe

Crane Game Joe appeared in episode 025 of the anime. In the beginning of the episode, the Kurozuishou revealed to Zoisite that Joe was the carrier of the red Nijizuishou. The next time he was seen was in Game Center Crown. He was said to be a master of arcade games; Usagi’s classmate Yumiko said that there was a rumor going around that every time Joe visited an arcade, they lost every one of their crane game prizes to him. He does seem to have at least some level of notoriety: when Motoki heard the next day that Joe had been at Game Center Crown, he was quite disappointed to have missed him.

Makoto became smitten with Joe from the moment she first saw him, saying that he looked like her old sempai. She began to follow him after he left the arcade. Zoisite appeared and attacked him, and was almost able to remove the Nijizuishou within him. Luckily, Makoto saw what happened. She physically attacked Zoisite, attempting to hit him, and even throwing her earring at him. She did manage to finally hit him, causing him to angrily leave the scene. Joe began to experience intense chest pains, and asked why Makoto was following him. She said that she would be his bodyguard, since someone was after him. He insisted that there was no reason for anyone to go after him, and she jokingly said that maybe the arcades hired a hit man because he had won too many crane games. He then left to go have a cup of coffee alone. Once he leaves, Usagi and Luna, who had been watching, caught up with Makoto. The three followed him to the cafe Tour de Corse, where he told Makoto that he had a strange psychic power, which he demonstrated by pickup up an ash tray with his mind only. He explained that the psychic ability was the reason that he won all the arcade games, although Makoto scolded him for cheating. While at the cafe, Zoisite appeared and attacked again. Joe ran away, with Zoisite, Makoto, Usagi, and Luna closely following. Once Zoisite caught up with Joe, he managed to fully extract the Nijizuishou, causing him to transform into his youma form, Gesen. Sailor Moon was ultimately able to heal Gesen, and he transformed back into Joe.

Joe only made one other appearance in the Sailor Moon series, in episode 041. Endymion, who had been brainwashed and was working with the Dark Kingdom, was attempting to capture all seven former Nijizuishou carriers and trap them within the Kurozuishou. The Dark Kingdom hoped that although the former youma had been healed by Sailor Moon, they would be able to use their energy and the power of the Kurozuishou to transform them back into youma. After they were reunited, it was hoped that they would come together to form one extremely powerful youma to destroy the Sailor Senshi. Endymion was able to capture six of the seven former Nijizuishou carriers (including Joe) within the Kurozuishou before Sailor Mercury destroyed it. Once it was destroyed, those trapped inside were freed and were able to return to their normal lives.