Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card-hen - Episode 03 Review!

I enjoyed CCS Clear Card Arc Episode 3 as much as I did the previous episodes. I kind of wish I reread the manga so I can differentiate which areas diverge from the manga. But I like watching the anime with a fresh perspective, so I guess it’s fine as is. The animation quality is slightly subpar the previous one, just in some parts, but not noticeably. And I was glad to see Sakura finally had a different hairstyle, even though it was just two yellow barrettes.  Hope her twintails make a return!

Clockwise from top left: Syaoran's elaborate lunch; Tomoeda Middle School Cafeteria aka Hogwarts dining hall; Tomoyo's Norwegian wild salmon; Chiharu pelting Takashi: Don't you feel bad, seeing those gullible two?

My favorite scene this episode is the lunchtime scene again, where all the students are eating in their super posh cafeteria (more like a dining hall) because it’s pouring outside. Did you see the fancy chandelier lighting and the round buffet table? What kind of middle school has a cafeteria like that (didn’t they just eat lunch in their classrooms in elementary school)? I guess my deduction last week that Tomoeda Middle School is a very elite or well-financed school is probably correct. Despite their fancy cafeteria food, our main characters all packed their lunches, and Syaoran has a crazy elaborate lunch that would put any mother to shame, shown in the top left screen capture. It’s “leftovers” from his dinner last night. No wonder he has no time to help Sakura capture the new cards, when he’s cooking a five-course meal. I don’t even remember how canon it was that Syaoran was good at cooking anymore (sometimes my memory blurs with the character building in New Trials). Tomoyo also eats the most luxurious-looking cut of salmon ever, it made my mouth water. She must be following a high-protein, low carb diet. Favorite line of the week is from Naoko to Syaoran: “So, you’re a boy who can cook!” No kidding. 

I like how the crew also continues their talk about clubs—Yamazaki Takashi ended up joining the Lacrosse Club instead of the Performing Arts Club! What kind of Japanese middle school has a lacrosse club—they’re not some New England boarding school or Manhattan Upper-East Side prep school! I loved how Tomoyo recalled the Sleeping Beauty production in elementary school with Sakura as the Prince and Syaoran as the Princess—it’s one of the conversations I feel like could have been taken straight out of a chapter of New Trials, so it kind of satiated my desire of thinking, “if New Trials were animated, what would it have been like.” Even Yamazaki-kun enjoying the idea of acting again—and Chiharu’s sarcastic side commentaries are hilarious. 

Another adorable scene is Naoko’s sketches in Sakura’s science textbook, with a chibi Sakura and Syaoran doodle. I totally related because that’s something I would have done in school as well (doodling on friends’ notebooks, not textbooks). So, Naoko, on top of everything, can draw pro-mangaka quality sketches! We might find out later she’s a mangaka in training (maybe an avatar for Mokona). I missed Sakura's "hoes" in the middle of class as well! Their science teacher is a cutie as well! Also, in the Aqua sealing scene, I was worried that Tomoyo made Sakura change into a battle costume out in the open, although it was raining hard and they were under a pagoda. But luckily, Kero-chan’s battle costume explanation at the end shows the frog costume is more like a raincoat, worn over her uniform skirt. But then I realized it’s still sleeveless. Oh evil Tomoyo.  

Of course the first thing Sakura is worried about is if Tomoyo’s camcorder is wet after sealing a card. So, I guess Daidouji Toy Company’s link with Piffle Princess is canon now since the company’s development team’s mascot seems to be the Piffle Princess mascot? Yay! I always liked the idea of Tomoyo helming Piffle World in Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. The center developer even looks like Icchan (Mihara Ichiro, president of Piffle Company from Angelic Layer). 

The flirty interaction between Touya and the clueless Yukito in the locker room was really cute. I’m glad they’re still doing part-time jobs together. But does Touya have the worst sense of fashion, ever? He’s wearing a denim blue jacket with yellow trousers and a green bag! What is he, a kindergartner? He should take some fashion pointers from Syaoran! Touya’s being all mysterious too, saying he discovered something else he could do to support Yue and Sakura and not elaborating, mumbling, “You’ll find out when the time comes.” Another aspect in which he’s similar to Syaoran. I’m glad Touya’s as sharp as ever, though, and him observing Yukito and Sakura both wear their hearts on their sleeves was rather sweet. I’m not sure if this scene was in the manga. 

Worst-Dressed Award goes to Touya!

And the scene I was looking forward to most, Syaoran taking off his uniform jacket and placing it over Sakura’s shoulders after she gets soaked was finally animated! It was sweet, how serious Syaoran looked as he unbuttoned his blazer and that glowing look Sakura gave Syaoran, clearly a girl in love. But I liked the scene slightly better in the manga—because manga art was so detailed and pretty!

Other random notes. Kero-chan is completely useless, isn’t he? And a complete mooch too! A considerable amount of grocery fees must go straight to Kero-chan’s stomach. And all he does is play video games all day—isn’t electricity fees expensive in Japan? Has anybody ever seen Sakura play video games? She must have a console simply for Kero-chan. And I’m not sure Kero-chan should be taking baths with Sakura? 

Cloaked Eriol 2.0 appeared at the end in a dream, and I guess Akiho is appearing next episode! It’s kind of confusing because so many Clear Card-hen character’s names slightly overlap with New Trials. Ah, synchronicity. 

I mentioned this over at the Yahoo New Trials Group, but I didn't really appreciate the similarities in premise between New Trials and the Clear Card Arc until watching this anime episode. It was a combination of watching a battle scene take place on the soccer field, and also taking care of two cards in one episode, I think. Creating new "cards" is not an original idea by all means, but I payed attention to Sakura's new incantation for the first time today: "Force without master, heed the call of my Staff of Dreams and become my power!"

The premise is similar, compared to the the New Trials incantation: "Spirit of the dark forces. I, Sakura command you. Return to a new shape under contract. Sakura Card!"  The main difference is in the Clear Card universe, she is creating new cards because the Sakura Cards are "gone." Spirit of the dark forces = to force without master. And in the New Trials universe, she is using her "name" to create a contract with the forces, whereas in the Clear Card-verse, her new staff is the proxy (hence she does not sign the new cards). 

And go over here for high-quality screencaps of the episodes on Tumblr by Jiri-chan!