IN WHICH MADOKA KAGUYA MAKES HER OWN CROSS

Star*Twinkle Pretty Cure - Episode 41
My Own Review
IN WHICH MADOKA KAGUYA MAKES HER OWN CROSS

The forty-first episode of Star ☆ Twinkle turns its attention to the Moon of Mihoshi Secondary School, Madoka Kaguya. Madoka’s future is a key point that is brought up in this episode.

Madoka steps down as student council president; she 'abdicates' in favour of her blond kismesis Sakurako in a grand secondary-school ceremony.

Madoka’s time as student council president has come to an end, and as such her father Fubuki wants her to focus on preparing to study abroad, in London town no less. Madoka isn’t so keen to pursue a future that her father has set out for her, though (all the while her mum remains neutral and keeping silence). After calling the old man out before the trophy cabinet, talking with Elena, and a clash with a sworn enemy, she will come to a decision.

Elena realises that something is bothering Madoka

The first half of this episode is pretty much spent on Madoka, as she struggles with what she wants to do with her future. It does lead to some lovely interactions between Elena and Madoka, especially when the latter discusses the '69 Moon landing (the Moon being essentially a ball of mirrors that reflects sunlight and gets trod on by astronauts vs. that 'giant leap for [hu]mankind' of the Eagle's crew) and decides that she is definitely fed up with following others (her elders, rules, society at large) and ready to take those first baby steps on her own two feet.
This follows on from an earlier episode when Elena told Madoka that she could rely on the others, and I am glad to see that that didn’t go forgotten. More Soluna stuff is certainly not going to go unappreciated by me.

Garuogre appears

The enemy for this episode is Garuogre, and just the big blue brute alone. Garuogre may have only fought the Cures on a couple of occasions, but they are certainly memorable. This time around is no exception to that rule.
For a start, this fight looks great.

Soleil and the others are wiped out at one fell swoop, leaving it all to a battered Selene.

Showing off his Erlang-style third eye (seen them on western ogres, but never on oni until now!!)

It may be treacherous, but Selene has no other choice than to shoot Garuogre in the back.

I really love that shot of Cure Selene ready to attack Garuogre from behind – perhaps because it invokes any shonen anime. Cure Star, Milkyway, Soleil, and Cosmos all get knocked out rather early into the fight, leaving it up to Selene (especially for Soleil's sake).
When the fight ends up being this level of quality, I kind of wish that we’d see more one-on-one cadre fights.

Selene responds to Garuogre’s attack; breaking that shield with an icy Aquarian shot she's definitely not throwing away (bonus for using my sign's star colour pen, and for Frozen 2 coming up soon!!)

I know that the PreCures’ finishing attack (Finishing Move or hissatsu) is a once-per-episode thing, but it really feels like padding this time around. I feel like there would have been a greater impact if Selene had defeated Garuogre on her own, but PrettyCure is gonna PrettyCure, I suppose.
This wonderful episode ends with Madoka figuring out what she wants to do, and a fair bit of focus on her bare feet. You know, just because. 

At the end of the day, she calls the old man out, before the trophy cabinet at the Kaguya estate, to turn down studying in the UK at least for the moment (maybe London University or Oxbridge when she is in her twenties?) A nice healthy argument ensues (any moment I worried Fuyuki might clutch his left arm, or the left side of his chest, and collapse like a ragdoll, breathing heavily, only for his wife or daughter to cradle him and loosen his clothes). Instead, that rant made Mr. Kaguya realise the error of his ways (before a heart condition, a stroke, or even before Madoka could snap and pull a Tyrion-on-Tywin on him?) while looking at his own reflection in the trophy cabinet, then at a family portrait (awwww, don't the three of them look adorable together?). Maybe having been the victim of last week also played a role in how Fuyuki's stern and stubborn demeanor was intensified at the start of this episode upon him deciding to send Madoka off to London so early on... like a mirror shard in The Snow Queen or Princess Tutu, or a hangover from a rea-ea-ea-eally altered state... and all it took was for her to call the old codger out, for the effect to wear off and for snapping out of it.

This is a small step for Madoka, but a leap of faith into the unknown for her friends and parents, and not only herself.

This episode was superb. Elena and Madoka bonding is always nice to see, the fight against Garuouga look great and PreCures have moved one step closer to achieving their goal.
These character-focused episodes which leads to each PreCure powering up have been fantastic. Yuni, Lala, and Madoka have had their turns, and I’m confident that Elena and Hikaru will do the same.
Talking of Elena, it is her turn to worry about her future in the next episode. She has smaller shoes to fill, but the lives of more people weighing down on her shoulders...

MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION:
Oui. As an only child of privilege with a beautiful mind, I can totally relate. Been there, done that. Graduate at the UJI, Master's at the UV, and now looking for a winter job. With an Education Papa who even looks like Fuyuki Kaguya hounding me in the Javert way.
Speaking of which: REAL TENSION between generations à propos that leaving for the UK. Mitsuka keeping silence and neutrality all the while, not wanting to upset either her husband or their daughter.
Of course the upper-class Cure has to deal with this kind of issues of leaving for foreign lands and/or following in her elders' footsteps during the climax of her arc (Minami Kaido's wish to be a marine vet tending to penguins in Antarctica; Yukari Kotozume's departure for the Ruritanian kingdom of Confetto; Saaya Yakushiji telling her stage mum that she wants to be a midwife instead of an actress).
One can also see Fuyuki is a bit of a control freak and a stick-in-the-mud and treats his family just like he treats his men-in-black underlings (Tywin vibes all over the place!). Everything must go according to plan... We just saw the calling-the-old-man-out moment take place before the Kaguyas' trophy cabinet for a good reason.
And the pluck she mustered... her afterthoughts on being the Moon who reflects sunlight and gets trod on by astronauts... and deciding that she is definitely fed up with this subordinate role... She does appreciate her parents and moirail for showing her the way, but now it's time for her to take the first steps on her own two feet! YOU GO, GIRL. MAKE YOUR OWN CROSS, DON'T SIT ON SOMEONE ELSE!!



PS. Upcoming Star*Twinkle AUs:
Tengu of the Opera: Soluna/Elenjou AU. Dark horse Elena gets to star in the latest production, which she didn't expect, due to her rival/senpai Sakurako losing her singing voice and a series of poison pen letters from the so-called Opera Tengu to the troupe's benefactor, Fuyuki Kaguya, whose only daughter is in ostensibly unrequited love with the new leading lady, to whom a raven-masked muse of inspiration appears in her dreams... Featuring Otokoyaku!Elena, Fuyuki having the heart condition I was thinking of throughout Madoka's rant in canon, a torture chamber, and my own Tenjou headcanons.
Rapunzel AU: Once upon a blue moon, a drop of blue moonlight fell to the ground... an ailing pregnant noblewoman had to drink it, but shortly after her newborn daughter was whisked away... Valjean-style Elena, AKA Nena, left orphaned, stole to survive and feed her younger siblings, and has spent a while institutionalised; she is on parole and a social outcast when she comes across a feudal-Japanese-castle-style tower and a lonely damsel with loooooong violet hair...

IN WHICH AYEWAN TAKES THE DEEPEST PLUNGE

Star*Twinkle Pretty Cure - Episode 27
My Own Review
IN WHICH AYEWAN TAKES THE DEEPEST PLUNGE

(angryanimeb*tches)

(will there be a hallofanimefame review?)

I noted last time how the opening animation had changed to reflect Cure Cosmos joining the team, but there was also something else that I failed to notice last time. When the shot of the villains comes up, Ayewan is wearing a riding hood – I wonder if that particularly signifies anything.

Who knows, perhaps this episode will provide an answer.

OK, Purunce showing off for Yanyan was pretty funny

After Lala’s starship was damaged for the umpteenth time during a battle, PreCures travel to the home planet of Yanyan in order to get their transportation fixed. Before that, though, they explore the underwater planet of Bubblepool.


Ayewan also appears, intent on getting revenge on Yuni for deceiving her.

Cure MerCures and Yanyan

In something of an unusual twist, this episode gives us two different sets of transformation sequences. Of course, we get the usual PreCure transformation for the villain-of-the week fight, but Yanyan’s morphpearls also give us a sequence where the girls transform into mermaids.

Does that make MerYuni a catfish? :3

Hikaru and Yuni

Merfolk have been quite a common theme throughout PreCure. For a start, Go! Princess gave us Cure Mermaid (AKA Minami Kaido), but I can also recall seeing them in Maho Girls and Hugtto!. Not that I mind, considering we get to see some quite interesting underwater sights.

Ayewan

The antagonist for this episode is Ayewan, who says she is no longer with the KNotraiders. In fact, she has nowhere to go, and seems to be jealous of Yuni who has found a place for herself.
Perhaps Yuni, or the other members of our PreCure crew, could start steering Ayewan towards the path of redemption.

Ayewanbot 16

No 'triggers from Ayewan this time; instead, she transforms the stolen spacecraft she is using. As these things tend to be, Ayewan has some things to say about Cure Cosmos. Naturally, Cosmos’s allies are there to rebuke Ayewan’s claims, and the fight ends in typical fashion.

Huh, its like we’re in the middle of an arc or something. The past few episodes have all been directly connected; I can’t help but think that this is leading up to the acquisition of the last two Princess Star Colour Pens, and the inevitable confrontation against Darknest.
Darknest might seem like the big-bad final boss for the moment, but I feel like there could be something far darker lurking behind the scenes (ie a Man/Woman/Entity Behind the Overlord)…

As for this episode, it was a good one. The mermaid transformation was a fun touch, though I think it would have been pretty funny had they gone with Hikaru’s initial idea for transforming into something that could breathe underwater.

The mermaid stuff was fun, but the most important aspect of this episode has to be the stuff concerning Yuni and Ayewan. Ayewan is no longer with the KNotraiders, though she is still very much an enemy to PreCures.
Hoping to see that change, even if just gradually.

Seems like the wrecked starship will finally be repaired in the next episode. Seems that Elena and Madoka have particularly important roles to play, too. (HOPE THERE ARE INTENSE SOLUNA MOMENTS...)

MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION:
So the quest for Lala's homeworld is growing into a feuilleton -- if a four-parter can be called one. It began in episode 26 and will conclude in episode 29: encompassing four parts in total.

Purunyan or Yance? Purunce and Yanyan are another pairing...
It is either Valjean or Jav-... well, either Yuni/Cosmos or Ayewan! ... (on this scenario)



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PLUS FORTE QUE CE QUE TU CROIS

Hugtto! Pretty Cure
Episode 2
My Own Review

PLUS FORTE QUE CE QUE TU CROIS

"Rosencrantz and Guildenstern"

These two girls are also big fans of Saaya

Hmm… so the two girls talk about how amazing Cure Yell is, and they like Saaya quite a bit as well. She gets called the ‘angel of the class’, and they also make a point of mentioning how cute she is.
After that, Saaya walks to the library with Hana. It seems that Hana agrees with the two girls, as she says right to Saaya’s face that she is cute.

Harry Harryham Handsome Change!

Et voilà, the hamster became this dashing ginger 20-something!

The Beauty Harry parlour was a model enlarged by Harry using Future Crystals (kind of like the Engorgio Charm).

Harry explains that Pretty Cures effectively have to protect the future. If the Cryasse Corporation get their way, and bleed all worlds dry of Morrowpowewer, then there will be no future for anyone and Hugtan will remain a baby forever.

We didn't see Listle/Restore had a queue hairstyle.

He sternly chides a carefree Charalit, who decides to take this second job as well.

Later on, the scene shifts to the library to find Saaya working on the school newspaper. She publishes it every month, but it doesn’t seem like there is much interest in it. Saaya decides to write about the most recent PreCure confrontation on the school grounds.

The conversation then moves on to why Saaya is writing the newspaper. She doesn’t really know, but seeing Hana eager to read it gets her fired up. Hana also offers to draw an illustration for the Pretty Cure story.

Saaya explained that a few days back, she did hear Hug-tan's cries in the schoolyard and, the next moment, everything around her stopped moving.

 Saaya feeds Hugtan

Saaya also quoted Mother Theresa's words of how more things can be accomplished if we help one another. This conversation goes on, talk a little more, with Saaya saying that she isn’t as brave, but is reassured that it takes courage to be as nice to everyone as she is. And we were of course impressed by Saaya's talents and kindness.
(Oh... Hana and Harry are right... she's really an angel fallen down to Earth...)

But enough of that: it's Charalit time!!

This week's theender was made from two stubborn truckers bickering over who was on first. Kind of reminding me of that La Fontaine fable of the two nanny goats:

Ainsi s'avançaient pas à pas,
Nez à nez, nos aventurières,
Qui toutes deux étant fort fières,
Vers le milieu du pont ne se voulurent pas
L'une à l'autre céder. [···]

Not to mention the Northgoing Zax and the Southgoing Zax:

"Never budge!  That's my rule.  Never budge in the least!
Not an inch to the west!  Not an inch to the east!
I'll stay here, not budging!  I can and I will
If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!"

Again, like in many other occurrences of The Heartless trope, #BeenThereDoneThat (with both literal and metaphorical paths; stubbornness is one of my besetting sins)! My only pet peeve is that, while there were two victims, only one theender was transformed. I prefer it when there are twin, or even triplet, monsters of the week.

PS. Nota bene: for every time in Miraculous or this series that the catalyst for a new MotW is something I have gone through myself, there should be a hashtag #BeenThereDoneThat!

 With Hugtan in her arms, Saaya watches as Cure Yell takes on the theender. As Cure Yell fights, the desire to protect her wells up within Saaya. Sure enough, this causes the birth of another Future Crystal, and thus the next Pretty Cure is born.

And Saaya is absolutely adorable. She is hands down, the cutest precure I have seen to date. Her sweet and caring personality, her humbleness, and the way she blushes, what is there not to like about her? She is so loveable! She has not only won my heart, but it looks like Harry is quite smitten himself. I have a feeling Cure Ange might become his bias! HAHAHAHA!

 Saaya transforms into Cure Ange, and it seems that her speciality is protecting her allies. I guess that would make her the barrier maiden of the team, though whether she can actually use her abilities to heal others (she calls herself the Healer of Everyone as a Precure title) remains to be seen.
What she can do, though, is create a barrier or shield with her own special ability, Heart Feathers.
(It appears that Étoile will be the more offensive to Ange's defensive.)

 

After fending off an attack from the theender, Ange devises a plan for defeating their foe – aim for its feet. That’s exactly what Cure Yell does. Does she use a special attack? Nope.

(Yet another pet peeve: that the pink Cure gets the lion's share or the entirety of the Finishing Move. While she's generally as interesting as plain vanilla ice with artificial flavour.)

With the theender defeated, Charalit retreats.

Harry and Haa-chan can drive their cart in peace.

This episode was an introduction to Saaya's insecurities. Unlike Minami Kaido/Cure Mermaid who is a control freak, Saaya is the goody two shoes who is almost Little Miss Perfect. However she has self-confidence issues and probably everyone looked up to her like some Guardian Angel (pun intended). This will definitely bite back Saaya in the future (like Fluttershy, or Desdemona). So far, we have seen nothing of her career on screen, knowing her only as this kind-hearted and intelligent class president who is completely the second coming of Rikka Hishikawa...
Another good introductory episode for the second Cure of the season, Cure Ange. I quite like the way in which Saaya will look stuff up on the Internet whenever she wants to learn more about something – I’m pretty much the same way. But more impulsive, more similar to the Étoile that will debut within a fortnight.

As Harry explained how Hug-tan required Morrowpowewer to grow up, the dream that Hana had might be connected to Hug-tan since the female voice told the three figures who looked similar to Huggto Team so time travel is in the works? ("Hold the door!")

Saaya has a similar experience of time freeze when she heard Hug-tan's cries which Homare will also have a similar experience when her debut episode come up later. Cure Ange's transformation was really beautiful like Cure Mermaid and Cure Beauty.
 

MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION:
Being a European, I didn't know that mountain bluebirds were a thing. Saaya gets all the facts right, Sialia currucoides of the turdid, or thrush, family of avians. They live in the Pacific Northwest (Just had to Google it myself).

 Not as pudgy as the one Saaya looked up

For all that Saaya calls Hana a mountain bluebird, the class representative herself, with her angelic motifs and colour scheme, might fit more properly.

Charalit is once more the cadre of the week. Thus he still acted that smug and cocky, hoping that the Cures would stand defeated... Wham. Maybe next episode he'll get some spotlight sharing with Loulou (and hope
The victims of the week were two stubborn truckers bickering over who was on first. Kind of reminding me of that La Fontaine fable of the two nanny goats:

Ainsi s'avançaient pas à pas,
Nez à nez, nos aventurières,
Qui toutes deux étant fort fières,
Vers le milieu du pont ne se voulurent pas
L'une à l'autre céder. [···]

Not to mention the Northgoing Zax and the Southgoing Zax:

"Never budge!  That's my rule.  Never budge in the least!
Not an inch to the west!  Not an inch to the east!
I'll stay here, not budging!  I can and I will
If it makes you and me and the whole world stand still!"

Again, like in many other occurrences of The Heartless trope, #BeenThereDoneThat (with both literal and metaphorical paths; stubbornness is one of my besetting sins)! My only pet peeve is that, while there were two victims, only one theender was transformed. I prefer it when there are twin, or even triplet, monsters of the week.

Homare Kagayaki: our golden star is still the aloof loner that would completely feel at home in a Wes Anderson flick. "Later Homare saw the newsletter posted on a classroom door and giggled about the Mountain Bluebird too..." The writing is on the wall, more or less. Let her wait in the wings for this fortnight, but soon our Étoile will March into action!
 
Harry's Handsome Change: I like this bad boy ginger ikemen all right. Not my princely young man type, but still pretty rad, right?
Harry also explained the goal of Cryasse: bleeding all worlds in the multiverse dry of Morrowpowewer and Future Crystals. The reasons why are still unknown. But he gives out some consequences: no more birthdays, or Christmases, or any other celebrations. Plus, Hugtan will be stuck in infancy.
Saaya's angelic strength: her intelligence and kindness make me already sympathise with "the worth that learned charity aye bears" (and I bet my life that our angelic healer would know and cherish that Shakespearean quote as well as the motto she's borrowed from Mother Theresa).
Possible Irikka pairing redivivus? If Charalit is established as evil counterpart to Saaya... Anyhow, let's see how that premise unfurls...




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