Ranked #1509

Clover

I've read the Clover manga except for the fourth volume (it went out of print before I had the money to buy it), but one thing about it is that it features what I consider to be the most spectacular art in manga I've seen to date. Even the way the panels are laid out are unique and are tailored to meet the story's and art's need rather than the other way around. While I'd love to see the Clover manga turned into an anime, I'd be terribly afraid for the art quality - it would have to be top notch, all the time. Otherwise, it would just ruin the entire thing.

This special doesn't really focus so much on the story or character development, which is where this special falls short. It's only a few minutes long, after all, and you really have to have an idea of what the manga is about if you want to understand it. Still, this special literally brought the manga to life. A haunting, melancholy voice sings the Clover song constantly throughout the piece, just like it does in the manga. The animation is smooth and the action scenes, while short, are brilliant. No expense seemed to be spared to re-create CLAMP's breathtaking artwork, from the little details on Suu's wings to the giant, animated fairy statue in Fairy Park.

Overall, I loved it and I wish this kind of quality could be carried over into a full-length anime. Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would be willing to budget that kind of project, but I'd rather leave it animation-less than have it turned into a cheap, poor quality anime. read more