Belch's Brief Reviews--Jul 21, 2001

[DR. BELCH]

CARDCAPTORS: "The Last Card", part 1
This seems to be the episode that basically asks all the questions I've been posing all along and sets them up to be answered in parts two and three.
Sakura is still haunted by the dreams of herself, the mysterious stranger (who she's pretty sure is Ms. Mackenzie, but not quite why), and the radio tower. Her attention turns to her doll, which strongly resembles her (presumably it's something her mother made, or a subliminal plug for Cardcaptor Sakura dolls, which--though I'm a red-blooded guy--wouldn't be a bad novelty to own) and is even wearing the same pink outfit from the dream. With Kero's prompting Sakura finally puts two and two together. If her mother had made the doll--although from what I'm told she had no magic abilities--it may have been some sort of obscure precognitive warning. That, or she just liked pink.
Sakura, Madison, and Li go by train to some sort of archery tournament, and things take a bit of a surreal turn. Sakura sees the radio tower from her vision out the window and zones into a stock footage relapse about her adventures with the Dream Card and the White Card, where Yue is first mentioned. Then at the tourney Ms. Mackenzie and Julian are competing and matching one another shot for shot, until Ms. M gets distracted inexplicably and misses. Sakura notes that everyone (except Mei-Lin) who knows about the Clow cards is present and starts to suspect fate.
Kero and Ms. Mackenzie sit down to palaver, and he addresses her as "Yue" for the first time. Though White spoke of Yue as being male, which leads me to wonder if she's (a) a normal woman possessed or (b) a demon cleverly and attractively disguised. It seems she/he is after the Clow deck, but to what end is the query. There was also something about Yue having to eat his/her own body weight in food daily to survive, but either that was dubbed out or I'm just sorely mixed up.
DYN in the flashbacks that Madison looks adorable with hoop pigtails?
When Sakura mentions "everyone who knows" being in one palce, Julian is present, although Sakura doesn't seem worried. Does he know more than he (or the dubbers) lets on? Also, Mei-Lin is understandably absent, but it seems Tori should be included, as I think he's more hip to the deal than Sakura realizes/give him credit for.

I didn't see Rescue Heroes because I went on a picnic at the park with my mom and several of her new chat room buddies...nice to get out of the house and meet new folks, and I don't imagine I missed much. General rule about my reviews--I tend to be a little nicer to a show if there's at least one likable or attractive female character to relate to/leer at. ;) Other than Jim Cummings' voice on the promos, I haven't seen much that impresses me on this one. So...what kind of train wreck did I escape by taking a rare day off? :p

[Sveven Dvorking]

That doesn't seem very brief to me! It's an extensive report!

For a long time now, it seemed that you only review the new episodes.

[Nftnat]

Well, this was new to him. And why would he review eps that're not new; he's already done it.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Gotta love the WB. They told Nelvana to jam three episodes into 20 minutes. That's where that stock footage came from.

Gotta love Miss Mackenzie. She's got a sexy voice in this dub. Get's me knees all shaky.

Miss Mackenzie never DOES refer to herself as Yue, eh? Verrry interesting. (Bah, what am I talking about? I've seen this already...)

I missed Rescue Heroes too, but there is a female in this show, IIRC.

[don Jaime]

If you really don't want to know about Yue, DO NOT READ THIS SPOILER.

Julian is Yue. Remember how he eats like a horse? Also, his innate power is what draws both Sakura and Li to him, and Toya as well, for that matter. His name in Japanese (Tsukishiro Yukito) refers to the Moon, his power source. I can't remember what McKenzie's (Kaho's) name or role is, but she's the one who gives Sakura the key to defeat Yue. I think she's related to Clow's mother, but I can't recall from the spoilers I've read. Sakura doesn't even have the fire card yet in the collections I'm reading, though they've hinted like crazy about Yue, and tried to draw readers off course with McKenzie.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by don Jaime
If you really don't want to know about Yue, DO NOT READ THIS SPOILER.



Do these ever work? Whenever I come across these DO NOT READ THIS SPOILER posts, I read them anyway, even if I promised myself not to. In this case, though, I already knew. But in general, I always find myself unable to resist spoiler posts.

[don Jaime]

Well, it's really a case of CYA so some idiot can't carp too much. "I told you not to read it, schmuck, it's your own fault...." I kind of think everybody here who watches Cardcaptors knows this anyway, but you never can tell.

[DR. BELCH]

--I suspected it when they were all together, because Julian seems odd man out, not really knowing about the Clow cards (unless he learned about them in one of the undubbed Japanese episodes), yet he's there--it's fate, like Sakura says. Everyone who is supposed to be there is, and now my suspicion is realized: he does have an important part to play. If Ms. Mackenzie knows the truth, she keeps it quiet and doesn't say much. We don't see much of Julian in this dub, so I can't be sure of his eating habits--even though he does look painfully thin.
Agree about Ms. M's dub voice...mike-meltingly delivered. I like Madison's dub also, but the chirrupy valley girl accent the actress uses in X-Men: Evolution irks me. Whoever suggested she do it that way should be horsewhipped....

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by DR. BELCH
--I suspected it when they were all together, because Julian seems odd man out, not really knowing about the Clow cards (unless he learned about them in one of the undubbed Japanese episodes), yet he's there--it's fate, like Sakura says. Everyone who is supposed to be there is, and now my suspicion is realized: he does have an important part to play. If Ms. Mackenzie knows the truth, she keeps it quiet and doesn't say much. We don't see much of Julian in this dub, so I can't be sure of his eating habits--even though he does look painfully thin.


Doesn't he look so much like that guy in the promos? Well, kind of.

I think the Fire Card episode illustrated his appetite. All that food is going somewhere, right? Well, yes, but you see, there's this thing where two people share one body...and multiple personalities...of sorts...ah, whatever. Let's see how they explain it next week.

[James Harvey]

As for RESCUE HEROES, I've caught the show a couple times on TELETOON, and I'd recommend not wasting your time on it. The show has a bad animated rip off style, lame plots, bad voice casting, and jerky animation. Basically everything KWB looks for in a series.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by don Jaime
If you really don't want to know about Yue, DO NOT READ THIS SPOILER.

Julian is Yue. Remember how he eats like a horse? Also, his innate power is what draws both Sakura and Li to him, and Toya as well, for that matter. His name in Japanese (Tsukishiro Yukito) refers to the Moon, his power source. I can't remember what McKenzie's (Kaho's) name or role is, but she's the one who gives Sakura the key to defeat Yue. I think she's related to Clow's mother, but I can't recall from the spoilers I've read. Sakura doesn't even have the fire card yet in the collections I'm reading, though they've hinted like crazy about Yue, and tried to draw readers off course with McKenzie.

BTW--I don't think the fire card exists in the manga. Actually, a lot of cards don't exist in the manga. You understand that anime shows must think more of the marketing aspect, of course.

I stand by my assertion that the addition of Mei-Lin in the anime was an improvement over the Mei-Lin-Less manga, however.

[don Jaime]

In the latest collection, Sakura is surrounded by fire. A Fire card is de rigeur, since it's one of the five Chinese elements. The cards she has so far in five collections are Watery, Windy, Wood, Shadow, Jump, Fly, Flower, Sword, Thunder, Illusion, Mirror, Shield, Maze, Erase, Glow, Light, and Dark. There has to be an Earth card, too.

Yue is his host, but the host is unaware of it. The host's running joke is an almost inhuman ability to eat, and is only matched by Kero's love of food.

No Meilin? Damn. I was looking forward to her. Guess I have to get the tapes.

[RockItShipper]

Originally posted by don Jaime
No Meilin? Damn. I was looking forward to her. Guess I have to get the tapes.

The official sub tapes/DVDs haven't gotten to her yet. I have up to episode 12- and I think she shows up around episode 21. She's in both movies though.

[don Jaime]

Have they released the movies here?

And as I look back over the manga list...what's with some of these cards?? The Glow Card? What possible use is this? Is there some esoteric principle of magic that demands you use the supernatural equivalent of a lightning bug once in a while? And if Glow is the Wonder Twins of the Clow Deck, then Maze has to be the Marvin and Wendy. I mean, how often do you need an enormous unsolvable maze? If you want to defeat an opponent with puzzles, fling the Sunday New York Times crossword at 'em. Seriously, I thought it was a typo, I mean where's the big savings??

Sorry, channeling an old AT&T ad for a moment....

Welcome back, RIS!

[RockItShipper]

Originally posted by don Jaime
Have they released the movies here?
Well, rental copies of both are carried in Japanese rental stores... And the Japanese DVDs have English sub options... But they'll probably come out in their proper series place with the US releases, I'd guess.



And as I look back over the manga list...what's with some of these cards?? The Glow Card? What possible use is this? [/B]
What about the Sweet? Or the Small? I picked up the Clow card set some time back and some of them are real weird/silly/completely useless. I think a bowel-related one would come in handy, myself. The Pee. Or something like that gizmo in Orgazmo. I'm a perv all right.



Welcome back, RIS! [/B]

Thanks. Only around until tommorrow this week, but anyway..
:)

[DR. BELCH]

Welcome back, querida!


DON JAIME:
The Glow Card? What possible use is this? Is there some esoteric principle of magic that demands you use the supernatural equivalent of a lightning bug once in a while?
Well, if the electricity blows out and there's no batteries or candles on hand, then a Glow Card would be a great thing to have.
If one is being pursued by bullies, the Maze Card might provide ample time to escape as they're fumbling around in the corridors...as long as one doesn't get caught in there too.
I suppose Sakura's lucky Clow Reed never thought to manufacture some sort of Plague or Disease Card...or did he? She already had to hunt down one card while sick; she doesn't need to do it again.


ROCKY:
I think a bowel-related one would come in handy, myself....Or something like that gizmo in Orgazmo. I'm a perv all right.
You and me both, baby. I was thinking just now that an Explosive Diarrhea Card would be interesting. But as I said, I don't suppose Reed produced anything relating to illness or death--which I suppose is good, because it wouldn't do to have folks dropping dead of leprosy or smallpox in the streets. As for that last one--well, I'll just stick to renting The Exorcist on my dates. If it worked once....

[don Jaime]

Tomorrow this week? You are on the go!

And as for Glow Card...she's got the Light Card, too. Guess that makes Glow more like Hawkman than the Wonder Twins: somebody else does the exact same thing as well, and then some. I need to start getting those tapes, arggg!

I'm a great big pirate! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggg!

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by RockItShipper


The official sub tapes/DVDs haven't gotten to her yet. I have up to episode 12- and I think she shows up around episode 21. She's in both movies though.

Episodes 20-42, and then on and off again later on.

[Lachesis]

Sakura's doll was a present from Madison. The costume on the doll was just the expression of her wish to make outfits for Sakura.

I think Julian's original name means "snow-rabbit," but I'm not sure which part. Yue is "moon" in Chinese. And, just because I can't get over it, Tori's original name, Touya, means "peach blossom." (I knew Nadesico was something of an airhead, but good grief. . .)

[RockItShipper]

Originally posted by Lachesis
I think Julian's original name means "snow-rabbit," but I'm not sure which part

Yuki means snow... I think the bunny part's in his family name. Guess it has to do with 12/25 being his birthday and all.
Sailor Moon's name in the original, Usagi, translates as 'rabbit' or 'bunny'. Also, while we're on this- Sailor Uranus and Yuki have the same VA.

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by Lachesis
Sakura's doll was a present from Madison. The costume on the doll was just the expression of her wish to make outfits for Sakura.

I think Julian's original name means "snow-rabbit," but I'm not sure which part. Yue is "moon" in Chinese.

Cantonese or Mandarin?

[happyheathen]

Originally posted by Leap Larry Jojo


Cantonese or Mandarin?

or any of the other 50 (or so) oral languages which share the Chinese written language?

let's see where this one goes...

[RockItShipper]

Well, I just looked through some Yuki and Yuki/Touya sites linked to anipike's CCS page... A couple of mentions of Yue meaning 'moon' in Chinese, but nothing more specific than that. I'd chalk it up to either being a term found in a number of Chinese dialects, or just the usual surface treatment of Chinese culture in Japanese anime. The mysticism surrounding Clow Reed, for example, is partially shown through him being 1/2 Chinese (mom's side- the Li family, producing magic-users long before) and 1/2 British.

[happyheathen]

Originally posted by RockItShipper
Well, I just looked through some Yuki and Yuki/Touya sites linked to anipike's CCS page... A couple of mentions of Yue meaning 'moon' in Chinese, but nothing more specific than that. I'd chalk it up to either being a term found in a number of Chinese dialects, or just the usual surface treatment of Chinese culture in Japanese anime. The mysticism surrounding Clow Reed, for example, is partially shown through him being 1/2 Chinese (mom's side- the Li family, producing magic-users long before) and 1/2 British.

a. whatever page you looked at was probably not the authoritative source for language...

b. the oral languages of China are, in fact, different languages - NOT dialects. The relationship of one written/50 spoken languages is unique in the world, so there is no (that I know of) english word for it. Illustration (may not be completely accurate, but makes the point).

if you go to one part of china and make a certain sound, you have said 'orange' (the fruit)
if you go to another part of china and make exactly the same sound, you have said 'tractor'
* DIFFERENT LANGUAGES *

dave

(yes, the governments (Emporer and communist) have been trying to get everyone to speak Mandarin for the last 100 years or so)

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

The writing is generally consistent, but the oral languages are different.

[happyheathen]

Originally posted by Leap Larry Jojo
The writing is generally consistent, but the oral languages are different.

yes - remember, China has been an empire for at least 8,000 years - imperial laws, tax collection, education, etc. were disseminated in writing - how to pronounce the words was a local matter - and china is a huge chunk of real estate...

[don Jaime]

"Yue" may not be the pronunciation in any Chinese dialect. Japanese has its own idiosyncratic pronunciation for some kanji, and this could be one of them. Or it could be the closest Japanese morphology can come to the original pronunciation, the way "Syaoran" is the best you can do for "Xiaolan" with Japanese kana.

If it is true Chinese, I'm plumping for Cantonese. Historically, Japan would have had more contact with southern sailors than northern bureaucrats. Also, Syaoran is Hong Kong Chinese, and they speak Cantonese.

[RockItShipper]

Originally posted by happyheathen


a. whatever page you looked at was probably not the authoritative source for language...

Obviously. But it sounds like "Yue means moon in Chinese" would be the sort of tidbit put in a CCS artbook. The individual language which that word comes from may very well be irrevelant to the audience. Another issue is how words and names from other languages are written a bit differently when romanized from Nihongo. Piita Harison from Ribapuru, anyone? (sorry, it's the berlitz tapes. :cool: )

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Originally posted by don Jaime
"Yue" may not be the pronunciation in any Chinese dialect. Japanese has its own idiosyncratic pronunciation for some kanji, and this could be one of them. Or it could be the closest Japanese morphology can come to the original pronunciation, the way "Syaoran" is the best you can do for "Xiaolan" with Japanese kana.

If it is true Chinese, I'm plumping for Cantonese. Historically, Japan would have had more contact with southern sailors than northern bureaucrats. Also, Syaoran is Hong Kong Chinese, and they speak Cantonese.

Mandarin is the dominant Chinese language. Cantonese is very slang-ish and urban. The other dialects are determined from village to village. Though one would assume that Japan's contacts with Hong Kong is closer than with China.

The name "Xiaolon" is actually a Mandarin type of pronounciation. It has a very "Hsh" sound to the beginning, whereas Cantonese has a harder sound to their words.

[Lachesis]

Good lord, what a response.

"Yue" means moon in Mandarin. I speak the language so I can verify that. It's a different pronunctiation than the one used in the show (one syllable instead of two), but that could be translation from Cantonese as far as I know.

Megumi Ogata was Sailor Venus? Wow. I've never heard her voice a girl before. Of course, the only other role I identify her with is Shinji from "Evangelion."

[RockItShipper]

Originally posted by Lachesis
Megumi Ogata was Sailor Venus? Wow. I've never heard her voice a girl before.

Uranus, not Venus.

[don Jaime]

You forgot Uranus!

Thanks for the clarification. What's the correct pronunciation for Li's name, you know, tones and stuff? And since they've both been used here, is it Xiaolan or Xiaolon?

[Lachesis]

I've only glimpsed Li's name a few times in kanji, and I never caught the last character. Mei-Ling definitely calls him Xiaoran/Xiaolan in the original, so that's probably a safe bet.

Sorry about the Sailor mistake. . .

[don Jaime]

This site (http://chibichan.users4.50megs.com/lisyaoran.htm) has the Chinese characters. From what I gather from looking for these, they mean "Little Wolf."

1234 is monotone, descending, diphthong, rising, right?

[Lachesis]

You got it. Which means the pronunctiation is closer to Xiao-Lang. ("ah" rather than "ai") I've got no bloody idea how the 1234 works. I could never keep them straight myself.