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魔法騎士レイアース [Magic Knight Rayearth] #1-3
Magic Knight Rayearth 25th Anniversary Manga Box Set 1
Ten years ago the manga creation team CLAMP took Japan by storm with their hit series Magic Knight Rayearth. Five years later, Rayearth became TOKYOPOP's debut manga series, introducing the creative force of CLAMP to thousands of new readers. Now, CLAMP manga series are the top-selling graphic novels in America. To celebrate this seminal shojo manga series' 10th anniversary, TOKYOPOP is relaunching the six-volume series as part of its 100% Authentic Manga line. Featuring improved image quality, a new edit, and a new design, the new Rayearth is a must-have collection for old fans and new. Individual volumes will be available in March of 2003, but this special boxed set of the first three volumes is coming out just in time for the holidays. This limited edition boxed set also includes a bonus 64-page memorial book, featuring color comics and artist information not available anywhere else! Magic Knight Rayearth is the story of Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu, three junior-high schoolgirls who are transported to the magical world of Cephiro. In order to save that world from destruction they must face fearsome opponents, make loyal new friends, and unlock the power of the Magic Knights that lies within each of their hearts.
708 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2002
20 people are currently reading
431 people want to read
About the author
Clamp
754 books3,157 followersŌkawa 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.
[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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
December 27, 2016
More in my explorations of the cross-connected CLAMP multiverse. This is one of the earlier and thus foundational works in the whole teetering superstructure. I was interested to see how characters and themes recycled and refined in later works had their starts.
Three 8th-grade girls on a field trip to Tokyo Tower (man, if you ever go to Tokyo, stay away from that tower) get whisked away to a magical world and set on a quest to Save It. They collect plot coupons adding up to armor and weapons upgrades resulting, inevitably, in giant fighting robots, because this was from the 90s. I got my lifetime fill of giant fighting robots very early on in my explorations of anime, so the story almost lost me there. However, about 90% of the way through the first omnibus (I read both volumes) the plot took a hard left turn into something more evocative of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas", which I had been lulled, or bored, into not expecting, and which is why I just gave this 4 instead of 3 stars. Aha. Okay.
Like Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, the anime has material not in the manga that confuses the through-line when you circle back; I am beginning to see the point of the manga purists.
Someone once told me an anecdote about a couple of clever parents who, when they wanted some relief from their kids for a while, scattered pennies in the grass and told the kids they could come back inside when they'd found all 100 pennies -- and then scattered 99 pennies. I begin to suspect trying to make sense of CLAMP is a lot like trying to find the 100 pennies in the grass. But they do manage to bring off some memorable characters and psychological set-pieces, even if they are hung in air like the flying mountains.
Ta, L.
Three 8th-grade girls on a field trip to Tokyo Tower (man, if you ever go to Tokyo, stay away from that tower) get whisked away to a magical world and set on a quest to Save It. They collect plot coupons adding up to armor and weapons upgrades resulting, inevitably, in giant fighting robots, because this was from the 90s. I got my lifetime fill of giant fighting robots very early on in my explorations of anime, so the story almost lost me there. However, about 90% of the way through the first omnibus (I read both volumes) the plot took a hard left turn into something more evocative of "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas", which I had been lulled, or bored, into not expecting, and which is why I just gave this 4 instead of 3 stars. Aha. Okay.
Like Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, the anime has material not in the manga that confuses the through-line when you circle back; I am beginning to see the point of the manga purists.
Someone once told me an anecdote about a couple of clever parents who, when they wanted some relief from their kids for a while, scattered pennies in the grass and told the kids they could come back inside when they'd found all 100 pennies -- and then scattered 99 pennies. I begin to suspect trying to make sense of CLAMP is a lot like trying to find the 100 pennies in the grass. But they do manage to bring off some memorable characters and psychological set-pieces, even if they are hung in air like the flying mountains.
Ta, L.
July 6, 2011
Totally retouched and retranslated, Dark Horse Comics’ delicious new omnibus edition of the first series of “Magic Knight Rayearth” is miles above Tokyopop/Mixx’s previous effort first published 10 years ago. Kids, this series is apart of the golden era of shoujo manga. If you want to read a classic “magical girl” scenario with a twist, you always know to go to CLAMP. This retouch of “MKR” is just a reminder of CLAMP’s ability to pull you in regardless of your age, gender, sex, or preferences in terms of comics, anime, and manga.
After Tokyopop’s version went out of print several years ago, I was afraid that “MKR” would be lost to the North American market for a long time. Luckily, Dark Horse went and scooped up the license, and then gave “MKR” the treatment it deserved from the get-go with a beautiful new, detailed translation (far more accurate than Tokyopop’s), as well as retouching the actual art before slapping it all together into one volume. There are six volumes in the series, split into two plot lines known as I and II. This edition collects the first three volumes, or the first plot line, I, in one volume. And considering how expensive English-translated manga has become, Dark Horse is doing us all a solid by releasing this in one omnibus for a low price.
Dark Horse’s retouches have made the colors brighter, the shadows darker, the lines sharper, and all of the little details stand out in a way that couldn’t have happened during its original serialization both here and in Japan in the early to mid ’90s. Thankfully, technology has given us the tools to give series like this the midas touch and make them gleam like they should have (but weren’t necessarily able to) from the start.
“MKR” was one of my first manga series that I read in English, so it’ll always have a place in my heart even with the early shoddy translation by Mixx, later Tokyopop. But now I feel like that place has been given a good spring (or summer?) cleaning with all of the cobwebs and possible questions now gone and instead in its place, a shining throne for one of the best shoujo series of the ’90s.
This is going to be a pretty short review, as I’m just looking at Dark Horse’s re-release of the original, but all I can say is that I am one happy customer. This is definitely going on my bookshelf once I get the funds (thanks to net galley for the preview, though, you guys area awesome). This is how it should have been done, people. This is what CLAMP’s stories deserve, no matter which ones they are.
If you’re a fan of the shoujo/magical girl genre, this definitely deserves at least one read, if not a place on your own shelf. You need to read one of the best titles of the ’90s so you can come share my nostalgia of How Manga Used to Be. All joking aside, definitely give Dark Horse’s retouch of this series a look. I think you’ll like what you’ll find.
(posted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
After Tokyopop’s version went out of print several years ago, I was afraid that “MKR” would be lost to the North American market for a long time. Luckily, Dark Horse went and scooped up the license, and then gave “MKR” the treatment it deserved from the get-go with a beautiful new, detailed translation (far more accurate than Tokyopop’s), as well as retouching the actual art before slapping it all together into one volume. There are six volumes in the series, split into two plot lines known as I and II. This edition collects the first three volumes, or the first plot line, I, in one volume. And considering how expensive English-translated manga has become, Dark Horse is doing us all a solid by releasing this in one omnibus for a low price.
Dark Horse’s retouches have made the colors brighter, the shadows darker, the lines sharper, and all of the little details stand out in a way that couldn’t have happened during its original serialization both here and in Japan in the early to mid ’90s. Thankfully, technology has given us the tools to give series like this the midas touch and make them gleam like they should have (but weren’t necessarily able to) from the start.
“MKR” was one of my first manga series that I read in English, so it’ll always have a place in my heart even with the early shoddy translation by Mixx, later Tokyopop. But now I feel like that place has been given a good spring (or summer?) cleaning with all of the cobwebs and possible questions now gone and instead in its place, a shining throne for one of the best shoujo series of the ’90s.
This is going to be a pretty short review, as I’m just looking at Dark Horse’s re-release of the original, but all I can say is that I am one happy customer. This is definitely going on my bookshelf once I get the funds (thanks to net galley for the preview, though, you guys area awesome). This is how it should have been done, people. This is what CLAMP’s stories deserve, no matter which ones they are.
If you’re a fan of the shoujo/magical girl genre, this definitely deserves at least one read, if not a place on your own shelf. You need to read one of the best titles of the ’90s so you can come share my nostalgia of How Manga Used to Be. All joking aside, definitely give Dark Horse’s retouch of this series a look. I think you’ll like what you’ll find.
(posted to librarything, goodreads, shelfari, and witchoftheatregoing.wordpress.com)
May 21, 2020
Finally dove in to this classic CLAMP series, but to be honest it was okay. I think the pacing of the series really was the biggest fault of this book. It just kind of kept jumping ahead so quickly from plot point to plot point. There was no real travel time, to let the characters really build a relationship or even converse with each other. I get the theme of friendship, but damn was it super forced in the quickest way possible. I felt like the series could have used a bit more length to really help build relationships and even world building.
Like most CLAMP projects, I always enjoy the character designs, and the world they put in to images. The characters themselves were very interesting, with Hikaru being best girl. Also I like da lot of the humor, especially surrounding Umi and Mokona. Also the way CLAMP can switch to goofy chibi forms in a blink of an eye is great.
I'm giving this a 3 star, even though it's more like a 3.5... but I don't feel comfortable rounding up for one of those rare times.
Like most CLAMP projects, I always enjoy the character designs, and the world they put in to images. The characters themselves were very interesting, with Hikaru being best girl. Also I like da lot of the humor, especially surrounding Umi and Mokona. Also the way CLAMP can switch to goofy chibi forms in a blink of an eye is great.
I'm giving this a 3 star, even though it's more like a 3.5... but I don't feel comfortable rounding up for one of those rare times.
May 17, 2018
I’M STILL IN LOVE WITH THIS SERIES AFTER ALL THIS TIME. It’s such a nice change up from most of the anime and manga I consume offhandedly these days. The art still holds up in all of its beautiful, vintage CLAMP glory.
October 28, 2011
At First Sight: Fuu, Umi and Hikaru are three Tokyo school girls, who go to different middle schools but happened to take a class field trip to the Tokyo Tower on the same day. Once there, they hear a strange voice asking the Magic Knights to Save Cephiro, before a blinding white light iluminated the sky.
Next thing they know, they are flying over a strange ocean, looking at big volcano and floating mountains. Oh, and they are catching a ride on the back of a huge flying fish.
They have arrived to Cephiro, a world where the will and strength of the heart rule everything. A world that is in a lot of danger since the high priest Zagato kidnapped the ruling princess of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude who is literally the Pillar of the whole world, her will and prayers what kept the world glued together. At least, that's what the strange looking kid (who claims to be over 700 years old but looks roughly about 10) tells them when trying to explain what they are doing in that strange world.
Fuu, Umi and Hikaru have been summoned to Cephiro by the princess, to become the legendary Magic Knights and help save the world. To do that, they must awaken three mashins - or rune gods - and learn magic... and face one of the best villains ever!!
Second Glance: Okay, as you might have noticed there is a lot going on, and if you can't detect it yet, I was gushing a little bit because I quite frankly love the anime series of Magic Knight Rayearth, but never had the chance to read the manga until now (thanks, NetGalley!).
I only got to sample the first 100 pages (the actual book has over 650, quite a good deal for 15 to 20 bucks, depending where you buy it), but I loved it. CLAMP has a very distinctive style that's is both incredibly beautiful and incredibly dynamic, something that serves this story well as there is a lot of action on it. It has some beautiful color pages - something I love, particularly since this is an special edition.
And, from what I know of the story, I say that they did a pretty awesome job with the translation. It flows well, it's understandable and it's even funny - I cracked up about 5 times while reading this). It starts almost like a (parody of a) role playing game but it evolves into so much more. There is love, lost and heartbreaking tragedy woven into a story full of adventure and fun and even dashes of romance.
Bottom Line: For me, this series is one of the best there is. This edition looks beautiful -as much as I could see from the e-galley - and I highly recommend it for the story alone. It does differ a little from the anime (particularly on the second season of the anime), but never the less, is awesome. I recommend it for anyone 12 years and up (the protagonists are 14, in case you were wondering). Currently only the first volume is out, but volume 2 will be out January 2012.
Next thing they know, they are flying over a strange ocean, looking at big volcano and floating mountains. Oh, and they are catching a ride on the back of a huge flying fish.
They have arrived to Cephiro, a world where the will and strength of the heart rule everything. A world that is in a lot of danger since the high priest Zagato kidnapped the ruling princess of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude who is literally the Pillar of the whole world, her will and prayers what kept the world glued together. At least, that's what the strange looking kid (who claims to be over 700 years old but looks roughly about 10) tells them when trying to explain what they are doing in that strange world.
Fuu, Umi and Hikaru have been summoned to Cephiro by the princess, to become the legendary Magic Knights and help save the world. To do that, they must awaken three mashins - or rune gods - and learn magic... and face one of the best villains ever!!
Second Glance: Okay, as you might have noticed there is a lot going on, and if you can't detect it yet, I was gushing a little bit because I quite frankly love the anime series of Magic Knight Rayearth, but never had the chance to read the manga until now (thanks, NetGalley!).
I only got to sample the first 100 pages (the actual book has over 650, quite a good deal for 15 to 20 bucks, depending where you buy it), but I loved it. CLAMP has a very distinctive style that's is both incredibly beautiful and incredibly dynamic, something that serves this story well as there is a lot of action on it. It has some beautiful color pages - something I love, particularly since this is an special edition.
And, from what I know of the story, I say that they did a pretty awesome job with the translation. It flows well, it's understandable and it's even funny - I cracked up about 5 times while reading this). It starts almost like a (parody of a) role playing game but it evolves into so much more. There is love, lost and heartbreaking tragedy woven into a story full of adventure and fun and even dashes of romance.
Bottom Line: For me, this series is one of the best there is. This edition looks beautiful -as much as I could see from the e-galley - and I highly recommend it for the story alone. It does differ a little from the anime (particularly on the second season of the anime), but never the less, is awesome. I recommend it for anyone 12 years and up (the protagonists are 14, in case you were wondering). Currently only the first volume is out, but volume 2 will be out January 2012.
October 23, 2017
Of the CLAMP stuff I've read, which is admittedly only Chobits, CCS, and the first Angelic Layer omnibus (Tsubasa and xxxHOLiC are lined up), this was probably my least favorite. I didn't hate it, and I know it's a classic for what it did with the shoujo genre, but I feel like getting through the second half of the series is gonna be a slog.
The art is very dark, and I don't mean bloody or spooky. A lot of the illustrations either have thick lines or are filled in, which wouldn't be a bad thing if it wasn't so much of the backgrounds and character designs and everything else. The characters' eyes are super big and heavily lashed, so that adds a lot of dark to their faces. Couple that with the messy fight scenes (see below)...and it's not my favorite CLAMP art (though there are some neat costumes and character designs, which I expected and was not disappointed with).
The action scenes are not easy to follow. I noticed when I was reading CCS (which was much lighter in comparison), but CLAMP isn't the best at depicting action. It feels like the whoosing winds and fire and sword slashes don't really have a beginning or end, and other aspects of the scene get lost in the confusion.
The story itself is RPGish, which they flat-out state several times. Fuu makes several comparisons between the world of Cephiro and RPGs, which doesn't really help them in their quest at all, but just serves as a shout out. Story-wise, we're not seeing anything drastically new, but the twist at the end of the volume was neat. I don't hate the story--that was one thing I didn't have anything to complain about.
I didn't really feel much attachment to the characters. There was a lot of chibi-ing out in just about every scene that wasn't a fight. "We have to go where? CHIBI MODE FLAIL AND YELL FOR TWO PAGES." It made the whole read too goofy and ruined any chance the story had at seriousness when they tried to delve into heavier topics like fitting in, self-acceptance, or tragic love. I didn't get the feels because the lead-up to any of those scenes was just annoying goofiness. Too much. I'm glad more recent manga have mostly moved away from that device.
I'm still going to read the second omnibus in order to see the conclusion to the story, but I'm honestly kind of dreading it because this one was a drag.
The art is very dark, and I don't mean bloody or spooky. A lot of the illustrations either have thick lines or are filled in, which wouldn't be a bad thing if it wasn't so much of the backgrounds and character designs and everything else. The characters' eyes are super big and heavily lashed, so that adds a lot of dark to their faces. Couple that with the messy fight scenes (see below)...and it's not my favorite CLAMP art (though there are some neat costumes and character designs, which I expected and was not disappointed with).
The action scenes are not easy to follow. I noticed when I was reading CCS (which was much lighter in comparison), but CLAMP isn't the best at depicting action. It feels like the whoosing winds and fire and sword slashes don't really have a beginning or end, and other aspects of the scene get lost in the confusion.
The story itself is RPGish, which they flat-out state several times. Fuu makes several comparisons between the world of Cephiro and RPGs, which doesn't really help them in their quest at all, but just serves as a shout out. Story-wise, we're not seeing anything drastically new, but the twist at the end of the volume was neat. I don't hate the story--that was one thing I didn't have anything to complain about.
I didn't really feel much attachment to the characters. There was a lot of chibi-ing out in just about every scene that wasn't a fight. "We have to go where? CHIBI MODE FLAIL AND YELL FOR TWO PAGES." It made the whole read too goofy and ruined any chance the story had at seriousness when they tried to delve into heavier topics like fitting in, self-acceptance, or tragic love. I didn't get the feels because the lead-up to any of those scenes was just annoying goofiness. Too much. I'm glad more recent manga have mostly moved away from that device.
I'm still going to read the second omnibus in order to see the conclusion to the story, but I'm honestly kind of dreading it because this one was a drag.
October 20, 2013
So, this was my first ever manga read and I loved it. I have never read manga or watched any anime so I wasn't sure where to begin, yet I found the art style of this easy to follow and the writing was clear and simple so it was certainly good for a first-timer. I loved the Shojo style of writing which really appealed to my love of fantasy and yet was also believable in a way due to the catchphrases and quirky expressions which the three main characters used within their dialogue.
The characterisation was greatly enhanced by having the visualisations in front of you and although at times the close-ups were a little harder to follow the overall meaning of the visualisations was, on the whole, easy to interpret. The storyline was exciting and fun with a simple idea which has a few unexpected plot twists thrown in to break up the story and make it more intriguing for the reader.
I loved this manga and I would highly recommend it to anyone - boy or girl - who likes a splash of gossipy teen thrown into a fantasy story. Highly enjoyable read! Cannot wait to get the next one!
The characterisation was greatly enhanced by having the visualisations in front of you and although at times the close-ups were a little harder to follow the overall meaning of the visualisations was, on the whole, easy to interpret. The storyline was exciting and fun with a simple idea which has a few unexpected plot twists thrown in to break up the story and make it more intriguing for the reader.
I loved this manga and I would highly recommend it to anyone - boy or girl - who likes a splash of gossipy teen thrown into a fantasy story. Highly enjoyable read! Cannot wait to get the next one!
May 10, 2021
Really enjoyed this!
For my full thoughts, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymaK4...
For my full thoughts, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymaK4...
June 27, 2022
I read Magic Knight Rayearth in the original six-volume format in middle school and reread I think in high school or college... I'm not too sure about the timeline for the second time. Anyways, I loved it back then. It was such a cute magic girl story. I decided to pick up the omnibus version recently to reread since it's available on my library app. I wonder why the ebook version only has Hikaru on the cover and not the three girls together? Anyways, I still remember the story and still think it's great. I'll admit that it is kind of cheesy. However, I love the twist about the pillar and the real job of the Magic Knights from a different universe. It's an awe-striking shocker. In Magic Knight Rayearth, there's a level of depth that is often missing in magic girl stories. The power of friendship and the strength of young girls which are reoccurring themes in this subgenre are present and well done. Plus, it's Clamp, so the art and style will clearly be there. Back to the plot, the challenges are easy, but I had fun and the subtle hints of pending romance were adorable. Old adult me shockingly still loves this series.
In the omnibus version, there are these beautiful color pages which I enjoyed a lot. In addition, it also contains adorable chibi character profiles. I love all the new additions. Nevertheless, the ebook I read had some issues with the page order - I think one particular page showed up thrice more randomly. Someone needs to edit/ fix that, please!
What can I say: 4.5/5
In the omnibus version, there are these beautiful color pages which I enjoyed a lot. In addition, it also contains adorable chibi character profiles. I love all the new additions. Nevertheless, the ebook I read had some issues with the page order - I think one particular page showed up thrice more randomly. Someone needs to edit/ fix that, please!
What can I say: 4.5/5
July 31, 2021
I know rayearth, it's a classic manga, but I just realized I never really read or watch it so I decided to look and read the copy. Out of clamp books I only follow Cardcaptor Sakura, the other books.. I just know about them but haven't read them 😅 I'm glad I decided to read it because it's definitely a good introduction before you read the other clamp's story like X 1999 which... seems more complicated.
This set heavily talks about their newly found but strong friendship and their intention to help Zephyr, with some twist and lot of actions. Sidenote: honestly clamp characters just sooo eye catching but still my ultimate crush is Touya Kinomoto 🤣
This set heavily talks about their newly found but strong friendship and their intention to help Zephyr, with some twist and lot of actions. Sidenote: honestly clamp characters just sooo eye catching but still my ultimate crush is Touya Kinomoto 🤣
March 18, 2019
A really cute, short series from Clamp. It's a really sweet and short introduction to magical girls for any young reader who hasn't yet dived into that world. I read this for a bit of nostalgia, but if it had been my first time I probably would have been left wanting more, it's quite short and simple in story.
Read
January 1, 2026Terrific fun. Fantasy setting, spells, magic armor and weapons, earnestly sweet heroes, and (somehow) giant robots: what's not to enjoy? And then, suddenly, after all that, an unexpected ending with an unforgettable final panel.
June 8, 2013
Initial thoughts:
1. I love the art style by CLAMP. Lovely and rich with detail.
2. Each of the characters have a lot of personality. The antagonists are especially fun to read about.
3. It's CHEESY as heck. But that's what I love about shoujo. THE CHEESE.
4. Loved the fantastical elements. The armour and weapons especially are badass.
5. The pacing of the story and characters was way too fast. Especially at the end. I would have liked the story and characters develop at a more realistic pace.
Check can also check out my video review here!
1. I love the art style by CLAMP. Lovely and rich with detail.
2. Each of the characters have a lot of personality. The antagonists are especially fun to read about.
3. It's CHEESY as heck. But that's what I love about shoujo. THE CHEESE.
4. Loved the fantastical elements. The armour and weapons especially are badass.
5. The pacing of the story and characters was way too fast. Especially at the end. I would have liked the story and characters develop at a more realistic pace.
Check can also check out my video review here!
June 25, 2010
Boring. I didn't think I would ever say that about a Clamp manga but this one was seriously boring, I didn't care for the characters at all. The only saving grace? The twist at the end, that I didn't expect. Not even the pretty drawings could save the manga this time. I mean, it's yet another variation of the same old, same old "three girls fall into an alternate universe where they receive magical powers to save a princess" theme. I won't be buying the 2nd omnibus.
September 15, 2012
An old time favorite that is still beautiful and touching years after my first read. While this omnibus addition was very difficult to lug around for days while I was reading it, I loved being able to read the entire story in one collection. I'm still in love with Fuu, I still laugh like crazy at Umi. Unforgettable characters that will definitely win the heart of every shojo fan!
June 10, 2020
Still one of the most brutal endings in all kids' manga and, despite being a magic using girl story rather than a magical girl story, one of the clearest influences on later works like Madoka Magica.
Full Review Eventually Appearing on ANN.
Full Review Eventually Appearing on ANN.
March 15, 2020
Me encantó!! Creo que hacía tiempo que no me enganchaba tanto con un manga. Ahora a leer la segunda parte y ver el anime
September 18, 2021
3 stars for the story and 4 stars for the presentation
So I might be outta my mind when I order this 25th anniversary box set ot Magic Knight Rayearth or MKR, but MKR was a manga that introduced me to the wonder named CLAMP. I remember read the manga version (in Indonesian) back then in 1996 (literally 25 years ago, lol) when I was 4th grade. I guess I really the targeted reader because when I read the manga again in my adult year, I realize how ridiculous the story for Part 1. But, maybe in 1990, CLAMP still try to find their ground and MKR was serialized in Nakayoshi, a manga magazine for elementary to junior high school reader. So the story kinda lack of depth for Part 1, although it get some twist in the end. A twist that maybe my 9 year old be "OMG I didn't see that coming", but my 30 something y.o said "uhhh, really?"
My problem with part 1 is how the first 3/4 part feel detached from the 1/4 final part. Like the reason why Princess Emerald (or Emeraude) call Magic Knight at the first place. What come as your generic good vs evil at first, suddenly change and it didn't sit well with me. Although the plus point is ofc CLAMP's fabulous art and also how they seems to have fun with RPG elements, magical girl and isekai theme long before isekai become a trend nowadays. Another thing that I loved is the artbook collection that included in the boxset. I remember in my younger days, I can't buy artbook because I don't know where to buy. Also, I'm a poor girl back then, lol. The artbook is the reason why I buy the collector edition at the first place, but the manga edition is not bad at all. I happen to bought this boxset with discounts at bookdepository (thanks for my friend, Daniel Dian who helped me to buy <3) and I can say...it's all worth it.
Despite the lack of depth and many plot holes for MKR Part 1, I still enjoy the story and always remind myself, come on CLAMP write this for children and teen reader, what can you expect? Although I will said some theme can be too heavy for children since there's violence, gore (just a little....maybe?) and a lil bit nudity. If you want to introduce MKR to any younger reader, just be cautious.
Also...Umi is still my favorite Magic Knight. Maybe because blue is my favorite colour and her personality matched mine XD
So I might be outta my mind when I order this 25th anniversary box set ot Magic Knight Rayearth or MKR, but MKR was a manga that introduced me to the wonder named CLAMP. I remember read the manga version (in Indonesian) back then in 1996 (literally 25 years ago, lol) when I was 4th grade. I guess I really the targeted reader because when I read the manga again in my adult year, I realize how ridiculous the story for Part 1. But, maybe in 1990, CLAMP still try to find their ground and MKR was serialized in Nakayoshi, a manga magazine for elementary to junior high school reader. So the story kinda lack of depth for Part 1, although it get some twist in the end. A twist that maybe my 9 year old be "OMG I didn't see that coming", but my 30 something y.o said "uhhh, really?"
My problem with part 1 is how the first 3/4 part feel detached from the 1/4 final part. Like the reason why Princess Emerald (or Emeraude) call Magic Knight at the first place. What come as your generic good vs evil at first, suddenly change and it didn't sit well with me. Although the plus point is ofc CLAMP's fabulous art and also how they seems to have fun with RPG elements, magical girl and isekai theme long before isekai become a trend nowadays. Another thing that I loved is the artbook collection that included in the boxset. I remember in my younger days, I can't buy artbook because I don't know where to buy. Also, I'm a poor girl back then, lol. The artbook is the reason why I buy the collector edition at the first place, but the manga edition is not bad at all. I happen to bought this boxset with discounts at bookdepository (thanks for my friend, Daniel Dian who helped me to buy <3) and I can say...it's all worth it.
Despite the lack of depth and many plot holes for MKR Part 1, I still enjoy the story and always remind myself, come on CLAMP write this for children and teen reader, what can you expect? Although I will said some theme can be too heavy for children since there's violence, gore (just a little....maybe?) and a lil bit nudity. If you want to introduce MKR to any younger reader, just be cautious.
Also...Umi is still my favorite Magic Knight. Maybe because blue is my favorite colour and her personality matched mine XD
October 31, 2017
Despite not being the best work of CLAMP, Magic Knight Rayhearth is a work worthy of being read a couple of times. Born from a random situation that combined the fashion RPG that swept Japan in the early 90s with the prosperity that Sailor Moon gave to the Kodansha publishing house, Rayhearth is a work without inhibitions. Put another way: CLAMP did what they wanted to do with independence. The authors allowed their creativity to flow by combining the genres of fantasy, mecha and shojo giving rise to a showy product. It should be emphasized that one begins by reading one manga and ends by reading another; that is to say, the playful and cheerful tone with which the work begins is far from the sadism that permeates the end (characteristic feature of the authors that I personally love <3 ). That plot twist of the final stretch is a fucking geniality and, even if only for that part, it is worth bearing the rest of the play that is, at least, childish.
The art is precious, which sadly reminds us that today CLAMP has decided to increase in quantity at the expense of quality. Their fame over time has required them to get involved with more and more projects at once, which obviously does not allow them to pay the same attention (at least in their drawing)as they did when they only published one or two mangas at the same time.
With all its flaws, Magic Knight Rayhearth deserves your time. It has the simplicity and elegance of a Greek myth and, at the end of the reading, it will leave you with a taste of mouth as melancholic as exquisite.
The art is precious, which sadly reminds us that today CLAMP has decided to increase in quantity at the expense of quality. Their fame over time has required them to get involved with more and more projects at once, which obviously does not allow them to pay the same attention (at least in their drawing)as they did when they only published one or two mangas at the same time.
With all its flaws, Magic Knight Rayhearth deserves your time. It has the simplicity and elegance of a Greek myth and, at the end of the reading, it will leave you with a taste of mouth as melancholic as exquisite.
October 24, 2019
Coming from someone who has historically hated CLAMP and basically every series they've produced (yes, even Chobits; yes, even Cardcaptor Sakura), this series came the closest to explaining the inescapable popularity of Clamp - a great world with characters that are interesting at first glance, with a compelling plot, plenty of action, and cute relationships.
But!
I still didn't really enjoy this!
Clamp's art is okay-but-not-great; I enjoyed the concept of what they were presenting more than what was actually on the page in this series. The characters are all completely flat, which means that the relationships, naturally, are also flat, and the cute "crushes" the spring up between characters feel shallow. The plot - the best part of this series - is rushed, over and done within three volumes. The action was difficult to read because of the cluttered, so-so art.
I just don't get it, guys. Why was Clamp so popular? Why did every manga fan I knew growing up think they were the best damn thing ever? They're okay - I enjoyed this enough to get through it - but just that, okay.
I dunno. Maybe I'll go look at some fanart and dream about what could have been with any series Clamp ever produced.
But!
I still didn't really enjoy this!
Clamp's art is okay-but-not-great; I enjoyed the concept of what they were presenting more than what was actually on the page in this series. The characters are all completely flat, which means that the relationships, naturally, are also flat, and the cute "crushes" the spring up between characters feel shallow. The plot - the best part of this series - is rushed, over and done within three volumes. The action was difficult to read because of the cluttered, so-so art.
I just don't get it, guys. Why was Clamp so popular? Why did every manga fan I knew growing up think they were the best damn thing ever? They're okay - I enjoyed this enough to get through it - but just that, okay.
I dunno. Maybe I'll go look at some fanart and dream about what could have been with any series Clamp ever produced.
July 3, 2017
Oh, CLAMP. Once upon a time, you took ALL of my money. It's so sad that the only work of yours that seems to hold up entirely is Tokyo Babylon.
I enjoy Magic Knight Rayearth, don't get me wrong. It's an interesting story about three girls sucked into another world to become the magical saviors of it, and that literary trope still interests me. The characters are endearing, the plot is good, the artwork... well, it's CLAMP and I feel like that's the group's strongest attribute.
It just... feels weak. In retrospect, more character development is really needed to make this a strong work. The whole series feels rushed, like if the group had more time allotted to publishing, they could have had a stronger work. It's kind of ironic that it's obvious a lot of the story is homage to JRPG games, which are usually 60+ hours in length to flesh out characters and plot. So the series being only three volumes in length (6 if you count the sequel) is unfortunate.
Enjoyed the reread but I wish that it could have been stronger. I feel like if the series had been more akin to CardCaptor Sakura in length, 6 volumes and 6 volumes comparatively, the work would be much stronger.
I enjoy Magic Knight Rayearth, don't get me wrong. It's an interesting story about three girls sucked into another world to become the magical saviors of it, and that literary trope still interests me. The characters are endearing, the plot is good, the artwork... well, it's CLAMP and I feel like that's the group's strongest attribute.
It just... feels weak. In retrospect, more character development is really needed to make this a strong work. The whole series feels rushed, like if the group had more time allotted to publishing, they could have had a stronger work. It's kind of ironic that it's obvious a lot of the story is homage to JRPG games, which are usually 60+ hours in length to flesh out characters and plot. So the series being only three volumes in length (6 if you count the sequel) is unfortunate.
Enjoyed the reread but I wish that it could have been stronger. I feel like if the series had been more akin to CardCaptor Sakura in length, 6 volumes and 6 volumes comparatively, the work would be much stronger.
March 4, 2020
Finally after starting this series many times, I've finished it!
Wow, what a ride! Funny, sweet, and action-packed! Most of the characters, protagonists and antagonists, are female!
A few issues: sometimes the illustrations can be a little hard to see because of CLAMP's sketchy style during the action sequences. Some parts were a little on the sappy side. It's very "friendship is magic!" There are also two short instants of moments when a character is dressed up as an American Indian chief as part of a gag.
Besides those points: I'd recommend this manga series to teens and tweens.
Wow, what a ride! Funny, sweet, and action-packed! Most of the characters, protagonists and antagonists, are female!
A few issues: sometimes the illustrations can be a little hard to see because of CLAMP's sketchy style during the action sequences. Some parts were a little on the sappy side. It's very "friendship is magic!" There are also two short instants of moments when a character is dressed up as an American Indian chief as part of a gag.
Besides those points: I'd recommend this manga series to teens and tweens.
October 28, 2025
Rilettura di un grande classico, meraviglioso, ma io sono di parte perché questa storia è davvero nel mio cuore. Finalmente abbiamo delle pagine in italiano come si deve, peccato per l'edizione davvero brutta.
A wonderful rereading of a great classic, but I'm biased because this story is truly dear to my heart. Finally, we have some pages in proper Italian, though it's a shame the edition is truly awful.
A wonderful rereading of a great classic, but I'm biased because this story is truly dear to my heart. Finally, we have some pages in proper Italian, though it's a shame the edition is truly awful.
February 6, 2020
Creo que el final es sumamente apresurado. Tomaron un solo tomo para encontrar a los tres genios y derrotar a Zagato. Un 4to tomo hubiera servido para que las peleas intermedias no se sintieran tan prescindibles
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2024
I grew up watching the anime. I liked how easy to read this was although I remember there being much more to it, but I am probably just remembering the second part.
Love the friendship the girls had!
Love the friendship the girls had!
May 30, 2021
4 stars plus 1 for this being one of my favorites as a kid
June 22, 2022
For such an iconic series, I was expecting far more substance than "go to place x to get power y".
August 26, 2022
God I love retro fantasy manga, and this one is 10/10: dumb, campy, fantastically over the top costume changes, huge weird animals, heroine who are all gay as shit! What more can you ask for!!
February 2, 2023
Ah yes, now I understand why I remember absolutely nothing about this.
February 10, 2023
It's not fair!
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