Tumgik
#bc as much as we claim we're objective it can never be 100%
noa-ciharu · 2 years
Note
Top 5 clamp manga!!
Oh damn the impossible question ;-; oke I'll try to sort then by storyline. Clamp has many strong points, but characters and bonds between them are their stronger point. They can't end mangas to save their lives (those that, ahem, have endings).
I haven't read Gate 7, Clover, MKR, Angelic Layer and Kobato so I can't tell anything about them. Maybe Clover or MKR would have made it to the list, who knows. Also I wont put comedy series such as Miyuki-chan and that.
1) Tokyo Babylon. No plot point left unresolved, unique but straightforward plot, characters A+, never forgetting ending *cries* also social criticisms my beloved, psychological elements my beloved
2) xxxHolic. Amazingly developed characters, those minor stories are really brilliant and deep. I actually... love how original xxxholic ends? It's fitting to Watanuki's whole character, moving on and suddenly healing would be nice but this feels more in character? Plus it's a tragedy series, but more in slow depressing manner than 'thunder that hits you out of nowhere' TB manner. Yuuko ❤
Now I've been struggling how to list next 3 bc series are very different but:
3) Chobits. I actually put it this high bc plot is straightforward, all matters gets resolved, plot is also somewhat unique and ending is satisfactory. But what really got to me is psychological elements in this manga, as well as struggles ones experiences when it comes to seeking love and wanting to be loved back. Ik persocons as concept are unrealistic, but clamp portrayed issues society would have with them as very realistic. So manga is both light and has complexity to it? Also even if I'm not a fan of echii mangas, I love how it was handled in Chobits, it has ring of innocence around it. Also metaphor for asexuality my beloved <3
Now again I've struggled between those two bc thematics couldn't be more different and I feel putting dark manga above light one solely bc 'dark' is by default considered better bc it's more complex is a bit... yea. Not really fair. But on other hand putting one manga above other solely bc it's finished is a bit... also unfair. So I decided based on art style
4) X. That artstyle in later volumes. It's so gorgous. Alright that beside, alot about this series position would depend on ending it doesn't have. Storyline of 18.5 vols is amazing, characters are complex, mystery is purposely let unresolved until the ending. Psychological elements and questions raised about fate and stuff were great. Also the tragedy of how everyone lacks common sense my beloved <3 *cries*
5) CCS. Maybe I should have put it higher but as you know.... I love psychological elements in mangas :< Ccs is cuteness on steroid but that didn't stop clamp from wavering emotional depth into manga? Idk how to explain it the best but I like how Sakura for to see different types of love/bonds within manga. Also how those bonds were developed, especially syaosaku and touyuki. Also story is pretty straightforward I'd say (talking about main manga here), characters are fleshed out even outside relationships they had (this isn't about clamp, but something I noticed in alot of other shojo/romance mangas - female protag is fleshed out nicely but male protag at time feels like his only point in story is to be a love interest).
As I said, maybe last 3 can be shuffled a bit bc it's impossible to tell
8 notes · View notes