X/1999

One of the first animé series I have watched is Magic Knight Rayearth, about three teenage girls sent to a different world as saviours. The series, which combines various genres such as mecha, fantasy, action, adventure, and romance, was, though not necessarily a favorite, something that piqued my interest in animé in my early years.

In high school, I met my first fellow otakus and they were all crazy about CLAMP. I would learn from them that CLAMP is the maker of some of the most popular animé and manga series like Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, CLAMP School Detectives, Angelic Layer, XXXHolic, X/1999, Tsubasa Chronicles, and yes, including Magic Knight Rayearth. Later on, I would find myself watching the first three and not liking the stories mainly because I find them mainly catered to girls with their magical dreams and too much fan service, though to be fair I love the concepts and the art, I became a CLAMP-basher.

In highschool, my friends and I watched X The Movie together and seeing its many allusions to Christian eschatology, I made a mental note to one day watch the series since I could not entirely comprehend the movie due to its compressed narrative. My friends also advised me to watch the series and to give CLAMP another chance. It will only be years later, this Holy Week vacation to be precise, that I heeded their advise, and I am without regrets.

The very gist of the series is fate of the world as decided upon by Kamui, the main protagonist who started off as a cold-hearted, confused character who would fight anyone trying to meddle in his affairs. He must decide if he wants to protect the present as a Dragon of Heaven or to wish for a change by destroying the world and creating a new one as Dragon of Earth. But the fates can be cruel, because no matter which side he chooses, he must fight against his twin star, his best friend Fuma, who is destined to fill the empty seat, the role rejected by Kamui in choosing the other.

In preparation for the final battle between the two dragons, each must gather his comrades. The fourteen dragons, seven on each side, have their own stories, their wishes and decisions controlled by the circumstances they were put in in their younger years.

 Kamui’s cheerful and thoughtful personality changed when he saw his mother die before his very eyes as a shadow sacrifice, to ensure that Kamui chooses the right path. Sorata, the friendliest of the Dragons of Earth, was taken away from his mother to live in Mout Kouya as a monk (episode 6). Arashi, the swordswoman and priestess of Ise, did not care if she lived or not as a child but the reason behind this was not fully explained (episode 23). The onmyouji Subaru suffered the most similar tragedy with Kamui; his sister Hokuto was killed by Seishiro the Sakrazukamori whom he loved as well (episode 9), whereas Kamui bore the pain of seeing his childhood sweethear Kotori killed by his best friend Fuma (episode 12). The youngest of the team, Yuzuriha, was often teased as a liar as a child because no one can see her best friend Inuki, a spirit dog visible only to people with supernatural powers (episode 10).The fire master Karen, was regarded as a devil by her own Catholic mother because of her power to control fire (episode 19). Only the wind master Aoki’s back story is not revealed though repeatedly in the series, it is reiterated that he is a loving husband and father.

The Dragons of Earth, on the other hand, are composed of characters who are mostly social deviants with the exception perhaps of Kusanagi and Yuto. Aside from this, they are characterized by their obvious contempt for humans who for them, are an abusive lot deserving death. Fuma used to be a kind-hearted man prior to his awakening as Kamui’s twin star. Satsuki the computer genius orchestrated the death of her own father with the help of her computer “friends” (episode 7). Seishiro is a cold-hearted assassin, figuring in both Subaru and his sister Hokuto’s lives as the latter’s killer. Kakyou the dreamseer is tortured by the fact that he was not able to save the most important person for him, Hokuto, when the girl is killed. The clone Nataku, a lost child with “needy personality”, is a soulless body created by Tojo Pharmaceuticals (episode 15). Kusanagi is a gentle guy whom Yuzuriha falls for, being the first person in Tokyo to “see” Inuki, which brought the young girl great joy.

All dragons knew of their fates beforehand, with the exception of Fuma whose role is dependent on which side Kamui will choose. Each character then prepares himself for the Great Battle and has learned to yield to fate. However, with Kotori’s message that all hope is not lost and that the future still is undecided, Kamui goes on to fight even though Fuma tells him of the inevitability of the Dragon of Heaven’s loss. Indeed, Kamui dies in the end, but his final wish is granted--- to protect Fuma and the world he lives in. This is after he made a sudden realization--- that people die but then their wishes do not die with them, that their wishes continue to live on in the hearts of their loved ones they left behind and whom they want to protect.

All throughout the dramatic events in the series, impressive music plays in the background thus setting the mood. Saccharinely tragic and heart-wrenching, the series boasts of one of the most commendable soundtrack in animédom, and this is also one more reason to watch X/1999 over and over again. 

  

And as a last note, if there is one word that describes the series other than darkly compelling, it would have to be that X/1999  is, in a word, FEATHERY, as all 24 episodes have scenes of scattered feathers. This can be said as pretty much a trademark of CLAMP to portray dreaminess and mysticism.