“Formulas are something you’ll continue to use for a long time, so make sure you memorize them.”
– Sakura’s math teacher
LIES LIES, ALL OF IT LIES! >w< I left my math behind in university, thank you very much.
[ ahem ] Anyways, this week’s episode featured some more teasing ties back to the original CCS anime. I really like this trend; it increases my connection to the show by invoking some nostalgia for the original anime.
First and foremost was Sakura’s math lesson and her teacher’s introduction of the “equal to” symbol. Seeing it on the chalkboard got Sakura thinking about how many of her clear cards are similar to the original Clow cards she captured. For example, Aqua is like Watery, Flight is similar to Fly, and Gale is a lot like Windy. This is something I’ve started to become aware of as Sakura captures more clear cards, but wasn’t sure enough about it to say anything about it in my reviews. So, there’s confirmation for me I guess. xD
The second big hint of the episode was Syaoran’s first introduction to Yuna D Kaito, the waitstaff taking care of Akiho. Sakura is oblivious to any special qualities in Yuna, but Syaoran immediately picks up on some kind of magic within the young man. And although we didn’t know quite why this was until Syaoran’s computer call with Eriol, I noticed that Yuna’s eyes look a lot like Yue’s up close. So that was my personal indication that there was some sort of similarity between Yue and Yuna, whatever that might be.
Syaoran’s computer call with Eriol is the last big clue. Syaoran tells Eriol Yuna’s full name, and Yuna’s middle initial “D” reminds Eriol of a magic association in England that grants its highest ranking magic users the title of “D”. As Eriol is speaking, we’re shown several unknown figures wearing long flowing robes with headpieces very similar to the individual whom Sakura has been seeing in her dreams.
Ok, so Yuna is likely a member of this association. I can work with that. The height difference between Sakura and the robed person from her dream still nags at me, but maybe Yuna can disguise his height with magic. Or maybe he’s strong enough to brainwash Akiho into doing his bidding, which is my current leading theory.
Anyways, Eriol thinks that because Syaoran can detect Yuna’s magic but Sakura can’t, it means that Yuna has some degree of moon magic in him. Syaoran 
does too, which is why he can detect it.
This is really interesting. Sakura can detect the clear cards, but not Yuna’s magic, and Syaoran is the other way around. Actually! Thinking back to earlier in the series and how Yue couldn’t detect the magic in Sakura’s clear cards either, maybe it was because of Yue’s moon magic?
Eriol goes on to point out that Yuna and Akiho are now living in Eriol’s old house, and that the mansion is “an ideal location for preserving people with magical power.” Eriol speculates that Yuna chose the old house for exactly that reason.
Other highlights of the episode were Sakura being turned upside-down by the Reversal card and Kero saving her, and Kero debuting the new webcam-style camera Tomoyo gave him so he can record Sakura’s card captures when Tomoyo can’t be present for them herself. (And then Tomoyo freaking Kero out upon seeing that his footage was not filmed well, leading to Tomoyo telling Kero she’s going to put him through “training” on how to use the new headmounted camera. XD ) Oh, and it was cute seeing Sakura and Kero have to sneak away from the park with all its upside-down equipment because a bunch of people decided to take evening walks near the park and noticed that something was going on. At least they didn’t get spotted by anyone!
We’re approaching the halfway point in the series, so I’m hopeful that the series will become a little less slice of life and start focusing more on the unknown impending disaster set to happen at the end of the season. This episode was a great start and I hope it will continue in the weeks to come. I’m especially looking forward to hints about who the robed figure is, ie whether it’s Akiho or Yuna. (Or maybe someone else entirely that I’m overlooking. That would be a neat twist!)
P.S – if you’re wondering what the other link was between this episode and the original CCS anime, I was thinking of the similarities between some of the cards, and Sakura and Kero discovering that the penguin slide at Penguin Park has been turned upside-down again.
Magic users with the middle initial D? Well, Eriol would be in the know about that, but are you sure you want to bring up Tsubasa now?
(One of the central characters in Tsubasa -RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE- was the magician Fai D. Flourite.)
I have seen only the first couple episodes of Tsubasa, so I totally missed that possible link. But it’d be interesting if it’s true! (Fai!)
Akiho is the reincarnation of Nadeshiko maybe?
Also an interesting theory! Though I get a sense of malice from the robed character, based on them trying to take Sakura’s Clow key earlier in the series. Why would Nadeshiko want Sakura’s magic?
Not sure, but it could be like Toya and Yuki or something. Eriol said his house was to help preserve magical creatures and such.