#clow x yue

[herwrittenuniverse]

One of the weirdest stories I’ve ever written - but it was a fun challenge to write.

Inspired by an experience with a medium, years ago. I though, “What would happen if Touya met someone who claimed they could talk to the dead, but seemed like a fraud - if only because he once talked to the dead, too?”

This starts off as one thing and turns into another. It’s a rollercoaster ride, I promise. And it connects to a certain magician to a specific ‘moony,’ if you know what I mean...

Enjoy. xoxox

Chapters: 4/4 Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Kinomoto Touya/Tsukishiro Yukito Characters: Kinomoto Touya, Kinomoto Touya | Tori Avalon, Tsukishiro Yukito, Tsukishiro Yukito | Julian Star, Yue (Cardcaptor Sakura), Keroberos | Cerberus, Kinomoto Sakura, Kinomoto Sakura | Sakura Avalon, Kinomoto Fujitaka, Kinomoto Fujitaka | Aiden Avalon, Kinomoto Nadeshiko, Kinomoto Nadeshiko | Natasha Avalon, Clow Reed, The Book of Clow, Yoko Nagkagawa, Original Character Additional Tags: Inspired by Theresa Caputo, Crack, Spiritual, Spirit World, I See Dead People, Touya Meets His Match, Humor, We all love to torture Touya, Attempt at Humor, Angst and Feels, OC Series: Part 4 of Chronicles of Card Captor Sakura (Pre Clear Card) Summary:

It’s not that Touya didn’t believe in spirits, or the afterlife, or people that communicated with the dead. He just took the matter very seriously. When Touya comes face-to-face with his own match, will he remain every the cynic? Or...will he receive a message from those who crossed over? (Pre-Clear Card. Touya/Yukito with wisps of Clow/Yue. Complete.)

[vicchillioil]

please they r so cute

[judywisteria5]

Reflections on The CLAMP Universe and Cardcaptor Sakura

The goal of this piece is to critique CLAMP’s narrative techniques and character design, with extensive criticisms of Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC, but with no intent to demean the characters themselves.

This is an informal essay that initially aimed to explore why Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle "damaged" Cardcaptor Sakura and address the complicated emotions of Yue fans, along with the overlooked role of Yue as the Judge. My initial motivation was to critique Ohkawa’s treatment of Yue, but as I delved deeper, the complexity of the discussion grew, making it difficult to settle on a suitable title.

[Reader Notice]

This article is approximately 4,500 words, with logical connections between sections. Please avoid skimming if you intend to engage fully with my arguments.

The purpose here is to discuss the literary techniques and character development within these works. Although there is extensive criticism of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC, this does not imply a disparagement of any character. If you hold a different perspective, I welcome well-reasoned discussion. I will not respond to overtly aggressive comments; please avoid bringing in fandom drama.

The original text was in Chinese and published in 2022. I used ChatGPT for the translation and did an initial proofread myself.

I have a lot to say about Clow’s characterization and CLAMP’s failure in portraying him, but I haven’t included it here. English-speaking readers who are interested in discussing it are welcome to message me privately.

[Contents]

I. General Overview of CLAMP II. On Scriptwriting Flaws in CLAMP, with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC as Examples III. Cardcaptor Sakura: A Beautiful Yet Unrealistic World

IV. The Forced “Crossover” of CCS, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and xxxHOLiC V. The Tragedy of Yue and the Inevitable Character Deterioration in Clear Card

VI. Reflections on Clow/Yue Fan Interpretations

[Note] Unless otherwise specified, "CCS" refers to Cardcaptor Sakura as a series, excluding the Clear Card arc. Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle （TRC）refers primarily to the manga version.

I. General Overview of CLAMP

Despite its popularity, CLAMP is particularly notable for its commercial acumen rather than other artistic strengths. Their success is evident in their keen market insight and adaptability across varied genres, especially in crafting small details (like character and artistic designs). However, they appear weaker when it comes to larger conceptual settings (such as worldbuilding). Although CLAMP’s illustrations are relatively impressive—particularly with art books being frequently published—their overall impact within manga itself is not as prominent. This is especially apparent in action scenes (like fight sequences), which often lack the necessary sense of motion and impact.

In terms of scriptwriting, CLAMP’s style could be described as “aesthetic-driven,” yet the content often veers into melodrama, with plots that lack logic and coherence. The themes they present can sometimes feel troubling: their works tend to emphasize "fatalism," placing excessive focus on an idealized notion of "love" that can feel unrealistic. Although CLAMP’s works are widely recognized, their scriptwriting level does not always match the acclaim they receive.

The following sections will delve further into the issues in their scriptwriting.

II. On Scriptwriting Flaws in CLAMP, with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC as Examples The scripts for CLAMP’s works are primarily written by Ohkawa Nanase, hereafter referred to as "Ohkawa."

Many fans regard TRC as a masterpiece, claiming it must be read in tandem with xxxHOLiC to truly appreciate its depth. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. Below, I’ll refute several key aspects that TRC fans often praise:

The time loop involving the Real and Clone versions of Syaoran and Sakura at the end of TRC.

The intricate timeline with Real Syaoran, Clone Syaoran, Real Sakura, and Clone Sakura is frequently lauded as "mind-bending" and as something that "feels ingenious once fully grasped." In reality, though, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The author clearly lacks the expertise to handle time loop narratives effectively, leading to a storyline that is confusing and difficult to follow. In TRC, Ohkawa uncomfortably relies on ideas of "fate" and "inevitability" to explain the time loop, such as when Real Syaoran steps into Yuuko's shop, setting off a chain of events. However, even if readers accept these ideas, once they unravel the plot, they encounter paradoxes typical in time-travel fiction—especially issues related to the grandfather paradox, which the author leaves inadequately resolved. Moreover, the concept of a time loop itself doesn’t require multiple versions of Syaoran and Sakura to complicate the storyline—this intriguing concept could be fully explored with just a single character.

In the ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, Novels) world, time loop storylines generally lack the craftsmanship seen in genuine science fiction, and there’s a stark difference between them. (Even Steins;Gate, often considered a “masterpiece,” handles this somewhat clumsily.) Instead, I would recommend Isaac Asimov's The End of Eternity, which showcases meticulous planning, genius in handling paradoxes, and an exploration of philosophical and sociological themes.

(Side note: TRC has numerous bugs, and here’s an interesting one related to CCS: Before Clow Reed warped time and made his error, the King of Clow Country was Fujitaka. However, after Clow’s mistake, Fujitaka splits into Fujitaka and Eriol in the Cardcaptor Sakura world. So, where did Fujitaka, King of Clow Country, come from in earlier parallel worlds? Thus, TRC was awkwardly linked with CCS solely for commercial gain, which I’ll explore in depth in Section Four.)

The CLAMP-style "Sense of Fate" and "Angst" In other works focused on themes of fate, some authors manage to express it with the resonance of Greek mythology or Shakespearean tragedy, while others rely on plot conveniences. I must reiterate that fate is a challenging theme in the ACGN realm, and CLAMP’s works—particularly TRC and xxxHOLiC, where fate is often central—are notably flawed in this regard. By comparison, I feel Puella Magi Madoka Magica addresses this theme relatively well.

TRC constantly emphasizes "costs." In Fullmetal Alchemist, another ACGN work, the concept of “equivalent exchange” reflects the author’s world-building efforts, with fair exchange rules—for instance, achieving immortality requires the sacrifice of countless lives. However, TRC’s world-building is practically nonexistent, with no explanation of the exchange methods or rules. How does Yuuko's shop operate? What can be used as payment? What kind of payment achieves what kind of wish? Ultimately, everything is decided by Yuuko herself. And yet, this “cost” is central to much of the story's angst, such as Clone Syaoran’s connection to Sakura and Real Syaoran’s memories with Watanuki.

In xxxHOLiC, although Yuuko does not return, TRC introduces clones, time rewinds, and space-time distortions while still insisting “the dead cannot return.” This approach feels highly contrived. xxxHOLiC asserts that “there is no coincidence, only inevitability. Every cause has an effect.” This overly deterministic view, combined with weak plot logic, makes Watanuki’s “poignant waiting” in a butterfly dream sequence feel hollow, lacking emotional depth.

Stories that effectively handle fate as a tragic theme often move the plot and create a tragic hero through a series of reasonable yet inevitable events, even if they involve supernatural elements like mythology or religious undertones. A modern example would be Tolkien’s The Children of Húrin, where, under a curse, the protagonist unwittingly kills his closest friend, unknowingly commits incest, and brings misfortune to anyone who draws near, unable to escape the curse. Each event is plausible, whether attributed to the curse or his own character traits.

In contrast, CLAMP’s unexplained ideas of "inevitability, cause and effect, fate, cost," etc., feel more like lazy ways to resolve conflicts and advance the plot, exposing the creators’ limitations. CLAMP-style “angst” largely boils down to “because the author says so,” requiring readers to suspend logical thought entirely, fully accepting the premise, and simply reveling in the “beauty of fate” and the “angst” it supposedly brings. This approach seems best suited to an audience in their angst-filled teenage years, and can be termed “manufactured angst.” For readers who prioritize narrative consistency and well-built worlds, such a plot structure is not only unconvincing but also confusing and awkward.

The Interconnections and Plot Twists between and within TRC and xxxHOLiC When it comes to the interconnected references and callbacks in CLAMP’s works, I can’t provide an in-depth analysis as I haven’t thoroughly read all of them. However, when a story’s core and the author’s skill fall short, no amount of layered references, plot callbacks, or parallels in visuals and character design can add real depth; it all ends up feeling shallow, lacking in substance. To draw an imperfect comparison, the first five chapters of Dream of the Red Chamber, especially the prophetic verses, were crafted by Cao Xueqin. If Gao E had continued the work from there, would the overall effect still be as mesmerizing?

The fatal flaw of Ohkawa’s signature twists lies in the fact that the early foreshadowing and groundwork are nowhere near enough to support the later “stunning plot twists,” which often feel forced and contrived. Creating these twists isn’t difficult because the text can be intentionally ambiguous and open to various interpretations. For example, inserting a few seemingly irrelevant, vague lines into the dialogue leaves space to “explain” (or even improvise) later. They might even deliberately create ambiguous lines and scenes, allowing for a range of explanations further down the line.

Take, for instance, when Fei-Wang tells Real Syaoran, “You’re just like me” (in an exaggeratedly dramatic scene). Most readers might think this suggests they share a common goal, like resurrecting the dead. Yet Ohkawa’s later explanation could be that Real Syaoran is like Watanuki, who is like Clow, who is then like Fei-Wang, making Real Syaoran like Fei-Wang. However, this explanation lacks any logical foundation. The context, preceding events, and the story’s world-building all fall short of supporting such a forced interpretation. Yet this is then presented as “reasonable” in the story’s development, which doesn’t count as proper foreshadowing. Even so, these kinds of setups still earn admiration from many readers, which is honestly quite amusing.

(Side note: In Cardcaptor Sakura, Sakura once told Yue, “You and Yukito-san are so similar,” a line that Yue himself didn’t agree with. However, should Ohkawa decide to “expand” on this line in the Clear Card arc, it might trigger a similar shock effect.)

In summary, the values and narrative techniques in CLAMP’s works often seem rather peculiar, fully revealing Ohkawa’s limitations as a creator (even though she once audited literature courses at a prestigious university, her work’s results speak for themselves). CLAMP’s audience adores TRC and xxxHOLiC, while readers who don’t appreciate this style often struggle to continue and may even doubt the work’s quality. Unfortunately — or perhaps fortunately — I find myself in the latter category.

III. Cardcaptor Sakura: A Beautiful Yet Unrealistic World

Without the nostalgia of childhood, CCS is essentially a typical, idealized Mary Sue-style shoujo manga. It heavily emphasizes gentleness and a “magical allure,” which can come across as somewhat hollow. Even the progressive themes it’s praised for today, like “love transcending social status, identity, and gender,” aren’t unique to this work alone. During the golden age of Japanese manga, CCS wasn’t an especially standout work.

Like CLAMP’s other works, the CCS manga lacks real-world logic. However, as an idealized shojo manga, its conflicts are far less intense than those in other CLAMP works, so the absence of realism doesn’t feel as jarring. CCS presents a beautiful, dreamlike world (though this idealization is taken to an extreme in the character of Yue, the Judge; under close scrutiny, it’s doubtful this perfect world could hold up — more on this in Section Six). For this reason, CCS doesn’t quite qualify as an exceptional fairy tale. A true fairy tale should resonate with all ages, and telling a simple, pure, beautiful story well is no small feat. In the ACGN (Anime, Comics, Games, Novels) sphere, I consider Ghibli’s Castle in the Sky to represent the pinnacle of this genre. The Ghibli world might feel plausible, but CCS’s world feels purely fantastical. Healing, gentle stories also have layers, and when the setting and plot logic feel more realistic, the gentleness and healing resonate more deeply. Even so, CCS remains CLAMP’s best work in this genre and may even be their only truly “pure” story. Due to CCS’s theme, the work almost entirely avoids the script flaws discussed in Section Two, with none of the dark, glamorous style, twisted, chaotic plotlines, or subtly angsty themes that characterize many other CLAMP works.

About 80% of CCS’s immense success can be credited to its anime adaptation. (Though I haven’t researched the manga’s sales or the anime’s viewership ratings, this is my subjective conclusion.) Compared to the manga, the anime’s storyline is more well-rounded (such as the addition of Syaoran competing for the cards and Li Meiling’s character). The characters are portrayed in more depth, addressing many of the manga’s script issues and removing some elements difficult to accept in reality (such as Sasaki Rika’s teacher-student relationship). The anime feels more grounded than the manga, enhancing its healing effect without feeling hollow. Furthermore, the anime’s art direction is more refined and diverse (with additional outfit changes and Clow Card designs). Combined with factors like the peak of Japanese animation’s expansion at the time, these aspects contributed to CCS’s widespread popularity.

In summary, CCS is CLAMP’s only purely sweet shojo manga, suitable for all ages and wholesome, and this is what most CCS fans love about it. This fanbase doesn’t entirely overlap with the audience for CLAMP’s other works.

IV. The Forced “Crossover” Between CCS, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, and xxxHOLiC

In discussions surrounding Cardcaptor Sakura (CCS), it’s common to see people recommending Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle (TRC) and xxxHOLiC, claiming that these works "explain" certain plot points in CCS. I strongly disagree with this viewpoint. I believe that if you enjoy the healing, wholesome themes of CCS, along with elements like magical girls and costumes, it’s best to avoid watching TRC and xxxHOLiC, and there’s no need to delve into CLAMP’s other works either.

The crossover between CCS and TRC/xxxHOLiC fundamentally disrupts CCS’s independent charm for two main reasons:

Firstly, CCS is entirely different in genre from other representative CLAMP works, especially TRC, as discussed in Section Three.

Secondly, using character names from CCS in TRC and xxxHOLiC is purely a commercial tactic, designed to draw attention by tapping into CCS’s popularity. Beyond shared names and appearances, there’s essentially no thematic or plot-based connection between TRC/xxxHOLiC and CCS.

Since TRC appears to have a closer link to CCS, I’ll primarily use it as an example for analysis.

So, what is TRC really about?

[Plot Overview]

In summary: The first half consists of episodic dimension-hopping stories, with Syaoran traveling through various parallel worlds to collect feathers to save Sakura. Most characters in these episodic arcs are from past CLAMP works. The latter half focuses on unveiling the truth (with a slew of Ohkawa-style twists) and the final confrontation with the antagonist, though this section’s handling of time loops is poorly executed, as previously discussed.

In detail: At the moment of Yuuko’s death, Clow Reed briefly wishes she could "open her eyes again." Because of Clow’s overwhelming magical power, this wish stops Yuuko’s time and distorts space-time. This thought ultimately takes form as Fei-Wang Reed, the final antagonist. Fei-Wang orchestrates a series of events to torment Syaoran and Sakura (hence the episodic dimension-hopping). Meanwhile, Yuuko and Clow work to restore the timeline and correct this mistake. In the end, their efforts succeed, but both die in the process, leaving Syaoran and Sakura with a slightly better outcome.

[Characterization]

Syaoran: The classic shounen protagonist — brave, kind, and determined to protect the heroine.

Sakura: A gentle, kind heroine who initially needs saving but gradually grows into a resilient and courageous character.

Clow Reed: A kind, gentle figure driven by remorse, striving to make amends for past mistakes.

 

As we can see, this has virtually no connection to CCS: the plot is unrelated, and changing the characters’ names wouldn’t impact the story in any meaningful way.

The Syaoran and Sakura in TRC are merely the typical shounen manga leads, sharing almost nothing with their CCS counterparts, particularly Sakura.

In TRC, Clow serves mainly as a plot device to supply the core conflict and backstory. Over half the manga passes with Clow appearing in fewer than 20 panels (I counted carefully; his longest scene is a four-page flashback from Sakura’s memories). His characterization is minimal and fundamentally inconsistent with CCS’s depiction of him as whimsical, eccentric, and morally ambiguous. Aside from their names and appearances, the only connection between Clow in TRC and CCS is the title of "great magician." In TRC, it’s explained that Clow left the CCS world due to a space-time distortion and that he had to “fill in the gaps” in a parallel world to correct his mistake. This connection is entirely forced—why would he need to “fill in the gaps” to fix his mistake? There’s no reasonable explanation. If the story were altered so that Clow from Cardcaptor Sakura simply passed away naturally, while TRC featured a powerful magician named “deeR wolC” who distorts time and space and works to make amends... it wouldn’t change the story in any meaningful way.

In fact, after CCS concluded, Ohkawa gave several well-known interviews where she firmly stated (paraphrased): “CCS is not in the same universe as other works. CCS is complete with no sequel.” This clearly indicates that Clow’s death in CCS has nothing to do with TRC. The claim in TRC that "Clow left his original world to atone for his mistake" is just a convenient excuse by Ohkawa, who lacked the scriptwriting interest to fully address TRC’s central conflicts, so she used Clow as a scapegoat. Using Clow across TRC and xxxHOLiC ultimately came at a high cost — it led to a complete breakdown of his character. (This, of course, is also one reason I find Clow and Yuuko as a pairing highly unconvincing, an issue I’ll discuss in more detail later.)

In conclusion, CCS is a self-contained, internally consistent work that doesn’t need and shouldn’t be linked to TRC or xxxHOLiC. However, the Clear Card sequel to CCS shows signs of merging with these two works. While CCS is itself a commercial work, this pursuit of greater profits by capitalizing on CCS’s popularity to promote more commercialized works undermines CCS’s simplicity, purity, and beauty — a counterproductive move.

Syri once said that TRC is “a product of CLAMP’s creative burnout, now stale and contrived.” I find this assessment very accurate. Although early CLAMP works like RG Veda and X have melodramatic plots, they are filled with creativity, inspiration, and even a touch of BL aesthetics. However, TRC is simply a repackaging of these early works, commercially reprocessed. Comparing the iconic moments in early CLAMP works with those in TRC and later works, the former have a powerful emotional impact, while the latter feel more like beautiful but soulless dolls. This phenomenon only becomes more evident in CLAMP’s later works, especially in Clear Card.

Some critics say, "CLAMP’s commercial strategy resembles Apple’s: build a closed ecosystem (story chain), reuse core templates (worldview), and extract the last drops of value from classic characters (popular characters)." This commercial model is fully realized in TRC, and perhaps TRC’s success gave CLAMP a taste for this approach, leading their subsequent works to lean even more toward commercialization. (Though, personally, I think a comparison to Marvel Cinematic Universe might be more fitting.)

The artistic merits of this “repackaged content” have already been discussed in detail in Section Three.

V. The Tragedy of Yue and the Inevitable Character Deterioration in Clear Card

(Due to heightened emotions during writing, this section may be somewhat disorganized and will be refined later.)

Yue embodies many classic CLAMP elements, incorporating various iconic traits from earlier CLAMP works.

Design Elements: Cherry blossoms (anime-only, during "The Final Judgment"), Tokyo Tower (also anime-only, appearing in "The Final Judgment"), the moon (Yue is literally a symbol of the moon), and feathers — all of these are signature CLAMP motifs.

Art Style: In the manga, Yue’s eyes, hair, and feathers are rendered with an intricate, lavish style, closely resembling classic CLAMP aesthetics. Although CCS generally adopts a simplified, clean shoujo style, Yue’s design still stands out as distinctly different from other characters.

Character Traits: Yue relies on his master and develops feelings due to his subordinate position. When his master reincarnates, he is destined to fall into a one-sided devotion, with slumber and waiting themes that define his existence…

The problem is obvious: Yue’s aesthetic and character setup don’t quite align with CCS’s themes. He feels more like a character suited for one of CLAMP’s earlier works, better placed in an intense, "fate-driven tragic romance" typical of the CLAMP style.

Furthermore, if Yue’s character were developed with realistic logic, it would likely mean his attachment to his former master, Clow, is deeper, making it harder for him to connect with his new master. This setup contradicts the idealized shoujo philosophy where the protagonist is universally adored. In other words, in a shoujo manga, everyone should love the universally beloved heroine, Sakura Kinomoto, and Yue’s design clearly contradicts this convention.

When CCS was created, the character settings might have been somewhat spontaneous, carrying over traits from CLAMP’s earlier style. This led to characters like those with dual personalities or souls (like Yukito and Yue), as well as conflicting lines and official character details. There’s also added complexity, such as one persona still having feelings for a former master. However, as CCS gained popularity, these casual elements turned into significant issues. As a gentle, comforting shoujo manga, CCS relies on its core themes staying intact, but Yue’s character starkly exposes CCS’s lack of realistic logic and could potentially undermine its themes of warmth and kindness.

As a commercial team, CLAMP’s Ohkawa may lack the writer’s attachment and regard for her characters, as seen previously with her treatment of Subaru. Even if Ohkawa did want to develop her characters carefully, as mentioned earlier, her skills might not fully support this. So, what kind of treatment could Yue receive in this context?

Most likely, Yue would be deliberately sidelined or subjected to official out-of-character (OOC) moments, eventually resulting in his character’s decline.

And thus, in Clear Card, we see a Yue who doesn’t resemble "Yue" at all: outwardly cold, but actually a soft-hearted tsundere; he seems like he’s going to scold Syaoran, but instead gently touches his face (an utterly puzzling scene); he quickly devotes himself entirely to protecting Sakura, showing almost no reaction to Clow (although in the original series, every mention of Clow subtly affects him) and even goes so far as to scold Eriol over Sakura…

The original CCS ends without revealing whether Yue eventually moves past his heartbreak or remains sorrowful. However, at the very least, Eriol left open the possibility of accompanying Yue, preserving the integrity of CCS’s theme. However, Clear Card, as a direct sequel, fails to address Yue’s unresolved issues. No one comforts or regards him as an independent being — everyone simply prefers Yukito. Under these circumstances, the attempt to create a warm, healing atmosphere only weakens the other characters. The character who suffers the most from this decline is Eriol. As the only one who truly understands Yue’s feelings and experiences, he should offer comfort, even if he isn’t Clow. As Clow’s reincarnation, he absolutely should. In the original CCS, he pays particular attention to Yue, not only focusing on Yukito. In Clear Card, even if actual conversations aren’t shown, we might assume private exchanges took place between Eriol and Yue. However, in scenes where “Eriol, Kero, and Yue meet,” there’s no indication of any private communication between Eriol and Yue. Eriol even leaves a message for Kero but not for Yue. How is this “kind”? He shows more concern for Ruby than for Yue. Doesn’t he recognize Yue’s gentle, soft-hearted nature? Syri once criticized the overemphasis on “Syaoran x Sakura” and “You’re the best!” moments, and this view is valid. The deliberately heartwarming atmosphere feels hypocritical in these circumstances.

Conclusion

In the original CCS, Yue is the only truly tragic character, while the other character designs remain largely intact.

Viewing CCS, TRC, and xxxHOLiC together, Clow’s character has completely deteriorated (and if Watanuki in xxxHOLiC is made into Clow’s reincarnation, this would collapse entirely), with some associated characters also affected.

Considering CCS, TRC, xxxHOLiC, and Clear Card as a whole: all the characters have ultimately suffered from inconsistency and decline.

VI. Reflections on Clow/Yue Fan Interpretations

Firstly, for me, fan creation isn’t just entertainment—it’s a way to explore interesting questions and think about life. So, I tend to analyze works and characters with a more realistic perspective, blending in my personal experiences and thoughts. I’ll often dive into a whole “plate of dumplings” (the entire work) just for the “vinegar” (an aesthetic or intriguing concept, not just a character or pairing). Since I can’t make my own “dumplings,” I rely on others' works for this “vinegar” that can only be savored along with the “dumplings” (meaning character issues need the context of plot, setting, etc.). In Clow, Yue, or Clow and Yue, I’ve found that exact “dish of vinegar” I crave.

Secondly, my fan creations lean toward a “gap-filling” style. I enjoy constructing stories and backgrounds that align with the original based on limited information. I especially like exploring what might have happened before the main storyline—like stories of Clow, Keroberos, and Yue.

But honestly, CLAMP’s works make terrible material for fan creation:

As I mentioned, CLAMP’s worldbuilding is loose, the plot lacks logic, and it just doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Using any reasonable logic to think about these settings just ends in "meltdown."

CLAMP’s works are “fan creation killers,” leaving little room for fans to build on. They churn out spin-offs, novels, audio dramas—ways to boost their commercial value and basically dictate how fans should interpret the work. But I don’t want to follow their way of doing things. CLAMP throws away the “vinegar” I crave, instead serving up industrial sugar or blades that I can’t stomach.

A Short Piece

This is a short piece I wrote two years later to counter some CLAMP fans.

If creating a character requires 100% effort, then CLAMP’s portrayal of Yue is 60% creation and -40% destruction, leaving a mere 20% of creativity. As for Clow, his character is so poorly constructed and hollow, riddled with logical contradictions, that I can’t even evaluate the effort needed to create him. Honestly, Clow is just a lazy storytelling device Daioh uses to set up background and conflict, saving herself a load of work—way more than she put into Clow and Yue as characters!

Let me be blunt: the core elements and relationship of Clow and Yue are simple (art aside): Clow is a half-British, half-Chinese great magician with knowledge across East and West who created the 52 Clow Cards (a spirit deck for divination) and the guardians Keroberos and Yue (representing the sun and the moon). He deeply loves his creations, treating them as his children. Before passing away, he used foresight to prepare for the next master and ensured that those connected to the Clow Cards would be drawn to the guardians. Clow is gentle, wise, and mischievous; Keroberos is lively, Yue is calm and pure, with the moon’s nature, and deeply loves Clow. It’s that simple. Since CCS ended, every CLAMP work depicting Clow and Yue has steadily destroyed these core aspects, completely ruining both characters and their relationship. So, where exactly is this "characterization" CLAMP supposedly offers?

And as for that argument, “you shouldn’t criticize creators while enjoying their work”—that tired “fan rule” against criticizing creators—it’s ridiculous. CLAMP makes manga for profit (I call it “money-grabbing” because CLAMP has no professional ethics), and it’s the readers who fund them! Discussing CCS online adds to its popularity; in my youth, I even bought merchandise. In other words, I paid for CCS as entertainment, only to find out it’s trash after looking closer—so shouldn’t I be allowed to criticize the creators? Frankly, those few core traits and some art are more than enough to fuel all my writing and headcanons, far surpassing CLAMP’s shallow portrayal of Clow and Yue. Does my passion for Clow and Yue have anything to do with CLAMP’s flimsy plotlines? Clow and Yue can easily be separated from the original work and its creators. I won’t accept any rhetoric about "you can’t criticize creators" or “you have to know how to make your own ice before judging a refrigerator!” I only care about the core elements here. I paid for this and can take what I like from it to fuel my own enjoyment.

And to end with my usual bluntness: Anyone who backs CLAMP can’t truly love Clow Reed and Yue. You just don’t honestly care about these two characters.

[koushirouizumi]

{T.R.C} x {H.O.L.I.C} ~ + {C.C.S} CLOW + Y U E & C E R B E R U S

{Cap by Me} (Please ASK to Use)

[wifeswarmacademy]

Welcome to the Clamp Ship Mega Poll Round 1.

This is partially seeded. i picked some ships that i thought were popular in the top 10 and some that i personally dislike in the bottom, the rest are placed arbitrarily into the seed because jesus christ 64 ships is too many.

I would like to apologize for any ships I may have missed, especially from any of the anime adaptations I havent seen, Kobato (which i havent finished), or gate 7 (which i havent started). i asked in a small clamp discord for any i missed and i just added some.

Matchups Links

Syaoran/Sakura vs Rika/Terada Fujitaka/Nadeshiko vs Nadeshiko/Sonomi Hisui/Kokuyo vs Watanuki/Zashiki-Warashi Magic Knights Polycule vs Watanuki/Haruka Subaru/Kamui (X) vs Yuna D Kaito/Akiho Chiharu/Yamazaki vs Kotaro/Tamayo Hikaru/Lantis/Eagle vs Kamui's Bisexuality Kero/Spinel vs Hideki/Chii

Seishiro/Subaru (TB/X) vs Hina/Shiro Yuzuhira/Kusanagi vs Sakura/Tomoyo Eri/Sukiyabashi vs Subaru/Kamui (TRC) Jotaro/Kakyoin vs Yuuko/Clow Touya/Yukito vs Kohane/Doumeki Miyuki's Lesbianism vs Kotaro/Misaki Kentaro/Takeshi vs Kobato/Kiyokazu Watanuki/Himawari vs Kakei/Saiga

Doumeki/Watanuki vs Mizuki/Eriol Touya/Yue vs Sue/Kazuhiko Meiling/Tomoyo vs Tsubasa/Tsubasa Akira/Utako vs Dita/Zima Syaoran/Sakura (Clone) vs Chitose/Icchan Seiichiro/Karen vs Misaki/Ohjiro Doumeki/Watanuki/Himawari vs Princess Hinoto's Halves Shuichiro/Kohaku vs Hiroyasu/Yumi

Kurogane/Fai vs Taishakuten/Ashura-O Fuu/Ferio vs Umi/Clef Sorata/Arashi vs Seishiro/Subaru (TRC) Emeraude/Zagato vs Yuuko/Himawari Fuuma/Kamui (X) vs Minoru/Yuzuki Umi/Ascot vs Clow/Yue Souma/Kendappa vs Tachibana/Sakura Kazuhiko/Oruha vs Kazahaya/Rikuo

[noa-ciharu]

Welcome to another clamp tournament 💜😈 this time fucked up problematic ships are on the table. Some are more messed up, some are less. Choose one you think is the most messed up

Ships are choosen so they're not too underground. Line between what is considered problematic and what is not can sometimes be very thin so maybe some ships aren't too fitting for this poll (like Doumeki/Kohane) but nvm. In that manner plz no discourses cuz this is clamp fandom after all, epitome of 90s fucked up shojo. Whole point of all these ships is that they're messed up

Without further ado, links to the polls:

First round:

Syaoran/Meiling Li vs Gingetsu/Ran

Kaho/Eriol vs Ashura/Fai

Kusanagi/Yuzuriha vs Doumeki/Kohane

Shinobu/Shimizu vs Seishirou/Setsuka

Haruka/Watanuki vs Aoki/Karen

Kanoe/Yuuto/Satsuki vs Lantis/Hikaru/Eagle

Yasha/Ashura vs Watanuki/Yuuko

Clow/Yue vs Kaito/Akiho

TRC!Subkam vs Ueda/Yumi

Fujitaka/Nadeshiko vs Toru/Saya

Second round:

CCS! Tomoyo/Sakura vs Gingetsu/Ran

Eriol/Kaho vs Doumeki/Kohane

X!Subkam vs Seishirou/Setsuka

Haruka/Watanuki vs Seisub

Fuukam vs Kanoe/Yuuto/Satsuki

Yasha/Ashura vs Clow/Yue

Souma/Kendappa vs TRC!Subkam

Toru/Saya vs Taishakuten/Ashura

Third round:

Gingetsu/Ran vs Eriol/Kaho

Seishirou/Setsuka vs Seisub

Fuukam vs Yasha/Ashura

TRC!Subkam vs Taishakuten/Ashura

Semifinals:

Eriol/Kaho vs Seishirou/Setsuka

Fuukam vs Taishakuten/Ashura

Finals:

Seishirou/Setsuka vs Taishakuten/Ashura

[ilikelookingatthings]

Some thoughts on Cardcaptor Sakura and destined love.

Okay so a theme by the people who made Cardcaptor Sakura is love is love. Age gaps and circumstances or gender won’t stop the feelings so to speak because its destiny. and there are ships that overlap looks throughout other works by the same team who made cadcapture sakura.

But I think what I find most fascinating is I actually think two of the main ships aren’t actually destined love despite what overlapping character models would have you believe(looking at you tsbasa chronicles)...what makes them strong is they are defying destiny.

these two ships are  Sakura x Syaoran and Yukito x Touya.

it sounds crazy but here me out because I actually think the base for my theroy makes sense.

One of the ‘destined’ loves the show brings up is Sakura’s mother and father who fell in love as a teacher and a student(yes is sus on principle, it being sus isnt exactly relevant but it must be repeated for the people who didn’t figure it out).

A second(spoilers) is a relationship or deep love implied from Yue(a moon powered spirit towards/between the Original Card Captor Master Clow from centuries before.

and technicallya relationship counted that I don’t want to count since I hate it and isn’t even in the anime at all but I will mention since it may help you see the pattern is the teacher with one of sakura elementary classmates.

Touya actually takes after his mother in not just spiritual awareness but also taste as he actually falls for a lady teacher with spirit powers/is a priestess/shine maiden of some kind when he was in middleschool(again even more sus..not entirely relevant but it bears repeating).

Sakura also has an interest in an older boy the same age as Touya named Yukito. in her case its while Yukito(seemingly) is in highschool while she is in elementary.

Something I noticed was a patturn of an older person getting with potentially younger student.

its easy to forget since sakura x syrean and yukito x touya seem so obvious endgame.

but for the majority of the series Sakura was in love steadfastly with Yukito. Yukito is very sweet to Sakura throughout the series. Sakura was also the one who became the Cardcaptor connected to the cards(not touya), which is connected to Yue(Yukito arguably real/original personality that is centuries old and guardian to the cards that sees if the owner is worthy). and Yue had been deeply in love with Master clow who had made the cards originally. Arguable Sakura was destined to be very close to Yukito on both sides and it was implied that Yue might have gotten close to Touya to get close to Sakura and specifically the cards in their house in the guise of Yukito. the sweet is very hungry best friend of Touya. it would be very easy to argue for Sakura and Yukito as a ship in theroy based on these aspects.

I had thought that it was only logic to dismiss yukito x sakura as a ship because of the age aspect....but there was a conversation between Master Clow and Sakura that gave me a hint that Sakura and Yukito had actually been destoned to be with eachother because Master Clow had actually predicted that would have been the case of Yukito/Yue returning her feelings near the end of the series.

but of course...if your paying attention that is NOT the case....which made me think about WHY that wasn’t the case.

A major aspect is of course that Yukito had actually fallen for Touya. Sakura’s brother.

But if Clow knew of Sakura then it would make sense if he actually could antipate accurately the idea that yukito/yue wouldn’t fall for Touya.

What I think he hadn’t antipated was TOUYA’S destined love choosing to step aside.

as much as people like to treat Touya’s love for the teacher as just a redherring to cover his love for yukito....its actually more fascinating if its sincere. He had brought up he had someone he loved before(like when the girl from the play confessed) which we all assumed was yukito until it was revealed later from Sakura seeing the past by a tree he was actually in love with a female teacher/priest/shrine maiden.

She is someone who its implied can see or predict the future as she tells Touya when she leaves abroad that he is destined to fall for someone else and she is destined to fall for someone else as well abroad so they should part and not fight it.

What I think would be interesting is if she actually IS Touya’s destined love...but her choice to leave and say that to Touya actually left an opening to challenge destiny which she did on purpose.

its arguable that if she had stayed or if she had kept in contact with Touya or didn’t cut off his hope before she left like that Touya would still be loyally in love and end up with her. The same as his mom did with his dad or that weird waiting game for the teacher and sakura’s classmate. 

In that scenerio where his love with the Teacher wasn’t cut off Touya wouldn’t have been as focused on Yukito(even with the hypothetic that Touya isn’t romantically in love with yukito yet in the main timeline since technically a prerequisite for yukito falling for touya isnt touya returning romantic love) and so hypothetically could have gotten more attached to sakura since Touya would have been clearer on not being available romantically since he would have the idea the teacher returns his feelings.

In that hypothetical scenario yukito might have had less reason to turn down sakura’s confession or even sakura would have less reason to accept the rejection if Touya was not a romantic hurdle due the teacher being stronger in his heart. 

A second aspect is that teacher actually deals with the reincarnation of Clow in the show. If she was strait forward with Sakura or Touya early on about clow that could have had a very different aspect when it comes to yukito and sakura. as much as the fandom likes to pretend her saying touya will find someone and she will fall for someone abroad to imply she fell for that kid..she doesn;t actually seem into that literal child reincarnation. SHe also seems aware of some of Clow’s plans or how some of the tests work due to how her family had a connection or role passed down from being connected to the original Clow.

Yue is technically the real original personality of Yukito with Yukito being a amnesiac version with a different personality that is suppoused to fade or disappear once Yue awakens...the reason Yukito is able to say is the strong bond he had created with Sakura but also Touya’s spirit powers helping. 

If Touya was less in love with Yukito he might have not given up his powers or might have been too late to help him.

And of course another aspect that Clow failed to predict was one of his descendants Syaoran.   Clow had predicted that Yue/Yukito and sakura would have returned feelings.

but its clear throughout the series that Syaoran and Sakura have a built up friendship and support. if Syaoran was there less then yukito/Yue and Sakura most likely would have bonded more. even during that last battle/test where Sakura was struggling to focus on turning the darkness and light card for her own....she succeeded....but she succeeded because Syaoran was there for her and supporting her that things would be okay. 

Syaoran entered the chat and helped sakura grow and have someone to bounce off of and who could understand her feelings at times(like feelings toward yukito or unrequited feelings). 

Clow had predicted that Sakura would succeeded and become a master of all the cards but it this Syraon hadn’t been there to steady her when she was freaking out at the idea that everyone would stay asleep she might not have been able to succeed the way she did. and sakura might not have realized it...but she was starting to feel something a bit special to syroan that probably helped sooth or make her feel better after getting rejected by yukito.

and if the teacher hadn’t been there to advise the reincarnated Clow there might have been some extra drama when it came to Yue and the reincarnated Clow. or heck its possible the reincarnated Clow and his group might not have made it in time properly to help test Sakura’s growth to push her to adapt the cards quickly.

the pattern had been Sakura’s mom and dad(age gap teacher disciple)

Sakura’s teacher and her class mate(age gap teacher disciple)

master clow and yue(age gape master disciple)

potential ship of yue and reincarnated master clow(age gape sort of master disciple exs)

the lady teacher and Touya(teacher disciple)

and yukito/yue and sakura(age gap with the odd master servant thing with her being a carcaptor)

yet what broke the mold was Touya and Yukito(who are the same age grade wise with Yue not REALLY being factored in) who are best friends throughout the show and building up moments of care together.

and Syaoran and Sakura who start of as rivals to each other for the cards and in love(or crush on yukito) and eventually friends and supporters of each other to fall for each other(or at least deeply care on her end which hasn’t had time to develop yet with love towards her on Syaoran ’s end.

the great Master Clow could predict and have plans for so many things...yet his prediction about love wasn’t correct.

So that is my argument that Sakura and Touya ended up not with their destined loves but love forged through choice and friendship and time.

I also like this theroy because it makes Touya’s first love the teacher kind of cooler in changing destiny because it would be healthier for him to be with someone his own age. giving up your true love to save the Yukito part that would have been destined to fade or die away if Touya’s dynamic with Yukito had been even a little weaker. saving the Clow reincarnation and Yue from chasing the past in each other. and Sakura gets to succeed in a way different from what Clow had predicted. and it gives a happy ending to Sakura with someone her own age as well.

It  would also make her worth of Touya’s love even if this is the timeline they aren’t going to be together because in my eyes... by choosing to let him go she gave better more possibilities to Touya and because age gap underage, let alone teacher student romance is NOT okay. for a teacher to be worthy of that love they shouldn’t return it or should be the adult and put a stop to it.

She also didn’t get much time to shine in the anime so her having that much of a impact would be interesting and kind of make the weird age gap aspect through cardcaptor sakura have an extra purpose.

It would also have an interesting contrast with the previous generation that sakura’s generation parallels. her mother got with her age gap teacher(the dad) and might have been happy and had two kids(sakura and Touya) but ended up cut off from her family. her cousin who had a weird crush in her was more bitter but in the end the mom died and everyone mourned and never properly made up. the age gap(and more importantly the teacher student aspect) had really negative affects on the people around the mom even if it could be argued she was happy with her love(the dad who was sketchy for going along with it but did seem to have  a good relationship with her).

to contrast and parallel how sakura’s sort of cousin who has a crush on her just wants her to be happy). how sakura and touya have older crushes(especially touya’s who was a teacher) and yue/yukito being ridiculous age wise on the yue side and highscool on the yukito side. just like the mom had on the dad. only unlike the dad who accepted the mom.....yukito rejected sakura and touya’s teacher left him for his own good. and even Syaoran who loved sakura did leave but gave a health space and communication to develope things because there is time. ...so yukito is saved in the long run as a personality, yue is given more closure. and connects were remade...not lost.

what are your thoughts community?

[humanoidtyphoons]

finished ccs. eriol’s explanation was... okay? i guess? underwhelming really, but also like. i prolly was never going to be that happy with it anyway.

but i felt like that for the majority of s3, so. hm. the fun was sakura capturing cards, not... transforming cards into her own.

star of the show was kero! didn’t expect to love him so much???? but he’s great!

unexpected fave was touya? i enjoyed his role more than i thought i would, tho touya/yukito bored me, and i got kinda tired of the touya/syaoran animosity but like.... this is a trend of most of sakura’s family -- her grandfather and tomoyo’s mom -- seem to have, where it’s just. a little too much to be comfortable with, tbh. 

in general not a fan of a character being ‘x stole the person most precious to me’, when it’s portrayed like that.

i guess i was won over by syaoran and syaoran/sakura, that character development did turn out pretty good but i’m not sure syaoran’s abrasiveness should disappear quite the way it did by the end. but they’re definitely not a favourite ship, and honestly, if sakura had ended up single... i’d have been pretty happy with that, since there was no one i particularly wanted her to end up with.

(like maybe in the future, yue and sakura, like clow intended? but then, if that was the case, why didn’t yukito be a middle schooler like sakura, instead of a high schooler touya’s age tbh????)

[undesiredwish]

i suppose now would be a good time to go into headcanons that i have revolving around clow’s sleeping habits and dreamseer abilities. a lot of these are pulled from things we know from X and tsubasa.

00.         when clow lays down to sleep; he waits until both yue and keroberos are asleep before he settles in (unless he is exhausted, then it can’t be helped but those days are few and far between). he tends to sleep deep due to dream walking and observing future events, though he has trained himself to wake up on a dime when he hears something in his room. in his youth this has lead to moments of sleep paralysis due to suddenly waking up though his body is still sleeping and it is fairly uncomfortable for him since it at times has lasted over an hour. now to avoid that from happening, he tends to let himself sleep and naturally wake up; letting his guardians handle the conscious world since he has to stay alert within his dreams.

01.         when he dreamgazes, he isn’t restrained to one area to observe; rather he can freely roam and get as close as he wishes to analyze and event halt time within his dream (though it is not very long). his dreams are a form of lucid dreaming where he is in full control of his environment when it comes to himself when he is in a setting but he cannot change the outcome of what he sees within the dream. he can stop times, make things go backwards and explore but the events will play out the same every time, unless he sets up something in the waking world to help redirect the future.  

he had to do this in setting up the clone sakura he raised as his daughter, putting pieces into place and setting up for the future for her and her company to right the wrongs that transpired on his behalf.

02.          usually when he comes out of a particularly heavy dream, he is fairly groggy. dreamseeing is heavy on any person who goes though it though as he’s gotten older he’s been able to control how deep into a dream he wishes to go. the events happen at random, though towards the end of his time, he was able to pick and choose what he wanted to see (though still he has no power over what happens).

[just-an-enby-lemon]

I like to belive that when Clow introduced Yuuko to his guardians Yue became super jealous and started glaring at her unstopable and furiosly. And being the oblivius morons they are Clow decided that Yue was starting to have a crush in her (projecting is also part of Clow Reed, great magician, line of thinking) while Kero was sure Yue was trying to challenge Yuuko to a "who blink first" competicion.

Yuuko notice cause she isn't stupid and her and Yue are sharing the two brain cells there and talked to Yue in her weird way of being really nice and they bond. When the day is over Yue is super frustrated cause he now understands what Clow sees in Yuuko and can't hate her for her and Clow mutual feelings.

Kero and Clow both act extra nice with him all week (Clow beliving Yuuko told Yue she didn't felt the same and Kero that Yue lost the glaring contest) and for years after that Yue will always belive that Clow gently talking about unrequired feelings and platonic love being as good as romantic love was because he finally noticed the guardian feelings and was trying to turn him down nicelly.

Years later, Eriol would look at this memory, understand what happend and laugth for a whole hour about how blind his other self was.

[judywisteria5]

Chapters: 1/24 Fandom: Cardcaptor Sakura (Anime & Manga) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Kinomoto Sakura/Li Syaoran, Kinomoto Touya/Tsukishiro Yukito, Hiiragizawa Eriol/Mizuki Kaho, Kinomoto Fujitaka/Kinomoto Nadeshiko, Daidouji Tomoyo & Kinomoto Sakura, Keroberos | Cerberus & Kinomoto Sakura & Yue, Kinomoto Sakura & Tsukishiro Yukito, Hiiragizawa Eriol & Kinomoto Sakura, Keroberos | Cerberus & Kinomoto Sakura, Clow Reed/Yue, Clow Reed & Yue, Guardians & Clow Reed, Yuna D. Kaito/Shinomoto Akiho, Yuna D. Kaito & Shinomoto Akiho, Yuna D. Kaito & Momo, Yuna D. Kaito & Li Syaoran, Kinomoto Sakura & Shinomoto Akiho Characters: Kinomoto Sakura, Li Syaoran (Cardcaptor Sakura), Daidouji Tomoyo (Cardcaptor Sakura), Kinomoto Touya, Tsukishiro Yukito, Yue (Cardcaptor Sakura), Keroberos | Cerberus, Hiiragizawa Eriol, Akizuki Nakuru | Ruby Moon, Spinel Sun, Mizuki Kaho, Kinomoto Fujitaka, Kinomoto Nadeshiko, Yuna D. Kaito, Momo (Cardcaptor Sakura), Shinomoto Akiho, Clow Reed, Clow Cards, The Windy (Cardcaptor Sakura), The Mirror (Cardcaptor Sakura) Additional Tags: Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Angst, Minor Original Character(s) Summary:

This is an alternate Clear Card Arc storyline: The Sakura Cards begin to "malfunction", and Yue’s efforts to save them spark a cascade of conflicts and challenges. Beneath what seems like a stable life, Yue feels increasingly isolated from everyone around him. The ever-silent, withdrawn Judge has lost his sense of belonging and floats adrift, like a lone boat. Bound by his nature as a magical creation to match his master’s will, Yue has surrendered much of his time and given his false form, Yukito, an equal standing—or maybe even more. But when peace is broken and the scales tip, Yue is jolted to find that he’s lost his right to self-expression. Will he fully yield, give up his own desires, and protect his new master’s feelings? Or will he rise from the ashes, confront the scales of human emotions, and reconcile with those around him? This is a Yue-centered story, featuring substantial Clow/Yue content.

[incorrect-ccs-quotes]

Yue: You never forget your first.

Kerberos: Your first what?

Yue: Master.

Kerberos: That is never what people mean by that.

[wifeswarmacademy]

Welcome to the Clamp Ship Mega Poll Tournament Round 2

Apologies for the Technical difficulties setting up the Round 2.

Due to the large number of entrants, I am not listing all previous matches, but special mention to the four series entirely booted from the first round, Suki, Angelic Layer, Clover, and Gate 7. I wish you better luck next time (at least you made it onto the poll).

Here is a link to the previous round 1 hub.

Next Rounds Matchups

Syaoran/Sakura (CCS) vs Fujitaka/Nadeshiko Hisui/Kokuyo vs Magic Knights Polycule Subaru/Kamui (X) vs Chiharu/Yamazaki Kamui's Bisexual Harem vs Hideki/Chii

Seishiro/Subaru (TB/X) vs Sakura/Tomoyo Subaru/Kamui (TRC) vs Yuuko/Clow Touya/Yukito vs Miyuki's Lesbian Swarm Kentaro/Takeshi vs Kakei/Saiga

Doumeki/Watanuki vs Touya/Yue Tsubasa/Tsubasa vs Akira/Utako Syaoran/Sakura (Clone) vs Seiichiro/Karen Doumeki/Watanuki/Himawari vs Shuichiro/Kohaku

Kurogane/Fai vs Fuu/Ferio Sorata/Arashi vs Emeraude/Zagato Fuuma/Kamui (X) vs Umi/Ascot Souma/Kendappa vs Kazahaya/Rikuo

[noa-ciharu]

Heh Heh

What about....

Yuna D. Kaito, Akira Ijyuin, Seishirou, and Best boi Clow? (I am kidding on the Clow part though)

I haven't read ccs2 so I'll skip Kaito. Ik who he is but idk anything about him. Also based on diversity of length of replies you'll clearly see my favoritism lol 😎

Akira:

Sexuality headcanon:

I guess he's straight? He had crush on a woman his whole life, married men and they're living happily together

Gender headcanon:

Cis male

OTP:

Probably him and that girl of his. Sorry I keep on forgetting her name, I'm rly bad with names

BROTP:

Suoh, Akira and Nokoru

NOTP:

Who is he paired with anyway? If someone is shipping Akira with Suoh or Nokoru that's fine with me really. So no ship I dislike

Random headcanon:

I'm 300% sure Akira met his dad by accident (from Akira's perspective) on street, on his bday to the boot, and just never figured out it's his dad. Comedy shojo style ofc

General opinion:

He was so adorable, I adore him. Also I like how Clamp draws his hair nowadays

It's cute and someday unique

Clow:

Sexuality headcanon:

I guess he's bi? He was too touchy with Yue and it got me like SUS

Gender headcanon:

His gender is magical bastard

OTP:

None really

BROTP:

Also none. We don't know anything about his past so we dont know who his friends were

NOTP:

I'm actually not opposed to Clow/Yuuko, I just like to joke about it. I don't ship it but I can see why some people do. Beside Yuuko, idk if Clow is shipped with anyone else

Random headcanon:

I literally can't come up with anything. Sorry :<

General opinion:

Actually this is where my problem lays, it's bc I read CCS hurriedly back in 2015 and all I know about Clow is that he was some powerful dude that acted nonchalant and managed to fuck up time and space somehow. Also that clamp somewhat used his as plot device (?). Ik he appeared in Tsubasa too but I feel like I'd have easier time getting college degree than understanding trc ending

So yea, I basically lack info on Clow to form an option that isn't based on jokes and what I've learned from fandom

Seishirou:

Sexuality headcanon:

Subaru-sexual he's gay af. His TB vet persona is literally campy older gay guy who preys on younger males. Chicken Hawk really. Because look. Sumeragi twins are bi bait. They look the same and are both beautiful af. We all know who Seishirou had eyes for during whole year. So yea, defo gay. Actually, let's just keep it as Subaru-sexual, yea that's the most fitting description

Gender headcanon:

Bastard babygirl cis male I guess

OTP:

Seisub ofc. If I had to sort them then X>TB>TRC versions. They're just so... written. Honestly in the end it doesn't even come to whether one ships them or not, bc their story altogether is a very powerful tragedy. Also I'm generally non-emotional person and extremely hard to emotional affect (literally over 95% of media I watch leaves no profound effect on me) but two of them (TB/X in general), damn did it cut. Damn does their story cut in deep, not just in terms of romance, but in terms of lonliness and isolation of modern cities; in terms of tragedy, character development and complexity of human nature and interpersonal relationships. Honestly I can go miles about seisub and how it fundamentally changed way I do and view shipping but I'm a bit sleepy rn. I've been chasing high I experienced with seisub and whilst I can recreate it with some other clamp ships at the moments, I can't with ships outside clamp fandoms.

BROTP:

In TB/X it absolutely has to be his relationship with Hokuto. Power duo they were unstopable, Subaru couldn't catch a break. In that manner TB trio too. But not just comedy moments, but ones like this:

At moments I wonder if Seishirou underestimated Hokuto. She is bubbly, seemingly has somewhat shallow interestes and such, but behind cheerful surface (maybe even front she puts up for Subaru's sake so she'd cheer him up), Hokuto is extremely sharp and mature girl for her age. There were few moments where Seishirou and Hokuto had serious convos, usually about Subaru's self sacrificial and sensitive nature. And Seishirou always had his smirk and inner 'quite observant out of you Hokuto-chan' moment.

In X he barely interacted with anyone beside Subaru. Ik we as fandom joke about Seishirou and Fuuma being bastard bffs but if we were to serious take X, then I'd say Seishirou would prefer to avoid Fuuma altogether. Ofc he'd never let Fuuma know that, it'll be considered vulnerability. He'd be unnerved not only by someone stronger than him, but also with ability to see what dwells in one's heart. Fuuma could hold a mirror reflecting his soul and Seishirou would rather stay blind to what he sees there

NOTP:

Ofc I saw some crack ships with Seishirou but I never saw a serious ship with fanbase that's not seisub. I guess I'd be a bit ?? if he's paired with a woman. Ofc unless said woman is Setsuka, because tbx fandom is still torn whether motherfucker is just an insult or description for Seishirou

Random headcanon:

He wears sunglasses to save eyesight and 'put distance between himself and world around him'. But I'm sure Seishirou keeps sunglasses on regularly to turn blind eye to reason behind his blind eye, so to speak. Deep down he knows he moved in front of knife on impulse to protect Subaru and that deeply unnerves him. Of course all subconsciously, thus he'd rather not be reminded of that inner turmoil. Still it's rather ironic Seishirou and Subaru parted in TB with both leaving marks of reminder on each other's body. Subaru remembers Seishirou whenever he looks at his hands and Seishirou sure as hell remembers Subaru from time to time when he looks at his blind eye

Also I think Seishirou made bet on impulse based on deeply rooted wish for connection with another human being. Ofc he never became aware of said wish because it's ego-dystonic to him. He views emotions as weakness, love included.

General opinion:

😎🦅🌸🌈🚬

[myosh-i]

Touya:

-But i don't want you to disappear.

Anime: 🌸 Sakura Card Captors 🌸

[white-winter-hymnals]

Yue Reed, Or Clow xYue? :D

You know me so well!

(I’ll do Yue, with a bit of a Clow/shippy overlap)

1) Lose It - Austra2) Stop (Don’t Push the Button) - Susanne Sundfør3) Human Behavior - Bjork4) Restless - Karin Park5) Punching In a Dream - The Naked and Famous

—–

SEND ME A CHARACTER & I’LL MAKE THEM A MINI PLAYLIST