X

Original Title: X
Romanized: X
Literal:

Plot Synopsis

Kamui, haunted by dreams of his mother, has returned to tokyo to protect Kotori just as he promised six years ago. Upon returning, he encounters a group of powerful warriors, two of them his enemies and the rest apparently allies. When Kotori is captured and her brother disappears, Kamui is taken by his new allies to meet a sage who informs him that only he, destined to be the 7th Dragon of Heaven, has the power to change the future she has seen--a future where Tokyo, and indeed all the world, is destroyed in a battle between the Dragons of Earth and Heaven. As foreordained destiny takes its hold, friend will fight against friend and sister against sister in the final, fated battle, with the fate of Kotori, Tokyo, and the Earth at stake.

Quick Review

Rating: 3 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2005-12-05

X, one of CLAMP's best-known series, is summarized in this dark, moody, and spectacularly animated action movie. While not overtly shoujo, the apocalyptic plot focuses on fate and tragedy, carried by a capable cast. Sadly, there are too many characters and not enough time spent establishing them for any of it mean much to viewers not already familiar with the series though the comics or later TV version. Fortunately, the production staff reads like a who's who of awesome animation, and the result is an unparalleled superpowered action spectacle loaded with disturbing surreal imagery and dripping with style.

It may be a failure as a standalone drama, but it's a gorgeous one, likely to satisfy just about anybody who enjoys beautiful violence and massively destructive action, and even some who usually don't.

US DVD Review

Manga's DVD features widescreen video, stereo audio tracks for in Japanese and English plus a Dolby 5.1 English track, an interview with the director, character bios, a photo gallery, and the theatrical trailer.

Content Guide

The graphic violence would be enough to keep most kids away, and younger viewers would probably find the overtones of the plot disturbing. Manga's 17-up suggestion is reasonable, if not a little strict.

Violence: 4 - It's very stylish, but the violence is graphic and there's plenty of it.

Nudity: 2 - A relatively short scene at the very beginning and some provocative outfits.

Sex/Mature Themes: 1 - A few suggestive moments.

Language: ? - I haven't seen any English translations yet, but should be mild unless somebody went overboard with the profanity.

Notes and Trivia

CLAMP is a very well known group of four shoujo (girls' comics) writers/authors. They have produced a number of very popular manga series (the 14 books of X/1999 among them, available in English from VIZ) as well a variety of anime (from Magic Knight Rayearth to Tokyo Babylon).

X was show theatrically in the US in limited release before hitting home video.

Availability

Available in the US on hybrid DVD from Manga Video. Was also available on subtitled and dubbed VHS.

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