Forum - View topicGood introduction into Clamp?
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Dranxis
 Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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Although I've been reading manga for over three years now, sadly I have to say that I have yet to read a single Clamp manga.
 Since there seem to be some Clamp fans on this board, I was wondering if anyone could suggest a good 'starter' title from them. They have so many series, it's hard to know where to begin.
My favorite manga tend to be adventure epics, with some action of course. I can stand shojo as long as its not too sugary (I've heard CCS is actually less over-the-top cute than it looks, and has real substance. Is this true?) or too angsty. Here are some of their titles I've considered: X/1999: Looks like the series I would like most, but at 18 volumes it's too long for what I'm looking for. I'm already collecting several long series. Clover: This looked very interesting, but unfortunately it's out of print. I'm waiting to see if that box set Amazon listed for release in August is really true. Magic Knight Rayearth: I love fantasy, but the whole 'girls transported to a magical world which they must save' seems kinda cliched. Shirahime Syo: Looks beautiful, and it's only one volume so it's not a big commitment. But is it a good intorduction to their work? |
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sts9
 Posts: 33 Location: Everywhere nice |
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Kagemusha
 Posts: 2783 Location: Boston |
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I'm not a huge Clamp fan, but their stuff is often above average. First I'll recommend staying away from X and Clover. Both are rather muddled and never really come together. If you want an epic, there's alot better stuff out there than X. Chobits is probobly the most accesable to new readers. Good humor and solid characters, and a nice pace for the first couple of volumes. It isn't perfect, but it's well above the average fanservice manga in terms of depth.
xxxholic and Tsubasa seem to be accesable to people of both sexes as well, though I don't particuarly love either one. I'm a bit jaded though, so you might want to give those a try as well. |
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Depression
 Posts: 84 |
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From what you have said and the list of different manga choices I would have to say Magic Knight Rayearth. It is only three volumes so not too much to commit to and it also has a good portion of action/adventure. I would also have to recommend Chobits. It is an eight volume series but more Romance, Science Fiction. It is a good intro to Clamp.
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Haru to Ashura
 Posts: 617 Location: Termina |
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I'm a big Clamp fan. :)
X might float your boat, but they never actually, uh, finished it. It starts off strong, but starts to deterierate after 11 or 12 volumes. The art is gorgeous though, it's pratically worth reading anyway. ^_^; Shirahime Sho (Why Tokyopop called it Syo...I have no idea.) Is a good read, but it's very unlike Clamp's other work. If you're a fan of traditional japanese/Chinese paintings and woodblock prints, you'll like the art. The storys are short and bittersweet. Clover's an unsusual series, very deep and vauge and...actually, it's one of my favorite work by Clamp, for some reason. Once you understand it, it's great. I reccomend it if you...uh, like to think while you read. It's semi-futuristic - has a cyber-punk feel to it. Rayearth's pretty good all around, good art, good plot for the most part. It's divided into two halves, and the second half has a few ridiculous plot add-ins, but ends well. (Robots in a fantasy series?! Whatever.) Though the art in the first few volumes is...primitive, by Clamp standards, I reccomend RG Veda. Tokyopop just started releasing it here. Based very vaugely on a Hindu legend, it's about six warriors who come together to overthrow a benevolent ruler. Other Clamp stuff that's good: Tokyo Babylon, Wish, xxxHolic, Angelic Layer, and Tsubasa. But xxxHolic and Tsubasa have so many throw-ins from their other series that you can't really fully enjoy them without having read some of Clamp's other work first. Oh! And the forgotten middle child. The Legend of Chun Hyang (orginal title: Shin Shunka Den) is a good title too, and only one book long. Actually, I think I recommend that you begin with this book. It's short, but gives off a general good Clamp adventure series feel. Oh, and stuff I wouldn't reccomend...because not even Clamp is perfect: Miyuki-chan in The Wonderland, Chobits, Dukylon, and 100 Mask Man...or whatever they call it here. Last edited by Haru to Ashura on Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:37 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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ladyxenax
 Posts: 7 |
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I haven't read much of Clamp manga, having seen mostly anime series based on X, Chobits, Clamp School Detectives, RG VEDA, Tokyo Babylon, Angelic Layer.
IMHO, any CLAMP manga which was made into anime loses something... |
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Akemi_Idaku
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Well I've read all of Chobits and the first five of Tsubasa. I really like Tsubasa because of its romance content and flowing art style, though it's also a lot like an adventure story as well. I really don't think it's necessary to have read the other manga from Clamp in order to understand it, because with Tsubasa it isn't necessary to know the background of all of the characters that come from the other Clamp stories (sounds repetitive). They are placed in a new storyline with a new memory so-to-speak. For example spoiler[Chii from Chobits appears but has no recolection of being in Chobits and her role is in no way connected to the story from Chobits]. I think the strongest connection it has with another manga may be its connection with XXXHolic. In my opinion Tsubasa would be your best introduction to Clamp. But if you start it now, be prepared to commit yourself as it is still ongoing in Japan at volume 10 (last I heard).
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IvoryBirch
 Posts: 137 Location: a distant northern land |
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[quote="Kagemusha"] First I'll recommend staying away from X and Clover. Both are rather muddled and never really come together.[quote]
I woudn't recommend these two titles either, but for a different reason - they're unfininshed! I'd say your best bet is Magic Knight Rayearth, but I'm probably partial since it the second manga I read as well as my favorite Clamp. Still, it's a very good introduction to Clamp's style and stories, and it illustrates their common themes of adventure, romance, and the questionability of "good" and "bad" characters in a simple, straightforward fashion. |
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FeralKat
Posts: 402 |
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My first CLAMP manga was Magic Knight Rayearth.
 Dispite the cliche vibes it gives out, CLAMP added a twist that no one sees coming. I recommended it when my friends asked me what manga to read next. 
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ryokoalways
Posts: 562 |
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First I read is chobits, which I loved, but I also wouldnt recommend for your criteria.
I think X or Tsukasa is good for you. |
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GoodLuckSaturday
 Posts: 567 Location: Indiana |
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Speaking OF Cardcaptor Sakura, an entire thread about CLAMP and no one recommended it? It's my second favorite CLAMP series behind X, although I won't recommend either in this case. With Sakura, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two volumes, and wasn't a big fan again until the Master of the Clow arc, which was just wonderful in my opinion. There is a lot of substance in it, but as a CLAMP manga, it's pretty unique, so if you want to read CLAMP, you wouldn't want to start with Sakura, even though I do highly recommend checking it out down the road. I'd actually recommend Tokyo Babylon, that way you get an idea of what a CLAMP manga feels like, as well as getting some semi-important backstory on X, if you ever get to read that one, which I would recommend doing after reading Tokyo Babylon. Magic Knight Rayearth was great from what little I did read, and I look forward to reading more of it before too much longer. I can't rule out RG Veda if you like adventure epics. I didn't like the setting, but the story was shaping up to be great. It far exceeded my expectations on what to expect from CLAMP's professional debut. Like Haru to Ashura said, Legend of Chun Hyang would be the best single volume series introduction to CLAMP. |
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Dranxis
Posts: 591 Location: Ohtori Academy |
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Thanks everyone, these suggestions really helped. I think I'll start with either MKR or the legend of Chun Hyang, and if I get a feel for their work I'll try Chobits, CCS, X, ect.
I only wish that MKR box set hadn't gone out of print. 
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