Anime Rewatch Episodes 39 & 40

[mellowcandle]

This is the post for discussing the next two episodes of our community anime rewatch. We're more than halfway through now, but you are still welcome to join in anytime! All previous posts can be found by using the "anime discussion" tag

Comments

[mellowcandle]

All right, "Sakura's Dizzy Fever Day" is my absolute favorite episode. (D says, "How mean, your favorite is the one where Sakura's sick?") But I call this one "Touya and his Women"; it's the closest we get to a good Touya POV episode, and we get a better idea here of how much he knows about what's going on

[chrysalisdreams]

It's cool that I read your comment about Meiling's expression before I watched the episode, because I was looking for it with that context in mind.

[syrimoon]

Kero. Syoaran. Guys, seriously, it's a cold, not meningitis or swine flu. and I'm preeetty sure catching these buggers is a little more important. It irks me how she's always saying "I promised I would caprture them all". Um that's nice but uuh this is a little bit more pressing of an issue than a promise. Disaster will befall this world? sound familiar, y'all?

Another thing I noticed about this ep right away was wooow this was a budget eoisode. Chunky hair in one solid color, Yuki's eyes closing as a fade out and not an actual animation, stiff walking, reused animation. A lot of the episodes from this part of the anime seem to have animation issues, but this is the worst I've noticed after Final Judgment

Even after that though, I like this episode. Simple capture of the week sort of thing, conflict without needing some arching adversary. THat's why I like shows like CCS. I like getting to have drama without needing a buildup to a Big Bad

[syrimoon]

Dream is one of my favorite episodes of the main arc. Like mentioned before, it's a really nice variation on the Capture of the Week without needing to have some major action battle

[chrysalisdreams]

Kero's worrying in 39 is one of those times when he seems more of an adult entity than usual. He's *very* worried, too. I suppose he should be: in times past, a high fever could lead to a more serious illness or be indicative of a more serious illness. He's probably never been sick, except maybe from overeating!

Sakura is an athletic little girl who gets plenty of balanced meals and lots of sleep (by always oversleeping). So I think it is pretty serious for her to wake up with a high fever and have it all day. She really shouldn't have gone to school since she was probably contagious.

Yay for an episode with Mirror and with Nadeshiko! Two of my favorites! And this is one of those Touya-is-perfect episodes, for the kind way he treats Mirror. I like that he even confides in her a little.

Even Sakura things Cloud and Rain are rather similar. Really, CLAMP -- you couldn't think of something else?

[syrimoon]

Sad thing is, with just a few minutes of banter with yourself, you can come up with several powers that arne't available in the Cards we have. Invisibility. perhaps Armor as a more practical option/companion of Sheild. Some companions to Fire, like something to warm a house (fireplaces were unreliable and considered a poor way to heat a house, but were the most readily available option). With all the times Sakura gets tossed around, something for Balance could be useful

I unno, maybe it's a regional thing? Where I'm from, there's just the attitude that kids get sick. Athletic, healthy, whatever, kids get sick., Keepem home form school, givem soup, they'll get over it. Farm living I guess?

I wonder what extent of "vague" Touya has here. He's likely been able to sense the magic in the house since before the Book was even opened,m and I'm sure he felt it the minute it WAS

[butterflydrming]

I was wondering about that "vague idea" too. What if he actually has the wrong idea, like he doesn't think it's card *capture* but maybe magic practice or spellcasting? Like he didn't think there was an outside agent, or he thought Kero was more of a teacher/mentor.

Hmm, now you make me want to come up with a better deck. I have thought of destroyed cards, such as The Veil (invisibility), for which there is a little Cerberus vs Clow scene in one of my unfinished fics.

[syrimoon]

Deck building goes right along with deck dividing in my book. it's a wonderful blend of what would be unique and entertaining, and what would have simply been practical and handy for the era

[chrysalisdreams]

Episode 40:
I can think of three times that Sakura gets lost in her own mind and requires outside intervention to "come back to reality." One is Illusion, where she would have fallen -- significant damage if not death -- if her mom hadn't caught her. Another is The Return, where Syaoran had to stop time, a trick he does again with Dream. This seems to be distinct Sakura weakness.

I have to agree that Tomoyo's dream is just... no words. Maybe because Dream gives prophetic dreams, this was all it could do safely for a non-magic person? "You will design endless outfits for Sakura, and this will make you happy."

There's that CLAMP signature "two sides" moment, like in Chobits: two Sakuras touching with a glass between. What does that mean? Subconscious or Id Sakura reassuring Ego Sakura? Have you ever met yourself in a dream? (I haven't.)

More Why Did Clow Make This Card speculation: he was trying to contain or control his precognition. He made (or contracted with) The Dream, but it didn't change anything for him.