|
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
||||||
|
|
Reviewed by Michael Aronson Ah, so it’s really an action series. Damn. It’s not that I have a bias against action. Done well, as in Vagabond or Akira, it can be spectacular. But more often than not, long-winded manga series that indulge in the action genre get bogged down in an endless string of battles. Tsubasa’s not there yet, but most of volume two is a string of fights, utilizing the elemental-creature “kudan” each character possesses, to unleash explosive techniques upon their opponents. As is typical of much action manga, some of the battle scenes are impenetrable messes in which it’s difficult to discern who’s doing what. Fortunately, there are also some strikingly clear images, such as Syaoran’s kudan, a fire elemental in the form of a wolf, and some after-effects of actions are powerfully dramatic. It’s just kind of a shame that in order to collect the mystical feathers necessary to restore Sakura to health, battles have to be waged to draw them out. In something of a rarity, the end of volume two also coincides with the conclusion of the characters’ first quest. I say this is rare because often one story arc concludes and then another begins within the same volume. It’s nice to get a firm sense of closure at a book’s end. Some significant events transpire at the end, one in particular that I hadn’t anticipated happening so soon, adding a nice wrinkle to the character dynamics. I still feel a little lost in the world of Tsubasa. A couple of new characters are introduced in this volume, and though the appendix doesn’t mention them, I wonder if these are established Clamp characters that fans will recognize. The appendix does cover a hefty list explaining manga stylings, which should be a nice overview for new and older readers of manga – I learned a few things myself. But at the same time, it’s a little disappointing that there are elements of the story that aren’t readily comprehensible within the context of the story and need explanation. Books like Lone Wolf and Cub feature an appendix of terms from the era in which the story takes place, but the Tsubasa appendix explains jokes and references western readers aren’t likely to pick up. Rather than explanations, shouldn’t the translator and editor strive harder to express these ideas in the conversion to English? I know it’s not all going to translate smoothly, by why tell western readers jokes they’re not going to appreciate? Ah well, a discussion for another time. Think you could have written a better review of Tsubasa v2? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
12 March 2010 10 March 2010
|
||||
 |
| home | reviews | news | features | about us | advertise | privacy policy | contact us |
