CHANBARA AU:S (FOR WESTERN LITERATURE)

CHANBARA OTHELLO - The first one, the AU that started this whole jidaigeki trend:
Oni no Me mo Mi-mo Namida (Even Ogres have Tears in their Eyes)

Ever since he was orphaned and fled persecution from the Catholic League and Inquisition in his native Low Countries (so it's 30YW times or such) by stowing away on a clipper, Louis has been a stranger in this strange island nation as rent by war as the Europe he left behind. Towering head and shoulders over everyone else, blond, blue-eyed, bearded, and burned rosy by the hot sun, he's had to struggle for his life, and for a niche in the establishment, ever since he landed here as a pre-adolescent.
With his second-in-command, personal translator, and boyhood friend Ritsu-kun, an Osaka lowlife, stevedore, and interpreter with his wits about him (and who sees the fair leader as more than just a friend), Louis Vreeswijk, now called Aka-Oni (Red Ogre), leads a rebel group against the shogunate.
However, a botched castle-storming has the paths of Louis and Ritsu cross with those of Ayame, a spirited, kind-hearted heiress (and daughter of the iron lady dowager Kikuhime); aside from her adopted brother and childhood playmate Hideki, and her intended fiancé Ryóga. By Ayame's and Hideki's side, Louis finally sees that there are those who love him, instead of dreading him, for his strange features, seeing the man instead of the monster... and the feeling is mutual, reciprocated.
Too sorry that a jealous Ritsu takes advantage of Ryóga's shyness, Hideki's weak head for liquor, and finally Louis's deepest fears about Ayame... all to keep the one he loves all for himself...

Cast:

• Louis Vreeswijk (Othello)
• Ayame Sengakuji (Desdemona)
• Ritsu (Iago)
• Ryóga (Roderigo)
• Hideki Kisaragi (Cassio)
• Akira (Emilia/Bianca; also significantly an onnagata, ie a crossdressing actor)

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SHARED FRENCH UNIVERSE - CHANBARA AU

This is a series of jidaigeki vignettes set in the Edo period, with a backstory in the Warring States era before, that fit together like the pieces of a puzzle - each story, originally a subplot in the original French novels, is standalone, but connected to the others by a series of common elements - the figure of Gozen-sama, rebels and courtiers seeking to depose the shogunate, the shinsengumi (praetorian guard), the wars of the past era, the performing arts -and the all-female Izumo Okuni troupe, one of a kind against the mainstream, foreshadowing Takarazuka-, xenophilia vs. xenophobia...


Tachibana-ichizoku (Danglars): wealthy bourgeois from Osaka, the spotlight is on them in "Izumo no Michi" (The Road to Izumo - compare La route de Belgique)

• Yúto Tachibana (Julien Danglars)
• Michiru Tachibana (Hermione Victoria Danglars)
• Akira Tachibana / "Akio Tsubaki" (Eugénie Danglars / "Léon d'Armilly")
• Kaede Tsubaki (Louise d'Armilly)
• Tachibana-jiiya (Étienne)
• --
• "Prince André d'Orange" / Yukio Fubuki ("Andrea Cavalcanti" / Benedetto); a Eurasian bastard child, raised by an ashigaru who found him in the snow - now posing and completely performing as a royal prince of his real father's native land...
• --
• Okuni of Izumo / Izumo no Okuni (historical character, fills in the roles of the Italian theatre directors who employ Eugénie and Louise - employs Akira and Kaede in her all-female troupe)

Pluijter-ichizoku (de Villefort): immigrants from the Low Countries who, in spite of the racism they encountered, have risen to become prominent Edo-based magistrates. However, the patriarch's remarriage has created a dysfunctional household, with a scheming stepmother and an annoying little brat of a stepbrother:

• Geeraert "Geert" Pluijter (Gérard de Villefort)
• Renate Pluijter+ (Renée de Villefort+) 
• Valeria Pluijter (Valentine de Villefort)
• Cornelia "Oma" Pluijter (Composite character of Noirtier de Villefort + Mme. de Saint-Méran)
• Willem "Will" (Barrois)
• ---
• Asagao Pluijter (Héloïse de Villefort - her given name means both "convolvulus" and "datura" >:3 )
• Shinobu-Edward Pluijter (Édouard de Villefort)
• ---
• Masayoshi (Maximillien Morrel; a stateless ronin)
• Sayuri "Yuri-chan" (Julie Morrel; a war orphan and Masayoshi's adopted sister)

Jiyuu no Nakama (Amis de l'ABC): a rebel group at war against the shogunate and shinsengumi (praetorian guard) - they have their base at an izakaya, coming from different walks of life:

• Atsushi "Enji" Kurenai (Enjolras): lordling, the aloof leader. Wears a blond wig and actor's make-up courtesy of Fujiko -is naturally Asian, raven-haired-.
• Kakeru (Combeferre): the scholar of the group, and the only sane man as he says; wears spectacles
• Kenpachi Sengakuji (Courfeyrac): lordling, uses his umbrella/parasol as a weapon, concealing a rapier within the cane and spinning it around for hypnotic effect, as well as using it for a parachute
• Fujiko (Fujitaka) Hanasaki (Jehan Prouvaire): lordling, an onnagata who provides the group with atrezzo and costumes - including Kurenai-kun's blond wig and make-up he uses for the Enji identity; he became a crossdressing performer to overcome stage fright
• Tsukasa Yakushiji (Joly): a meek, hypochondriac medicine seller and lovable eccentric - the medic of the group
• Daikaku "Dai" (Grantaire "R"): idealises Enji-sama and would gladly die for him. A witty self-made trickster from Osaka and left-handed/left-footed drunken master of martial arts (drunken monkey/drunken fist style) who often signs with 大 the kanji for "dai/big" alone (much like Grantaire signs with a capital R)
• Takashi "Ushiwakamaru" Yoshizane (Feuilly/Lesgle composite): an orphan from Hokkaido with a bald head and impossibly bad luck, he works at the izakaya where the others hang out
• Yuuma Jinbashi (Marius Pontmercy): a translator and interpreter working for Europeans; disowned scion of the Narunogawa-ichizoku due to his father, Jinbashi-sama (the surname literally translates to "mercy-bridge"), being a freedom fighter. Finally, he marries Tsubame Kisaragi

Kang-ichizoku (Korean immigrants who have risen to prominence in the military):

• Kang Jong-il (Ferran Mondiego de Morcerf): a shinsengumi captain - who betrayed the lieutenant of his company to become next in line, and that was only his first atrocious feat - commits seppuku at the end of it all 
• Kang Chun-hyang (Mercè / Mercedes Mondiego de Morcerf): Not originally his fiancée, but he forced her into marriage. Is very close to her boy, whom she dotes on and whose real father is a secret she keeps
• Kang Yong-koo (Albert Mondiego de Morcerf): an innocent and sheltered young man of high rank whose life is suddenly overturned when Gozen-sama saves his life and frees him from a brigands' lair...
• Frans van de Doornroose (Franz d'Épinay): Yong-koo's European best friend since childhood. Holds a grudge against the Pluijters in general, and Geert Pluijter in particular. Frans is also in love with Yong-koo; 'tis a pity his beloved is straight!

Gozen-sama (The Count) and his entourage of European servants

• Gozen-sama (real name ****???): (Edmond Dantès): a sailor from Osaka, marooned since he was accused of plotting against the shogunate, now he has returned in French court dress and with a new identity
• Heidi (Haydée): a coast pirate from the Low Countries and Gozen-sama's mistress, adopted daughter, and overall personal assistant
• Han (Ali): another coast pirate from the Low Countries, a bear of a man, and Gozen-sama's bodyguard (looks like Han Solo mashed up with Chewbacca)

The Kagurazuka Ryoukan (The Sergeant's Inn - also the Bell and Bottle counterpart in Izumo no Michi):

• Ritsu Kagurazuka (Sgt. Thénardier): former arquebusier (ashigaru)
• Azusa Kagurazuka (Mme. Thénardier) ran the family inn even unmarried, before marrying the surnameless ashigaru whom she nursed back to health
• Isuzu Kagurazuka (Éponine Thénardier) - also, like Akira Tachibana, she is fond of the all-female Okuni Troupe as well as having feelings for Yuuma
• Karin Kagurazuka (Azelma Thénardier)
• "Gaku" Kagurazuka (Gavroche Thénardier)
• ---
• Tsubame -later adopted and surnamed Kisaragi- (Cosette Fauchelevent)

Kisaragi-ichizoku (not a proper clan, since it only consists of an older benefactor and his adopted child):

• Yonjuuro Kisaragi -real name Shuntaro, surnameless- (Jean Valjean / Ultime Fauchelevent)
• Tsubame Kisaragi (Cosette Fauchelevent) - later marries Yuuma and becomes Tsubame Jinbashi (Cosette Pontmercy)
• ----
• Toshiro Hijikata (Javert) - a real-life shinsengumi lieutenant and the founding father of the corps, of peasant birth and orphaned as a young child - here he takes on the role of Javert

Sengakuji-ichizoku (main branch of the clan):

• Shinichiro Sengakuji (Philippe de Chagny)
• Shinjiro Sengakuji (Raoul de Chagny)
• ---
• Christina Sengakuji, née Daaé (Christina Daaé); a refugee from the Low Countries who got on the wrong boat as a child when she and her father were about to leave for Sweden due to Habsburg persecution; was adopted by the Sengakuji brothers - she is also the latest member of the Okuni Troupe
• ---
• Nadeshiko Hanasaki (Carlotta Giudicelli) - a proper lady and the star of the Okuni Troupe; Christina's rival. She is also Fujiko's sister (Fujiko of Jiyuu no Nakama), although no one would tell
• Hinagiku Shiroi (Meg Giry) - Christina's confidante; her name translates literally to "white daisy"

Narunogawa-ichizoku -high-ranking elite courtiers, faithful to the shogunate-

• Yoshizane Narunogawa (Luc-Esprit Gillenormand): the patriarch, a century-old eccentric
• Kikuhime Narunogawa+: the prodigal daughter, who ran off with a rebel and died in childbirth
• Suiren Narunogawa: the dutiful daughter, Yuuma's aunt and governess
• Suiren's children: a shinsengumi lieutenant and a pampered little girl

A Terrible Scandal / Moi et les autres

A Terrible Scandal

'The possibility that Mlle Louise d'Armilly might one day appear on the stage meant that Mlle Danglars, although she received her at home, did not appear with her in public.' - The Count of Monte Cristo, ch. 53

(Somebody had to explain that to Mlle Danglars...)

The pretty clock on the mantelpiece chimed the half hour and broke the sulky quiet. Hermine Danglars was the first to speak. 'You had better go and dress. The Vicomte will be calling for us shortly, and you spoke most particularly of your desire to hear Madame Prévost's first aria.'

'I shan't,' said Eugénie. 'I won't stir a step without Louise.'

Why, Hermine wondered, must the child be so unreasonable? Surely it was obvious that the situation was impossible. 'It's out of the question, Eugénie. To receive your friend in your father's house, that's one thing, but to be seen with her in public, that's quite another.'

Eugénie scowled. 'It's ridiculous.'

Mademoiselle d'Armilly herself was not present, having removed herself from the scene at the first sign of trouble with a grace and delicacy that Hermine envied on Eugénie's behalf.

'It simply won't do,' she said patiently. 'You tell me that Mademoiselle d'Armilly intends to go on the stage.'

Eugénie's face glowed. 'Yes, and surely the more opera that she sees from one side of the curtain, the better she'll be when she's on the other.'

'Eugénie! We are not a charitable body for the education of destitute musicians.'

'Why not? Papa can afford it.'

The provoking child! She might have been a decade younger than she really was, with her constant why? Hermine, doing her very best to keep her temper, said, 'That has nothing to do with it.'

'I don't see how.'

Hermine sighed. 'Let me explain. You are our only child, and everything that your father and I do, we do for your sake. We wish to secure your future, Eugénie! Your painting, your verse, your music – they're all desirable accomplishments, and we are pleased with the talent and dedication you show to them. And it's good for you to be seen at the opera and to learn how to behave in society.'

'I don't care about any of that,' Eugénie said.

'That much is obvious,' Hermine retorted. 'Nevertheless, it's a fact of this world that we live in. We acceded to your request to have Mademoiselle d'Armilly here both in order to please you and in order to improve your musical skills yet further. But letting you be seen with her at the opera would undo all of that good work.'

'Do you doubt her propriety?' The girl seemed genuinely puzzled.

'Not in the slightest; we would not have received her here if we did. But for as long as a career on the stage remains a possibility for her, you cannot be seen to associate with her in public. It would be a terrible scandal. And I'm afraid, Eugénie, that if your lack of maidenly decorum, renders you unable to understand that, then you must just take my word for it. Mademoiselle d'Armilly is not coming with us.'

Eugénie regarded her mother with an angry stare. Hermine returned it coolly. 'I shan't ask the Vicomte to wait for you.'

The slam of the door set the ornaments rattling. Hermine said nothing. That was a battle for another day.

* * *

Two scant years later, the Baron was bankrupt, the Baroness was in hysterics, the house was in uproar, and nobody paid any heed to where Louise d'Armilly was going. Eugénie, dressed already for travelling in men's clothes, paused for a brief moment in the act of cutting off her long black hair, seeing in her mind's eye the journey that lay ahead of them, and the stories that would be told in Paris. 'It will be a terrible scandal,' she murmured to herself, and she laughed.

Actions

Moi et les autres

« Elle ne pouvait s'empêcher de se dire que tout cela n'était qu'une vaste comédie, et qu'elle seule semblait s'en être rendu compte. » Drabble sur Eugénie Danglars, ses pensées pendant l'Opéra, et explication possible de sa haine du mariage. Léger Eugénie Danglars/Louise d'Armilly.

Tout cela n'avait aucun sens.

Était-elle la seule à s'en rendre compte ? Pourquoi les autres ne voyaient-ils rien ? Pourquoi donc étaient-ils à ce point aveugles ?

Elle ne comprenait pas.

Et elle n'avait pas vraiment envie de comprendre.

Le fait est qu'à cet instant précis, elle n'écoutait pas vraiment l'opéra, elle avait d'autres choses en tête.

Elle regardait ce qu'il y avait à ses alentours.

Son regard se posa sur Albert. Enfin, le vicomte de Morcerf.

Son fiancé.

Supposé, bien sûr. Et pas choisi par elle.

(Elle n'en voulait pas.)

Il était venu les voir dans leur loge quelques instants, sans réel envie d'être là, selon la jeune femme.

Enfin, ce n'était pas comme si elle aussi avait voulu qu'il soit là…

Eugénie poussa un léger soupir, auquel sa mère ne prit pas attention.

Elle n'aimait pas Albert ; cela n'avait rien à voir avec lui, mais plutôt avec le concept même de mariage.

Et avec les hommes en général.

Elle se sentait prise au piège par ce futur mariage, qu'elle ne désirait en aucun cas, tout comme Albert par ailleurs.

(Ce qui leur faisait au moins un point commun.)

Elle ne pouvait s'empêcher de se dire que tout cela n'était qu'une vaste comédie, et qu'elle seule semblait s'en être rendu compte.

Eugénie s'était toujours sentie différente des autres, depuis l'enfance, loin qu'elle était de ces autres femmes coquettes et superficielles.

Elles ne l'étaient pas toutes, certes, mais elle en avait côtoyé beaucoup trop dans sa vie, et ne se sentait aucunement en affinité avec elles.

Elle aurait voulu quelque chose d'autre, quelque chose de plus.

Il y avait quelque chose en elle, quelque chose qu'elle n'avait pu nommer.

Jusqu'à l'arrivée de Louise.

Quelque chose, cette chose-là s'était réveillée en elle.

Pour la première fois, elle était amoureuse.

Elle n'avait rien dit, pour l'instant, malgré l'intérêt que Louise d'Armilly semblait avoir pour elle.

Un intérêt partagé, bien sûr.

Elle attendait encore un peu, afin d'être sure que ce soit bien réciproque.

§§§§

Elle ne voulait pas se marier, n'avait aucune envie que cela se passe. C'était pour cela qu'elle était aussi froide envers Albert, elle ne le détestait pas, mais ne voulait en aucun cas de lui comme mari.

Sauf qu'elle ne pouvait rien faire contre cela, seulement rester digne et fière, et parfaitement hautaine face à lui, ou même en public. Ce qu'elle n'était pas en vérité.

En fait, Eugénie n'était elle-même qu'en présence de sa chère Louise, qu'elle aimait comme une amie, et plus encore.

Elle aurait voulu se révolter contre cette vie qui ne lui convenait pas, ce destin dont elle ne voulait pas.

Ce mariage, qu'elle avait en horreur.

Elle se sentait atrocement seule à cet instant , même avec la présence de sa mère.

D'un certaine manière, elle l'avait toujours été, non ?

En raison de cette différence que personne n'avait vu e chez elle, de son attirance pour les femmes, elle était presque sure d'une chose.

C'est qu'il y avait elle d'un côté, et les autres de l'autre.

À moins qu'elle ne parvienne à trouver quelqu'un comme elle…

Quelqu'un comme Louise, qui lui permettrait enfin de s'évader d'ici.

Son regard se fit rêveur, ce dont personne ne se douta.

Elle avait presque envie d'y croire.

Dommage que ce soit impossible.

UNE ÉTOILE QUI BRILLE ENCORE

Hugtto Pretty Cure
Episode 5 - My Own Review

UNE ÉTOILE QUI BRILLE ENCORE

 

Charalit more or less kidnaps Homare and forces her into a situation where she has to jump.
With her past still haunting her, that despair makes for a lot of negative energy – or thornypowewer.





 



 

 

The thought of flying, and being cheered on, scares Homare. However, she no longer intends to let that hold her back; she refuses to run from herself any more. With that conviction, she is able to achieve what she couldn’t in the previous episode: she becomes a PreCure.

This week Homare finally became Cure Étoile, but not without being challenged by the enemy, using her seeds of doubt to create a monster in attempt to rob the girls of their Future Crystals. In the beginning, Charaleet did succeed because he did manage to create a monster out of Homare’s despair, but in the end, but Hugtan ended up actually playing a big role, her cries were able to reach Homare and encourage her to face her fear, and take that leap of faith to fly once more. I must say, Cure Étoile’s attack sequence is lit. I absolutely love the effects, and it reminds me a lot of the classic magical girls transformation sequences.

Something happened on the day she died,

her spirit rose a metre and stepped aside...

Somebody else took her place and bravely cried:

I'M A HEARTSTAR...

I'M A HEARTSTAR...

How many times does an angel fall?

How many people die instead of talking tall?

She trod on sacred ground, she cried out loud into the crowd:

I'M A HEARTSTAR...

I'M A HEARTSTAR...

Unfortunately for Charalit, that was the last chance he was being given. He retreats, though whether he has returned to the office or gone off somewhere else remains to be seen.
The enemies finally showed their faces, and I must say their designs are quite fun. With Charalit failing to make any grounds, he is in big trouble now, so it’s time for a new villain to step up to the plate. Surprisingly it’s not Lulu who is up next, but sexpot baroness Papple instead. I wonder what kind of character she will be, and the sorts of fights we will in the upcoming episodes. I imagine the pace of the series is going to enter it’s insanely slow phase where not much happens during this period of time since Homare has officially joined the team. It’s still early on, but hopefully it won’t be too stagnant because that’s when it becomes challenging for me to covert these type of shows.

 It is nice to see Homare finally “soften up” (so to speak) to the girls and the three of them can finally begin their friendship.

MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION:
OH LA VACHE CURE ÉTOILE CURE ÉTOILE!!!
That haircut of Homare's post-recovery instantly sparked up memories of Fa Mulan and Eugénie Danglars:


Et du même tiroir dont elle avait fait sortir la mante qu'elle venait de donner à Mlle d'Armilly, et dont celle-ci avait déjà couvert ses épaules, elle tira un costume d'homme complet, depuis les bottines jusqu'à la redingote, avec une provision de linge où il n'y avait rien de superflu, mais où se trouvait le nécessaire.
Alors, avec une promptitude qui indiquait que ce n'était pas sans doute la première fois qu'en se jouant elle avait revêtu les habits d'un autre sexe, Eugénie chaussa ses bottines, passa un pantalon, chiffonna sa cravate, boutonna jusqu'à son cou un gilet montant, et endossa une redingote qui dessinait sa taille fine et cambrée.
« Oh ! c'est très bien ! en vérité, c'est très bien, dit Louise en la regardant avec admiration ; mais ces beaux cheveux noirs, ces nattes magnifiques qui faisaient soupirer d'envie toutes les femmes, tiendront-ils sous un chapeau d'homme comme celui que j'aperçois là ?
- Tu vas voir », dit Eugénie.
Et saisissant avec sa main gauche la tresse épaisse sur laquelle ses longs doigts ne se refermaient qu'à peine, elle saisit de sa main droite une paire de longs ciseaux, et bientôt l'acier cria au milieu de la riche et splendide chevelure, qui tomba tout entière aux pieds de la jeune fille, renversée en arrière pour l'isoler de sa redingote.
Puis, la natte supérieure abattue, Eugénie passa à celles de ses tempes, qu'elle abattit successivement, sans laisser échapper le moindre regret : au contraire, ses yeux brillèrent, plus pétillants et plus joyeux encore que de coutume, sous ses sourcils noirs comme l'ébène.
« Oh ! les magnifiques cheveux ! dit Louise, avec regret.
- Eh ! ne suis-je pas cent fois mieux ainsi ? s'écria Eugénie en lissant les boucles éparses de sa coiffure devenue toute masculine, et ne me trouves-tu donc pas plus belle ainsi ?
- Oh ! tu es belle, belle toujours ! s'écria Louise.

From the same drawer she took a man’s complete costume, from the boots to the coat, and a provision of linen, where there was nothing superfluous, but every requisite. Then, with a promptitude which indicated that this was not the first time she had amused herself by adopting the garb of the opposite sex, Eugénie drew on the boots and pantaloons, tied her cravat, buttoned her waistcoat up to the throat, and put on a coat which admirably fitted her beautiful figure. “Oh, that is very good—indeed, it is very good!” said Louise, looking at her with admiration; “but that beautiful black hair, those magnificent braids, which made all the ladies sigh with envy,—will they go under a man’s hat like the one I see down there?”

“You shall see,” said Eugénie. And with her left hand seizing the thick mass, which her long fingers could scarcely grasp, she took in her right hand a pair of long scissors, and soon the steel met through the rich and splendid hair, which fell in a cluster at her feet as she leaned back to keep it from her coat. Then she grasped the front hair, which she also cut off, without expressing the least regret; on the contrary, her eyes sparkled with greater pleasure than usual under her ebony eyebrows. “Oh, the magnificent hair!” said Louise, with regret.

“And am I not a hundred times better thus?” cried Eugénie, smoothing the scattered curls of her hair, which had now quite a masculine appearance; “and do you not think me handsomer so?”

“Oh, you are beautiful—always beautiful!” cried Louise.

Not to mention Maria in Axel and Maria by Tegnér:

Så sagt, så gjort. Beslut och handling
är ett hos kvinnan. Sin förvandling
hon skyndar. Under krigarns hatt
hon gömmer sina lockars natt.
Den rika barmen snörs i kyller,
med krut och bly hon ränseln fyller,
och över skullran, mjäll och fin,
hängs dödens synrör, en karbin;
och runt kring läpparna hon drar
en skuggning som skall skägg betyda:
det var som om du ville pryda
med sorgeflor ett rosenpar.

So said, so done. Thought and fulfilment
Are one in woman. Her habil'ment

Is quickly changed. A warrior's casque

Her raven tresses' night doth mask.

Her bosom rich in buff she laces,

In sidepouch lead and powder places,

And o'er her fair, soft shoulder's slope

A carbine hangs, Death's telescope.

And next she traces all around

Her lips a shade that beard supposes:

T'was e'en as if to deck two roses,

The pair in mourning-crape thou'dst bound.

I also started wearing boyish short hair, though short like Homare's, for more practical reasons: because it takes shorter to wash and to dry.
...
That crucifixion stance that Charalit pins Homare to the wall in (arms spreadeagled and legs joined together), as well as the Star Future Crystal surging from her chest as she is "crucified", also deserves a mention. In particular, that crystal coexisting with so much thornypowewer within her reminds me of the "blood and water" gushing out of the side-wound used to mercy kill Jesus in the Gospel of John. In a similar fashion, Homare "dies" and "resurrects" as Étoile --and don't stars shine in the night sky as guiding lights and beacons of hope?--. I'm not talking Christian symbolism, but universal symbolism: Osiris, Adonis, Kai in the Snow Queen, Orpheus, Valentine de Villefort, Yukari Kotozume and Akira Kenjo themselves... all of them undergo near-death experiences and awaken as different people, their old selves having died during the ordeal.

Something happened on the day she died,
her spirit rose a metre and stepped aside...
Somebody else took her place and bravely cried:
I'M A HEARTSTAR...
I'M A HEARTSTAR...
How many times does an angel fall?
How many people die instead of talking tall?
She trod on sacred ground, she cried out loud into the crowd:
I'M A HEARTSTAR...
I'M A HEARTSTAR...

Thus concludes the mini-arc that is the introduction of Cure Étoile. It’s not the first time we’ve seen a yellow star-themed Cure who didn’t join initially because of something. Go! Princess PreCure had Kirara Amanogawa, who would go on to become Cure Twinkle. Kirara’s and Homare’s reasons for not initially becoming PreCures are different, but there are certainly similarities between them.

 She's able to successfully create her Future Crystal but when attempting to jump for it for the first time, she triggers a painful memory and misses the jump, causing it to disappear. She is able to successfully claim it in episode 5.
Shows textbook signs of PTSD such as jumping causing her to remember her failed figure skating jump, her sadness, distancing herself others and from figure skating, and a loss of interest in other activities (not going to school that often).
Is troubled at the start of the series due to having failed a figure skating jump at one point, badly injuring her leg and destroying her dreams.
In her backstory, she cut her hair short after her Career-Ending Injury, she has it back as Cure Étoile.
Everytime she attempts to jump, it will remind her of the incident involving failing a figure skating jump and injuring her leg, causing her to quit figure skating.
No time before did we have such a Precure with PTSD. That certainly makes Homare far more interesting than any other Cure of this season. Une ÉTOILE FILANTE QUI BRILLE ENCORE...
...
On the Good Ship Charalu, things are definitely

NEXT EPISODE (6):

 

 PAPPLE: I'm sexy and I know it... and that's the reason why I should enter stage left and take center stage next week... That uncouth loser Charalit doesn't know what he's missing...