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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A CLAMP appetizer, February 25, 2008
With two seasons each (xxxHOLIc 2 having been announced fairly recently) plus a reportedly spectacular OVA covering Tsubasa's famed Acid Tokyo arc (which is currently in full swing in the English manga release) about to conclude in Japan, collecting the Tsubasa/xxxHOLIc crossover in anime form is going to be a pretty big investment for us Region 1 fans if it is in fact eventually all licensed. These two short movies - essentially anime-exclusive episodes based on the mangas acting as advertisements for their respective series - are an excellent opportunity to dip into the continuum to help us decide if we want more. They seem to be intended for people who are familiar with at least the story covered in the first four or so volumes of the mangas, as a basic understanding of the situations of the characters is taken for granted. The Tsubasa gang's initial separation suggests that their story takes place before the Shura arc and Fai's subsequent insistence that they maintain physical contact during space-time jumps, while the xxxHOLIc story clearly takes place before the Spider's Grudge arc.
First up is The Princess in the Birdcage, a half hour Tsubasa adventure. You know the drill: The gang drops into another alternate universe in search of Sakura's feathers. This time, their quest involves rescuing an AU Princess Tomoyo from an evil would-be usurper. It's drawn in more or less traditional fantasy style, the highlights probably being a fight scene for Kurogane and Fai against a routine military patrol (poor patrol) fairly early on and an aerial combat sequence between Syaoran and the main villain near the end. It gives a pretty good idea of what could be done with the more drawn-out events of the manga visually. The problem is that we're given only the barest hints of the heart of the series - which is the relationships between the four leads (five if you include Mokona). A few words of banter between Kurogane and Fai and some meaningful glances between Syaoran and Sakura are just about it. On that basis, I'd give Princess in the Birdcage three stars - not bad but nothing particularly special, aside from the enjoyment of seeing the characters animated for the first time for those of us who haven't watched the volumes of the Tsubasa series currently available.
Then, there's A Midsummer Night's Dream - our highly anticipated first look at xxxHOLIc in animated form. As opposed to Tsubasa, it's drawn in a very stylized art nouveau form, faithful to the manga, with some trippy psychadelic sequences thrown in for Watanuki's clairvoyant spells. The one hour long story involves Watanuki and Domeki accompanying Yuko to a haunted house to which she's been summoned. The big news here is the absolutely amazing English dub, which I can say without exaggeration is one of the best I've heard so far with solid performances all around. In particular, Todd Haberkorn uncannily captures Watanuki in all his shrieking, fussy, goodhearted glory. He had me laughing out loud several times, at one point in particular bringing new meaning to the catchphrase "screaming like a little girl", but in some other scenes also hinting at Watanuki's warmth and empathy - something that's going to be very important in the series proper. A very solid four stars for this one.
You might give pause once the price for this volume jumps, but while it remains the price of a hardcover book it's well worth your money, with the Holic movie quite possibly having rewatch value even once both series are commercially available in their entirety and we don't need these shorts for a quick fix anymore.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Every moment is INTENSE!, October 8, 2009
Now, I have never watched xxxHOLIC, only Tsubasa Chronicles, so this double-feature was my first time ever watching xxxHOLIC. Since it came with both films, might as well watch both, huh?
Anyways, I first started with xxxHOLIC. The film really made me feel weird, it is kinda freaky, actually, and very weird. However, it's suppose to be dark, I guess. It was interesting, though, 'cause this one has a Mokona, too! This is the other Mokona, the black one, and this one is a HUGE ball of energy! And a bit irritating XD And if you thought the white Mokona was hyper, THINK AGAIN!
Tsubasa was breath-taking, and things move very fast. I didn't like how it was so short though, I wish they had made it at least as long as xxxHOLIC, but I enjoyed this one the best. Both films are tied together by Syaoran contacting Yuuko for her assistance. You'll need to watch xxxHOLIC in order to understand about the item which Yuuko gives Syaoran, and the 'price' was Princess Tomoyo's bell. To understand why it was of great worth, watch Tsubasa! I highly recommend these movies. You'll be awake and aware every moment, wanting to see how it ends! If you like dark and creepy anime, with humor moments tied in, I think you'll love this xxxHOLIC movie. If you love fast-moving, intense action, you'll definitely love Tsubasa! (Still wish it was LONGER!)
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5.0 out of 5 stars
Clamp Double Feature - Holic & Tsubasa Chronicles, September 8, 2009
This was a great buy and i really enjoyed both features. More of a taste of each than individual movies, this DVD offers you two short features - One for Holic and one for Tsubasa. The two episodes intersect and give you a great taste of what each individual show is like. Very enjoyable, it is not necessary for you to have seen any of the shows previously to enjoy this double feature.
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