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Precure Day 112

Episode: Futari wa Precure Splash Star 14 - “Mysterious Transfer Students! Michiru and Kaoru Have Arrived!” Date watched: 11 April 2019 Original air date: 7 May 2006 Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/XNuTqXd Project info and master list of posts: http://tinyurl.com/PCDabout

they’re here~

While Saki and Mai are at the Sky Tree thinking about what they’ve accomplished so far and discussing how the tree seems to connect people by fate, two mysterious girls show up.

These are Kiryuu Michiru (with the red hair) and Kiryuu Kaoru (blue) and if you hadn’t guessed by their hair and eye colors and distinct outfits and vacant faces, they’re important characters. They show up, they briefly talk about fate and friendship with Saki and Mai, and then they disappear as a very strong wind blows. The girls are left a little bewildered by this encounter.

I should add that this episode has some more great Saki faces. Check the gallery.

The next day at school, in an amazing coincidence, the two girls transfer into their class, and despite their odd mannerisms, Saki and Mai try to befriend them and show them how things work. Though their social skills are extremely lacking, they adapt quickly to the new school, figuring out how to do simultaneous equations after briefly looking at the textbook and becoming extremely adept at volleyball while playing it for the first time. This catches the attention of most of the class, but Hitomi in particular gushes over Kaoru’s skill and suggests she join the softball team. Kaoru retorts that she doesn’t like being told what to do and tells Hitomi in no uncertain terms to mind her own business. Harsh. After gym class, Saki and Mai go into damage control mode, trying to reach a peace and understanding between all parties involved. Mai starts to assure the transfer students that everybody just wants to be friends with them, while Saki seeks out Hitomi to get her to talk to the Kiryuu sisters. Unfortunately a new general from Dark Fall decides this is the perfect time to play his hand, so the heroines head outside to find the source of the dangerous presence Choppi feels. They are introduced to...... Dorodoron!

he is less intimidating than he appears

I’ll get into the etymology later, but he represents and controls the ground, so he creates an Uzainaa out of the plant bed seen above. Mai and Saki transform and Dorodoron demands the location of the Fountain of the Sun... but before they can even tell him “no” he gets distracted by the general noise coming from the school, and tells the Uzainaa to destroy the whole thing. If I tell you that this doesn’t work, you will surely be extremely surprised. But yeah, Bloom and Egret manage to overpower the Uzainaa, even after Dorodoron binds them to himself with spider webs. They break free because they won’t stand to have their friends hurt, and perform Twin Stream Splash to dispel the monster, who leaves behind many earth spirits and a Miracle Drop. They skip the stock footage of dropping it in the Fairy Carafe for once, maybe because they’ve sold enough toys.

Back in the classroom, Saki, Hitomi, and Mai approach the sisters to offer to eat lunch with them.... only for them to stare blankly because they didn’t bring lunches. So everybody in the class offers to share with them, and the gesture does seem to get through to the stoic duo.

roll credi- wait we’re not done yet?

Immediately following this we’re treated to a second visit to Dark Fall HQ, as Akudaikaan complains that Michiru and Kaoru have abandoned their posts at the fountain they’re supposed to be guarding. DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNNNN.

Okay yeah so the secret of the Kiryuus’ identities is pretty common knowledge after 13 years, as are most surprise villain characters. We’ll get into what makes them distinctly special and memorable as the show goes on but for now, their social awkwardness and disdain for taking orders should start to make more sense. Also, while I can’t qualify this observation very well, the two of them have always looked kind of evil. I think it’s the hue of their hair and eyes, and constantly vacant faces. They out-main character the main characters (see above picture). It turns out that their goal is to gather information on the Precures since they defeated both Moerumba and Karehaan already, they must be formidable. Dorodoron shows up again and is surprised to see the two of them out and about, reconfirming for the audience that they’re all on the same side. The sisters watch Saki and Mai walk home from afar, and the episode ends for real.

I’m watching you, Wazowski. Allllllways watching.

It’s not stated explicitly in the episode but the two sisters seem to control the element of wind, so that’s most likely the Fountain that they’re in charge of guarding for Dark Fall. They follow in the path of Irisawa Kiriya from the first season as villains who choose to hide their villainy from the girls, and instead sneak up to them and observe them from their level before getting involved. Meanwhile, another general (Poisony in FWPC, Dorodoron in SS) makes the obvious attacks and takes the fall each week when they inevitably fail. Their disdain for authority is a bit different, though. We’ll explore the similarities and differences between the Kiryuus and Kiriya each episode.

I don’t really talk etymology very often because I don’t speak Japanese, but for Michiru and Kaoru I’ll make an exception, because they’re the rare characters whose given names are actually written in kanji.

Their family name, Kiryuu, roughly means “Pure Mist”, a possible allusion to their dual loyalties. Kaoru’s name uses the kanji for fragrance or scent, while Michiru’s uses the character for “fullness”, “enough”, or “satisfy”.

I can’t actually see any particular significance to these names, so it’s a bit strange that they weren’t just written in katakana like usual. Maybe it’s just a way to set them out as different.

I also want to talk about their clothing choices. When we first meet them by the tree, they’re wearing these ominous grey and black outfits.

Grey turtlenecks, grey boots, dark blue or black slitted ankle-length skirts, purple leggings, and color-coded gemstone necklaces. (again, a lot like Kiriya’s necklace). The lack of color except for their pendants, hair, and eyes, especially in contrast to everything else in their world, is extremely stark and I dare say that their attire is suffocating. It does kind of speak to the oppressiveness of the villains, although later shows will explore this a lot better. (looking at you, Fresh and Kirakira)

Conversely, when they don the school uniforms, they look more natural but their icy personalities still set them apart. Also, it’s been pointed out in a few places that the two of them strongly resemble Nagisa and Honoka, even moreso than Saki and Mai do. I disagree with Michiru, but Kaoru’s hair is very similar to Honoka’s, especially from the back. Compare to Mai:

So if you want to think of Michiru and Karou as evil clones of Nagisa and Honoka there’s a bit of basis for that. Their appearances are another thing that will start to evolve over the show, so definitely be looking forward to that. And that’s about all I have to say!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 0 Zekkouchou Nari!

Miracle Drop Count: 1