Yue fans needed

[duotrouble]

One of these days I hope to make it all the way through IDing cels and actually catch them all. Apparently, that's not the case with CCS. I just finished scanning through the whole series and couldn't find 1 cel. It's this Yue cel.

http://envy.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_ ... mID=115638

I thought it was from episode 66 but I couldn't find it there. I thought it was when Syaoran was tending to Sakura laying against a tree and Yue is standing there talking to them. It's so similiar but the eyes looked wrong. Plus, I have a closer shot than what was animated.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[moonrabitt]

I have no clue, but there seem to be some extra cels that where not used in the show....So it's probably from the scene you think of...

[sensei]

I haven't screened the episode to check, I'd suggest that perhaps moonrabitt is right based on the sketches. The douga is unusual, being only an outline with no shading. I bet if you turned it over, you'd find that the shading has been done on the back rather than the front as usual. And it's very uncommon to get a rough sketch, which is your yellow genga, with a cel + douga. That suggests that it's a one-of-a-kind test cel, specially ordered rather than done as part of the usual production process.

The test cel I have of Sakura using The Sword also has a douga with shading only on the back and an odd sequence number. (A3 rather than A34 for the production image).

http://sensei.rubberslug.com/gallery/in ... emID=16215

It's lovely, regardless, as you'd expect for a cel specially made by Madhouse for a screen test.

[sensei]

To add a bit more mystery to the matter, I did look at a screencap, and the poses are very similar, but not identical in a number of ways. For instance, the screen cap shows two locks of hair coming down over Yue's left eye (on the right as you look at the cel). Your cel has three locks. Also, the screen cap shows the front of his collar in the light, while your cel has it all in shadow. But the pose is so similar in so many other ways that it seems unlikely that the studio used it in two different spots.

Also, there is another cel from this sequence, the A2, currently for sale on YJ:

http://page10.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/m54780970

And that one comes with a douga that is shaded on the front. Yet the cel has the tighter close-up, three locks on the right, and many other differences from the screen cap. But -- one last puzzling detail -- the collar in the YJ cel is partly in the light in exactly the way as in the screen cap.

Huh. I'd have to assume that both yours and the one on YJ are test cels -- not the less lovely for being so, however.

[kamidake]

I got one from that sequence too. Doesn't seem it would make sense to do a whole sequence of test cels... o_o

[duotrouble]

WOW! That's really strange. Now, it's even more of a mystery. At least I feel good that it wasn't just me having no idea where it's from. I didn't scan the first movie but I doubt it's there. I guess I'll just have to rescan all the Yue episode. Rats!

I agree with you though, kamidake. It would seem weird to make a whole sequence of test cels. I've never known anyone to do that. Now, I do know I have an Escaflowne ED where they painted all the cels pretty colors and did the whole sequence again in monochrome. Halfway through the ED they change from one to the other. Mine is right at the changing point but I don't see that happening here. Yue's eyes, the number of locks of hair and bottom of his neck vs his collar bone . . . yeah . . . it just doesn't make any sense.

Thanks everyone for trying! I'll keep looking and let everyone know if I get any results.

What number do you have kamidake? I have A1. YJ's is A2. Do you have A3? Make more of a mystery, I have the "end" cel. It's probably for the mouth layer. Now, I have to pull the cel itself out.

[kamidake]

Yeah, mine is A3. I don't think it's from the movie since movie Yue colors are different (darker, not as vibrant) Could be that they painted cels for the sequence then decide not to use it. :\

Yup, it's a mystery. But please post here if you have any luck finding it in the show.

[duotrouble]

Okay, no problem.

I went ahead and located the other Yue sketches that came with that Yue cel. I have added them to my gallery for a short time only. Now, I see why I was sure it was in episode 66.

http://envy.rubberslug.com/gallery/inv_ ... mID=263189

I'm beginning to think more and more that they did decide to animate it slightly differently. Although why is a totally other question. I still love him even if he is a test cel like sensei suggests.

[sensei]

Maybe the better term is "deleted scene" rather than "test cel," as duotrouble's sketches nail the fact that this close-up image was planned out as an integral part of the show. It's not unusual for cels to be painted, then have their footage end up on the cutting room floor as the studio fine-tunes the running time to the second.

Madhouse did animate one crucial scene (the Ep. 42 "Transfiguration" when Sakura realizes that her heart is full of [The] Light [Card]) at least twice, as there are lots of cels out there that are visibly different from the filmed sequence in coloring and even in pose.

Those roughs, btw, look to be done by Kumiko Takahashi, the series animation director (you can check the end credits to confirm). The drawing style looks similar to my roughs from Ep. 69, which he supervised.

[duotrouble]

Well for my gallery's sake, I'm calling it episode 66. I'll add to the description that it's probably from a remade scene.

I find it so educational every time I do a little work to my gallery. Maybe after my holiday rush I'll find a moment to frame by frame that episode . . . just to make sure.

Thanks again, everyone!