The end of one cour, the beginning of another.

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card
Studio: Madhouse
Genre: Magical Girl

CVoyage: So that settles that. Akiho is definitely the one in those dreams. And probably the one standing on the telephone pole outside of Sakura’s house.

EvilBob: Wonder of wonders… Though it does seem like she’s unaware that she’s even doing it.

CVoyage: More fuel for the idea that the Butler did it. Especially given the last shot of the latest episode.

EvilBob: Yeah. Aside from that, though, not a lot really happened.

CVoyage: Well, there was a capture in episode 12, and it was pretty cool. We even got to see Syaoran being legitimately useful again. Though his new power apparently comes with side effects.

EvilBob: Namely grumpiness.

CVoyage: Seriously. He did not look like a happy camper. As if having to use his flashy new fire magic required some sort of grave sacrifice.

EvilBob: I just can’t believe Sakura’s gone a full 12 episodes without a single fire card.

CVoyage: Well, she hasn’t needed one until now. I’m sure I could get all philosophical about how water has sort of a connect to time in some cultures and whatnot, hence Akiho, but meh. It’d be a stretch, even for me.

EvilBob: Oh, thank god.

CVoyage: …I’ll just bend your ear about it later.

EvilBob: Aw, crap-baskets…

CVoyage: As for the next episode, well… let’s start with the OP, actually. Something I don’t normally do. I liked the OP of the first cour. It was very nostalgic. The music was very reminiscent of something we’d hear in a late 90s – early 2000s anime. And the visuals were more or less dedicated to reintroducing us to the world, rather than going into much about the show’s own story. This OP, on the other hand, is quite different. The music is more current and the visuals are pretty much all about the arc of the show. I like it.

EvilBob: But, of course, there’s the most important part of it. The cat’s out of the bag. Or, rather… the rabbit is.

CVoyage: Whaaat? The rabbit’s not just a stuffed toy?

EvilBob: Oh, it’s stuffed, all right. Based on the OP and ED, look at how much it eats.

CVoyage: …Point. Anyway, that aside, there really isn’t a ton to talk about in the episode. Meiling is back and they spend a lot of time catching up and whatnot. You know. The usual Cardcaptor Sakura friendly hangout time.

EvilBob: There was an interesting bit about her brother apparently slowly getting his powers back?

CVoyage: Yup.

EvilBob: Well, they said he wouldn’t be getting them back after he used his powers to keep Yukito from dying. Interestingly, when he was dying, he was eating and sleeping more. And now Sakura says Kero’s been doing that too. So it’s got me thinking Kero could actually be in trouble.

CVoyage: Hm. Anyway, there wasn’t a capture in the episode. But there was a little setup for later. Meiling seems to spontaneously grow cat ears and a tail, which only Sakura can see. So, here’s my thing with that. I know Sakura isn’t the brightest bulb in the box, but she’s not an idiot. And Meiling knows about all the magic and stuff… hell, she arguably knows more than Sakura does. So… why didn’t Sakura just tell her outright what was going on? Instead of brushing it off, the way she did.

EvilBob: That’s… a good point. It’s not like Meiling couldn’t take it. So why didn’t Sakura just come out and tell her?

CVoyage: It would take literally one sentence. “You have cat ears and a tail, right now, and I’m pretty sure some weird magical stuff is going on.”

EvilBob: “Oh. Neat. Well. Do your magical girl thing and fix me.”

CVoyage: She didn’t even somewhat suspect that it was a card?

EvilBob: Well. Whatever. Akiho. We’re back to her and she’s reading that book again. Which is describing some very familiar things.

CVoyage: Like someone growing a cat tail and ears. Gee. Where have I heard that before?

EvilBob: It’s almost like it was the subject of the scene thirty seconds before it. It’s also weird how she describes reading the book. She just happens to magically understand more of the words, the more she reads it. And she’s not curious about that at all. Just “Okay. I know these words now. Cool.” not “Okay. I know these words now… HOW?”

CVoyage: She’s really not asking enough questions, here. Anyway, then we get a foreboding shot, zooming in on the butler’s ticking pocket watch or whatever. So you know. He’s still probably behind all this. But elsewise, a pretty uneventful episode.

EvilBob: I’d say these episodes are about as Evil as a Villain (9). They were entertaining for sure. But not much really happened, here. As much as I genuinely like hearing them talk, I’d like some actual progression, here and there. I did really like getting to see Syaoran getting to step up and be useful again too. So here’s hoping we get more of that.

CVoyage: This pair of episodes can basically be summed up as Easy Viewing. They’re relaxing, with not a whole lot of complex development or the like. Episode 12 might edge into the territory of Junk Food, given the capture at the end being a lot more active. But Episode 13 was basically just a cooldown. And that’s fine as long as it holds my interest. It was nice getting to properly see Meiling again. And it did set up for next time. Though I’m getting a little concerned about characters not asking questions they should definitely be asking, now. “Cat Ears. Why?” “Sudden New Language. How?” But that was basically my only issue. If you wanna check out something else that’s just getting started in the new season, check out Episode 39 of My Hero Academia. Not too eventful, but definitely a lot of fun.

EvilBob: Or you can continue to follow Sakura on her adventures in Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card, which is Simulcast on Crunchyroll, Saturdays at 8:00pm EST.

CVoyage: That’s pretty much all we’ve got for you today.

EvilBob: Thanks for letting us waste your time, people.

CVoyage: As always, thanks for reading, folks. Remember to keep up the awesome.

EvilBob: And keep it classy.

CVoyage: Take care.