Of Swords and Parasols

Finished watching X.  Is it wrong that I saw the ending coming from the beginning?  It also managed to NOT become fubar...ending could have been better, but for Clamp, it was golden(Clamp tends to have great ideas but no idea what to do with them once it gets going.  See: Chobits and Wish.)  It was a little TOO in love with its angst at time, but not to the point that it really annoyed me(though enough that it occassionally amused me)  I had a blast watching this, but, to be honest, I'm not sure it was GOOD, if you know what I mean.

The animation and imagery are gorgeous, I really liked most of the characters(and absolutely adored some), it was often predictable(especially when it came to the angst) but had some good twists, and an interesting story.  It also had a plot that tended to be overly complicated at times, and wasn't always explained when it should have been, and some time that should have been spent on the main plot was spent on sidestories.

What makes it stand out positively to me, though, is one of the things that give a number of my favorite animes and mangas(Blade of the Immortal, Basara, Wolf's Rain, Saiyuki, Samurai Deeper Kyo, etc.) favorite status is that there's no clear line between good and evil. Two of the nicest, most honorable characters in the series are on the side of the bad guys, one of the good guys is a traitor, and then a traitor to the bad guys(both to protect a loved one), and the main hero actually isn't nice AT ALL in the beginning and when he chooses to be the good guy, it isn't out of any concern for the world or well being of others(he has none) but because he thinks it's the path that will make the girl he loves happy, and it's not until he loses everything that he starts to be come a hero.  And the main villain?  ALMOST the nicest, most caring guy in the series, until the hero unintentionally kills his soul so that destiny can force him to be the villain.  Also, one of the main themes of the series is sacrificing everything for someone you love, which is a theme I rather like.

A favorite?  Probably not, though I see myself pulling it out to watch random eps from time to time.  Worth watching?  Yuppers.

Also, I've been meaning to switch to a layout that allows for a locked friends only(or in my case, introduction) post, and I FINALLY made a banner for it, my first graphic that's not an icon.


Comments on that would be very much appreciated.