Dagger Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 I tend to be a bit skeptical of CLAMP. While their artwork is undeniably beautiful, I was underwhelmed by Chobits and had difficulty getting through the first volume of X/1999. Card Captor Sakura and Angelic Layer appear more promising, but I'm following several other series at the moment, and simply don't have the money required to thoroughly explore them. Although I'm not planning to continue reading X/1999, I've heard many good things about the corresponding television series. In all honesty, X: The Movie was absolutely terrible (in terms of everything but action). X-TV apparently seeks to rectify the film's lack of character development and an interesting storyline. Last weekend, I purchased the first DVD of X-TV and immediately sat down to watch episodes one through three. I was flabbergasted by the quality of the show's animation--it surpasses that of every other series I've watched to date. Its English dub is also superb, although I found myself growing rather irritated with Kotori's voice. This is the kind of show that I could get [i]very[/i] excited about--dark, epic, full of intricate relationships and packed with well-choreographed battle sequences. It'd be great to know whether anyone else has seen it. Also, if you'd like to discuss X: The Movie or X/1999 (the manga that started it all), then this is the thread for you. ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verykawaiineko Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 X...one of my favorite clamp titles. It's really great with bishies, doom, gloom, end of the world and shounen-ai hints!!! The premise of the story is very interesting even though 1999 has passed so there is no suspense. I love how the characters develope. Those that are on the same side are all so different but all likeable. As with most clamp titles the characters are just byond gorgeous...take a look at Nataku and Kamui....so yummy The story is also one of the the most heartbreaking ive EVER read...i sobbed fir hours and ive never done that before for any tv show or movie with the exception of seisouhen [spoiler] when Sora died for his love it was so sad. What was even more sad was when Kamui dies by fumma's hand to save the world..hear wrenching[/spoiler] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qukey Posted February 4, 2004 Share Posted February 4, 2004 The X TV series is very well made, much better than the movie. I still like the manga more than any animated version because of the artwork and the amount of time spent on character development. The manga is truly well structured with a lot about the characters. Hopefully, we will have the ending of the manga soon. For anyone who like X, I highly recommand read the manga of Tokyo Babylon. I think the dark atomsphere is captured perfectly in the story. However, even it is advertised as the prequel of X, it has nothing to do with it other than sharing some characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagger Posted February 5, 2004 Author Share Posted February 5, 2004 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Qukey [/i] [B]For anyone who like X, I highly recommand read the manga of Tokyo Babylon. I think the dark atomsphere is captured perfectly in the story. However, even it is advertised as the prequel of X, it has nothing to do with it other than sharing some characters. [/B][/QUOTE] Since you seem to be fairly knowledgeable about X/1999, I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask you. 1. While I plan on buying the Tokyo Babylon OVA, it would be nice if I was able to read the manga first. However, I haven't seen it in any area bookstores, and I suspect that it hasn't yet been licensed and translated. If Tokyo Babylon is going to be released in North America sometime in the near future, do you know which company will publish it? 2. Again regarding Tokyo Babylon: I've heard that this story has some shonen-ai undertones. Since you're familiar with the manga, perhaps you could tell me whether readers' reports of slight male/male innuendo are exaggerated or not. 3. X shares some characters with Tokyo Babylon, but doesn't it also borrow characters from the casts of other CLAMP sagas? I'm really curious about who these recurring characters are, the names of the series that they come from, and if the manga and/or anime from which they originate is worth checking out. Thanks! ^_^ ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbfrontmanvdp Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 Trust me Dagger, X the series is amazing might even be better than RahXephon. The whole character design is above par and the story is fascinating with the different types of character masteries and the different clans everyone comes from. Theres a couple filler episodes within the series, but not the type of filler episodes that are useless and pointless. What i mean is the filler episodes kinda go off track and talk about another minor character other than the 5 so called main characters in the series. With that in mind it builds up more info on other characters to get a better idea where they are coming from. I cant say i have a favorite character yet in the series so far, but after i buy the 3 remaining series i should have one. Right now its probably going to be Sorata Arisugawa since hes pretty funny and is always trying to put the moves on Arashi Kishu (which usually seems to never work as of right now). Can't wait to get the other DVD's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SadClown Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 X is a great series to get into but make sure that u are reading/watching something light and fluffy at the same time. While I tottaly agree that plot wise the X movie was awful garbage, you have to understand (and you will by wathing the OAV) that X is a REALLY long and complicated series. It spans 20-sum tankoubans! Cramming all that info into a 2 hour movie obviously didnt work. You basically wind up with a charector being introduced only to die 5 minutes later. The one thing that the movie has over the OAV is the animation. Most people will dissagree with me, but I'm in love with 80's and 90's anime, so thats why. But the movie has much more hand drawn cells, not computer generated stuff or a combination of the two. In my opinion, it looks bad. Example: Look at Karen in the Movie and then the OAV. She looks very skinny and her chin comes to a point in the later. Plus, the movie uses a lot more dark colors, blacks and shading which make it seem that much more ominouse. But, to each his own, You'll enjoy it none the less. Happy Reading! (If you like this kind of story, I recommend Tenshi Kinryouku *Angel Sactuary* Same end of the world type thing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oshi Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 Whenever I get money (about once a year), I go to the store to see what manga I can get with it. X always has about the fourth, then the second, then some other one, but never the first, so I've never read it. I have seen the movie, and I was really disappointed. It kind of turned me off for the whole series. But I don't mind CLAMP in general. I actually liked reading my sister's Card Captor Sakura: Master of the Clow. And I liked Chobits the manga well enough, but the series is annoying. There is an entire episode where Chi looks for panties. Listening to it in English is a very bad idea. ". . . left, right, left, right, left, right, left, right . . . ." ". . . panties, panties, panties, panties, panties . . . ." Not so great a time. oshi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Verykawaiineko Posted February 5, 2004 Share Posted February 5, 2004 [quote]1. While I plan on buying the Tokyo Babylon OVA, it would be nice if I was able to read the manga first. However, I haven't seen it in any area bookstores, and I suspect that it hasn't yet been licensed and translated. If Tokyo Babylon is going to be released in North America sometime in the near future, do you know which company will publish it? 2. Again regarding Tokyo Babylon: I've heard that this story has some shonen-ai undertones. Since you're familiar with the manga, perhaps you could tell me whether readers' reports of slight male/male innuendo are exaggerated or not. 3. X shares some characters with Tokyo Babylon, but doesn't it also borrow characters from the casts of other CLAMP sagas? I'm really curious about who these recurring characters are, the names of the series that they come from, and if the manga and/or anime from which they originate is worth checking out. [/quote] Well i can answer # 1... im positive that Tokyo Babylon was being picked up by Tokyopop...thought i could be wrong #2...i havent read/ watched TB. but the story is foucused on Subaru and Seishirou..so im thinking ..yes? #3 Seishirou Sakurazuka -- also in Tokyo Babylon Subaru Sumeragi -- also in Tokyo Babylon Nokoru Imonoyama -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, Campus Police Duklyon Akira Ijuin -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, 20 Menshou ni Onegai Suoh Takamura -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, Hagun Seisenki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oukan05 Posted February 6, 2004 Share Posted February 6, 2004 X is pretty cool. All the graphics and settings of this anime is completely amazing. I only saw the movie. Trufully, I cried all the way torwards the ending. It was really depressing, but so dramatizing at the same time. I'd give X the Drama Award for best movie. Also, the voice actors were amazing; they brought the characters alive when I first saw the movie. I couldn't even feel my seat.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mitsuru Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 X the movie... I liked it. I liked the drama, and found the effect of it to be very saddening. I wasn't for the sounds, I don't know exactly how to explain it. It felt kind of... empty. But I still like it. One of my friends watched it, and didn't like it too much. She has the series, and while she liked much of it, she said she's not sure if she's going to go on into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagger Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 [QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Stephanie Ayler [/i] [B]X is pretty cool. All the graphics and settings of this anime is completely amazing. I only saw the movie. Trufully, I cried all the way torwards the ending. It was really depressing, but so dramatizing at the same time. I'd give X the Drama Award for best movie. Also, the voice actors were amazing; they brought the characters alive when I first saw the movie. I couldn't even feel my seat.:eek: [/B][/QUOTE] If you were that impressed with X: The Movie, you should definitely try to watch X-TV. I [i]hated[/i] the film, since I'd expected to be more than expensive eye candy, but I suppose that's a more matter of personal taste than anything else. The television series improves upon every aspect of the movie other than its animation, and even the show's action sequences outclass those found in most anime available on the market today. I really love X-TV's soundtrack. Its classical background music adds emotion and excitement to every scene. Because of this, it's one of the few series in which I don't mind hearing the same main themes being played over and over again throughout the course of the show. ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbfrontmanvdp Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Finally got to see the whole series yesterday at around 3 A.M. and....it was great until the last episode. The last episode didn't really seem long enough to conclude it with only that amount of information. The whole relationship with Kamui and Kotori [spoiler] wasn't really brought up in the final episode. [/spoiler] What really p.m.o was the decision of which characters were kept alive and which were not. The last battle was really boring and i didn't like the concept of how everyone would kill someone by stabbing the person in the heart. Was very repetitive, and the whole idea with the devine swords seemed like a useless instrument. If they just changed the finale episode and expanded on the concept a little, I probably would have thought this was a great series. However, since it ended in such a bad way i wasn't really thrilled about the outcome. Every episode besides the last one were great though especially episode 13 i just loved the art work. The one relationship i did like was between Sorata (my favorite character in the series) and Arashi. They were confused about each others emotions throughout the whole series, but it was resolved in a good way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagger Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 Yes, I've heard that the ending of X is less than satisfactory, which initially made me hesitate to start collecting it. But after a while my curiousity overcame me, and I decided to form my own opinion regarding X-TV's last episode. Even though I really, really don't want to spoil the surprise (as I did with Cowboy Bebop, for example), I have a strange suspicion that I'll end up reading something that I shouldn't. Anime reviews can be dangerous things. ;P Without giving too much away, do you think you could compare the last battle of the television series to the movie's final action sequence? While I thought that the entire film was pretty disappointing, the climactic conflict between Kamui and Fuma was what truly made me despise it. I have never seen such an [spoiler]unexciting decapitation[/spoiler] in all my years of watching anime. ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JCBaggee Posted February 12, 2004 Share Posted February 12, 2004 [color=red][size=1]Well, because of my own restrictions, I've only seen "X/1999" (the movie, for those who don't know). It was great as sort of a summary, but I didn't really think it cut it for me. First off, the pattern was predicatable. There was a couple of fights, [spoiler]whoever created the shield dies, Kamui broods[/spoiler], I just found it too easy to figure out what was happening. And the final "climatic" battle between [spoiler]Kamui and Fuma[/spoiler] was quite the opposite. And, Daggar, I completely agree with you on the battles conclusion; the length of the battle made it feel like it was just Kamui doing his job. I didn't really feel anything, even at the end [spoiler]as we see Kamui crying while he holds Fumas head[/spoiler]. All in all, I think it was a great precursor, and I look forward to someday seeing the series, but I just wasn't impressed with the movie. --Chris[/color][/size] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
densuke Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 [quote name='Dagger IX1']I tend to be a bit skeptical of CLAMP...[/quote] I have seen pretty much every anime adapted from CLAMP manga and for me it's more a feeling of increasing dislike than skepticism. The storytelling is often weak and formulaic. X is one of the better efforts. [quote name='Dagger IX1'] In all honesty, X: The Movie was absolutely terrible (in terms of everything but action). X-TV apparently seeks to rectify the film's lack of character development and an interesting storyline...[/quote] X: The Movie was not a good movie [b]but[/b] to me it [i]looked and sounded great[/i]. X is just too big of a story to tell in the short timespan of the movie, so the characters just come zooming in and things happen to them right away. The TV series can spread out, doing justice to the characters and giving the story time to unfold. The story was always there, it just gets told properly. Madhouse, which did the X Movie, also did the TV series. Madhouse is a very accomplished studio with many very good series to their credit. They also take the time to get very good music for their projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagger Posted March 2, 2004 Author Share Posted March 2, 2004 [quote name='densuke']Madhouse, which did the X Movie, also did the TV series. Madhouse is a very accomplished studio with many very good series to their credit. They also take the time to get very good music for their projects.[/quote] Like GONZO, Madhouse has done an excellent job of earning my respect (X TV and Gunslinger Girl are [i]marvelous[/i] shows). And on the subject of music, I'm in love with X's OP, which I believe was produced by the Japanese group L'Arc-en-Ciel. I feel considerably less enthusiasm for its ending theme, but the song is soothing enough. It was probably intended to provide the viewer with a bit of peace and calm--X can be somewhat emotionally hectic, after all--and I suppose it does accomplish that goal. ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
densuke Posted March 2, 2004 Share Posted March 2, 2004 [quote name='Dagger IX1']...Madhouse has done an excellent job of earning my respect... And on the subject of music, I'm in love with X's OP, which I believe was produced by the Japanese group L'Arc-en-Ciel...[/quote] Check out this [url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=392][color=blue] partial list of Madhouse projects[/color][/url]. Currently running series include Gokusen and Mujin Wakusei Survive, both of which I like a lot. The OP song X-Dream is by Myuji. I like it a lot but I also like the ED ("Secret Sorrow" by Kohei Koizumi) a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamseer Oona Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 This is my ranking for this discussion: -Manga -Movie -TV Series My reason is this: The manga is ovbiously best because it has the art, the EXACT story line and is directly from CLAMP. 'Nuff said. I agree with everyone that the story line was VERY weak but with only two hours and a lot less info then what the TV series has but what can anyone expect? X is a very complicated and personal story. In the manga you get to know everyone which makes their deaths that much more painful but the movie couldn't touch on those things but the art and sound made up for it! With the TV series, granted it followed the storyline MUCH better, but holy MOLY was the art ever terrible! I was so busy brooding over the lack of care in the characters that I had a hard time watching it and it's always been my favorite manga. I'm not going totally against it. I collected and enjoyed the storyline but it just could have been done with a little more love lol. That's my personal opinion, of course ^_^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dagger Posted May 9, 2004 Author Share Posted May 9, 2004 [quote name='Dreamseer Oona']With the TV series, granted it followed the storyline MUCH better, but holy MOLY was the art ever terrible![/quote] Seriously? X-TV is a pretty lavish production; it has some of the highest quality, most beautiful artwork I've ever seen, and its animation certainly isn't anything to sneeze at. The lovely shading, the detailed character designs, the shiny digital-ness of it all... *sputters into silence* I suppose that--at least to a certain degree--this a matter of taste. All the same, it cannot be denied that the technical aspects of X-TV are consistently superb. I don't buy that much manga, but for me CLAMP's works usually end up being hit or miss. Gohou Drug and Tokyo Babylon are a true delight to read... yet ultimately the anime version of X/1999 appeals to me more than the incredibly (some might say excessively) long manga. ~Dagger~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pbfrontmanvdp Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 [QUOTE=Dagger IX1]Seriously? X-TV is a pretty lavish production; it has some of the highest quality, most beautiful artwork I've ever seen, and its animation certainly isn't anything to sneeze at. The lovely shading, the detailed character designs, the shiny digital-ness of it all... *sputters into silence* ~Dagger~[/QUOTE] Yep i probably havent posted in months, but I've had so much work and stuff during college I never got around to posting stuff. Anyway though I have to agree with Dagger and say the quality of art in this anime was amazing. If you look at the detail involved in certain sceneries, especially in episode 12, there is no doubt about it being above average. I haven't seen the movie for this yet and many say it is terrible, yet i don't know if they say the same for the quality of art in it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r2vq Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 I totally agree with Pbfrontmandvp, As I watched the episodes of X/1999 I would ride the roller coaster as closely as any fan would, but the flashback episodes and the ending ruined the series for me. The final battle was as unclimactic as all of you have described the movie's and the final scenes just made me made it seem like the writers were just tired and wanted to wrap things up as fast as possible. It's a shame for the animation, music and characters for X/1999 are up with the best I've seen. I especially liked Nataku, the soulless creature of Chinese mythology. The only unbroken wallscroll I own. ^^ -ArV Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mace_lightning Posted May 9, 2004 Share Posted May 9, 2004 Hi there! I just got started reading the x1999 manga and i luv the artwork, :love: although i haven't been able to watch any of the cartoon series. i personally love the story line, flashbacks and all. i'm more into the whole morbidly serious plot lines, although i will ocasionally slurge and read the funner manga's like Love Hina. I like the flashbacks because the explain the characters a bit more that suround the main character, it gives them more of a believability. :babble: Can any1 here plse tell me how many boocks r in the managa and how many movies are there of it because i'm realy into the story and i want to make sure that i don't miss a note. :babble: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cahoots34 Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 [QUOTE=Dagger IX1]Since you seem to be fairly knowledgeable about X/1999, I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask you. 1. While I plan on buying the Tokyo Babylon OVA, it would be nice if I was able to read the manga first. However, I haven't seen it in any area bookstores, and I suspect that it hasn't yet been licensed and translated. If Tokyo Babylon is going to be released in North America sometime in the near future, do you know which company will publish it? 2. Again regarding Tokyo Babylon: I've heard that this story has some shonen-ai undertones. Since you're familiar with the manga, perhaps you could tell me whether readers' reports of slight male/male innuendo are exaggerated or not. Thanks! ^_^ ~Dagger~[/QUOTE] I know that someone else already answered these questions, but I'm in the middle of a particularly potent TB obsession at the moment, so I hope no one minds if I add some things... 1. I bought Tokyo Babylon Vol. 1 at my local comic book store on Friday, and have since then read it 12 times through. Heh. Tokyopop's done an excellent job, including colour inserts, a 'sound effects guide' and detailed explainations of the various obscure references (such as those to CLAMP's favourite viedo games) throughout the manga. 2. Exaggerated is hardly the word. Seishirou, the elder of the two main characters, is openly "in love" with Subaru, and spends the entire manga making advances towards him. (One of the series' most quotable lines thus far is, [spoiler]"Subaru-kun... Do you find me sexy?",[/spoiler] which is the oddly-appropriate end to most of the dramatic conversations between them.) Subaru's twin sister, Hokuto, encourages Seishirou endlessly, claiming that she'll be his sister-in-law someday. Subaru himself seems to be the only one who's reluctant to acknowledge Seishirou's affections, but there are six more volumes and I doubt that CLAMP will let him play the blushing naiif forever. (Thank you, CLAMP.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexeil Posted May 10, 2004 Share Posted May 10, 2004 Just got finished reading the first vol of Tokyo Babylon and the 14 vol of X. After reading the first vol of Tokyo Babylon I was very glad it hadn't been published in English sooner regardless of how impaitently I've been waiting for it. I remember just a few years ago a translation this faithful wouldn't have been likely, with all the yaoi implications and Japanese culture references left in tact. Tokyopop definetly did an excellant job. Going from that to Viz's flipped rendering of X makes it seem the inferior conversion. But regardless, they're both such great stories and beautiful amazing art! I've loved X since I started reading it way back, loved the movie, loved the tv series. I can't wait for the next vols of both :love: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AniSmith Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 i never read the manga, and really started seeing it a while ago. i was interested in what "X" was; such a misterious name and all... that i thought about seeing it. so i did, its not THE best anime (i'm still on ep 13 and going) but because of the repitition and the Kamui's constant refusal about his fate, it's really annoying, as if he couldn't be happy to be the one who will or will not destroy the world. :o but the animation quality is REALLy good, some of the best effects that i have seen. and the music is pretty decent too, orchestral and rock...interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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