Whenever a manga is adapted into an anime, there is always a risk that the show won’t adapt the complete story. Many manga series run much longer than their animated adaptions, and, if the anime ends at a poorly-chosen place in the story, it leads to audiences feeling shortchanged. This is very true of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle began serializing in Weekly Shonen Magazine in 2003 and ran until 2009. The series was written and illustrated by the legendary manga group CLAMP, most known for series like Cardcaptor Sakura and Clover. Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is set in the same universe as several of their other works, including xxxHolic, which was serialized around the same time and frequently crossed over with Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. The anime adaptation was made by Bee Train, which ran for 52 episodes across two seasons in 2005 and 2006. There was also a movie titled Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom, made by Production I.G. Then, between 2007 and 2009, Production I.G. released five OVAs adapting later parts of the manga, however, these OVAs were unconnected to the two-season anime.
The Plot of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is set in the Kingdom of Clow. Syaoran, a young archeologist, is investigating a mysterious ruin with his childhood friend Princess Sakura. However, Sakura suddenly sprouts a pair of glowing, angelic wings. Syaoran attempts to save her, but the wings shatter, sending the feathers flying off into different dimensions through a rift in space. This plunges Sakura into a catatonic state, leaving Syaoran utterly terrified, especially when he learns that these feathers contain all of Sakura’s memories, putting her at risk of death. This forces Syaoran to jump through a dimensional rift, traveling between worlds to collect Sakura’s feathers. However, when he meets Yuko Ichihara, the dimensional witch, he learns that this quest will involve great sacrifice.
However, the final ten episodes of the second season are filler, and the ending leaves several major plot points unresolved. Weirdly the last episode’s final moments hint that there is more adventure to come, with one character even saying, “There are still lots and lots more of Sakura’s feathers waiting to be found.”
Why Did Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle Never Get A Third Season?
Several internet rumors purport to explain why Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle didn’t get a third season. One theory states that the anime’s deviations from the manga caused a rift between CLAMP and Bee Train, causing them to cancel their future plans. Another theory says that NHK, the network that aired the first two seasons of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, approved the third season, but canceled it when it learned how violent the plot would become. However, like most rumors, there is no solid evidence backing up either of these theories. In fact, both are seemingly the result of a decade-long game of internet telephone.
However, there are other reasons the anime may not have gotten a third season. One big reason is that the show might not have been popular enough to warrant it. While the anime has dedicated fans, it did receive a decent amount of criticism while it was on the air. Most of this is because of the show’s glacial pace. Significant plot progression is rare, meaning you could skip over whole groups of episodes and miss nothing of importance.
This is made worse by the show’s massive amount of filler content. Many episodes feature storylines not found in the manga. Plus, episodes feel padded, packed with loads of drawn-out shots and sequences that serve no real purpose. This is made worse by the show’s highly episodic nature. While episodic storytelling can be fun in some shows, the storytelling in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle made it feel even slower and more directionless. Making chunks of the show an utter chore to get through.
Plus, while the references to CLAMP’s other works and its crossovers with xxxHolic are fun, many of these references take the form of deep cuts, and these elements could be alienating for viewers who are not CLAMP super fans and want to enjoy the show as a stand-alone project.
There will likely never be a definitive reason why there was never a third season of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. However, it does present a fascinating look at how an anime, even one made by a talented team, can peter out and stop without any solid ending, finishing years before its source material does. But it also shows the perils of adapting a manga as it runs, as while anime fans can handle — and sometimes love — filler, it can lead to a show getting criticized for feeling far too slow, putting people off the story.
Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle is now streaming on Crunchyroll.