Release date: July 14th, 2002
Word count: 28,142
Word count: 28,142
Thoughts: After intermission the show starts with Romeo and Juliet meeting in secret. This totally reminds me of Arc 4's S&S post reconciliation.
Even though Wish-chan couldn't write out the whole musical for obvious reasons, I'm grateful for the parts that were there. I actually took the time to weave together all of the Star-Crossed parts in one document to create an un-cut experience.
More Arc 4 foreshadowing includes Eron's character professing his love and willingness to wait for Juliet's love in return, and the Friar advising Juliet to forget about Romeo.
Star-Crossed is an unbelievably beautiful story within the story that is NT. It's just as exhilarating to read it now as it was the first time. I just think that it's a shame that all of this hard work resulted in only one performance!!
How Kai managed to pluck those earrings from the twins' ears and plant them and the rest of the treasures on stage by switching them with the prop ones is beyond me. Too bad a magician never reveals his tricks.
The Fates asked Sakura if she wants to know if she'll defeat the dark ones or if she wants to know how things will work out with Syaoran. It was 2002 for us readers. I guess she should have said yes because it's now 16 years later and we still don't have those answers!!
Wish-chan writes some horrifying scenes through out history to show Sakura that Fate is unchanging. The part with The Plague is just all too real with what's going to happen at the end of Arc 3.
The quality of writing has improved leaps and bounds. It hasn't even been three years since the Prologue, yet there's already so much more maturity in the text.
An important theme from Clear Card ep 16 was how person is in charge of their own happiness and shouldn't live for others. Wish-chan said that it was a message she drives through NT and here we have Syaoran asking Sakura, "Isn’t that human nature? Selfishness. Being content and thankful for your own happiness" after she accuses him of prioritizing himself.
It's not often that original Sakura Cards get featured so I was totally taken by surprise when Sakura used Return.
I enjoy the themes of love in NT. First love vs adult love, your most important person doesn't have to be be the person that you love, and love is a mysterious venture to find the missing part of your soul.
Getting to see the flashback of S&S as toddlers is beyond adorable. It makes me think of Asumei's fanart, A New Beginning. With Nadeshiko and Ryuuren passing as such a young age, their children represent the next chapter.
Reading about Sakura as Juliet being fake pierced in her bosom makes me think of the April Fools Massacre and that gives me chills.
The second kiss was absolutely divine. I highlighted that moment as an annexe for anyone who wants to relive it.
Kai was touched when Meilin gave him flowers even though she didn't think much of the gesture herself. It made me think of Wish-chan's recent comment of how she never set out for Meilin to be Kai's girlfriend but he chose her himself.
Miho gets the most applause after Sakura and Syaoran and that makes so much sense. As the narrator it was her job to take the audience by the hand and lead them through Star-Crossed. She has the closest bond with them and they truly appreciate her.
Fanart spotlight: S&S's second kiss by Wish-chan was an easy choice for this chapter, which is something I can't say for some of the upcoming ones. I really love that this isn't Sakura's first kiss, which is one good thing to come out of the practically forgotten summer smooch. I like the way we get Sakura's reaction to Syaoran's action and an idea of their costumes.
I love all of your reviews so much Amethyst-chan! You have so much perseverance on this.
ReplyDeleteI'll add in one thing I was thinking while reading this chapter - it's emphasized so many times how Kai gives his all to this project by bringing out the best lighting and technical effects. And I noted that Kai started showing interest in the musical right after Tomoyo informed him that this play was written by his mother. So he has the same motivation as Miho, and I can see him wanting to make his mother's work the best performance Tomoeda has ever seen!
Another thing, I wrote on the NT Group many years ago that StarCrossed parallels a lot of things in NT Arc 3 and 4. I'll archive that post here, just for ease of access:
(Written on the Yahoo Group on March 29, 2013):
I know its been said before, but I was surprised at how much the plot of the Star-Crossed play is actually the plot of New Trials, and I was constantly seeing parallels to the ending of Arc 3 and Arc 4. For example, before the play both S+S had a dream where the Fates were about to cut off Sakura's lifeline, but Syaoran goes in and stops them from cutting the thread. Isn't that the part where after sealing the Plague, Syaoran saves Sakura from dying?
And the plot of the play is almost a lot like what actually happens with S+S: Like Romeo is exiled from Verona (Syaoran leaves for Hong Kong). However Juliet refuses to accept defeat and is determined to see him one more time (Sakura going to Hong Kong to see him). Everyone keeps telling Juliet to forget Romeo, and she says she can't (Sakura forgets Syaoran). Juliet agrees to marry Count Paris (Sakura and Eron's track), Romeo comes back and clashes with Paris (animosity between Syaoran and Eron), Paris tells Juliet that he realizes she doesn't love him, but he just wished she did (Eron giving Sakura up for these very reasons), Paris striking Romeo a death blow, but Juliet comes in between (Jealousy card - where Eron fights and nearly kills Syaoran, but Sakura comes in between - at least nothing fatal happened.) And then I'll stop here and not think about Romeo and Juliet dying, because Shakespeare was tragedy whilst New Trials will have a happy ending. :)
Furthermore, during the play when the Mirror gets activated and the Fate strikes, Sakura is adamant to go inside the Mirror but Syaoran is against her decision, because what if they get separated? But Sakura says she trusts Syaoran will come after her. This reminded me of the Fantasy-Memoria bit, where Syaoran only goes in to search for Sakura.
(End of post from March, 2013)
Kirei Blossom~*~
Thanks for stopping by, Kirei-chan! I'm happy that you're enjoying my blog. I'm actually in Russia now on vacation, which explains my absence. I saw that you post about taking a NT hiatus. Hmmm, with the chapters getting longer and longer I can't say for sure if I'll be on Chapter 48 in a month, but I'd like to try! At least I only have to wait until Ch 51 before I need to draw another fanart!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a sweet thought about Kai! Of course it also occured to me that being in control of the lights and special effects places all of the advantages on his side to pull off those treasure swaps.
That post of yours completely escaped my memory so thank you for digging it up. It's as if a part of Wish-chan was impatient to get the story going so she teased many elements through Star-Crossed without any of us knowing better. At least nothing came out of Romeo and Rosalind being together unless you go the opposite direction and count Syaoran and Erika going to the winter dance together way back in Arc 1.