The group's time in the fairytale town of Spirit comes to an end with the children found and the kidnapper exposed. But with this conclusion we are left with more questions that answers. Clearly the doctor was working for the mysterious bearded man who have only seen in cryptic moments, but what is his ultimate goal? His agents are clearly after Sakura's memory feathers, but he doesn't seem very upset when he is foiled time and again. There has been some background chatter about a larger power tied to the ruins in Sakura's country, but how is this power connected to Sakura and the quest for her scattered memories? ( )

Syaoran doesn't have one eye, and his memories stop before a certain point. Hmmm, sounds like something the Time/Space Witch Yuko would do, doesn't it? ( )

In this volume of Tsubasa, the fairy tale mystery continues as Syaoran searches for Sakura and the missing children of Jade. With no idea what is happening, Syaoran falls back on skills his father taught him. He borrows history books and scouts the area, looking for clues. Some of the evidence points to Grosum, the surly mayor, but Syaoran is a clever boy, and lays a trap for the real culprit: Dr. Kyle. After his deception is revealed, Kyle drops the friendly persona and turns out to be a little psycho. He kidnapped the children using hypnosis he instilled during his medical visits, and is using them to crawl into a hole and dig out a feather from some hard unmeltable substance. The space is too small for an adult; however, the children are taking longer than he expected, so keeps stealing more. Kidnapping and child labor. After Fai triggers the mechanism that stops the river's flow, Kyle escapes into the castle and Syaoran and team follow. Once inside, they find Sakura and the children. Syaoran fights off Kyle, and the castle begins to crumble, as the water mechanism breaks down. Kurogane and Fai take the children out one way, while Syaoran and Sakura try to escape in the opposite direction, with Kyle in pursuit. Fai and Kurogane watch from shore as the castle collapses; they wait expectantly, and Syaoran emerges from the river, carrying Sakura. Dr. Kyle is nowhere to be found. They return her feather to her, and after wrapping up affairs with the village, Mokona transports them to their new world.

Their arrival in the new world is different from any before, because this time they are greeted by a welcoming committee of beautiful women. They are in the country of Oto. No one is surprised they are from a different world, and they are ushered to city hall, where an official helps them find lodging and jobs. Fay and Sakura open a cafe, and Syaorana and Kurogane register as oni hunters, the evil monster creatures that attack them their first night in Oto. Oni hunters get paid a bounty for each oni they kill, and with their estimable skills they can earn a lot of money. Kurogane does reveal a surprise to the reader: Syaoran is blind in his right eye. He still does a great job dispatching more oni their next in Oto, when they meet other Oni hunters, Yuzuriha Nekoi and Shiyu Kasanagi. The pair come back to the cafe with them, and explain some of the intricacies of oni hunting. The volume ends with a bittersweet note. Sakura realizes that she does know Syaoran, and then is struck with amnesia again. A price paid cannot be returned - every time Sakura remembers Syaoran, the memories will be removed from her mind again.

I especially liked this volume for a couple of reasons. First of all, I liked the way the Jade story line played out. Dr. Kyle was a surprising and impressive villain, and I liked the mystery twist, with Mokona in disguise and Syaoran laying a trap. Secondly, I love Oto. So many elements appeal to me. The unusual way the main characters are welcomed, the odd overtones of the whole world, and the creepy oni. I also liked the new outfits. I haven't written about the clothing aspect of this series before, but every new world has a corresponding wardrobe change, and it's super appealing. Like playing paper doll with the characters. The country of Oto offers a lot of intriguing plot threads, and I look forward to seeing them developed. ( )

It may be because of watching the anime and having seen the parts of this manga in that medium, but I enjoyed this volume more than any so far. Here we really get a feel for the personalities that are developing. In particular I loved Fai's depiction for the aliases of their group and Kuro-poo's (LOL) response. In this volume we discover the secret of the missing children and get to visit a new world where dimensional travelers are expected and monsters abound. I very highly recommend this manga for everyone! ( )