This will sound strange but I honestly believe that this anime would be better
without Sakura. She's honestly the most cliched and less interesting character on this show, plus her voice actor is annoying as Hell. What's more, thew riters continue to devote half of the storyline to hammer in the fact that Sakura is cool and powerful and oh, so nice. We get it already.
The way this episode started, I assumed that we would be led right up to the confrontation with Kurogane and Fay (thankfully it looks like we get that next week, making this arc a 3, maybe 4 episode one). Instead we get Sakura, being "cool" and a flashback with a supporting character that is only with the cast for this act. We get it. Her mother was killed. We don't need one flashback PER EPISODE to remind us how traumatised she is.
Mokona was cool though and the animation was top notch. But nothing really happened!!! Grrrr....
More on the DS game!
IGN reports on the Tsubasa DS game:
In the game, you play as Sakura and Shaoran, and travel to various countries on adventure as you search for "Tsubasa" memory fragments. During adventure sequences, the system's top screen is used for conversation scenes, with the bottom screen and touch pen used to select new locations. Battles are turn based, making use of cards.
Tsubasa Chronicle will also include competitive wireless play.Sounds great! What do you think?
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
New "Hidden Section"!
Loop now has a new "Hidden Section"! See if you can find it! Here's a clue: It's called "108 Secret Techniques". ;)
p.s. Still need lots of nominations for the awards guys! Send 'em in!
Tsubasa Game for the Nintendo DS!
Wing Journey reports that there will be a Tsubasa game for the new Nintendo DS and that it will support wireless play! No word on how many players, though it would be a great game for that feature! Imagine having a team of Kurogane, Saoran, etc! Battles will be based on a card like battle system.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
The Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle People's Choice Awards!
Inspired by the Amazoness Quartet, Loop will be hosting the The Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle People's Choice Awards! A new annual award where visitors to Tsubasa fansites can nominate their fave sites to win the best site award (and numerous other awards!)
We are currently in the Nominating Phase!
The Categories
Best Site 2005THE award of the awards! The winner of this award will win the grand prize for having the best Tsubasa site online regardless of category.
Best Character Shrine 2005This award will be awarded to the best Tsubasa site that focuses solely on one character, or a special group of characters. Example: A Kurogane site, a Sakura and Saoran site or a Kudan site, etc.
Best Fanlisting 2005Basically, the best Tsubasa fanlisting! Basically. ;)
Best News / Resource Site 2005This award will go to the best Tsubasa news and/or resource site online.
Nominating
The awards are currently in the Nominating phase where you, the fan nominates sites in one or more categories by emailing me at
s h u t t l e c o k @ h o t m a i l . c o m with the name of the site/s, the category and the link to the website.
For exmaple
Site Name: Loop
URL: http://www.cafeanime.com.au/Loop.html
Category: Best News / Resource Site 2005Nominations close 7pm 11th June 2005 after Episode 10 finishes airing in JapanThe top three sites with the nominations in each category will then be announced and voting will begin via an online voting system.
The Prize
The prize for the Best Site 2005 is a copy of the 2 singles, Loop and Blaze directly from Japan. However the prize pool my grow depending on my budget, but I think that's pretty good so far don't you? The winning sites in every category will also get permanent links on this site offering potential for numerous hits to their sites AND special, unique buttons for each winner's site.
Episode 7
This episode was interesting as Saoran and the gang arrive in their second world. The main concepts of the series have been introduced so the story kicks of straight away and judging from the preview for Episode 8, I'm guessing this arc will only go for about 3, maybe 4 episodes! Great stuff. A much faster pace so far than the Hanshin arc which was starting to bore a LOT of people.
Something that really impressed me with this episode was the new music themes! Almost all the music was new for this world and those bits that were used from the Hanshin arc where given a slight twist to suit the new, ancient Korean world. i.e. some oriental strings added.
Animation was top notch, no wierd looking Mokona like last week, though Sakura is really annoying me now. It's like they're going for the "She's so quiet and worried... that means she's deep and cool!" but it's just pissing me off. I don't know why but the voice actress sure isn't helping.
No major deviations from the manga that I can remember. Didn't catch Miyuki, though will double check this evening.
Great episode.
Ah...
Oops, also added two banners for you to link back to us (please do!) and the big competition will be announced tonight after my thoughts on Episode 7 are posted (only 2 hours away!!!)
Loop on the charts, Soundscape News, Figure Previews and New Sections!
Some news from Japan; Loop, the ending theme for Tsubasa is number 8 on the Japanese charts!
Also, while shopping I found a real ad for the first Tsubasa soundtrack, so I took a photo on my mobile and here it is for your viewing pleasure! Please don't post this pic on other sites, though you can link to Loop. ;)
Click here to view the adIn some more news, I have a pic of the two chess pieces in Clamps next volume of their file magazine; Yuko and Fay!
And finally, the first of our "Hidden Sections" is online! Hope you can find it (it honestly isn't that hard. ;) )
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
How to make money online...
Several people have asked me how I make money online, so I've posted links to the three main sites I use on a regular basis. PureProfile is the best so far offering great money for filling in surveys (about 2 a week). The links are on the right side menu. Hope they're useful.
Got it!
Just a quick note that I've decided what I'll do for the "big competition"! Full announcement coming tomorrow! :D
Saturday, May 14, 2005
Episode 6
The episode just finished airing here in Japan 2 minutes ago and as it did, so did Tsubasa's first story arc! That's right! The Hanshin arc is now over and they finished it in great style with inspiring music (though no new cues), the best animation so far in a series (Sakura's waking scene in particular was A+!) and more closure concerning Hanshin than the manga gave (i.e. revisiting Toya and Yuki, etc).
These episodes keep getting better and next week's looks like it'll blow us away with one of the more interesting arcs from the manga in a heavily asian influenced world. This will be particularily interesting as the anime seems to have more of an asian feel than the manga via some music cues (the title screen for example).
Can't wait for more!
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Some Downloads For You!
Have had these on the server for a while but the net's been slow so I havn't been able to link to them!
First up, the teaser for the Tsubasa/xxxHolic movie in good quality Quicktime format!
Right Click, Save Target AsSecondly, some bgm from the first episode to tide you over until the soundtrack's released.
Right Click, Save Target AsAnd finally, the title chime on every episode.
Right Click, Save Target AsPlease DO NOT POST THESE on other sites or forums. If you want to tell other people about these downloads, please ask them to visit this site. Cheers! Enjoy!
Loop Released!
Well, the first Tsubasa cd single was released yesterday here in Japan so I picked myself up 2 copies; one for me, and one for the competition winner for the upcoming competition!
Exciting, huh?
I'm thinking maybe a Karaoke competition?
p.s. The single came with the full 5:24 min Loop, the 5:24 instrumental version and another song which.... is REALLY hyper cute Japanese pop annoying!!! >: But, man, Loop is great! :D
Monday, May 09, 2005
Episode 5 aka "We have Miyuki!"
Did everyone else spot Miyuki from Miyuki in Wonderland (another CLAMP work)? I was assuming she would be easy to spot like in the manga, but man, she must have been on screen for like, half a frame! Here's the screencap!
A great episode though too much talking I think and Faye acting a bit too pretty Japanese boy cliche. A great battle however with some 3d music attacks (better than I expected) and while we didn't get the "Love Melody" AGAIN, we did get the instrumental version. Great animation and music and seems to be back on the manga side of the story.
Mokono continues to rule every episode! Next week SHOULD (God willing) be the last Hanshin episode). I love Hanshin and the Kudans but it's been 5 episodes and still only 1 feather!
Friday, May 06, 2005
WIN A "LOOP" & "BLAZE" CD SINGLE SET!
This month the singles of the opening and closing themes are being released on cd here in Japan! To celebrate I'll be throwing a competition! The winner will get both the Loop cd AND the Blaze CD AND the latest volume (#10) straight from Japan!
Chck back soon for more info and feel free to make comments below!
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Episode 4
Those opening credits with the song, Blaze are really growing on me! Especially love the music and animation when Tomoyo stands up.
Anyway, I really loved this epiosode! It did detour from the manga (moreso than last week) but I think what it achieved was worth it. i.e. some characterisation for Sakura and the supporting characters. For example, Arashi's (from X1999) role is extended to reveal a more sensitive side, Okonomiyaki was revisited and Takoyaki was introduced (maybe a reference to the Kero short from the second Cardcaptor Sakura movie?) and the two kudan rivals get some more screentime to better show their relationship and their own individual personalities.
That new vocal song (which was in last week's episode but I forgot to mention), perhaps called "Love Melody" returns with incomprehensible English. Thank God for fansubs, hey? It has an alright tune (accoustic version this week), but I would have prefered Loop. ;)
Speaking of the music, I can't wait for the soundtrack! The BGM (background music) is starting to rival that of Noir and .hack//SIGN!
Storywise, I have a feeling this show will run better in marathons (like .hack//SIGN). Not much happens individually but when you through a few episodes together it makes for a much more enjoyable watch. Maybe that's why I liked this episode so much... it really stands along. The upcoming (assuming they animate it) episode with the lake and the glowing fish should be great.
Something worth pondering (on another topic) was the idea introduced in this episode that every person in different dimensions has a similar heart or soul, mentioned in the same conversation as Yuko's theory that they will encounter the same person and they may be different every time. It'll be interesting if the anime will explore more of this kind of conversations in upcoming filler episodes that may seperate it from the manga and make it worth watching for another reason other to see if "they got it right". This episode gives me hope.
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