Hi, there! Good morning 😀 Today is Authors from my Heart <3, manga section! The chosen one was a group responsible for my entry on this world: CLAMP!
We first met in 2003, which was my official year of manga discovering (thanks, Rachel!). My first title from CLAMP was Chobits and I regret nothing ❤ I’ve read almost all their works (some not until the end, I confess), so I have a clinical eye for them. Strongest point is, for sure, the art and the clothing in all titles. Seriously, these women are AWESOME. Their plots are a bit temperamental, but I never outright hated anything, so I guess this is a plus. Weak point: subliminal messages. SUBLIMINAL MESSENGERS EVERYWHERE. Read Card Captor Sakura or Wish, YOU SHALL UNDERSTAND MY MEANING. And, at the same time that is very cool, it can be so frustrating! CLAMP is not known for sheets action, if you catch my drift, so we fans have to resource to dousjinshis to see what we want from any couple, hetero or homosexual 😦
Anyway, I’ve read 13 series from them until now and I promise to try to put them in chronological order of appearance in my life (or something that approaches that, haha!)
Warning: this post is huge. Sorry about that, haha!
- Chobits
Chi isn’t your average humanoid computer. She can’t do word processing, she can’t connect to the Internet, and she’s incapable of networking with other persocoms. Even her sound card seems broken. No wonder Hideki found her tied up in a pile of trash. But when the 19-year-old technophobe takes her home, he finds that she may be more advanced than her childlike behavior lets on.
The first one is always special, even not being the best. Already talked more about it here 🙂
- Card Captors Sakura
From CLAMP comes the thrilling adventures of Sakura, a fourth-grader who accidentally finds an enchanted book called The Clow. The book once contained a set of magical Clow Cards, but they all escaped while the guardian of the book fell asleep. Now, Sakura is thrust into a mystical journey to capture all the cards before they wreak chaos and destruction!
I’ve watched the anime on TV for years before getting to ready this title and it’s even better on manga ❤ CLAMP’s art is something astonishingly beautiful. My first yaoi couple comes from this series, in the form of Touya and Yukito. They were clearly boyfriends, but damn CLAMP and their subliminal messages! I only realized that years after, ugh. Still, they are adorable together:
- Magic Knight Rayearth
Hikaru, Umi and Fuu are Tokyo schoolgirls with nothing else in common, until one fateful day changes everything: the three are summoned to the magical realm of Cephiro and find that their lives are inexorably intertwined. Princess Emeraude, whose willpower keeps Cephiro safe, has been kidnapped by the sinister Zagato, and the three girls must become the legendary Magic Knights in order to save her. It’s not going to be easy, as Zagato has sent his most powerful minions to stop the girls before they can fulfill their destinies. Protected by an ancient wizard’s blessing and determined to find their way home, Hikaru, Umi and Fuu begin the adventure of a lifetime!
This series is quite nice, but I confess it requires a re-read on my part, as I barely remember anything beyond the three main characters, oops!
- XXX 1999
As part of the X/1999 series, this volume features breathless action and stunning art. When Kamui returns to Tokyo, he learns that his childhood girlfriend Kotori and psychic Princess Hitoni are having strange dreams about his role in a coming apocalypse! Is he the angel of salvation, or the devil of destruction?
To be honest, I barely remember this series either. I’ve read it on 2003 or 2004 and only once, so this needs a re-read, haha!
- Angelic Layer
Angelic Layer is sweeping the nation! In the newest electronic sport, players enter their Angels in tournaments and battle for fortune and glory. Twelve-year-old Misaki just discovered Angelic Layer, and she’s already captivated by the game. But building a winning Angel takes money and experience, and Misaki’s short on both counts. With the help of a crazy scientist and a very special Angel of her own, she’ll give it her all to win the Angelic Layer crown.
This series is a sweetie! I love it so much! Its catch is similar to Chobits, in a way, as there is robots and common characters (oh yeah, they looove to do that and we love to spy their Easter eggs, haha!)
- Tokyo Babylon
Tokyo. The cultural and economic hub of the Eastern world. Not unlike the legendary city of Babylon, its man-made tower stretches toward the heavens … a symbol of its people’s ambition and their indomitable spirit. Nowhere on Earth will you find such vanity … or such beauty.
This is my home.
My name is Sumeragi Subaru, and I hunt the dead. Then I return them to peace.
No matter where my work leads me, I suspect I’ll never leave Tokyo in spirit. But then again, it seems so few people do these days…
If I remember correctly, this series is a kind of prequel for X 1999, but I’m not sure. Again, only read once in 2004/2005, haha! I need to re-read many things…
- XXX-Holic
Watanuki Kimihiro is haunted by visions of ghosts and spirits. Seemingly by chance, he encounters a mysterious witch named Yuuko, who claims she can help. In desperation, he accepts, but realizes that he’s just been tricked into working for Yuuko in order to pay off the cost of her services. Soon he’s employed in her little shop–a job which turns out to be nothing like his previous work experience.
Most of Yuuko’s customers live in Japan, but Yuko and Watanuki are about to have some unusual visitors named Sakura and Syaoran from a land called Clow…
This series crosses paths with the next of the list, Tsubasa. I didn’t finish either, but I always liked Holic best ❤ Yuuko is amazing and I love the bromance between Watanuki and Domeki, haha!
- Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
SAKURA AND SYAORAN RETURN!
But they’re not the people you know. Sakura is the princess of Clow – and possessor of a mysterious, misunderstood power that promises to change the world. Syaoran is her childhood friend and leader of the archaeological dig that took his father’s life. They reside in an alternate reality…where whatever you least expect can happen – and does. When Sakura ventures to the dig site to declare her love for Syaoran, a puzzling symbol is uncovered – which triggers a remarkable quest. Now Syaoran embarks upon a desperate journey through other worlds – all in the name of saving Sakura.
I’m not the biggest fan of this series and I had never the opportunity of finishing it either, but I liked Phi and Kurogane (me and my males, I know). And the fact that here and there CLAMP made Tsubasa and Holic cross paths was super cool, haha! I need to re-read and finish this…
- Clamp School Detectives
A trio of pre-teen sleuths made up of: 6’th grader Nokoru Imonoyama– Student Body president– his family built the CLAMP school and he’s the top student in his school. He has the superhuman ability to detect a woman crying from 2 km away!; Suoh Takamura- 5’th Grader –Student Body Secretary– A master martial artist with 3rd degree blackbelts in Judo, Aikido, Karate, and Kendo.; 4’th grader Akira Ijyuin — A master thief, also known as the Man of 20 Faces. He’s popular with the ladies, and is currently dating the president of the Kindergarten. Together they are the Clamp School detectives and they help girls in distress around the campus.
THIS SERIES IS SO CUTE! Plus, one of the boys is the main character of Man of Many Faces ❤ Please, don’t kick me, as a great deal of those series (including this one) were read in my late childhood and teenies…
- Murikuri
Goodreads blurb [translated because the only available edition was in Spanish]:
An anthology with several short stories created by CLAMP, which portrays a series of closed worries in a funny way.
This was a bit weird and not really funny, but okay. I survived and now I pretend this does not exists.
- Wish
When Shuichiro rescues an angel he is granted a single wish. The problem? Shuichiro can’t think of any wishes that he couldn’t grant himself. Refusing to leave Shuichiro without granting a wish Amber, the angel, moves in with the young doctor to help out around the house and wait for a chance to return the favor. Of course, angels aren’t the only supernatural beings wandering the Earth. Soon, demons and archangels alike are stopping by Shuichiro’s house, making things difficult for his angelic roommate.
THIS MANGA IS CUTENESS ALL OVER! Nothing prepared me for it, really. It’s the series that best approaches boys love, but not there yet as we barely get light kisses, ugh. But most parties involved are males, so I guess it’s a start? One of my favorite series from CLAMP!
- Miyuki-Chan in Wonderland
There are many worlds in the universe outside of our own, connected by doors that are hidden to the eye. but if you chance upon those doors, you can be transported to a place where supple beauties reign supreme and all of your fantasies come allve. Should you pass through the doorways, be most careful, for the creatures you will meet can be as dangerous as they are beautiful. Many would die for a glimpse at those worlds–Miyuki would do anything to have them go away.
If you ask me, this series of short stories with poor Miyuki is awful and creepy, haha! I didn’t really like it.
- Man of Many Faces
Akira ljyuln lives a double life as a top student at Clamp School and as the infamous thief 20 Faces. He steals at the whim of his two crime lord mothers until his life is changed forever by a chance meeting with the lovely Utako. Featuring cameos by other Clamp School characters, Man of Many Faces is a romance that spans years, as childhood crush turns to true love. An absolute must that no Clamp fan can do without.
I loved this series! It was oh-so-cute and funny! Despite being an old title, it was only released in Brazil in 2014, so I didn’t know it. Now it’s one of my favorites ❤ SO. CUTE. Cute defines CLAMP very well. Cute and creepy, haha! Review here 🙂
- The One I Love
Drawing on CLAMP’s own personal experiences, The One I Love provides insight both into the creators’ own lives, and into the oft-elusive concept of Love itself.
This intimate collection of short stories and essays doesn’t skirt issues at the heart of the matter such as insecurity, honesty, distance, independence, age, and – of course – marriage.
This one-volume anthology comprises 12 individual stories, each of which consists of seven pages of manga and two pages of prose.
I’m very sad to say that this was the last work from CLAMP that I got to know and read for now and that, despite its cute proposal, I found it very boring… I feel so guilty, haha!
CLAMP has several other works, but I guess it doesn’t make sense for me to talk about those titles if I didn’t read them. (Actually, there are some titles in this list already that could have been cut because I can’t remember shit about them, haha!) My point is, I love CLAMP and can’t wait to read more series from them ❤
That’s it! Thanks for reading 😀 Do you know / like CLAMP’s series??
*I do not own any of these illustrations, they were found on Google and are here displayed with the solemn purpose of illustrating points of the post. Those images belong to CLAMP group 🙂
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[…] of the Week in 2016 is Angelic Layer, from CLAMP. You can read more about the group and their works in this post […]
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[…] is a childish title until you take a look into those subliminal messages that I talked about in CLAMP’S post here. The first thing is that Akira has two moms and a missing father. Two moms. How cool is that? 😀 […]
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