Episode 58: "Sakura and the Double Trouble" or "Double Trouble"
Introduction to the Experiment
Episode 57
Episode 58: Sakura and the Double Trouble (Card Captor Sakura) or Double Trouble (Cardcaptors)
Baseline Version: English Cardcaptors
The episodes opens in media res with Sakura acknowledging that whatever she felt is gone now. She is accompanied by Madison, Li, Kerberos, and Yueh. It starts to rain and they head home. Eli and his crew observe them leave but Eli is planning something.
Sakura and her Guardians arrive at Sakura's house. Yueh announces that he's going to back into Julian but Keroberos asks him to wait since Julian can't see him. However, after a meaningful air chop with Eli's staff, neither Guardian is able to change back into their temporary (English)/ true (Japanese) forms.
Sakura sneaks past her brother watching TV to her bedroom, indicating to the Guardians that it is safe to come up. Keroberos flies up to the window but gets stuck. Yueh then points out that closing his wings will solve the problem. Now inside, the three of them talk about what is going on (in the Japanese version, Sakura explicitly states that she felt Clow's presence before it happened). Keroberos tries again but it doesn't work. Keroberos gets upset and starts shouting, which brings Tori to Sakura's bedroom door. Sakura makes some excuse while Keroberos and Yueh hide on Sakura's bed against the wall (for context, the door is on the same wall so this location places them out of Tori's line of sight).
Later, the trio are out of ideas so it's time for bed. Sakura offers Yueh the bed; he declines. Keroberos asks why Sakura didn't offer him the bed. Sakura doesn't really answer him fully before going to sleep herself.
During the night, Sakura wakes up to look at the Guardians. In the English version, she is convinced that this is connected to the strange stuff going on and that they can't stay like that forever. In the Japanese version, Sakura thinks about how Yukito and Yueh are the same person and if Yueh can't change back, what will happen to Yukito?! The English version adds a moment of Eli saying that the solution is right in front of her.
The next morning, Keroberos tries again with no luck. Yueh can't transform either. Sakura gets called down to the breakfast by her father. The Japanese version spells it out that her father will be at a conference and Toya will be out for the day so Sakura is responsible for chores while the English version just skips to Mr. Avalon leaving the house.
In any case, after Mr. Avalon leaves, Keroberos is stuffing his face with cookies much to Sakura's annoyance. The conversation varies slightly between versions but the gist is that Sakura can't really help with this "can't-change-forms" problem until she finishes her chores and she will be done with her chores faster if Keroberos helps. Keroberos balks and asks if Yueh is going to help too. Sakura approaches Yueh and tells him to rest. Keroberos throws a tantrum.
Meanwhile, Eli and his crew are watching this play out (yes, in both versions! Now we know what shots they have been using for the other ones in the English version). Ruby is amused by Yueh having to do chores. Spinner points out that, um, she could do some chores herself. Ruby is above such things.
The versions differ slightly for this next scene, which starts with Sakura vacuuming when the doorbell rings, revealing it to be the mailman with a package for her father. In the English version, as she is chatting with the mailman, Keroberos starts making a racket and bemoaning the fact that he is doing the dishes (I bet if the show's rating would have permitted him to, he would have been swearing). The mailman is freaked out but Sakura claims that it's her older brother. In the Japanese version, the mailman tells her that she needs to sign for it. She goes to get the official stamp but Keroberos hands it to her in his massive paws. The mailman is freaked out. Sakura just gets on with the signing. In any case, the mailman tells her that she needs to put the package in the fridge and leaves. Sakura is furious at Keroberos.
Later, Keroberos is putting a load of laundry in and goes to tell Sakura that he's done that (who is cooking... something? Potato croquettes, maybe? based on the ingredients on the table). He notices that Yueh is just standing there, doing nothing. This ticks Keroberos off. He complains that the situation was the same with Clow (that Yueh gets to do whatever he wants in the English version, that he is spoiled in the Japanese version) and picks up the bag of flour (presumably to throw it at Yueh). Sakura goes to stop Keroberos which causes the flour fly out of his paws and the flour goes everywhere and all over Keroberos.
The versions differ slightly here at the scene where Sakura and Keroberos are in the bathroom. In the English version, Keroberos suggests the Bubble Card. He explains that the Bubble Card was created for just this purpose because Clow Reed hated cleaning up too. He can't resist pointing out that Clow Reed never made him help clean up, much to Sakura's annoyance. She transforms the Bubble Card and Keroberos is covered in scrubbing bubbles. Sakura is impressed. Keroberos points out that this is one of his favorite Cards. Clow Reed created it so he could focus on his magic and he would give Keroberos baths with it all of the time. Keroberos then hunkers down and starts singing happily and Sakura leaves. In the Japanese version, Keroberos suggests the Bubble Card. He points out that it could go outside of both of their control so she should only use it after it has focused on seriously cleaning Keroberos. She transforms the Bubble Card. He is covered in scrubbing bubbles and Sakura is impressed. He tells her that Clow used this Card to bathe him all of the time. Sakura guesses that the Card was made for that express purpose. Nope - he used to use it to clean dishes and the laundry too. This memory upsets Keroberos (calling Clow "ill-natured" and "insensitive") and he hunkers down to wallow in irritation at past crimes of Clow toward him ("and there was that time and that other time too!") as Sakura escapes.
In both version, Sakura goes out to the kitchen to find it sparkling clean. Sakura surmises that it was Yueh who cleaned up. She thanks him. He asks where Keroberos is and she explains that he's in the bath and that she uses the Bubble Card to clean him, just like Clow used to do. Yueh asks how she knows that and she explains that Keroberos told her. The English version ends this scene with Sakura remarking that they are both lucky that they knew Clow Reed.
The Japanese version has more to this scene. After Sakura explains that Keroberos told her about the uses of the Bubble Card, Sakura states that Yueh must still love Clow Reed. She then talks about how he looks so serene whenever he talks about Clow Reed and how her father still loves her mother. She says that he told her that even if he was reincarnated, he would still fall in love with her mother and that Yueh had the same expression that her father had when he told her that. (Editorial comment - I'd like to point out that at no point during this scene does Yueh have a "serene" expression. It's either "I'm asleep", "resting bitch face", "you learned my secret!", or "ugh, I'm so over this conversation". Now imagine a father telling his young daughter how he'd fall in love with his dead wife and that girl's mother if he was reincarnated with one of those expressions I just described and you see how funny this scene unintentionally becomes. Ironically, he cracks a tiny smile after this conversation, which could be described as "serene"). Sakura apologizes for saying such weird things and states that she should get on with what she needs to do.
In any case, Sakura decides to open up that package that was delivered. It's crab. Crabs remind her of shells which remind her of shields.
Keroberos is done with his bath and Sakura fetches him. She casts the Shield Card and tells them to try transforming. It works. Eli and his crew are watching this. Ruby is disappointed that it was over so quickly while Spinner is impressed with her figuring out how to solve the problem. Eli points out that the Shield increases in power based on how much the caster cares about the thing it is protecting. Since she cares so much about Keroberos and Yueh, Shield protected them from his spell.
The Japanese version has another scene with Sakura, Yukito, and Toya eating the crab cakes she made.
In any case, Kero is eating the crab cake in his little drawer, happily. He lays down and wonders who or what could have caused them to get stuck in those forms since only Clow Reed could have done that.
Ugh, this episode is so badly written. I really just didn't like the conclusion of this story. There's a rant brewing about why I don't so I'll save it for later.
The title is pretty much the same, just nonsensical. I was expecting "Double Trouble" to go to a cloning or copying storyline, not just because there is two characters affected by the Curse Of The Week. I hate the "Sakura" titles so the English title wins (barely).
Very little is changed between the two episodes, except for one altered scene, some cut scenes, and a change in tone to another scene. Other than that, it's pretty much the same episode.
The altered scene was okay. I could see that they had to get around the stamp thing (since North Americans don't do that) but the change made sense and it was funny as well. The original was good too but I will admit that I prefer the English version simply because Keroberos acts less like a ditz in the English version.
The cut scenes are just blah. They don't contribute anything except to remind the audience yet again that Sakura likes Yukito. Okay, thanks, I guess? Except for the cut scene about Yueh still loving Clow Reed - in the Japanese version, it was just dragging out the scene longer but ironically that scene may have worked better in the English version with the change in tone to the bathroom scene.
Which brings me to change in tone: I much prefer the English version of the scene in the bathroom. The weird part is that it fit better with the cut conversation about how Yueh still loves Clow (was there a time restriction? I've noticed that Cardcaptors rarely if ever hits the 20-minute mark) since that would be a nice contrast to Keroberos cheerfully speaking about the good ol' days with Clow Reed with his new Master while Yueh seems to struggle with this still.
In any case, I liked the light-hearted and gentle nature of that conversation. It seemed to flow naturally and was in line with both of the characters' English characterizations. The only bad part about this scene (besides Sakura's facial expression not matching her words at times) is that it seems to set up a conversation between Sakura and Yueh perhaps talking about how, yes, Yueh wasn't expected to do much heavy lifting but Keroberos had fun with Clow Reed in ways he couldn't or something along those lines. But this conversation never happens so I felt like I was left hanging.
Of course, this illustrates the biggest problem I had with this episode: Yueh gets special treatment because... because. I kept waiting for Yueh to get his comeuppance or give some sort of rebuttal to Keroberos' complaints ("stop treating me like a porcelain doll, Sakura!") but it never came. I kept waiting for Sakura to explain or apologize to Keroberos about the difference in treatment but that never came either.
Commence rant: And this is the problem I have with Yueh in general! I really got the sense from the manga and now from the anime that I'm supposed to really like Yueh and therefore be 100% okay with Sakura not making him help while insisting that Keroberos does (who doesn't even have opposable thumbs in either form, I might add!). That swooning over Yueh cleaning up the floor reminded me of a Jeff Foxworthy bit where he talks about how his wife could be paving the driveway but he'd have the gall to go out to her and announce that he emptied the ashtray ("I did it for you, sweet pea!"). I. just. don't. get. it.
I just get this sense that the manga/anime thinks Yueh is perfect and I'm supposed to think so too but I just... don't. I don't like Yueh as a character: I find him boring and rude. He basically just stands around for most of his scenes with resting bitch face. I addressed this in the summary but I want to point out that his facial expressions rarely change so that whole bit in the Japanese version about "looking serene" made me crack up. He looks the same! If anything, he had a shocked expression right before Sakura's comment as if he was horrified that Keroberos had mentioned Clow Reed to her.
I wouldn't find Yueh as annoying to watch if I didn't have this feeling that the creators want me to think of him as my favorite character.
Ugh, anyway, man, I hate Yueh.
Speaking of things I hate: oh man, the Japanese actor for Keroberos is such an ill-fit. His voice just doesn't work for this character at all. I mean, I know I've brought it up before but he's never had to talk for so long and it was so painful to hear every time he talked! And then there is this really odd moment (that the English version cut) after the flour lands on Keroberos where the animation looks like Keroberos is laughing but the actor sounds like he's crying. Look up at the screen, dude! I looked up the actor who plays Keroberos (Masaya Onosaka, in case you're curious) to see what else he's done - I'm wondering if Onosaka was just given a free pass with this character since he had been no less than Jadeite in Sailor Moon and Vash the Stampede in Trigun among others prior to this role.
Director: Okay, Onosaka-san, give us your Keroberos voice.
Onosaka: I am Keroberos, the Guardian Beast of the Seal.
Director: Um, could you... sound more... like a beast?
Onosaka: Are you questioning my acting skills?!
Director: Oh no! Not at all! Carry on!
[episodes later]
Director: Okay, flour scene go!
Sakura Tange [she plays Sakura]: Wuwee!
Onosaka: *sobbing*
Director: Um...
Tange: Um...
Onosaka: Great performance, right?
Director: Uh, sure.
Tange: You're supposed to be laughing, Onosaka-san.
Onosaka: Are you question my acting skills?!
Tange: Eep! I will never question you again!
Only one major plot hole this time: So, why couldn't the Guardians go to Li's house? He has the room and he only lives with his servant who knows about the Clow Cards so why can't they stay there? I thought that was a pretty obvious solution until Sakura would have time to fix them.
Because the English version cut some boring scenes and uplifted the tone of another scene in addition to having a better delivery by one of the main actors in the plotline, I judge these episodes to be...
Different, with the English Cardcaptors being the superior!
Episode 59
Episode 57
Episode 58: Sakura and the Double Trouble (Card Captor Sakura) or Double Trouble (Cardcaptors)
Baseline Version: English Cardcaptors
The episodes opens in media res with Sakura acknowledging that whatever she felt is gone now. She is accompanied by Madison, Li, Kerberos, and Yueh. It starts to rain and they head home. Eli and his crew observe them leave but Eli is planning something.
Sakura and her Guardians arrive at Sakura's house. Yueh announces that he's going to back into Julian but Keroberos asks him to wait since Julian can't see him. However, after a meaningful air chop with Eli's staff, neither Guardian is able to change back into their temporary (English)/ true (Japanese) forms.
Sakura sneaks past her brother watching TV to her bedroom, indicating to the Guardians that it is safe to come up. Keroberos flies up to the window but gets stuck. Yueh then points out that closing his wings will solve the problem. Now inside, the three of them talk about what is going on (in the Japanese version, Sakura explicitly states that she felt Clow's presence before it happened). Keroberos tries again but it doesn't work. Keroberos gets upset and starts shouting, which brings Tori to Sakura's bedroom door. Sakura makes some excuse while Keroberos and Yueh hide on Sakura's bed against the wall (for context, the door is on the same wall so this location places them out of Tori's line of sight).
Later, the trio are out of ideas so it's time for bed. Sakura offers Yueh the bed; he declines. Keroberos asks why Sakura didn't offer him the bed. Sakura doesn't really answer him fully before going to sleep herself.
During the night, Sakura wakes up to look at the Guardians. In the English version, she is convinced that this is connected to the strange stuff going on and that they can't stay like that forever. In the Japanese version, Sakura thinks about how Yukito and Yueh are the same person and if Yueh can't change back, what will happen to Yukito?! The English version adds a moment of Eli saying that the solution is right in front of her.
The next morning, Keroberos tries again with no luck. Yueh can't transform either. Sakura gets called down to the breakfast by her father. The Japanese version spells it out that her father will be at a conference and Toya will be out for the day so Sakura is responsible for chores while the English version just skips to Mr. Avalon leaving the house.
In any case, after Mr. Avalon leaves, Keroberos is stuffing his face with cookies much to Sakura's annoyance. The conversation varies slightly between versions but the gist is that Sakura can't really help with this "can't-change-forms" problem until she finishes her chores and she will be done with her chores faster if Keroberos helps. Keroberos balks and asks if Yueh is going to help too. Sakura approaches Yueh and tells him to rest. Keroberos throws a tantrum.
Meanwhile, Eli and his crew are watching this play out (yes, in both versions! Now we know what shots they have been using for the other ones in the English version). Ruby is amused by Yueh having to do chores. Spinner points out that, um, she could do some chores herself. Ruby is above such things.
The versions differ slightly for this next scene, which starts with Sakura vacuuming when the doorbell rings, revealing it to be the mailman with a package for her father. In the English version, as she is chatting with the mailman, Keroberos starts making a racket and bemoaning the fact that he is doing the dishes (I bet if the show's rating would have permitted him to, he would have been swearing). The mailman is freaked out but Sakura claims that it's her older brother. In the Japanese version, the mailman tells her that she needs to sign for it. She goes to get the official stamp but Keroberos hands it to her in his massive paws. The mailman is freaked out. Sakura just gets on with the signing. In any case, the mailman tells her that she needs to put the package in the fridge and leaves. Sakura is furious at Keroberos.
Later, Keroberos is putting a load of laundry in and goes to tell Sakura that he's done that (who is cooking... something? Potato croquettes, maybe? based on the ingredients on the table). He notices that Yueh is just standing there, doing nothing. This ticks Keroberos off. He complains that the situation was the same with Clow (that Yueh gets to do whatever he wants in the English version, that he is spoiled in the Japanese version) and picks up the bag of flour (presumably to throw it at Yueh). Sakura goes to stop Keroberos which causes the flour fly out of his paws and the flour goes everywhere and all over Keroberos.
The versions differ slightly here at the scene where Sakura and Keroberos are in the bathroom. In the English version, Keroberos suggests the Bubble Card. He explains that the Bubble Card was created for just this purpose because Clow Reed hated cleaning up too. He can't resist pointing out that Clow Reed never made him help clean up, much to Sakura's annoyance. She transforms the Bubble Card and Keroberos is covered in scrubbing bubbles. Sakura is impressed. Keroberos points out that this is one of his favorite Cards. Clow Reed created it so he could focus on his magic and he would give Keroberos baths with it all of the time. Keroberos then hunkers down and starts singing happily and Sakura leaves. In the Japanese version, Keroberos suggests the Bubble Card. He points out that it could go outside of both of their control so she should only use it after it has focused on seriously cleaning Keroberos. She transforms the Bubble Card. He is covered in scrubbing bubbles and Sakura is impressed. He tells her that Clow used this Card to bathe him all of the time. Sakura guesses that the Card was made for that express purpose. Nope - he used to use it to clean dishes and the laundry too. This memory upsets Keroberos (calling Clow "ill-natured" and "insensitive") and he hunkers down to wallow in irritation at past crimes of Clow toward him ("and there was that time and that other time too!") as Sakura escapes.
In both version, Sakura goes out to the kitchen to find it sparkling clean. Sakura surmises that it was Yueh who cleaned up. She thanks him. He asks where Keroberos is and she explains that he's in the bath and that she uses the Bubble Card to clean him, just like Clow used to do. Yueh asks how she knows that and she explains that Keroberos told her. The English version ends this scene with Sakura remarking that they are both lucky that they knew Clow Reed.
The Japanese version has more to this scene. After Sakura explains that Keroberos told her about the uses of the Bubble Card, Sakura states that Yueh must still love Clow Reed. She then talks about how he looks so serene whenever he talks about Clow Reed and how her father still loves her mother. She says that he told her that even if he was reincarnated, he would still fall in love with her mother and that Yueh had the same expression that her father had when he told her that. (Editorial comment - I'd like to point out that at no point during this scene does Yueh have a "serene" expression. It's either "I'm asleep", "resting bitch face", "you learned my secret!", or "ugh, I'm so over this conversation". Now imagine a father telling his young daughter how he'd fall in love with his dead wife and that girl's mother if he was reincarnated with one of those expressions I just described and you see how funny this scene unintentionally becomes. Ironically, he cracks a tiny smile after this conversation, which could be described as "serene"). Sakura apologizes for saying such weird things and states that she should get on with what she needs to do.
In any case, Sakura decides to open up that package that was delivered. It's crab. Crabs remind her of shells which remind her of shields.
Keroberos is done with his bath and Sakura fetches him. She casts the Shield Card and tells them to try transforming. It works. Eli and his crew are watching this. Ruby is disappointed that it was over so quickly while Spinner is impressed with her figuring out how to solve the problem. Eli points out that the Shield increases in power based on how much the caster cares about the thing it is protecting. Since she cares so much about Keroberos and Yueh, Shield protected them from his spell.
The Japanese version has another scene with Sakura, Yukito, and Toya eating the crab cakes she made.
In any case, Kero is eating the crab cake in his little drawer, happily. He lays down and wonders who or what could have caused them to get stuck in those forms since only Clow Reed could have done that.
Ugh, this episode is so badly written. I really just didn't like the conclusion of this story. There's a rant brewing about why I don't so I'll save it for later.
The title is pretty much the same, just nonsensical. I was expecting "Double Trouble" to go to a cloning or copying storyline, not just because there is two characters affected by the Curse Of The Week. I hate the "Sakura" titles so the English title wins (barely).
Very little is changed between the two episodes, except for one altered scene, some cut scenes, and a change in tone to another scene. Other than that, it's pretty much the same episode.
The altered scene was okay. I could see that they had to get around the stamp thing (since North Americans don't do that) but the change made sense and it was funny as well. The original was good too but I will admit that I prefer the English version simply because Keroberos acts less like a ditz in the English version.
The cut scenes are just blah. They don't contribute anything except to remind the audience yet again that Sakura likes Yukito. Okay, thanks, I guess? Except for the cut scene about Yueh still loving Clow Reed - in the Japanese version, it was just dragging out the scene longer but ironically that scene may have worked better in the English version with the change in tone to the bathroom scene.
Which brings me to change in tone: I much prefer the English version of the scene in the bathroom. The weird part is that it fit better with the cut conversation about how Yueh still loves Clow (was there a time restriction? I've noticed that Cardcaptors rarely if ever hits the 20-minute mark) since that would be a nice contrast to Keroberos cheerfully speaking about the good ol' days with Clow Reed with his new Master while Yueh seems to struggle with this still.
In any case, I liked the light-hearted and gentle nature of that conversation. It seemed to flow naturally and was in line with both of the characters' English characterizations. The only bad part about this scene (besides Sakura's facial expression not matching her words at times) is that it seems to set up a conversation between Sakura and Yueh perhaps talking about how, yes, Yueh wasn't expected to do much heavy lifting but Keroberos had fun with Clow Reed in ways he couldn't or something along those lines. But this conversation never happens so I felt like I was left hanging.
Of course, this illustrates the biggest problem I had with this episode: Yueh gets special treatment because... because. I kept waiting for Yueh to get his comeuppance or give some sort of rebuttal to Keroberos' complaints ("stop treating me like a porcelain doll, Sakura!") but it never came. I kept waiting for Sakura to explain or apologize to Keroberos about the difference in treatment but that never came either.
Commence rant: And this is the problem I have with Yueh in general! I really got the sense from the manga and now from the anime that I'm supposed to really like Yueh and therefore be 100% okay with Sakura not making him help while insisting that Keroberos does (who doesn't even have opposable thumbs in either form, I might add!). That swooning over Yueh cleaning up the floor reminded me of a Jeff Foxworthy bit where he talks about how his wife could be paving the driveway but he'd have the gall to go out to her and announce that he emptied the ashtray ("I did it for you, sweet pea!"). I. just. don't. get. it.
I just get this sense that the manga/anime thinks Yueh is perfect and I'm supposed to think so too but I just... don't. I don't like Yueh as a character: I find him boring and rude. He basically just stands around for most of his scenes with resting bitch face. I addressed this in the summary but I want to point out that his facial expressions rarely change so that whole bit in the Japanese version about "looking serene" made me crack up. He looks the same! If anything, he had a shocked expression right before Sakura's comment as if he was horrified that Keroberos had mentioned Clow Reed to her.
I wouldn't find Yueh as annoying to watch if I didn't have this feeling that the creators want me to think of him as my favorite character.
Ugh, anyway, man, I hate Yueh.
Speaking of things I hate: oh man, the Japanese actor for Keroberos is such an ill-fit. His voice just doesn't work for this character at all. I mean, I know I've brought it up before but he's never had to talk for so long and it was so painful to hear every time he talked! And then there is this really odd moment (that the English version cut) after the flour lands on Keroberos where the animation looks like Keroberos is laughing but the actor sounds like he's crying. Look up at the screen, dude! I looked up the actor who plays Keroberos (Masaya Onosaka, in case you're curious) to see what else he's done - I'm wondering if Onosaka was just given a free pass with this character since he had been no less than Jadeite in Sailor Moon and Vash the Stampede in Trigun among others prior to this role.
Director: Okay, Onosaka-san, give us your Keroberos voice.
Onosaka: I am Keroberos, the Guardian Beast of the Seal.
Director: Um, could you... sound more... like a beast?
Onosaka: Are you questioning my acting skills?!
Director: Oh no! Not at all! Carry on!
[episodes later]
Director: Okay, flour scene go!
Sakura Tange [she plays Sakura]: Wuwee!
Onosaka: *sobbing*
Director: Um...
Tange: Um...
Onosaka: Great performance, right?
Director: Uh, sure.
Tange: You're supposed to be laughing, Onosaka-san.
Onosaka: Are you question my acting skills?!
Tange: Eep! I will never question you again!
Only one major plot hole this time: So, why couldn't the Guardians go to Li's house? He has the room and he only lives with his servant who knows about the Clow Cards so why can't they stay there? I thought that was a pretty obvious solution until Sakura would have time to fix them.
Because the English version cut some boring scenes and uplifted the tone of another scene in addition to having a better delivery by one of the main actors in the plotline, I judge these episodes to be...
Different, with the English Cardcaptors being the superior!
Episode 59