Summary:
-The sky is opening up and the two god statues are glowing. Suzuran refuses to believe that this is Ashura’s fault because otherwise she’d have met that person earlier. Her tears trigger a reaction in the Ashura statue, causing it to transform the rift in the sky into a passageway into another world.
-Mokona detects that there is no feather in this world but there is in the other world, so Mokona transports Syaoran, Sakura, Fye, and Kurogane there. Along the way, Sakura has a vision of two people fighting each other against a pink moon backdrop.
-Syaoran and Sakura arrive in this new world in the middle of a battle. They are taken in by a woman named Ashura who bears a resemblance to the Ashura statue. She is fighting against the Yasha tribe, led by Yasha who is accompanied by Kurogane and Fye.
-However, the battle soon ends because the moon has risen. The two tribes are magically transported back to their own kingdoms. Ashura explains that they go up to battle in the castle in the sky before the moon reaches the center of the sky.
-Ashura takes Syaoran and Sakura in and entertains her guests. Sakura notices a familiar instrument and plays a song.
-Mokona senses the strongest power coming from the castle in the sky.
-The next day, Sakura continues to sleep, so Syaoran chats with Ashura. Mokona swallows up and sends Yuuko a special jar. Ashura explains that they’ve always been fighting the Yasha even though they don’t know where the Yasha come from. The war is over control of the castle in the sky, and whoever gains it will get their wish granted. Syaoran wants to know what Ashura’s wish is, but she doesn’t answer. Instead, she asks him if he’s a traveler and why he’s traveling. Syaoran then wants her to take him to the castle on the moon.
-When night comes, Syaoran gets some new armor and gets transported with the Ashura forces.
-He recognizes Fye and Kurogane and charges for them. Kurogane attacks Syaoran with some of his signature moves, making Syaoran suspect that they might be different people with the same souls. However, he also notices that this Kurogane also has the Souhi sword from Outo Country.
-Syaoran is able to hold his own for a while until Kurogane uses his Tenma Kuuryuusen move. Kurogane has Syaoran cornered, but Syaoran gets saved by Ashura.
-Yasha uses a technique called Yama Tengouken that rips up the ground and destroys tons of enemy troops. Syaoran is amazed by how strong both Ashura and Yasha are.

Preview:

This episode certainly had its highs and lows in animation quality. I had gotten my hopes up really high because of the quality shown off by the preview last week, but that was completely unfounded because frankly, the animation for a lot of this episode was sub-par. There were some pretty background and still shots, and the battle at the end was fairly well done, but a lot of the rest just looked poor – a lot it had to do with the odd way Syaoran and Sakura’s faces were drawn.
This world within a world with opposing sides allows them to pit Syaoran against Kurogane, which was pretty exciting to watch. Syaoran still can’t quite match up to his teacher, but he also doesn’t have as many signature moves yet. If only Fye had gotten some cool moves of his own too instead of just the bow and arrow. Ashura and Yasha are also fun to watch because you just know that those two powers will clash against each other soon. Or rather, I should say that the most interesting parts of this arc are still yet to come 🙂

19 Comments

  1. Thanks for the summary; it really cleared up some of my misunderstandings =). I’ve watched some clips of this episode, and although Kurogane and Fye don’t recognize Syaoran, Fye gives his trademark smile to Syaoran, which makes me wonder if he is actually aware of what’s going on. Or maybe he really is a different person with the same soul as Fye ._. .

    Also, has anybody noticed that although people like Tomoyo, Touya, and Yukito appear in different worlds with different lifestyles but with the same souls, you never see two of the same person in the same world? For instance, there are never two Fyes in the same world. Odd, huh? Or it is just me?

    And about Fury’s comment… well, to be honest, I’m really confused about which eye is Syaoran’s fake eye, because sometimes he’s looking into a mirror, and sometimes he’s not XD. I gave up ages ago XDXD.

    ~cilia
  2. I already watched it and I was waiting for this episode since the 2nd season began but I’m kinda dissapointed with it……I didn’t like the animation and Ashura-ou looks strange……also I didn’t like her voice………T_T

    shezaei_neko
  3. Eh? Ashura is a she? Odd… in the manga I could’ve sworn CLAMP couldn’t resist keeping yaoi out of TRC. Maybe I’ve just been been warped to the point I don’t believe any feminine-looking characters are actually female. Shoot me.

    Wererat42
  4. My friend and I have always refered to Ashura as an “it” since as far as I know Ashura is gender-less, much like the angels in Wish. Donno if that’s indeed what CLAMP intended but I don’t suppose it’s really a big deal. 🙂

    mangaka-chan
  5. Mmmm… Well, Ashura is genderless in RG Veda because of a special reason, and such reason does not exist in Tsubasa as far as we saw, so I don’t think Ashura *has* to be genderless both in Tsubasa and RG Veda. Still, there is nothing that denies nor assures Ashura’s genderless… I read the scanlated manga (Tsubasa) and there Ashura was referred as “him”, though I’m not sure if the translation was accurated. Since they didn’t do any further comments on this matter, I thought Ashura was a man in Tsubasa. Still, Ashura might be genderless… Is there a word in Japanese for queen?? I mean, if Ashura was a woman shouldn’t she be referred to as queen instead of king?? @.q” Well now I’m confused, but it’s probably useless to ponder on this, cuz it might be one of those CLAMP little misteries that they let us believe what we wanna believe ^_^U. Blablah, sorry for my babbling :P.

    Lupe
  6. I really like this Shura world arc. I adored Ashura o and the way s/he talks. I mean I only understand a few sentences of japanese but there was something in the way s/he talks that is different. His/Her voice is really mysterious and I think s/he uses a different style of speech? Am I wrong about this? If anyone knows the voice actor of this character could you tell me please? Also I haven’t figured out if his male or female. I’m inclined for the male though. I’ve read that he’s genderless but also that his male. But he totally looks like a woman and the way he dresses, I dont know (though I must say I totally love those clothes). Also could you tell me if he’s the same Ashura that Fai fears? (although in other world) Because this ashura and the other ashura that fai sealed really look different. So maybe this is other person with the same name?

    Hane

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