Tsubasa Chronicle/Strength and Kindness

Strength and Kindness
Season 1, Episode 16
Airdate	July 23, 2005
Written by	Hiroyuki Kawasaki
Directed by	Koichi Mashimo
ADR Writer(s)	Eric Vale
ADR Director(s)	Colleen Clinkenbeard
← 1x15 The Trusting Heart	1x17 → The Café in Sakura Country
Tsubasa Chronicle — Season One

Strength and Kindness is the sixteenth episode of the first season of Tsubasa Chronicle, and the sixteenth episode overall. Syaoran, Kurogane, and Fai compete in a tournament of strength.

Guest Stars:

Plot Overview

In a shadowy temple on a hill, a girl is confronted by a strange idol-like spirit. It shoots her in the head with red-colored magic, leaving a glowing red curse on her forehead. A man walks in and calls her name, cradling her body as the spirit disappears.

Two men are fighting in an arena, wearing green masks. Everyone watching them, including those sitting on thrones, are all wearing masks. The fight is interrupted by the sudden appearance of Syaoran, Sakura, Kurogane, Fai, and Mokona. Mokona says it senses something like a feather coming from the tower in the arena, inside a wooden box. Fai talks to the chairman and finds out that there is a tournament going on to decide who the strongest hero is, and the winner will receive the treasure in the box as a prize. Kurogane says that of course, they'll have to enter the tournament and win in order to get the box, and that it will be easy. While they are talking, two of the combatants throw aside their weapons and start firing electricity at each other. Fai explains this is an ability all the men of this world are born with, called "Zola's Thunder". When a stray bolt frightens Sakura, Syaoran tells Mokona to take her outside.

Kurogane fights his first opponent, breaking the guy's sword and then being utterly unfazed by a lightning attack. Meanwhile, Sakura and Mokona find a small cottage in the woods, where the man from earlier is hiding. Sakura notices he has the same eyes as Syaoran. The girl, Charme, appears behind her.

Fai fights an opponent, who fires lightning at him. He disappears, reappearing behind the guy. Back at the cottage, the girl explains to Sakura that the man, Keifer, was on his way to compete in the tournament too, but they were attacked by wolves and he was injured. He declares he will still compete.

Syaoran defeats his first opponent with a kick, not connecting but forcing a surrender. At the river, Sakura and Charme talk about Kiefer, understanding why he feels he must be strong and compete.

Kurogane and Fai have to fight now. Kurogane is sure he'll win, except he can't hit Fai, who avoids all his blows and then runs around the arena. Syaoran is completely freaked out. Kurogane follows Fai out of the ring, and they both end up disqualified. Fai hands his wooden sword to Syaoran. Kurogane slaps a masked-helmet on Fai's head, saying he never wants to see his face again. Fai says they're stuck together.

Sakura is hanging laundry with Charme, who keels over in pain. They put her to bed, and Kiefer turns to leave, because he wants to go compete. Charme says she knows why he wants to win so bad. She tells Sakura that a year ago, she went into the ancient ruins at the edge of their village, because she wanted to have a wish granted. Instead, she was cursed by the spirit that lived there, and now she is going to die. Keifer asked the spirit how he could save her life, and the spirit told him to get stronger and win the tournament to get the treasure.

Syaoran takes out his opponent in the finals, and wins the tournament, receiving a small purple amulet. Keifer arrives, demanding that Syaoran turn over the treasure. He attacks Syaoran with fire. Syaoran avoids every single attack, eventually leaping over Keifer. As he passes over the man, he sees that Keifer is crying. On the ground, Syaoran strikes with a kick, but doesn't complete the blow. He pulls out the treasure and tells Keifer to take it. Charme says that Syaoran's heart is strong.

Keifer uses the artifact on Charme, getting rid of the curse. Keifer says he will pay Syaoran back, but Syaoran says he has no need for the treasure. It was just a healing charm, and not one of Sakura's feathers. Kurogane is just a bit annoyed at Mokona for being misleading.

Keifer and Charme leave, and Keifer asks Charme what she went to the ruins to wish for the in the first place. She said there was someone she wanted to marry. They hold hands as they walk away.

Notes

Locations

• Unnamed: Men in this world have special abilities. Some have an electricity power called "Zola's Thunder", while it appears some men can control fire.

Arc Advancement

Happenings

• They arrive in a new world and compete in a tournament to win a powerful treasure. The treasure turns out to not be one of Sakura's feathers.

Characters

• Kurogane and Fai face off for the first time, and Kurogane can't hit Fai, who gets them both disqualified. Kurogane is pretty pissed off at Fai for this, since he likes to test his strength.

Trivia

The Manga

• This is the first episode not based on a story previously published in the manga.

Bumper

• Sakura

Nicknames

• Fai calls Kurogane "Kuro-pyon". This annoys Kurogane. He also calls him "Kuro-rin" and "Kuro-pon" again.

Memorable Moments

• Fai and Kurogane for pretty much the entire episode.

Reviews

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