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X (manga)
Encyclopedia
, also known as X/1999, is a Japanese shōjo manga
series created by Clamp
, a creative team
made up by Satsuki Igarashi
, Nanase Ohkawa
, Tsubaki Nekoi
, and Mokona
. It premiered in Monthly Asuka
s May 1992 issue and ran there until the magazine's editors showed concern with the increasingly violent stories and the series went on long-term hiatus in March 2003. The story takes place at the end of days, in the year 1999. The series follows Kamui Shirō, a young esper
who returns home to Tokyo
after a six-year absence to face his destiny as the one who will determine humanity's fate. The series is a foray into apocalyptic fiction, it combines elements from various end of the world scenarios, both secular and religious, with its own mythos.
Kadokawa Shoten
collected and published the individual chapters in 18 tankōbon
volumes, with five chapters published in the book "All about Clamp". All but one or two final chapters have yet to be published. It has been adapted into a series of audio dramas, a 1996 animated
feature film and a television series in 2001 with the two last ones produced by Madhouse
. Viz Media
published all the eigtheen volumes in North America, while the film and the TV series have released in DVDs by Manga Entertainment
and Geneon
, respectively.
after a six-year absence. He comes to protect those dearest to him, Kotori and Fūma Monou, and fulfill his mother's dying wish of change fate. The end of the world is fast approaching as superhuman
individuals gather and take sides in Tokyo, the battle site of Armageddon
. Following Kamui's arrival the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth, the two factions in the final battle for humanity's future, vie for the young man's allegiance, convinced his power will assure their victory. The Dragons of Heaven are the first to contact Kamui. The Dragons of Heaven are guided by Hinoto, dreamgazer
for the Legislature of Japan
. They are the protectors of the , spiritual barriers that hold the fabric of nature together. As long as the kekkai survive, Judgment Day is postponed. The Dragons of Earth are the counterpart to the Dragons of Heaven. Their mission is to unleash death and famine so the Earth
can be cured of the plague of humanity. They were assembled
by Hinoto's sister Kanoe, secretary to the Governor of Tokyo.
As Kamui is forced to choose between the two sides, he concludes he only wants to protect Kotori and Fūma, and becomes a Dragon of Heaven. At the same time, Fūma has a change of personality and becomes the "Kamui" from the Dragons of Earth as he was destined to be Kamui's opposite. In such awakening Fūma kills Kotori, and swears to kill Kamui. Deciding he wishes to bring Fūma back to normal, Kamui joins the Dragons of Heaven in their fight against the Dragons of Earth. Because of the issues regarding the manga's serialization, the plot from the series has yet to be concluded by Clamp.
The animated films and the TV series follow the manga's initial story and come to two different endings. In the film all the Dragons of Heaven and Earth die in the ensuing battles, leaving Kamui and Fūma as the last Dragons. In the final battle, Kamui decapitates Fūma and the film ends with Kamui crying why he ended killing his best friend. In the TV series, all the Dragons of Heavens lose their powers to create kekkai because of they lose their most important people leaving the Tokyo defenseless. As Hinoto commits suicide to stop her alternate self from attacking the Dragons of Heaven, Kamui goes to face Fūma. In the fight's outcome, Kamui is killed by Fūma, but uses his last forces to transform his body into a kekkai that protects the world from the change from the Dragons of Earth, and causes Fūma to return to his old self.
" and "girls' manga
". Intended for a female audience, the series is drawn in the ornate style characteristic of shōjo manga; but the emphasis on moral conflict and gruesome violence expected of seinen
works attracts male readers as well. The story develops the group's ideas on Man's responsibility to itself, its family and the planet; and is influenced by the works of Go Nagai
and Kyokutei Bakin
.
and Clamp School Detectives
, the members of Clamp were approached by their editor at Monthly Asuka
to script a longer series. Nanase Ohkawa
, the group's head writer, seized the opportunity to script her long-in-development "end of the world" epic. Conceived while she was still in middle school
, Ohkawa's original story focused on a group of warriors fighting a losing battle in the name of "justice
". While the idea never materialized, many aspects were carried over into Clamp's manga, including the lead characters of Kamui and Fuma.
Ohkawa cites Go Nagai's Devilman
as a stylistic and thematic influence. Beyond his penchant for drawing extreme violence, Nagai's writing involves themes like the nature of good and evil and fear
, ideas that left an impression on Clamp's writer at an early age. Like Devilman, X follows two male best friends destined to fight each other on Armageddon
, a confrontation brought about by the murder of the hero's childhood sweetheart
. The rest of the cast includes characters from the group's entire canon, including unpublished works, effectively creating a whole world
inhabited by their creations. The ensemble cast
, inspired on Kyokutei Bakin's Nansō Satomi Hakkenden
, includes Subaru Sumeragi
and Seishiro Sakurazuka
from Tokyo Babylon
and the main characters of Clamp School Detectives
.
The title of "X" was chosen because it has no fixed meaning. In mathematics, it is a common variable
. Beyond mathematics, "X" is a generic placeholder whose value is secret or unknown. "X" is also a cruciform
, an allusion to Christian mythology
, and the representation of death and rebirth in Kabbalah
.
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X is Clamp's take on the apocalyptic fiction genre. The series combines elements from various end of the world scenarios and myths, including Christian eschatology
, with Clamp's own modern mythology to tell the tale of the fate of the world. The X mythos is inspired on the Apocalypse of John, with Tokyo standing as a modern-day Babylon
. Like the biblical city, Clamp's Tokyo is "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (Rev.
18:2 KJV) and slated for destruction.
Kamui is established as a Christ figure. He is the one prophesied to return
to Tokyo and the one who will determine humanity's fate. The construction of Kamui as a messiah
is reinforced by his miraculous birth
and given name. "Kamui
", like "Christ
", doubles as a title that alludes to the character's divine nature. Apocalyptic allusions abound with respect to nomenclature. The Dragons of Heaven take their moniker from the seven seals
introduced in Chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation
, while the antagonistic Angels allude to the seven celestial beings ordered to "go [their] ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth" (Rev
. 16:1 KJV). On the side of the Angels is , a sentient supercomputer branded with the number 666
.
Other apocalyptic standards, such as earthquakes, are employed but the apocalypse of Clamp's manga trades the religious element for an environmental theme. Inspired by the Gaia theory, the idea that the Earth itself is one living organism, Ohkawa crafts an end brought on by humanity's abuse of the planet. The story reflects environmental concerns in its depiction of Judgment Day. Mankind exists in binary opposition
to the Earth. By the end of days, humanity has become such a nuisance that the only way to save the planet is to destroy the whole of civilization. The Angels, human beings themselves, expect a post-judgment return to paradise. With mankind gone, the planet can regulate itself back to health and experience a rebirth. The Seals, however, look to preserve the status quo and entrust the future of the planet to the people.
and biology.
Like its predecessor Tokyo Babylon
, X deals with societal issues. Being set in the present provides an outlet for the authors to reflect and comment on Japan's state of affairs. But unlike Tokyo Babylon, where the characters were vocal in their concerns, topics in X go unspoken and implied
.
The story places an emphasis on familial dignity and individualism. The Dragons of Heaven, Kamui excepted, were appointed from birth with the task of protecting mankind. They were raised individually with their destiny in mind and the obligation to their families prevents them from haphazardly changing sides. While it is possible for the Seals to sympathize with the Angels' ideals, ultimately, they must do what feels right for them. Their ability to summon the kekkai, and thus the status as a Dragon of Heaven, is bound to the will to fight for something or someone.
X delves on the relationship between Man and the Earth. In an interview with Puff Magazine, Ohkawa talks of how mankind's concern for the preservation, restoration and improvement of the planet stems from a desire to perpetuate its own existence. She explains "people will save the Earth to save themselves, but who will risk themselves to save the Earth?"
, where the characters are at the mercy of forces greater than themselves. The series shares some motifs with apocalyptic literature
, like the disclosure of future events through dreams, and establishes a dual nature to its characters and concepts.
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Ohkawa admits to being fascinated with the doctrine of dualism. Dualism
is the interdependence between opposing elements, the generalization that two opposing-complementary forces are found in all things. She interprets it as "qualities that seem pleasant in one person but can make you hate the next. That's the dual nature we all have." Inspired by the works of Go Nagai, Ohkawa sought to create heroes capable of wrongdoing, even evil. Kamui is the personification of this doctrine. carries a double connotation: "the one who represents the majesty of God", meaning the one who protects the world and carries out God's will; and "the one who hunts the majesty of God", meaning the one who kills those given God's power and destroys the world. Kamui's decision to save the world as he knows it is a defining moment as it gives rise to his twin star
, Fuma. Fuma undergoes a personality change to the point he is no longer recognizable to his best friend. He takes the name of "Kamui", thus fulfilling the dual prophecy and bringing balance to the conflict. Fuma's "Kamui" persona
is Kamui's other half; it represents Kamui's potential for destruction. "Kamui" is the epitome of the evil, and good, that men do. The duality
motif extends to the Dragons of Heaven and Earth, two groups of warriors, both alike in power, led to battle by opposite sisters. On each side is a , a diviner who sees
the future in its dreams.
Dreams are a source of inspiration for Ohkawa, and thus became a standard motif in her writing. In Tokyo Babylon, the protagonist's dreams reveal to him a hidden truth. In xxxHolic, the characters' dreams comprise a whole world
parallel to their own. Dreams
in X depict the future, the destruction of mankind. Hinoto, dreamgazer for the Dragons of Heaven, is convinced it can be changed. Ohkawa explains it as lucid dreaming, where the individual can exert conscious control over the dream to the point it can perform impossible feats. Kakyo of the Dragons of Earth is a dreamgazer in a permanent coma who lives in the dreamscape
, always dreaming of the future and knowing there is nothing he can do about it. Although he hopes for a better future, he cannot get involved and is convinced all is predetermined
, including Kamui's return.
Kamui's arrival in Tokyo unwillingly sets Armageddon in motion. Kotori's death and Fuma's turning were foretold, but subject to the young man's allegiance. Thinking of the people he loves, Kamui chooses to become a Dragon of Heaven to protect them, but ends up losing them for it. Other characters are also at the mercy of fate
. Sorata Arisugawa is destined to die for a woman; but, unlike Kamui, the warrior monk embraces his preordained future and chooses Arashi Kishu of the Dragons of Heaven as the one he'll give his life for. Subaru Sumeragi
expresses no interest in the future of the Earth, but still he and his counterpart
are drawn to Tokyo on the Promised Day. Even with the fatalist atmosphere that persists in the series, Ohkawa is convinced individuals exert control over their destiny the same way they choose between right and wrong.
's Monthly Asuka on May 1992. Publishing the series proved troublesome on account of its subject matter. Publishing the series proved troublesome on account of its disasters it shown which were reminiscent of ones that happened in Japan such as earthquakes or murders committed by juveniles. Serialization stopped in March 2003 and in March 2005 Clamp stated they were searching for a proper magazine to conclude it. The chapters have been collected in a total of eighteen tankōbon
volumes with the first one released on July 29, 1992 and the eighteenth on September 17, 2002. On September 26, 2006, Kadokawa Shoten published Clamp Newtype Platinum, a special Clamp edition of Newtype Magazine. The issue includes the "X 18.5" supplement, a re-print of five previously uncollected chapters. The series is expected to reach twenty-one volumes upon completion.
The North American version of the manga, retitled X/1999 in its initial printing, was serialized in Viz Media
's Animerica Extra
and released in form under the Shōjo imprint
. In July 2001, Viz Media removed the series from Animerica Extra due to licensing issues, but it later returned in its issue published in March 2003. All the eighteen volumes have been released by Viz Media as of May 10, 2005. Beginning in 2011 Viz is re-issuing the series as a series of three-in-one volumes, unflipped, and now titled X in North America.
(Captain Harlock
, Doomed Megalopolis
) and co-scripted by Nanase Ohkawa, premiered August 3, 1996, in Japan. The supernatural
thriller focuses on the roles Kamui, Kotori, and Fuma play in the Apocalypse, reducing the Dragons of Heaven and Earth to peripheral characters. Even though the abbreviated story fails to place the characters' action in the proper context, the film is praised for its dreamlike atmosphere, powerful imagery and visually engaging action sequences. The film was given a limited release
in the United States in early 2000 and released to DVD on September 25, 2001. X: The Destiny War, a comic book
based on the feature film, was released on September 30, 1996 (Kadokawa Shoten
: ISBN 4-04-852714-2). Yoshiki from the band X Japan
wrote the song "Forever Love
" for the film after reading the manga. The song was later used by the former Japanese Prime Minister
Junichiro Koizumi
in a campaign advertisement in 2001.
series were directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
, being first announced on October 18, 2000. In anticipation to the series premiere, was released direct-to-DVD on August 25, 2001. Written and directed by Kawajiri, "An Omen" tells the story of the upcoming battles through the prophecies of Kakyō Kuzuki, dreamgazer for the Dragon of Earth, and acts as primer for viewers not familiar with Clamp's manga. The series premiered October 3, 2001 on WOWOW
satellite television and finished on March 27, 2002, totaling twenty-four episodes. A total of twelve DVD volumes from the series, each containing two episodes, were released in Japan from February 25, 2001 to January 25, 2002 by Bandai Visual
. The music for the series was composed by Naoki Satō
with two original soundtracks being released.
Pioneer Entertainment claimed ownership of the series for distribution in North America in March 2002. Geneon
collected the series and the OVA in a total of eight DVD volumes released between September 24, 2002 and November 25, 2003. Two DVD box sets of the series were also released on January 11, 2005. In 2006, Geneon released the X TV Series Remix, which was composed of five individual DVDs released between July 11, 2006 and November 14, 2006, as well as a DVD box set on July 11, 2006. The DVDs came with re-encoded video and audio, including 5.1 surround sound for both the Japanese and English tracks. In September 2009, Funimation Entertainment
announced that it had acquired the rights to the anime series and OVA. They were re-released them in a DVD box it on June 15, 2010 using the original Geneon dubbing (provided by Bang Zoom! Entertainment
) for the English-language audio track.
band X Japan
. X² features a slideshow
of X artwork set to a medley of X Japan's "Silent Jealousy
," "Kurenai
" and "Endless Rain
" and the "X" music video directed by Shigeyuki Hayashi.
. The seven audio dramas, scripted by Nanase Ohkawa, focus on the thoughts and motivations of the individual Dragons of Heaven and Earth. The Character Files are performed by the feature film voice actor
s. No English translation is available.
on August 22, 2002 by Bandai
. The fighting game
features a Story Mode, set in the television series continuity, and a Versus Mode, which allows players to compete against each other using any of the Dragons of Heaven or Earth. The game was not released outside of Japan and have two different endings.
X: Card of Fate, a card battle
video game for the WonderSwan Color, was released June 27, 2002.
, Jason Thompson wrote "even without a proper ending, the series has a lot going for it. For one, it's absolutely gorgeous", adding "the Storytelling isn't Clamp's best, but it's hard not to get swept up in the momentum toward the day of destiny". The film is considered a technical masterpiece, but it lacks plot and character development. The television series is considered a better adaptation than the feature film. The 2001 incarnation makes use of its longer running time and episode format to explore the original mythos and works the characters' back-stories into the narrative through the use of flashback
s. Bamboo Dong of Anime News Network
finds that the series "tries hard to please everyone, and comes daringly close to succeeding." Zac Bertschy comments that "the animation quality is consistently very high" and that the characters are "never off model" and "each episode is animated with an amazing flash of style and fluidity".
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series created by Clamp
Clamp (manga artists)
, is an all-female Japanese manga artist group that formed in the mid 1980s. Many of the group's manga series are often adapted into anime after release. It consists of their leader , who provides much of the storyline and screenplay for all their works and adaptations of those works respectively ,...
, a creative team
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
made up by Satsuki Igarashi
Satsuki Igarashi
is a member of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. Her duties in the team are Nanase Ohkawa's sounding board, and the character designer of Chobits and line artist for Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle....
, Nanase Ohkawa
Nanase Ohkawa
is a member of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. She is the director of the team and is primarily responsible for writing the stories and scripts for Clamp's various works....
, Tsubaki Nekoi
Tsubaki Nekoi
is a member of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. She is the co-director and her duties in the team include applying screentones and correcting manga illustrations. She was also the lead artist on Legal Drug, The One I Love, Wish, Suki and xxxHolic...
, and Mokona
Mokona
is the pen name of the lead artist, colorist, and composition designer of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. She was formerly known as . Clamp has had a huge impact on the "manga explosion" according to an account in the New York Times in 2006. Their artwork has been characterized as "fluid"...
. It premiered in Monthly Asuka
Monthly Asuka
is a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten, aimed at teenage girls. Much like its sibling publication Shōnen Ace, it places some emphasis on anime tie-ins and spinoffs...
s May 1992 issue and ran there until the magazine's editors showed concern with the increasingly violent stories and the series went on long-term hiatus in March 2003. The story takes place at the end of days, in the year 1999. The series follows Kamui Shirō, a young esper
Esper
An esper refers to an individual capable of telepathy and other similar paranormal abilities. The term was apparently coined by Alfred Bester in his 1950 short story "Oddy and Id" and is derived from the abbreviation ESP for extrasensory perception....
who returns home to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
after a six-year absence to face his destiny as the one who will determine humanity's fate. The series is a foray into apocalyptic fiction, it combines elements from various end of the world scenarios, both secular and religious, with its own mythos.
Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
collected and published the individual chapters in 18 tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes, with five chapters published in the book "All about Clamp". All but one or two final chapters have yet to be published. It has been adapted into a series of audio dramas, a 1996 animated
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
feature film and a television series in 2001 with the two last ones produced by Madhouse
Madhouse (company)
is a Japanese animation studio, founded in 1972 by ex–Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. It has created and helped to produce many well known shows, starting with TV anime series Ace o Nerae! in 1973, and including western favourites Ninja...
. Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
published all the eigtheen volumes in North America, while the film and the TV series have released in DVDs by Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment
Manga Entertainment is a producer, licensor and distributor of Japanese animation in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, France, Australia and New Zealand...
and Geneon
Geneon
is a Japanese music, anime and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Geneon has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime in Japan...
, respectively.
Plot
In 1999, a teenager named Kamui Shirō returns to TokyoTokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
after a six-year absence. He comes to protect those dearest to him, Kotori and Fūma Monou, and fulfill his mother's dying wish of change fate. The end of the world is fast approaching as superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
individuals gather and take sides in Tokyo, the battle site of Armageddon
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
. Following Kamui's arrival the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth, the two factions in the final battle for humanity's future, vie for the young man's allegiance, convinced his power will assure their victory. The Dragons of Heaven are the first to contact Kamui. The Dragons of Heaven are guided by Hinoto, dreamgazer
Prophet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
for the Legislature of Japan
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
. They are the protectors of the , spiritual barriers that hold the fabric of nature together. As long as the kekkai survive, Judgment Day is postponed. The Dragons of Earth are the counterpart to the Dragons of Heaven. Their mission is to unleash death and famine so the Earth
Gaia hypothesis
The Gaia hypothesis, also known as Gaia theory or Gaia principle, proposes that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings on Earth are closely integrated to form a single and self-regulating complex system, maintaining the conditions for life on the planet.The scientific investigation of the...
can be cured of the plague of humanity. They were assembled
Motley crew
A motley crew is a cliché for a roughly organized assembly of characters. Typical examples of motley crews are pirates, Western posses, rag-tag mercenary bands or freedom fighters. They may align with, be , or include either the protagonist or the antagonist of the story.Motley crews are, by...
by Hinoto's sister Kanoe, secretary to the Governor of Tokyo.
As Kamui is forced to choose between the two sides, he concludes he only wants to protect Kotori and Fūma, and becomes a Dragon of Heaven. At the same time, Fūma has a change of personality and becomes the "Kamui" from the Dragons of Earth as he was destined to be Kamui's opposite. In such awakening Fūma kills Kotori, and swears to kill Kamui. Deciding he wishes to bring Fūma back to normal, Kamui joins the Dragons of Heaven in their fight against the Dragons of Earth. Because of the issues regarding the manga's serialization, the plot from the series has yet to be concluded by Clamp.
The animated films and the TV series follow the manga's initial story and come to two different endings. In the film all the Dragons of Heaven and Earth die in the ensuing battles, leaving Kamui and Fūma as the last Dragons. In the final battle, Kamui decapitates Fūma and the film ends with Kamui crying why he ended killing his best friend. In the TV series, all the Dragons of Heavens lose their powers to create kekkai because of they lose their most important people leaving the Tokyo defenseless. As Hinoto commits suicide to stop her alternate self from attacking the Dragons of Heaven, Kamui goes to face Fūma. In the fight's outcome, Kamui is killed by Fūma, but uses his last forces to transform his body into a kekkai that protects the world from the change from the Dragons of Earth, and causes Fūma to return to his old self.
Design
Clamp's X appears to defy the conventions of "boys' mangaShonen
The term refers to manga marketed to a male audience aged roughly 10 and up. The Kanji characters literally mean "few" and "year", respectively, where the characters generally mean "comic"...
" and "girls' manga
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
". Intended for a female audience, the series is drawn in the ornate style characteristic of shōjo manga; but the emphasis on moral conflict and gruesome violence expected of seinen
Seinen
is a subset of manga that is generally targeted at a 20–30 year old male audience, but the audience can be older with some manga aimed at businessmen well into their 40s. In Japanese, the word Seinen means "young man" or "young men" and is not suggestive of sexual matters...
works attracts male readers as well. The story develops the group's ideas on Man's responsibility to itself, its family and the planet; and is influenced by the works of Go Nagai
Go Nagai
, better known by the penname , is a Japanese manga artist and a prolific author of science fiction, fantasy, horror and erotica. He made his professional debut in 1967 with Meakashi Polikichi, but is best known for creating Cutie Honey, Devilman, and Mazinger Z in the 1970s. In 2005, he became a...
and Kyokutei Bakin
Kyokutei Bakin
was a late Japanese Edo period gesaku author best known for works such as Nansō Satomi Hakkenden and Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki.-Life:He was born as , he wrote under the pen name which is a pun as the kanji may also be read as Kuruwa de Makoto meaning a man who is truly devoted to the courtesans of...
.
Development
After the success of Tokyo BabylonTokyo Babylon
is a manga series created by Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils....
and Clamp School Detectives
CLAMP School Detectives
is a manga series by Clamp, which was adapted into a 26-episode anime series, produced by Bandai Visual and Pierrot. The manga series was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Asuka manga magazine between January 1992 and October 1993, spanning three tankōbon, while the anime premiered in Japan...
, the members of Clamp were approached by their editor at Monthly Asuka
Monthly Asuka
is a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Kadokawa Shoten, aimed at teenage girls. Much like its sibling publication Shōnen Ace, it places some emphasis on anime tie-ins and spinoffs...
to script a longer series. Nanase Ohkawa
Nanase Ohkawa
is a member of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. She is the director of the team and is primarily responsible for writing the stories and scripts for Clamp's various works....
, the group's head writer, seized the opportunity to script her long-in-development "end of the world" epic. Conceived while she was still in middle school
Secondary education in Japan
Secondary education in Japan is split into middle schools which cover the seventh through ninth grades, and high schools which mostly cover grades ten through twelve...
, Ohkawa's original story focused on a group of warriors fighting a losing battle in the name of "justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
". While the idea never materialized, many aspects were carried over into Clamp's manga, including the lead characters of Kamui and Fuma.
Ohkawa cites Go Nagai's Devilman
Devilman
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Go Nagai which originally started as an anime adaptation of the concept of Nagai's previous manga series, Demon Lord Dante. A 39 episode anime series was developed by Toei in 1972 and Nagai began Devilman as a manga in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen...
as a stylistic and thematic influence. Beyond his penchant for drawing extreme violence, Nagai's writing involves themes like the nature of good and evil and fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
, ideas that left an impression on Clamp's writer at an early age. Like Devilman, X follows two male best friends destined to fight each other on Armageddon
Armageddon
Armageddon is, according to the Bible, the site of a battle during the end times, variously interpreted as either a literal or symbolic location...
, a confrontation brought about by the murder of the hero's childhood sweetheart
Girlfriend
Girlfriend is a term that can refer to either a female partner in a non-marital romantic relationship or a female non-romantic friend that is closer than other friends....
. The rest of the cast includes characters from the group's entire canon, including unpublished works, effectively creating a whole world
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
inhabited by their creations. The ensemble cast
Ensemble cast
An ensemble cast is made up of cast members in which the principal actors and performers are assigned roughly equal amounts of importance and screen time in a dramatic production. This kind of casting became more popular in television series because it allows flexibility for writers to focus on...
, inspired on Kyokutei Bakin's Nansō Satomi Hakkenden
Nanso Satomi Hakkenden
is a Japanese 106 volume epic novel by Kyokutei Bakin. Written over a period of nearly thirty years and published from 1814 to 1842, Bakin had gone blind before finishing the tale, and the final parts were dictated to his daughter-in-law Michi to be transcribed...
, includes Subaru Sumeragi
Subaru Sumeragi
is a fictional character created by Clamp. He is the protagonist of Tokyo Babylon and one of the Dragons of Heaven in X.An alternate version of the character appears in Clamp's crossover series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.- Early life :...
and Seishiro Sakurazuka
Seishiro Sakurazuka
is a fictional character created by Clamp in their 1990 manga Tokyo Babylon. In Tokyo Babylon, he appears as a kindly veterinarian engaged in a love-hate relationship with the onmyoji Subaru Sumeragi. He is also known as the Sakurazukamori, Japan’s number one assassin...
from Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo Babylon
is a manga series created by Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils....
and the main characters of Clamp School Detectives
CLAMP School Detectives
is a manga series by Clamp, which was adapted into a 26-episode anime series, produced by Bandai Visual and Pierrot. The manga series was serialized in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Asuka manga magazine between January 1992 and October 1993, spanning three tankōbon, while the anime premiered in Japan...
.
The title of "X" was chosen because it has no fixed meaning. In mathematics, it is a common variable
Variable (mathematics)
In mathematics, a variable is a value that may change within the scope of a given problem or set of operations. In contrast, a constant is a value that remains unchanged, though often unknown or undetermined. The concepts of constants and variables are fundamental to many areas of mathematics and...
. Beyond mathematics, "X" is a generic placeholder whose value is secret or unknown. "X" is also a cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
, an allusion to Christian mythology
Christian mythology
Christian mythology is the body of myths associated with Christianity. In the study of mythology, the term "myth" refers to a traditional story, often one which is regarded as sacred and which explains how the world and its inhabitants came to have their present form.Classicist G.S. Kirk defines a...
, and the representation of death and rebirth in Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
.
Influences
For more info, see Mythology of X (manga)Christian eschatology
Christian eschatology is a major branch of study within Christian theology. Eschatology, from two Greek words meaning last and study , is the study of the end of things, whether the end of an individual life, the end of the age, or the end of the world...
, with Clamp's own modern mythology to tell the tale of the fate of the world. The X mythos is inspired on the Apocalypse of John, with Tokyo standing as a modern-day Babylon
Babylon (New Testament)
Babylon occurs in the Christian New Testament both with a literal and a figurative meaning. The famous ancient city, located near Baghdad, was a complete unpopulated ruin by 275 BC, well before the time of the New Testament...
. Like the biblical city, Clamp's Tokyo is "the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird" (Rev.
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
18:2 KJV) and slated for destruction.
Kamui is established as a Christ figure. He is the one prophesied to return
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
to Tokyo and the one who will determine humanity's fate. The construction of Kamui as a messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
is reinforced by his miraculous birth
Miraculous birth
Miraculous births are a common motif in historical literature and religious texts. Stories of miracle births often include miraculous conceptions and features such as intervention by a deity, supernatural elements, astronomical signs, hardship or in the case of some mythologies complex plots...
and given name. "Kamui
Kamui
Kamuy are divine spirits in the mythology of the Japanese Ainu culture.Kamui may also refer to:-People and groups:* Kamui Fujiwara , Japanese game designer & cartoonist...
", like "Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
", doubles as a title that alludes to the character's divine nature. Apocalyptic allusions abound with respect to nomenclature. The Dragons of Heaven take their moniker from the seven seals
Seven seals
The Seven Seals is a phrase in the Book of Revelation that refers to seven symbolic seals that secure the book or scroll, that John of Patmos saw in his Revelation of Jesus Christ. The opening of the seals, on the Apocalyptic document occurs in Revelation Chapters 5-8...
introduced in Chapter 5 of the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
, while the antagonistic Angels allude to the seven celestial beings ordered to "go [their] ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth" (Rev
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
. 16:1 KJV). On the side of the Angels is , a sentient supercomputer branded with the number 666
Number of the Beast
The Number of the Beast is a term in the Book of Revelation, of the New Testament, that is associated with the first Beast of Revelation chapter 13, the Beast of the sea. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of the Bible, the number of the Beast is...
.
Other apocalyptic standards, such as earthquakes, are employed but the apocalypse of Clamp's manga trades the religious element for an environmental theme. Inspired by the Gaia theory, the idea that the Earth itself is one living organism, Ohkawa crafts an end brought on by humanity's abuse of the planet. The story reflects environmental concerns in its depiction of Judgment Day. Mankind exists in binary opposition
Binary opposition
In critical theory, a binary opposition is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning. Binary opposition is the system by which, in language and thought, two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. It is the contrast between two mutually...
to the Earth. By the end of days, humanity has become such a nuisance that the only way to save the planet is to destroy the whole of civilization. The Angels, human beings themselves, expect a post-judgment return to paradise. With mankind gone, the planet can regulate itself back to health and experience a rebirth. The Seals, however, look to preserve the status quo and entrust the future of the planet to the people.
Themes
The conflict between the Dragons of Heaven and Earth is at the heart of the series. The characters carry the story, and their confrontations go beyond the physical as mankind's continued existence becomes a question of ethics, idealsIdeal (ethics)
An ideal is a principle or value that one actively pursues as a goal. Ideals are particularly important in ethics, as the order in which one places them tends to determine the degree to which one reveals them as real and sincere. It is the application, in ethics, of a universal...
and biology.
Like its predecessor Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo Babylon
is a manga series created by Clamp. The series follows Subaru Sumeragi, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils....
, X deals with societal issues. Being set in the present provides an outlet for the authors to reflect and comment on Japan's state of affairs. But unlike Tokyo Babylon, where the characters were vocal in their concerns, topics in X go unspoken and implied
Subtext
Subtext or undertone is content of a book, play, musical work, film, video game, or television series which is not announced explicitly by the characters but is implicit or becomes something understood by the observer of the work as the production unfolds. Subtext can also refer to the thoughts...
.
The story places an emphasis on familial dignity and individualism. The Dragons of Heaven, Kamui excepted, were appointed from birth with the task of protecting mankind. They were raised individually with their destiny in mind and the obligation to their families prevents them from haphazardly changing sides. While it is possible for the Seals to sympathize with the Angels' ideals, ultimately, they must do what feels right for them. Their ability to summon the kekkai, and thus the status as a Dragon of Heaven, is bound to the will to fight for something or someone.
X delves on the relationship between Man and the Earth. In an interview with Puff Magazine, Ohkawa talks of how mankind's concern for the preservation, restoration and improvement of the planet stems from a desire to perpetuate its own existence. She explains "people will save the Earth to save themselves, but who will risk themselves to save the Earth?"
Motifs
X plays out like a tragedyTragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
, where the characters are at the mercy of forces greater than themselves. The series shares some motifs with apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature
Apocalyptic literature is a genre of prophetical writing that developed in post-Exilic Jewish culture and was popular among millennialist early Christians....
, like the disclosure of future events through dreams, and establishes a dual nature to its characters and concepts.
Dualism
Dualism denotes a state of two parts. The term 'dualism' was originally coined to denote co-eternal binary opposition, a meaning that is preserved in metaphysical and philosophical duality discourse but has been diluted in general or common usages. Dualism can refer to moral dualism, Dualism (from...
is the interdependence between opposing elements, the generalization that two opposing-complementary forces are found in all things. She interprets it as "qualities that seem pleasant in one person but can make you hate the next. That's the dual nature we all have." Inspired by the works of Go Nagai, Ohkawa sought to create heroes capable of wrongdoing, even evil. Kamui is the personification of this doctrine. carries a double connotation: "the one who represents the majesty of God", meaning the one who protects the world and carries out God's will; and "the one who hunts the majesty of God", meaning the one who kills those given God's power and destroys the world. Kamui's decision to save the world as he knows it is a defining moment as it gives rise to his twin star
Double star
In observational astronomy, a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary star, i.e...
, Fuma. Fuma undergoes a personality change to the point he is no longer recognizable to his best friend. He takes the name of "Kamui", thus fulfilling the dual prophecy and bringing balance to the conflict. Fuma's "Kamui" persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
is Kamui's other half; it represents Kamui's potential for destruction. "Kamui" is the epitome of the evil, and good, that men do. The duality
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
motif extends to the Dragons of Heaven and Earth, two groups of warriors, both alike in power, led to battle by opposite sisters. On each side is a , a diviner who sees
Oneiromancy
Oneiromancy is a form of divination based upon dreams; it is a system of dream interpretation that uses dreams to predict the future.-Ancient Egyptian:...
the future in its dreams.
Dreams are a source of inspiration for Ohkawa, and thus became a standard motif in her writing. In Tokyo Babylon, the protagonist's dreams reveal to him a hidden truth. In xxxHolic, the characters' dreams comprise a whole world
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
parallel to their own. Dreams
Dream sequence
A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. The interlude may consist of a flashback, a flashforward, a fantasy, a vision, a dream, or some other element. Commonly, dream sequences appear in many...
in X depict the future, the destruction of mankind. Hinoto, dreamgazer for the Dragons of Heaven, is convinced it can be changed. Ohkawa explains it as lucid dreaming, where the individual can exert conscious control over the dream to the point it can perform impossible feats. Kakyo of the Dragons of Earth is a dreamgazer in a permanent coma who lives in the dreamscape
Dream world (plot device)
Dream world is a commonly used plot device in fictional works, most notably in science fiction and fantasy fiction. The use of a dream world creates a situation whereby a character is placed in a marvellous and unpredictable environment and must overcome several personal problems to leave it...
, always dreaming of the future and knowing there is nothing he can do about it. Although he hopes for a better future, he cannot get involved and is convinced all is predetermined
Fatalism
Fatalism is a philosophical doctrine emphasizing the subjugation of all events or actions to fate.Fatalism generally refers to several of the following ideas:...
, including Kamui's return.
Kamui's arrival in Tokyo unwillingly sets Armageddon in motion. Kotori's death and Fuma's turning were foretold, but subject to the young man's allegiance. Thinking of the people he loves, Kamui chooses to become a Dragon of Heaven to protect them, but ends up losing them for it. Other characters are also at the mercy of fate
Destiny
Destiny or fate refers to a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual...
. Sorata Arisugawa is destined to die for a woman; but, unlike Kamui, the warrior monk embraces his preordained future and chooses Arashi Kishu of the Dragons of Heaven as the one he'll give his life for. Subaru Sumeragi
Subaru Sumeragi
is a fictional character created by Clamp. He is the protagonist of Tokyo Babylon and one of the Dragons of Heaven in X.An alternate version of the character appears in Clamp's crossover series, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle.- Early life :...
expresses no interest in the future of the Earth, but still he and his counterpart
Seishiro Sakurazuka
is a fictional character created by Clamp in their 1990 manga Tokyo Babylon. In Tokyo Babylon, he appears as a kindly veterinarian engaged in a love-hate relationship with the onmyoji Subaru Sumeragi. He is also known as the Sakurazukamori, Japan’s number one assassin...
are drawn to Tokyo on the Promised Day. Even with the fatalist atmosphere that persists in the series, Ohkawa is convinced individuals exert control over their destiny the same way they choose between right and wrong.
Manga
X started serialization in Kadokawa ShotenKadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
's Monthly Asuka on May 1992. Publishing the series proved troublesome on account of its subject matter. Publishing the series proved troublesome on account of its disasters it shown which were reminiscent of ones that happened in Japan such as earthquakes or murders committed by juveniles. Serialization stopped in March 2003 and in March 2005 Clamp stated they were searching for a proper magazine to conclude it. The chapters have been collected in a total of eighteen tankōbon
Tankobon
, with a literal meaning close to "independently appearing book", is the Japanese term for a book that is complete in itself and is not part of a series , though the manga industry uses it for volumes which may be in a series...
volumes with the first one released on July 29, 1992 and the eighteenth on September 17, 2002. On September 26, 2006, Kadokawa Shoten published Clamp Newtype Platinum, a special Clamp edition of Newtype Magazine. The issue includes the "X 18.5" supplement, a re-print of five previously uncollected chapters. The series is expected to reach twenty-one volumes upon completion.
The North American version of the manga, retitled X/1999 in its initial printing, was serialized in Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
's Animerica Extra
Animerica Extra
Animerica Extra is a monthly shōjo manga magazine that was published in North America by Viz Media from 1998 until 2004. Established as a complement to its monthly review magazine Animerica, Animerica Extra was the first manga anthology to be published by Viz.The titles published in Animerica Extra...
and released in form under the Shōjo imprint
Imprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
. In July 2001, Viz Media removed the series from Animerica Extra due to licensing issues, but it later returned in its issue published in March 2003. All the eighteen volumes have been released by Viz Media as of May 10, 2005. Beginning in 2011 Viz is re-issuing the series as a series of three-in-one volumes, unflipped, and now titled X in North America.
Feature film
The X feature film, directed by RintaroRintaro
is the pseudonym of , a well-known director of anime. He works frequently with the animation studio Madhouse , though he is a freelance director not employed directly by any one studio. He began working in the animation industry—at age 17—as an in-between animator on the 1958 film Hakujaden...
(Captain Harlock
Captain Harlock
is a fictional character created by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto.Harlock is the archetypical romantic hero, a space pirate with an individualist philosophy of life. He is as noble as he is taciturn, rebellious, stoically fighting against totalitarian regimes, whether they be earthborn or alien...
, Doomed Megalopolis
Doomed Megalopolis
is an anime rendition of the Japanese historical fantasy epic Teito Monogatari . Like it's live-action predecessor, Tokyo: The Last Megalopolis, the anime is only an adaptation of the first 1/3rd of the original novel. It was released by Toei in 1991 as a 4-part OVA...
) and co-scripted by Nanase Ohkawa, premiered August 3, 1996, in Japan. The supernatural
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
thriller focuses on the roles Kamui, Kotori, and Fuma play in the Apocalypse, reducing the Dragons of Heaven and Earth to peripheral characters. Even though the abbreviated story fails to place the characters' action in the proper context, the film is praised for its dreamlike atmosphere, powerful imagery and visually engaging action sequences. The film was given a limited release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
in the United States in early 2000 and released to DVD on September 25, 2001. X: The Destiny War, a comic book
Films comic
A , or , also referred to as ani-manga, are Japanese manga volumes which use images from an anime series, film, or video release instead of the standard drawn panels. They generally contain the full dialog from the anime from which they are adapted...
based on the feature film, was released on September 30, 1996 (Kadokawa Shoten
Kadokawa Shoten
is a well-known Japanese publishing company based in Tokyo, Japan. Kadokawa has published both manga novels and magazines, such as Newtype magazine...
: ISBN 4-04-852714-2). Yoshiki from the band X Japan
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
wrote the song "Forever Love
Forever Love (X Japan song)
"Forever Love" is a single released by X Japan on July 8, 1996. It reached #1 on the Oricon charts and was written and composed by Yoshiki Hayashi. An acoustic version of the song appears on their album Dahlia. The single has been reissued several times...
" for the film after reading the manga. The song was later used by the former Japanese Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
in a campaign advertisement in 2001.
TV series
The episodes from X TV animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series were directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Yoshiaki Kawajiri
is a critically acclaimed writer and director of Japanese animation. He is the creator of titles such as Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.-Career:...
, being first announced on October 18, 2000. In anticipation to the series premiere, was released direct-to-DVD on August 25, 2001. Written and directed by Kawajiri, "An Omen" tells the story of the upcoming battles through the prophecies of Kakyō Kuzuki, dreamgazer for the Dragon of Earth, and acts as primer for viewers not familiar with Clamp's manga. The series premiered October 3, 2001 on WOWOW
WOWOW
WOWOW was the first private satellite broadcasting and pay TV station in Japan. It has its headquarters on the 21st floor of the Akasaka Park Building in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo...
satellite television and finished on March 27, 2002, totaling twenty-four episodes. A total of twelve DVD volumes from the series, each containing two episodes, were released in Japan from February 25, 2001 to January 25, 2002 by Bandai Visual
Bandai Visual
, is a Japanese anime, film production and distribution enterprise, established by Bandai Co., Ltd. and a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings, Inc., which is based in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Since the reorganisation of Namco Bandai Holdings in 2006, Bandai Visual now heads the group's Visual and...
. The music for the series was composed by Naoki Satō
Naoki Sato
is a Japanese composer and producer who has provided the music for several popular anime series. He was born on May 2, 1970 and graduated in Chiba Prefecture and Tokyo College of Music...
with two original soundtracks being released.
Pioneer Entertainment claimed ownership of the series for distribution in North America in March 2002. Geneon
Geneon
is a Japanese music, anime and home entertainment production and distribution enterprise headquartered in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Geneon has been involved in the production and distribution of several anime in Japan...
collected the series and the OVA in a total of eight DVD volumes released between September 24, 2002 and November 25, 2003. Two DVD box sets of the series were also released on January 11, 2005. In 2006, Geneon released the X TV Series Remix, which was composed of five individual DVDs released between July 11, 2006 and November 14, 2006, as well as a DVD box set on July 11, 2006. The DVDs came with re-encoded video and audio, including 5.1 surround sound for both the Japanese and English tracks. In September 2009, Funimation Entertainment
Funimation Entertainment
Funimation is an American entertainment company. Originally founded in 1994 by Gen Fukunaga, the company became a subsidiary of Navarre Corporation on May 11, 2005...
announced that it had acquired the rights to the anime series and OVA. They were re-released them in a DVD box it on June 15, 2010 using the original Geneon dubbing (provided by Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Bang Zoom! Entertainment
Bang Zoom! Entertainment is an audio post-production studio, located in Burbank, California, that has worked on several anime, video games, feature films, and directly-to-DVD projects...
) for the English-language audio track.
Music video
On November 21, 1993, SME Records released , a short film based on Clamp's manga, set to the music of power metalPower metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band X Japan
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
. X² features a slideshow
Slideshow
A slide show is a display of a series of chosen information or pictures, done for artistic or instructional purposes. Slide shows are conducted by a presenter using an apparatus, such as a carousel slide projector, an overhead projector or in more recent years, a computer running presentation...
of X artwork set to a medley of X Japan's "Silent Jealousy
Silent Jealousy
"Silent Jealousy" is a single released by X Japan on September 11, 1991. The song's structure is comparable to "Kurenai", opening with a calm intro, performed on a single instrument, followed by a speed metal composition with symphonic elements...
," "Kurenai
Kurenai (song)
is the major label debut single released by X Japan on September 1, 1989. Originally featured on the band's debut album Vanishing Vision, this version is more similar to the re-recording for the album Blue Blood, but is still slightly different...
" and "Endless Rain
Endless Rain
-Music personnel:*Mixing engineer – Motonari Matsumoto*Recording engineers – Gremlin, Tetsuhiro Miyajima, Mitsuyasu Abe*Assistant engineers – Takashi Ohkubo, Fujishima, Naoki Yamada, Akiko Nakamura, Shigeki Kashii, Lee Chun Fin, Mitsumasa Iwata...
" and the "X" music video directed by Shigeyuki Hayashi.
Audio Drama
The X were released from June 1996 to December 1996 by Victor EntertainmentVictor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
. The seven audio dramas, scripted by Nanase Ohkawa, focus on the thoughts and motivations of the individual Dragons of Heaven and Earth. The Character Files are performed by the feature film voice actor
Seiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
s. No English translation is available.
Video games
was released for the PlayStationPlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
on August 22, 2002 by Bandai
Bandai
is a Japanese toy making and video game company, as well as the producer of a large number of plastic model kits. It is the world's third-largest producer of toys . Some ex-Bandai group companies produce anime and tokusatsu programs...
. The fighting game
Fighting game
Fighting game is a video game genre where the player controls an on-screen character and engages in close combat with an opponent. These characters tend to be of equal power and fight matches consisting of several rounds, which take place in an arena. Players must master techniques such as...
features a Story Mode, set in the television series continuity, and a Versus Mode, which allows players to compete against each other using any of the Dragons of Heaven or Earth. The game was not released outside of Japan and have two different endings.
X: Card of Fate, a card battle
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
video game for the WonderSwan Color, was released June 27, 2002.
Reception
In Manga: The Complete GuideManga: The Complete Guide
Manga: The Complete Guide is a 2007 encyclopedia written by Jason Thompson and published by Del Rey which provides basic details and short reviews of over 1000 Japanese manga titles that have been translated and released in English in North America...
, Jason Thompson wrote "even without a proper ending, the series has a lot going for it. For one, it's absolutely gorgeous", adding "the Storytelling isn't Clamp's best, but it's hard not to get swept up in the momentum toward the day of destiny". The film is considered a technical masterpiece, but it lacks plot and character development. The television series is considered a better adaptation than the feature film. The 2001 incarnation makes use of its longer running time and episode format to explore the original mythos and works the characters' back-stories into the narrative through the use of flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
s. Bamboo Dong of Anime News Network
Anime News Network
Anime News Network is an anime industry news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, Japanese popular music and other otaku-related culture within North America, Australia and Japan. Additionally, it sometimes features similar happenings throughout the Anglosphere and elsewhere in the...
finds that the series "tries hard to please everyone, and comes daringly close to succeeding." Zac Bertschy comments that "the animation quality is consistently very high" and that the characters are "never off model" and "each episode is animated with an amazing flash of style and fluidity".