X/1999, Volume 13: Lament

X [エックス] #13

by Clamp

Holding the Earth's destiny in his hands, Kamui Shiro dances between light and dark--friends and enemies--as he finds himself sought by opposing sets of occult forces.

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Shojo, Comics, Graphic Novels, Supernatural, Dark

184 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Ōkawa Nanase 大川七瀬
[born: 2 May 1967; Ōsaka, bloodtype: A]

Mokona Apapa もこなあぱぱ
[born: 16 Jun 1968, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]

Nekoi Mick 猫井みっく
[born: 21 Jan 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: O]

Igarashi Satsuki 五十嵐さつき
[born: 8 Feb 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]


CLAMP originally began in 1989 as a twelve-member dōjinshi circle, but by 1990, the circle had diminished from twelve to seven. Of the remaining seven, Tamayo Akiyama, Sei Nanao, and Leeza Sei left the group during the production of the RG Veda manga. Other former members of CLAMP also included Soushi Hishika, O-Kyon, Kazue Nakamori, Yuzuru Inoue and Shinya Ōmi. Currently, there are four members in the group.

In 2004, CLAMP's 15th anniversary as a mangaka group, the members changed their names from Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona Apapa, Mick Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi to Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi (her name is pronounced the same, but written with different characters) respectively. The August 2004 issue of Newtype USA, a magazine specializing in events of the anime and manga subcultures, reported that the members of CLAMP simply wanted to try out new names. In a later interview with Ohkawa, it was revealed that initially Mokona wanted to drop her surname because it sounded too immature for her liking, while Nekoi disliked people commenting that her name was the same as Mick Jagger's. Ohkawa and Igarashi, wanting to go with the flow of Nekoi's and Mokona's name changes, changed their names as well.

In 2006, they made their first USA public debut at Anime Expo in Anaheim, California. They were well received at the convention, with 6,000 fans in attendance at their panel.

Reviews

[✨Meryem✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Karen so much ! I would cry if she dies

[Matheus Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manga has simply the best ambiguous scene in the universe. I love Subaru and Seishirou. This is simply the best volume from X/1999.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review for volume 1-18



While arguably less famous than some of CLAMP'S other works such as Card Captor Sakura, Tsubasa and xxxHolic, I personally believe X/1999 to be CLAMP's true masterpiece. It is all the more a shame that this series has been left as incomplete with only little hope of there ever being a conclusion. While on one hand, I would recommend this as a masterful manga, it always comes with the grain of salt that you will be left with more questions than answers.

Kamui returns to Tokyo where, much as he would like to see them again, he avoids meeting his childhood friends Fuma and Kotori. Strange things seem to happen around Kamui - earthquakes one after the other shatter the city. Soon, mysterious people called the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth try to recruit Kamui to join their cause: one to save the earth, and one to destroy and reform it.

Although one shouldn't expect any less from CLAMP, X/1999's art is stunning. The characters are beautifully drawn with intricate details and there is no other word than dedication to describing the Tokyo backdrops. The art does change significantly between the first and latest volume, which is quite natural to a longer running series.

Kamui certainly doesn't start off as the most likeable protagonist. But that changes fast enough once we become more familiar with his circumstances and also see his change toward others. Although this story has a lot of action, I believe it is foremost a character-driven plot. In addition to the seven Dragons of Heaven and the seven Dragons of Earth, there is still quite a vast cast of important and also lesser characters. What makes X/1999 so special is that they all have their legitimate intentions and wishes. If you like grey characters, well, this series consists of nothing but. There is really no saying which character is in the right or wrong - as the characters themselves point out - there is no ideal outcome in which everyone can be happy.

Not only are all characters relatable, they all have their own story to tell and are anything but flat characters. There must be at least one character everyone can adore, and - ok - relatable or not, I confess, I don't like Satsuki - at all. But apart from her? I can't say there is a single character who I don't care for. You'd wish each and everyone one of them could have their happy ending - unfortunately, you know it won't happen. And to make matters worse, we likely never will find out. I think, X/1999's status of being incomplete will forever be one of my personal biggest manga tragedies.

On another note, for those who have read Tokyo Babylon and/or CLAMP School Detectives, characters from both make a comeback in this series and the truly open ending of Subaru and Seishirou receives a somewhat decent conclusion. I say somewhat because, although their story continues and comes to a close of sorts, the last volume of X/1999 takes on a new turn which could go anywhere, so it's questionable whether it can really be called a satisfying conclusion.

[Moi Self · Rating 5 out of 5]

Capitolo di passaggio, morti random di personaggi terziari e qualche notizia in più sui co-protagonisti.

Che dire?
Ho pianto per Karen.
L’episodio dedicato al lei, alla fine del volume, mi ha spezzato il cuore in pieno stile CLAMP.

È strano come un manga di questo genere sappia suscitare così tante emozioni.

[Daniel Bosé · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cada vez más oscura la historia, y cada vez se siente que nadie está a salvó, ni siquiera Kamui.

[Don Federico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo ya no tengo capacidad de ná ❤️

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful ❣️

[方 · Rating 5 out of 5]

im glad the beast asked that question and if karen died i would for sure cry for her!

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragic loss nearly tears Hinoto apart and Kamui finds himself mourning a former adversary, going after Fuma like he never has before, yet he can’t bring himself to land a mortal blow on the one he’s sworn to save. As for Fuma, it seems for a moment like he was willing to let Kamui land that blow. Fuma as Kamui of the Dragons of Earth has sworn to kill Kamui and the Dragons of Heaven, but does a part of him want Kamui to kill him? Whatever his motivations, Fuma is more than willing to take his own shot, along with every chance to get close to Kamui in sensual intimate ways even when he’s injured his twin star. Yuzuriha had her shot to try to save one of Tokyo’s barriers, only to find herself facing Satsuki, one of the Harbringers, a young girl who in many ways is Yuzuriha’s opposite. Satsuki has a question for Yuzurhia, one Yuto and Kusanagi both have answers for, but Yuzuriha can only feel it. It costs her dearly. Enter Karen into the fray, certain she’s better suited to go into battle than the other Seals because no one would mourn her, revealing some of the painful past hiding behind her smile. She gets into a flirty fight with Yuto where fire and water meet in an explosive confrontation, finds herself oddly moved by the childlike Harbringer Nataku she’s trying to stop, but it’s Seiichirou who truly touches her with his emotional plea that yes, she would be missed if she were to fall. Bloody, violent, emotional, intimate, and as exquisite as the previous volumes, this book continues the high quality and unique ambience of the rest of the series.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

X Clamp #13


Pertempuran antara pihak naga langit dan naga bumi semakin memuncak. Para naga bumi terutama Satsuki mulai bergerak menggunakan robot komputer untuk menghancurkan kekkai yang ada disekitar Shibuya. Yuzuriha yang kebetulan ada disana (yang sedang bertemu temannya yang tak lain adalah Kusanagi salah satu naga bumi) berusaha membuat kekkai untuk melindungi daerah disekitarnya yang diguncang gempa. Namun Yuzuruha dibuat terpana dan harus kehilangan teman sejatinya Inuki, karena tak dapat menjawab pertanyaan dari Satsuki "kenapa manusia tidak boleh dibunuh".
Kamui dan Daisuke yang ada disekitar daerah gempa berusaha semampu mereka menyelamatkan otang-orang disekitar daerah gempa. Tapi kembali Kamui kehilangan Yuzuriha dan nyawa Daisuke sang pelindung putri Hinoto. Keadaan di pihak Kamui semakin kacau. Mereka kekurangan tenaga. Subaru terluka, Kamui pun kembali terluka oleh dark Kamui. Dan mereka juga harus kehilangan Yuzuriha.

Di tempat lain, ternyata Yuzuriha diselamatkan oleh Kusanagi yang notabene adalah salah satu naga bumi. Dan dari Kusanagi juga Yuzuriha mendapat pencerahan akan perasaan ketika seseorang kehilangan seseorang atau makhluk yang disayangi karena dibunuh.
Di tempat lain juga, Karen salah satu naga langit yang sangat memahami kepedihan kehilangan orang yang disayangi berusaha melakukan perlawanan seorang diri ketika terjadi gempa yang disebabkan Nataku, naga bumi.

[Adrian Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hasta ahora (igual que en el anime) mi parte favorita.

En la parte humanista, una partidaria de la cibernética cuestiona por qué vale la pena ser humano, por qué vemos como tabú la muerte/asesinato de otros. Aunque se otorga una respuesta igual de humanista (que no me convence tanto), fue una forma mega cañona de llevar una pelea (más mental, como en It).

Luego tenemos a Karen. Con relación a la religión, la puta de Babilonia/la prostituta que limpia el rostro de Jesús. Y ésta considera sacrificarse.

Plus, varias batallas muy padres. Donde al no estar jodiendo con lo de los siete sellos, princesas y Kamui, quedan mega bien.

////

Ahora el que me cae dlv es el inutil de Kamui.

[scarlettraces · Rating 3 out of 5]

not my favourite clamp - extremely crowded panels, an overwrought narrative and a large cast make it hard to keep track of what's going on. but i like a lot of individual things about it, particularly some of the characters (seishiro/subaru, anyone?), and it's interesting as part of the clamp oeuvre.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this volume: Yuzuriha's fight, Satsuki, Aoki and Karen, Karen's fight. Karen is awesome, and I like the critique of her actions. Also, I realize that I've read too much manga by CLAMP when my main reaction to a certain bit of gratuitous gore (Saiki) is, "Oh, CLAMP."

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's sad how Yuzuriha lost her dog, Inuki, during a battle. It's also sad how Karen was treated badly when she was a kid.

[Holly Letson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review Coming Soon!!

[Ricardo Marín]

5 / 5