The quote of today's entry comes from The Big Lebowski, one of the best movies of all time.
But we aren't going to talk about The Big Lebowski today. We're going to talk about my favorite manga series from CLAMP instead.
"Oh. Where are you at at Tsubasa now?"
Volume 17 is the last one I've completed now. I have seen alternate reality versions of Kamui and Suma from X/1999, and Subaru from Tokyo Babylon. I learned something important about Kamui. You know how in the 1990's, Japanese pop culture seemed to have some pathological obsession with good-looking boys who were surly, emotionally-troubled youths? Yeah, Kamui in Tsubasa is definitely that; like he apparently was in X/1999. He is, as English-speaking fans would say, an emo bishounen. Personally, I dislike using the term, "Emo" to describe anything that isn't a form of punk rock, so I'll instead say he looks like a girl, and he's never in a good mood. But enough about that.
Volume 15 starts a new arc. Then I read volumes 16 and 17.
Hole.
Lee.
FUCK.
The series has pulled a 180, much like the anime version of Chobits, but Chobits never had anything heavy like this! I've learned why Shaoran seems to have two personalities, I've learned a little more about Fai, Sakura demonstrated bravado like Nausicaa* again, Kurogane becomes more honorable, and Mokona becomes sad. There's nothing sadder than a sad Mokona. That last remark was said with half-jest, and half-seriousness.
And everything is really dark now, like the more recent entries in the Harry Potter franchise. Thought Tsubasa was becoming stagnant? Think again! Man, now I have to read more. I've read the series is about to come to a conclusion in Japan, so I shouldn't have to collect a whole lot more novels. That's cool. I have to see how it ends.
In other news . . .
At the bookstore, I spotted something curious. A few collectibles. A few collectibles in the manga section. They were chess pieces. Chess pieces depicting characters from CLAMP series. All of the pieces, save for the Mokona pieces, were Chibi-sized. There is only one word to describe the chess pieces I saw.
KAWAIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!
They were just so cute! The black side and white side had their own pieces! The black queen piece was Yuko-san, the white bishop piece was Fai-san, the pawns were Mokonas in both black and white, Shaoran was the white king piece, and take three guesses as to who the white queen piece was.
"OH NO! NOT SAKURA!"
Oh yes! There she was, with those huge round green eyes of hers! I was giggling right there in the store, over just how adorable the chess pieces were! Only problem is, the chess pieces were rather expensive. Also, I saw two characters I didn't recognize. One looked like a boy wearing a hat, another was a girl with long hair I couldn't recognize, must be from series I haven't read nor seen. But the detail was so good! And the colors were perfect! I wonder who the other chess pieces might be. Clow Reed might be the black king piece, Kurogane-san might be the black knight piece, and I wonder if there's a Tomoyo-chan piece? but I don't know. I'm just guessing.
Okay, enough of me talking in my effeminate voice.
Another time I was shopping, I found some accessories. More accessories that also made me giggle with delight. No, they didn't make me giggle over how infectiously cute they were, 'cause these ones weren't. But one time I was shopping, I saw some refrigerator magnets for sale.
Refrigerator magnets depicting characters from Motherfucking Death Note.
Oh yeah, baby! Right there, magnets of Light, L, Ryuk, Misa, and the letter L, ready to be emblazoned over your fridge! I couldn't believe my eyes! Accessories of the (second) best thing I've ever seen on Adult Swim! I also spotted a Ryuk keychain, but it wasn't as cool as the magnets. But man, L as my fridge magnet!? Too cool!
Good thing I don't have extra money to burn. Good thing I know how to prioritize my expenditures. I don't wanna imagine the money needed for accessories. Okay, signing off now . . .
But seriously, the CLAMP chess pieces were too cute! I wish they had all of them for me to see . . .
*That's the second time I've compared Sakura-hime to Nausicaa. In case you don't understand, Nausicaa, who is obviously from Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, is my favorite female protagonist from a graphic novel series of all time. To see Sakura-hime be like Nausicaa, even if only for a few chapters now and then, makes me like her all the ever more.
