analysis written by: Aikakone
21: A Departure and New Ties
When Umi is at home with her romantic parents, she wishes the problem she has was of a romantic nature. Well, she just might get her wish!
Later when the trio goes to Cephiro, Fyula, Clef’s spirit beast, is the one that rescues them from falling out of the sky, and that happens just right after Umi calls out for help.
When the three finally go into the throne room, Clef addresses them all as girls from another world and he tries to apologize. Umi speaks up first that he has no need to apologize because they “all” knew how hard it must have been on him. After she speaks, Clef calls out her name. In the second series, therefore, it is Umi’s name that the mage calls first, no matter now many times he refers to the other knights by name.
22: Cephiro and the Three Countries
The three girls are talking about cooking, which at first Clef finds amusing. He finally growls and starts to lose his cool when Umi continues to prattle on about frying pans and omelets. It’s a sign that she can still shake him up. He finally does have a mild blow up at them all after Fuu and Hikaru make another set of cooking comments.
When Clef uses his “Bestow Magic” on the Knights, it is Umi who gets her magic first. To be fair, it goes in Umi, Fuu, Hikaru order, the same as they awoke the Rune-Gods in the first series, but when looking for subtext anything counts!
23: Autozam’s Invasion and Lantis
Clef is not in this episode, but Umi meets the now grown Ascot. She comments to him how tall he is and how short he used to be. Maybe it’s a sign that she actually likes short men. (Read: Clef)
24: Magic Knights and the Battleship NSX
Romantic leanings are first brought for each of the knights in this episode, though we saw Hikaru’s interest in Lantis in the previous. We open to find the very famous “Thank You” or “Apology” scene between Umi and Clef. Then, again using U/F/H order, we get Fuu and Ferio and finally Hikaru and Lantis.
By now the Umi and Clef scene in this one is famous to those who love Clemi. Part of the reason to write up all these tidbits of text and subtext, however, is to prove that this scene is not the only real evidence for the couple. Even so, how about a look at the scene in question?
Umi comes to Clef late at night as he is watching the storm outside. He knows that someone is coming because he turns to the door before we ever get an indication in sound that she is coming. Umi is clearly troubled, and coming to him helps make her feel better, even if it is only to get the apology spoken.
Clef is surprised by her visit, but does not refuse her company. In fact, he conjures a chair for her to use to sit. They are able to be in silence together without having to constantly speak. It is a comforting thing, especially to the mage who generally values silence and quiet.
When Umi finally must speak, Clef lets her do so without interruption. He really listens to her, and by his expression, he is somewhat surprised by what she has to say. During her babble, she reveals that when she returned to Tokyo she couldn’t stop thinking about being able to apologize to him. It is proof that he along with other thoughts of Cephiro was on her mind in some way all the while she was gone.
Clef tells her that she did not need to apologize, and he tries to apologize again to her. Please note that this is the second apology to Umi, individually or as a group member, that he has tried to do in one night. Clef doesn’t strike me as a man who apologizes all that often, but for her he’s done it twice.
During the conversation, he also touches her hand as a gesture to show the importance of what he is saying. She is surprised by it, but does not shrink away from him. As with the fact that her name was the first individual name he spoke in the second series, she is the first knight he actually touches in this series. Unlike the other characters in the series, Clef is not one that gets all touchy-feely with the rest of the characters. It is a small but significant thing for him to touch her hand.
Later in the same episode when Hikaru and Lantis meet the other two knights in the briefing room, we see Umi already there standing by Clef and Fuu there with Ferio. It seems that every character again is standing with the preferred partner. Furthermore, we don’t know that Umi actually left the room when Clef offered to make her a sleeping potion. She may have stayed with him, but we don’t know for sure.
Fan fiction writers: this is the place to write a missing scene and put a spin on what you think might have happened! Any takers?
25: Hikaru and Nova in the Dream
All the major characters are in the throne room watching the first battle, and that includes both Clef and Ascot keeping tabs on Umi and the rest of the Knights.
26: The Magic Knights and Aska of Fahren
It is a direct continuation of the previous episode. There is nothing overtly romantic in this episode, either, but the group continues to watch as Aska enters battle with the Knights. They watch on the viewing mist Clef conjured. I’ve got to stretch a bit to find subtext in this one, by he *does* have to keep his eyes on his girl.
27: The Secret of the Pillar of Cephiro
When there is an earthquake, it is actually Hikaru who asks Clef how he is first. Sorry Clemi fans, but I guess *everything* can’t be Clemi.
We do get important story information from Clef, i.e. the secret of the pillar as the episode title suggests, but that is only after Umi asks him a direct question.
28: Hikaru and Lantis’s Dangerous Journey
This might be one of the better episodes for those fans who love Hikaru/Lantus, Hikaru/Eagle, or all three at once. There is a small scene here, though, that is adorable for being a good showing of Clemi goodness.
While Lantis and Hikaru are out searching for people, Umi is pacing the throne room. The only people who are still there are Fuu and Clef. It is Clef that asks Umi to calm down and gets her to realize she’d been pacing nervously. Fuu might be Umi’s best friend, but it was Clef showing insight into Umi’s nature and her being worried for Hikaru.
In the same scene, Umi asks Clef to tell them about Lantis. She’s still concerned for Hikaru, and she trusts Clef to tell her the truth as well as he knows it.
At the end of the episode when Hikaru is captured by Eagle, the Knights know it before Clef does. When he asks them to tell him what happened, he asks Umi first. She does start to tell him, but she needs Fuu’s help to finish.
29: Eagle and the Captive Hikaru
Clef does not appear in this episode, and Umi is only in two scenes as she and Fuu try to fly to rescue Hikaru. This is more of a Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle episode. I am a fan of theirs, too, but this is a Clemi analysis.
30: Nova and Regalia, Rune-God of the Devil
This is a stretch on the subtext-o-meter. Umi and fights Nova along with the other Knights while Clef is alone in the throne room under extreme stress in trying to find out about the evil presence.
31: Chizeta’s Mobile Fortress and the Powerless Hikaru
This episode highlights more of the Umi/Ascot aspect than Clemi. Ascot is embarrassed to talk to Umi in general, and then there is the talk about bathing, which worsens things for him.
Later when the Umi and Fuu go off to battle, all are watching in Clef’s mist. He sits on the throne away from the others and is still trying to figure out who Debonair is.
32: Umi and Fuu & Fahren and Chizeta
The battle of the previous episode continues, but Clef has gotten closer to the viewing mist to keep track of the Knights. After Umi is captured by the Djinn of Chizeta, both Clef and Ascot watching the battle back at the castle are the first to shout out her name, and they do it at the same time. There is more of an Asmi moment as Ascot in the English dub says “Umi, you can’t give up.” Clef looks on stoically as she’s taken away.
33: Hikaru’s Wish and Presea’s Secret
This is a very eventful episode for MKR couples. First we find out that Ascot loves Umi. He rushes to try to save her and later confesses his love of the Water Knight to Caldina.
After this, we see a glimpse of Umi asleep on Chizeta’s Bravada. The next cut is to Clef being worried about both her and Fuu’s capture, but his thoughts are mostly about Umi and her safety. He’s so worried about her he clenches his staff.
Clef, like Umi, gets love from other people, and we see it for sure here. While he is clenching his staff over Umi’s capture, Presea walks in on him and asks to revive Hikaru’s sword. We find out about the secret in the episode title. Clef asks Presea to return safely, and it is a very quality moment, even if it’s not Clemi. We also have the true evidence that Presea did love Clef even if she wasn’t able to tell him. Clef doesn’t believe his ears and asks her to repeat the part about Presea, but Sierra sadly says it was just the wind. Outside the room, she confesses her own love of Clef to Mokona.
34: Hikaru and Friends Torn apart
We see more couples in this episode [Caldina/Lafarga, more Hikaru/Lantis], but not Clemi. Umi and Fuu finally get their Rune-Gods to address them by actual name. Umi does this first like many other things in the MKR world-and that includes getting a certain mage in a previous episode to call her by name.
35: Umi and the Ambition of Tarta and Tatra
Umi tells the twin princesses of the truth of the Pillar and not being able to freely love. Perhaps she is thinking of Clef as she says this. One thing is for sure, she does not like the muscle-bound types like the Djinn. Maybe someone of a shorter stature (again, read: Clef) is more her style.
36: Fuu Versus Aska! The Life or Death Archery Match
There is a beautiful Asmi moment here. Yes, I admit it. Ascot who was so upset in episode 33 that he was rushing out to save Umi, finally gets his chance. He must have woken up from Caldina’s spell. He aids her just as she needs it, and she thanks him. Sadly not Clemi, but still good.
37: Revive Hikaru’s Sword!
This is a great episode that I didn’t think was going to have any Clemi at all. It does, but it’s near the end.
Fuu is saved by Ferio, and that’s a trend that at least once all the girls were captured by the enemy and rescued by some loved one. The twist is that Umi’s help and loved one did come in the form of Ascot in the previous episode, in part because Clef has to stay in the castle to guard it with his mental energy.
Umi and Ascot are still fighting together in a continuation of the previous episode. He jumps in front of Debonair’s negative energy ball in an effort to save Umi.
Clef mentally calls out through the miles for the two Knights and companions to synchronize their hearts with his. Yet again, it is Umi’s name that he says first. When the four take a shadow form as the spell starts to work, it is Umi’s image/shadow that passes over Clef first.
The level of magic that Clef did was so intense that when the four (Umi, Ascot, Fuu and Ferio) return to the throne room, Clef has passed out. Her first thought upon return is Clef. She runs to him and turns him over. He says to her in the English dub “Umi, I’m relieved you’re all right.” She only cries out his name again in all likelihood because she doesn’t think he’s all right at that moment.
An interesting parallel in this episode is that Lantis has holds the weakened Hikaru, who has just declared her love for him. Umi holds the weakened Clef who let her know he was happy for her safety. Nice parallel, Clemi fans, no?
38: Eagle’s All-out Attack on Cephiro
I think we have here what could be called a “Clasmi” moment. It’s just a bit of everything, and all-around good. Umi and Caldina are in Ascot’s room because he still hasn’t recovered from Debonair’s negative energy ball. Umi has a very sad face, but she tells her not to worry about Ascot because Clef is the one who worries her more.
We get a close-up to Umi’s clenched hands as Caldina talks about Clef. This is a similar action for Umi as the one she did in episode 24 when she was having her heart-to-heart with Clef. For this character, it shows deep emotion. Umi says she was rushed out of Clef’s room because he wanted to be alone. If she was made to leave, though, that means she obviously tried to go be with him and make sure he was okay. It would have just happened at some point between the episodes.
Caldina teases Umi that she likes Clef, and Umi’s immediate reaction is to get up silently and quickly walk out of the room. It is only when she is almost completely out of the room that she says with a fake sounding laughing tone that of course she doesn’t like Clef that way. Umi promises to come back and visit Ascot. Once she’s gone, Caldina looks sadly at Ascot as she realizes that maybe her teasing joke to Umi was actually true and that the Knight does have a thing for Clef.
The question I want to know after this scene is: Just where is Umi going? Maybe she’s trying to get away from the truth of Caldina’s teasing… or just maybe she’s trying to go be with Clef again.
Much later in the episode when Eagle tries to attack the castle, the first two people in the frame are Umi and Clef, even though both Ferio and Fuu are in the room together with them. After Clef makes his impressive magical barrier against Eagle’s attack, it is Umi who is immediately by him when he recovers and asks if he’s okay.
39: Chaotic War at Cephiro’s Castle
Clef and Umi are not together in this episode, but both go through similar plights. Clef suffers as Eagle breaks through the barrier created by his mental energy. Umi is weakened in battle with the mechas from Autozam.
40: Magic Knights and the Calm After the Storm
The three Knights go into the castle gardens after the cease-fire. There is a scene in which one boy tries looking up Umi’s skirt. Stretching a bit, this is like what Clef attempted to Hikaru in the first series that made Umi think he was a little perverted man.
41: Nova’s Battle and the Monster’s Identity
I really can’t call this a Clemi episode. There is lots of Hikaru/Eagle/Lantis, though. Ascot helps the two Knights, especially his Umi, when he goes to the gardens with his beasts again. When Ferio comes, he says it’s because Clef told him.
42: Giant Sang Yung Versus the NSX!
There really isn’t much Clemi here, either, but there’s lovely H/L/E again. In a stretch, there’s this, though. When asked why she wanted to protect Cephiro, Hikaru says it’s for “Clef, Presea” and the rest of the people she loves. Umi agreed with her, so she does want to protect Clef.
43: The Crown Room and the Pillar’s Memory
We see Clef resting in bed without his jeweled head ornament. The poor guy’s put out a lot of magic, but on the positive side there’s plenty of room in that bed for someone else!
When Eagle is loose in the castle Umi asks him what’s happening. As Clef answers her, his image is superimposed over hers.
44: A serious Match-Umi vs. Tarta and Tatra
We continue to see more “naked” Clef-that is, Clef in bed without his jewelry. I rather like the look of him that way.
As the group which does not include Hikaru, Clef or Lantis watches the approaching Bravada outside, we see Ascot and Umi standing close to each other. Presea says she is worried about Clef’s condition, that is it worse than he’s letting others believe.
One of the best Asmi moments happens as Ascot volunteers to go help Umi fight. He says that all his friends love her, and he does, too. Caldina is glad he finally admitted it. Umi’s says she loves him, too, but then adds just as she loves the others. The one name she does not say is Clef. So while Umi loves Ascot as she loves the rest of her friends from Cephiro, she does not love him the same way as she loves Clef.
45: Desperate Situation, Crisis Upon Lantis
We get to see more of Clef in his bedroom talking to Lantis, but nothing really that relates to Umi. Still, Clef looks cute there. Ascot was not in this episode.
46: Hikaru in Shock, The Truth about Nova
Umi and Clef are again separate in this episode. Clef is driven to action, though, and Presea tries to stop him. They try to interrogate Alcyone.
As Cephiro crumbles even more, it is Ascot who says Umi’s name. He, Caldina and Lafarga were in the throne room watching the distruction, and he runs out to try to help again. Caldina tries to tell Ascot that Umi is in love with someone else. She never does finish her sentence, but we know who! [His name is Clef.] In a touching moment, Ascot tells that loves Umi anyway, even if that love is not returned.
In another shot to Clef and Presea trying to interrogate Alcyone, Presea’s hands are on his shoulders.
47: The True Pillar is Hikaru or Eagle?
Umi wants to look for Hikaru, and she suggests going to Clef’s place first. Perhaps she wants to see the little mage, too.
When the hallway the group runs through starts to crumble, Ascot again saves Umi by summoning one of his beast friends. She thanks Ascot.
Later when Umi and Fuu run to the throne room, Umi shouts out Clef’s name first and starts telling him all they know. Meanwhile, Presea is not with them because she has stayed to interrogate Alcyone.
48: An Endless Battle
Clef lets Presea know that he’s going to support the castle from now on by his will and that he won’t die. He can’t die because he believes in the Magic Knights and he will also fight to save the ones he loves. As he lets her know of the knights and the ones he loes, it is Umi’s image that passes over him first.
49: The Road to Victory: The Tomorrow That the Believing Heart Opens!
In the first part, we have Sierra talking to Alcyone to get information on Debonair. Sierra is clearly worried about Clef, and Alcyone figures out that she is not Presea but that she’s on love with Clef. For him, she would do anything, and that includes giving up her identity as Sierra as long as it means she could be with him. While not Clemi, it’s a sad and lovely moment that shows the little mage needs and gets love, too.
After Debonair is defeated, we get the goodbyes of all the knights to the specific people they love. It goes Umi, Fuu, Hikaru order as does many things in the series. Clef mentally calls out to her because he’s still inside the castle. She starts to declare her love to him but stops. Unlike when Sierra declared Presea’s love to him, Clef acknowledges it. He replies a simple, “Thank you, Umi.”
In the English dub director’s commentary from the DVD, this is the information from the goodbye scene in which the three Knights talk to all their loves.
“The next line is an example of something that doesn’t translate all that well from Japanese. Umi really cares for Clef but doesn’t have the courage to tell him. The thing is, in Japanese, a lot of language exists between the lines-the stuff left unsaid. I think somehow that was lost from our version in this moment, but believe me. Umi was heartsick right now.”
One last bit of “proof” is from the artwork that accompanies the last volume. It is all three Knights as angels, and each has something from the love interest. Hikaru has the pendant from Lantis, and Fuu has the orb from Ferio. Floating above Umi’s head is Clef’s jeweled headdress-not Ascot’s hat, but Clef’s item.