Ouch. Hmmm, I guess I know where you come from, comparing the anime to the manga. More often as not, the anime pales in comparison! I'm not a rabid clamp fan, so when I read TRC, I wasn't too thrilled with how much the art had changed since WISH and X. *shrugs* I guess it's all right for some, but I prefer the older "baroque"-style of clamp. Thanks for the info!
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle tv Review
CLAMP's Sakura Kinomoto and Syaoran Li are back, but they're not the same characters we've come to know from Cardcaptor Sakura. This time, our pair is from the magical country of Clow, where Sakura is the beloved princess and Syaoran is a commoner working as an archeologist. He's tasked with exploring the ruins of Clow, which seem to hold magical power. Our two characters are destined for each other, but many perils lay in their path.
When visiting the ruins, Sakura is mesmerized and drawn into a strange gateway on the wall. Evil forces are at work and try to steal her away to another dimension. Syaoran prevents her from going but, in the process, scatters her feathers (representing her memories) across multiple worlds. With Sakura unconscious, Syoaran must travel to each world and recover Sakura's memories. Upon visiting the dimensional witch, Syaoran is given two traveling companions, each with their own reasons for going on a journey between worlds. They are also given Mokona, a magical creature that allows them to communicate and travel between worlds.
Their journey begins here and many dangers await them on the road ahead.
Story & Characters
Those who've read the manga would have known that TRC is a series where Clamp combines their favorite characters
across their known series and put them together in one plot.
Personally, while the idea of travelling across dimensions may be fresh, it seems to me to be just one of those
techniques used to reduce the emphasis made on characterization. For TRC, most of the characters are underdeveloped,
appearing for a couple of scenes, saying a couple of lines, and then disappear. It's almost as if Clamp is writing
an alternative universe fanfiction based on their own stories.
However, due to the complexities of the plot (far too much plot twists though, in my opinion), one, while looking
forward to how Clamp is going to resolve it towards the end, wonder if Clamp is able to do so without giving it a lame
ending after all.
It's a series that you can watch if you are a Clamp fan. But if you are one who doesn't always agree with
them, you may want to spend your time on other series instead.
Rating:
Art
As expected from Clamp, the artwork is not that bad. (Just a hell lot of feathers flying around all over the place
sometimes.) Of course, the quality of the art in the anime pales in comparison to the manga, but animating a series does
that more often than not. So artwork is better than most of the animation series that I've watched.
There are some scenes though where you want to cry at how terribly the art was murdered if you are a rabid Clamp fan.
However, in my opinion, TRC is a series where you watch it only if you are a) a Clamp supporter, b)one who watches anime
for its art and pretty much nothing else, c) one who watches every single anime that's popular in its time.
Rating:
Sound
Too game-like for my liking. Sounds gorgeous on its own, but not particularly fitting when put against the series. I
feel like I just walked into a Final Fantasy game rather than watching an anime. The background music uses too much
grand fanfare, and battle sequences are filled with more of suchlike. There isn't much BGM used especially for
normal conversations or reminiscent flashback scenes though, as if those scenes are not deemed worthy of a background
music. While fanfare is good once in a while to create an impact, too much of it bores.
On the good side, they have a pretty good choice for opening and ending songs though. Blaze (OP, I can't remember
who sang it) is pretty catchy and rather typical of Clamp adventures...reminds me a little of Cardcaptor Sakura,
actually. The ending, Loop, once again Sakamoto Maaya has outdone herself again. ^_^
Rating:
Presentation
Animation sequences are rather stilted, dialogue seems forced. Like I said previously, I feel like I'm playing a
game more than watching an anime. Well, even the plot is similar to that of a game...go to new level, find the feather,
fight the boss of that level, and then proceed on. The more you proceed, the harder the boss is to defeat, but your own
HP level increases as well. Along the way you will pick up items that are useful....yea, does sound like a game to me.
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles will probably make a better game than anime.
Enjoyability though...one will laugh at how Fye and Mokona gang up against Kurogane, calling the self righteous warrior
with cute nicknames and the such. Mokona is a cute white beanbun, but such humour tends to get old after a while. Even
Mokona's random "puu" and whatnot gets on your nerves in another episode or two. Maybe it will improve
after a couple more episodes, where we actually get a little more intellectual humour?
Originality wise...not much to say about it. It's pretty typically Clamp, as I've said. Feathers flying all
over the place, lots of shiny sparkling flashes of light...But it's impressive how Clamp can create so many
different alternate universes for our heroes to travel to, different conflicts in each of these universe etc. That is
most admirable.
Rating:
Final Verdict
6.3333 (average)
Reviewed by majokai, Apr 30, 2005
Comments
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sylvacoer Apr 30, 2005
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LucyXlostangelwings Apr 30, 2005
*sigh* I was a bit disappointed with the anime. So I agree with your views, but maybe you might change your mind if you watched all of the anime before reviewing, since only three have been shown. Nevertheless, a good review.
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majokai Apr 30, 2005
Quote by sylvacoerbut I prefer the older "baroque"-style of clamp. Thanks for the info!
I prefer that too. I had so much trouble trying to read TRC coz it's just so different from what I'm used to.
Quote by LucyXlostangelwings*sigh* I was a bit disappointed with the anime. So I agree with your views, but maybe you might change your mind if you watched all of the anime before reviewing, since only three have been shown. Nevertheless, a good review.
Yea, I'm hoping that it will improve too, as the anime progresses. Though it doesn't seem to be very promising now.
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Ladholyman May 02, 2005
It's not done yet! There may be still hope! Although I wasn't really fond of Clamp works to start out with, this one looks to be somewhat interesting.
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Ritalin May 03, 2005
I don't see how you can review or gain an opinion on the anime.... when it isn't even done yet.
No, I'm not a clamp fan, but I believe there should be some fairness.
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KisekiAeon May 04, 2005
hmmm...I found the anime ok so far, but after reading your review, I do see a few faults with it. Even now though, I still prefer the manga, since the series will most likely cut short for worlds within the manga.
It would be nice if they did actually make a game for Tsubasa. It would be interesting at the very least. =)
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satan123 May 04, 2005
this anime was a letdown....the characters are taken from other anime ...and this means lack of originality..c'mon we sure do want to see new characters than old ones right?
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daisukeniwa05 May 08, 2005
Quote by LucyXlostangelwings*sigh* I was a bit disappointed with the anime. So I agree with your
views, but maybe you might change your mind if you watched all of the
anime before reviewing, since only three have been shown. Nevertheless,
a good review.
same here. but i thought that the background music fits the point of the story when it neeeds to be. remember it is a shojo and not a shonen. i love the opening and ending theme music.. it somethig new, but i would have waited to read all the vol. of the manga, then watch the full difference to compare for a better review. -
Vasiliki May 08, 2005
I like the anime O.o.... *pif* just one question why are their arms so long O.o anyway i think it is cool but u can judge by the first epeisodes O.o I noticed that sometimes the first are the most boring episodes
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Mikazuki-chan May 15, 2005
It's a good reveiw but I gotta say that its a bit harsh on the anime. I mean, we're only 6 epidsodes into it! And i agree with Vasiliki, the first usually are the more boring episodes. Give Tsubasa some slack!!
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munji May 18, 2005
Quote by satan123this anime was a letdown....the characters are taken from other anime ...and this means lack of originality..c'mon we sure do want to see new characters than old ones right?
one of the main things about TRC is the re-use of sakura and the guy(i forgot his name) i think,
the manga is good, but the anime was kind of a let down, the op and ed is nice, but the anime might get better as it goes by, can't judge the whole thing by the first couple eps
and is it just me or are not only their arms but their legs as well, really long compared to their bodies
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bleakreserve May 19, 2005
Wow i can't believe art didn't get a near perfect rating since they are the people who made Chii, a very widely known and kawaii character. I must admit, the bodies are a bit elogated but that is a style and there is definitely personality to the characters. I think overall the anime has a sort of personality to it even if it uses seemingly conventional plot and "values" to put forth. I guess the overall rating is fair and your points are very valid, i would give it a mid 7 though so not to discourage people from checking it out. I also love the music, its soooo soothing... i guess i'll stop rambling now. a very fair review!
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BLKnWHT May 21, 2005
ummm....If I was you, I should out art in 10/10....
Clamp...well they draw manga really good....But good job..!! -
ch3rry Jun 07, 2005
I heard that episode 1 was quite good but as it goes along,it was quite boring.Well,they drag the story,didn't they?In episode 1-6,they only found 2 or 3 feathers where as in the manga ,they found a lot by then.(probably around 5,6,7)
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cherryblossomVNM Oct 31, 2005
I've watched all 26 episodes and currently waiting for the second seaon. By the way, did anyone happen to watch the Tsubasa movie? I wish it would hurry up and get on the internet so I can download it! I heard it's really good.
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sadotsu Nov 16, 2005
Ahem. sylvacoeur: TRC was drawn by a different artist than X and Wish. Of course the art is different.
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Yuki-san123 Sep 02, 2006
I find myself completely agree with you. I never made it through episode 2. As for the manga, I only read half of volume 1.
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SanzosSaru Sep 09, 2006
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I despise the anime...and I didn't like the manga at the beggining. I was a fan of their darker works, and this one just seemed "a happy little universe where everyone gets their happy ending". As a Subaru worshipper, this sounded quite bad.
The anime was horrible.
The manga was not^^ (and we get appearances from Sei-chan)(also, I like the music, specially the main theme for the "bad guy-ruins-myterious things yet to be revealed" called A song of storm and fire...)
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Sanisa Sep 21, 2009
Cool review
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