｢Saimoe ‘12｣ “Groups C & D – Day 4″ ~ Second Round Results

Even though not as many fake votes permeated the matches here, there was some considerable doubt on whether Ui or Makoto could upset the favorites until after half the match has ended.  Yayoi’s victory means she is the first Pretty Cure to advance into round 3 in a long while (at least six years), but this could be Louise’s last victory of her career, considering a higher-ranking representative of Kugimiya is up ahead.
Compared to the other second-round matches, these two fixtures are pretty tame unless something striking happens.  Yui and Elly should clash for the first Block F spot at stake; supporting the reserved member of the core four to advance as far as possible.  Kurumi is a paradox: a Kugimiya representative who could spring an upset even though she had a strong showing so far.  Yumi may be the weakest Saki fighter left, but she’s more likely to knock out Kurumi, and Sakuno is also strong enough to make this a three-way battle.

The merger of Yuihime and Kagamidai Schools is the focus of the annual strong visual novel adaptation.  Despite not being a strong team overall, the Mashiro-iro Symphony faction seems to know which of their heroines stand out over others.  Nuku Club leader Miu eventually gets the most screentime to secure her top rank without global support.  Sana, afraid of the boys and at second, is a breakout character.  The kaicho and ace Airi is a little low at third, but her preliminary results put her among other weak fighters.  Fourth is Sakuno, the dissenter from Kagamidai, and she had the luck to advance at the edge of a first-prelim and an easy first round, and knocking out a Kugimiya fighter (no matter how minor) will help her out.  Ange is stuck at the last of the rank with an unfortunate modifier of being a foreigner.