Card Captor Sakura discussion

[something]

I know there was a ginormous six-part discussion thread about nine months ago (part 6 was anyway), but it's way too old to bump, is done in an episode-by-episode format and well, I doubt the first parts are still around (maybe they are, but theyd be even older).

And since I figured a bunch of us are watching it for the first time thanks to the TRSI mega bundle, I figured some people might want to talk about it, or old fans might want to discuss it again.

I just finished the first episode on disc 4 myself, so I'm about to watch episode... 14. So I guess I'll make some quick impressions about it up to that point.

First, the animation is a bit better than I expected, though I suppose CCS isn't as old as I had thought it was. The designs are generally good, particularly for the girls. Tomoyo and Sakura look great, specifically.

I doubt this surprises anyone, but Tomoyo is definitely my favorite character. She is such a great personality, and yes, her cosplay/video fetish amuses me enormously. But what I really like about her is that she is, so far anyway, keeping up with Sakura and Kero, despite being a perfectly normal human being (as far as I've seen).

In fact, half the time she's there, she makes Sakura's victories possible. She's not just a cute accessory with a camera, she's actually been quite integral to the capture of the Clow Cards. Naturally I see this dropping off later in the series when the stakes will undoubtedly be raised exponentially higher, but for the moment it's a beautiful thing to watch.

Sakura herself is what I expected: cute, strong, head over heels for an older boy, and absolutely brimming with good old mahou shoujo justice and love, reluctant Card Captor though she may have been at first. I can tell I will have absolutely no problem watching her adventures for the next... 57 episodes.

Other random observations so far (again, to 14):

- Tomoyo's costumes are awesome. Awwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeesome.
- The show should be called TOMOYO [and her sidekick Sakura who happens to be a magical girl
- Sakura doesn't transform! Gasp! Again I bet this will change later, but either way, no spoiling me please.
- The way Kero says "Kero-chan CHEEEEEEEECK" cracks me up.
- Li is totally gay to the max. Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with that. It's only fair to accept that if I get my Tomoyo camfetish goodness.
- Pedo-sensei scares me. I'm not sure I want to see how that storyline resolves itself /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Tomoyo owns this show.
- TIME is going to need some major practical limitations on use once it starts seeing more screentime. It's far too powerful otherwise, such as how easily it scored the POWER card for Sakura in 13.
- Yukito looks like he's 30 o_O
- Did I mention Tomoyo rocks?
- Kero, despite all my fears, isn't actually annoying at all. And I loooove the Osakan-ben XD I can only assume there's a healthy set of Kero/Card Captor Osaka [of the Azu variety] fanart out there I haven't encountered yet.
- I love how Sakura's secret was kept for less than an episode before Tomoyo found out XD That's gotta be a record.
- I'm liking this show immensely, and knowing I have 57 episodes to go just makes that even better.

Anyways, discuss. Or don't. Whatever. Just no spoilers please. I am currently watching a disc a night (or every 2 nights, depends if I get wrapped up in something else, like imageboards or reading or whatnot), but it'll still be a few weeks before I finish it all, I think. Especially with classes starting next week.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

My first impression upon seeing Leave it to Kero at the end of each episode: Did somebody say cosplay guide??? /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

CCS is an awesome show... you guys that haven't yet seen it are in for a treat! Grab the movies if you can. The first takes place after box 1, and the 2nd after the series concludes.

[Magic_Knight]

Cardcaptor Sakura is my favorite series ever. It's what got me into anime in the first place. The show is just so well made it almost feels magical. This is one of those shows where I truly enjoyed every episode. I think this will probably end up as one of your all time favorites, it's super awesome.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
My first impression upon seeing Leave it to Kero at the end of each episode: Did somebody say cosplay guide??? /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha, yeah, whoever did the costume design for that show deserves much respect.

[ QUOTE ]
CCS is an awesome show... you guys that haven't yet seen it are in for a treat! Grab the movies if you can. The first takes place after box 1, and the 2nd after the series concludes.

[/ QUOTE ]
I've been thinking about those, though I haven't looked into them yet. If you can answer without spoiling anything, is the second movie the sort of thing that's integral to the ending, or does the TV series wrap everything up on it's own? Is the second movie just "extra"?

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
If you can answer without spoiling anything, is the second movie the sort of thing that's integral to the ending, or does the TV series wrap everything up on it's own? Is the second movie just "extra"?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not absolutely necessary, though it does tie up one subplot that's left open ended when the series concludes.

And it's pretty darn good too, and well worth the investment (as is the first, which is more of a side story).

[touma]

It is hard to discuss it without giving any spoilers, but I will say that I think that you will not be disappointed.
You have not met Meilin yet, she is introduced in episode 20. I think that you will like her.

Oh, and you will want to watch the movies, which, I think, were not included in the bundle. You should start looking for good deals on both of them. Now.

Enjoy.

[Gatts]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
no spoiling me please.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doh!

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Tomoyo owns this show.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes she does. Tomoyo fans + 1. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- TIME is going to need some major practical limitations on use once it starts seeing more screentime. It's far too powerful otherwise, such as how easily it scored the POWER card for Sakura in 13.

[/ QUOTE ]

And unlike Negi, it doesn't need a world tree to power it. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

Time is too good. It's a good thing Sakura isn't evil.

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Kero, despite all my fears, isn't actually annoying at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't have liked him as much if it wasn't for the fact that I'm a Aya Hisakawa fanboy.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Tomoyo owns this show.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes she does. Tomoyo fans + 1. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
I think a friend of mine who bought the bundle the same time I did has also been converted, though not as much as me. There can never be enough Tomoyo love~!

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- TIME is going to need some major practical limitations on use once it starts seeing more screentime. It's far too powerful otherwise, such as how easily it scored the POWER card for Sakura in 13.

[/ QUOTE ]
Time is too good. It's a good thing Sakura isn't evil.

[/ QUOTE ]
I really, really enjoyed the episode where Sakura captured Time. Sakura's Neverending Day, I believe it was called. I really wasn't sure how she was going to capture it, and was a bit surprised that Shield was able to counter the effect. Which, I guess, is a practical limit on its power, and will probably be very important later on in the series when Sakura undoubtedly recovers it from Li (bastard, give it back to Sakura! =P). Of course, once you put both Shield and Time in the hands of the same individual, well...

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Kero, despite all my fears, isn't actually annoying at all.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wouldn't have liked him as much if it wasn't for the fact that I'm a Aya Hisakawa fanboy.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm not immediately familiar with her or her voice (though I've heard the name before), but that's because I only started taking serious notice of VAs and an interest in following their work across shows in the past, I guess, 5-6 seasons in Japan. But I also very much enjoy her work as Kero.

Still, taking a quick look at ANN, it seems like she's done a number of roles I've seen her in... but the accent she uses as Kero didn't make her readily apparent to my ears as being those other characters. The biggest ones that I see are Nyamo from Azu, Unohana from Bleach, Usui's mom from Karin, Lindy from Nanoha and a couple others.

Anyway, on to episode 14!

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:is the second movie the sort of thing that's integral to the ending, or does the TV series wrap everything up on it's own? Is the second movie just "extra"?

[/ QUOTE ]
The second movie is not absolutely necessary, but I think that it is integral to the series. It is not just "extra."
The last episode of the TV series wraps up the story, actually the second story, quite nicely. But one thing, which I considered to be very important, is unresolved. In my opinion if you have not seen the second movie then you have not seen the end of the show.
And the second movie looks really good. It is the only part of the show that is widescreen. It really does look like a movie.

The first movie is definitely not essential, but it is a lot of fun.

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
I'm not immediately familiar with her or her voice (though I've heard the name before), but that's because I only started taking serious notice of VAs and an interest in following their work across shows in the past, I guess, 5-6 seasons in Japan. But I also very much enjoy her work as Kero.


[/ QUOTE ]
Aya Hisakawa is everywhere, and her character types are all over the place. I can usually pick her out when she's doing the quieter type characters, but then she'll pop up somewhere else and surprise me. I love her whatever character she's playing though, and she's never disappointed me with a performance.

Megumi Ogata is another favorite of mine here. She does a great job as Yuki, particularly later in the series during a certain storyarc.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
The last episode of the TV series wraps up the story, actually the second story, quite nicely. But one thing, which I considered to be very important, is unresolved. In my opinion if you have not seen the second movie then you have not seen the end of the show.

[/ QUOTE ]
Thanks to you and SE:Neia for the info. Sucks that I wasn't thinking about it when I did my Overstock.com order yesterday =( I could order again on my second account though, I guess. Maybe I'll check for cheap used copies first.

Edit: screw it, just went ahead and ordered with my second account on OS, having to throw in paper clips again to activate the coupon =P I'm gonna be drowning in paperclips soon /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Anyway, basically came to $30 for both, not bad for two Geneon discs, though one is MSRP $20.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
I know there was a ginormous six-part discussion thread about nine months ago (part 6 was anyway), but it's way too old to bump, is done in an episode-by-episode format and well, I doubt the first parts are still around (maybe they are, but theyd be even older).

[/ QUOTE ]

EmperorBrandon actually started the first one back in early October. I have em' all saved if you ever wanted to read them all. /images/graemlins/wink.gif I think it was the most in-depth and lengthy discussion of a title on the forums, (with various Utena threads over the years combined, probably). This makes me want to pull out some of the CCS avatars I made then...

[ QUOTE ]
First, the animation is a bit better than I expected, though I suppose CCS isn't as old as I had thought it was. The designs are generally good, particularly for the girls. Tomoyo and Sakura look great, specifically.

[/ QUOTE ]

Animation keeps up pretty well throughout the series, with maybe four or five scattered episodes showing a visible, though minor dip. And they tend to vary in impact depending on the viewer. But it's one of the main factors that kept me riveted to the show.

[ QUOTE ]
I doubt this surprises anyone, but Tomoyo is definitely my favorite character. She is such a great personality, and yes, her cosplay/video fetish amuses me enormously. But what I really like about her is that she is, so far anyway, keeping up with Sakura and Kero, despite being a perfectly normal human being (as far as I've seen).

[/ QUOTE ]

I like her because she's the wicked one, too. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[ QUOTE ]
- Sakura doesn't transform! Gasp! Again I bet this will change later, but either way, no spoiling me please.

[/ QUOTE ]

A most brilliant concept if there ever was one. It figures two of my three favorite magic girl shows (the other being the non-shoujo Magic Users Club) feature this concept of "down to earth" magic girls who have to work to make their image happen. It's simply makes for a more emphatic viewing, among other features.

[ QUOTE ]
- Pedo-sensei scares me. I'm not sure I want to see how that storyline resolves itself /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Man, Rika's the scary one.

[ QUOTE ]
- TIME is going to need some major practical limitations on use once it starts seeing more screentime. It's far too powerful otherwise, such as how easily it scored the POWER card for Sakura in 13.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not spoiling anything, but this issue is addressed. In fact I thought it was already at this point...

The rest I can't address, of course. But you will be in for some fun twists and surprises in the many episodes to come.

[Gatts]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
- Pedo-sensei scares me. I'm not sure I want to see how that storyline resolves itself /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Man, Rika's the scary one.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's for sure. Especially in the manga. Women in CLAMP universes have much more evil in them than men.

[something]

Oh christ, how did I forget some of these...:
- Sakura and Li are fighting over... the same guy XD Awesome.
- Sakura's brother is actually pretty cool himself. Really a pretty great older brother to Sakura, regardless of the teasing... and Yukito amuses me when he points out his sister-complex XD
- Hoe? Hoooe~? HOEEE~~~~?!

Ep. 14:
- Somehow, Tomoyo manages to come across as what I imagine Audrey Hepburn would look like if she were 11[10?], Japanese (well, anime-ese), and animated. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif She's so cute, but also so mature at the same time.
- Gender swap Cinderella... oh god that was bad XD

Ep. 15:
- Another card for Li... boo =P
- You know, I think Kero and Sakura's fight at the beginning of the episode was one of the cutest things I have eeeeeeever seen.
- Drunk Kero was pretty awesome too.
- Tomoyo is so wonderfully technologically literate XD In so many ways. she's a great complementary partner to Sakura's abilities.
- How very convenient that Akane had to move at the end /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- And Tomoyo's hairstyle at the end is easily one of the cutest ever... hell this whole episode was cute overload.

General comment: CCS has found a great way to make "monster of the week" more interesting, because in this case, the "monsters" don't just disappear after they're beaten... they become powers controlled by the protagonist, and thus their part in the story goes on beyond their 23 minutes of fame.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Hoe? Hoooe~? HOEEE~~~~?!


[/ QUOTE ]

This has been known to induce melting into a puddle of goo for nearly anyone who sees/hears it. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif


[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
General comment: CCS has found a great way to make "monster of the week" more interesting, because in this case, the "monsters" don't just disappear after they're beaten... they become powers controlled by the protagonist, and thus their part in the story goes on beyond their 23 minutes of fame.

[/ QUOTE ]

And thus CLAMP begins to pull you deeper and deeper into their web of amazingness... Just you wait! /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[vtr9kvictor]

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
- Pedo-sensei scares me. I'm not sure I want to see how that storyline resolves itself /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Man, Rika's the scary one.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's for sure. Especially in the manga. Women in CLAMP universes have much more evil in them than men.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well the story with them (in the manga) is MUCH different. After reading the manga I found their relationship to be a lot less creepy in the anime (where Rika just really really really likes her teacher). The story in the manga is that they are actually engaged to be married once Rika becomes of age (and there is a mutual interest there /images/graemlins/stunned0.gif). I haven't read it in a long time, so I don't remember if they actually ever 'date' or anything though.

[SnowfairyX]

I consider the series pretty much a classic but I think that the third season was sort of unecessary and that they should have just wrapped things up completely in about 50 episodes. I also just want to mention that I hated the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>"Alice in Wonderland"</span> episode (55) for some reason. Still, this is definitely one of my all time favorite anime series and is the first I ever started to collect on dvd, so it's something I quite cherish. I'm still bugged that I'm missing only one of the "limited edition" postcards though (volume 16 /images/graemlins/sad.gif). I also have to start re-watching the series soon and eventually finish the last episode and then go on to the 2nd movie afterwards. I've been putting it off for years /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif.

[Collectonian]

[ QUOTE ]
vtr9kvictor said:
Well the story with them (in the manga) is MUCH different. After reading the manga I found their relationship to be a lot less creepy in the anime (where Rika just really really really likes her teacher). The story in the manga is that they are actually engaged to be married once Rika becomes of age (and there is a mutual interest there /images/graemlins/stunned0.gif). I haven't read it in a long time, so I don't remember if they actually ever 'date' or anything though.

[/ QUOTE ]

In the manga, <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> we do see Terada and Rika on at least one date at the end when Sakura is running around upset about Li's leaving. She runs into the two on a date and Rika counsels her. </span>

[Fudce]

I remember the huge discussion, I took quite an active role posting links to each card as it's captured.
Card Captor Sakura is an amazing series, seventy episodes and two movies of CLAMP goodness...


Oh, and chalk me up as another Tomoyo fanboy /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[Perfect_Cell]

Just wondering, the clow book box sets Geneon released, they contain the entire TV series right? and are they thin-packs?

[SnowfairyX]

[ QUOTE ]
Zei said:
Just wondering, the clow book box sets Geneon released, they contain the entire TV series right? and are they thin-packs?

[/ QUOTE ]
They are digi paks, similar to the ones released for The Twelve Kingdoms and The World of Narue, for example. The two Clow Book Sets contain the entire 70 episode series, not including the two movies. I think there was empty space in those sets to put the movies in though, if you just want them all in there together with the series and wish to just discard the cases for the movies.

[ZhenJi]

I'm glad you are enjoying CCS, this is my most treasured collection. It made me change from a cynical bitch to a cute Sakura wanna be. I love Tomoyo, but she's to quiet for me and her voice is too beautiful.

Kero is awesome, in the episode with Akane he says "chau" and it's so cute /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif.

Get the movies, the second one offers a great ending to the series.

Enjoy! /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[masterpez]

One of my favorite parts of the series is watching the "confrontations" between Touya and Kero-chan. I never laughed harder during any moments during the series than I have whenever Touya is about to exit Sakura's room and glances over at Kero. It's fun watching the camera cut from Touya over to Kero, who's face is covered in sweat drops.

[Nosredna]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Sakura's brother is actually pretty cool himself. Really a pretty great older brother to Sakura, regardless of the teasing... and Yukito amuses me when he points out his sister-complex XD

[/ QUOTE ]

Touya was one of my favorite characters in the show. I think his character gets better as the show goes on.

[CrimsonRose]

[ QUOTE ]
SnowfairyX said:
I also just want to mention that I hated the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>"Alice in Wonderland"</span> episode (55) for some reason.

[/ QUOTE ]
For me, that's one of my favorite episodes, because <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Yue's got a puffy little bunny tail and those cute ears!! That episode really made me laugh, seeing who got stuck as what character.</span>

[AbeChinchilla]

This show was simply an amazing magical girl experience. Glad I originally saw it on a whim (practically randomly added it to my Christmas wishlist in '98 or '99 because of the adorable cover).

[Perfect_Cell]

[ QUOTE ]
SnowfairyX said:
[ QUOTE ]
Zei said:
Just wondering, the clow book box sets Geneon released, they contain the entire TV series right? and are they thin-packs?

[/ QUOTE ]
They are digi paks, similar to the ones released for The Twelve Kingdoms and The World of Narue, for example. The two Clow Book Sets contain the entire 70 episode series, not including the two movies. I think there was empty space in those sets to put the movies in though, if you just want them all in there together with the series and wish to just discard the cases for the movies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank You. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[AbeChinchilla]

[ QUOTE ]
Zei said:
[ QUOTE ]
SnowfairyX said:
[ QUOTE ]
Zei said:
Just wondering, the clow book box sets Geneon released, they contain the entire TV series right? and are they thin-packs?

[/ QUOTE ]
They are digi paks, similar to the ones released for The Twelve Kingdoms and The World of Narue, for example. The two Clow Book Sets contain the entire 70 episode series, not including the two movies. I think there was empty space in those sets to put the movies in though, if you just want them all in there together with the series and wish to just discard the cases for the movies.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank You. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, a Geneon rep made it clear that set 1 has an extra place, as well as set 2. You can stick the movie discs in there, but then you'd have empty DVD cases.

[touma]

I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."
That is one of my favorites, but I believe that some find it to be boring.
It does have a lot going against because there is no action, and no Tomoyo. But watching that episode just makes me feel good, even more than CCS in general always does.
When I see the ending of episode 16 I am happy. And that is what CCS is really about to me.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, my reaction the whole way through until they revealed who the old man really was, was just "This. Is. Creepy."

I actually posted something last night about it saying as much, but didn't realize I wasn't finised the episode when I made my comments... I had had the DVD paused for a good 15-20 minutes at that point while I was doing something else, and forgot I wasn't even done /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif I deleted the post when I realized though, because the twist at the end of the episode washed away the intense creepiness I felt for most of the episode /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

Hmm, I think I'm going to watch disc 5 now.

[ZhenJi]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, my reaction the whole way through until they revealed who the old man really was, was just "This. Is. Creepy."


[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the same thing, but then I remember saying "this is CCS, Clamp wouldn't put Sakura in that situation". Then I cried at the end. Now that I think about it, I cried a lot during various CCS episodes. /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, my reaction the whole way through until they revealed who the old man really was, was just "This. Is. Creepy."

[/ QUOTE ]
I had forgotten about that creepy feeling, but I had it too the first time.
One of the problems with having watched the show four times is that a lot of my first impressions have been overwritten in my memory and lost.
But one reason why I like that episode so much is that I no longer get that creepy feeling and can enjoy everything more right from the start. That is one of the good things about rewatching any show.

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Tomoyo's costumes are awesome. Awwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeesome.
- The show should be called TOMOYO [and her sidekick Sakura who happens to be a magical girl


[/ QUOTE ]

That's what a lot of people remember it as, especially considering the biggest legacy of the show is that Tomoyo is essentially the mother of the "obsessed best friend" character archetype.
[ QUOTE ]

- Yukito looks like he's 30 o_O


[/ QUOTE ]
Welcome to the world of CLAMP, where all non-child males look like they belong in the NBA. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Hoe? Hoooe~? HOEEE~~~~?!


[/ QUOTE ]

This has been known to induce melting into a puddle of goo for nearly anyone who sees/hears it. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif



[/ QUOTE ]

Hoe is nothing compared Hanyan /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, my reaction the whole way through until they revealed who the old man really was, was just "This. Is. Creepy."

[/ QUOTE ]
I had forgotten about that creepy feeling, but I had it too the first time.
One of the problems with having watched the show four times is that a lot of my first impressions have been overwritten in my memory and lost.
But one reason why I like that episode so much is that I no longer get that creepy feeling and can enjoy everything more right from the start. That is one of the good things about rewatching any show.

[/ QUOTE ]
I still get creeped out by that episode. Regardless of who the old man is, the episode essentially tells any kids watching that if an old man who lives alone and calls you "pretty" invites you into his house, it's OK to go in.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:
[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Hoe? Hoooe~? HOEEE~~~~?!

[/ QUOTE ]

This has been known to induce melting into a puddle of goo for nearly anyone who sees/hears it. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Hoe is nothing compared Hanyan /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]

How could I forget hanyan?! That and hoee are two reasons that Sakura is one of the most adorable kids in animated existence. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[Fencedude]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:


That's what a lot of people remember it as, especially considering the biggest legacy of the show is that Tomoyo is essentially the mother of the "obsessed best friend" character archetype.


[/ QUOTE ]

Not even CLOSE to the first entry in that archetype.

And as Obsessed vaguely lesbian friends go, Tomoyo's pretty tame compared to some of her predecessors.

[something]

Onwards, to disc five!

Ep. 17:
- Sakura is just about the most adorable little girl ever when frightened XD And of course, there's Tomoyo, the calm, cool, collected and mature bastion of support, always there for Sakura ::nods::
- It was nice to see Sakura and Li having a nice, calm talk with each other on the beach like that. They also worked together without trading insults in capturing the Erase card (another very strong one, potentially).
- Yamazaki is such a strange individual /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

Ep. 18:
- Chiharu and Yamazaki make a great pair. They have that "long time childhood friend" thing going on in a way that creates a dynamic i enjoy.
- Oh Tomoyo~! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage008.jpg). Clearly she likes Sakura, but she also seems to support Sakura when it comes to Yukito. She stays behind and lets them go on alone together, even though you know she'd like nothing better than to film Sakura the whole time. I suppose that just shows even more how mature she is... she loves Sakura, but resists the urge to monopolize her, either physically or emotionally. I'm just waiting for her to become a victim of an "inhibition removal" card though =P
- People in this show are way too laid back about supernatural happenings. Sure Sakura and Tomoyo and Li know what's going on, but the Yukito doesn't see anything wrong with strange balls of light falling from the sky like snow... riiiight /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Heh.
- Hah, was Sakura trying to confess to Yukito? Should be interesting to see how that goes if she ever does =P
- Well, that was about the easiest capture yet /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif And Li was so busy being horny he didn't even notice a card was there. Wonder what the heck Glow can do for Sakura...
- Sakura's faces are all sorts of awesome. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage007.jpg) :3

Ep. 19:
- Gotta love Kero's reasoning for his math answers. "You buy five 70 yen items, how much does it cost?" "1000 yen, you just get change back!"
- I think she spent more time chasing that book down than it would have taken to just read a different one =P
- Aaaaand, in comes Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage010.jpg). Wonder how long it'll take her to realize that the train she's trying to board is, er, on the other side of the tracks? =P The only correct ending for this is for Meilin to develop a crush on Sakura now.

Ep. 20:
- I hope Meilin doesn't play the "jealous childhood friend (ok, cousin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage013.jpg)) who doesn't realize her 'love rival' isnt actually interested in her man at all" role for too long. Those get tiring, and fast.
- Nonetheless, it's great to see Shaoran (guess I should call him that to differentiate since we have a second Li family member now) whipped like a bitch (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage011.jpg) XD And Meilin is cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage012.jpg)... so I'll forgive her for now =P
- Ahahahahahaahah, XD Sakura using the Power card = uber win (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage014.jpg)!
- More cute faces (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage015.jpg)!
- And of course Tomoyo would be familiar (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage016.jpg) with "relationship charts"... I bet she's an avid poster on /u/ and shoujo-ai/yuri imageboards and forums ::nods::

General Comments:
- Li is a Cardcaptor of a sort himself, so why does it seem like he needs to rely on Sakura to seal the cards for him? Even for the cards that he takes control of...
- I'm always wary at the introduction of new characters after I'm comfortable with the existing cast, particularly when they're of the "rivalry through comedic misunderstanding" variety like Meilin. Especially now that Sakura and Shaoran finally seemed to make some progress in working together. Nonetheless, I won't judge Meilin or the show itself based on general cliches. I'll let CCS do it's thing and judge it on what I see. This volume was another great one, and I look forward to the rest.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:
Welcome to the world of CLAMP, where all non-child males look like they belong in the NBA. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Looks like he'd make the cut, as well :sd; Strange though, the way he's drawn doesn't make him seem like the "athletic" type, though neither does the dad. Touya on the other hand looks the part easily.

[Kellory]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Aaaaand, in comes Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage010.jpg). Wonder how long it'll take her to realize that the train she's trying to board is, er, on the other side of the tracks? =P The only correct ending for this is for Meilin to develop a crush on Sakura now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I think Meilin is my second favorite character after Tomoyo. As cute as Sakura is, I found Meilin is a pretty down to earth character. And she really is quite a bit more mature than she often seems. All I'll say is that Meilin knows who her rivals are.

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- I hope Meilin doesn't play the "jealous childhood friend (ok, cousin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage013.jpg)) who doesn't realize her 'love rival' isnt actually interested in her man at all" role for too long. Those get tiring, and fast.

[/ QUOTE ]
In my opinion Meilin shows some of the best character development of anybody in any show. She starts out being mostly comic relief, but eventually she will have some of the most emotional scenes in the show. But she will always be cute and funny.
She is awesome in the school play.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
In my opinion Meilin shows some of the best character development of anybody in any show. She starts out being mostly comic relief, but eventually she will have some of the most emotional scenes in the show.

[/ QUOTE ]
Hmm, lots of positive defense of Meilin, which is good. It's reassuring to hear that she's going to play a more significant role than seemed likely at first glance.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
General Comments:
- Li is a Cardcaptor of a sort himself, so why does it seem like he needs to rely on Sakura to seal the cards for him? Even for the cards that he takes control of...

[/ QUOTE ]

Only Sakura's staff can do the job. Simple as that.

And I'll echo the positive reassurance with Meilin. And also what Kellory said about knowing who her rivals are. Don't let the perceived cliches about any of these characters fool you. /images/graemlins/wink.gif CLAMP's top of their game here.

*waits patiently for disarm to get near the end and past the first season*

Don't forget as well, if you're interested in catching the first movie (which I personally recommend) that it takes place between episode 35 and 36, or volumes 9 and 10.

[DKL]

OH

OH

OH SHIT.... yeah, I won't talk about anything.

Before I say anything, Meilin is quite possibly one of the coolest characters ever... kinda surprising given that she wasn't even in the manga (she's anime exclusive).

I'm actually in the middle of my re-watch too (I've seen the whole thing like a dozen times already, so I don't have a real number)

You have the movies? Good... I think that each movie is essentially the best part of the 35 episodes that precede them; it's a good show of Morio Asaka's competence as a director (which is why stuff like Gunslinger Girl actually works).

And man... Madhouse is awesome; this must be like the first show that really turned me onto their stuff (though, I only figured out later that it was them when I started paying attention).

ALSO... I didn't notice it before, but Mamoru Kanbe (Elfen Lied) did a handful of episodes here... yeah, the ones where the art is kinda off-model and a little lower in quality than the best episodes are essentially the ones he did (For example, the twin bells episode and the... uhh... Never-ending day episode, for starters where the art is more focused on being cute as opposed to matching the adapted designs line for line... but man... it's still really cute).

You'll just notice it.

What else?

Uhh...

Yeah, this show is dope as hell and it's good that people are still getting into even now...

Man... takes me back everytime I talk about this to when I first saw it back in the Philippines... yeah... awesome...

I should get offline though and continue my rewatch.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
General Comments:
- Li is a Cardcaptor of a sort himself, so why does it seem like he needs to rely on Sakura to seal the cards for him? Even for the cards that he takes control of...

[/ QUOTE ]
Only Sakura's staff can do the job. Simple as that.

[/ QUOTE ]
So what the heck did he come from Hong Kong expecting to do then? /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Did he think he'd find the key or something?

[ QUOTE ]
Don't forget as well, if you're interested in catching the first movie (which I personally recommend) that it takes place between episode 35 and 36, or volumes 9 and 10.

[/ QUOTE ]
Overstock shipped them like, less than 10 hours after I ordered them so both movies are already on their way, so I'll be able to watch it in sequence where it belongs without any delays. Whee.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
So what the heck did he come from Hong Kong expecting to do then? /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

To be the master of the cards, dawg! I mean... you know, he has some of them already (and a pretty powerful one at that).

As for any discrepancies (and overly idealized scenarios) you might come across... yeah, they are definately there (since it's really a kid's show, they don't need to overly complicate stuff to get it through), so suspend disbelief when needed

Though, speculating trying to fill those holes in is definately fun... I do it all the time.

That sounds pretty bad... but actually, it isn't and the show is still just a boat-load of awesome no matter how I go about it.

[Nosredna]

[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought the episode was predictable. I mean they kept showing signs as to what was going on. <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Like when they kept showing the picture of Sakura's mother.</span> I picked it up rather fast. Of course I <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>didn't think it was great-grandfather and thought maybe father or grandfather, but that wasn't a big deal. It was hard to guess his age. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif </span>

Now I'm not saying it wasn't good, I rather enjoyed it. But it wasn't too hard to figure out what was going on.

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
General Comments:
- Li is a Cardcaptor of a sort himself, so why does it seem like he needs to rely on Sakura to seal the cards for him? Even for the cards that he takes control of...

[/ QUOTE ]
Only Sakura's staff can do the job. Simple as that.

[/ QUOTE ]
So what the heck did he come from Hong Kong expecting to do then? /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Did he think he'd find the key or something?

[/ QUOTE ]
I do not think that we are ever told what Li thought that he could accomplish, and I am not sure that he knew. He is really there because his mother sent him. It is her motives that we have to wonder about. Unfortunately we learn almost nothing about her, and do not even see her except in the first movie. I do like her in the movie.
It could be that Li is with Sakura simply because somebody, who shall remain nameless at this time, wants him to be there to help her.
Also, the kid is only ten years old, so we can not expect too much from him in the way of mature thought.

And this could just be something for us to speculate about.

[AbeChinchilla]

Li's motives are explained in disc 12.

[EmperorBrandon]

Cool, one of the first things I see here now that I'm back is a CCS discussion. Glad that you're liking the series, disarm. It was probably my third time completely through the series last time (though many more times with particular episodes), but this series never loses its charm for me. This does remind me I really need to recover my lost DVD's in some manner, likely by buying them again (since it doesn't seem I'll get back the ones that were stolen at this point). At least the second movie sometime soon, since I missed out on ending up the last marathon with it.

[DKL]

HOLD UP!

Before I jump back into the first movie (I mean, literally), I need to ask...

Has ANYONE seen the video extra things that never came out here in the states?

Man... I saw them... it was off the hook... like... seeing a new CCS episode after all these years...

Yeah, I wanted to ask given that it never came out in the other thread (I think).

It's best if you see them after the series, then just put them together in your head (figure out where each short episode goes in the series).

Yeah... you can see it... at that place... uh... yeah.

[Shsway]

Man, just wait until he and the other Tomoyo and/or Meilin fans get to episode 60. /images/graemlins/devil.gif

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
HOLD UP!

Before I jump back into the first movie (I mean, literally), I need to ask...

Has ANYONE seen the video extra things that never came out here in the states?

Man... I saw them... it was off the hook... like... seeing a new CCS episode after all these years...

Yeah, I wanted to ask given that it never came out in the other thread (I think).

It's best if you see them after the series, then just put them together in your head (figure out where each short episode goes in the series).

Yeah... you can see it... at that place... uh... yeah.

[/ QUOTE ]

How exactly did you see them? I would love to try them out if I could as I never have seen them.

[ QUOTE ]
Shsway said:
Man, just wait until he and the other Tomoyo and/or Meilin fans get to episode 60. /images/graemlins/devil.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Always fun watching how new fans react to some of my favorite parts in the series. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[DKL]

OH yeah... you... uhh... go to that place where we're not allowed to talk about it... to... you know...

see the rare stuff that never comes out in the US...

Here's a hint:

The main complaint against that place is that the video quality is usually really really ghetto...

Yeah... then, look for "Tomoyo video extra" in the search or something like that.

[EmperorBrandon]

Thanks, I was thinking it was probably that anyway.

This is great! I'm definitely in the mood to watch these at this point. (just watched the first one). Wasn't it some kind of rare extra in Japan?

It's nice to know the origins of the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>first opening theme</span>

[DKL]

I liked the copyright warning.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Overstock shipped them like, less than 10 hours after I ordered them so both movies are already on their way, so I'll be able to watch it in sequence where it belongs without any delays. Whee.

[/ QUOTE ]

By all means, do not miss the Leave it to Kero! Theatrical Edition extra on the second movie! I don't remember if it's an easter egg or not, it might have been. Just make sure you don't watch it until you've seen the whole series, as it does contain at least a minor spoiler for the series itself.

[CrimsonRose]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
By all means, do not miss the Leave it to Kero! Theatrical Edition extra on the second movie! I don't remember if it's an easter egg or not, it might have been. Just make sure you don't watch it until you've seen the whole series, as it does contain at least a minor spoiler for the series itself.

[/ QUOTE ]
It is an Easter Egg. I had to tell several friends how to find it, since they didn't even know it was on the DVD!!

[EmperorBrandon]

I have no idea why Pioneer chose to make a great extra like the Kero-chan movie slightly hidden.

Did submit the short movie as a title on ANN, so hopefully more people will know that it exists on the R1 release.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
RosePetal said:
[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
By all means, do not miss the Leave it to Kero! Theatrical Edition extra on the second movie! I don't remember if it's an easter egg or not, it might have been. Just make sure you don't watch it until you've seen the whole series, as it does contain at least a minor spoiler for the series itself.

[/ QUOTE ]
It is an Easter Egg. I had to tell several friends how to find it, since they didn't even know it was on the DVD!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Which reminds me... is this exclusive to the Special Edition DVD?

Oh yeah... Brandon... how'd you like the video extras?

The thing with Yamazaki was a hoot, ALTHOUGH

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> He has opened his eyes like twice in the series... one was because Chiharu was choking him *which is consistent with the thing, amusingly*, but the other was during the Zoo episode... with the elephants </span>

YEAH!

Everyone needs to see the video extras!

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
Which reminds me... is this exclusive to the Special Edition DVD?

[/ QUOTE ]
If it is, I won't be seeing it -- I got the cheaper version.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
This does remind me I really need to recover my lost DVD's in some manner, likely by buying them again (since it doesn't seem I'll get back the ones that were stolen at this point).

[/ QUOTE ]
Better get over to TRSI asap then, the bundle is back last I saw.

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
This does remind me I really need to recover my lost DVD's in some manner, likely by buying them again (since it doesn't seem I'll get back the ones that were stolen at this point).

[/ QUOTE ]
Better get over to TRSI asap then, the bundle is back last I saw.

[/ QUOTE ]

The problem with that is only 5 of my CCS DVD's got stolen (thankfully /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif). Only need to get four specific Vols. from the TV series (12-15, I think) and the second movie. The bundle looks to be a good price, though, so it may be something to consider even if. I had considered the Sakura Box too, as that would still fill it in at a good price.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

Better get over to TRSI asap then, the bundle is back last I saw.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah hell no... damn! Had I only waited, I could've had the awesome singles with the cute-ass covers...

It's cheaper than the sets too... this sucks... oh well.

NOOOOOOOOOO!!!

=======

Also... yeah, is the special movie EXCLUSIVE to the Special Edition?

Come to think of it... I never did check to be sure with my old edition DVD... I should though...

Er... I'll look into it... later... yeah.

Okay... just checked...

There isn't even an "Extras" section in the regular edition... yeah, I don't think you'll be able to see the "Leave it to Kero" extra on the regular edition... that's too bad since it's really great...

Which reminds me, man... I can't believe I have both editions of the 2nd movie (I'm giving this to a friend though... I just need to figure out how to mail it).

[something]

Another night, another disc of mahou shoujo goodness.

Ep. 21:
- Time for... more cute faces (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage017.jpg)!
- Meilin's first attempt at the long distance run so brought thoughts of Tomo to my head /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- But honestly there's not much else to say about this episode. It was pretty simple. So here's Tomoyo with her camera (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage018.jpg) instead.

Ep. 22:
- Sakura's dad is so perfect it's scary. Sort of like what Tomoyo's mom was saying - so great a guy that it digusts you. This sort of "perfect family" stuff just seems so weird and foreign to me /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Still, he's a good guy, and it's nice to see an anime where a parent plays a positive role, even if it's a single parent family.
- Simply had to cap Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage019.jpg) here because... well because she's cute and thats all the reason I need.
- Using Windy in a historian's office... Is she insane? And breaking his computer... Baaaaaaaad move, Sakura.
- Of course, he isn't mad, not even for a second =P Riiiight. Doesn't even ask how she "accidentally" destroyed his laptop and busted his office up /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif You can't do this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage020.jpg) to a laptop by just bumping into it.
- But seriously, he didn't backup his manuscript? Hell, stick the hardrive in another computer. I don't care how good your memory is, you aren't going to remember all your citations and all the exact phrasing and footnotes and... Damnit, I can suspend my disbelief to cover magical girls, mythical beasts and cards that can control time, but a scholarly conference presentation reconstructed in a day? PREPOSTEROUS! =P


Ep. 23:
- Naoko is amusing.
- Can't find a lot of stuff to say, so, SILLY FACE! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage021.jpg)
- Love Meilin's attempt to point out that, hey, Tomoyo doesn't have any magical powers either (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage022.jpg). Oh, you're so naive Meilin. Didn't you know Tomoyo is the heroine of the show? Don't let the name fool you!
- Ahaha, Sakura crying as she runs along in her costume with her staff towards the "ghost" was priceless.
- And once again, Tomoyo saves the day. ::nods:: Cutely, (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage023.jpg) of course.
- You know, if the one who does the most work gets custody of the card, I think that one should go to Tomoyo =P
- Oh, lastly: Kero's outright dismissals of Meilin in this episode were hi-la-ri-ous~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage024.jpg).

Ep. 24:
- Zomg twintails Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage025.jpg) = win! And another (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage026.jpg) for good measure.
- Ok I lied, how about a third? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage027.jpg) ...damnit it's taking me so much longer to watch these eps now with all the caps /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- And Sakura turns tiny! Which, of course, means she has to get chased by a cat. It's like, an unwritten rule. Cats must chase miniaturized protagonists.
- Well, with Sakura out of the game and Tomoyo having the key... I think we all know what must happen ::nods::
- XD Ahaha, her acting was amazing. "I'll get the cake! Oh my I'm going to faint. Oh, I'm ok now =D"

General comments:
- Kero's omake at the end makes me sad now, because he doesn't say "Kero-chan CHEEEEEEEECK" anymore. And for all his talk of "powering up" the segment, it's just gotten shorter =P
- Hmm, so we've seen that Sakura pretty much never needs to chant incantations. She's brought forth her sealing staff instantaneously before by just calling "Release", and other spells, particularly movement ones (Jump, Fly) seem to be instant/cardless as well. My friend (also on his first watch) was speculating on if there was a limit to how many simultaneous card activations Sakura could have, but it doesn't appear that there's any limit to me, especially if she can call them forth at will. She does seem to utilize the physical card itself for non-movement abilities, although I don't know if that's a necessity -- I'm inclined to think not.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

And for all his talk of "powering up" the segment, it's just gotten shorter =P



[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah... they gave him the shaft (though, he was aware of it when they made the transition... at least, I remember it this way)

I mean, aside from the time cut, instead of a scholarly table and stuff, he's just at a small round dining table now (but at least he gets ice cream).

On the brighter side of things, I think they extended the actual show (not sure though)

OH, and I really like the Tomoyo Screencaps

Episode 23 and 24 have some of my favorite recurring interpretations of the adapted designs in the series

(er... the way the art looks in these episodes are some of my favorites in the series... you'll see it pop up in different episodes *Uh... off the top of my head, episode 34 will resemble the art in the small card episode*... it's like the "A" team or whatever you call it)

… they’re gorgeous.

OH... and I really like the Tomoyo screencaps... yeah... she has a lot of great hairstyles! (I wonder if she does them herself though?)

Also... I think the chanting is kept there just for the sake of familiarity (you know, so the viewer can chant along or something... which is cute!)

She doesn't need to chant, but she should anyway since it's cool (which in itself makes it a necessity, yay).

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

- Time for... more cute faces (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage017.jpg)!

[/ QUOTE ]

One of my favorite things about the show. I love a cute main character that is so expressive. Sakura has some of the best faces.

[ QUOTE ]
My friend (also on his first watch) was speculating on if there was a limit to how many simultaneous card activations Sakura could have, but it doesn't appear that there's any limit to me, especially if she can call them forth at will. She does seem to utilize the physical card itself for non-movement abilities, although I don't know if that's a necessity -- I'm inclined to think not.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sakura's limitations in using magic are actually briefly explained later on... when certain things have happened...

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:

Which reminds me... is this exclusive to the Special Edition DVD?

[/ QUOTE ]

As far as I know, it is. The special edition isn't limited is it? I'm sure hoping I'll be able to get it again, as I want the Kero-chan short as well.

[ QUOTE ]
Oh yeah... Brandon... how'd you like the video extras?

The thing with Yamazaki was a hoot

[/ QUOTE ]

They were all pretty fun mini-episodes. I enjoyed them quite a bit. The Yamazaki thing was very amusing as always... Her, and in the cupcake one, <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>I knew it had to be Kero-chan. Was fun watching Sakura and Tomoyo became suspicious. They know him too well /images/graemlins/happy.gif </span>

[plaidwolf]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:
[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Touma said:
I am wondering what you think about episode 16, "Sakura and the Rainbow of Memories."

[/ QUOTE ]
Actually, my reaction the whole way through until they revealed who the old man really was, was just "This. Is. Creepy."

[/ QUOTE ]
I had forgotten about that creepy feeling, but I had it too the first time.
One of the problems with having watched the show four times is that a lot of my first impressions have been overwritten in my memory and lost.
But one reason why I like that episode so much is that I no longer get that creepy feeling and can enjoy everything more right from the start. That is one of the good things about rewatching any show.

[/ QUOTE ]
I still get creeped out by that episode. Regardless of who the old man is, the episode essentially tells any kids watching that if an old man who lives alone and calls you "pretty" invites you into his house, it's OK to go in.

[/ QUOTE ]

Boy am I late to THIS discussion...

I wasn't creeped out by the old man....somehow i had a feeling Kinomoto-sensei knew perfectly well all along who the old man was, and the whole thing was a deliberate set-up

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> Later in Season 3, Sakura sends a tape to the old man (her great grandfather, her mothers grandfather) to let him know she and Touya were doing well and had turned out fine....later that episode, Great Grampa met Professor Kinomoto and apologized for being so stubborn about her great-granddaughter's choice....and the good Sensei forgave him, and brought back gifts </span>

[meryl]

Given the earlier meeting between Fujitaka and Sonomi, I also think it was a setup. <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>I've wondered if that house they stayed at actually belonged to Sonomi, and Sonomi conspired with both Fujitaka and the great-grandfather to allow him to meet Sakura without him having to see Fujitaka. </span>

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Plaid Wolf said:
I wasn't creeped out by the old man....somehow i had a feeling Kinomoto-sensei knew perfectly well all along who the old man was, and the whole thing was a deliberate set-up

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh he knew, but I wasn't 100% sure and Sakura certianly wasn't, so it was too weird for me /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[something]

Couldn't get a disc in Saturday or Sunday night, but since today is the last true day off I have until... oh, late December, I ought to get one in early. Disc seven go~

Ep. 25:
- Haha, wtf kind of hat is this? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage028.jpg) Talk about goofy. Of course, she still has no trouble looking cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage029.jpg) (ok and a bit crazy) in it.
- I think Sakura's sounds and faces of pure bliss when she's around Yukito are only rivaled by Kaorin's reactions to Sakaki /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Oh my, the clone Sakura is a pretty destructive little bitch.
- I think Sakura is wearing a loaded diaper. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage030.jpg)
- Man, this episode is just one cute/silly face (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage031.jpg) after another from Sakura so far /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Haha, under other circumstances a line like this might seem stalkerish, but from Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage032.jpg) it's just awesome =D
- Ah, fortune telling with the cards... since they were cards I assumed she could do something like that, but they never mentioned it or anything. Wonder if that will become a common thing.
- Wow, something weird happened here. Did anyone else have the sound and video go way out of sync for about 5-10 seconds during the scene where Sakura (in a pink dress) is in the woods tracking down the clone and her brother? Kero flys up behind her asking what's wrong, and then Sakura says this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage033.jpg) and it's all off. I don't know if this was an issue with the DVD or the original. Well, no big deal sicne it clears up soon after, but it was strange and jarring. I don't THINK it's my player (dvd rom using powerdvd) specifically, but who knows.
- Well, I thought something was a bit weird about Touya when he could see their mother as a ghost, and had apparently been doing so for awhile. But it seems like he's sensitive to that kind fo supernatural presence in general, because he realized quickly that the ghost/clone wasn't actually Sakura. And he still wanted to help it, so I suppose this isn't at all the first time he's dealt with something like this. Seems there's more to him than has been revealed so far...
- Now that was some convenient timing on Touya passing out /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Very nice episode overall, even if there was almost no Tomoyo. And of course it ends with suspicious sunglasses lady (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage034.jpg) and her BGM of Mystery. Ooooh~
- BTW, I liked that they'd often put the "camera" on the image of Sakura in a mirror when she was talking to Kero. Clearly appropriate for this episode, and a nice little trick.

Ep. 26:
- I love Sakura's overly-protective rollerskate gear, stock footage and all.
- Hmm, nifty idea with keeping your hand on the wall, Tomoyo is as resourceful as she is adorable (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage035.jpg) ::nods::
- Heh, I figured she wasn't just going to be able to use Fly to see through Maze, but I just expected magic not to work at all. But this is CCS, so of course she has to use magic to get out. Just a matter of what to use. You think she'd use Sword to cut through "anything", presumably Maze's walls included. We'll see...
- Haha and right after I unpause the episode she tries it. And it cuts... but then the wall regrows =P So Sword still can cut anything, but the regrowth allows for a loophole =P
- Ahaha, the maze goes three dimensional XD
- So, math teacher lady is either the Maze card herself, or is a crazy powerful mage. Since she showed up before her episode proper, I'm thinking maybe the latter.
- Sakura getting embrassed and confused when told to seal the Maze card with their "teacher" standing right there was funny enough, but the response "Alright, I'll look the other way" just made it one of my favorite scenes so far XD
- Ok, clearly the latter (a mage), and a potential Card Captor at that. But she gives the card, which is technically hers, so Sakura anyway. Hmm....

Ep. 27:
- Alright, so Mizuki-sensei is going to be extremely important it seems. Not only did she know Touya, but she's being revealed as someone in Sakura's dreams, and the last time that happened, we met Shaoran. It would make sense to introduce a new character integral to the plot's further development again, seeing as how we're on ep 27 and it's been very much episodic so far. Very kick-ass episodes, but still "card of the week" stuff.
- I would like to present the "Massive Understatement (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage036.jpg)" award to Miss Kinomoto Sakura here.
- Screencap required in the name of great justice, shoujo, and :3 -cute- (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage037.jpg)
- How did Meilin know there were chestnuts in a *closed, opaque* package? =P
- Hah, Shaoran just admitted his feelings for Yukito to Sakura... inadventantly though XD But I didn't expect them to be so frank about it with each other already... then again, IS ep 27 and the setup HAS been to get them alone (Meilin has homework, Tomoyo wasn't called, Kero is buying drinks)...
- Return card... another potentially very powerful card, as Kero even said. I wonder if Mizuki-sensei already possesses the card and used it because she wanted to show Sakura what happened in the past. I'm confused by the flow of time under the Return card though. Over a year of the past passes, but Sakura obviously wasn't sitting in the tree for a year. I suppose she's just seeing snippets.
- Gasp! Perhaps Shaoran is bi? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage038.jpg) In any event, nice use of the Time card. For some reason I just love finding out all the intricacies of how one card cancels out/trumps another. And apparently my guess about the Return card being used by Mizuki was wrong.
- "Yue", huh?

Ep. 28:
- Obligatory cute Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage039.jpg) screencap. Even if her hands do look funky. Actually, throughout this whole episode, their hands/fingers were pretty off looking.
- And more Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage040.jpg) faces.
- Wow, I wish Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage041.jpg) got a close-up here, because this scene was crazy cute XD She turns around, looking angry but blushing, and asks where Miss Maki's shop is XD
- She's awesome in this episode though... so, so very bad at hiding her emotions =P
- I love how nobody notices a couple gradeschoolers flying around on a magic staff /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Anyways, I guess this was the "Meilin's brattiness finally gets someone she cares about hurt, so now she'll chill out a little" episode. Maybe.

General Comments:
- I guess I'll just echo what I said above about Touya being more than meets the eye. His suspicion of Kero, as evidenced multiple times so far, makes me wonder if he isn't quite so in the dark about Sakura's transformation as the show might have us believe so far. When he and that girl were saved during the play in the Mist card episode, he looked up at the control booth where Sakura and Li had been with a look somewhere between suspicion and knowing. And clearly he's interested in Li to some extent, as more than just some bratty punk. At the very least we know he can sense ghosts and likely magical/supernatural power in general. Makes me wonder what his dad can do, if anything.
- As mentioned above, Mizuki clearly marks the next stage in the evolution of the show. First we have Sakura meeting Kero on her own, then Li, now Mizuki. I sort of wonder how this show was initially aired in Japan... 70 episodes in a row? I'm guessing so by the fact that, 28 eps in, there has been no natural break in the story whatsoever, it's just been straight through "card of the week" rather than story arcs.

I don't know if this disc was a little better than the others or if I'm just feeling more talkative (typeative?), but this was pretty long post /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[SpoilerHappy]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:Makes me wonder what his dad can do, if anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's an extra bit of something in the manga, and exactly what it is can spoil something else so I'll shut up. Near the end someone (maybe me) can clue you in on a little bit of trivia on this....

[touma]

There is more to Touya than has been obvious. There will be revelations throughout the whole show.
I think that the next one also involves the Mirror card, which definitely does get used again.

[Fencedude]

A few things.

Sakura is gay for Miss Mizuki, in much the same way that Shaoran is gay for Yukito

Mirror Card is &lt;3. Only card that gets a real, well defined personality and actually interacts with Sakura to any great extent. And Mirror Sakura is cuter too.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Fencedude said:
Sakura is gay for Miss Mizuki, in much the same way that Shaoran is gay for Yukito

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, yeah, I started thinking Sakura must realize what it's like to be in Tomoyo's position now.

[ QUOTE ]
Mirror Card is &lt;3. Only card that gets a real, well defined personality and actually interacts with Sakura to any great extent. And Mirror Sakura is cuter too.

[/ QUOTE ]
But they look exactly the same... unless you mean personality, heh. But yes, the Mirror episode was great, and indeed the only card so far to have a personality. I hope it's not the last, though you indicated it sorta is. Not that it's a big deal though, as the show has more than it's share of great characters I can watch develop and interact.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- As mentioned above, Mizuki clearly marks the next stage in the evolution of the show. First we have Sakura meeting Kero on her own, then Li, now Mizuki. I sort of wonder how this show was initially aired in Japan... 70 episodes in a row? I'm guessing so by the fact that, 28 eps in, there has been no natural break in the story whatsoever, it's just been straight through "card of the week" rather than story arcs.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, you'll get those story arcs... you're still in the 'laying-the-groundwork' part of the series. This is one of the most immersive and best paced shows I've ever seen. Just wait until it really takes off. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[DrMM]

Wow, this discussion is really, really making me want to watch CCS again. I may need the stress relief soon.

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Gasp! Perhaps Shaoran is bi? (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage038.jpg)

[/ QUOTE ]

Shaoran is not bi. You'll see... /images/graemlins/wink.gif The relationships in CCS are rather complex and don't necessarily define the characters' sexuality precisely (hmm... I don't know if that's the way to put it or not, but seems right). This goes particularly for Shaoran, who is one I had a totally different impression on at first than I did after completing the series.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
Oh, you'll get those story arcs... you're still in the 'laying-the-groundwork' part of the series. This is one of the most immersive and best paced shows I've ever seen. Just wait until it really takes off. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
I don't doubt it. I've heard people refer to the "two stories" in CCS, so I imagine the first one should be making itself more obvious within the next two discs.

I guess I'm sort of expecting a Nanoha-type development: an episodic fetch quest introduction (I dont mean that negatively) reaches a turning point with the introduction of a new character or two, which leads to confrontation and the end of main story arc one. Story two picks up immediately thereafter without spending time on much introduction, and continues to the true end.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DrMM said:
Wow, this discussion is really, really making me want to watch CCS again. I may need the stress relief soon.

[/ QUOTE ]
Muahha, do it! Nothing brings you solace after a busy day like a disc of mahou shoujo yumminess. I'm enjoying the discussion here as well, although it's a shame that nobody else who is watching it for the first time is posting. Then again, maybe I'm just one of the only people who still hasn't seen all of CCS at this point /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

But no biggie, I get to be on the other side of "Oh man you're in for a treat but I can't spoil..." for once, heh.

[Gatts]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
I sort of wonder how this show was initially aired in Japan... 70 episodes in a row?

[/ QUOTE ]

There was a three or four month break between season 1 and season 2. Then another two month break between season 2 and 3 IIRC. It's been a while. I could probably wiki it, but I'm lazy. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[LimePie]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
I sort of wonder how this show was initially aired in Japan... 70 episodes in a row?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are three seasons.
Clow Card I: 35 Episodes (April-December 1998)
Clow Card II: 11 Episodes (April-July 1999)
Sakura Card: 24 Episodes (September 1999 - March 2000)

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
DrMM said:
Wow, this discussion is really, really making me want to watch CCS again. I may need the stress relief soon.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm feeling tempted myself. I at least want to watch a few random episodes sometime soon, as well as the second movie again (which I just recently put in my order with the new Tenchi OVA DVD)

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Ojamajo LimePie said:
There are three seasons.
Clow Card I: 35 Episodes (April-December 1998)
Clow Card II: 11 Episodes (April-July 1999)
Sakura Card: 24 Episodes (September 1999 - March 2000)

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, looks like I was dead on with that "two more discs" guess.

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Ojamajo LimePie said:
There are three seasons.
Clow Card I: 35 Episodes (April-December 1998)
Clow Card II: 11 Episodes (April-July 1999)
Sakura Card: 24 Episodes (September 1999 - March 2000)

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, looks like I was dead on with that "two more discs" guess.

[/ QUOTE ]
There is really no significant difference between season one and season two, at least not in the story. Misuki-sensei becomes a regular character, but we have already seen a lot of her.
While watching it on DVD I would not even know when the seasons changed if not for the different opening and closing. Season two is really just a continuation of season one.
Season three is when things get really different.

[DKL]

Wow...

Typing while watching is totally hardcore (hahaha).

Yeah... keep the insight coming man, it's great... like, you document every new reaction you get as you watch, which is cool.

...

Fact is, I should get offline and continue my re-watch...

Anyway... yeah... relationship with the cards... I actually really liked that (if you watch the entire series, it's not really totally limited to Mirror *which I liked*... yeah, just watch and you'll understand)

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
Wow...
Typing while watching is totally hardcore (hahaha).

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, it's kinda fun, but it's also making my posts unnecessarily long. Still, it's the best way for me to post everything I wanted to talk about (and then some), because even if I post after each episode, I'll forget things. And of course, it makes including the screencaps easier. I just wish PowerDVD would output screencaps to something other than .bmp sized, so I didn't have to open the image in paint and resave as jpg before upping to photobucket.

[ QUOTE ]
Yeah... keep the insight coming man, it's great... like, you document every new reaction you get as you watch, which is cool.

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha yeah, I just wish I had started with disc one, then I coulda saved it all somewhere.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

Heh, it's kinda fun, but it's also making my posts unnecessarily long.

[/ QUOTE ]

ACTUALLY, that's not true... given that you talk about it as you watch, you're TECHNICALLY talking about new stuff every time you type... (well, I think so anyway)

It's totally cool... just keep at it.

OH! And I really like the screencaps.

[sevenbark]

[ QUOTE ]
Ojamajo LimePie said:

There are three seasons.
Clow Card I: 35 Episodes (April-December 1998)
Clow Card II: 11 Episodes (April-July 1999)
Sakura Card: 24 Episodes (September 1999 - March 2000)

[/ QUOTE ]

I like how the time of year in the episodes match the time of year they were broadcast, pretty much right down to the week.

[Kellory]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
General Comments:
- I guess I'll just echo what I said above about Touya being more than meets the eye. His suspicion of Kero, as evidenced multiple times so far, makes me wonder if he isn't quite so in the dark about Sakura's transformation as the show might have us believe so far. When he and that girl were saved during the play in the Mist card episode, he looked up at the control booth where Sakura and Li had been with a look somewhere between suspicion and knowing. And clearly he's interested in Li to some extent, as more than just some bratty punk. At the very least we know he can sense ghosts and likely magical/supernatural power in general. Makes me wonder what his dad can do, if anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been watching all 5 seasons of Babylon 5 this last week. And a comment made by Gikar early in the first season brings this to mind. "No one here is exactly what he appears." I think that applies pretty well to the non-main characters of CCS. The main characters of Sakura, Tomoyo, Shaoran, and Meilin are pretty much what they seem I guess. But the non-main characters all pretty much have something to hide. But then, I guess that goes with the whole card thing. When playing cards, you can see some cards, but most of them you cant see because they are face down. The fun is in finding out what they are.

Its good to see how much enjoyment your getting out of CCS though. I found it to be far more of an enjoyable ride than I had first anticipated as well. I was prepared for the cute factor, and well insulated against the moe factor. However, I was happily surprised by the tight and coherent storyline that was presented. Many times with series this long its easy to see filler and places where the writers are patching things together in an ad hoc manner and trying to fill continuity gaps from previous seasons. With CCS I didnt really get that feeling. Things happened for a reason, some of which were obvious, but others of which were revealed later on. There were a few places that seemed a bit too convienent, but overall it felt a lot better constructed than say Sailor Moon.

I know episode 25 redeemed Touya as a character to me. Before that he was just a stereotypical brother type character. How he treated the Mirror Sakura, however, redeemed him as a worthwhile character in my opinion. He treated her well because he knew she was helping Sakura. It also made a much later episode all the more touching because of it.

All I can stress is to pay attention. The details are everything in CCS and CLAMP really put a lot of them in.

[Fencedude]

[ QUOTE ]
Kellory said:


I've been watching all 5 seasons of Babylon 5 this last week. And a comment made by Gikar early in the first season brings this to mind. "No one here is exactly what he appears."

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats "G'kar".

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Kellory said:
And a comment made by Gikar early in the first season brings this to mind. "No one here is exactly what he appears." I think that applies pretty well to the non-main characters of CCS.

[/ QUOTE ]
Indeed true so far, even down to the creepy old man who turned out to be her grandfather (and thus not so creepy). Everyone just has soemthing a little bit mysterious about them. Touya has his sensitivity to spirits. The dad is just too perfect to not be weird in some way. Mizuki-sensei... well ok she was weird from the get-go. Rika, of course, has some really funky shit going down behind the scenes, though at this point in the show we've seen only the slightest indications of what her deal is with the teacher.

I suppose Chiharu and Naoko would be the only ones I don't get that feeling about.

[ QUOTE ]
The main characters of Sakura, Tomoyo, Shaoran, and Meilin are pretty much what they seem I guess.

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, they have been pretty frank with their emotions so far, huh? /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Good card analogy, btw.

[ QUOTE ]
I found it to be far more of an enjoyable ride than I had first anticipated as well. I was prepared for the cute factor, and well insulated against the moe factor.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wasn't quite sure what I'd think of it at first, though I figured I was more likely to like it than not. As for the cute/moe thing... I was looking forward to that aspect actually /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Many times with series this long its easy to see filler and places where the writers are patching things together in an ad hoc manner and trying to fill continuity gaps from previous seasons. With CCS I didnt really get that feeling.

[/ QUOTE ]
So far, I agree. Sure it's episodic and "card of the week", and hasn't focused all that much on character development yet (Shaoran's probably gotten the most), but none of it seems pointless or boring. I think the introduction of Mizuki has been the biggest change so far though, as Meilin's intro only changed so much, and Shaoran was introduced very early.

[ QUOTE ]
All I can stress is to pay attention. The details are everything in CCS and CLAMP really put a lot of them in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh will do. Details details... I think my posts are just going to keep getting longer =P But for now, damnit, off to classes for me. Sigh.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Kellory said:
All I can stress is to pay attention. The details are everything in CCS and CLAMP really put a lot of them in.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh will do. Details details... I think my posts are just going to keep getting longer =P But for now, damnit, off to classes for me. Sigh.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I love about CLAMP... things that you didn't think were important when you were seeing them the first time prove to have been quite important later on in the show as you look back at what has happened before. /images/graemlins/devil.gif

This happened to me when I watched Magic Knight Rayearth for the first time. The first "season" didn't really grab me, but then when the second began... it all made perfect sense, and I thought it was brilliant how they did it! /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

And keep on with the stream of consciousness posts and screencaps, they're great!

[something]

First day of class today, and I'm procrastinating already by watching another disc of this instead of starting my assignments. They can wait &gt;_&gt;

Ep. 29:
- I've been meaning to cap this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage042.jpg) forever but never got around to it. The OP is so cute... I watched it once and then not again until just last disc where I started watching it again. As for a .gif, here's one courtesy of good old Danbooru. (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/view/34898)
- Uh oh, Sakura's in that hazy eyed Yukitorgasm (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage043.jpg) mode again &gt;_&gt;
- Followed soon after by a Mizukigasm (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage044.jpg).
- Now I know what's so suspicious (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage045.jpg) about Rika. She keeps her eyes closed quite a lot. Characters who have their eyes closed most of the time are almost ALWAYS suspicious and/or very weird. Xellos, Ichimaru Gin, even Yamazaki is pretty strange. Closed eyes just gives off a sense of "I know things... dark things...". Either that or, like in Yamazaki's case, a bit of deviousness, ranging from cute joking to total evilness.
- You know, Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage046.jpg) is a lot cuter when she's quiet =P
- Hah, Mizuki gets some funky music played when she's around. And I think Shaoran is having a hard time not just lashing out and taking off her face.
- "Sweet"... Some of these cards are really quite weird, but this one is by far the dumbest /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- But I guess it is indeed true that loli love caek. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage047.jpg)
- Anyways, silly episode, and not one especially good Tomoyo cap moment to be had =(

Ep. 30:
- Hooray! Just as I was about to bitch at the last of "battle costumes" lately (and about a smaller role for Tomoyo in the past disc or two), episode 30 opens up with Tomoyo filming, and Sakura in a battle costume. It's pretty damn weird (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage048.jpg) though /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Lady: "A girl in a strange outfit..." Sakura: "Strange... /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif" Tomoyo: "I thought it was cute..." Ahahaahaha.
- Haha, Peewee &gt;_&gt; What kind of name is that? Anyway, this is the first episode I can think of where Sakura has to deal with potentially hurting someone else by sealing the card.
- Well that ended all easily and non-confrontationally. Pretty basic episode after all, most notable for netting Shaoran his third card and getting a battle costume on screen. Nothing else really to say about it. This and the previous episode were sorta fluff. Not bad but not up to par with disc 7. I am also saddened by the relative lack of cappable Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage049.jpg) lately.

Ep. 31:
- [1 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050a.jpg)][2 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050b.jpg)][3 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050c.jpg)][4 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050d.jpg)][5 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050e.jpg)][6 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050f.jpg)][7 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050g.jpg)][8 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050h.jpg)][9 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050i.jpg)][10 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage050j.jpg)] - needs animated .gif now. I'd do it but I wouldn't be able to get it to play smoothly unless I capped every frame (including the ones with no movement), and I'm already spending too much time converting/uploading/posting caps. Still, so cute~~ even if it's recycled footage from an earlier ep.
- Yes, it will be time for the Cardcaptor... and totally making out! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage051.jpg)
- I love it when Tomoyo looks all happy (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage052.jpg)! "Being able to spend time with someone I care about, having her wear cute clothing AND being able to record her on video. This is the epitome of bliss!" You tell em Tomoyo! She has a bright future as a director of cosporn.
- Kero and Meilin spar some more, dragging Sakura and Shaoran into it... XD
- Silly face~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage053.jpg)... and you have to love how calm Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage054.jpg) is, filming the monster cat as everyone else stands there in shock. That's the Tomoyo I know and love!
- Big didn't put up much of a fight /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Guess they need to speed up the collection of the cards at this point in the show.
- All Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage055.jpg) has to do it stand there looking cute and I still melt~~~ Tomoyo-sama will protect you! Never fear, Sakura!
- So, a card that makes what you write come true... just figures it has to come into the posession of someone twisted like Naoko =P
- I love how everyone in Tomoeda goes locks themselves inside and goes to bed as soon as the sun goes down. How convenient for Sakura and friends =P And while they seem to have police, they never notice things like giant dragons roaming the town &gt;_&gt; Along those lines, this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage056.jpg) visual was funny as hell.
- Hahah, giant Sakura, and a giant Hoee~. You know, why didn't it occur to them to just, say... make the dragon Tiny instead of making Sakura huge? Love the reactions (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage057.jpg) though.
- Naoko (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage058.jpg) is a lot cuter without her glasses, actually.
- I wonder how many CCS shoujo-ai fanfics start with Tomoyo getting her hands on Create... ::cough::

Ep. 32:
- Whee time for a comedy fluff episode, but one I expect to be very amusing. Hearing Shaoran speak with an Osakan accent is great. Yay for the Change card~!
- I was going to write something about how it's really quite silly that they're trying to hide this, becasuse 1) Kero only has to interact with Sakura at home and 2) nobody at the Li house has to be kept in the dark either, so just... let em know and wait it out. But hey, if logic were applied we wouldn't have our comedy episode =P
- Hahah, Shaoran has to sleep in Sakura's room... I'd say "closest he'll get to a woman" but that's not true, Meilin probably rapes him nightly.
- Heh this episode is very predictable, but that doesn't make it less awesome.
- MEILIN (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage059.jpg) DOES NOT APPROVE.
- And the person who notices everything right away? None other than our goddess To-mo-yo~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage060.jpg)
- Twitchy Kero-Shaoran sweet-talking Meilin = winnnnnnnnnnn
- Anyways, great comedy ep.

General comments:
- Hmm, not much. Just four more card eps, almost nothing in the way of plot/character development or anything. Doesn't mean I enjoyed it any less, but there wasn't much that I can comment on here. I just hope the lack of Tomoyo (represented as well in the lack of battle costumes) is over for awhile. Every scene she's in is instantly 10x better than it would be without her. No matter what she does or says. Her presence is just that awesome ::nods::
- And of course it figures that after I make the observation about Rika, she keeps her eyes open in the rest of her appearances for the disc. But... I'm not crazy, right? Anyone else notice it?

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Ep. 29:
- I've been meaning to cap this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage042.jpg) forever but never got around to it. The OP is so cute... I watched it once and then not again until just last disc where I started watching it again. As for a .gif, here's one courtesy of good old Danbooru. (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/view/34898)

[/ QUOTE ]

Chansu!

If it's cute pics you want, ED3 has your name on it. And if you think "Catch You Catch Me" is sugary, wait until you hear ED3: "Fruits Candy". /images/graemlins/devil.gif

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
Kellory said:
I found it to be far more of an enjoyable ride than I had first anticipated as well. I was prepared for the cute factor, and well insulated against the moe factor.

[/ QUOTE ]
I wasn't quite sure what I'd think of it at first, though I figured I was more likely to like it than not. As for the cute/moe thing... I was looking forward to that aspect actually /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Does the moe thing even apply to CCS? I guess moe-seekers don't care either way and apply the ideology retrospectively with just about everything, but this really was a show designed for 10 year old girls this time.

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
But no biggie, I get to be on the other side of "Oh man you're in for a treat but I can't spoil..." for once, heh.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's so cute. You're like watching a little kid grow up so quickly, making fun assumptions along the way. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif (Not that I wasn't there before... /images/graemlins/wink.gif)

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
Does the moe thing even apply to CCS?

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, taking the literal definition (which is extremely strict in its flexibility, if that makes sene), it applies to pretty much anything, and was hardly invented recently. As a "feeling", Sakura could eeeeeeasily evoke that sort of reaction.

Taking the modern, popular use of moe, whether or not it applied to the show at first has nothing to do with the fact that it certainly can be applied now. Besides, I doubt the creators really expected only to catch the "10 year old girl" market for fans =P It's not like older people/males suddenly started liking cute shows in the past few years.

So I wouldn't worry about defining it so specifically and saying CCS was "pre-moe" or anything like that. That just stops meaning anything after awhile.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
So I wouldn't worry about defining it so specifically and saying CCS was "pre-moe" or anything like that. That just stops meaning anything after awhile.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is too late to put moe back in its box, I suppose. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
It is too late to put moe back in its box, I suppose. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Again, I guess it depends how you're approaching it. If CCS were made today exactly as it was then, down to the smallest detail and frame-for-frame, it would definitely be considered very moe, primarily because most people use moe in a very general way to mean "cute things I like".

So, CCS is "amazingly cute and makes me melt in a pile of happy uguu~ &lt;3", if you prefer to go that way =P

[ZhenJi]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Ep. 29:
- I've been meaning to cap this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage042.jpg) forever but never got around to it. The OP is so cute... I watched it once and then not again until just last disc where I started watching it again. As for a .gif, here's one courtesy of good old Danbooru. (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/view/34898)

[/ QUOTE ]

Chansu!

If it's cute pics you want, ED3 has your name on it. And if you think "Catch You Catch Me" is sugary, wait until you hear ED3: "Fruits Candy". /images/graemlins/devil.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I like the first opening song the best. The second was meh and the third was good but not as good as the first one. I can sing the first one, I found it easy to learn. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
ZhenJi said:
I like the first opening song the best. The second was meh and the third was good but not as good as the first one. I can sing the first one, I found it easy to learn. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty much with you on the OPs. "Catch You Catch Me" and "Platinum" are a virtual tie for me. The former for its cuteness, the latter for its being sung by Maaya Sakamoto and written by Yoko Kanno. If you can find the Sakura version of "Catch You Catch Me", it's even cuter than the Gumi version. Surprise surprise. /images/graemlins/wink.gif And actually, without going back to listen to it, I can't even remember what the 2nd OP was offhand.

Same goes with the EDs for me, I like the first and third over the second. "Groovy!" for the foo! and "Fruits Candy" for the engrish. At least I can remember that the 2nd ED is "Honey". /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[Isuzu Inugami]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
[ QUOTE ]
ZhenJi said:
I like the first opening song the best. The second was meh and the third was good but not as good as the first one. I can sing the first one, I found it easy to learn. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm pretty much with you on the OPs. "Catch You Catch Me" and "Platinum" are a virtual tie for me.

[/ QUOTE ]

I like all the openings, but I must be alone in thinking the second one is the greatest, both visually and musically. Apparently I have "unique" tastes.... /images/graemlins/sweat200.gif

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Big didn't put up much of a fight /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Guess they need to speed up the collection of the cards at this point in the show.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think that was in keeping with the dual nature of the cards. Little was very mischievous, so if Big is the opposite, you would expect her to be nice. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Ep. 32:


[/ QUOTE ]

Shame on you. You didn't mention... SAKURA'S LOOK (http://home.comcast.net/~martod/sakuralook.JPG)*.

*Warning: extended viewing of this shot has been known to cause humans to instantly turn to liquid.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:
SAKURA'S LOOK (http://home.comcast.net/~martod/sakuralook.JPG)

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh I wasn't sure where that cap happened at first, but then I realized 32 was the body switch episode, so I assume it's right before Shaoran-as-Kero started blushing?

[something]

Oh the big sad, one of the three episode discs. Oh well, ends Clow Card I with this disc. Here goes.

Ep. 33:
- Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage061.jpg) is fat! She broke the street with her ass!
- Turns on a dime! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage062.jpg)
- I think she's gonna (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage063.jpg) go for the kill.
- Heh, this whole episode so far is one big "Anyaaaa~" from Sakura.
- So Sakura's dream is slowly getting clearer to her, maybe soon she'll realize it's Mizuki... or maybe this Yue person Kero mentions. Or maybe they're the same person... Either way I expect to find out soon /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- I take it Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage064.jpg) and Shaoran aren't liking the cold much... ahahaha XD
- "Oh Terada-sensei (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage065.jpg), please lick my wounds!" ...is what you know she's thinking &gt;_&gt; I wonder when they're going to get into all the craziness going on between those two.
- There is so much cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage066.jpg) in this frame right now that it should be declared a national treasure.
- I don't think the whole "Meilin is cold" thing is ever going to stop being cute or funny.
- "It seems a little cold (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage067.jpg)," so won't you please warm me with your body? =D
- I feel like Freeze is the first card that's actually done real physical damage to Sakura, or am I forgetting something? Either way it's certainly beaten her around a good bit. Knocked her unconscious temporarily too, it seems.
- Slighty angry and determind is a good look for Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage068.jpg) ::thumbs up::
- Random Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage069.jpg) cap whee.
- Heh, Sakura should do a duet with Tazusa of Ginban Kaleidoscope for the waitress (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage070.jpg) routine.
- All in all, a good episode for Sakura faces, some decent Tomoyo cuteness moments, a card that wasn't captured rediculously easily, mysteriousness from Mizuki, Meilin comedy, "anyaaa~", and foreshadowing. ::gives stamp of approval::

Ep. 34:
- Vacant stare (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage071.jpg) of cuteness!
- Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage072.jpg). Nuff said. And Sakura! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage073.jpg)
- Awkward~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage074.jpg). Give it up shaoran, the power of the loli has a much stronger draw for Yukito than the shouta! Well, as a side dish when he's not feasting on Touya, I guess &gt;________&gt; Besides, Meilin might be insane and oppressive and violent, but she IS cute. Just keep her satisfied and all should be good. I think.
- Shit yes, the Twintails Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage075.jpg) look is back!!
- Damnit (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage080.jpg) , too much cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage076.jpg) in this episode (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage077.jpg) to ignore (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage079.jpg).
- I really love Chiharu's (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage078.jpg) reactions to Yamazaki. Like I said before, they totally make an awesome pair.
- Hey wtf was that knowing glance between Mizuki and Yukito? Did Yukito know Touya back when all that shit went down between the two? What's going on? XD She warns Sakura to be safe after talking to Yukito, so clearly she knows something's going to happen, but is she suspicious of Yukito too? Hmmmm~~~
- Sakura really needs to stay away from cliffs. In fact, her whole family should just stay away from them in general /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif They seem to be prone to losing battles with gravity.
- Lies! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage081.jpg) It's the only way he can achieve an erection, I bet &gt;_&gt; Ok ok, I'm just hard on him because he still creeps me out. I think the fact that he's so nice just makes it worse =P He has to be a lunatic of some sort.
- Hmm, so, Mizuki's warning wasn't just coincidence, but there wasn't anything involving a card either. So, what then? The mystery continues.
- Great episode after all, the Meilin still working on the first riddle long after everyone is done just seals the deal XD And, episodes with no cards whatsoever have been rare lately, so nice change of pace there too.
- Oh noes, Kero's omake downsizing has hit the point where he's cut out entirely /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif Oh well, that's for the best I guess, the early ones were a lot better anyways.

Ep. 35:
- Woo, there we go with the dream again /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif With all the hype/foreshadowing coming from it, I expect a heck of a payoff, heh.
- Shi-a-wa-se! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage082.jpg)
- I love Meilin's (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage084.jpg) crazy imagination (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage083.jpg) =P
- When Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage085.jpg) and Kero fight, it always makes for good comedy. "I really don't understand girls that are in love!" XD
- Yes! Tomoyo goes undercover (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage086.jpg)! I still say her and Kero make a better team than Sakura and Kero.
- Meilin ans Sakura get along so nicely when Meilin doesn't perceive Sakura as a threat. And I really like it that way. It was especially nice earlier in the episode when Meilin was giving Sakura advice on giving christmas presents. Here's hoping that will be the norm in their interactions from here on out, although I do find Meilin's overreactions to be funny in their own way.
- Man, Shaoran just can't decide who he wants now, can he? All this blushing at the sight of Sakura, progressively more as time goes on... And of course both Tomoyo and Touya notice it, because more than anyone else in this show, they're perceptive about everything. Both of them kick ass.
- Mmm, good teamwork there between Sakura and Shaoran. One-two punch of Time and Sleep to let them work unhindered in a publice place. Of course then she uses WINDY on a FIRE... good job &gt;____&gt;
- "Two high ranking cards at once?" gasp! Haha, man that was such a shounen moment there XD In any event... KERO-CHAN LEVEL UP! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage087.jpg)
So, who is Shaoran getting hornier for now? Yukito gets more of a reaction from him, but more and more he can't stop blushing at Sakura. I forsee some very angry Meilin in the future... And I expect that if Sakura and Yukito offered Shaoran a threesome, he'd probably have a heart attack and die on the spot.
- Well, this was a damn good episode. I know it doesn't end a story and that the Clow I and Clow II divisions are likely more due to the New Years break than anything, but it still feels like a great way to wrap up a section of the story. This would have been a great episode to watch when it first aired, presumably on or near Christmas, years ago.

General Comments:
- Mizuki is more interesting that I expected, because she doesn't give away her role all that easily. I don't know if I'm supposed to know what's up with her at this point. But, well, I don't. I don't know whose side she's on, what her goals are, what Touya really feels in relation to her return, where Kero stands on the issue... nothing. She's a complete unknown right now, and I like that. All I know is that she definitely has magical powers.
- I hope Kero can play more of a role in capturing the cards now that he has some of his power back. It's not that he hasn't done anything so far (he's given Sakura a wealth of information), but being more active will be nice.
- Very enjoyable disc overall. While it stays episodic, at least we have the growing mystery surrounding Mizuki and "Yue" to keep it together. Next disc should be good stuff indeed.

[DKL]

NO!

Movie 1!

See that first!

Well... yeah.

Or you could just see both movies after... I guess... I dunno... but yeah... maybe you should wrap up the series first, I dunno. Hmmm...

Anyway... I'll comment... let me just get the hundred things I'm doing out of the way.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
NO! Movie! See that first!

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh right, the movie comes next. Thanks for the reminder. I'll get that in before disc 10.

[DKL]

HA!

Yes... Just in time baby!

It goes without saying though... try not to look at MOVIE 2 (and its packaging) given that it's the END of the series... you don't wanna see any of that right now...

Like... close your eyes when you dig into the box or something (hahaha... but I'm serious)

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
HA! Yes... Just in time baby!

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, I'm done for the night so it wouldn't be until tomorrow that I watch more.

[ QUOTE ]
It goes without saying though... try not to look at MOVIE 2 (and its packaging) given that it's the END of the series... you don't wanna see any of that right now...

[/ QUOTE ]
Well, I've only seen the front cover of course (I never read the back of cases), when I got it and ordered it, and there I didn't see anything that I haven't seen a dozen times on imageboards, so I'll just not think about it and I should be fine.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

Well, I've only seen the front cover of course (I never read the back of cases), when I got it and ordered it, and there I didn't see anything that I haven't seen a dozen times on imageboards, so I'll just not think about it and I should be fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

All right, way to go!

Spoilers are totally lame. I mean... I must've stopped looking at the backs of my DVD covers ages ago.

[Gatts]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
Spoilers are totally lame.

[/ QUOTE ]

You get use to them moderating GA. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

There are very few shows that when I finally get a chance to see them I don't know what has already happened (or will happen). But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy the shows anyway. Plus I've gotten good at forgetting specific details unless I see them. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
Plus I've gotten good at forgetting specific details unless I see them. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
That's what I have trouble with... I never forget spoilers I come across &gt;_&lt; Sigh. Still, I haven't been spoiled in any way that I can think of with CCS, so I'm good so far.

[Gatts]

Heh, I've spoiled you on some things in past threads, but you probably didn't see them as spoilers at the time so they didn't matter. Of course at the time I didn't know you hadn't seen the series.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
Heh, I've spoiled you on some things in past threads, but you probably didn't see them as spoilers at the time so they didn't matter. Of course at the time I didn't know you hadn't seen the series.

[/ QUOTE ]
Possibly, but when you and Fence and others got really detailed about the show, I tended to back out. I followed the Sakura vs Negi/Nanoha discussion, but closed the thread down when I thought I was reading something I shouldn't. Ditto on some others, long before I seriously thought I'd be getting CCS.

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
That's what I have trouble with... I never forget spoilers I come across &gt;_&lt; Sigh. Still, I haven't been spoiled in any way that I can think of with CCS, so I'm good so far.

[/ QUOTE ]

Though I was a little spoiled on things at the end of Clow II (not too much, but I knew at least one major thing that I wish were more of a surprise), I took special care with most of Cardcaptor Sakura. When I got into the Japanese version, I stopped watching Cardcaptors (which introduced me to show, and new eps. of it were getting into the last season) to keep things fresh and generally had nothing big in the Sakura Card arc spoiled for me. In fact, I thought I had something from that story arc spoiled for, but it ended up mainly being a manga-only thing.

[ZhenJi]

I love reading your thoughts on the CCS. It makes me laugh and the images make me feel warm and fuzy. Keep enjoying the show. There is much to learn and enjoy.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

Get ready to be amazed...

This is when things really start to pick up. Oh yes, the pieces will start falling into place very soon. CCS has only just begun after the first half. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[LimePie]

I'd had all the major plot points, down to the last line of the second movie, spoiled for me before I sat down with the first episode. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[SpoilerHappy]

[ QUOTE ]
Ojamajo LimePie said:
I'd had all the major plot points, down to the last line of the second movie, spoiled for me before I sat down with the first episode. /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

And of course I just went looking for all the spoilers I could find...but I do that for every show. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
Oh yes, the pieces will start falling into place very soon. CCS has only just begun after the first half. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, that's what I assumed. So far it hasn't been very (or even moderately) heavy on plot/development. Just a lot of "MYSTERIOUS MUSIC" + foreshadowing. But that doesn't mean it also hasn't been an eminently amusing, cute and enjoyable experience. On the contrary, it has been. As I've said ad nauseum around here, good character interaction trumps everything for me, character development and storyline/plot included. To be a top tier show it will need all of the above, but it's not necessary for my enjoyment.

So, throw an enthralling plot into the mix of what is already a delicious stew, and we'll definitely be talking "top tier" stuff.

I think I'm going to watch the first movie tonight, so I probably won't get to the next disc yet.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
So, throw an enthralling plot into the mix of what is already a delicious stew, and we'll definitely be talking "top tier" stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's not in the Top 10 here (http://forums.animeondvd.com/showflat.php?Cat=&amp;Board=generalanimeforum&amp;Number=1 395312&amp;page=0&amp;view=collapsed&amp;sb=5&amp;o=&amp;fpart=1) for nothing. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[jecca-neko]

I'm looking forward to watching this for the first time when I get my bundle from TRSI sometime this week. Well, minus the first 3 discs or so, which I've seen before but a couple years ago so I don't remember much.

Does anyone know a good place to get the 2 movies? I don't want to pay $40+ for both. I want them for $30 or less for the two, preferably more on the "less" side of things. I have seen the 2 movies before (yes, I know, shame) and they were cute but not super, super great so I don't want to pay lots for them. I mostly want them to complete CCS.

Anyway, this will be my third CLAMP show that I have bothered to buy (the others being Chobits and Angelic Layer) and I'm looking forward to adding it to my collection.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
jecca-neko said:
Does anyone know a good place to get the 2 movies? I don't want to pay $40+ for both. I want them for $30 or less for the two, preferably more on the "less" side of things.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie (DVD) $19.86
Cardcaptor Sakura: The Movie 2 (DVD) $13.53 [reg. edition]
Gem Clip, Jumbo, .045 Wire Gauge $0.54

Subtotal: $33.93
Order Discount: $4.07
Shipping: $1.00
Taxes: $0.00
Total: <font color="red">$30.86</font>

That's what I paid from Overstock.com, before 4% FatWallet cashback and 1% cashback from my credit card, which together put me under $30. The paperclips were only there to activate the coupon, which wouldn't apply to orders consisting solely of media (books, music, movies) items. Actually, it applied the 12% off without them, but wouldn't knock the shipping down to $1.00 unless I threw them in /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

However, I ordered during a 12% off + $1 shipping coupon deal. All they have currently, I believe, is 10% off. Coupons come up with them all the time though, so if you're not in a rush to have the movies, you can wait and see if another comes up.

Otherwise, wait for another TRSI Geneon sale. Assuming the 35% off from last time is maintained and that they stay in stock, getting both will run you $29.23 shipped. However, since free shipping is calculated from the regular price (10% off), not MSRP, buying just those will put you eeeeeeeever so slightly short of free shipping. Provided you need even one other cheap thing, there's your sub-$30 CCS movies.

[EmperorBrandon]

I would recommend getting the special edition rather than regular on the second movie, as it has the 10-minute Kero-chan movie as an extra.

[ZhenJi]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
I would recommend getting the special edition rather than regular on the second movie, as it has the 10-minute Kero-chan movie as an extra.

[/ QUOTE ]

I still have to check if my movie is special edition or not...

[DrMM]

Started rewatching the series on Saturday. I'd forgotten how much fun this series is and how much it can cheer me up (which it does). I should really be trying to catch up on my backlog instead of rewatching series but I think I needed the pick-me-up. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
I would recommend getting the special edition rather than regular on the second movie, as it has the 10-minute Kero-chan movie as an extra.

[/ QUOTE ]
Maybe, but he definitely wouldn't get under $30 with that.

[XenoSaber]

I need a little help here. I watched quite a bit of CCS when it was on US TV and have always wanted to catch the rest but I've heard that it underwent a similar butchering to Tokyo Myu Myu and Sailor Moon. Now I haven't seen much of Sailor Moon, but I did watch the first episodes of Mew Mew Power and then for comparison watched the first few Tokyo Myu Myu. I was quite upset, like most I think, by what 4kids did. At that point I sought out the origionals and watched those. A much better series origionaly than what was served up here. So my question is, should try to find the origionals of CCS or is it relatively ok to go with the R1's?

[DKL]

Wait... er... what?

If you're wondering about the original show, it's the only one available (the cardcaptors thing just... well, vanished)

So yeah, it's not too hard to find the unedited show... in fact, they have sets now!

(though, if the TRSI sale is still going on, SNAG THAT! It's cheaper!)

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

An english dubbed Card Captor Sakura does not exist.

What does/did exist in english was an abomination known as Cardcaptors *poo poo* that made the Sailor Moon dub look like a 100% accurate adaptation. Basically, they omitted whole episodes and character development, tried to make Li the main character, and Sakura a helpless little girl that couldn't do anything without him.

In short: make sure you get Card Captor Sakura, and not Cardcaptors *poo poo*.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
XenoSaber said:
So my question is, should try to find the origionals of CCS or is it relatively ok to go with the R1's?

[/ QUOTE ]
The DVDs (Card Captor Sakura, not Cardcaptors) are the originals. They're sub only, but they're definitely uncut with Japanese language.

[XenoSaber]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
An english dubbed Card Captor Sakura does not exist.

What does/did exist in english was an abomination known as Cardcaptors *poo poo* that made the Sailor Moon dub look like a 100% accurate adaptation. Basically, they omitted whole episodes and character development, tried to make Li the main character, and Sakura a helpless little girl that couldn't do anything without him.

In short: make sure you get Card Captor Sakura, and not Cardcaptors *poo poo*.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds exactly like what they did with Tokyo Myu Myu. Whole episodes cut out, others cut to shreads and changing the story completely. They even changed the character names. But I get the picture, CCS and Cardcaptors seem to be analagous to Tokyo Myu Myu and Mew Mew Power respectiely. I'll keep that in mind when I go to get it. Thanks guys.

Oh, BTW, How many movies are there?

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
XenoSaber said:
Oh, BTW, How many movies are there?

[/ QUOTE ]
Two. And as an off-topic aside, reading "Myu Myu" makes my eyes bleed. I know you're trying to emphasize the "Japaneseness" relative to the 4Kids hackjob, but c'mon, even the official Japanese logo (and URL) (http://pierrot.jp/title/mewmew/index.html) say "Mew Mew".

So, please, it was never meant to be "Myu Myu" /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif =P

Ok, I'm done hijacking my own thread. Hopefully with some luck I'll get to watch the damn first movie soon and comment on it. I've already started it twice but had to stop. Maybe tonight will work, if I finish some reading for class...

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
XenoSaber said:

Oh, BTW, How many movies are there?

[/ QUOTE ]

There are 2... the first movie goes after episode 35 and the 2nd movie goes after episode 70.

Okay... I finished the TV series again just a few hours ago... man... the last scene of this series is friggin' wonderful... easily one of my favorites...

I should talk about it!

...

When I stop being lazy... totally.

[XenoSaber]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Two. And as an off-topic aside, reading "Myu Myu" makes my eyes bleed. I know you're trying to emphasize the "Japaneseness" relative to the 4Kids hackjob, but c'mon, even the official Japanese logo (and URL) (http://pierrot.jp/title/mewmew/index.html) say "Mew Mew".

So, please, it was never meant to be "Myu Myu" /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif =P

Ok, I'm done hijacking my own thread. Hopefully with some luck I'll get to watch the damn first movie soon and comment on it. I've already started it twice but had to stop. Maybe tonight will work, if I finish some reading for class...

[/ QUOTE ]
I'm sorry, it's not just that. I was trying to differentiate but I do it a lot with a lot of romanji'd japanese words. I am studying the languange. I'm actually so into it at this moment, I even tend to spell english words wrong in work e-mails and everything.

When I see ミュウ I see Myu. Or even more acurately Myuu. So in hind sight I was more reserved than normal. It's kind of habit. But thank you for the CCS information.

[Fencedude]

[ QUOTE ]
XenoSaber said:
I'll keep that in mind when I go to get it. Thanks guys.



[/ QUOTE ]

...why?

Cardcaptors is a total non-issue. For all intents and purposes it doesn't even EXIST on DVD anymore except for the dub of the first movie.

The only Cardcaptor Sakura DVDs available are Geneon's Sub only uncut release. So it doesn't even MATTER what was done to it for the TV showing.

[touma]

[ QUOTE ]
Fencedude said:
The only Cardcaptor Sakura DVDs available are Geneon's Sub only uncut release. So it doesn't even MATTER what was done to it for the TV showing.

[/ QUOTE ]
The "Cardcaptors" DVD's are still available. Right Stuf has 9 volumes. I do not know how many there should be.
So it is a good idea for people to be aware of them.

[Spirit Of The Stage]

One thing about the second CCS movie - I know you're a long way from that, but the second movie does actually have a dub which is pretty good. It ISN'T done by the Cardcaptors massacre masters, and instead is a very strong dub by Geneon using regulars like Kari waghlen, (Sakura) Mona Marshall (Li) and Michelle Ruff (Tomoyo) along with a lot of other Geneon regulars and veterans.

Though by all means when you first watch the first movie, do not go for that dub...*shudders*

[jecca-neko]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
I would recommend getting the special edition rather than regular on the second movie, as it has the 10-minute Kero-chan movie as an extra.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I planned on that. Unfortunately that is part of the reason it is hard to keep the price low.

I really wish this Geneon sale worked on the CCS movies. /images/graemlins/depresse.gif

I have decided that I'm not getting the movies unless I can somehow find them cheap in the future. It doesn't matter too much. I've seen both movies and the only portion of the movies that matter to the TV series is <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Li and Sakura confessing their feelings at the end of movie 2</span> which is not that big of a deal.

[DKL]

2nd movie: Not really, there's also the thing... err... the other thing:

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> Sakura's feelings and how she has to deal with this in regards to her responsiblity as the master AND friend of the cards...

... and stuff

</span>

Or it went something like that...

that was actually something I really liked about the anime series

OKAY, movies... uhh... think of it this way... if you buy the LE, you're essentially paying for like 10 more minutes (the extra Kero movie directed by Masayuki Kojima)

[Chuplayer]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
OKAY, movies... uhh... think of it this way... if you buy the LE, you're essentially paying for like 10 more minutes (the extra Kero movie directed by Masayuki Kojima)

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, but it's so funny! And it's got a prettier cover. And there's that mini-artbook that only comes with the special edition. I thought that was a nice extra.

[DKL]

Yeah... just a few more dollars for an extra 10 minutes, TOTALLY... I mean, why not?

I just finished the 2nd movie a while ago, actually... it was so great! I totally feel the need to see it again though (which usually happens everytime I watch it).

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
What does/did exist in english was an abomination known as Cardcaptors *poo poo* that made the Sailor Moon dub look like a 100% accurate adaptation. Basically, they omitted whole episodes and character development, tried to make Li the main character, and Sakura a helpless little girl that couldn't do anything without him.


[/ QUOTE ]

It's not THAT bad. They didn't try to make Li the main character(despite what most people say)--they more tried to make him an equal partner by starting the series with his entrance. And they certainly didn't make Sakura a helpless little girl--if anything, they made her tougher and less cute. I don't think it was any worse than the original Sailor Moon dub. Although it certainly was no better, and it didn't help that Nelvana originally leaked the fact that they were keeping Sakura's name without mentioning that they changed everyone else's.

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
marko said:
[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:
What does/did exist in english was an abomination known as Cardcaptors *poo poo* that made the Sailor Moon dub look like a 100% accurate adaptation. Basically, they omitted whole episodes and character development, tried to make Li the main character, and Sakura a helpless little girl that couldn't do anything without him.


[/ QUOTE ]

It's not THAT bad. They didn't try to make Li the main character(despite what most people say)--they more tried to make him an equal partner by starting the series with his entrance. And they certainly didn't make Sakura a helpless little girl--if anything, they made her tougher and less cute. I don't think it was any worse than the original Sailor Moon dub. Although it certainly was no better, and it didn't help that Nelvana originally leaked the fact that they were keeping Sakura's name without mentioning that they changed everyone else's.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I may have exaggerated a little bit for dramatic effect, but Cardcaptors was a different show than CCS. Admittedly I only saw a few episodes of that version, but I found out around its release how butchered it was which kept me waiting for the day I might have the chance to see CCS in its pure form, which I finally did thanks to the thinpak sets.

Your point is taken, but Nelvana's treatment of the show was disrepectful to the original IMO.

Madison Taylor?! ::shudder:: /images/graemlins/icon_rolleyes.gif

[Isuzu Inugami]

[ QUOTE ]
Serial Experiments NieA said:


Madison Taylor?! ::shudder:: /images/graemlins/icon_rolleyes.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Madison is awesome! /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

(I always like to call Tomoyo Madison for the way it makes so many CCS fans twitch and turn funny colors.)

[XenoSaber]

Well, I have a nice option here. NetFlix has all 18 vols of CCS, the 2 movies and the 9 vols of Cardcaptors. I think I'll watch CCS and then Cardcaptors so I can see first hand the butchering. This should be interesting. Wish me luck /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[DKL]

OH!

That IS interesting!

Make sure to tell us all about it!

[nakimushi]

There is a site (http://www.ccsvscc.com/) where the author's purpose is to: "non-objectively compare the superior CardCaptor Sakura with the abomination known as Cardcaptors".

Obviously, the site author has a preference.

The site is full of spoilers though, so if you are still watching CCS, and have yet to have things spoiled for you, I would very much recommend not visiting that site until after you have finished CCS.

[something]

I sort of wish I had gotten and started watching this show earlier, because with classes starting now, I don't have so much time to watch, and nothing hurts my enjoyment of a show like watching a chunk and then losing momentum. At least I got stopped at a good point.

So anwyay, now for my long overdue viewing of the first CCS movie.

- Hmm, when did this initially come out? She just got a card as the movie opens, so I guess the TV series just never focuses on Arrow since the movie took care of it
- Odd, the title card says "Cardcaptors The Movie" (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage088.jpg). I had started the episode without switching to the subs (habit from the sub-only tv discs). I switched to the subs/Japanese on the fly in-ep, but after seeing that title card I went back to the menu and specifically entered setup to go into Japanese. So I let it go through again and instead I got this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage089.jpg) screen. Are there any differences in the two tracks aside from this? I assume it's just an alternate angle for the title card, or something.
- The little sounds Sakura makes while she's sleeping are so cute~
- Don't look, Sakura! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage090.jpg) A monster will jump out! Or maybe there's a card in there... the Report card &gt;___&gt;
- No perfect score for you, dirty foreigner! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage091.jpg)! Work on your Japanese!
- There is something a little better (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage092.jpg) about the animation so far. It sort of reminds me of when they'd show off the battle costumes in the "Leave it to Kero" segment. You could tell the drawing there was a bit cleaner than the TV animation. This so far sort of seems like that, but in motion and as the normal animation of the piece. Very nice.
- Theres the first Yukitogasm (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage093.jpg) of the movie. And Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage094.jpg) has a Sakuragasm.
- Why did the hotel employee speak English to them? /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif The movie was made after the English handover of Hong Kong to China, and I'd imagine most of the employees ther would be Chinese anyway. But, er... I'll not worry about it /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Yes Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage095.jpg), that's exactly how you make me feel too~! I know some people bristle at the use of the term, but damnit, she evokes such a pure, dictionary-definition, "moe" feeling in me.
- I guess people in Hong Kong (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage096.jpg) don't notice little girls jumping/flying around above buildings either. Does nobody in East Asia ever look up in the sky? =P
- ::dies:: (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage097.jpg) That's it, civilization is over, it has produced the ultimate cuteness and nothing more remains to be done. Armageddon, I await your sweet, blissful embrace. I should just stop watching right now and put a bullet in my head.
- Ok, so I continued on. And got hit with this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage098.jpg). Haha wtf? As usual though, Sakura gives a funny face and Tomoyo manages to look regal even while being fondled by four strange older women.
- Li's sisters... ok, maybe HE should be the one putting a bullet in his head, but for totally differnt reasons /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Grarrrghhhhhhhhh mind cannot comprehend so much cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage099.jpg). ...Ok, yes it can. It comprehends and understands and approves heartily.
- Hahah, Sakura totally has a thing for older women (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage100.jpg). The follow-up reactions (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage101.jpg) were awesome as well. I also like that the former is #100.
- At any rate, getting to see Shaoran and Meilin's relatives was a big plus, even if it was short. I don't get the feeling we'll see them in the TV series (could be wrong of course), and at the very least we haven't so far, so that's a bit of depth added to the experience by the movie.
- Touya has got to be pretty pissed about how his stupid little sister runs around by herself in the middle of an enormous city in a foreign country /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Oh right, the Storm card... almost forgot Shaoran had that. Anyway, crazy evil dream bitch with the birds has a pretty cool voice. Can't quite place it, but that's what ANN is for. ...Oh, right, it's Megumi /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif I just so didn't expect her to pop up here, so I didn't even realize it. Heh.
- Haha, way to kill (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage102.jpg) the tense moment, Tomoyo. Not that I mind or anything.

- So, about the barrier around the well... combine that with the walls of Maze, and I think you get a good sense of the limitations of the cards. Yes, Sword can cut anything. It was able to cut the walls of Maze and the barriers around Tomoyo, and I'm sure it could have cut the barrier around the well. But it's maintaining that disruption to the wall/barrier that is the hard part. Unless you have a massive amount of magical power (Mizuki taking down Maze, Shaoran's mom maintaining a breach in the well barrier), you won't be able to do it. Sakura is clearly a powerful individual, but she has a long way to go before she can use the cards at their full potential. It's a clever check on the power of the cards, and leaves room for Sakura to grow as a magic user generally, rather than simply a collector of cards.

- Anyway, not much in the way of stream-of-consciousness reactions to the climax battle of this, because it was relatively simple in terms of story and all. But it was really good regardless, and I didn't feel like stopping to cap action scenes or anything. I was hoping to see a bit of fancy card action from Sakura, but she basically flew around most of the time. Some rapid-fire multiple card assaults would have been really sexy, though that's not what the movie really wanted to be I guess, and I accept that. It was a charming self-contained story that netted Sakura another card, introducted us to the Li family, and gave Tomoyo and Sakura (and Meilin) more opportunities to be cute. The ending on the ferry just felt very "right" as well. The ED song is nothing amazing, but it captured the mood I had at the end nicely, and... I guess I shouldn't talk in the past tense because it's playing this very moment as I type.

So, I enjoyed this quite a bit, and it has me ready to get back into the series and it sounds like the ED just finished and here comes the menu again, so I'll be signing off now.

[DKL]

Yeah, I heard of that... but this is like a... uhh... 1st/2nd hand testimony thing...

...

Yeah, I'm just lazy (hahaha).

[nakimushi]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
Yeah, I heard of that... but this is like a... uhh... 1st/2nd hand testimony thing.


[/ QUOTE ]

Very true. XenoSaber might have very different views on the changes or catch things that site's author missed, so seeking another viewpoint is definitely a good idea.

[DKL]

SNAP!

Back from the first movie! Yay!

Screencaps!

Anywho, I really liked the ending to that one:

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> Where we discover that the sorceress lady was actually in love with Clow Reed and only lived out this long because she wanted to tell him this </span>

Don't know whether or not is was obvious to everyone else, but it felt RIGHT... especially the last sequence where she

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> turns into fleeting droplets of water as she disappears into the Hong Kong night sky... er... ALSO, given that she has pretty much lost the ability to cry over the thing *she does drop one tear into the water though, which allows Sakura to see the past*, these water droplets were a very nifty substitute for tears that she has long since run out of </span>

Really bitter-sweet stuff

...

Yeah, I said this last time too, but DAMN... it's hawt.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Why did the hotel employee speak English to them? The movie was made after the English handover of Hong Kong to China, and I'd imagine most of the employees ther would be Chinese anyway. But, er... I'll not worry about it

[/ QUOTE ]

Doesn't mean people born and raised in Hong Kong still wouldn't speak English as a first or second language. Especially in a hotel catering to an international clientele. (English and Cantonese are both official languages of Hong Kong still, in fact, according to the CIA World Factbook (https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/hk.html).)

[ QUOTE ]
- So, about the barrier around the well... combine that with the walls of Maze, and I think you get a good sense of the limitations of the cards. Yes, Sword can cut anything. It was able to cut the walls of Maze and the barriers around Tomoyo, and I'm sure it could have cut the barrier around the well. But it's maintaining that disruption to the wall/barrier that is the hard part. Unless you have a massive amount of magical power (Mizuki taking down Maze, Shaoran's mom maintaining a breach in the well barrier), you won't be able to do it. Sakura is clearly a powerful individual, but she has a long way to go before she can use the cards at their full potential. It's a clever check on the power of the cards, and leaves room for Sakura to grow as a magic user generally, rather than simply a collector of cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now you're getting it. /images/graemlins/wink.gif The way magical power is treated in the story is very well done and one of the show's strongest qualities. The cards are simply conduits; and power, even from the strongest users in the show has practical limitations that make the magic feel all the more real. Well, as real as magic can be, but you get the point.

[ QUOTE ]
I was hoping to see a bit of fancy card action from Sakura, but she basically flew around most of the time. Some rapid-fire multiple card assaults would have been really sexy, though that's not what the movie really wanted to be I guess, and I accept that.

[/ QUOTE ]

But it did have I think the coolest card strike in the whole series: Sakura's underwater card flip and strike from behind--while bound. Awesome. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Odd, the title card says "Cardcaptors The Movie" (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage088.jpg). I had started the episode without switching to the subs (habit from the sub-only tv discs). I switched to the subs/Japanese on the fly in-ep, but after seeing that title card I went back to the menu and specifically entered setup to go into Japanese. So I let it go through again and instead I got this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage089.jpg) screen. Are there any differences in the two tracks aside from this? I assume it's just an alternate angle for the title card, or something.


[/ QUOTE ]

I believe there's also an alternate angle for the ending credits as well. I don't think there's any difference in the actual movie, which was surprisingly uncut (in terms of animation; unfortunately not so with dialogue and story) for the Cardcaptors version.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
But it did have I think the coolest card strike in the whole series: Sakura's underwater card flip and strike from behind--while bound. Awesome. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, that was certainly a great one. I kept wondering if Sakura was going to use any cards at all in that situation, but I guess she delayed becsuse she needed time to flashback to crazy bitch's memories /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[something]

On to the second half of the show! 35 and a movie down, 35 and a movie to go! I'm switching from a '-' to a '**' when I make comments that are slightly deeper than my usual gushing moe fanboy screencap one-liners, rather than trying to do a more reflective "General comments" thing at the end, because I've spent too much time typing something there and then revising/deleting it as I continue along with the disc. This way I can point out the main *story* reactions I have as I go more easily.

Ep. 36:
- Really cute animation (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage103.jpg) with the new OP (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage113.jpg), but the song is mediocre at best. Bleh. I'll likely be skipping that one.
** Back with the dream again. And Sakura finally puts words to what she has to have known: it's Mizuki in the dream. At the very least, someone who looks exactly like her. And we still don't know who this "Yue" is...
- Heh, yay for groggy Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage104.jpg).
- Ahh, there's Arrow. A whole bunch (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage105.jpg) of new ones actually, but I can't read what they say. Through, one blocked by Kero, two more I cant make out, and Arrow. Even zoomed in the resolution isn't good enough to tell. I assume I'll find out in short order though.
- Ooh, but I framestepped back a bit to when they're turning (before they hit the shadow, and it looks like Bubbles (o_O wtf) and Wave. And the covered one was Libra. Through and Libra sound like the interesting ones.
- Glaaaaaare~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage106.jpg)~ and...Tomoyo~! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage107.jpg)
- So, new teacher and... it's Mizuki of course. Now she can keep an eye on them even more easily =P Much to Sakura's enjoyment, Anyaaaaaaa~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage108.jpg)!
- Sakura rolling around (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage109.jpg) really needs a .gif too. Also, I really want Yukito to be revealed as TOTALLY EVIL and stuff. It would just be so perfect &gt;_&gt;
- Shaoran looks horrified (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage110.jpg) at what he sees in front of his face
- I love how Tomoyo always has her priorities straight. Giant blizzard, angry clow card... "At this rate.... at this rate... I WONT'T BE ABLE TO FILM SAKURA!" Not that I blame her, this costume (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage111.jpg) is pretty cute. If only Tomoyo would dress up in her own costumes sometimes...
- Wahaha, don't piss Sakura off, especially not by making her lose something Yukito gave her. Fiery thaws out the entire city in seconds... o_O
- Haha, way to leave Shaoran alone with a sobbing Sakura, Kero XD Awkwaaaaard.
- ...I do believe Shaoran (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage112.jpg) just got totally cock blocked. As if he didn't have a negative view of Mizuki already XD
- I didn't like the first ED at all (couldnt sit through it in full once) and the second isn't much better, but still... "better" I guess.

Ep. 37:
- Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage114.jpg) sometimes looks so much older than she is, while still coming across as young. Hard to describe.
** So, Kero just said that she'll see "Him" when she collects all the cards, which can only mean Clow Reed. But he was mentioned as dead in the movie. Guess Kero is still holding out on some information...
- Silent Tomoyo! Can't hear her cute voice =( Anyways, nice mother-daughter moment between Tomoyo and her mom. Good to see a "busy successful parent" relationship that isn't just "Sorry, got work, can't help ya!"
- Heh, I think this is the first time the eyecatch card (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage115.jpg) had Tomoyo on it, unless I just didnt notice in 36.
** The "blushing Shaoran" stuff is getting more and more common, and his obsession with Yukito is starting to slacken, though only a tiny bit. They're clearly moving into the "Shaoran has a crush on Sakura" phase, but I dunno... I'd really rather see him get along with Meilin, although arranged relationships in anime are always meant to be broken. Of course, Sakura with Yukito isn't any better (worse probably)... so really, there is no proper/acceptable alternative to Tomoyo/Sakura ::nods::
- O.K.! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage116.jpg)
- Wahaha, Tomoyo the super perceptive wonder girl has to much fun teasing Shaoran about Sakura... and the smug look of satisfaction on her face after he makes a scene is just perfect.
- Cmon, squeeze tighter (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage117.jpg), nobody will mind! Anyways, poor Sakura, and poor Tomoyo. As Sakura says, this isn't the first time Tomoyo has been targeted by the cards.
- Whee~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage118.jpg)! That's more like it. Well, the concert made a cute ending to a nice emotional episode. Hooray~

Ep. 38:
- Just felt like getting this group shot (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage119.jpg).
- Running strawberries (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage120.jpg) &gt;_&gt;
- I mean it, Yukito is evil! He's like, satan incarnated on earth to destroy all humanity. When he gets quieter and leans in and says "Sakura-chan..." you just knooooow he's plotting a horrible death for her so he can steal the cards &gt;_&gt;
** Anyways, Touya being everywhere Sakura goes becauae of his part-time job reminds me of someone else from another series, who would always show up at places the other characters were because of their constantly changing job. I know Mai in My~HiME does the part time job thing, but I'm pretty sure that's not who I'm thinking of. Any idea?
- And I repeat, Tomoyo has a bright future ahead of her as a porn director (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage121.jpg).
- This (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage122.jpg) was cute XD Anyways, looks like Shaoran is still far from giving up on Yukito. He's determined to be sexually ambidextrous =P
- Most normal (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage123.jpg) (only normal?) couple in the entire show.
** I am sort of worried where the Shaoran --&gt; Sakura thing will go. I don't really forsee that arrow becoming bidirectional, but I do see Meilin catching on soon enough. She's been written out of the story a tiny bit lately, but along with that she's also become much more agreeable. She has a pretty friendly and healthy relationship with Sakura and Tomoyo and the others, while maintaining a level of arrogance that is set at just the right level to be charming and cute. Any serious emotional shifts in Shaoran towards Sakura will probably send her staight back into the "angry competitive bitch" mode she started out in. But it will also probably bring her back to the front lines of the story... decisions decisions...
** Mizuki is getting increasingly ominous and suspicious in this episode, at least when she's around Shaoran. The very different way she reacts to those two is obviously not a coincidence, especially considering that Shaoran is openly suspicious of her while Sakura is too wrapped up in Mizukigasms to really think clearly about it. But man, it's episode 38 and I still don't have a damn clue just whose side she's on... or even what the "sides" are. As the movie illustrated, there are outsiders who have scores to settle with Clow Reed (and by association his magical heir), so she might be something along the same lines... ::shrugs::
** Right, just as I say that, something very small but revealing happens. For I think the first time, Mizuki looked surprised. She noticed the card (or whatever) locking the kids in the storehouse, but instead of lokoing like she knew it was going to happen, she seemed caught off guard.
- Ok, far too many "words" there, so how about some Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage124.jpg)?
- O_O (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage125.jpg) Ok, holy shit this was creepy. Christ. Grarrrrrgh, I got like, Higurashi chills for a second.
- But they seal the card and nobody questions why everything inside the storehouse got thrown around and doesn't worry about the fact that they were all screaming inside and all other inconvenient facts are placed on the wayside, but that's really ok with me because Sakura looks like this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage126.jpg)
- But then Sakura commits a grave sin... Kero gets mad.... BAD END (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage127.jpg). Yes, my MS Paint skills are AMAZING ::nods::

Ep. 39:
** See this is exactly what I'm talking about with liking Meilin as she is now. The way she reassures Sakura, who has a fever, that the poster will get done in her absence illustrates just how far she's developed as a character. Granted, it was her increasing confidence that Sakura wasn't interested in Shaoran that let her grow up and mature a bit, but regardless, she has. She makes a great addition to the Sakura-gumi because she's got an attitude now that you don't really get from the other girls. She keeps Sakura on her toes a bit, in a way that only Tomoyo does out of the rest of them.
** Touya (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage128.jpg) does indeed have a sister compelx, but he's such a good brother. Damn weird happy sibling relationships that don't exist in real life =P Anyways, Touya can sometimes hear Mizuki's voice in his head, eh? Grargh there are more and more unanswered questions about everyone in this show lately, although I don't exactly mind.
- I wish I could screencap sounds. The [n?]yaaaa sound Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage129.jpg) makes when she's bumbling around with Fly while Mirror takes her place is so damn cute.
- Touya is so gonna notice Kero isn't in the room anymore...
- Ah right, this (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage130.jpg) would sorta be an example of Meilin keeping Sakura in line XD
** And Touya caught onto the Mirror card right away. Man. Clearly though, if he knows there are "ghosts" taking Sakura's place for her, and that Sakura "stepped out" (...out the window), he obviously knows more about Sakura's "hobby" than he's ever revealed so far &gt;_&gt; And well, just said as much. But he doesn't want Sakura to know he knows... I doubt he know anything about clow cards or even magical girls, but that just makes me wonder even more what he does know about what she's doing.
- Awww, Meilin helping Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage131.jpg) hold the staff XD
- What a sweet ending~
** I feel like, while the show is still technically "episodic", there's a lot of meaning, depth, mystery and questions packed into the episodes on this disc, and most of last disc. Almost nothing has REALLY been revealed yet, let alone resolved. But it's all going to come crashing down on them, and soon, if you ask me.

Anyways, awesome disc.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
But it's all going to come crashing down on them, and soon, if you ask me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You could say that. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
But it's all going to come crashing down on them, and soon, if you ask me.

[/ QUOTE ]

You could say that. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Once more, the best is yet to come... soon... very soon... /images/graemlins/devil.gif

[something]

Trying to get another one in tonight...

Ep. 40:
- Grarrrrrgh, ::twitch, faint:: Tomoyo!! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage132.jpg) More! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage134.jpg)
- They dont work on you, Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage135.jpg) =P But you're cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage136.jpg) anyway.
- Sakura playing the whack a mole was awesome enough, but when Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage137.jpg) jumped in and took charge it got even better. I love when they work together~
- Hmm, Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage138.jpg) died and went to heaven (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage139.jpg)? Heh, that was funny, but it's weird to see Tomoyo lose her head (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage140.jpg) like that, even if only a little bit.
- Oooh... Shaoran's dream... is Sakura, not Yukito! Ok, not all that surprising given the way the show has treated their relationship lately, but still, it puts it in no uncertain terms really.
** Massive cappability of this episode aside, it's clearly going to be important to the story, because she HAS been seeing this dream of Tokyo Tower for ages. Now she's there, and this card deals with dreams, and well, all the pieces are in place for some major movement here. The episode is also doing a great job feeling weird and surreal, and especially once they reach the tower it's hard to tell what is real and what isn't. Very nice atmosphere so far.
- Well, is Dream shows foretelling dreams, Tomoyo is going to have her own harem of Sakuras and Shaoran is going to make out with Sakura on a beach =P
- Ok, good episode, getting me more and more into the story, so without much editorializing, next!

Ep. 41:
- Obligatory. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage141.jpg)
- There Sakura goes killing the tense moment with an anyaaaaan~ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage142.jpg)
- And more of Mizuki's attitude shifts... ::cheery:: Don't worry ::leans in, switches to super ominous:: It will happen soon ::leans out, easily slips smile back on::. Awesome.
- Heh, he's no match for Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage143.jpg).
- Oh, ahah, awesome, from the reaction I assumed Shaoran was the prince but... it's Sakura XD Of course, the menu gave that away but I wasn't paying attention at the time. Also, Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage144.jpg) is certainly happy. I wonder if Shaoran is the princess &gt;_&gt; ...Ahaha, he is. So evil, but of course that's what happens.
** Well anyways, a near [fake] kiss, another card down (and in Shaoran's possession), and Mizuki perhaps revealing a bit of what she wants to do. She's been leading them into situations where they can gain cards, and seems content to let them do so. As the number of cards increases, the closer they get to... something. As she says, "It won't be long now", or whatever. Presumably, she wants the cards for herself but knows she can't seal them, much like Shaoran. So either 1) she wants to steal the cards from Sakura and Shaoran once they collect them all for her or 2) if Kero was right and Clow Reed will make an appearance when the cards are gathered, she's looking forward to that because she has some reason to want to talk to him. Or beat the shit out of him, whichever.
** And am I correct in thinking that Kero has yet to meet Mizuki? It seems weird, but I think it's the case, especially when he talks about how he wants to go investigate her. Kero knows Clow Reed and perhaps Mizuki does too, which would make me think Mizuki is Yue and Kero would realize this instantly... if only he had a chance to meet her. ::shrugs::

Ep. 42:
- It's Prince Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage145.jpg)... and.. haha, oh christ (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage146.jpg) XD
- Ah yes, Tomoyo is so deliciously manipulative when she wants to be. "If they play were cancelled, I'm sure Mr. Tsukishiro will be sad..."
- And of course Tomoyo is in the tech booth, and probably stage manager as well. You call them cues, Tomoyo!
- ... Perfect (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage147.jpg). Meilin!!
- Haha, I can't believe Meilin is staying quiet through this. Or Touya for that matter /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif But then, a card strikes anyway. D-....Darkness, I'd assume /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- That there is some cute crying (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage148.jpg). She needs to pull herself together though. ...And she does, and seals the twincest cards Light and Dark at the same time. I wish I had kept track of how many cards she was getting because she's gotta be getting really close now. Mizuki seems to be saying so at least.
** Sort of important in that they mention Yue for the first time to Sakura. Kero had never talked to Sakura about it, but then there are a few things he's kept from her. Still, I'm pretty much 100% that Mizuki is Yue now, though what that means is still up in the air. Apparently she's some arbiter of the cards though, beause "the final decision is up to" her, according to Light and Dark. But what final decision?

Ep. 43:
- Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage149.jpg) can make great lunches apparently, but those cakes... they elude her. Tricksy Cakes...
- Noo, Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage150.jpg) can't go home =( That's lame. Still, Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage151.jpg) trying to cheer (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage153.jpg) her up by suddenly inviting her to sleep over was so hilarious XD Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage152.jpg) is so confused though, haha.
- This is going to be great though... I love how Meilin and Sakura have interacted lately, and now it's just those two all night~. Likewise, Tomoyo and Kero make a fantastic pair, so that works too!
- The Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage154.jpg)! And loli-Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage155.jpg)! Or would that be Lolier-Meilin...
- So, Sakura and Meilin have a bit of girl talk during their slumber party, and then we get into some martial arts action so Meilin can feel useful before she's written out of the story (temporarily of course). She didn't get enough focus on her in the time she was around, so it's nice to see her get an episode like this, at least. Come back soon, Meilin (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage156.jpg).

It looks like the next disc will have Kero meeting Mizuki fnially, but for now, I'm done. Disc 12 another time.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
It looks like the next disc will have Kero meeting Mizuki fnially, but for now, I'm done. Disc 12 another time.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one say a thing!

I swear this is a lot of fun reading these posts, disarm. Like reliving the first time I experienced these episodes without actually watching them again. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[Dagger]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
It looks like the next disc will have Kero meeting Mizuki fnially, but for now, I'm done. Disc 12 another time.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one say a thing!

I swear this is a lot of fun reading these posts, disarm. Like reliving the first time I experienced these episodes without actually watching them again. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Heheh, same here. I really want to see disarm's reaction to what's coming up~

[ZhenJi]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

- Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage114.jpg) sometimes looks so much older than she is, while still coming across as young. Hard to describe.


[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is wishful thinking /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[ZhenJi]

[ QUOTE ]
Dagger said:
[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
It looks like the next disc will have Kero meeting Mizuki fnially, but for now, I'm done. Disc 12 another time.

[/ QUOTE ]

No one say a thing!

I swear this is a lot of fun reading these posts, disarm. Like reliving the first time I experienced these episodes without actually watching them again. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Heheh, same here. I really want to see disarm's reaction to what's coming up~

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm on the same boat. As I read through his reactions to the show I just grin. One think I hadn't realized is how long it takes for things to happen. I guess I was under the Sakura spell /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Ooh, but I framestepped back a bit to when they're turning (before they hit the shadow, and it looks like Bubbles (o_O wtf) and Wave. And the covered one was Libra. Through and Libra sound like the interesting ones.

[/ QUOTE ]

Those were the cards that she caught over the break, and their capture wasn't really shown (except for Arrow being covered in the first movie). *very minorly spoilerific, but just in case, I've tagged it* <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Libra is very weird in that you never see Sakura use it in the whole series. There is an official description of what it does, which is mentioned on Wikipedia (check it out after you've finished everything, since Wikipedia abounds with spoilers)</span>

[ QUOTE ]
- I wish I could screencap sounds. The [n?]yaaaa sound Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage129.jpg) makes when she's bumbling around with Fly while Mirror takes her place is so damn cute.

[/ QUOTE ]

Get Total Recorder (http://www.highcriteria.com/). The free version only lets you get 60 seconds before inserting a sound into your recording, but I use it all the time for sound clips (mainly for dub database purposes)


[ QUOTE ]
** I feel like, while the show is still technically "episodic", there's a lot of meaning, depth, mystery and questions packed into the episodes on this disc, and most of last disc. Almost nothing has REALLY been revealed yet, let alone resolved. But it's all going to come crashing down on them, and soon, if you ask me.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's the magic of CCS. Almost fully episodic, but every episode has substance. There's something in every episode, despite there not really being any rapidly-moving plot.

Heh, anyway, can't wait until you get to Vol. 12. Reading you comments, there's a few things that amused me. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
Those were the cards that she caught over the break, and their capture wasn't really shown (except for Arrow being covered in the first movie). *very minorly spoilerific, but just in case, I've tagged it* <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Libra is very weird in that you never see Sakura use it in the whole series.</span>

[/ QUOTE ]
There have also been some cards she's captured and had for awhile but never used, so far. Return, Rain, Tiny (or was it called Small... whatever), Silent, Thunder up until this disc, and a bunch of others.

I see Return as too interesting of a card to go fully unused, so I'm sure that will make a comeback (I had typed 'return' initially &gt;_&gt;)... it's far too useful as a storytelling device to ignore =P But with a couple dozen cards -- 52 or 36 or something? Already forget -- I can certainly see why she would rely on a few favorites, such as the movement cards above all, and the various elementals.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
ZhenJi said:
One think I hadn't realized is how long it takes for things to happen. I guess I was under the Sakura spell /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]
I agree here. It's no big deal because I'm more or less marathoning it and watching little else in the meantime (aside from new eps here and thee of currently airing shows), but when I stop and think about it... I'll be on episode 44 when I start disc 12 o_O That's significantly longer already that most full series I've seen.

And what's really happened? She met Kero, started collecting cards, met Shaoran, met Meilin, met Mizuki, collecting cards all the way, and that's basically where we stand. Next to nothing has been revealed in full and instead we just get more and more questions. But none of that matters, because every episode has been at least watchable, most have been great, and some have been simply amazing.

This is why I'll always argue for "26 eps with a little fluff" over "13 no-fluff episodes packed with story" so long as the characters have great chemistry with one another. The CCS characters absolutely have that, from leads to the most minor secondary or tertiary characters. That's why I can watch 43 episodes of "Sakura and friends go on a trip, Sakura and friends (well, Shaoran and/or Kero) sense a KURO KAADO NO KEIHAI!, Sakura and friends work to seal card, Sakura and friends avoid any complications of the crazy messes they leave behind /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif" ...and not mind it in the least. Love it, in fact.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
No one say a thing!

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha, as a side note, yeah, thanks to everyone for being so good at keeping spoilers out of replies. It's good to know I can check out replies to my posts without being paranoid the whole time.

[ QUOTE ]
I swear this is a lot of fun reading these posts, disarm. Like reliving the first time I experienced these episodes without actually watching them again. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes! Everyone live vicariously through me! XD I'm glad people like it, repetition and silliness and all. I could never be an anime reviewer (I can't make my thoughts that compact), but I do enjoy making long, crazy meandering posts about what I saw... or rather, am currently seeing, in most cases.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
ZhenJi said:
[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
- Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage114.jpg) sometimes looks so much older than she is, while still coming across as young. Hard to describe.

[/ QUOTE ]I think this is wishful thinking /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif.

[/ QUOTE ]
Why good sir, I resent the implication! How could you ev-- OMG TOMOYO! (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/view/1834)

((Wow, it was a lot harder finding a non-hentai picture of Tomoyo than it should have been -_- Arrrrgh~))

As a side note, I do believe THIS (http://danbooru.donmai.us/post/view/40085) sort of redefines "battle costume" XD

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

There have also been some cards she's captured and had for awhile but never used, so far. Return, Rain, Tiny (or was it called Small... whatever), Silent, Thunder up until this disc, and a bunch of others.

[/ QUOTE ]

"Little", actually. /images/graemlins/wink.gif I think one of those (maybe two, not sure if I'm remembering) never gets any use. *minorly spoilerific* (I don't know if I invented this phrase or not /images/graemlins/tongue.gif In any case, I mean just minor details that aren't earth-shattering plot events) <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>She'll be using a wider variety in the third season, for reasons that won't be apparent until you get a little bit into it. You are prescient as far as the Return card goes</span>

The total number of cards is 52. Earlier you were interested in a count, so if you want to know, the Twin card capture is the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>51st /images/graemlins/wink.gif</span>

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
"Little", actually. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
&gt;_&gt; Figures.

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
The total number of cards is 52. Earlier you were interested in a count, so if you want to know, the Twin card capture is the <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>51st /images/graemlins/wink.gif</span>

[/ QUOTE ]
Wow, that far along already... Then again, why am I saying "already"? And I shouldn't be surprised either way because the cards all being collected is a prerequisite to funky things happening, and clearly those things are going to happen really soon, so yeah, I guess that's that.

I guess I tend to forget because Sakura herself doesn't really seem to be acting like I'd expect she should if she were one card from being done. That and I know there are 27 eps left. Sakura is probably the most oblivious character in the whole show, and she's the one at the center of everything /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[DrMM]

Quit posting and watch the next disc already. I've been having such fun reading your posts and speculations and remembering what my original impressions of the characters were, that now that you're so close to certain huge revelations, I'm impatiently awaiting your thoughts. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

And I blame this thread entirely for my current 'CCS rewatch', I'm being forced to do.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DrMM said:
Quit posting and watch the next disc already. I've been having such fun reading your posts and speculations and remembering what my original impressions of the characters were, that now that you're so close to certain huge revelations, I'm impatiently awaiting your thoughts. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, I'm posting while I write a paper =( I won't be watching the next disc until I finish it, so hopefuully I can get started by 10-11pm EST. It takes me a long time to watch a disc when you factor in posting + screencapping + uploading and all, so I dont want to start much later than that, but we'll see.

[ QUOTE ]
And I blame this thread entirely for my current 'CCS rewatch', I'm being forced to do.

[/ QUOTE ]
=D

[Fudce]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
No one say a thing!

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha, as a side note, yeah, thanks to everyone for being so good at keeping spoilers out of replies. It's good to know I can check out replies to my posts without being paranoid the whole time.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's why I've avoided replying much to this thread, I love the series, but I'm afraid I'll spoil it for you, and I'm enjoying reliving my first watch of the series along with you.

[martod]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage114.jpg) sometimes looks so much older than she is, while still coming across as young. Hard to describe.


[/ QUOTE ]

It could be how she dresses. Despite the costumes she makes for Sakura, I generally hate the way Tomoyo herself dresses. When she's not wearing her uniform, it seems she's always wearing either a frumpy dress or something that it looks like she stole from someone's grandma.

[Gatts]

I like Tomoyo's clothes. /images/graemlins/sad.gif

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Gatts said:
I like Tomoyo's clothes. /images/graemlins/sad.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Me too! Most of the time it doesn't make her look "frumpy", but rather mature and refined. And then some of it is just ungodly cute.

There are some times when I question it, but on the whole I think her costume design is wonderful, just as it is for pretty much everything in this show.

[DKL]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:

Yes! Everyone live vicariously through me! XD



[/ QUOTE ]

I'll steal your life-force while I'm at it (har har har).

But yeah... this is great stuff!

So... the new one go up tonight? I'm totally staying up for it...

And yeah... wait... no, did I start my rewatch BEFORE this thread came out?

I can't remember anymore... but yeah, I wrapped up just a few days ago (saw the second movie twice, like I said I would).

...

Yeah, so... we'll be here waiting.

[something]

Well, here we go. Time for the story writers to earn their keep.

Ep. 44:
- Enter Mysterious Bishounen! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage157.jpg)
** You know, I'm pretty sure I had noticed at some point that the doll (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage158.jpg) above her bed was wearing the same costume as she does in her Tokyo Tower dream. But looking back, I never mentioned it in any of my posts, and given how I'll ramble on about anything, you'd think I'd mention that too. But I didn't. Either way, I like how something rather significant has been right under our noses... or literally right above Sakura's nose, every single episode from the start.
** Shaoran and Sakura really don't seem to realize how close they are. They still talk about hunting Clow Cards like it'll be going on for the foreseeable future, when they're one card from done o_O In fact, I wonder if either of them even knows how many cards there are... Did Kero ever say? I'd expect Shaoran to know, but doesn't seem like he does.
- Whatever that thing (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage159.jpg) on the right is, it looks like some kinda one eyed monster with its tongue hanging out... o_O
- Ok, guess I was right, Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage160.jpg) really didn't know.
** So, Kero didn't notice Mizuki at first glance, so if she is this "Yue", her appearance is different. He is, of course, utterly suspicious of her, and it seems that she's noticed him to some extent, as her flub in the archery tournament indicated (cool scene with the archery overall, btw). She seemed to glance in his direction before losing her concentration.
- And now the long-awaited meeting... (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage161.jpg)
** "The other guardian of the Clow Cards that Clow Reed created to serve opposite me... Yue, which means 'moon' in Chinese" Alright, there we have it. So I was right that she's Yue (ok, doesn't exactly make me Nostradamus), though what "Yue" is remains unexplained. Though I imagine it wont remain so for long... ::unpauses::
- I liked the look on Sakura's (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage162.jpg) face when she saw that Kero (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage163.jpg) (looking ominous) was talking to Mizuki-Yue /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif
- Ahahahaaha, Shaoran (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage164.jpg) and Tomoyo thought Sakura was getting molested by a man in a bear suit XD
- Well spoken... well spoken indeed, Touya (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage165.jpg). Just as I was about to type something here saying the same thing too.
- "Tsukishiro-san... you're...--" ....&gt;_&lt;?!
- ...45!

Ep. 45:
- Earthy! Right, I couldn't think of what card was left, but that makes sense, Kero needed Fiery and Earthy to match his main elements (which makes Yue Watery and Windy? Or that has nothing to do with her maybe), and she only had Fiery. Makes sense.
- Why isn't Tomoyo asleep? I guess Sakura can specifically target Sleep's effects if she wants.
- Man, of all the cards to be extremely powerful... why Earthy? I mean, "why not" is an equally valid qestion but still. Maybe it has something to do with all the earthquakes in Japan, or something, so they're more sensitive to such a card being the most powerful.
- Well, Kero (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage166.jpg) finally does something XD I know he couldnt before they got Fiery, but she got that some time ago. Nice to see he has some power back though.
- o_O Fancy (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage167.jpg). Kinda funny that Wood is the card to take out the last of the uncollected clow cards though.
- Kero-chan (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage168.jpg) level up again! Class change, 2nd form! His voice got super dorky though &gt;______&gt; The voice is very familiar though. Sounded like it was someone else from the show, but doesn't seem to be. In fact, his list of voices brings up nobody who this voice reminds me of. He was Vash, but I haven't seen Trigun in aaaaages. Guess it has to be Icchan from Angelic Layer, then.
- ...You know, I don't think she'll be able to hide him in her backpack anymore.
- I like how Tomoyo just politely inquires who the GIANT WINGED BEAST who comes up with Sakura is...
- Whee, and there we go with that costume (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage169.jpg).
** So, alright. Got all the Clow Cards. ...Except she doesn't. Shaoran holds about half a dozen. ...Is that suddenly not an issue anymore?
** Of course, knew I could depend on Tomoyo to bring it up. The judge decides, apparently. They're being pretty confusing as to who Yue is though... Kero talks like Yue isn't there yet, but thats after he said Mizuki was Yue, and when they talk about Yue they always pan over to Mizuki, but is Yue is the Judge and they're still waiting on said Judge even though Mizuki is there then................!? Whatever &gt;_&gt;
** Ahahahahahahaahahh XD I knew something was obviously up with Yukito (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage170.jpg), and the Mysterious Bishie in the beginning of 44 had the same color hair. At any rate, *he* is Yue... all the signs that Mizuki was Yue were misdirects then... although, sorta clunkily handled ones. Maybe I just missed some important things, but it feels like they pushed the "Mizuki is Yue" bit too hard for it to not have been the case. And I swore they said before that Yue was the other guardian AND the judge, not that they were separate entites.
- Also, I still think Kero looks like some kinda cheesy Space Lion of Justice, or something. He needs to get back int plushie form soon =P
** Ok, I feel a little better now, Kero justbasically explained it... Mizuki isn't Yue, but shes also neither the other guardian nor the Judge. So, Yue IS the other guardian AND judge. So I was only half wrong in my confusion.
** Either way, Yue is a biiiiiiitch. Sakura needs to kick his ass. And we need to find out if Yue as Yukito was acting the whole time. He didn't seem to be, though... I don't think he was fully aware of his true identity. There were moments where he was by himself, and was still confused, or ignorant of what was going on. It's an unwritten rule that characters who are faking shouldn't do so when only the audience is looking, because that's a cheap way of misleading viewers.
- That's lame... "Use the cards to defeat me!" ::Shaoran uses Time:: "o, sry, i control that, INSTAKILL" .......&gt;_&gt; What?
- Ok, Shaoran gets his ass handed to him, so now it's Sakura's turn.

Ep. 46:
** Already almost halfway in and haven't said much, since it's such an action-heavy episode, but alright, looks like 1) Yukito didn't know he was Yue, and 2) If Sakura loses, everyone who has come across the cards will forget their feelings for the one they love the most ... ...That is suuuuuuch a mahou shoujo-type punishment XD Hahaha But it makes Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage171.jpg) sad... so... Kick his ass, Sakura! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage172.jpg)...oh my, she isn't doing too well. At the very least get back at him for flinging you around like a ragdoll &gt;_&gt;
- Well, that was abrupt o_O Good morning, Sakura!
- Alright, a world where Tomoyo isn't madly in love with Sakura IS NOT A WORLD WORTH LIVING IN.
- Of course, I like how this horrible world that suffered a "catastrophe" comes off as infinitely more "normal" than the one before XD
- Lu-lu-lu-lu (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage173.jpg), lu-lu-lu, lu-lulu~ ...heh.
- Yeah, you go Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage174.jpg)! Break free! Power of LOVE! MAHOU SHOUJO!!!
- RELEASE (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage175.jpg) Mk. II ...Not that I hadn't seen it in a thousand images before, but still cool. I prefer the hammer-down way of activating the cards over the spear-thrust of this wand though.
- And there's Clow (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage176.jpg) himself. For some reason he looks like something outta Tenchi to me.
- Alright, so Yue and Kero go back to their original forms, Sakura is the master of the cards everyone still loves everyone else. Happi Endo! I suppose I should stop there and all, but theres another ep on the disc and I don't want to wait because I'll wind up forgetting I didnt watch the last ep here and then skip it or something.
- Oh, and almost forgot... Touya knew Yukito wasn't human the entire time, heh. Of course XD

Ep. 47:
- Hmm, new OP OP (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage177.jpg) is pretty cute (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage178.jpg), and the song (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage179.jpg) is a lot better. I approve. That one I can probably watch most times, unlike Dreaming. Anyways, looks like two (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage180.jpg) new characters (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage182.jpg) + another guardian beast (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage181.jpg) type thingie. For some reason I'm already convinced I'll despise the boy. He just instantly LOOKS like a complete and utter douchebag. Bring Meilin back!
- See, Sakura (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage183.jpg) doesn't like it either!
- Die die die die die die die! (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage184.jpg)
- Haha, the scene with Sakura getting all red when Shaoran heard her singing was priceless XD
- Tomoyo... why are you so sad, Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage185.jpg)? Don't be sad! ...Oh, of course. You're perfectly right, Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage186.jpg). That is sad =( But it's ok, you can make Sakura cosplay any time you want, you don't need to have Clow Cards for that ::nods::
- That's (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage187.jpg) more like it =D
- Want to stab him in the face, want to stab him in the face, want to stab him in the face, want to stab him in the face, want to stab him in the face, want to stab him in the face, want...
- Noo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage188BADBADBAD.jpg), bad, stop, dont touch, stay away, not allowed, Shaoran (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage189.jpg), kick his ass!
- Bwhahaa, Tomoyo is so blunt and to the point when she wants to be XD "Now that someone who might beyour rival has appeared, it looks like going back to Hong Kong has been put on hold for awhile, huh?" &lt;3 &lt;3
- ...Nakuru (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage190.jpg) on the other hand... I love! Wahaha I'm sure she'll eventually become annoying as douchebag's sidekick or whatever she is, but she's so cute XD At the very least she doesn't come off as a prissy little over-cultured rich brat like douchebag.
- Touya can tell already that she's not normal though, it seems.
- &lt;3 Tomoyo (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage191.jpg)
- Alright, so Sakura can't use magic, and Eriol is making it rain lots on Tomoeda, and the ep ends.
- The new ED is ok but I won't be watching it each time... Sakura's outfit in it is sorta lame and the song itself doesn't grab me much.

Well, good ending to season 1, and I look forward to what season two will bring. And now I'm damn tired, so, off I go. ...well, after I insert about 35 images into the post ._.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
So... the new one go up tonight? I'm totally staying up for it...

[/ QUOTE ]
Heh, just, posted an hour after your reply. I was damn tired while watching though, so it's a bit more incoherent than usual.

I need to sleep, argh.

[DKL]

HA!

THEY GOT YOU!

You got KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT!

(hahahaha)

I remember sitting through that and by the end of the episode, I was all:

Nooo

NOOOO

NooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo!!!! !!!!!

One of the best surprises EVER.

So cool, you made it into the next season!

Wow, I've never seen someone use the word "douchebag" as much as I do (well... around the boards I regular anyway)

... in the case of my last re-watch though, I always have had to resist the urge of screaming at the top of my lungs:

JOHAN!

(since the actor who plays douche-face plays everyone's favorite Monster, har har har)

But yeah... great stuff.

...

You got knocked the fuck out! SHAZZAM!

*more cohesive comments later, I'm still kinda into it right now*

Oh damn, I think I'm gonna take one of those screencaps for a future Avatar (the one from the 3rd OP)

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
DKL said:
Wow, I've never seen someone use the word "douchebag" as much as I do (well... around the boards I regular anyway)

[/ QUOTE ]
I think that's officially gonna be his name for me, unless he does something to convince me otherwise (doubt it).

[DKL]

Okay, but just make sure to take note of your observation of Eriol/Douchebag right now given that it'll be fun to look back on in the context of having watched everything (or, actually, you can carry that on as we move along)

So yeah... I'm not really leaning towards either of the possible stances you can take on the character...

In fact, this is as ambigious as can be.

Wait, don't contemplate it... that's right... see, the answer doesn't exist in the context of this post...

Okay... totally...

Go to bed!

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Alright, there we have it. So I was right that she's Yue (ok, doesn't exactly make me Nostradamus), though what "Yue" is remains unexplained. Though I imagine it wont remain so for long... ::unpauses::

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha! /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[ QUOTE ]
** Ahahahahahahaahahh XD I knew something was obviously up with Yukito (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage170.jpg), and the Mysterious Bishie in the beginning of 44 had the same color hair. At any rate, *he* is Yue... all the signs that Mizuki was Yue were misdirects then... although, sorta clunkily handled ones. Maybe I just missed some important things, but it feels like they pushed the "Mizuki is Yue" bit too hard for it to not have been the case. And I swore they said before that Yue was the other guardian AND the judge, not that they were separate entites.

[/ QUOTE ]

They were certainly clever misdirects, but I didn't have the impression they were ever pushing it too hard. Though it's also set up sort of from Kero's perspective, and we learn as he does, so even he wasn't sure where Yue was (this is mentioned in the show I think: one, he didn't have the power to do it, and two, Yue could hide his powers very well). From my own experience, I remember realizing it when they were being a little too vague with Mizuki and Kero's meeting, and the only suspect left was...

But the hints are there in the episodes leading up when you watch everything the second time, actually.

How'd you like Mizuki's finally apparent role in things? I thought it was an interesting wrinkle in the story.

By the way, I believe here the attractions Shaoran had for Yukito and Sakura had for Mizuki are explained, right? Which takes us back to your comments about Shaoran in the early episodes... /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[ QUOTE ]
Anyways, looks like two (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage180.jpg) new characters (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage182.jpg) + another guardian beast (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage181.jpg) type thingie. For some reason I'm already convinced I'll despise the boy. He just instantly LOOKS like a complete and utter douchebag. Bring Meilin back!

[/ QUOTE ]

And we begin again! Yeah, he's an easy one to despise, alright. Third season sets up some beautiful stuff, really well constructed. Can't wait till you get to one of my favorite eps, 52. Poor sheep! And the next, 53, features one of the greatest Tomoyo scenes at its conclusion. So look out.

Enjoy!

[EmperorBrandon]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Kero-chan (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v46/disarm10/ccsimage168.jpg) level up again! Class change, 2nd form! His voice got super dorky though &gt;______&gt; The voice is very familiar though. Sounded like it was someone else from the show, but doesn't seem to be. In fact, his list of voices brings up nobody who this voice reminds me of. He was Vash, but I haven't seen Trigun in aaaaages. Guess it has to be Icchan from Angelic Layer, then.


[/ QUOTE ]

He was also the super-dorky Takeo in Magic User's Club (currently in my avatar). You need to try that next if you get a chance. /images/graemlins/wink.gif I think Onosaka's voice is good enough for Kero, though. Don't really get to hear him acting "goofy" as much in his large form (particularly since he's not usually called out in "goofy" situations). I think I would have loved to hear more of Dave Wittenberg (2nd movie English VA) as big Kero. The few moments in that movie were not enough for the awesomeness that is Dave Wittenberg Kero. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:

And we begin again! Yeah, he's an easy one to despise, alright. Third season sets up some beautiful stuff, really well constructed. Can't wait till you get to one of my favorite eps, 52. Poor sheep! And the next, 53, features one of the greatest Tomoyo scenes at its conclusion. So look out.


[/ QUOTE ]

I spent a lot of the third season wondering what Eriol's problem was. He was somewhat of a confusing character for me. My perception of him was changed a bit when more was revealed about him, but I still say I despise him a little bit. He's a tricky little (do not read until after ep. 55) <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Cheshire Cat</span>. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

No matter what other people says of it, I love ep. 55, BTW. I'm interested in what you think of it when you get to it. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[Serial Experiments Nobue]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Well, good ending to season 1, and I look forward to what season two will bring. And now I'm damn tired, so, off I go. ...well, after I insert about 35 images into the post ._.

[/ QUOTE ]

Keeping with the very brief 100% spoiler free responses to your first-time impressions... CCS has only just begun! Yes, after 43 episodes. /images/graemlins/wink.gif The fun ride to the end of the series begins now. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Anime Rule #236: If a series is from CLAMP, the usual rules of its genre almost never apply. /images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif

[Chubaka]

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:

By the way, I believe here the attractions Shaoran had for Yukito and Sakura had for Mizuki are explained, right? Which takes us back to your comments about Shaoran in the early episodes... /images/graemlins/wink.gif
Enjoy!

[/ QUOTE ]

No. Not yet. Much later. shhhh..

- Kasey (who is enjoying himself immensely following his discoveries)

[something]

Well, you hit on two of the things I wanted to comment on when I woke up, so I'll just use this as the jumping-off point.

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
How'd you like Mizuki's finally apparent role in things? I thought it was an interesting wrinkle in the story.

[/ QUOTE ]
About that, I still don't know what the hell she is. She's neither guardian beast nor judge, but rather some third entity. In fact her only connection to Clow Reed and the cards sems to be that he entrusted her with the bell that was meant to give Sakura a second chance (though it did that for her twice, if you count Maze). Kero thought she was Yue, and never even mentioned a third entity himself, so I don't quite think he knows who she is yet either. Unless she's "just a Moon magic user Clow knew" and thus he asked her to take on that role.

Still leaves a number of things unexplained, like her role with Touya some years ago, which makes you wonder just far far back everything was planned out, particularly in terms of Sakura "accidentally" finding the cards.

[ QUOTE ]
By the way, I believe here the attractions Shaoran had for Yukito and Sakura had for Mizuki are explained, right? Which takes us back to your comments about Shaoran in the early episodes... /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Sort of, if you're saying that the attractions were just unknowing attractions to their magical power. Maybe I can buy that for Sakura-Mizuki pretty easily, but Shaoran-Yukito I'm less sure, and Sakura-Yukito definitely not.

What it does seem like they want to do (but haven't tried too hard at yet), is get Yukito out of the picture as a love interest to make room for Shaoran-Sakura. There's even that convenient loophole in the Shaoran-Meilin relationship of "if you find a girl you love more..." Still, if they're going that route they're going to have to look at the Sakura-Yukito thing further and develop some kind of "Sakura realizes Yukito isn't the one for her" story. After all, it's him she was thinking of during the "forgetting the one you love most" spiel, so she still is fixated on him above all. But he's not human. And long after she dies, he'll presumably still be around, with the cards, unless they somehow separate the disguise and the Judge. But that just brings up more questions ::shrugs::

[ QUOTE ]
And the next, 53, features one of the greatest Tomoyo scenes at its conclusion. So look out.

[/ QUOTE ]
Good, we need more Tomoyo scenes.

[EmperorBrandon]

Hehe... I can't wait until you get to ep. 60, disarm. /images/graemlins/happy.gif I think you'll definitely find that one interesting, judging by your comments so far. That one's likely another one of my third season favorites, along with ep. 57.

[SpoilerHappy]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Still leaves a number of things unexplained, like her role with Touya some years ago, which makes you wonder just far far back everything was planned out, particularly in terms of Sakura "accidentally" finding the cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Remember from a while back that little spoiler secret that's in the manga but not in the anime? Still too early to reveal it though....

[Gildor]

Just wanted to join the chorus and say how great it is seeing your reactions as the series unfolds. It is like re-watching it myself. Ok, not really, but still enjoyable none the less. /images/graemlins/happy.gif Keep up the good work!

One aspect I haven't seen discussed here that is one of my favorites is the food. I love how food of some sort factors in to every episode to a greater or lesser extent. I was hungry after watching every episode. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[DKL]

I actually think this is a lot better than my Monster thread...

This thread is so awesome that I'm jealous.

It's like beer... 2 Tokyo Dome-sized glasses of beer...

I wonder if that reference made sense?

Hmm... no, I shouldn't see the series again... I mean, I just did.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
EmperorBrandon said:
No matter what other people says of it, I love ep. 55, BTW. I'm interested in what you think of it when you get to it. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Whatever one's opinion of 55 (and I love it, of course--speaking of Onosaka, he has a classic scene there) it is a pretty important episode for foreshadowing and laying down clues towards the series' final destination.

[bctaris]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Well, you hit on two of the things I wanted to comment on when I woke up, so I'll just use this as the jumping-off point.

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
How'd you like Mizuki's finally apparent role in things? I thought it was an interesting wrinkle in the story.

[/ QUOTE ]
About that, I still don't know what the hell she is. She's neither guardian beast nor judge, but rather some third entity. In fact her only connection to Clow Reed and the cards sems to be that he entrusted her with the bell that was meant to give Sakura a second chance (though it did that for her twice, if you count Maze). Kero thought she was Yue, and never even mentioned a third entity himself, so I don't quite think he knows who she is yet either. Unless she's "just a Moon magic user Clow knew" and thus he asked her to take on that role.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, I can say that Kero does not know who she is beyond what the audience at this point knows.

Ehhh.... Can't respond to much else right now. Chubaka's right that the meat of the relationship issue, as it pertains to all of the characters, really, isn't explained to satisfaction until later but the hints are laid out in the season two finale, which you seemed to pick up on. Nothing spoiled yet... And I don't think there's the slightest chance, based on your comments so far, that you'll be disappointed in anything the third season gives you.

At this point, however, the central theme of Cardcaptor Sakura is pretty well visible, and it informs everything that happens from here on out: love, love, love. /images/graemlins/happy.gif

[DKL]

OH!

While we're here, I might as well remind people to go see the TOMOYO VIDEO EXTRAS if they can find them anywhere *wink wink*

So, yeah... it's these video extras made for the series that never came out here in ths US, and there are 3 of them

...

So, if you've seen the series (all of it), feel free to watch them.

[something]

[ QUOTE ]
Gildor said:
One aspect I haven't seen discussed here that is one of my favorites is the food. I love how food of some sort factors in to every episode to a greater or lesser extent. I was hungry after watching every episode. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Haha, I don't eat sweets so most of the stuff they're making doesn't appeal to me, but yes, it seems like half the episodes involve Sakura baking something for Yukito, or Meilin for Shaoran or... any other number of combinations /images/graemlins/sweat000.gif

[Kellory]

[ QUOTE ]
disarm said:
Well, you hit on two of the things I wanted to comment on when I woke up, so I'll just use this as the jumping-off point.

[ QUOTE ]
bctaris said:
How'd you like Mizuki's finally apparent role in things? I thought it was an interesting wrinkle in the story.

[/ QUOTE ]
About that, I still don't know what the hell she is. She's neither guardian beast nor judge, but rather some third entity. In fact her only connection to Clow Reed and the cards sems to be that he entrusted her with the bell that was meant to give Sakura a second chance (though it did that for her twice, if you count Maze). Kero thought she was Yue, and never even mentioned a third entity himself, so I don't quite think he knows who she is yet either. Unless she's "just a Moon magic user Clow knew" and thus he asked her to take on that role.

Still leaves a number of things unexplained, like her role with Touya some years ago, which makes you wonder just far far back everything was planned out, particularly in terms of Sakura "accidentally" finding the cards.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ahhh, to the meat of the story! /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>I like how when the story started it seemed as if, like in many of these things, magic was this rare and almost unheard of thing. That perhaps just 1 or 2 people in the entire world could do. Then, slowly, over time more and more is revealed and you see that Sakura has just touched the tip of the iceberg. </span>

More will be revealed later though. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
By the way, I believe here the attractions Shaoran had for Yukito and Sakura had for Mizuki are explained, right? Which takes us back to your comments about Shaoran in the early episodes... /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Sort of, if you're saying that the attractions were just unknowing attractions to their magical power. Maybe I can buy that for Sakura-Mizuki pretty easily, but Shaoran-Yukito I'm less sure, and Sakura-Yukito definitely not.

What it does seem like they want to do (but haven't tried too hard at yet), is get Yukito out of the picture as a love interest to make room for Shaoran-Sakura. There's even that convenient loophole in the Shaoran-Meilin relationship of "if you find a girl you love more..." Still, if they're going that route they're going to have to look at the Sakura-Yukito thing further and develop some kind of "Sakura realizes Yukito isn't the one for her" story. After all, it's him she was thinking of during the "forgetting the one you love most" spiel, so she still is fixated on him above all. But he's not human. And long after she dies, he'll presumably still be around, with the cards, unless they somehow separate the disguise and the Judge. But that just brings up more questions ::shrugs::

[/ QUOTE ]

Remember the rules of anime.

1. Outside of Harem shows and their sub groups, there are no love triangles or quadrangles. There are only couples. There may be characters that want to throw a monkey wrench into the works, and there may be periods where triangles exist. But in the end there are only couples.

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>2. There are only 2 types of childhood friends. One where they grow together and become an unstoppable couple, and the other where it just doesnt work out and was never meant to be. I think its evident at this stage where we're headed here.

More stuff is revealed as the show goes on of course. And its done quite well. That is, it features more Tomoyo. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif But seriously, they do tie up pretty much all loose ends. And things work out. Mostly.

To answer the Shaoran Yaoi moments question, its seems like he was just subconsciously attracted to the power Yukito was giving off. It wasnt a conscious thing, so he never really questioned it. Plus, as a kid, he didnt really understand whether it made sense or not. Just that there was something about Yukito that attracted him. Now, whether or not the same really holds true for Sakura is a different story. And one that will also play out in time.</span>

This just makes me remember why I liked CCS so much even though its nominally a children's show. There's just so much there and it all makes sense eventually. All the pieces fall together and the show is such a joy to watch and see how things end up. Its obvious they are going somewhere and it doesnt disappoint. Savor the moments. There arent that many shows like it out there. /images/graemlins/sdsmiley.gif

[Gatts]

I must be one of the few people that liked Eriol from the first time I saw him in costume. His pimp hat and cane were boss. Plus he kept his hat tilted at that perfect 45 degree angle. All he needed was some hand jewelry. Everytime he talked to Sakura, I expected him to say something like "where's my money?".

[DKL]

We're talking about the kind of hand jewelry with the words on them, right (no, we're not... just really lardge jewels)?

...

That shit would be gansta as hell...

Kellory (super spoilers):

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Oh snap, no no no, we can't go there yet!</span>

[Chubaka]

Thngs haven't been explained yet and but will be later.

Please Kelllory, no spoilers. /images/graemlins/sad.gif
If you can edit before Disarm reads, please do so.


- Kasey

[Gatts]

Locking for length. disarm can start a new one once he watches new episodes.