CLAMP - Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, ch. 165-171

[oyceter]

Look, rilina! I am caught up again!

Spoilers for all of X and xxxHolic through ch. 143 under the cut.

OH. MY. GOD!!!!!

So, as much as I can make out: Kurogane killed Ashura, but because it was Kurogane instead of Fai, the second curse took effect. I'm still not quite sure what the second curse was, except that I think it's what kept Fai in Celes when they were all trying to get out. SO! OMG! KUROGANE CUTS OFF HIS ARM! GAAAAH!

!!!!!!!

And then they end up in Nihon. Which was a wish that both Tomoyo and Fai made, Fai paying by ensuring that he'd use his own magic to get out of Celes, thereby setting the second curse (?) into effect, thereby causing Kurogane to CUT OFF HIS ARM OMG (this last part will always be in caps because it is just that dramatic!). And Tomoyo! OMG! Tomoyo pays by giving up her dreamseer powers! Gah! And somehow all four of the travellers paid in advance when they gave things up during the chess game? I've already forgotten what they gave up for the chess game.

Fai punching Kurogane = best thing ever.

And then, in a burst of dramatic wind, Fuuma arrives, carrying an artificial arm with him! I can't quite figure out if it's a gift from Yuuko, paid for by Fai, or if it's a wish of Fai's paid by Fai and Fuuma somehow, or both, or neither. And then Seishirou arrives! It is the gathering of the bespectacled mass murderers! And they are brothers, of course! And want to know about the VAMPIRE TWINS! (i will never stop snickering at "vampire twins")

The best sentence in these chapters is Fai proclaiming that giving up his magic won't affect his life, because his vampire blood keeps him alive! And the best part about that was I read it and then went, "Oh yeah! I forgot he was a vampire!"

Only in CLAMP.

And now it seems like Shaoran and Seishirou are battling each other for another of Sakura's feathers. At least, I think it is Seishirou. If not, then it is Fuuma. Truly, who can tell which bespectacled mass murderer it is?

I think I need a chart to figure out what was paid for what to Yuuko, who is officially the Best Plot Device Ever. Amazingly, she manages to be that and the best character ever, which I will never stop being impressed by.

Anyway! KUROGANE CUT OFF HIS ARM OMG! And oh, I love the conversation between him and Tomyo, waaaah! I cannot believe CLAMP keeps upping the angst, given that they have been through a goth chess game, VAMPIRE TWINS, two eye losses, secret clones, transferred memories, DEAD TWINS, betrayal from within, one member turning into a vampire who can only live off the blood of the person who just CUT HIS OWN ARM OFF for him, and did I mention the VAMPIRE TWINS?!

Awesomesauce.

Oh! Also, Shaoran and Watanuki meet and have a Significant Conversation. I'm starting to think that Rilina's cracktastic theory of Shaoran and Sakura being Watanuki's parents isn't all that cracked out anymore. I'm also starting to wonder if Shaoran's real father is actually Fei Wang Reed+test tube. Or wait. Is that actual canon? I can't keep it straight anymore!

Now if only Sakura would wake up and be active again...

In conclusion: AWESOMESAUCE CUT OFF HIS ARM!

Comments

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

Heee!

You know, it's only when it's all pulled together like that that the sheer cracktasticness shines through. Can you imagine the story planning meetings at CLAMP when they were writing this series?

I've got it ! I now know (knowing CLAMP) how they wrote TRC!



IT WAS A DRINKING GAME!!!!!!!!!

[oyceter]

BWAH! OMG you are so right!

I bet they get drunk, write up the most cracktastic things they can think of, stick them in a hat, and then pull them out and paste them onto a storyboard.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

I...think I see your point from my post the other day...

[oyceter]

VAMPIRE TWINS!

That is all.

[oyceter]

I lied, that is not all. Tsubasa starts out sort of interesting, then quickly goes to boring. I think most people perk up a bit at the Ashura/Shura arc around v. 8-10, and then it goes off to boring again for another 3 volumes. 13 gets into Kurogane backstory (GOOD!) and 14 starts the arc that is MADE OF PURE AWESOME.

*ahem* Not that I am biased, of course...

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

But...you mention so much boring...I think you should say more about Kurogane, as he was my fave

[oyceter]

It's true, though I think since you know the premise, you can pretty much skip straight to 13 and go back and read if you want to pick stuff up. Rereading's a lot more interesting because you can then pick up on foreshadowing.

Also, as you may have noticed, Kurogane gets some quality things to do! Also also, Fai/Kurogane OMG!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

You sais "skip" and my soul cried out in protest...

Fai and Kurogane were my favorite characters, but...well, I'm not really into yaoi. It's not guy/guy=squick or anything, but rather that...it usually ends up boring me for whatever reason. (Canon yaoi, I mean...I do my best to ignore most fanon yaoi.)

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I do not think Fuuma paid for Kurogane's arm; I think he is running errands for Yuuko in payment for either something unspecified or something I have forgotten. TRC Fuuma is so sane! It's because he doesn't seem unreasonably attached to anything. Where is the Kamui obsession? I don't get it. I hope it will be explained.

I forgot to mention that TRC Seishiro *is* hot. But I still hate him.

[oyceter]

I am so confused by all the prices! Also, I had completely forgotten that he ran errands for Yuuko. Plot amnesia strikes again!

That is to say, my own amnesia, not the characters'. I feel for CLAMP, you have to specify.

TRC Fuuma really is sane! It's rather boggling, especially because he's wearing the little John Lennon glasses that signal evilness.

I, um, would hate Seishiro, only I can't remember if he's still an insane serial killer, or if he's just stalking the vampire twins, or if he eats eyes or what.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

Wait, maybe TRC Fuuma is running errands in exchange for getting to travel worlds? In which case he may be planning to lure vampire Kamui away from his twin, and not so sane. But hey.

In TRC Seishiro taught Syaoran to fight (I strongly suspect this was at the instigation of Fei Wong, but do not think this has been confirmed), stole one of Sakura's feathers from Syaoran, and killed lots of people/caused mayhem in the imaginary video-game world, only I'm not sure if it counts, because they weren't really dead. BUT I DON'T LIKE HIM ANYWAY, JUST BECAUSE.

[oyceter]

Hee! rilina says below that TRC Fuuma is running errands in exchange for getting to travel worlds. Possibly he is vampire hunting too? I have no idea!

On the other hand, I found TRC vols. 1-10 and 12 for half off down in LA so I can reread at my leisure! Want TRC 15 NOW.

Ok, I totally forgot about Seishiro killing everyone, virtual or not. Also! I am so amused that CLAMP has read your mind re: Kamui and Subaru being SO MUCH BETTER for each other than Fuuma and Seishirou are for them and has given us vampire twins! Clearly this is all your doing.

[oyceter]

Hee! I think Seishiro is just evil, period, no matter which universe he is in!

[rilina.livejournal.com]

Where is the Kamui obsession?
There was that slashy moment in the Tokyo arc where Fuuma captured Kamui's hands with his whip. This was followed by Subaru freaking out and pulling out the fingernails of doom. But no, it doesn't quite feel like obsession.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

I told you that you should catch up, and that it would be totally worth it.

(THE ARM! SEISHIRO! FUUMA!)

TRC Fuuma is Yuuko's errand boy. That is his payment for being able to travel worlds.

Fai paid for Kurogane's arm with what remained of his magic.

The chess game payment was the prize for winning; I don't know if we figured out what it was? I can't remember.

[rilina.livejournal.com]

PS. Syaoran is fighting Seishiro for the feather, not Fuuma.

I sort of like TRC Fuuma. (His interactions with Mokona? So cute.) This worries me.

Further addendum

[rilina.livejournal.com]

(Apologies that I can't remember to put everything in one comment)

My latest cracktastic theory (http://rilina.livejournal.com/446878.html) is actually that Watanuki and Syaoran are twins. (Did you notice how the splash pages of 170 and 171 are mirror images of each other? And that Syaoran woke up from a dream of Watanuki as white Mokona woke up from a dream of black Mokona?)

Have you not read XXXHolic 144? It's gorgeous!

Re: Further addendum

[oyceter]

Me, actually notice? Ha ha ha. You have noticed that some days I can barely remember what happened in what I read two hours ago! ;)

I really like your latest cracktastic theory though! It makes more sense than Syaoran and Sakura as parents (largely because that squicks me out a bit, no matter how timeskipped it is).

ZOMG ARM! Sacrificed for an insane twinless vampire who can only survive on his blood and has kept secrets from them and betrayed them! My love for Kurogane has no words. (Ok, it has some words, but they are mostly limited to "ZOMG ARM!")

It is so nice that you read ahead and explain things to me, otherwise I would be completely lost!

Um... I can't remember if I've read xxxHolic 144 or not. I might have and then forgotten to blog about it, which means I can't tell! LJ = my external memory device.

Re: Further addendum

[rilina.livejournal.com]

The real question of the day is who are Syaoran's parents? Who are Watanuki's parents? And what might they have in common, and how are they connected to Clow?

Re: Further addendum

[oyceter]

I'm still voting for FWR/test tube, but only because I think things in jars are funny. Also, CLAMP has not yet had a head in a jar, though they did have original!Syaoran floating around in suspended animation or something.

Re: Further addendum

[rilina.livejournal.com]

They have had an arm in a jar and done, um, other things with heads in series like X.

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I am so tempted to go back through the whole story and make a Yuuko-payments spreadsheet. Only, you know, actual research and classes. Stupid real life.

[oyceter]

You say this like I will actually discourage you! ;)

Stupid real life definitely.