Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Review
By majokai
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Review
CLAMP
Review Statistics
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- Comments
- 18
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Plot Synopsis
CLAMP's Sakura and Syoaran are back, but they're not the same characters we've come to know from Cardcaptors. 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 are trying 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 time-space 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 white pork-bun 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
- 7 (above average)
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
- 8 (good)
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
- 6 (average)
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
- 5 (moderate)
Final Verdict
6.33 (average)
Reviewed by majokai, 3y 18wk ago
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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!
*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.
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.
Yea, I'm hoping that it will improve too, as the anime progresses. Though it doesn't seem to be very promising now.
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.
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.
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. =)
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?
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.
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
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!!
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
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!
ummm....If I was you, I should out art in 10/10....
Clamp...well they draw manga really good....But good job..!!
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)
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.
Ahem. sylvacoeur: TRC was drawn by a different artist than X and Wish. Of course the art is different.
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.
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...)