Episode 27: "Sakura and the Shrine of Memories" or "Return To The Future"
Introduction to the Experiment
Episode 26
Episode 27: Sakura and the Shrine of Memories (Card Captor Sakura) or Return To The Future (Cardcaptors)
Sakura is having her Tokyo Tower dream again. This time, she sees a figure that looks a lot like Ms. Mizuki. She wakes up early and decides to go for an early morning skate before school. As she ponders her dream, she ends up at the shrine, where her muttering about Li telling her not to trust her catches Ms. Mizuki's attention. Ms. Mizuki is cleaning the shrine for her father and invites Sakura to help. Yukito comes along and offers to help as well. Sakura and Yukito help out while Sakura wonders about how Li doesn't like her but Sakura likes her fine. Ms. Mizuki gives the pair of them chestnuts for their trouble. After Yukito goes to get his bike, Ms. Mizuki seems to want to tell Sakura something but she changes her mind. She voiceovers that Sakura will know soon enough. At school, Sakura is very happy and mentions to Tomoyo about seeing Ms. Mizuki, which upsets Li because he told her to stay away from Ms. Mizuki. After Meilin demonstrates her mad chestnut peeling skills, Ms. Mizuki and Li share an extreme-close-up stare-down through the doorway. That night, Sakura and her father discuss Ms. Mizuki. In the Japanese version, he says that Ms. Mizuki was Toya's student teacher when he was in junior high and that's why he knows her. In the English version, he says that Ms. Mackenzie was his math teacher before going away to teach in England, much to Sakura's surprise because the other night, they acted as if they had never met. Meanwhile, Ms. Mizuki is standing in front of a large tree, staring at the full moon, while some darky swirly thing swirls over the tree. Even later that night, Kero and Sakura are out and about because Kero sensed a Card. It's at the shrine which catches Sakura's interest because they had caught Maze there too. Kero doesn't know what Card it could be this time but Li, with his Lasin Board, says it must be powerful. After explaining away Tomoyo and Meilin's absences, they head inside. Eventually, they end up at the tree, completely stumped (no pun intended) about where the Card is, especially since Kero can barely feel it now. Kero goes to get drinks and the kids sit in the tree for no apparent reason. The kids wonder why they can't feel the Card anymore and then talk about Ms. Mizuki. Li doesn't trust her and Sakura does. In the Japanese version, Sakura relates she makes her feel dazed, just like Yukito. This causes the two to talk about when they fell in love with Yukito. They don't talk about Yukito in the English version. Either way, Li gets overwhelmed by the topic of conversation (Li either is embarrassed by Sakura's claim that they love him both or frustrated that Sakura still trusts Ms. Mackenzie so blindly) and runs off. Sakura starts to go after him but the tree grabs her and she gets pulled into a hole that has opened up in the tree. Kero, who has just returned, tells Li that it has to be the Return Card. Meanwhile, Sakura wakes up to find herself alone and with the tree covered in cherry blossoms. She sees someone coming and it's Toya but in his junior high uniform. She hides in the tree branches and watches him and Ms. Mizuki interact for the first time. In the Japanese version, they discuss how Toya can sense things and then she says that she'll see him tomorrow. In the English version, Tori already knows her as his teacher but Ms. Mackenzie mentions his little sister, Sakura, as well as discuss his ability to sense things. Sakura realizes that this is the past! The next scene is presumably the next day. In the Japanese version, Toya comes and asks how she knew she was his new teacher. She claims that she had a hunch and then asks to be friends. In the English version, Tori asks how she knew he had a little sister and she claims that they are connected somehow but it is not the right time to explain. Meanwhile, Kero explains to Li that the Return Card sends only one person into the past but it takes a lot of energy so it's rarely used. The Card is probably using the magical power of the tree and Kero seems to imply the full moon as well. Li demands to know how to save Sakura. The only way for Sakura to escape is for the past to catch up to the present. Of course, there might be another way to do it. Back with Sakura, it is now a festival and Ms. Mizuki and Toya stand under the tree. She tells Toya that she's leaving. In the Japanese version, she claims that when they meet again, and they will meet again, they both will be in love with someone else. In the English version, Ms. Mackenzie tells Tori not to tell Sakura about their "talks" or that they know each other. Either way, she then starts talking about a calamity befalling the world and then looks seemingly at Sakura (the English version has Sakura explicitly suggest that Ms. Mackenzie can see her) before saying something cryptic before Sakura falls into a white light. Sakura emerges perfectly fine outside the tree. Kero is relieved and tells Sakura that Li helped her this time. Sakura seals the Card. It seems to float over to Li. Li emerges from behind the Card to express his relief before collapsing. It turns out that Li used the Time Card to stop the flow of Time to get her out of there. But using the Time Card uses up a lot of energy which is why Li is so out of breath. Sakura hugs Li to thank him (this causes Li to blush madly and actually faint in the Japanese version) while Kero looks at the moon and says, "Yueh". Meanwhile, Ms. Mizuki is watching the whole thing with a strange smile on her face.
Wanna see it?
Card Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 1/3
Card Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 2/3
Card Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 3/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 1/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 2/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 3/3
This is a fun little way to do some backstory without relying on a silly flashback. Of course, I confess that I spent most of my time watching the Japanese version going, "Have fun getting out this scene, English producers!" Okay, so I'm not exactly sure if Li got the Return Card or not. I remember reading a list of all the Cards (including who captured them) on Wikipedia ages ago but Heaven forbids that I find it now! Of course, I see no reason why Li can't have the Card since all Sakura did was stand around and watch a flashback. So, for now, I'll put the Return Card under his section of the tally until I am corrected. Man, Li's really pimping out that Time Card though, isn't he?
Card Tally
Sakura: Windy, Fly, Shadow, Watery, Rain, Wood, Jump, Illusion, Silence, Thunder, Sword, Flower, Shield, Power, Mist, Float, Erase, Glow, Move, Fight, Loop, Sleep, Song, Little, Mirror, Maze
Current number: 26
Li: Time, Storm, Return
Current number: 3
Okay, the English title doesn't even make any sense. Sakura returns to the past for most of the episode! Why not mention that in the title? The Japanese title is lame but still better than the English title.
Alright, the two major changes deal with Toya and Ms. Mizuki's relationship and Sakura and Li's mutual crush on Yukito. Let's deal with the former first.
As I said before, a student, especially an eighth-grader, dating a student teacher is a no-no. So how did they get around it? In a very intriguing way. Instead of them dating, they simply know each other from the past but Ms. Mackenzie used her friendship with Tori to drop some foreshadowing bombs on his head about his little sister. I was really impressed by how gracefully they changed the nature of the relationship. They actually managed to enhance the episode quite a bit by having them use the flashback as a way to foreshadow events later in the series. Because, seriously, what purpose did the flashback serve to the larger story, except to say that Toya and Ms. Mizuki dated? And it seems to imply something kind of cool (at least I think it's cool): TORI KNOWS EVERYTHING. Or, at least, knows SOMETHING is up with Sakura right now. Well done, English producers!
Now, as for the crush on Yukito, they go a simpler route: they cut the scene. They don't bring up Yukito. It's for some very good reasons: first of all, neither of them have expressed interest in Julian in quite some time, at the very least. Second of all, Sakura doesn't get floaty feelings from Ms. Mackenzie so she can't even bring that up. Third, to be honest, most of the stuff they talk about in the Japanese version is stuff we already know. Okay, with Sakura's "love at first sight" we didn't know that but we saw Li freak out in his introduction episode. Yes, it's a cute scene and it's a scene that shows that Sakura and Li are getting along nicely now but its loss does not hurt the episode significantly. The scene ending with Li being frustrated about Sakura's trust in Ms. Mackenzie still works fine.
Let's talk about another cut. I really wish the English producers would make up their minds about Li crushing on Sakura. This was the first instance where Li *gasp* might like Sakura now. He gets so overwhelmed by her hugging him that he has a full-face blush and faints; this is the first time he's reacted like that in the Japanese version and I thought the English version would have jumped on it. But, no, the moment is cut. Again, it's another cute scene but its loss isn't too detrimental to the overall episode.
Now for some line changes. English version, you need to remember what you've changed! I mentioned last time that Li compliments Sakura on the capture instead of reminding her about their new teacher. So, when I saw that scene repeat in the Japanese version, I thought, "Oh, they'll just cut that." Considering that Li brings up his hatred of the new teacher multiple times, it's not like we would lose the pattern of the plot. But, no, strangely, they kept that scene and had him say the "watch out for that teacher" line. Even though he didn't say that last time. What, did Li run back and go, "Oh, yeah, by the way, watch out for our teacher."? There was a scene that could have been cut easily and they didn't!
The English version is really pounding in the foreshadowing. They mention England by name a couple of times (a future villain comes from England), something they don't do in the Japanese version. I've already discussed Ms. Mackenzie and Tori's revised, foreshadowing-heavy relationship. I'm only seeing the connections because I know how it all ends from the manga (although the anime has thrown me some curve balls now and then) but man, oh man, this episode must be confusing for someone who has no idea what's happening down the road. One youtube comment actually says, "I'm so confused!" I mean, it's great that they're trying to be all mysterious and lay down some clues for the viewers but wow, they had a field day here!
Alright, time for plot holes.
1. Seriously, what is up with the extreme swooping close-ups whenever Li sees Ms. Mizuki? Okay, okay, it's not a plot hole but it makes me burst out laughing every time it happens!
2. Why is it such a big deal to wait for the past to meet the present? Sakura was already seeing events that happened a year after the first and she was only in there for a few minutes. She probably would have been fine in a hour!
3. Since when does the Time Card take a lot of energy? Li seemed to have no problem stopping time, jumping down to move some rope, jumping up into a tree, and then jumping off to either look at a sloth or say something cryptic back in episode 13. He didn't look faint or weak afterward all that. Suddenly it's exhausting? Okay, maybe using it to combat the Return Card takes a lot of energy. But that isn't what Kero said so there.
In conclusion, because of its graceful handling of a change in relationship and its inclusion of foreshadowing, which although confusing to a newcomer, has the potential for a great payoff, I judge these episodes to be...
Different, with the English Cardcaptors being the superior.
Episode 28
Episode 26
Episode 27: Sakura and the Shrine of Memories (Card Captor Sakura) or Return To The Future (Cardcaptors)
Sakura is having her Tokyo Tower dream again. This time, she sees a figure that looks a lot like Ms. Mizuki. She wakes up early and decides to go for an early morning skate before school. As she ponders her dream, she ends up at the shrine, where her muttering about Li telling her not to trust her catches Ms. Mizuki's attention. Ms. Mizuki is cleaning the shrine for her father and invites Sakura to help. Yukito comes along and offers to help as well. Sakura and Yukito help out while Sakura wonders about how Li doesn't like her but Sakura likes her fine. Ms. Mizuki gives the pair of them chestnuts for their trouble. After Yukito goes to get his bike, Ms. Mizuki seems to want to tell Sakura something but she changes her mind. She voiceovers that Sakura will know soon enough. At school, Sakura is very happy and mentions to Tomoyo about seeing Ms. Mizuki, which upsets Li because he told her to stay away from Ms. Mizuki. After Meilin demonstrates her mad chestnut peeling skills, Ms. Mizuki and Li share an extreme-close-up stare-down through the doorway. That night, Sakura and her father discuss Ms. Mizuki. In the Japanese version, he says that Ms. Mizuki was Toya's student teacher when he was in junior high and that's why he knows her. In the English version, he says that Ms. Mackenzie was his math teacher before going away to teach in England, much to Sakura's surprise because the other night, they acted as if they had never met. Meanwhile, Ms. Mizuki is standing in front of a large tree, staring at the full moon, while some darky swirly thing swirls over the tree. Even later that night, Kero and Sakura are out and about because Kero sensed a Card. It's at the shrine which catches Sakura's interest because they had caught Maze there too. Kero doesn't know what Card it could be this time but Li, with his Lasin Board, says it must be powerful. After explaining away Tomoyo and Meilin's absences, they head inside. Eventually, they end up at the tree, completely stumped (no pun intended) about where the Card is, especially since Kero can barely feel it now. Kero goes to get drinks and the kids sit in the tree for no apparent reason. The kids wonder why they can't feel the Card anymore and then talk about Ms. Mizuki. Li doesn't trust her and Sakura does. In the Japanese version, Sakura relates she makes her feel dazed, just like Yukito. This causes the two to talk about when they fell in love with Yukito. They don't talk about Yukito in the English version. Either way, Li gets overwhelmed by the topic of conversation (Li either is embarrassed by Sakura's claim that they love him both or frustrated that Sakura still trusts Ms. Mackenzie so blindly) and runs off. Sakura starts to go after him but the tree grabs her and she gets pulled into a hole that has opened up in the tree. Kero, who has just returned, tells Li that it has to be the Return Card. Meanwhile, Sakura wakes up to find herself alone and with the tree covered in cherry blossoms. She sees someone coming and it's Toya but in his junior high uniform. She hides in the tree branches and watches him and Ms. Mizuki interact for the first time. In the Japanese version, they discuss how Toya can sense things and then she says that she'll see him tomorrow. In the English version, Tori already knows her as his teacher but Ms. Mackenzie mentions his little sister, Sakura, as well as discuss his ability to sense things. Sakura realizes that this is the past! The next scene is presumably the next day. In the Japanese version, Toya comes and asks how she knew she was his new teacher. She claims that she had a hunch and then asks to be friends. In the English version, Tori asks how she knew he had a little sister and she claims that they are connected somehow but it is not the right time to explain. Meanwhile, Kero explains to Li that the Return Card sends only one person into the past but it takes a lot of energy so it's rarely used. The Card is probably using the magical power of the tree and Kero seems to imply the full moon as well. Li demands to know how to save Sakura. The only way for Sakura to escape is for the past to catch up to the present. Of course, there might be another way to do it. Back with Sakura, it is now a festival and Ms. Mizuki and Toya stand under the tree. She tells Toya that she's leaving. In the Japanese version, she claims that when they meet again, and they will meet again, they both will be in love with someone else. In the English version, Ms. Mackenzie tells Tori not to tell Sakura about their "talks" or that they know each other. Either way, she then starts talking about a calamity befalling the world and then looks seemingly at Sakura (the English version has Sakura explicitly suggest that Ms. Mackenzie can see her) before saying something cryptic before Sakura falls into a white light. Sakura emerges perfectly fine outside the tree. Kero is relieved and tells Sakura that Li helped her this time. Sakura seals the Card. It seems to float over to Li. Li emerges from behind the Card to express his relief before collapsing. It turns out that Li used the Time Card to stop the flow of Time to get her out of there. But using the Time Card uses up a lot of energy which is why Li is so out of breath. Sakura hugs Li to thank him (this causes Li to blush madly and actually faint in the Japanese version) while Kero looks at the moon and says, "Yueh". Meanwhile, Ms. Mizuki is watching the whole thing with a strange smile on her face.
Wanna see it?
Card Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 1/3
Click to viewCard Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 2/3
Card Captor Sakura Episode 27: Part 3/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 1/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 2/3
Cardcaptors Episode 27: Part 3/3
This is a fun little way to do some backstory without relying on a silly flashback. Of course, I confess that I spent most of my time watching the Japanese version going, "Have fun getting out this scene, English producers!" Okay, so I'm not exactly sure if Li got the Return Card or not. I remember reading a list of all the Cards (including who captured them) on Wikipedia ages ago but Heaven forbids that I find it now! Of course, I see no reason why Li can't have the Card since all Sakura did was stand around and watch a flashback. So, for now, I'll put the Return Card under his section of the tally until I am corrected. Man, Li's really pimping out that Time Card though, isn't he?
Card Tally
Sakura: Windy, Fly, Shadow, Watery, Rain, Wood, Jump, Illusion, Silence, Thunder, Sword, Flower, Shield, Power, Mist, Float, Erase, Glow, Move, Fight, Loop, Sleep, Song, Little, Mirror, Maze
Current number: 26
Li: Time, Storm, Return
Current number: 3
Okay, the English title doesn't even make any sense. Sakura returns to the past for most of the episode! Why not mention that in the title? The Japanese title is lame but still better than the English title.
Alright, the two major changes deal with Toya and Ms. Mizuki's relationship and Sakura and Li's mutual crush on Yukito. Let's deal with the former first.
As I said before, a student, especially an eighth-grader, dating a student teacher is a no-no. So how did they get around it? In a very intriguing way. Instead of them dating, they simply know each other from the past but Ms. Mackenzie used her friendship with Tori to drop some foreshadowing bombs on his head about his little sister. I was really impressed by how gracefully they changed the nature of the relationship. They actually managed to enhance the episode quite a bit by having them use the flashback as a way to foreshadow events later in the series. Because, seriously, what purpose did the flashback serve to the larger story, except to say that Toya and Ms. Mizuki dated? And it seems to imply something kind of cool (at least I think it's cool): TORI KNOWS EVERYTHING. Or, at least, knows SOMETHING is up with Sakura right now. Well done, English producers!
Now, as for the crush on Yukito, they go a simpler route: they cut the scene. They don't bring up Yukito. It's for some very good reasons: first of all, neither of them have expressed interest in Julian in quite some time, at the very least. Second of all, Sakura doesn't get floaty feelings from Ms. Mackenzie so she can't even bring that up. Third, to be honest, most of the stuff they talk about in the Japanese version is stuff we already know. Okay, with Sakura's "love at first sight" we didn't know that but we saw Li freak out in his introduction episode. Yes, it's a cute scene and it's a scene that shows that Sakura and Li are getting along nicely now but its loss does not hurt the episode significantly. The scene ending with Li being frustrated about Sakura's trust in Ms. Mackenzie still works fine.
Let's talk about another cut. I really wish the English producers would make up their minds about Li crushing on Sakura. This was the first instance where Li *gasp* might like Sakura now. He gets so overwhelmed by her hugging him that he has a full-face blush and faints; this is the first time he's reacted like that in the Japanese version and I thought the English version would have jumped on it. But, no, the moment is cut. Again, it's another cute scene but its loss isn't too detrimental to the overall episode.
Now for some line changes. English version, you need to remember what you've changed! I mentioned last time that Li compliments Sakura on the capture instead of reminding her about their new teacher. So, when I saw that scene repeat in the Japanese version, I thought, "Oh, they'll just cut that." Considering that Li brings up his hatred of the new teacher multiple times, it's not like we would lose the pattern of the plot. But, no, strangely, they kept that scene and had him say the "watch out for that teacher" line. Even though he didn't say that last time. What, did Li run back and go, "Oh, yeah, by the way, watch out for our teacher."? There was a scene that could have been cut easily and they didn't!
The English version is really pounding in the foreshadowing. They mention England by name a couple of times (a future villain comes from England), something they don't do in the Japanese version. I've already discussed Ms. Mackenzie and Tori's revised, foreshadowing-heavy relationship. I'm only seeing the connections because I know how it all ends from the manga (although the anime has thrown me some curve balls now and then) but man, oh man, this episode must be confusing for someone who has no idea what's happening down the road. One youtube comment actually says, "I'm so confused!" I mean, it's great that they're trying to be all mysterious and lay down some clues for the viewers but wow, they had a field day here!
Alright, time for plot holes.
1. Seriously, what is up with the extreme swooping close-ups whenever Li sees Ms. Mizuki? Okay, okay, it's not a plot hole but it makes me burst out laughing every time it happens!
2. Why is it such a big deal to wait for the past to meet the present? Sakura was already seeing events that happened a year after the first and she was only in there for a few minutes. She probably would have been fine in a hour!
3. Since when does the Time Card take a lot of energy? Li seemed to have no problem stopping time, jumping down to move some rope, jumping up into a tree, and then jumping off to either look at a sloth or say something cryptic back in episode 13. He didn't look faint or weak afterward all that. Suddenly it's exhausting? Okay, maybe using it to combat the Return Card takes a lot of energy. But that isn't what Kero said so there.
In conclusion, because of its graceful handling of a change in relationship and its inclusion of foreshadowing, which although confusing to a newcomer, has the potential for a great payoff, I judge these episodes to be...
Different, with the English Cardcaptors being the superior.
Episode 28