Ranked #142

Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (Manga)

Ah, Tsubasa, how I love you so. I can re-read you over and over and gain more insight on things I had overlooked before.

Story --------------------- 10

I have no doubt at all that Tsubasa is the most incredible, epic crossover series to date. Many fans of the series, such as myself, demand and insist that you at least read Cardcaptor Sakura before you begin TRC (and are familiar with other CLAMP series, such as Chobits and Magic Knight Rayearth). Otherwise, you won't enjoy this manga nearly as much. Why read a crossover series if you don't know who the characters are or are unable to understand ANY of the references? If you are new to CLAMP, the fascinating charm of "bringing back the characters" has no effect on you whatsoever, and the magic of Tsubasa is altered in a very unfavorable way. I honestly cannot stress this fact enough...the more CLAMP works you have read, the more you get out of the experience. Though not necessary, you should definitely read xxxHolic with Tsubasa. The two series intertwine heavily, with emphasis placed on the later chapters...you'll gain a HUGE amount of insight this way, and the majority of your questions will be answered.

Even though it's classified as a shounen manga, it appeals equally to both genders. Tsubasa is original and fresh, which is to be expected from a CLAMP masterpiece. It's the kind of story that sends a refreshing but ominous chill down your spine, especially in the second half of the series. I'm warning you that it slowly, but steadily grows to be extremely dark and depressing. The story plays out to be almost worthy of Greek tragedy. It becomes so unpredictable that you can only anticipate what happens next. I definitely recommend this if you like CLAMP, magical adventures, fighting action, or forbidden romance. Did I mention there's clones, time-travel, and vampires? Yeah, this is a trippy manga. Especially when the whole second half of the series revolves around the crumbling of all logic and the decaying of space-time itself. The time paradoxes ALONE are enough to fry anyone's brain.

Plot ----------------------- 9.5

In the beginning, Tsubasa grabs interest. However, the pacing begins to slow down due to filler chapters, repetitiveness, and childish innocence. It was frankly a bit boring, but I didn't drop this series because...come on, it's CLAMP. To quote kirika, anything and EVERYTHING by them will either develop into a dark, bloody, diabolically-slaughter-and-decapitate-every-living-thing-in-sight series, or into a disgustingly cute, fluffy, this'll-give-you-diabetes series. In this case, it's leaning towards the former.

At the Acid Tokyo arc, things begin to pick up with MAJOR plot twists being introduced left, right, and center. These 'twists' had been foreshadowed frequently before. The sheer number of storylines that come together will threaten your state of mental health, as they are very confusingly executed. Tsubasa begins to rely so heavily on symbolism that it can only be labeled a huge mind screw. However, CLAMP appears to be tying up all the loose ends in xxxHolic, and I applaud them from allowing the plot unfold at its own natural momentum.

It was at this time when I renewed my love for Tsubasa. It was also around this time when the plot became much "darker". Prepare for blood and angst. The story does a complete 180. Some people have a preference for the first half of the series...when no one is dying, Fai is happy-go-lucky, Syaoran and Sakura's personalities are completely yawn-worthy, and the plot lacks any promise of depth. Hey, if boring and cutesy floats your boat, you shouldn't be reading CLAMP. They enjoy making their characters go through hell and back. But they do this artfully. And they like to torture their readers.

Did I mention that every single time a new chapter came out, people would start panicking and screaming "WTF?! I WAS WRONG!" and then proceed to curse at CLAMP for making them look like idiots? And these very people are CLAMP 'worshippers'. Don't even think about coming up with theories. To quote some of my friends: "Even Einstein's brain would implode trying to understand the time paradoxes in this series. The plot's not just deep, it's BOTTOMLESS." "In fact, my brain expired three months ago." "Ohkawa has an even stranger mind than Salvador Dali, Quentin Tarantino and John Lennon put together."

There are still many unexplained questions about this series, but the vast majority of it makes sense if you have the patience to read xxxHolic, consider other fans' theories, re-read Tsubasa, and dive in a little bit on symbolism. All the true Tsubasa fans have already done this, while others start trashing this series simply because they lack the potential to understand it. You can't just skim through pages and expect to soak up all the information like a sponge. This is a manga that makes you think, long and hard. I'm quite sure that CLAMP will spoon-feed explanations to everyone in xxxHolic's ending, so make a note to check that out if the need arises.


Art ----------------------- 10

Beautiful. Just beautiful. It's the typical highly detailed hair, heavily stylized eyes and human figures, and elaborate clothing from our four lovely ladies. Over time, the art gradually undergoes a heavy transformation. It's obvious, but not in a negative way.

FIRST HALF: The characters are drawn in a stretched-out style. The lines are thin and there is little use of screentone. This takes a while to get used to, but once you do, it makes the story more enjoyable. Don't get me wrong, the art was beautiful and top-notch from the start. But it dims in comparison to the art that follows after. This drawing style suits the gentle atmosphere of the first half.

SECOND HALF: The stretchiness is less exaggerated and the lines are thicker. The art grows to be even more detailed, sleeker and takes on a more serious tone. The heavy use of screentones in the second half makes the panels stunning and filled with emotion. It just manages to take your breath away. The backgrounds might even be TOO detailed, to the point where it's hard to see what's going on. I honestly wish that they used their old shoujo style to draw Tsubasa, however. That kind of art would have translated better onto paper with the story's emotional, psychological, and tragic beauty.

Character ----------------------- 9

Context is huge in this category. Every single time I re-read Tsubasa, I discover something new about the characters. You have to read slowly, and ask yourself questions. "Why did she do this?" "Why did they exchange that look?" "What did he decide when he closed his eyes in that panel?" Tsubasa is the kind of manga that you can't read through quickly. You have to analyze and theorize. One of the main reasons that people give Tsubasa a low rating is because they aren't in tune with the characters and don't pay attention to their expressions and actions.

ABOUT THE CROSSOVER CHARACTERS: This is a real treat for CLAMP fans. People who say that the creators were just lazy obviously aren't familiar with them. In a story where countless characters come and go, do you really expect that people will remember their names? What makes these characters memorable is the fact that their personalities and traits were unraveled when they were the main focus of a different series. The very roots of their hearts, or 'souls', are essentially the same. If you've read most of CLAMP's works, you know in exact detail the lives, true natures, and pasts of every single minor character in Tsubasa (in an alternate universe). It's nothing short of extraordinary. I was struck with waves of nostalgia whenever the characters from RG Veda and X/1999 appeared.

Syaoran, Sakura, Fai, and Kurogane have distinct personalities. They change tremendously. They lie and distance themselves from each other in a way that just breaks your heart. They find the meaning of true strength and break the chains that bind their pasts. They make horrible mistakes and end up paying greatly for them. One thing that Yuuko said to Fai was, "To all the young ones in your group, you are no longer someone who passes through their lives and is forgotten. You have become someone very important to them. Your hardships are their hardships too."

Our characters become extremely well-developed and have radically different ways of viewing the world as a whole. It's impossible not to relate to them, and you are dealt painful blows to the heart with the countless numbers of obstacles that are thrown between them. I would have liked a little more development for Syaoran and Sakura, though. Their love is too "pure" for me, and they're a bit too kind-hearted for their own good. Fai and Kurogane are the ones that truly shine in this category. They're so human that it scares me to death.

Enjoyment ----------------------- 10

I enjoyed Tsubasa tremendously, and am mourning over the fact that it has ended. It was a great 6 years, CLAMP. I have no idea what to obsess over now that it's ended. This manga is definitely worth your time. So why not give it a try? You certainly won't regret it. This metaphorical gem will stay lodged in your mind for a long time to come. You'll be begging CLAMP for more. read more

*Just to warn you, this is the first review I have ever written, so it might not be that good.*
This by far is probably one of the best mangas out there that I have ever read. I have never been hooked on a manga for so long and still kept buying the next volume as soon as it came out without taking stopping ever 5 volumes. If you have ever read any of CLAMP's other works you'll sure to be able to enjoy this one.

Story:
I have to give it a ten. It's original and fresh. This is the very first manga I have ever read that the story takes place in many different places. The plot seems to be never ending because they have to find Sakura's feathers. But that is what I like about it because I really would hate to see the end of such a great manga.

Art:
I give the art a 9. Clamp just has a way with their drawings that I find very unique. It reminds me a little of a duo tema of an amateur and an expert workinbg together. But that's what gives Tsubasa it's charm.

Character:
Another 9. I love how we meet new and old characters that are originally from other Clamp works. The main characters fits right in to this story. I would have not chosen any of the other of Clamp characters to play the main roles.

Enjoyment:
I give this a 10. It has plenty of humor. There is no end to just how funny this manga can be. I just get the biggest kick out of Fai-san and Mokona. And the cliffhangers leave you wondering about the next chapter or volume which leaves much for you to think about what would happen in the next volume.

Overall:
Overall, it is a 10. Everything ties in just perfectly. The never ending supply of cliffhangers and humor. Also plenty of characters to meet and see. You can not but help to pick up this manga and read it over and over again. read more