Agh! Freaking cliff-hanger!
Last week I predicted that this would be another random story. I couldn’t have been more wrong: this episode was chock full of character and plot development. We finally see Dune come into action and threaten the planet, just like he did with Tsubomi’s grandmother. Alongside this comes a monster that really can’t be beaten with the regular powers of the precures, and only now do the four of them search for their power-ups that have been introduced ten episodes ago. I said this before, but power-ups in mahou shoujo (and many other anime as well, by the way) often feel a bit cheap, and are often introduced from out of nowhere. This however was really well done: it was properly introduced, the creators made sure to give it disadvantages, and so the characters tried to survive as long as possible without having to resort to it.
In any case, the really awesome part of this episode came when everyone had to take the test in order to obtain this power: fighting your shadow self (who all looked awesome, by the way). While this has been done before, the unique twist to this was that instead of defeating these shadows, Erika, Yuri and Itsuki all ended up accepting and embracing these sides of them: they weren’t trying to run away from them, and I especially love how the creators did this with Yuri.
But god dammit, we have to wait an entire week in order to see the best part! I mean, Itsuki, Erika and Yuri at this point are pretty stable characters: this episode really completed their character development, by convincing them that they shouldn’t hate the way they were. Tsubomi however was completely different: throughout the entire series, she was the one who kept running after everyone: first this was Erika, then it became Itsuki. She really helped and supported both of them.
To me, it really seems like she’s looking up to her other three companions, and that’s what the end of this episode pointed at: she wants to improve so badly so that she’ll keep within their shadow, that she can’t accept her own shadow. Or at least, that’s what I make of it. Next week can’t come too early.
Rating: *** (Awesome)
It’s a very interesting episode,it’s essentially everyone reviewing what has changed in their selves by confronting their shadows. I don’t think Blossom’s shadow is about her trying to catch up to the others, I think it’s more that she doesn’t notice/feel that she has changed for the better, and that’s shakes up her self esteem a bit.
Fighting but having to accept one’s ‘shadow’ self is NOT unique, btw. It’s a pretty common twist. Still makes good character development.
I looked forward to Tsubomi’s fight the most and it’s next week, darn it.
Haha I’ve always known the resemblance and ended up liking HeartCatch because of it, but the big guy totally looked like the Heartless Darkside in Kingdom Hearts
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20090511005439/kingdomhearts/images/9/9c/Darkside.png
Dark Tsubomi looks amazing.