"

‘Their journey continues.’ Yeah, sure. How many times have you read something like that at the end of a book? Except this is CLAMP, and if they want, they actually can have the journey continue. In fact, it’s already happened. In the Kobato anime, co-scripted by CLAMP writer Nanase Ohkawa, the post-manga-series Tsubasa characters showed up traveling through the world in which Kobato lives.

In my nearly two-decade history of translating manga and anime, this has been the longest continuing project I’ve worked on, and despite some unavoidable errors, one of the projects I’m most proud of.

For a translator, with a manga like this, where nearly every character has a secret that influences their prior actions, it’s really best to translate the series after the entire run is complete. But in today’s marketplace, that just isn’t possible. So instead, a translator does [their] best not to betray later revelations that the reader has yet to learn of. In less twisted tales, I’ve been able to spot the trends beforehand. I confess that I foresaw very few of the revelations in Tsubasa. I hope I didn’t embarrass myself too much.

It was a manga with a very intricate plot, but in the end, it is the characters who make or break a series. And the characters of caring-but-steel-spined Sakura, determined Syaoran, affable Fai, gruff Kurogane, and…well…Mokona is Mokona, huh? These characters are strong enough to make any story a smashing success, let alone a story as packed with action, shocks, and revelations as this one.

So their journey continues. But as the old saying goes, the fun isn’t so much in the destination as in the journey. Although the destination was one to rock your world (worlds?), probably the moments you will remember with most fondness were from the journey. Fai’s pet names for Kurogane. Kurogane’s blunt replies. Sakura’s drunken meowings Syaoran’s passion for books. And Mokona’s 108 very strange techniques. Most of the best moments happened on the journey, so hearing that the journey continues is probably the best news one can hear.

" — William Flanagan, on his closing thoughts as translator for Del Rey’s English version (via zelinxia)

everyone’s support
gave us courage

from now on
we’ll always be together

mitsutsuki:

Ten Reasons Why I Love Kurogane (in no particular order)
06. He’s very good-looking

stardropdream:

100 CLAMP Characters I Love, In No Particular Order
062. Fay D. Flourite

“Handing over my life in exchange for something… I won’t do that. Not anymore.”

mitsutsuki:

Flowers and Smiles.

mitsutsuki:

Ten Reasons Why I Love Kurogane (in no particular order)
05. KuroFay

mitsutsuki:

A Question. A Name. [Based on Xia's rereading 1 - 2]

“the dream must end”. weren’t those your final words to me?

clow.

slivabel:

[clamp nostalgia] → daidouji tomoyo

“Of course being liked would make me happy. But having the person I like happy is what makes me happiest.”

mitsutsuki:

Blessing and Oath