CLAMP

Forerunners in the manga revolution, with such titles as Chobits, Magic Knight Rayearth and Cardcaptor Sakura under their belts, the four woman team of Satsuki Igarahi, Ageha Ohkawa, Tsubaki Nekoi and Mokona Apapa have spent the last 17 years creating one cult classic after another. I am, of course, referring to none other than CLAMP. The brains behind both traditional shouju and innovative sci-fi mangas, from down-to-earth Suki ('suki' translates into 'like' in English, the catchphrase or the novel being 'a like story') to inter-dimensional chaos with Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, CLAMP caters for all tastes in the manga spectrum.

Romance is an underlying subplot in nearly all CLAMP's productions, more obviously in books such as, "The One I Love and Suki," but unfortunately for some, yaoi romance does not feature strongly in any of their series'. CLAMP's range is truly awe inspiring, utilizing science-fiction genres with productions such as Clover, Chobits and Angelic Layer. As well as magical fantasies with Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight Rayearth and school based drama with CLAMP School Detectives to name a few. Not limited to completely fictional series', CLAMP's X - on permanent hiatus after arguments over the graphics of the content with the publishers – is a graphic novel serial based on the passages of Genesis in the bible, particularly those depicting the end of the world.

With their 15th year anniversary, CLAMP no keski was released across the world to mark their many achievements, including dozens of movies; numerous anime series'; art books; merchandise including toys and clothing; and cine-manga from over 20 separate manga series'. Beginning in 1989, CLAMP was originally a 12 strong dojinshi circle named Amarythia, by 1990 it had diminished from 12 to 7 and changed its name to the now famous CLAMP. Over the course of R.G Veda's production Tamayo Akiyama, Sei Nanao and Leeza Sei left, leaving only the 4 current members.

Ageha Ohkawa - formerly Nanase Ohkawa, as the group members changed their names in celebration of their 15-year anniversary in order to try out new monikers - Osaka born and raised, is the director of the team. She designs the covers of the novels, covers the planning and sales and writes the famous scripts for the series'. Tsubaki Nekoi - formerly Mick Nekoi, born in Kyoto - is the co-director and her duties include applying screen tones and correcting illustrations. She was also the lead artist on, "Legal Drug," "The One I Love" (a book based on the creators own romantic experiences), "Wish and Suki."

Mokona Apapa - now simply Mokona, also from Kyoto - is the lead artist and colourist and is in charge of the composition. Satsuki Igarashi is in charge of production co-ordination and is Ohkawa-sans sounding board as well as a magazine columnist and characters designer for the wildly popular Chobits and line artist for Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles, which is being produced in the same style as Chobits, Angelic Layer and Legal Drug. As is the case with the majority of manga artists, the ladies of CLAMP prefer to avoid the spotlight, so not much is known about them personally.

One of CLAMP's latest manga series' is still in production in Japan, but is already building up a great following here in the UK with books published by Del Rey as opposed to the leading manga distributor who has already translated the majority of their books, TOKYOPOP - and fansubs of the anime already appearing across the internet. Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles ('tsubasa' meaning 'wings') crosses over several of CLAMP's previous series', incorporating their characters and concepts into a completely new manga.

Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan, Syaoran-kun and Yukito-kun, amongst other from Cardcaptor Sakura are just of those to appear in this new adaptation, including Chobits Chii-chan making a brief appearance in the first book and 'Zima-kun', slyly given a haircut and renamed Kurogane, with a complete personality overhaul to boot. The lovable Mokona Mokodi of Magic Knight Rayearth, Sakura-chans brother Toya Kinomoto and the Time-Space Witch of XXXholic all play important roles - with occasional cameos from Chan Hyung and Miyuki-chan from Miyuki-chan in Wonderland - as the group travels from Feudal Japan to the reaches oF space in this dimension-warping feather-seeking adventure.

The basic story involves Sakura Kinomoto - featured this time as the Princess of the Kingdom of Clow, Syaoran Lee - an archaeologist and the princess' childhood friend, Kurogane - a feudal Japanese samurai under the command of Princess Tomoyo, and Nordic Sorcerer Fai D. Flowright as they travel between worlds with the help of the adorable, hyperactive white puff-rabbit Mokona, to search for Sakuras memories, which were scattered during an attack on her kingdom, disguised as feathers which only Mokona can find. Despite having no memories and spending a good proportion of the series completely spaced out, she's still more intelligent and together than her younger counterpart from the critically exclaimed Cardcaptor Sakura.

Sent to the Time-Space Witch by Princess Tomoyo, Kurogane (continually given nicknames of 'Kuro-rin' or Kuro-pi by an elated Fai - much to his displeasure) seeks only to return to his monster filled world whilst fighting as many battles as he can in order to become the strongest that ever lived. Although officially he's not a copy of the national data bank humanoid computer Zima from Chobits, fans can't deny the striking resemblance between the two of them, despite Kurogane's hot head and quick temper being worlds away from the calm, calculating Zima-kun and more like his pint-sized accomplice and true love - Dita, Tokyo's angriest walking fire-wall. He also seems to have lost the cockney accent, which TOKYOPOP dubbed him with in the English version of the manga.

In comparison, the seemingly light-hearted Fai - stripped of his magic in order to pay for his journey - seeks the opposite: to stay as far away from his world as he can, leaving behind him a mysterious and painful secret. Fai is the only new character (Editor's note: Kurogane can be considered a new character too, arguably) of the main cast, not having appeared so far in any of CLAMPs previous series'. This is exciting for Tsubasa's fans as they do not yet know what to expect from the 'happy-go-lucky' blonde.

One of Tsubasa's great mysteries is Syaoran Lee who - despite being an archaeologist – has specialist training in martial arts, is capable of performing some magics and has some mysterious and sordid past that even he is not aware of. His character has also changed from Cardcaptor Sakura, where he originally appeared as Sakuras rival for the Clow cards. Unlike his hot tempered, awkward and down right rude younger counterpart, this Syaoran – called throughout by his first name – is gentler, more intelligent and less prone to act on emotions.

Fans who expect the love story between Sakura and Syaoran to blossom will not be disappointed. Unlike in Cardcaptor Sakura, they will not have to wait until the final episode and two movies later for them to confess their feelings for each other. However, Sakura-chans memory loss does put a spanner in the works for die-hard romantics, especially when the Witch demands her payment - There is also a mysteriously dangerous element throughout the series, represented by the malevolent spectators bent on stealing Sakuras powers, and an ominous faceless body floating in a tube...

CLAMPs addicted fans would have noticed that over the course of their career they have used their own names in their productions. Magic Knight Rayearth and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles Mokona Mokodi took its name from creator Mokona Apapa and Chobits 'Club Pleasure' owner Mr. Nekoi no doubt from Tsubaki Nekoi.

Addicted fan or not, no one – familiar with the manga scene or not interested in the slightest – has not come across the works of CLAMP in some form or another, whether they have realised it or not. Americas number one for manga, with t-shirts and posters for sale everywhere displaying their characters and their anime's playing on Saturday morning, toys on the shelves and movies playing in the cinemas, CLAMP is slowly but surely starting to take over the world by MANGA!