So I remember back in 2002 when the first image for TSUBASA surfaced. It was a smaller version of this cover and you never saw such fervor. This is back when scanlation was still not a thing per say. I belonged to a yahoo group called "RosettaStone" (since they had chapter by chapter relays for Fruits Basket and always had ShoujoMagic's newest releases) and every time a new tidbit came out it was epic.

Was this Cardcaptor Sakura's characters? What was the thing with the clothes? They're older! Is Clow back?

I look back on that excitement with a sort of wistfulness. you have to understand to date their longest work was X and their longest completed work was CCS at that point. CLAMP's now infamous inability to wrap up their longer works coherently wasn't a consideration. As fans we expected it to be epic and beautiful and heart breaking and romantic and as details of their world and it's interconnection with xxxHolic was revealed there was no doubt.

Having read this both as it was scanlated online by fans (with ever increasing snark) and the delrey domestically released volumes my emotions swung back and forth. There is SO MUCH to recommend this series. The ambitious world building, the familiar but different faces, the heart breaking choice...The look on his face...

That's why I gave this volume five stars. As the series progresses those stars will fall off and on, but for this book it's everything I wanted and hoped for. ( )

Growing a suspicion that I'm not a fan of CLAMP's stuff. ( )

Since the series is finished now, now I can read the whole thing without having to wait months or more for each book.

Having really enjoyed the CCS anime, seeing Sakura & Syaoran as young adults was great.

CLAMP does spectacular artwork here, even if it is a bit line busy" for my taste.

And White Mokono makes me laugh almost as much as Black Mokono from [b:XXXHoLiC Volume 1|228063|XXXHoLiC Volume 1|CLAMP|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320466822s/228063.jpg|236439]" ( )

I was giddy with happiness when I read the first volume of this manga. I love CLAMP manga, and in particular am a big fan of the Cardcaptor Sakura series, so when I heard about a new CLAMP series that would feature a teenage Sakura and Syaoran, I knew I would be reading it. Having picked up the first volume, I discovered it wasn't actually the characters I knew as teenagers, but characters in an alternate dimension who had the same spirits and features as their original counterparts. I was fine with that. Anime and manga are rife with alternate versions and duplicate dimensions. Also, the story line in this manga was immediately interesting. Sakura is a princess in the country of Clow, and Syaoran is her friend who works on an archaeological dig nearby. Her brother, Toya, is the king, and Yukito is the high priest. Syaoran's dad is the character that was Sakura's father in the Cardcaptor series. What? I have fun seeing loved characters redeployed in a new environment with new and mysterious pasts, and the whole concept intrigued me from the start. Then the plot started, and everything got better.

Syaoran and the team have just discovered an underground portion of the ruins they are excavating. Sakura comes to visit him at lunch, and she activates the ruins. Syaoran pulls her out of the strange power sucking her in, but as he does so, thousands of feathers explode away from her. He learns from Yuklto that the feathers represent Sakura's heart and memories, and they must be returned or she will never wake. Yukito sends Syaoran to Yuko, the Dimensional Witch, as the only one who can help him cross worlds to find Sakura's feathers. Meanwhile, the reader is introduced to Kurogane and Fai, two new characters who are also sent to Yuko. Their troubled pasts are only hinted at. Kurogane wants to return to his world, and Fai wants to stay away from his. Yuko suggests that all three have the same goal in mind: to travel between worlds. She grants them their wish, but they must each pay a steep price. For Syaoran, this payment is his relationship with Sakura. Even if they gather all of her memories, the one person she will never remember is Syaoran. He agrees.

The trio are given Mokona, who has the power to transport them between worlds. With Sakura, they journey to their first stop, the Hanshin Republic. They are sheltered by two characters originally from the X series, who teach them about the world and the kudan. Apparently, kudan are spirits that attach to each person, to help and serve them. Also, since the travelers are now living in Hanshin, they will attract kudan of their own. Sure enough, it's not long before the trio witness a fight in the streets, and when Syaoran runs out to save innocent bystanders, his kudan emerges to protect him.

What is not to like about the introduction to this series? I loved Syaoran and Sakura before, but like them even more now. Their relationship is sweet, and then heartbreaking. Lovely angst. Shaoran will do anything to protect her, and is already acting completely awesome in his spirited defense. I already like Fai and Kurogane, too, who are the only new characters created for this series. They exude cool, and you know they are going to be awesome as their characters develop. It is delightful watching them all bond. Fai is happy to be friends, Kurogane acts tough and disinterested but clearly is growing attached to Syaoran, and Syaoran is grateful and friendly but doesn't want to impose. Besides, his attention is mainly focused on Sakura. This series is going to have awesome fights and adventure. The story in Hanshin looks fun, and I am excited to see what happens as the three of them unleash their kudan. Clearly, all three will have extremely strong ones. And in addition to all this, there are the characters! Ashura from RG Veda, Chi from Chobits, Tomoyo from Cardcaptor, the fire kudan is from Magic Knights, Shogo and Arashi and Sorata from X, Miyuki-chan running by with toast in her mouth ... and I am probably missing some. I am super excited to read this series! The story is intriguing and looks to be epic in its own right, and then throw in the fun of rediscovering favorite characters in new lives, and the result is a manga destined to become one of my new favorites. ( )

The two out of four best characters have returned!!!!! [11/17]

This book is a great book for people who love anime. The main characters are: Princess Sakura, Saroran, Fai D. Flowright, Krogane, and Mokona Madolki and many more. In episode one Princes Sakura loses her memory while visiting Saroran at his archeological dig site. After she loses her memory the high priest sends them to the time-space witch. In chapter two Krogane gets sent also to the time-space witch by the princess of Krogane's world. In chapter three you find out that Fai is a magician. Fai sends himself to the time-space witch. After they meet each other they tell the witch what they want. Yuko the time-space witch tells them what the price is for there desire. What Saroran had to pay was not money,no, his payment was his relationship with Sakura. Meaning that she when she wakes up she while not remember Saroran. He agreed to his payment so the received Mokona Madoki. ( )