6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The key to wishes, March 17, 2009
This review is from: Tsubasa: Those with Wings Volume 1 (Paperback)
Everybody knows Natsuki Takaya as the lady who wrote the fantasy/romance/comedy "Fruits Basket."
Well, among her earlier works, "Tsubasa: Those With Wings" is a bit different in terms of genre -- it's a sci-fi/romance/comedy series, and the first volume takes readers to a vaguely postapocalyptic future. Though the art is a little rough at times, the quirky humour and the likably scrappy ex-thief heroine keep things from getting boring.
It's the 22nd century, after wars have wrecked the world. Kotobuki was once a brilliant thief (and always being followed by the charming, arrogant militia commander Raimon).
But when she tries to go straight, she only ends up in more trouble -- a newly-unemployed Raimon turns up, and the explosive-happy Shouka tries to recruit Kotobuki into her thieving gang. Their goal: the Tsubasa, a mysterious object that can grant any wishes. Kotobuki gradually starts to become interested in the Tsubasa, and Raimon tags along for the ride.
Unfortunately, it turns out that the search for Tsubasa is definitely not going to be easy, especially since Shouka's gang is still searching for clues. On their way, Raimon and Kotobuki encounter a mysterious cult that worships the Tsubasa, and a little girl whose gullible mother is paying a sinister scientist to make a Tsubasa detector. Guess whether it works or not.
Normally a series set in an impoverished wasteland after the collapse of civilization as we know it... well, it wouldn't be very fun or romantic. So I guess that's a sign of Natsuki Takaya's blossoming talents in her second series, which is more flexible and amusing than her earliest work, and approaching the sweetness of her bestselling "Fruits Basket."
This being Takaya, it's got plenty of comedy (those screeching metal nails!) and an overall feeling of hope and optimism, no matter how bad things become for the world. But she also keeps the quick-paced sci-fi adventure interesting, mainly by filling it with bombings, computer viruses, doppelgangers, motorcycle chases, and the occasional spy-esque infiltration of a high-tech desert base.
If there's a flaw, it's that Takaya's artwork was still having growing pangs: the men's faces are rather generic looking, and the clothes and hair are a bit rough.
Fortunately the characters manage to stand out despite that -- Kotobuki is a lovably neurotic young thief who continually worries about her relationship to Raimon. He's more of a sweet rogue who happens to be a supergenius (which he reminds us of all thetime!), and who loves to tease Kotobuki all the time. They're a fun couple, with some rough edges yet to be sanded off.
"Tsubasa: Those With Wings" is a solid little sci-fi work, which shows Natsuki Takaya's art and storytelling before she hit it big. Definitely worth checking out.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
How to put this...?, December 27, 2009
This review is from: Tsubasa: Those with Wings Volume 1 (Paperback)
Ok, so people like to compare Fruits Basket to all of her works, past and/or present, and well this ain't no Fruits Basket, but it's not such a bad story. To be honest, the first time I read this story, the dynamics of the relationship between Raimon and Kotobuki really bothered me, but somehow I've gotten over that. Maybe this first volume that collects the first 2 volumes of the original release may seem somewhat boring and uneven, but it was actually looking at the later volumes that actually propelled me to even start buying this series..so give it a try, even if this set seems boring, at least to me the next 2 volumes were interesting enough for me to pick this one up. And as a side note, I meant to give it a 3.5 rating, but since the star rating only works w/ whole #'s, I went for the lower rating.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great early entry by the creator of Furuba!, March 25, 2009
This review is from: Tsubasa: Those with Wings Volume 1 (Paperback)
As a fan of the wonderful (if overly long) Fruits Basket, I was excited to see that TokyoPop was releasing two of the creator's previous works. One of them I wasn't that entranced by & one I immediately was intrigued with. Needless to say, you can guess which one I liked by the star rating of this review.
The plotline surrounds the reluctant thief Kotobuki as she tries endlessly to not only find a job & keep from reverting back to a thief, but to also evade the attentions of the amorous military captain Raimon. She is initially caught, but let go by Raimon with the stipulation that if he manages to catch her again she will become his. Years pass & Kotobuki manages to find a job in an inn, only to eventually run across Raimon. Eventually the two of them set off in search of not only a job, but for a mysterious object known only as "Tsubasa".
I really enjoyed this manga, although there are some fans of Furuba that will be dissapointed that this isn't anything similar to Takaya's later work. The storyline is a mixture of sci-fi & fantasy with a dollop of ecological fable & romance. The artwork isn't as good or defined as her later work, although it is still quite lovely. Some may be thrown off by how different it is from Furuba, but I encourage those people to take another look & give it a chance. The plotline is incredibly intriguing & quick moving, so it's easy to get involved in.
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