#Tsubasa OVA

[buryam-soul]

They just have to be cute even while cameoing in another season, huh

[infriga]

TRC keeps trending randomly and every time I get my hopes up that it's because an anime reboot has been announced, only to be disappointed 😔

[cure-mango]

If I owned Precure I'd definitely made a series of OVAs that just cures from different teams hanging out or focus on background cures.

[completeoveranalysis]

[6]

THIS IS GORGEOUS! I LOVE the big shots of Mokona’s wings like this. They’re so impressive when you see them in scale, and the sheer magic behind them really stands out. 

But also have we ever SEEN Yuuko under stress before? Naturally she can hold it together, but the tiny lines under her eyes! The single bead of sweat! She is putting in EFFORT here in a way I don’t think we’ve ever been witness to anywhere else. It is a bit terrifying that even YUUKO ICHIHARA struggles with enduring Evil Wolverine’s defences. 

But she does it!

[tsubasaclones]

My toxic trait is that if I love the characters enough I dont care if the show is mediocre or whatever i can still enjoy it cause my blorbos are there

[corecamilo]

To one's own journey

Sakura - Tsubasa Chronicles: Tokyo Revelations

Her outfit in this OVA is so badass. Tsubasa Sakura really went very mature when you think back that these characters came from Cardcaptor Sakura. Visiting these 2000s era anime has been so fun

[danaty-consolation]

Okay I am going to respond to this just once, so all the asks and comments about this topic will be ignored from now on.

Everyone is free to think, like and ship whatever they want, canon or fanon is there to make people happy, and everyone should respect each other opinions.

Now, I am going to be brutally honest here.

If we follow what you two say, that means Ryu is coded as bisexual, since she is attracted to women and men.

Ryu never had a positive male view in her life, Ataru, Mendou and her classmates? All perverts towards her. Her father? Had I even had to say how horrible he was in forcing his daughter to act and dress as a male just because his sick dream was having one?

Women are the only gender that see Ryu by who she is, a woman, not because of her body but also because of her as a person. They never tried to abuse her, they mostly showed her only kindness without any ulterior motives contrary to the men in her life.

So guess what? It makes sense for her to have her guard up with Nagisa after what he tried to do with her, even if he was pressured bc of a non-existent time limit it doesn't excuse his actions.

However later on, when they live together he is only respectful to her. No touching or hugging, the only time that that happens is because he is asleep, and he only has seen her changing or almost naked by accident.

But the thing here is that Nagisa is the one that tries to talk to her, and is only because Ryu is scared of him thanks to all the males in her life trying to use her in some way and Nagisa's past actions that make her wary of him. She thinks he is like other men and he deserves it because he acted like one of the men she knows.

Nevertheless, we see him actually being honest with her and respecting her wishes and feelings in the last scenes, ready to leave because he thought she hated him. Something that no men had done to her before.

The bar is in hell but at least Nagisa is trying and Ryu see's this.

He is already a better love interest that Konatsu and Tsubasa of Ukyo in Ranma 1/2.

Yes his introduction was late, but he at least received development with Ryu.

Canon or Fanon don't change a thing in fandoms, people love and support what they like.

And we should all respect each other opinions when they have valid arguments, being facts or preferences.

However, I did need to share my analysis because some people in the Urusei Yatsura fandom only saw the old anime and ova's without reading the manga so they may not know a lot of the context later on with Nagisa and Ryu. Heck, I didn't even expected for David pro to animate the one-night's battle chapters next week!

And if they still don't like it after reading my analysis, well good for them! It's totally understandable and I won't judge them or anything because we have different opinions!

The perfect character with flaws that follow the narrative most perfectly can have people who hate them! Some without reasons and some with valid reasons.

Maybe is because of the design? The personality? Something doesn't make people like them and that is okay!

People are free to block the users or tags, so they can still be happy and not ruin the fun of others.

I will keep loving Nagisa and shipping him with Ryu, because of the last analysis I made, some points I covered in this post, and because my opinion of them is really positive.

We are all grown-ups and if some are not, at least act as one for the fandom and to have a more healthy interaction and feed with everyone.

[the-corvus-luna]

The Tsubasa Chronicle 'Problem'

No eye, no heart, no time, no feathers, and..... no show.

It's April 9th, 2005, 6:30 p.m. BLAZE blares loudly on the TV while you sit in a dimly lit room, slurping whatever instant ramen you could find. You catch the faint silhouettes of familiar characters from Cardcaptor Sakura, looking a bit older, along with a few new faces you don't recognize yet... a new journey, a new world.

CLAMP's Multidimensional Masterpiece.

The legendary Yuki Kajiura's compositions bring the story to life. "Song of Storm and Fire" sparks that electric feeling of excitement and tension just before Syaoran kicks into battle. Eri Itou’s breathy voice floats delicately, much like Sakura’s own feathers, adding a sense of ethereal beauty. The animation is fluid and action-packed, just as you'd expect from Bee Train.

What the hell happened? How did an internationally successful anime with 2 seasons, 1 movie, and 2 OVA's that leave the story incomplete.... what the hell?!

To find out to get the full story, you have to read the manga?!

Was it just bad like this guy's review suggests?

Is it really... a bad... anime?

Let's go on a journey about how censorship ruins everything, a broadcasting company's unreasonable demands, and a group of stubborn artists who refuse to have their story modified.

First off, based on my basic research, Japanese TV shows don't have to comply with rating laws like in the US. Before any US show airs, you usually see a rating in the top left corner—common ones for kids’ shows are Y7, meaning they’re appropriate for children 7 years or older. The US rating for Tsubasa Chronicle was TV-PG. But if you know anything about this series, it’s definitely not TV-PG... more like TV-14, and maybe even TV-MA at certain points, depending on your tolerance for darker themes.

Tsubasa Chronicle originally showed on NHK-E, an educational channel, alongside a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen...

While Japan might not have a formal TV rating system, it’s probably safe to assume that NHK would prioritize age-appropriate content. Ultimately, it’s NHK’s decision what airs on their network. For example, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (which, unsurprisingly, isn’t shown on any NHK network) airs around 11:00 p.m. The later time slot allows for more graphic content without much concern.

I can hear you screaming from the void, "TSUBASA CHRONICLE ISN'T EDUCATIONAL!" And honestly, if you’ve watched the anime, it’s not educational in the traditional sense... unless you count four people learning how to cope with massive amounts of trauma in various forms.

But Cardcaptor Sakura was kid-friendly… and someone who looks just like her stars in Tsubasa.

Magic Knight Rayearth was so educational it's anime was funded by a government grant!

I think NHK was expecting them to adapt the anime to be more 'educationally friendly' due to other properties they worked on... joke's on NHK, though.

The first issue I remember hearing was how NHK wanted to censor all alcohol references from Tsubasa.

From this interview from 2005 at around the 9:30 mark, we get to have a rare look at their art studio/research library and most important, the bar. Alcohol is a part of their creative process, and based on the KyotoHoLiC collaboration with traditional sake brewers, it means they have no intention to hide their passion for relaxation... not for NHK or anyone.

Second issue, graphic imagery. When the anime came out, the manga was only to volume chapter 66 - chapter 73 (Tsubasa Onmibus Vol 4)...literally 3 pages into the next chapter is the start of the graphic imagery that eventually leads into violent fights, lots of blood, and death by the end of the series. That's assuming that NHK didn't get a sneak peak at what the story was going to become.

For people who've read the Omnibus, to goes from Piffle World to Recourt to the 'Acid Wasteland'... quite the tone shift when NHK picked up this anime for a kid friendly educational show.

That's why Tsubasa Chronicle was canceled, or at least my general theory. Sadly there's no official reason for the cancelation. CLAMP did run Kobato on NHK-E in 2009, so the censorship and eventual cancelation didn't not burn the bridge between them.

Sadly, NHK did cancel a show that was not only getting a following internationally but also had it's own international merchandise sold at retailers! I will always treasure my US Mokona Modoki Soel plush, matching backpack, and Fai's Staff necklace.

Don't forget, even Gaia Online even had a huge promotional event where players had to track down Sakura's feathers alongside other promotional events such as Magic the Gathering and Hollywood produced movies... and that was in 2007, after the anime series was already cancelled, never able to reach the conclusion.

Do yourself a favor and I'd suggest reading this manga if you loved the anime back in the day, but know that the lighthearted whimsy and sweetness of the anime is a palate cleanser for what NHK deemed they could not put on TV.

I found an unsubstantiated rumor on the fandom page about how the S2 opening was already storyboarded in Character Guide Vol 2., but NHK made them re-do it. I'm trying to track down that PDF so figure out what they cut, but it's a difficult one to find.

I did find a short of someone thumbing through their Japanese copy.

Holy shit! That's the scene in CLAMP in Wonderland 2 that's eluded to, but we never see play out in the anime. NHK made them get rid of their weapons for boxing with shadows? I guess Sakura's image also had to be 'softened' too. Ick.

[kamuishiro]

if it didn't get an ova/anime/movie, I didn't include it, so no wish or clover music videos.

you're voting for the best adaptations as a whole. picking trc, for example, includes the original anime + tokyo revelations + shunraiki + the birdcage movie

[dee-toraburu]

Captain Tsubasa S2 - Junior Youth: The Importance of Hyuga and Wakashimazu's Hospital and Car Scenes

While the Shin Captain Tsubasa OVAs were of high quality, in my humble opinion, they omitted several scenes probably due to time constraints. One particular scene that I eagerly wait to see animated, either in today's episode or the next two, is the one where Hyuga visits Wakashimazu in the Hamburg hospital and their subsequent conversation in the car. While not essential to the main storyline, this scene provides crucial insights into the bond between Hyuga and Wakashimazu.

1. The Enigmatic Relationship of Hyuga and Wakashimazu

When reading the manga or watching the anime, there are few scenes centered solely on Hyuga and Wakashimazu.

Most of their encounters happen on the football field, where words are scarce. The exceptions are few, with the third Nankatsu-Toho finals being a standout. But still, questions linger: What lies beyond the surface of their camaraderie? Do they share interests beyond football? Can their contrasting personalities coexist peacefully? The answers are found in two key scenes within the Junior Youth arc: the hospital and car moments, which offer a glimpse into their off-field interactions and shed light on their dynamic.

2. Context and Significance of the Hospital and Car Scenes

To truly grasp the significance of these scenes, let's revisit what led up to them. Wakashimazu injures his hand, defending against Schneider's powerful shot, requiring a trip to Hamburg Hospital.

Meanwhile, Japan faces a humiliating defeat against Schneider and Wakabayashi. After the match, a heated altercation erupts between Hyuga and Wakabayashi, resulting in a physical confrontation. Following these events, a disheartened Hyuga relinquishes his captaincy.

Wakashimazu, accompanied by Katagiri, leaves the hospital and finds his captain waiting for him, battered but smiling. Hyuga had gone out of his way to be by Wakashimazu's side.

The two young men share a car ride, during which, for the first time in Captain Tsubasa history, we witness a conversation between Toho's captain and his goalkeeper.

3. Unveiling the Relationship

The first question that arises from this scene is why Hyuga decided to visit Wakashimazu. The answer lies in his genuine concern for his goalkeeper and the emotional comfort Wakashimazu provides him. Normally, Hyuga is known for his fiery, arrogant demeanor and suspicion of others, but his attitude changes dramatically in Wakashimazu's presence. He exhibits a side of his personality reserved for those close to his heart—smiling, caring, relaxed, and even vulnerable.

In return, Wakashimazu reciprocates, displaying an even more surprising and blatant change in behavior. His expression is entirely relaxed and, dare I say, CUTE when he interacts with Hyuga. This departure from his usual stoic, composed demeanor, with furrowed brows, is very notable.

YO LOOK AT THIS ↑↑↑ who's that angry young man on the left and this young maiden in love on the right KEK

While we've seen him smile at Hyuga during the national middle school tournament final, this goes beyond that.

In addition to his gentle smile and soft demeanor, this manifests in his choice of words as he attempts to console a deeply disheartened Hyuga. However, these nuances often evade translation, underscoring the intricacies of the Japanese language.

4. Language Subtleties in Captain Tsubasa

Captain Tsubasa exemplifies the subtleties of the Japanese language perfectly.

For exemple, Hyuga addresses Wakashimazu informally, using his last name without honorifics or "omae/お前", a second-person singular pronoun considered familiar in this context.

In contrast, Wakashimazu uses "keigo/敬語", a polite language form, to address Hyuga due to his position as captain and out of immense respect. He primarily calls him "captain/キャプテン", occasionally using "anta/あんた" (a polite second-person singular pronoun in this context), and very rarely addressing him as "Hyuga-san/日向さん", using the last name with an honorific suffix.

Conclusion:

The hospital and car scenes between Hyuga and Wakashimazu offer invaluable insights into the characters' relationship, personalities, and the subtleties of their interactions.

While not central to the main storyline, these moments enrich the Captain Tsubasa experience and provide fans with a deeper appreciation of the intricate dynamics between Hyuga and Wakashimazu's unspoken camaraderie or more if you like to interpret their relationship this way.

PRAY FOR THE SCENES' ANIME ADAPTATION!!...🛐🛐🛐

[skyflyinginaction]

Clamp Art Style Analysis: Part 3: Examining Concept art: X/1999, RG Veda, Tsubasa reservoir chronicle

Examining the Concept Art 

As I stated before, Clamp’s creation process resembles a film production. The concept art they do resembles the character sheets in anime with the character's concept Including poses, and expressions. Their concept art looks like a character sheet from an animation production. 

When you compare the sketches to the illustrations they don’t have many details they are just a lot of lines for drawing the concept art. They use a regular pencil or mechanical pencil to draw the sketches and the concept art Clamp even colored the sketch over their concept art too.

There are a lot of lines in the characters when you look at the concept art. the concept art In the characters there are just lines the sketches of the poses are close to gesture drawings,  that is used to make sense of the character’s movement. The concept art is not as detailed as it needs to know where things are placed.

I already talked about how they create concept art in the creation process. This segment is about examining it.

I am going to examine the concept art that Clamp did in particular and it is going to take a lot of dissecting so let's examine these pieces of concept art in particular. 

This is one of Clamps' earliest concept art next to RG Veda since x is from their earliest works. Looking at earlier concept art of x didn’t have complicated details but simple When I look at the concept art for x they are a bunch of messy sketches. The sketches are messy and lose it's not as detailed or defined as the rest of the concept art Clamp did on this list. 

The concept art of the characters is drawn in the bulletin chart, Clamp did point out that they drew the original character profile like a New Year's card. Clamp is measuring the heights in a chart with the character height listed and lined up Clamp focused on proportions of the character in x by using the heights of characters. the characters are lined up and the heights are compared. This chart is used to determine their height. The heights are used for the proportions of the characters I pointed out that the height is used to determine the proportions of the characters. x character height chart resembles an anime height chart lineup you would see in character sheets for anime

The hair in the x characters designs looks like the hair is just a bunch of messy lines. There are not defined lines in the hair when it comes to hair. For the concept art here it's lines and shapes. Clamp said they had a hard time drawing Kotori mainly had a hard time inking her Kotoris concept art especially her hair The concept in her hair is not as detailed as in the manga or illustrations they are just squiggly lines Kotori's hair and bangs are a bunch of squiggly lines. The jaw lines and eyes are defined and darkened in the concept art, the clothes are less detailed, you can see the shape in the clothes, the character's silhouettes are defined by the silhouette of the clothes, the concept art is drawn roughly meant to know the placement of what is drawn. 

For sketches drawn for the ova RG Veda concept art is not detailed and uses the same loose lines as the Loose messy sketches the jaw lines in the sketches are darkened and the lines for the hair and clothes are loose.

Now for Tsubasa concept art, Clamp took a new approach to art. You can see it with the rest of the concept art. In the concept art, the proportions of the characters in Tsubasa look deformed you can see this in the series. But also in how the concept art is drawn. Clamp has colored their concept art before that had come before except the concept art for Tsubasa is inked sakura and Syaoran

designs were re-used from a different series they are drawn with bolder lines in the concept art. Tsubasa is drawn for a weekly shonen manga, and shounen manga is drawn with bold lines so would it make sense for them to be drawn with thick bold lines? 

When it came to hair in concept art they drew the shape of the hair, the lines, the movement, and the silhouette. The hair is not too detailed and the bangs don’t have a lot of details; they are just simple lines. The concept art is full of lines the amount of lines is measured in the concept art so they can be drawn for a weekly shonen manga they reduce the number of lines for inking since they are going to draw it over and over again

There are a lot of lines in the clothes in the concept art, clothes that allow movement and are drawn to match with the character's personality and background in mind. 

In concept art, the curly or wavy hair is just wiggly lines the curly hair curly off at the end In art when it comes to curly or wavy hair the shape is designed first then added squiggly lines, and the strands are added next to

For the two main characters Sakura and Syaoran, Syaoran and Sakura went through redesigns like Clamps previous works to fit the genre of the series.

For Syaoran concept design, the first to talk about is his clothes Syaoran Li wore in the Card Captor Sakura series; this is to reference his background from China noting the nationality he represents. Syaoran clothes are straightforward; he has goggles and belts, but these items do not show that he is an archeologist. The cloak he wears is used to keep the desert sand out. These things note Syaoran’s background that he grew up in a desert and his profession as an archeologist. Syaoran’s spots a determined look in contrast to Syaorans Li’s expression in Card Captor Sakura is drawn to look moody and sullen. The expressions in Tsubasa Syaorans changed to emphasize that they are different people. Syaoran's hair resembles Syaoran li's hair except that his hair is drawn with a rough touch. Syaoran bangs have more shape and don’t have a lot of lines.

Syaoran's gestures are drawn with simple lines and drawn with the shape in mind in the gesture sketches. 

Next up is Sakura's concept design, Syaoran is drawn with thick lines, and if you examine Sakura's hairstyle she has the same hairstyle as what Sakura looks in Card Captor Sakura both have short hair both of Sakura’s designs drawn as tomboyish girls. The only difference with Tsubasa Sakura is that her hair is very bouncy and has more strands Sakura’s hair wasn’t fully defined until later in the series. Her hair is not too detailed Sakura’s bangs didn’t have too many lines, she doesn’t have many lines drawn, only with fewer lines in her concept art. Sakura’s clothes are inspired by Egyptian clothing along with ornaments hanging down her clothes. This notes her background that she grew up in a desert so Egyptian clothing is what came to mind when doing a character background from a desert.

Sakura looked very soft and dainty in the concept art Her gestures in her concept art have more lines Sakura is drawn with many lines to emphasize with movement in her gestures. I think the long many lines are used to make her look dainty and it makes sense to know where things are placed

Kurogane is drawn with a sort of thickness that is in his neck to show off his muscles and broad chest, Kurogane's bangs are simple lines and not detailed.

Kurogane is broad and muscular his clothes are used to show off his strong physique Kurogane is quite muscular and his concept art shows this.

Kurogane's early concept of him had a lot of changes mostly notably his expression it has the same clothes but a different expression, his face didn’t look tough or fierce but resembled Domeki’s indifferent look. Kurogane gestures are made simple to draw over and have wider stances the lines are used to tell like with Syaorans kurogane gesture pose is drawn simply to emphasize movement.

Kurogane has a wider build his pose proves this he is manly and his gesture drawing further emphasizes his masculinity The wider stances emphasize his masculinity. 

Unlike Kurogane Fais emphasizes his concept art more with his expressions.

We pay more attention to his expressions than his actual poses. We usually see Fai aloof and calm and an aloof expression. He's quite tall standing next to Syaoran

Fai’s body is long and deformed like Sakura's, Fai is drawn with long lines which makes him Appear elusive but soft.

Fai has a thin frame with a soft-edged look in contrast to Kurogane’s rougher and bulky gestures. Kurogane has rough lines in his design while Fai has smooth lines to match his soft character. His hair doesn’t have a lot of details like what Clamp stated in the bio so Fai's bangs are simple lines. 

Ryou, Soma, and Kendappa Oh are characters from RG Veda that are drawn this way in this style. This shows how many Clamps changed in their art with these two characters alone in the concept art Soma is drawn with long lines. 

The other characters in the concept art have a unique design with Oruha and Xing Hou they have complicated lines in their concept art. The hair in the characters is split into sections and grouped in one shape, There is a shape and silhouette in the hair with there hair breaks off at the end

Yuzuriha is drawn in a different style next to Sakura. Both characters have short hair and different expressions. You can see the movement in her hair like with Sakura which has a natural flow. Her dog has a lot of lines in the concept art.

For Chi, there are not a lot of lines in the bangs. She has long limbs and her art is not detailed. Chi has long lines in her hair and body For Emerald she has long wavy lines in her hair Chi's outfit has simple lines in contrast to Emeraldes who have complicated lines.

Sorata has a lot of gesture drawing which is very active and lively to suit his friendly demeanor. His concept art is just messy pencil lines that show the shape of the head and jawline and there are lines and shapes in the hair 

In the male character portion drawn with the shape of the head, there is the silhouette of the head and the lines of the hair. The lines in the male characters are simple and don’t have a lot of details in clothes like the girls. The male characters have straight lines in the concept art and are drawn with simplicity when compared to the girls the female characters are drawn with soft curves.

Clamp did a lot of gestures drawings with the poses There are loose sketches for the poses and gestures the poses are drawn with the character's personalities in mind the poses don’t only say something about the characters but Gestures and poses can be used to establish a character's relationship with character as you see with

fujitaka and Syaoran here there a lot of warmth and gentleness in it, it establishes their father-son relationship well

Prev/Next

[tomoyoo]

hiii 2 27 and 30 please? 💕

hiiiiiii

2. Number of CLAMP series you've read/watched

Apparently 20! The ones i haven't read are Angelic Layer, Chobits, Kobato and School Detectives. For animes I've watched the 90s cardcaptor series, all of x, most of xxxholic, and the rg veda and tb ovas. I wanna watch rayearth but some changes put me off... tsubasa is bad but i listen to the ost A Lot.

27. Scene that made you think

Scene that made me think....... their works are very introspective idk.all of xxxholic has me thinking. When I read tokyo babylon i am constantly thinking too....

30. Favorite CLAMP series

the one and only: xxxholic by clamp !

[angrypaperearthquake-tbbb-main]

Y'all

I have another obsession. I don't want to say new, because I will always be obsessed with Akayona. It it my one true love. But this... This right here is my side chick.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles

Y'all, I've been sleeping on this Clamp masterpiece for forever! Look how beautiful this art is 😍 I just finished the manga and anime and I'm hooked. It's got so much going for it:

Beautiful princess who's not just a damsel in distress? ✅

Loyal boy who would do anything to save the princess he loves? ✅

Brooding strong ninja guy with a sword that has a sad past? ✅

Comic relief sassy magician that cannot whistle that has an even sadder past? ✅

Magical white manju bun ✅

Dimensional travel ✅

Time travel ✅

Paradoxes ✅

Clones ✅

Vampires ✅

Amazing character development ✅

Confusing and intersecting plot lines ✅

This blog will always be an Akayona blog, but I had to let y'all know about this glorious masterpiece that will make you laugh, cry, and need excedrin 🥴

Highly recommend reading the manga first. The anime has one of the greatest soundtracks ever, but it does not tell the whole story and you might be left utterly confused like I was. It's also a parallel universe to xxxHolic.

They added a lot of extra stuff into the anime that wasn't in the manga. They also made five OVAs, after the second season, and if you watch them out of order, you will be even more confused. The movie is not part of the manga either, but it's still a fun watch after the first season.

[completeoveranalysis]

Nick if I tell you that the OVA not only animated the flashback when they landed in Nihon but also that you can hear Fai's choked breathing and broken voice as he speak - because guess what! They also added dialog! As if this isn’t heartbreaking enough already - will it convince you to watch the OVAs sooner despite the pain :3

Oh I need no convincing, don't you worry about that. I have it sitting on my shelf right here, eagerly waiting for the right time.

It's great to hear that they added more to that moment though! Thank goodness they saw the opportunity to wrench our hearts more than necessary and took it.

[tsubasaclones]

nothing will ever compare to the emotional whiplash i got watching the last like 10 episodes of the tsubasa anime  and then both ovas all in a row with maybe a few minutes of a break inbetween. all in one sitting

[kimium]

What are some manga you wish got more love and attention?

Thank you for the ask! I have so many manga to talk about. I'm also probably going to date myself with a few of my picks, but that's fine.

Manga that I wish got more love and attention

Phantom Tales of the Night by Matsuri

Without a doubt the first manga on this list is Phantom Tales of the Night. To sum up the story: we follow the Owner of an inn located in the spirit world. Spirits and humans who stumble into the realm of the spirits can stay. The only thing the Owner wants as payment are secrets. However, unlike Yuuko from XXXHolic who is benevolent, the Owner is not. While they aren't outright malicious, the owner is presented as a supernatural being that folktales would tell cautionary stories about. I highly recommend this story if you enjoyed XXXHolic's premise and Japanese foltakes/myths.

Our Dreams at Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani

This manga is a lovely LGBTQA+ slice of life series where as main protagonist Tasuku Kaname frets over being outed as gay, he meets a mysterious owner of a shop. There, he meets other people of the LGBTQA+ community going through similar dilemmas/problems. Through experiencing and learning more about the others and his identity, Tasuku learns to grows more comfortable with himself.

While the manga can tackle a few heavy topics/experiences from the LGBTQA+ community, the overall warm, slice of life element makes this manga a delightful experience. It's also a short series with four volumes!

Grand Guignol Orchestra by Kaori Yuki

While I could sit here and name every single Kaori Yuki manga I've ever read, I'm picking this one because I think the world building is unique.

In this world, there is this mysterious illness that causes people's skin to slowly harden like porcelain. They then lose their minds and become zombie-like. The only way to counter this and protect yourself is with music. Enter the Lucille and the Grand Orchestra who travels from town to town saving people.

If you haven't read any Kaori Yuki manga, know that she usually tackles dark, almost gothic topics in her manga. While I think this series is tamer than some of her other ones (see: Angel Sanctuary, The Cain Saga/Godchild), you can double check any warnings if you're curious.

Fushigi Yugi Genbu Kaiden By Yuu Watase

If you've watched or were into late 90s early 2000s shoujo anime, then you may be familiar with Fushigi Yugi, a reverse harem isekai series. While the original series had more wide spread success, this manga is the prequel. In it, you meet Takiko, the priestess of Genbu and the first one to ever appear.

The first series is near and dear to my heart, but I enjoy Genbu more simply because I feel there is less soap-opera like drama (romantic). There certainly is romance, it is Fushigi Yugi after all, but I felt it took backstage to the challenge of Takihiko finding her seven warriors so she could summon Genbu.

As a last note, you do not need to know anything about the original series to enjoy this one, though there are many fun Easter Eggs and continuity nods present within. I want this series to have more attention so badly because I physically NEED an anime adaptation of it.

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle by CLAMP

Now, you may be saying "But CLAMP is super popular!" and you're right. However, their most mainstream successes were Cardcaptor Sakura and Chobits (I think). Yes, Tsubasa (and its sister series XXXHolic) had anime adaptations, they didn't follow the manga/adapt long enough to get to the meat of the series. Even the OVAs only adapted some later parts of the anime and are fragmented.

I hope someday we will have a full reboot... but in the mean time I beg people to read the manga. There is nothing quite like the beautiful, fluid art of CLAMP. I adore their character designs, outfits, and the worlds present within this series. I love all the twists, turns, and characters. I still am not over the Acid Tokyo Arc and the shift in Kurogane and Fai's relationship. I want everyone to experience the full story of Tsubasa so badly it hurts me.

(I suppose in the same vein as this one, I want people to also experience XXXHolic. They are sister series and some story elements near the end assume you've read XXXHolic too.)

Dr. Stone by Riichiro Inagaki and art by Boichi

I love the anime adaptation. It's bizarrely a "comfort" anime for me and has been rewatched multiple times. I think the anime has done an amazing job adapting this series. I also think that the manga's art is stunning. I am in love with Boichi's line work: the weight, the thick/thin tapering, the panelling... it is amazing. I want more people to experience it badly.

The Promised Neverland by Kaiu Shirai and art by Posuka Demizu

In my mind the first season adaptation of this manga is nothing short of a masterpiece. The pacing, the camera angles, the lighting/colour, the sound design are all perfect. It is a shame that the second season (that actually doesn't exist in my heart) completely botched what should have been an anime masterpiece.

If you haven't experienced the manga I cannot encourage you more to read it. The artwork is breathtaking. The pacing and the tension developed in the story left me on the edge of my seat. Some of the best story beats and arcs are locked behind the pages of the manga, waiting for you to explore it. I cannot encourage enough people to go read this manga. Maybe, we can get a reboot and give this series the justice it deserves. Until then, I highly recommend this manga.

And there you have it, friend! I hope you like my list! Let me know what you think!!!