X/1999, Volume 18: Inversion

X [エックス] #18

by Clamp

The balance of power is shifting as the Seven Seals with the power to protect Earth face the Seven Harbingers who are fated to destroy it. Rated for older teens.

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

176 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2002

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

[Theresia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck you, CLAMP. Seriously, fuck you and your hiatus and your habit of publishing not!finished! series.

It's supposed to be only 21 volumes, yet you've been stuck stuck stuck at 18 since 2002. I don't care about the movie (though X-Japan's Forever love was to die for) or the TV series or the fanservicey short chapters. I want your apocalypse and your bodies torn by holy swords and your popped out left eye and your tragic Rainbow Bridge romance and your judging gods and your stupid flirty Fuuma and your no-longer-suicidal Kakyou and your violent dreamgazing bitches and your gore and your everything.

Don't I, and all your readers, deserve a closure?

[Anh · Rating 5 out of 5]

From beginning to end, it is a tragedy where every character not only learns his life lessons but also has to suffer from pain and loss at the same time. I simply cannot name anyone of them who can live happily, how sad! Though they have their own power and hold differents ways of thinking about the Earth, whichever side they choose they still have to live in regrets and hardships. This story reflects so many fates, some are star-crossed, some are meant to be there forever,some are to be changed; and it drives me crazy to someday find out the end of their long and tiring journey and war.
This is the one manga that left me with the most thoughts. To be honest, I was daunted after I finished reading it.There are two sides, with equal number of people, one from each side possess the same kind of power. They represents the two parts of me and hopefully everyone, when thinking about how human are treating the Earth. The arguments the Earth's side brings up stir up the morality inside me, but the emotions that the Heaven's side presents makes my heart aches. Though I sympathise with each and every character of the Heaven's side, the perspective of the Earth's side actually matches my opinion more somehow and it seems more realistic. Towards the near the end of the 18 vol, everything becomes a mess where Seishirou, Nataku and the Princess's younger sister died, the Heaven is weakened and the Earth possess the power of Subaru instead of Seishirou.
Oh please, can you continue this manga any time soon, Clamp-sensei??

[DeCarabas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm starting to wonder if this whole story is happening in Kamui's mind - or maybe that's just my wish. So that 'saving the world' becomes about trying to preserve an illusion, and 'destroying the world' becomes about facing reality; it'd be a good reason for the emphasis on dreams and death-wishes, and it'd be a better thematic fit for Tokyo Babylon, too.

As long as the story has no conclusion, I'm going ahead and indulging in wild speculation - so here's hoping we get a real ending sometime.

[✨Meryem✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not ready

[Daniel Bosé · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5★

Me voy, con unas extremas ganas de saber que pasará. Con un cariño inmenso a casi todos los personajes. No puedo con esto! Es como si estuvieras por salvar a alguien y recibes una bala en la espalda, sin saber si lograrás levantarte o morirás.

CLAMP hizo una historia y un concepto totalmente oscuro, crudo, profundo y muy brillante. Lograron darle una vida única a cada personaje, darles un poder e intereses a pesar de los muchos personajes y conceptos que se manejan.

Es una pena que, seguramente me voy a morir, y nunca voy a saber cómo terminó todo. Adiós Kamui, no estoy listo para dejar ir este bello 1999.

[it's ya boy harv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noooo I'm not ready to leave these characters yet!

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This REVIEW is for the complete X/1999 (VOLUMES 1 - 18) manga series because I don't want to do a seperate one for every single volume!

I read all 18 Volumes over the course of 2 days, so I think I'm save to say that they read very quickly and also are kind of addicting xD
The first 1-8 volumes are a little slower but are still very good, especially for ME because I used to watch the anime when I was 13/14 years old. I had all the voices from the anime in my head and it was just so nostalgic and magical to me.

But in Volume 9 I think the story starts to get really addicting and very very very good!!! I loved that Kamui opens up, we get to see the bonds he forms with the other Seals and explore so much more.

My personal favorite character since I first laid eyes on him when I was 13 years old is still and will always be: SUBARU SUMERAGI
I think my love for him grew even more. I also have a special love for the bond he shares with Kamui!!! <3

All the characters in X are in some way fascinating, interesting or mysterious!!! Some of them you just can't help but love (for example Yuzuriha, Nataku or Sorata), others grow on you (Kamui and Arashi) and some I just find fascinating and complex (Subarau, Satsuki, Seishiro, Fuma, Karen, Hinoto and her sister Kanoe, ...)!!! I like them all very much!!!

The only thing that makes me really mad is that we don't have a ending... this is also one of the reasons I wanted to wait till I read the manga... but I couldn't wait any longer, and now I'm sitting here wondering... of course I do know the ending from the anime series... but I want to know the ending to the manga!!!
The manga is on 'pause' for over 10 years now... I would love to hear an announcment from Clamp that they are continuing the series FINALLY!!!!

that's all...goodbye!

[Clover Alden · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I hurt my own feelings by starting this series knowing it's been on "hiatus" for 20 years. I would, however, still recommend it to anyone who is interested. Beautiful artwork, compelling story. One of the most sincere and original fantasy tellings of a pre-apocalyptic world, entwined with love and the questioning of the nature of the human heart

The first few books are a bit meandering, angsty, mirroring Kamui's internal landscape. A selfish part of me can't help but think the main story could be complete if those first few chapters were truncated a bit.

This is despite, of course, my understanding that the hiatus was more due to plot lines in the book coincidentally aligning with natural disasters is Japan and throughout the world at the time of publication in the 90s

I can hold out hope that with the reboot of special deluxe editions of the manga coming out that CLAMP will surprise us all with the finished story.

Now to watch the animes and hopefully get some closure on the main story of this beautiful endeavor

[Mai · Rating 3 out of 5]

I hate the fact, that this series is on hiatus since 2003 and there is no way knowing IF they will ever continue and finish it...

[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.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

e così NON finisce questa serie crudissima e devastante.
e così la battaglia finale per il destino della terra deve ancora avvenire da più di vent’anni.
non capisco proprio perché non vogliano portare a termine questa serie, manca poco, ci sono quasi, hanno ancora le capacità e soprattutto un pubblico più vasto e maturo.
CLAMO dai vi supplico, dateci un finale!!

[rainy♪ · Rating 5 out of 5]

CLAMP PLEASE EITHER FINISH IT OR JUST TELL US YOURE NOT FINISHING IT WE NEED SOME FORM OF CLOSURE OR JUST REVEAL THE ENDING IDK JUST DO SOMETHING GIVE US CLOSURE DONT LEAVE US HANGING LIKE THIS JESUS CHRIST I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHO DIES WHO LIVES IS THAT TOO MUCH TO FUCKING ASK ASJDKSALDLSK

[Ta0paipai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sure there's impressive art. But there's not enough character development and there are way too many feathers. Also, there's no ending. Now that I've finished the last volume I can definitively say, this is the most overrated manga I've ever read.

[Don Federico · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Y este desamparo tan repentino? ¿Donde esta mi final? FLI-PO

[Ctecain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frustrée.

[Sakura87 Comics · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riletto dopo 20 anni, ne vedo ora i tantissimi difetti, ma continua a piangermi il cuore al pensiero che non ci sarà mai una fine.

[K.S. Trenten · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was another heartbreakingly beautiful, emotionally-driven volume peppered with apocalyptic action. Nataku finds himself facing an emotional crisis while destroying Seals, torn between his devotion to Fuma and his growing bond with Karen, who’s keenly sympathetic with the lost child she sees Nataku as. There’s a hint that Hinoto had a hand in Nataku’s fate as well as Tokiko’s, something Kamui and Karen piece together. Sorata’s spy continues to watch Hinoto, something the true Hinoto and Kakyo are well aware of. Fuma continues to confide in Subaru, aware that the other man cares about Kamui, and is trapped by own his wish. Karen, however, is beginning to guess at Fuma’s true heart, confiding some of her gueses to Kamui. It feels like this manga was on the cusp of a major climax and major revelations. It was maddening not to get any more, but I understand a little more is available than when I was first forced to stop, ready to howl in frustration. I turned to fanfiction crossovers, playing with the possibility that the power of Kamui had somehow been sealed in Yuuko’s store with Fuma as her handyman, considering the immense crossovers happening in Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle and xxxholic. I thought of stories occurring in other worlds where the CLAMP chess pieces were involved in an apocalyptic game. I’ve thought of scenerios where Shougo takes Kakyo’s place among the Dragons of Earth out of some twisted kind of love, inspired by the X movie. I’ve thought of all sorts of characters trying to protect Subaru, to keep him from meeting Seishiro. I’ve been inspired to write my own original stories; Tales of the Navel: The Shadow Forest which pop up at the Cauldron of Eternal Inspiration at inspirationcauldron.wordpress.com, exploring the power of dreams and wishes to create an entire dream realm and the shadowy beings who dwell there, feeding on memories and emotions. X/1999 has been one of the most important stories in my life as a reader and a writer. I hope it gets finished and receives a finish worthy of it. Even if it’s never finished, it remains one of the most beautiful, powerful, and inspirational stories I’ve been lucky enough to be introduced to. Thank you, CLAMP, for creating it.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

X Clamp #18

Putri Hinoto "yang lain" kembali melancarkan aksi. Karen dan Aoki diperintahkan untuk melindungi daerah yang akan terjadi gempa agar Karen dan juga Aoki menemui ajal mereka di sana. Tapi tanpa ada yang mengetahui masa depan, baik Hinoto maupun Kakyou sang pemimpi dari naga bumi, korban yang jatuh malah berasal dari pihak naga bumi; Kazuki yang berbalik melindungi Karen dari serangan Dark Kamui. Sungguh tragis karena tujuan hidup Kazuki yang awalnya menganggap penting Dark Kamui malah tergantikan sosok Karen yang lembut dan perhatian layaknya seorang ibu (padahal Karen sendiri memiliki kepercayaan yang sangat rendah bila menyangkut pribadinya).

"Tak seorangpun ingin melihat kematian orang lain di depan matanya, terutama orang yang kita sukai. Pasti akan sedih seakan kitapun mati"

Baik pihak naga bumi maupun naga langit telah jatuh korban. Tapi masing-masing menghadapi masalah, terutama Subaru yang kini telah menggunakan mata kiri Sakurazukamori. Berbeda dengan Arashi, hubungannya dengan Arisugawa membuatnya kehilangan kemampuan sebagai seorang pendeta putri Ise.

Tak ada hak bagi siapapun untuk membunuh, pesan Dark Kamui melalui Karen untuk Kamui. "If nobody ever killed anyone, than why would we lose sight of the most important thing's?" Apa tindakan Kamui mendengar pesan itu???

[emily_oriley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series.... which is why I HATE it so much!!! >_<

I don't think it's a spoiler to say this series has no ending. CLAMP was bullied into scrapping the series so it is still left unfinished much to the dismay of people with ADD like me >_<

Still, the art work is unbelievably awesome and the story is so gripping and sad and, once again, I have to point out the fact that THERE'S NO ENDING!!!!!

Those of you who have journied this far only to have your dreams crushed, you may find solice in either the original feature X (currently on DVD pretty much anywhere) or the newer TV series X/1999 (good luck finding this one -took me a LONG time to track it down considering they stopped making Vol. 4 (seriously, it's like they're TRYING to piss me off T.T)). Natually, it's not as good as the manga series but it has an ending.

[Adrian Santiago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si nadie pudiera matar a nadie, entonces olvidaríamos... qué?

Me imagino que la importancia de vivir, que es lo mismo que el Memento Mori, recordar nuestra mortalidad. Y por qué entonces tiene tanto valor la vida.

De verdad que, qué lastima que nunca se terminó la historia. Sigue siendo la mejor de Clamp, para mí.
Como 25 años sin un final, pero sí tuvimos tomos y tomos del horrible Clear Card-

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this volume: the morning after, Aoki and Karen vs. Nataku, hints about Kamui's wish, the new Sakurazukamori, Karen and Kamui's conversation.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wonder if they're ever going to continue this series - it's been on hiatus so long, it's ridiculous. *sigh*

[Birgit Coppieters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whyyyyyy???? I want closure!

[Vivian · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the most interesting part.The final battle is about to begin...

[Ricardo Marín]

5 / 5