Cardcaptor Sakura Clear Card-hen: Episode 20 Review

 

Episode 20: “Sakura, Rainbows, and Grandpa”

aka “The Marriage Meeting"

Sakura and Kero-chan’s tamagoyaki (egg roll) song as she prepares her bento for Syaoran was just too cute. The banter between Sakura and Kero-chan is really adorable, and I love how Kero-chan gently teases Sakura as she prepares for her date with Syaoran. Sakura has also a huge bento prepared for Yukito and Kero (bribe to get him to stay out of the way and not film, I bet). Sakura tells Kero-chan not to just play around and get in Yukito-san’s way. I was wondering where Sakura got her poison-tongue from, and I realized she learned it from Touya! That’s what happens when you get bullied so much by a big bro! Kero-chan declares there is no Beast of the Seal better at cleaning than him, and Sakura shoots back he’s the only Beast of the Seal she knows, so she wouldn’t know. The phone rings in the living room, and as Kero-chan tries to sneak in a bite of the bento, Sakura swerves around and warns him not to snatch a bite! It turns out that Sonomi is calling to tell her that her great-grandfather unexpectedly wants to see her today because he’s leaving country tomorrow. Yeah, right. 

"Tamago Song" by Kinomoto Sakura feat Nicebody Kero

Kero-chan: Sakura's going on a date with the Brat!

Kero-chan: Sakura's becoming more intuitive like her brother every day!

Sakura calls Syaoran, crestfallen, to inform him that her great-grandfather wants to see her though they had their own plans today. Of course Syaoran tells her this is more important and not to worry about it. Tomoyo messages Syaoran and Sakura simultaneously, apparently letting them know that Great-Grandfather Masaki wants to see the both of them.

Sakura: Sorry, we'll have to put off our date today.

Syaoran: Your estranged Great Grandfather wants to meet you out of the blue all of a sudden? Just say it if you don't want to meet me today.

Sakura: I'm sorry, Syaoran. But you stand me up all the time to talk with Eriol.

Syaoran: Eriol's practically like a great great-grandfather as well, with him being the reincarnation of Clow Reed and all.

Sakura: Point well taken. Oh wait, Great Grandpa wants you to come along as well.

Syaoran: No, I'd rather not!

So the two lovebirds show up at by the fancy iron gates of the huge mansion by the seaside. Syaoran remarks its bit and Sakura wonders where the buzzer is. The door automatically opens and two maids in uniforms show up and they walk toward through the woods to the mansion. I love how Sakura remarks shyly to Syaoran that it seems like he’s used to this. Right on, he does live in a mansion on Victoria’s Peak in Hong Kong, one of the most expensive real estates in the world. Syaoran modestly replies, “Not really,” and Sakura insists, “You really do.” Well, she’s been to his house before and met his mother already. She recalls that Syaoran has his own butler but Syaoran remarks that Wei is more like family. 

Syaoran: This is not where I envisioned spending my time with you.

Maids: Welcome to the Mansion of No Return.

Detective Syaoran: All murder mysteries start out in a mysterious closed-door mansion in an isolated location like this.

Sakura: Hey Syaoran, why do you seem so used to this sort of environment?

Syaoran: Didn't you know? My family's loaded. Do you think that will score brownie points with your great-grandpa?

Sakura: Truthfully, I think he's going to hate you, either way.

Great-Grandpa Amamiya Masaki is sitting on a deck outside, and Sakura runs up to greet him. He tells her he has something to give her. But before that, he asks her to introduce him to Syaoran. It feels kind of strange hearing Sakura introduce him by his full name, “Li Syaoran-kun.” She tells Masaki that he goes to the same middle school as her. She continues that they’re in the same grade, one class over, than stammers and blushes as she tries to describe what he is to her. Is that the best you can do? Syaoran comes to the rescue and steps forward and introduces himself, and thanks Masaki for the invitation. It kind of reminds me of how Meilin also is able to put on her polite, courteous face in front of adults, signs that they’ve been brought up well. Masaki apologizes for ruin their plans that day. But Syaoran says no worries. Sneaky Masaki probes, remarking he heard the two had planned to out together that day. 

Masaki's inner thoughts: Let's see what scumbag dares date my cute little great granddaughter.

Syaoran's inner thought: I battled off Demon Touya, Psycho Tomoyo, Almighty Yukito-sama, and Creepy Eriol. As if you would faze me, old man.

Masaki: "So, aren't you going to introduce me to your gentleman friend?"

Sakura: "Oh, this is Li Syaoran. We go to the same school."

Syaoran: Sakura, is that the best you can do?

Syaoran: "Greetings, my name is Li Syaoran. Sakura and I are friends. Just friends."

Sakura: So that's how you're going to play it, Syaoran?

Sakura says she’s prepared lunch for everyone, and Masaki coyly points out wasn’t it for the two of them, but Sakura states it tastes better when everyone shares it. Syaoran brought some of his homemade sweets as well. Sakura shows off that Syaoran is a really good cook. Modest Syaoran denies this, but Sakura insists, “You are!” Syaoran then replies Sakura’s lunch looks better, and Sakura retorts Syaoran’s sweets look better. And Sakura and Syaoran get into their first almost-fight of the season, over whose dish looks better. I did wish last episode that Sakura puts her bickering skills to use on Syaoran, for it would be a sign that they have grown closer. I like it when Syaoran is stubborn, and all the more when he’s being stubborn toward Sakura, basically to compliment her. Their little squabble sends Masaki chuckling, and he mediates, stating it means both must be delicious. And both blush. 

Cooking Master Sakura: Grandpapa, today, you are going to determine who is the best cook, once and for all.

Cooking Master Sakura: Syaoran is excellent at making sweets!

Cooking Master Syaoran: No Sakura's bentos are way better!

Sakura: My onigiri's tough and takoyaki's burnt! Syaoran's is better!

Sakura: Did you just give me the stink eye again, Li Syaoran?

Iron Chef Amamiya Masaki: Let the tasting begin! Maybe the most deserving win!

Sakura: Actually, Tomoyo's always been the better cook. Syaoran: And Eriol's the bomb at baking.

Tomoyo sips tea with her mother at home, literally, and wonders if Sakura and Syaoran have met Grandpa Masaki by now. Sonomi says she supposes so and that grandpa invited them out of the blue. Tomoyo remarks he wanted to give Sakura something but wonders why he also invited Syaoran, and Sonomi remarks he probably wanted to see what kind of boy he is, since he’s close enough to Sakura to go out with her. Tomoyo says that she is sure Syaoran will live to Grandfather Masaki’s standards. 

Final Boss Tomoyo: Syaoran's been summoned by Great Grandfather. Ohoho.

Mother of the Final Boss Sonomi: Grandfather's going to eat the poor boy alive. Ever wondered what happened to your father, Tomoyo?

The unknowing.

Masaki thanks Sakura and Syaoran for the meal, and notes that they’ve run out of tea. Sakura volunteers to get some more inside. With just the two left, Syaoran finds Masaki staring intently at him. Masaki points out that it’s a bit nerve-racking with just the two of them and asks to have a one-on-one chat. He asks what Sakura is like in school. Syaoran replies, “Energetic.” This made me chuckle. Yes, that summarizes our Sakura. Syaoran adds, “She’s always smiling and having fun, and just watching her makes everyone happy.”

Iron Chef Masaki: And the verdict is...

Masaki: Obviously adorable Sakura-chan's bento is the winner! Though the onigiri was tough.

Syaoran: That's cheating! He's siding with family!

Sakura: I'll get some more tea to celebrate my victory!

Syaoran: No, Sakura, don't leave me alone with your jii-chan! He's going to eat me up!

Masaki recalls that Nadeshiko, Sakura’s mother, was also like that at Sakura’s age. But Masaki remarks that Nadeshiko didn’t have Sakura’s athletic ability (clearly inherited from her father). Even when she fell, she fell so she couldn’t crush a flower. He calls Nadeshiko to be a “kind child,” and that he made that kind child very sad, alluding to him opposing her marrying Kinomoto Fujitaka. He admits that because of his pride, he couldn’t celebrate with her at the most joyous time of her life, likely referring to him not even attending their wedding despite Fujitaka inviting him, and that she passed away before he could apologize. But he was able to meet Sakura, and that through meeting his great-grandfather, he felt like he saw Nadeshiko again. Masaki says he got a chance to talk to the man who loved Nadeshiko—Fujitaka--“the man she got to spend so little time with."

Masaki: So, I heard you dare to date my adorable great granddaughter. 

Syaoran: Before that, admit that my sweets were better than Sakura's tough onigiri!

Masaki: Yeah, and the tamagoyaki was burnt as well. So, what is Sakura like in school?

Syaoran: She's horrible at math, science, and English, and she falls asleep during half her classes. But she's energetic in PE class. It's the only class she's good at.

Masaki: I wonder who she takes after.

Syaoran, the mature, good listener he is, admits he doesn’t know the full story, so it may not be his place to say anything, but remarks his granddaughter must be happy about this as well. Masaki says, “I hope so.” Syaoran with his serious eyes says, “I’m sure of it.” Masaki mumbles to himself why he can’t despite the men who come to take both of his adorable girls, Nadeshiko and Sakura, away from him. Syaoran asks Masaki what he said, and Masaki replies, “Things never turn out the way you’d expect.” I’m not sure why everybody decides to pour out their hearts to Syaoran. That’s some heavy business to be admitting to middle schooler on their first meeting, about turning out your own granddaughter for marrying a man he didn’t thin worthy of her and not apologizing even at her deathbed (well, not so literally, but Syaoran probably knows the gist of the story already. Well, NewTrials!Syaoran does, I don’t know about ClearCard!Syaoran, but he’s an intuitive boy). At the end of the day, I think Syaoran’s just a good listener and knows the right things to say (from growing up with four sisters). Poor Syaoran—and he never even had a father-figure. And he also passed Great Grandfather’s test as well. 

Masaki: Nadeshiko was like Sakura, bringing a smile to everyone around her.

But she was so clumsy.

Syaoran: Sakura's clumsy too. She always drops her cheerleading baton on her head.

Syaoran: Even, so I will take care of her for the rest of our lives, if she ever forgives me for stealing her Sakura Cards.

Syaoran: That is why I ask for her hand in marriage. In like 30 years though, because that's how long it will probably  take for us to graduate from high school and college and animate Season 12 of Cardcaptor Sakura.

Masaki: I'll despise you forever for taking away my adorable Sakura-chan.

Yukito is home because Touya is the monster-of-the-day of an action show for his part-time job and devours Sakura’s bento with Kero-chan. Touya wants to pay for his own college tuition and also support Sakura if she ever goes to college. Kero-chan remarks Touya is a good brother but has a potty mouth. Yukito says Touya’s has a serious case of sister complex, after all. I have expected to see a shot of Touya sneezing, but we didn’t. Yukito says he knows there’s nothing he can do by himself but that he will work hard for Sakura and everyone else, and asks Kero to tell the other him, then transforms into Yue. Yue says he already heard. Kero asks if Touya’s powers are coming back, and Yue says that’s what Touya said. Cerberus, transformed also, remarks that can’t be unrelated to Sakura’s powers getting ridiculously strong. Cerberus shows he got a summon seal from England via smartphone. Yes, magic meets technology.

Yukito: Let's have a stuff your face with as much good as you can contest!

Kero-chan: Sakura's tamagoyaki is so hard!

Yukito: And her onigiri is tough, like Touya said.

Yukito: By the way, tell Yue he better not be hitting on Touya behind my back.

Yue: I heard that. As if that glutton can stop me, the Celestial Guardian of the Moon. Same person, but it's all about the hair!

Kero-chan: What's so good about that potty-mouth monster brother Touya? Why is he so popular?

Yue: Well, he's a better cook that Sakura, plays the piano, and cleans well. Though he has a sister complex.

Yue: I do miss our old master Clow Reed's cooking sometimes. Let's go find him.

Sakura’s wondering through the empty mansion to refill the teapot, and stumbles upon her mother’s old room upstairs. She uses the Record to show her the memories of the room to look back upon her mother as a young girl. We see young Nadeshiko reading at her desk, knitting on her bed, wearing her hat looking in the mirror, brushing her hair, taking care of a pot of flowers, and finally looking over the balcony at the sea. Sakura whispers “okaa-san” and tries to reach over to touch her hand. But Nadeshiko’s voice says, “No more.” Nadeshiko turns to stroke Sakura’s cheek and tells her, “Any further, and you won’t be able to return.” Then she disappears.

Sakura falls into the dream world again, and we see Akiho also in a trance. Sakura says she knows who the cloaked figure is. She is awakened by Syaoran’s voice calling out her name. 

Trespassing Sakura.

Peeping Sakura.

Knitting Nadeshiko.

Nadehiko looking in the Mirror of Truth.

Nadeshiko brushing her hair, wondering who her daughter and son got their hair color from.

Nadeshiko sleeping with her belly covered, like a good girl, unlike Sakura.

Sakura: "Okaa-san."

Nadeshiko: I don't really think we look anything alike.

Akiho also wakes up in Kaito’s embrace. Kaito feigns ignorance and asks her if she feels ill. Akiho says she heard a clock ticking and saw someone in the darkness in a robe, a formal attired that’s been passed down in her family, her own robe. Kaito tells her to go to bed and princess lifts her over to... another couch. He tells her it’s okay that he’ll stay by her side.  

Akiho: Yeah, I think I look more like your mother, Sakura.

Sakura: I know you!

Cloaked Figure: I am your... mother!

Kaito: Let's go to bed though it's early afternoon.

Kaito: OMG, you're too heavy, I'll never make it up the stairs. I'm just going to set you down over here on the other couch in the parlor.

Akiho: I'm not that heavy!!! It's the weight of the book!

Back at grandpa’s mansion, Masaki, holding Sakura, asks if she’s okay, and that because she took such a long time, he came to find her with Syaoran. Masaki tells a maid to call the doctor, while Sakura says she’s fine and just got a bit dizzy. She’s holding something that looks like a pendant in her hand. Momo-chan remarks that Akiho is synchronizing, and Kaito says that that she’s having the same dream as the maker of the cards. The content of the book, “Alice in Clock Land,” is apparently progressing, and Momo says the power of the dreams is growing quicker than expected. Kaito says the sooner, the better, but that Sakura’s protectors have noticed and started to move. 

Sakura: Grandpapa, I was expecting Syaoran to catch me, you know. Way to spoil our moment!

Syaoran: Every one of Sakura's relatives is obsessed with her. What to do.

Maid: It wasn't me! I didn't put poison in the tea!

Detective Syaoran: The butler did it.

Butler Kaito: Yup, guilty as charged.

Momo-chan: Ah, Synchronicity. Brought to you by Carl Gustav Jung, featuring music by The Police.

Eriol, back in England in his full cloaked galore, staff and all, has summoned Yue and Cerberus (through the seal he sent over text message), and goes, “Long time no see.” Cerberus scolds him, saying he couldn’t respond, so they had to come. Cerberus says they’re actually really ticked off, making Eriol chuckle and state, he knows it, adding it’s plain by the sour look on Yue’s face. Eriol says he’s ready to tell them everything. Yue says tell them everything that’s happening to their mistress, and Eriol looks solemn as he announces the thing he has feared the most is becoming reality. And we see Sakura being tucked into bed, with Syaoran looking on seriously.

This episode is a rare one I read the manga chapter for as well, well, sort of skim-read to look at the pretty artwork. It’s also equivalent to the Clear Card-hen Manga Chapter 20, as well, I believe. I remember recalling I like the manga version better, mainly because the artwork was so pretty. But I think we got more Nadeshiko flashback in the anime. I can’t remember that well. 

The Return of the Original Mysterious Cloaked Figure.

I know you missed me. XOXO E.

Cerberus: Not really. Just your delicious sweets. Last time Sakura baked sweets, it tried to eat us all up.

Eriol: So, how is my darling Syaoran doing?

Cerberus: Is that all you care about? I know about the secret midnight phone calls.

Yue: And all the face-timing behind our backs. Fess up, Eriol!

Eriol: It is time I told you about everything. It all began with a pink shirt.

 

Syaoran and Grandpa Masaki’s conversation has so many dimensions to it, because firstly, there is the jealous grandpa who probably does want to check on what sort of scum (I mean young gentleman) his precious great-granddaughter is dating. Then, there comes the regret that he rejected his dear granddaughter’s man, Kinomoto Fujitaka, all those years ago, resulting in her elopement with him at age sixteen and early death some years later after giving birth to Touya and Sakura. Masaki has grown since he met Sakura all those years ago, and since then talked with Fujitaka and apologized to him. The Masaki we see now is an older, weaker, and wearier version of the man who probably was once cold, stern and prideful enough to turn away his dearest granddaughter without a penny for defying him and marring a poor teacher. He didn’t even see her when she was dying, and I’m sure he could have. And we see how much he’s also evolved, as he admits to Syaoran that because of his pride, he wasn’t able to share in Nadeshiko’s joy and also that it had been too late to apologize to her. So, he is a man full of regret. Which brings us to why it’s urgent for him to see Syaoran now, because I think Masaki does not want to repeat the same mistakes of the past. Furthermore, I think Masaki approves of Syaoran, which brings down one bar, and four more to go! 

Sakura: Am I in heaven?

Sakura: Oh it's Syaoran.

Sakura: Is it true that we won't get a wedding episode until 2050?

This episode also parallels Masaki’s meeting with Fujitaka in CCS anime Episode 54, when he calls out Fujitaka all of a sudden. It was the first time that they met since Fujitaka brought Masaki an invitation to his wedding with Nadeshiko. It’s really not the words said but not said that meant more, because Fujitaka never says anything, but it’s evident that he must have been cruelly turned away, since they never met again since then. Makaki tells Fujitaka all those years later, with tears in his eyes, thank you and sorry. He also admits that he knows that because Fujitaka is the man Nadeshiko chose, he would be able to make her happier than anyone else. Fujitaka said he understands because she was only sixteen, and he was a newbie teacher, but Masaki interjects he had been stubborn because he was afraid that she would marry and leave him. Masaki, in tears, said he should have told Nadeshiko that she chose a great partner and that she was the happiest girl in the world. And Fujitaka tells him smiling, “I’m sure she is listening, somewhere.” Masaki speaking to Syaoran expresses his regret for being too proud in the past to celebrate Nadeshiko’s wedding, and that she passed away before he could apologize, but that he felt a bit saved being able to meet with Sakura and speak with her father. Syaoran says that he is “sure” that Nadeshiko is happy about this as well. 

Best screencap of the week always goes to Yue. (Cerberus: Hello, I'm here too!)

Touya's the tall one. He's busy training as an action hero villain to become strong enough to support Sakura when the time comes.

More proof that Syaoran being ambidextrous is canon. It's pretty hard and unnatural for a non-leftie to navigate a mouse with his left hand? FYI Syaoran's holding his smartphone with his right hand.

You know, it finally struck me this episode why the Record Card functions like the Return Card. I always thought of “Record” as in recording, in the verb tense of the word, but it’s actually the noun form, keeping record of the past. I also rather missed Eriol and am glad he’s back. I preferred his expression in the manga as well because it truly portrayed how worried he was and how serious the situation was. Seeing Sakura look onto young Nadeshiko gave me all sorts of New Trials feels, along with the same bittersweet yearning I can imagine she would feel, wanting to touch her mother and hear her voice. We have two more episodes to go until the finale, and I’m still hoping for another season, or two, of CCS. I don’t even care if they finish up with sealing Clear Cards and wrap up the whole Akiho, Kaito, and British Magician’s Society business, which I don’t see how they can, and do a full series dedicated to home-cooking, sports, music, and fashion. Speaking of which, everybody nailed their looks this episode. Did Syaoran know he was going on a marriage meeting, donning a full light gray blazer over dark gray slacks, a white shirt and tie? The thing is, he was already dressed in the morning, before his date with Sakura got canceled. Gosh, the kid doesn’t know how to dress down for a date. Well, he did for the aquarium date, with his varsity jacket. I guess Syaoran just knows how to dress for every occasion. I loved Sakura’s sky blue dress (my favorite color) with the pink and white striped tie and matching headband, paired with brown ankle boots. Tomoyo really killed it with her emerald Victorian-style high-collar dress, which I think would also look good on Sakura. I think I am on the same page with CLAMP in terms of what sort of silhouettes suits Tomoyo though. Or Tomoyo just has excellent fashion sense.   

Final Boss Tomoyo: Spill the tea, Eriol. We only have two episodes to go!

Sakura: That means we'll never-ever have an uninterrupted date! Let's go back to that creepy Animal Kingdom, just the two of us!