X/1999, Vol. 2: Overture [Paperback]

CLAMP (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2003 | Series: X/1999 (Book 2)

Seers and psychics across Japan turn their eyes to Tokyo, where the lines between light and dark are being drawn. Kamui is caught in the middle, between the shielding Seven Seals and the destructive Seven Harbingers. As part of the X/1999 series, this volume features breathless action and stunning art.

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; 2 edition (May 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1569319502
• ISBN-13: 978-1569319505
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #944,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Clamp, stylized as CLAMP, is an all-female Japanese manga artist group that formed in the mid 1980s. Many of the group's manga series are often adapted into anime after release. It consists of their leader Nanase Ohkawa, who provides much of the storyline and screenplay for all their works and adaptations of those works respectively, and three artists whose roles shift for each series: Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi. Almost 100 million Clamp tankōbon copies have been sold worldwide as of October 2007.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars X - One of the best mangas out there!, December 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: X/1999, Volume 2: Overture (Paperback)

In truth, I don't have this book. However, when I couldn't find it, I went through the trouble of finding each and every comic book that makes up this graphic novel, which, for someone living in culturally-stale wisconsin, is pretty difficult to do sometimes. That's how good it is. CLAMP is one of the most amazing group of artists I have ever seen. Their artwork is incredible, sometimes moving, and always impressive. The story line is familiar, the end of the world, but the emotions behind it are one-of-a-kind. The characters and their roles (not to mention the artwork) really draw you into the story, and make you part of it. If you ever get into the movie, it is dark, but also well drawn and spectacular. The soundtrack is also good, if you don't mind it being in Japanese :) But to make a long story short, X/1999 (X in Japan) is definate for anyone longing for something new and beautiful... it would make the top of my Christmas list any day.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars X/1999, CLAMP's most ambitous work, July 12, 2000

By 

Umi Ryuzaki - See all my reviews

This review is from: X/1999, Volume 2: Overture (Paperback)

"X" is CLAMP's venture out of little kid mangas and into the dark world of Sci-fi horror. The plot is a web of mysteries and the characters are very complex. Having read the first 6 English Graphic novels and all of the Japanese ones now I can clearly say that somethings were lost in the translation but other things take their place.

The plot line is centered around a young man name Kamui Shiro who has returned to Tokyo to honor his mother's dieing words to 'go to Tokyo to find your destiny'. When he arrives he joins up with his two childhood friends, Kotori (a fragile girl with a heart condition) and her brother Fuuma. Not soon after he arrives he learns of his two destinies and is forced to make a decision, will he aid in the destruction of the world or will he help to protect it from destruction. Whichever path he chooses, Fuuma must go the opposite.

When compairing X with CLAMP's other works it dephanitly stands out but, also all the other preceiding works seem to lead up to it. In comparision with Magic Knight Rayearth it seems almost completely different until you reach the end. Magic Knight Rayearth appears to be another of CLAMP's little kid mangas until the end when the reader, as well as Hikaru, Umi and Fuu are stuned to find out that the person they thought they were going to save has now become evil and they had really been summoned to kill her. The end is dark and that darkness is carried over into Magic Knight Rayearth 2. Unlike this though, X is fully based on this darkness and there aren't many light humored moments in the story (Unless Sorata is around that is). There are also two characters from other CLAMP series in X who are only there really to try and kill each other. (they're either from Tokyo Babalon or Weib Kreitz, I don't remember which).

Anyway, X is a great Manga and the movie (Which is being released on July 28th, 2000) is wonderful too. But be warned, the ending to the movie is different than that of the manga because when the movie was made the Manga saga wasn't finished yet.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars overture, August 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: X/1999, Volume 2: Overture (Paperback)

The story follows two groups battling to save or destroy the world and the strange boy who will tilt the balance. The plot combines gothic horror with modern times and magic. As with most of clamps work the art is amazing the story compelling and the charachters beyond simply black and white. add a touch of light humor that dose not hurt the story and you have one of the best sieres yet. P.S. once you start it's hard to stop.