DsFreaks9900

I also found Brionne, too!!! I have the entire Primarina family now!!! 🥺🥺🥺🥺

This feels like a dream come true... I finally have my favorite Pokémon in Pokopia, and it looks SO. GOOD. IN THIS GAME 😭

I just... I love all three of them so insanely much. They all mean so much to me, and I'm so happy I have them all now 🥹

Bonus pic of Primarina sleeping on the marine sofa oh my god she's so adorable I love her so freaking much 😭

As someone who's always loved Popplio since day one, this makes me so unbelievably happy 😭

Hope I’m too late for Primarina Day! 😅 I just wanted to finish this piece that I started last year, and figured today would be the best time to finally finish it.

Might as well add the timelapse as well to show how much this drawing has changed from when I first started it. (And also show how much I struggled with it, especially on the background I had in mind at first. 🥲 I hate drawing backgrounds so much.)

WE 👏 STAN 👏 CURE 👏 ECLAIR 👏 IN 👏 THIS 👏 HOUSEHOLD 👏

Ok, in all seriousness, Eclair's debut episode was just simply phenomenal, and in my opinion a perfect way to conclude this fantastic arc. Sooooo how about I gush about this for a moment because oh my god this episode was just INSANE.

First of all, before we get to her transformation, we gotta talk about the buildup to that moment. Of course, naturally, it picks up where last week's cliffhanger left off. Kurea got all of her memories back, and the brief interaction between Jett, Pochitan, Mashutan, and Shushutan was so sweet and cute. 🥺 The calm wasn't for long though as Usonoir was still in his monster form even without Eclair's Makoto Jewel, and a rather big lore drop got verbally confirmed later on by Nijee: Only fairies or people with a fairy partner can enter the fields set up by the Phantom Thieves. This was notable since Kurea was able to enter their field just three episodes prior and in last week's episode.

And so, the fight resumed. But it was once again a struggle for Answer, Mystique, and Arcana Shadow. But I will say, the visuals during this fight were just amazing. In fact, the entire episode was visually STUNNING. And the fight itself before Kurea transformed was low-key intense at times.

But the episode can only go so long before the spotlight turned to Kurea. With a bit of encouragement from Shushutan, Kurea leaped into action. Literally actually, as she actually jumped off a concrete railing and basically transformed mid-air. The screenshot I attached below this paragraph is amazing-looking, but it's kinda random and funny that Kurea did it like that. HOWEVER, it felt thematically fitting as the episode showed a pigeon a couple times, and right as the pigeon took off, so did Kurea. I just love that detail.

BUT CURE ECLAIR'S TRANSFORMATION IS JUST BEAUTIFUL... It might be my favorite of the ones we have so far from Star Detective, and that's saying a lot given Answer's and Mystique's duo sequence was great, and, of course, Arcana Shadow's transformation. Need I say more about that one? And SOMEHOW, SOME WAY, Eclair's manages to not only meet the quality of the previous two, but potentially exceed them for me personally. It's just so flowy and dynamic from the various camera angles (including when the camera did a barrel roll which was really cool), and also all the various ballet dances Kurea did as she transformed. Honestly not what I expected for a character like Kurea, but I imagine it'll make more sense once we learn way more about her character. But like I said, it's still amazing either way. And yes, I did watch it more than once when I was watching the episode last night. What I found very interesting is that Shushutan pointed out this was only the second time Kurea transformed into Cure Eclair.

Now it's time for Eclair's first fight, and OH. MY. GOD. WHAT AN INSANE FIRST IMPRESSION. Now, of course, this is the first battle for a mid-season Cure, so they usually wipe the floor quickly, but even so... Eclair wasn't just strong in this first battle, she's just a VERY strong Cure in general. With the highlight being of course her signature mid-battle attack: Sparkle Time. The way this played out is just too much for me to describe, but I will say this: It's a spectacle from start to finish. It felt so different from what I'm used to seeing from Precure in the best way possible. In fact, this power of hers is arguably too good as immediately after she used it, Eclair got dizzy and had to step aside.

In a way, it might actually be kinda good Eclair has this handicap cause otherwise, it would run the risk of the fights being a little boring and last too quickly. Not to mention it leaves room to not just be a funny running gag, but also allow the other Cures to step in and provide support. AKA, still be able to work as a team and finish the fight. Or so we thought... 👀

I wish I could include a screenshot for Eclair's finisher attack: Flying Infinity. That sequence was also similarly stunning, with one moment in particular being amazing wallpaper material. And with that, Usonoir was defeated and the Phantom Thieves retreat. I already have 9 images attached to this post and can only add one more, and I wanna save that last slot for the ending of the episode because HOLY SHIT THAT ENDING WAS NUTS...

Firstly, Jett brought back the armor Usonoir wore to examine. There's still a lot about Usonoir that we currently don't know, which includes how the armor even works in the first place. There was a little tease regarding it as one of the symbols on it glowed purple, so there's clearly more to the armor than what meets the eye. My guess is this is relation to either Usonoir himself, which I doubt, but perhaps whoever is gonna be the new big bad after Usonoir. But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

As the episode concludes with a rather tense interaction with the Phantom Thieves and Luluka, which lead to a rather huge plot twist. Luluka starts with telling Usonoir three mistakes he made that ultimately lead to his defeat at Land Makoto Tower: Using Eclair's Makoto Jewel, misreading the Tome of Mirages, and assuming Luluka was trying to get Eclair back (That's the vibe I got at least). The twists come with the lore drops that happened here, namely Usonoir wasn't even the "Great King" named in the Tome of Mirages. However, that PALES IN COMPARISON to what Luluka said afterwards: She wasn't trying to get Eclair's jewel to get her back – She wanted to get it to shatter it herself.

Luluka then transforms into Arcana Shadow, basically taking Usonoir's spot for the time being. And she makes the mission for the Phantom Thieves very clear: Cure Eclair is a threat. And if she's not defeated, there will be no future for them. And the last shot of the episode was one of the lilies at the Top of Lily garden falling. Just, WHOA?! What a bombshell of a plot twist at the very end of the episode...! Arcana Shadow in her villain arc was something I don't think ANY of us expected, but now I'm so intrigued at where they're gonna take this next.

Ok, I gave myself a day to process Star Detective episode 25 and even watched it a second time today, so I think it's finally time for me to give more thoughts on this special episode. But I'm gonna say right now: It's my favorite episode of the season and maybe even of all of Precure

Just, where do I even BEGIN with this?! The entire buildup to this episode was SO GOOD. Eriza, Shiruku, Kurea, and Rei all got plenty of spotlight in their respective episodes to give hints for why any of them could be Cure Eclair. But Kurea? She had this "vibe" to her that's a little difficult to describe, but that allowed her to stand out against the rest.

I loved the teasing Toei did leading up to Cure Eclair's reveal. The way it was treated as this whole other mystery was so much fun, as it encouraged us viewers to speculate along and connect the dots. It was some of the most fun speculating I've ever had with any media, period. And the fact that this wasn't spoiled in advance was the cherry on top. AND THE EPISODE ITSELF??? Oh my god it was actually beautiful...

Luluka getting worked up about the fact that Usonoir using a Makoto Jewel that she didn't want him to use, which indicated it belonged to Eclair, and set the stakes for the encounter later on. She was ready to get at him right away, and likely would've done so out of emotion if it weren't for Mashutan. It's not even because of the risks it posed against Usonoir, but also because of how much Eclair meant to Luluka in the past. They were their own duo together in the past of course, and Luluka was clearly not the same without her. I absolutely loved the tension being set here, and this was only the appetizer for what comes later.

The calling card that was sent by Luluka and Mashutan felt different. It wasn't any kind of threat from them like before, but rather as more of a request of assistance from Anna and Mikuru. And the hint of the location sent in the card was enough to give Anna, Mikuru, and Jett a strong clue for where Usonoir and the rest of the Phantom Thieves were gonna attack: Land Makoto Tower.

The stage for the big fight is set. Usonoir makes his iconic, chilling entrance shortly after the rest of the Phantom Thieves arrive. And the first thing he does? He THANOS SNAPS EVERY HUMAN IN THE VICINITY AWAY. And the silence that followed was just CHILLING, enough to send a shiver up my spine. Only for the Cures to show up (in a very silly way) shortly after.

Just when the Phantom Thieves were ready to square up, Luluka steps up and transforms to defy the guild in hopes of taking back Eclair's Makoto Jewel. And Mashutan tells Anna and Mikuru to do the same, practically pleading to help Luluka. This wasn't simply just a personal mission for Luluka, but also because Usonoir poses that much of a threat because of how powerful he is. Even if Arcana Shadow told Answer and Mystique to "not get in her way," she knew the encounters they had prior were pracically tests for this very moment. She knew they had to work together at some point, and that point was now.

Seeing Arcana Shadow on the Cures' side, seconds away from fighting the very people she was working with, was also chilling. With no time to waste, Arcana Shadow fills Answer and Mystique in on the fact that Usonoir has Eclair's Makoto Jewel. Answer and Mystique both quickly understood the assignment, and had to work with Luluka in a really tough fight to take back the jewel. Oh, and did I mention this was ALL IN JUST THE FIRST HALF OF THE EPISODE?! AND IT ONLY GOES UP FROM HERE?!

After the eyecatcher, Usonoir unmasks himself, revealing his true fairy form. Only to absorb Eclair's Makoto Jewel, transforming into a terrifying monster. At first, the Phantom Thieves seemed mostly happy that the plan was unfolding, but that moment of so-called victory was short-lived. While it's true Usonoir was VERY powerful in this form, his control was not for long, as Arcana Shadow herself said Eclair's Makoto Jewel was resisting Usonoir. Which caused him to lose control of himself and go on an uncontrollable rampage.

And as the scene was unfolding, Eriza, Shiruku, Kurea, and Rei all attempted to make their way to Land Makoto Tower. But for a multitude of reasons, one by one, only was one was able to make it, while the rest couldn't. Eriza had hurt her ankle, Shiruku had to comfort a scared kid on a movie set, and while Rei crossed paths with Kurea and Pochitan, she couldn't make it into the Phantom Thieves' field. But that's me getting ahead of myself a bit.

Cure Answer, Mystique, and Arcana Shadow were struggling to make a dent on Usonoir. His power is just too much for all three of them combined, and hope was losing. But Pochitan had the brightest idea: Go find whoever is Eclair with the perfume Jett made at the start of the episode. With nothing else to lose, Pochitan makes haste with the perfume, hoping she'd run into whoever is Eclair. The episode cuts to memories for the 4 candidates while Pochitan flies as fast as she could. And who does she crash into? Kurea.

Kurea denies she's Cure Eclair as she just couldn't remember being a Star Detective, even with all of the times she sniffed the lilies. HOWEVER, it might've been the lilies at her store and not at the Curetto Detective Agency, though that wasn't explicably stated. What was stated, however, was something that Kurea herself said in an earlier episode: How the fragrance of a lily can bring back memories. And what did Jett use to make the perfume? The fragrance from the lilies at the Curetto Detective Agency. The lilies developed by both humans and fairies.

But things went south shortly after Kurea offered to help Pochitan, as right when they crossed paths with Rei, a strong gust of wind from Usonoir knocks everyone down. Pochitan lost her grip of the glass bottle containing the perfume, and Kurea attempted to save it while Rei jumped to save Pochitan. While Rei was successful, Kurea was not. And Kurea breaks into tears, feeling awful about failing to help. And while this was happening, that was when the Phantom Thieves set up their shield to prevent Usonoir from causing any more destruction.

With the field up, Pochitan disappeared from Rei's arms, solidifying her as not the one to be Cure Eclair. But who else disappeared into the field? KUREA. And this would begin what I personally think is the best part of the episode.

Kurea silently sobs at the puddle of perfume on the ground, feeling worse about not being able to help find the missing Star Detective... Precure. That pause of hers after what she just said did it. She passively got a whiff of the perfume, allowing her to regain her memories. And this sequence was just beautiful and VERY emotional.

The memories that come back to her were of the very lilies that were used for the fragrance used in Jett's perfume. And who else was there in that memory? Luluka. Explaining how those were the aforementioned lilies developed by humans and fairies, known as Top of Lily. And plenty of other memories flowed back in for Kurea, mainly of her time with Luluka at the Curetto Detective Agency.

The surprises kept on coming, as once Kurea regained her memories, her scrunchie slid off her hair and unraveled. The voice that came from it was immediately recognizable to Kurea: It was her fairy partner Shushutan. Resulting in one of the sweetest reunions I've seen in Precure. I've rewatched this moment a few times already, and every single time I cried here without fail. The fact that Kurea both regained her memories and reunited with Shushutan at the same time was just incredible, and the fact that Shushutan was with Kurea the whole time was just the cherry on top. The lighting in particular in this moment was just amazing. And Shushutan had Kurea's transformation item all this time, ready to give it back to her whenever Kurea got her memories back.

The episode concludes with Kurea finally reaching the battlefield, with a heavily-damaged Anna, Mikuru, and Luluka mere feet from Usonoir. Her calming voice reaches everyone, and her Makoto Jewel flings right out of Usunoir's body, returning to its rightful possessor. The stage is set for the second half of this fight to pick up next week, with Kurea ready to transform into Cure Eclair next episode. So yes, we do end this episode on a cliffhanger. 🥲

If it wasn't already clear from how much I yapped, Star Detective episode 25 is so insanely special. There's no wasted time, it's jam-packed from start to finish. And yet I didn't want it to end at all. The episode was made even better for me after remembering all of the subtle details that the season dropped leading up to this episode. Not even just during this arc, but even way before. Like that walking shot of Luluka in the opening that had some girl close to the camera for a second? That was Kurea all along. The amount of attention to detail this season has is just amazing.

Like I said already, this is my new favorite episode of Star Detective Precure. And it's not even remotely close either. For a while I was hoping Shiruku was gonna be Eclair, but I'm more than happy that it's Kurea instead. I love her character so much, and I'm so excited to see even more of her now that she's officially part of the group. As I mentioned earlier, I feel like this build-up and tease for Eclair's identity was just amazing to watch, and it was enough to make me feel happy about whoever is the one regardless. But Kurea just makes perfect sense to be Cure Eclair for a number of reasons, so I'll happy accept this.

And as for Cure Eclair herself? Well, we still gotta wait to actually see her in action as her official debut is coming up in episode 26. But I'm so unbelievably excited for that episode, and I have no doubt her transformation sequence is gonna be stellar like Arcana Shadow's and the duo sequence for Answer and Mystique.

And even though we haven't seen Cure Eclair on-screen yet, I very much think she's already one of my top 3 favorite Cures. Kurea has already left that much of an impact on me, and I'm hopeful her character continues to see the same kind of development that we already saw.