Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Vol. #16
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August 03, 2008
by: Adam Beck
Twists are common, but will this be revolutionary to the series?
Manga Description: THE FRIENDSHIP BREAKS!
The five dimension-hopping travelers have stuck together through all sorts of worlds and all kinds of harrowing adventures. But when the group enters the ruined city of Tokyo, two powerful fugitives set in motion a disastrous chain of events that may cause their tight-knit friendship to unravel. Syaoran’s mysterious past is finally revealed, and a tumultuous battle leaves one of the friends near death, while another becomes an enemy after a shocking act of betrayal. Don’t miss this pivotal volume in the Tsubasa saga!
Includes special extras after the story!
Manga Review
Content: (This section may contain spoilers.)
Wow, this is one hell of twist. As dark as the setting is, I never expected such a significant shift in story so quickly. Forget everything you knew about Tsubasa, forget about everything you knew about Syaoran, and forget everything you knew about twists, because this will blow your mind. If you’ve been following the series lately, you’d know that the settings have gotten a bit darker, and Syaoran’s captive double has made more and more appearances, only heading towards the Syaoran we are currently following. This is pretty much one of the most intense installments into the series, offering some very bloody battles and some dramatic moments that will get to your heart. This is the Tsubasa that could not have been estimated.
The volume starts off quick as little Mokona gets a lock onto the feather and Syaoran goes after it only to find deadly claws cut through his body. This is where things quickly take a dramatic change. The Syaoran you once knew and loved is gone, vanished, erased and we get to see what has been hinted at ever so heavily: the psychopathic Syaoran. This is probably the biggest twist the series could have ever seen as the main character has now turned into a possible antagonist of the story, ripping through the arms of Kamui and even going through his comrade and friend, Fai.
There really is a story behind all of this, but it is just not revealing anything yet. What is better explained – and when I say better, I mean explained fully – is that the Syaoran we’ve been following is not the real Syaoran at all; he was made in the image of Syaoran to collect the feathers for Sakura. Why his prime directory is made for this is still unknown and I kind of like not knowing for the nonce. I’ve read too many manga where the main mystery is explained to you right away, giving you no opportunity for a surprise. Of course, it isn’t uncommon to leave you wondering as there are also lots of other graphic novels that do this, but the way this seems to display it is very appealing. Maybe it’s the violence or the sheer Terminator attitude the new Syaoran has that catches my attention, but the idea that Sakura and Syaoran are more connected than we once thought is something very interesting to read about. While it’s confusing, it does create questions that look to be better explored and hopefully answered in the future.
Now let’s get to the main point of the manga; this is almost 100% action. Besides a couple moments, this is fully action-packed and contains some of the best battle sequences witnessed in the series. Not only the best but some of the most brutal and bloody scenes - you will see throats cut, eyes gouged (off screen), legs impaled, and so much more. While there have been some terrific fights in the past, this definitely tops it as one of the most intense. There are also some really gripping scenes that depict some brutal moments, such as the bloodied up Fai or the tear of Kamui’s arms. Everything comes at you so fast you really need to pay attention and realize that it feels like an energy boost - both for you and for the series.
As you can probably tell, I enjoyed this volume very much. There have been very few installments into the series that really have caught my attention, but this twist just grabbed me and would not let go. The fact that so much happened in such a short amount of time is just mind blowing and is hard to let it sink in. At the end of the volume it just leaves you in suspense, and what wouldn’t when you have just bben bombarded with so many new ideas - many of which I don’t want to spoil.
Art: The style in Tsubasa is very rough around the edges, but that isn’t saying it’s poor. The artwork itself is well done in terms of how much Clamp put on the page, and it’s a lot more detailed, with intense face details and higher details on the battles. My only big concern is that there are times when the artwork looks very messy and even a couple times I had to look intensely to understand what was going on. The clothing is made up of specific styles that have been taken from the cultures or history within our world, but this volume seems to be all over the place. I’ve complained about previous installments having pretty dull clothing, but there is actually more variety here than there was last volume. This is the first time in a long time that the series grabbed me and took me and immersed me within the world which is strangely made up of special and environmental effects. The visuals are essentially the same, but they are much better-rounded and contain a bit more variety. They are also a lot darker and grittier than before, involving a lot more violence. Overall, the artwork is a bit cluttered, but Clamp’s style is still somewhat unique and does create a fast paced atmosphere with lots to read about.
Translation: The English-translation is done extremely well with no apparent translation issues, whether they are grammar or spelling errors, or untranslated sound effects. Sound effects are presented in Japanese (most of them are pretty large) and translated into English nearby, and when I say nearby, usually right above or below – and even inside, and on level each Japanese sound effect is angled.
For extras, there really isn’t that much, and when you’re promised “special extras,” it does hurt to see that the only thing that is included is four pages of translation notes and a very brief explanation about the creators. For a full-priced manga, it does feel a bit lacking in the extras department.
The Bottom Line: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle’s 16th volume is probably the best installment into the series I’ve read. There is action up the ying-yang and some of the most dramatic twists that you will ever see, thereby creating a volume that fights off any action-adventure title on the market. I really can’t get over the amount of content in here, even though it feels like it went by so fast. There is just too much to be loved, yet also hated about this volume - and what I mean is that traditional fans may not take a liking to the severe twist because one of the characters we’ve grown to love has abandoned the story and gone on in a psychotic path. Tsubasa started off adventurous and kind of started to head downhill with some rather bland or repetitive moments; however, with this twist, things look to only complicate things and expand what looks like a long and exciting exploration.
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Content |
Wow, just wow. Syaoran’s twist is phenomenal; it only offers to extend the hectic violence and action to a degree that had me sitting with my eyes wide open. |
8.5 |
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Art |
The visuals have just taken a turn for the best as things have gone violent and gets lots of attention to action; however, the effects can be varied. |
8.0 |
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Translation |
A near, if not perfect English-translation with vibrant dialogue and no errors within the grammar. Extras are lacking though. |
9.0 |
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Verdict
Tsubasa continues, but the plot thickens as twists are shot up like they are candy. This is really a mind blowing addition into the universe of Tsubasa that had me in awe and yet confusion. This still was good considering I wasn’t able to put it down till I was done with it. Just when you thought the series was getting a bit generic, CLAMP throws something like this in your face to revive the series into a new wave of brilliance.
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8.4
[not an average]
+ Fierce battles.
+ Involvement of all characters.
+ Story gets a huge overhaul.
- Still kind of confusing.
- The twist may not sit well with some fans.
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