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It’s cool that we get to see the book that Rika lent to Sakura. The Alice that appears in the book is the same that CLAMP drew for the “Sakura in Wonderland” TV Anime episode. In fact, that particular popup page looks very similar to this particular illustration that they did.
Then, we learn that WEIRDLY enough, Akiho is having very strange dreams that look directly related to the Clear Cards. The connection between Sakura and Akiho tightens!
Now, I wonder if Akiho’s dreams take place before or after Sakura secures the cards. I’m sure it’s not a coincidence that Akiho is having these dreams and the new staff is called the Dream Wand. She says she dreamed about Alice battling in a place “full of sweets”, and that she was sure that she was “remembering what had happened during the cooking lesson”. So that means she’s having the dreams after the cards are secured?
Syaoran’s new battle costume is so nice! I really liked it! Very round on the edges, very contemporary CLAMP. Tomoyo says that Syaoran didn’t bring his ceremonial clothes to Japan this time around. I don’t know if this was only so that CLAMP could draw him new clothes or if there is going to be a bigger meaning to this. But it’s certainly weird for Syaoran to not bring his clothes, specially since he knew what was about to happen to Sakura.
His new clothes actually match Sakura’s costume. And we just know that Sakura will have different costumes each time. Does that mean that for every Sakura costume there will be a matching costume for Syaoran? That would be neat! And very The Sealed Card like.
Needless to say that Tomoyo and Kero are the best shippers.
It’s nice that out of the many jobs that Touya and Yukito have, they seem to have a steady one at Chiroru xD And as my friend Sakura84-chan pointed out to me, the “HiGH&LOW effect” is finally kicking in in Card Captor Sakura. Touya looks very manly in this chapter. I say keep it up!
So Touya is developing new powers and he knows at least something of what’s going on. I like that CLAMP are still focusing on giving Touya an important role other than big brother. I’m curious about what they have in store for him.
Back at the battle scene (is the card still there after all this time? LOL), Sakura thinks of THE FLY, how it’s shaped like a bird and it’s the same for AQUA (which is shaped like a bird too) and wonders what is the opposite of water and then BAM! A fire bird appears. It’s getting more and more likely that the Clear Cards are the manifestation of Sakura’s (and maybe Akiho’s, too) thoughts.
I wonder if Sakura made the above connection at the very last page when she says “fire bird?!”
Is this going to be the first time in this arc that Sakura and Syaoran battle together? Or is Syaoran going to be not-very-useful again?
The updated list of cards secured so far:
- GALE
- SIEGE
- AQUA
- ACTION
- REFLECT
- RECORD
- FLIGHT
- LUCID
- SPIRAL
- SNOOZE
- LABYRINTH
- APPEAR
Another set of 22 pages for this chapter. It has became a trend now, 20-something pages — 119 pages for volume 4 so far. There are probably 2 chapters left for this volume.
Next chapter will be out at the end of this month!
34 thoughts on “Card Captor Sakura – Clear Card arc – Chapter 18”
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The timing of Akiho’s dream is odd, isn’t it? She’s implying that she dreamed of Alice fighting the desserts after Sakura secured APPEAR, but this scene seems to be taking place later the same day. Both Akiho and Yuna are treating this as something completely normal, so is Akiho used to falling asleep during the daytime?
Tomoyo and Sakura’s outfits this chapter looked very old-school CCS, ahaha.
It’s going to be hard for Syaoran to avoid concealing his secret during this battle, so we might get a revelation from him before the end of Vol. 4. When do you think the published volume will come out? April-ish?
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I think maybe a day has passed between APPEAR was secured and this chapter.
I am thinking April for volume 4, yes.
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I was a bit sad when I heard there would be, again, only 22 pages in this chapter, but when I saw the actual thing, I happily discovered that every page was a little treasure, or almost hahaha~
This chapter is confirming to us, once more, that Akiho is not voluntarily and consciously part of the on going events, but she is ironically also in the center of them all in spite of not being aware of it ^^;
If the MCF is indeed a girl as accidentally (?) leaked last month, then Akiho is pretty much the only candidate available, and that surprises me: we didn’t see much of the MCF, but she personally gave me the feeling that she knew what she was doing and taking clear actions, but if it’s an unconscious Akiho hidden under that mass of fabric, are we to assume she is moving around almost like a puppet in the Dream World then?… Furthermore, she didn’t reveal much more than dreaming about ‘Alice’ adventures, but she didn’t say anything about herself being involved in the action…
Well! All that to say that we still have so many things to look forward to in the next chapters! So exciting! 😀
Highlight of the chapter, OF COURSE: Syaoran new costume, the first he wears in the Clear Card arc, 20 months in the making! XD He is indeed looking grown up in the panel with his full body ^_^ And another dream come true: couple costumes for the very first time in the manga! So CUTE! XD We had to wait 16 volumes for this!
But I thought the exact same way as you did: had he been the only one with a new costume, we might have supposed he would be wearing it again further ahead in the manga, but with Sakura being paired with him, it would be very awkward if he kept on wearing the same thing while Sakura switched to other outfits: imagine Movie 2 Syaoran wearing the green costume repeatedly while Sakura throws her pink one and switch to something else, ouch ^^;;
It’s unfortunate, but I have to consider the possibility that Syaoran might actually not have an official entitled battle costume this time D:
I really hope you are right and that we will at least get to see more costumes for him from Tomoyo!
What else?
VERY RARE encounter and discussion between Touya and Yue! No new info since Touya still refuses to say anything, but it was such a nice sight somehow to see these two communicating with one another ^^ It also shows that in spite of Sakura still not saying anything about her magic, things did change since she became the sakura card mistree, like Kero and Yukito exchanging photos of food or Touya and Yue meeting like they did in this chapter ^^
All in all, satisfactory chapter! I’ll be looking forward their fight in chapter 20! 😀
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Akiho is definitely crucial even though she appears to be doing consciously, as you said. She might have another part of her that is trapped in a dream or in a “cut-off time” (since CLAMP have been using the latter very often lately).
I really hope you are right and that we will at least get to see more costumes for him from Tomoyo!
I really believe that is the case. It would be taking fanservice to a new level. Think about the cosplay possibilities! Haha Plus, I bet CLAMP are going to have loads of fun by designing paired costumes.
It still bugs me this whole “Sakura can’t sense this and that”. She is supposed to be very powerful and yet she appears to have some flaws? We have yet to see an explanation about this.
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It still bugs me this whole “Sakura can’t sense this and that”. She is supposed to be very powerful and yet she appears to have some flaws? We have yet to see an explanation about this.
That’s exactly what I’ve said last week…I mean, this *most powerful magician* surely does have some blind spots, doesn’t she?
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Thinking back to Eriol’s comment about why Sakura wouldn’t have uncontrollable visions of the future like Clow did (“she’ll only see them if she wills it”), maybe the reason Sakura’s failing to pick up on all this magic around her is that she just isn’t putting her mind to it? She’s an inherently trusting kid, so it makes sense that she would never think to consciously check her brother or her new friend’s caretaker for signs of magical power.
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That’s a very good hunch, Pan! So her own unconscious will is blocking out all the unnecessary magical frequency? If we imagine magic as radio frequencies, she’s only tuning in to what she considers necessary (the New Card’s presence, for example).
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Yeah, it could well be like Pan said. We’ve talked about this before: Sakura has the potential of becoming the most powerful magician. She already is but she is not fully aware of it and that shows in those apparent “flaws”.
As you pointed out, if she focus enough, she would probably feel the magic.
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ohhhh i LOVE this chapter!! so many things so many things! i was surprised it was only 22 pages cause it felt longer whilst i was looking at the raws.
ok so first off- that cover!! oh momo the queen that you are. she’s there like “yes people, i AM the queen” XD
im also loving syaorans new battle costume! thanks tomoyo! such a dedicated lil designer! its so nice to see CLAMP finally do this. for so long they have been dishing out illustrations of syaoran and sakura in complimenting costumes, and now we finally get to see this happen in the manga. but it is suspicious the syaoran didn’t bring his ceremonial robes. i doubt its just an excuse for tomoyo aka CLAMP to dress him and sakura up in a his and hers costume.
I hope this card is violent- even if only a little. i want to see those two in action. and i want to see syaoran development oh so badly. he’s being like touya- not revealing anything till the time. but he might slip up and reveal something if this card is dangerous.
yue and touya!! yue sharp as ever catching onto touya long before sakura or kero. nice to see yukito doing some digging too. i have been wanting to see these two in a scene together ever since clear card began. keep it coming. touya has moon based powers right? once again we’re being told sakura cant sense anything from him. like with kaho, and kaito… subtle plot happening there.
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she’s there like “yes people, i AM the queen” XD
She is exactly like that xD
I am also expecting the next one to be a very action-packed chapter!
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Only one chapter before the anime start (a few days later)!
The title page is gorgeous as ever. ^^
As for Akiho seeing Sakura’s captures, it may not matter if she see them before or after the fact, she could be a yumemi. As for when she met Sakura in a dream as the cloaked one, it could be just a dream where she is in, kind of like Haruka’s garden, as opposed to dreams where she see past and/or future. Is she related to Kakyou? they have the same hair color. xD
Kero-chan thinking of Touya’s part time jobs… Not only Touya is working at Chiroru, he’s also working at Yorokonde. Next thing we’ll know, he’ll be dating Chii. o.O
The new costumes are fabulous! ^_^
As for why Xiaolang didn’t bring his ceremonial clothes, obviously, his mother had a vision and told him not to. She was just dying to see her son wear Tomoyo’s cute clothes for real. Tomoyo has many allies… Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho…. ^^
About Touya’s new powers, back in the first series, he saw Sakura would end up with Xiaolang while Eriol couldn’t. I always wandered how far he saw before he give up his power, he may still be working with his former knowledge, only just getting some new glimpse of the details. It’s a shame they keeping their cards so close to their chest(Touya, Sakura, Xiaolang, Eriol) instead of sharing and struggling to make sense of it together. -__-
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Let me add, if Touya looks quite manly in this chapter, Yuna (like Yukito) sure doesn’t. Another hint that Yuna is a creature too?
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Interesting parallel.
Well, for all we know, Yuna could be Akiho’s guardian like Yue is to Sakura.
The patterns match:
Sakura, Kero and Yue
Eriol, Spinel and Ruby Moon
Akiho, Momo and Yuna
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More than Akiho’s gardian, he would be the reason Yue can’t help Sakura in the final fight, the same for Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. Kero and Yue need opponants. xD
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Akiho could be a yumemi, true.
Not only Touya is working at Chiroru, he’s also working at Yorokonde.
Heeeee~… I completely missed that! You’re right! I think it’s the first time we’ve seen him working there.
As for why Xiaolang didn’t bring his ceremonial clothes, obviously, his mother had a vision and told him not to. She was just dying to see her son wear Tomoyo’s cute clothes for real. Tomoyo has many allies… Oh ho ho ho ho ho ho ho ho…. ^^
This could totally be the case.
It’s a shame they keeping their cards so close to their chest(Touya, Sakura, Xiaolang, Eriol) instead of sharing and struggling to make sense of it together. -__-
I know, right? CLAMP better have a damn good justification for this.
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I just looked through the series, it is indeed the first time we see Touya working at Yorokonde.
As for the explanation, it’s probably the same as the Sakura Card part, if Sakura was to be told, she wouldn’t put her all into it. -__-
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“Akiho could be a yumemi, true.”
Thinking this through, Akiho is probably not a yumemi. Eriol sais she had no magic powers, while Fai could tell whether Tomoyo-hime had or not. More probably, she is seeing this through the cards’ eyes. Also, it the specific case of the cakes’ rebellion, she could be dreaming under the Snooze spell.
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Aaaannnd it’s that time of the month again!! Actually, we’ll get next chapter a little earlier so this month of December will be blessed by TWO chapters! And then we’ll have the anime keeping us company until the following issue in the beginning of February!
I feel like finally catching breath, with the anime coming out every week I’ll have my little dose of CCS more often!! X,D I AM INTOXICATED, I know.
In fact, that particular popup page looks very similar to this particular illustration that they did.
Yep, I noticed that! A very nice reference, or Mokona being lazy and not wanting to create yet another Alice?? XD
So that means she’s having the dreams after the cards are secured?
It’s not very clear, but it *doesn’t seem* like she’s having premonitory dreams. But sure her connection to Sakura grows stronger and stronger…
Tomoyo says that Syaoran didn’t bring his ceremonial clothes to Japan this time around. I don’t know if this was only so that CLAMP could draw him new clothes or if there is going to be a bigger meaning to this. But it’s certainly weird for Syaoran to not bring his clothes, specially since he knew what was about to happen to Sakura.
And since he’s supposed to stay in Tomoeda forever! It’s so weird that he wouldn’t take with him such an important part of who he is. That ceremonial robe is part of the traditions in his family, but he’s probably also outgrown it, so maybe there’s just that. Still…kinda suspicious.
So Touya is developing new powers and he knows at least something of what’s going on. I like that CLAMP are still focusing on giving Touya an important role other than big brother. I’m curious about what they have in store for him.
Oh lemme tell you I LOVED the Touya / Yukito / Yue part. Yukito is worrying sick about the situation, he’s probably worried that Touya will try to attempt something reckless and anyway the mere fact that *he cannot know* makes him uneasy. I love this because Yukito is just not confined to be someone’s love interest, always smiling and oblivious, but he also notices things, gets worried about them and *confronts people about them*. I like this new character development! I also liked/hated the intriguing mystery around Touya. And of course, appreciated the manly look he had in this chapter. Oh and you know what else I loved? The fact that Yue decided to intervene on his own and Touya blatantly saying that both Yue and Yukito love Sakura a lot. All this honesty, this open confrontation is lacking on other sides of the relationships chart. Sometimes I just want all of them to have a big gathering and uncover all of these seeeecreeets and shady behaviors, but then…yeah that would mean Clear Card is over, hahaha.
Is this going to be the first time in this arc that Sakura and Syaoran battle together? Or is Syaoran going to be not-very-useful again?
Ok let’s be real here: if it’s really going to last 6 volumes (unlikely…but) and the cards will indeed be 19, we’re getting very close to the completion of the deck…and that giant screeching bird might be an indication of that, since it doesn’t exactly look as an innocent and harmless thing (dangerous/important cards came towards the end in the Clow deck too). If this is how things are, I don’t think Syaoran can stay in his position much longer, he’ll probably have to do something in the upcoming battle and might (unwillingly?) let out more than he did until now.
Also, I’ll take this chance to throw a crazy (?) theory: since we’ve seen more or less that the new cards are mimicking the old ones with some changes, what if the cards at the head of the deck are…”Life” and “Death”? wooooohooo yeah I know too extreme, but….
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Actually, we’ll get next chapter a little earlier so this month of December will be blessed by TWO chapters!
You know that was totally irresponsible copy and paste of my part, right? I am so embarrassed right now since I knew that xD
I feel like finally catching breath, with the anime coming out every week I’ll have my little dose of CCS more often!! X,D I AM INTOXICATED, I know.
You sound like an addict, woman. You should look after help xD
A very nice reference, or Mokona being lazy and not wanting to create yet another Alice?? XD
Hahahaha surely a reference. I prefer to think it this way.
Still…kinda suspicious.
Yes, very. Surely the possibility of matching clothes are very exciting, but it sounds a little out of character unless there is another meaning behind it that we don’t know yet.
Sometimes I just want all of them to have a big gathering and uncover all of these seeeecreeets and shady behaviors, but then…yeah that would mean Clear Card is over, hahaha.
It’s like Marianne said: “It’s a shame they keeping their cards so close to their chest(Touya, Sakura, Xiaolang, Eriol) instead of sharing and struggling to make sense of it together. -__-”
what if the cards at the head of the deck are…”Life” and “Death”?
Look at you, girl, so dark! XD you’ve come a long way! Assuming there would be counterparts for Dark and Light, Life and Death are good guesses. But my guess is that it would something like BRIGHT and SOMBER or something.
And I agree that it seems like we’re closing in (first 6 volumes, first arc). I wonder if GALE is the Air element card. If so, we’ll be only missing an Earth element card to complete the 4 elements.
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You sound like an addict, woman. You should look after help xD
What are you talking about. I don’t understand! *clutches her copy of the Clear Card manga a little tighter*
Look at you, girl, so dark! XD you’ve come a long way! Assuming there would be counterparts for Dark and Light, Life and Death are good guesses. But my guess is that it would something like BRIGHT and SOMBER or something.
Man you don’t understand. Tsubasa scarred me deeper than I thought, now I look for the same dark content in other CLAMP manga too XD
No but, seriously now, I do realize it would be a little extreme, but if it’s really like some theories around, with Akiho’s time stopped / Akiho has to be saved from death / etc, maybe Life would be the ultimate card used to give her life……….at the expense of someone’s Death. Are we, the audience, ready for this kind of turn in CCS? No, of course we aren’t, so it won’t happen!
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No but, seriously now, I do realize it would be a little extreme, but if it’s really like some theories around, with Akiho’s time stopped / Akiho has to be saved from death / etc, maybe Life would be the ultimate card used to give her life……….at the expense of someone’s Death.
I know what you meant is that “somebody will have to die (via the Death card) so that Akiho can live (via the Life card),” but I initially interpreted that sentence like a lawyer and thought, “‘At the expense of someone’s death?’ Gee, I know a couple of dead folks in CCS who would be happy to give up their ‘death’ in order to help Sakura.” XD
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LOL Pan, me and my awkward English!! But it would be cool though, Clow coming back to help Sakura!! Except we all know that’s the OMGTHEONEANDONLYTABOO!!!1!11!! in CLAMP’s works so I don’t think they’ll go against that -_-
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Your English was just fine, it’s my comprehension that was off!
Believe it or not, I was actually thinking about Nadeshiko, too. Mokona has drawn her alive and well with her family not once but twice over the past few years, and her disappearance is a plot point, so I’m wondering if she’s going to be special enough to break the big taboo. I wouldn’t be very happy with that plot development, but Ohkawa’s been very sentimental with Nadeshiko since she made her debut in TRC almost a decade ago (!), hasn’t she?
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I think Gale is the counterpart of Windy. Gale, Aqua, and the counterpart of Firey (I guess it will be called Pyro) are all bird-like. Maybe the counterpart of Earthy will be bird-like too (called Terra maybe). Light and Dark counterparts can be Shine and Gloom.
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The only one who will ever appear on a card made by Clamp named “Death” is Seishirou. xD
More seriously, none of the Clow or Clear cards so far have a tarot deck name, I guess it will continue this way. “Demise” or “Annihilation” are still options though. ^_~
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Hahahaahah I totally agree about Seishirou XD
And I loved your mischievous reply, it seemed reassuring at first, and then…lol xD yeaaaaah bring “Annihilation” in, let’s destroy the world in CCS X,,D
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Plot twist: The writing team at Madhouse ties the second movie together with Clear Card Arc by having The Void/Nothing/Hope/Whatever be the long-lost hidden secret super-powerful very-first ultimate Clear Card, the counterpart to LIFE! /s
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Watch as it becomes true LOL X,D they have to tie that movie somehow!! hahahah
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it’d be awkward if they didnt. depending on what they actually do with the anime; do we watch the second film or not? eriols house has been revived for one thing.
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Another set of 22 pages for this chapter. It has became a trend now, 20-something pages — 119 pages for volume 4 so far. There are probably 2 chapters left for this volume.
I don’t think so; counting from the chapters released monthly in the Nakayoshi: volume 1 has 137 pages (ch01-04), volume 2 has 148 pages (ch05-08+omake), volume 3 has 145 pages (ch09-13) and to this day, volume 4 has 119 pages (ch14-19).
I think chapter 20 will very likely be the last of volume 4, even if it got, once again, only 20-ish pages, it would already have as many pages as volume 01.
The other reason is that I don’t think they will want to drag it on any longer: this will be the very first CCS volume ever to have so many chapters! With chapter 20, there’re going to be 7 chapters already! @_@
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I think chapter 20 will very likely be the last of volume 4
I wrote it wrong: I mean chapter 19 will very likely be the last one for volume 4, not 20 ^^;;
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Plus, they can also add a few more pages in the tankuobon.
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Yep! That’s exactly what they do!
Volume 01 for example, has 137 pages if we count only the chapters released in the Nakayoshi, but the tankubon was then published as a 155 pages volume, including for example blank pages which serve as transition from one chapter to another, or an illustration page at the very beginning, ads at the end and so on…
Well, volume 1 is a bit extreme as an example, but volume 2 has 148 pages, and was later published as a 157 pages volume (that’s more reasonable haha)
I bet on chapter 19, which will be released in 3 weeks, to be the 6th and last chapter of volume 4! ^^
Even with, say, 22 pages again, 119+22=141pages, this is already more or less at the same level as the 3 previous volumes.
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Yeah, I totally miscounted again. It’s the 4th time (one for each volume) that I get confused about the pages. I never seem to know when is the last chapter xD
But I am with you now, the next chapter is definitely the last for vol 4 😉
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