X (2001–2002) User Reviews

Much better than the movie

[Rectangular_businessman · 7/10 · 2 November 2014]

The "X" 1996 movie, despite having good animation and a nice atmosphere, was a pretty weak adaptation of a very interesting manga by CLAMP (The same manga group responsible for works as "Magic Knight Rayearth", "Card Captor Sakura" and "Chobits". "X" is actually one of their darker and more mature creations) The main problem of the movie is that it only focused in the action scenes and the violence, almost without any character development due its short duration. Fortunately, this series fixes that mistake, giving each character enough depth to have a much more active participation in the story, exploring their respective motivations, back-stories and personalities.

Instead of the rushed pacing of the movie, this series takes its time to properly develop its plot, without turning tedious or relying on filler material as other anime shows. Also, (unlike the movie) despite its dark premise, this adaptation manages to alternate very well the action and drama with several heartwarming moments of tranquility, not to mention additional elements of romance and even some occasional hints of humor which serve to balance in a perfect manner the dark mood of the main storyline.

Additionally, the animation keeps a good level of quality in each episode. Personally, I liked the stylish which are rather similar looking to those from the original manga. The soundtrack isn't particularly memorable but isn't that bad either. (Though there were a couple of moments when the musical background failed to capture the emotion of certain scenes)

The "X" series is a perfect alternative for all those viewers who were disappointed with movie. It succeeds at everything the movie failed to do, and frankly I found it to be vastly superior in almost every aspect.

Definitely worth-watching.

Two Futures -- One Destiny

[film-critic · 7/10 · 24 November 2008]

The world is in trouble. Through the course of fated destinies, a handful of trained warriors have been called to either protect humanity or to cleans the Earth, bringing about a rebirth to the land. Ironically, a double-edged sword – or twin sword, "X" is an epic adventure that builds characters that an audience can follow, a plot that is emotional, and animation that is so grandiose, that it would make Disney shed a tear. Alas, that isn't to say this series is without faults, but the central key moments are so developed, that one cannot help but jump from one episode to the next, eager to see what befalls our heroes and villains. This was my first full-length animated series (outside of "Serial: Lain") that I have experienced, and while it wasn't as powerful as my prior viewings, it was enough to keep my interest going in this genre. "X" is a series of powerful battles, engrossing story arcs, impressive sounds, and unexpected turns – so developed that even the amateur anime watcher will be captivated by this world. "X" requires dedication, it requires time, and it requires strength to remember who is interconnected with whom, but in the end, it pays off rewardingly.

Upon watching this series, one could easily jump to the finale to see the epic conclusion, but what makes "X" more than just your typical Saturday-morning cartoon epic is the characters that we literally get to understand (and at times fall for) within the twenty-four breathtaking episodes. The evil of Fuma, the depression of Subaru, and the love that Satsuki feels are just a few of the emotions that we are privy to throughout this series. Also within the twenty-four episodes, we see moments of fantasy, destruction, betrayal, love, death, and desire. What pulled me in from the opening episode of this series is the curvy path the director as well as the creators took me on. We aren't introduced to the heroine right away, we are mislead, shadowed throughout, and while small truths are revealed in each individual episode, "X" continues to leave question upon question unanswered, forcing us to look forward to the upcoming episode. Couple this with the outstanding, crisp animation, and "X" seems refreshing in the tub of overplayed and over-recycled American animation. There were certain scenes that just stood out in your mind (especially the final battle), backgrounds that were breathtaking, and battles that made you ask, "How did they do that?" The adult themes and blood-filled battles (unheard of in American animation), bring a sense of realism to this story that is not suitable for young children, but as an adult, I would rather kids watch this instead of what is currently programmed.

Alas, as mentioned earlier, "X" isn't perfect. It isn't a series that I could immediately reboot, but could suggest to friends. There is quite a bit of development towards a twin-sword in this series, and it likened me to what was impressive as well as disappointing in this series. As previously stated, each episode takes us closer to the truth; sometimes it was the pacing that draws us back. Twenty-four episodes are quite a bit to watch, and in the center episodes, as we develop further relationships and characters, there seems to be a lull in the momentum that was initially set. While battles do not seem to be in short supply, it is the introduction to characters that are impressive, but seem to be left behind as larger stories unfold. With some, they come and go quickly, almost as if our creators didn't really have a full plot for them to follow. This may be my only complaint about this series…one can only repeat the fact that the characters were bold, impressive, and invigorating, but their roles within the world of "X" were not as exciting as I wanted them to be. This was a story about technology, humanity, and nature, and, alas, these three elements were not explored as well as they could. My other small complaint is the lack of real-world complications. While our character's emotions were honest and believable, the battles seemed staged merely due to the barriers they were able to use to not cause damage to the surrounding city. No humans actually were privy to this battle, and I think that could have been explored further. We seemed to focus only on our main characters, and only within their flashbacks, did we see any other involvement with the real world. I wished to see who the people supported, and who they would rally behind in such an epic battle. The ending does mention that the public never would know about their future, but it seemed cheap to me.

Overall, this was a great series despite the picky critic flaws. I would recommend this series to anyone interested in an epic that involves a substantial storyline, amazing characters, and intense battle sequences. This would be a favorite to anyone who enjoys the "Final Fantasy" films or games.

Grade: *** out of *****

The future has not be determined yet!

[mariaalex-23936 · 8/10 · 23 April 2016]

One of the best anime series I've ever seen. Though the story is dark and full of tragedy it certainly leaves you with an optimistic feeling in the end.The battle for the end of the world between the Dragons of Heaven and The Angels of Earth who are being represented from daily humans with special powers. The story has humor romance destiny love tragedy all greatly combined. The battle scenes are great and though the opening theme and the closing theme could be better the soundtrack at the episodes is really epic.. I've watched the series for second time and though i knew what was going to happen I was feeling like the first time. I'm pretty sure I'll watch it again in the future and that I'll enjoy it equally..

I sure recommend it though it certainly will make you sad.

Breathtaking new anime series based on the manga by Clamp

[BrianDanaCamp · 11 November 2002]

"X" ventures into territory familiar to viewers of the 1996 Japanese anime production, X: THE MOVIE, a feature adaptation of the long-running manga (comic book) series, "X/1999," produced by the all-female manga collective known as Clamp. While X: THE MOVIE offered a highly sped-up condensation of the incident-packed manga and closed everything off with a jarringly tragic finale, the 24-episode 2001 TV series goes back to the manga and offers a more faithful new adaptation, allowing viewers to gradually meet each of the many characters and get to know who and what they are long before the action takes off.

Like so much of anime, the story is about highly advanced evolutionary young people fighting over the future of the earth. Here, the main characters are split into two camps, the "Dragons" of Heaven struggling to save the earth and its human population, and the "Angels" of Earth seeking to kill off all "polluting" elements, including people, so that the earth can be born anew. At the center of the conflict is the young, handsome Kamui, who has returned to Tokyo to fulfill his destiny as leader of the Dragons of Heaven, although the Angels of Earth seek to recruit him to their camp. (All the main characters are impossibly good-looking.) Meanwhile, all the characters go about living their everyday lives, including enrollment in school for the younger ones, a key element missing from the movie.

The animation is fluid and the design quite spectacular, with an evocative, dramatic music score provided by Naoki Sato. The background details of Tokyo's streets, buildings and skyline are all meticulously rendered. One scene noteworthy for its exquisite recreation of a Tokyo landmark features Lady Arashi, one of the Dragons of Heaven, leaving the secret chamber of the ancient (but young-looking) Princess Hinoto, situated underneath the Diet (the building where Japan's Parliament meets), slowly taking a secret elevator up to the main floor, and walking through the great halls of this massive edifice and down the sprawling front steps, with the camera following the whole time and the music swelling. I have often been critical in my anime reviews of the new technique of 2-D digital animation as it is applied to anime, but I must confess that the results here are as satisfying to me as if they'd been done the old hand-drawn method.

The series' chief director is Yoshiaki Kawajiri, who is best known for such titles as WICKED CITY (1987), MIDNIGHT EYE GOKU (1989), NINJA SCROLL (1993) and VAMPIRE HUNTER D: BLOODLUST (2000). He wisely sticks to the style of the manga and the overall design scheme of X: THE MOVIE, which was directed by the equally notable Rin Taro, and avoids the sex-and-violence excesses and "noir"-like nightmarish visual schemes of his earlier works. Even so, it's cleanly executed and powerfully told, with enough visual imagination to impress even the most hardened anime purist and a strong enough story and interesting characters to engage even the newest anime convert. The Pioneer DVD offers both Japanese and English language tracks. The English dubbing is surprisingly good.

a world full of love

[etudiantemo · 9/10 · 8 January 2009]

I came to love manga for the first time when I read Tokyo Babylon. Also this manga made me know Clamp and induced me to read RG Veda and the uncompleted X and further TV series of X. Heaven and Earth, Protection and Destruction; Felicity and Agony; Tenderness and Brutality…… all these seeming like antonyms penetrates into the fate of Kamui and Fuuma and "torture" the loyal fans of Clamp. It's really frustrating when Clamp announced the serialization of X stopped in 2002 and I believe many adherents of X and Tokyo Babylon had to face the reality after years of waiting. Anyway, the TV series give us an ending: Fuuma stabbed Kamui and declared that all living things would be destroyed together with Kamui's death, while Kamui told him that he had been living in Fuuma's heart all along and had brought the Wish into the latter's heart. I could not help being sobbing at the scene and this was the first and only time I almost cried my heart out for Kamui. I have to confess that my great love in X shall attribute to Subaru and Seishiro. Subaru is timid, solitary, shy, soft-hearted, angelic, pure…… so I have to love him so much. So I had to extremely desire to visit Tokyo to take a full view of this city going to end in prosperity from the top of that symbolic tower as well as pay a visit to Rainbow Bridge in memory of someone; So I kept the brand –Mild Seven in my mind even though I hate smoking and got jubilant when I happened to see a pack of cigarettes named Mild Seven in a street cigarette stand; So I got to be in love with Sakura and convinced that pink Sakura is unique and sentient; So I felt an impulse to learn Japanese language even Japanese culture……Most of all, I become easily agitated at hearing about Subaru, clamp, TB or X or anything related. Sometimes I feel lonely in the manga world Clamp created because there's few people around me knows Clamp, but when I saw the touching story Clamp fans created on BBS, I got an undescribable sense of contentment. Though Clamp does not give an answer to the destiny of seven angels and seven seals due to its ramdon decision, I really enjoyed the X very much because genial affection and tenderness prevail in depressing and dark backdrop.

Beautiful storytelling

[braddexkosko · 10/10 · 1 February 2023]

"X" is a 2001 anime that is a true masterpiece in every sense of the word. From its visually stunning animation to its deeply thought-provoking story, "X" is a triumph of the anime medium. The dark and brooding atmosphere of the series is perfectly balanced with moments of beauty and wonder, creating a viewing experience that is truly unforgettable. The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, and the themes explored throughout the series are both universal and timeless. If you're looking for an anime that will challenge you and leave you breathless, then "X" is a must-watch. Overall, this is a beautiful and masterful work of art that deserves to be celebrated as one of the greatest anime of all time.

The dragon of earth vs. The dragon of heaven

[WeAreLive · 10/10 · 17 February 2023]

His destiny has finally arrived as the young Shirou Kamui returns to Tokyo after 6 years. A powerful psychic, Kamui vows to protect the happiness of his childhood friends Fuuma and Kotori, even if it means avoiding them. But fate is cruel, whether or not Kamui wants to be involved; he holds the future of the world in his hands, given the choice of becoming a Dragon of Heaven or a Dragon of Earth. The Seven Seals gather, and so do the Seven Angels; all individuals who have their destiny carved out as one who would battle for the fate of the world. What future will Kamui choose to become reality?

This anime I truly loved from start to finish. Kamui Shiro was definitely a very unique protagonist that we get to see develop. Something we didn't see in the OVA's. Same goes for the other characters. Also his rivalry with Fuuma was definitely something I enjoyed watching.

The other characters i really like a lot of the other dragons of earth characters. The waifus i can't decide, but I will get this option that i don't think Kotori is a bad character, in fact I kinda liked the whole childhood friend concept.

The art style and animation was excellent. The music was very good as well. (Shame I can't find every soundtrack.)

The dub was excellent 10/10 Steve Staley and Crispin Freeman stole the series. Ignore any dub hating mosquitoes in the reviews (if they are any)

So this is a massive improvement over that one OVA as it doesn't try to cram so many stories into under 1 hour. Do check it out.

bad but..

[ksvareiretis · 5/10 · 28 March 2020]

Bad but it is assistable. The good thing is that it is short. but it is still boring

Their destiny was foredained

[dxgarten-2 · 29 October 2002]

At first "X" may look like about the fight between two opposing force, the Dragon of Heaven (Ten no Ryu) and the Dragon of Earth (Chi no Ryu) to prevent or cause the destruction of mankind. However, upon close inspection, it's actually more about the fate of those individuals who are unwillingly chosen by 'fate' to represent each side of the opposing forces.

The series is dark and depressing but all in all presents excellent character development and plot that stands above and beyond the movie version of the same name. A knowledge of "Tokyo Babylon" prior to watching this is helpful in understand some of the characters in here but is not extremely necessary.

Absolutely brilliant.

[ledithe · 23 April 2005]

I really don't know if this will have any affect on someone who hasn't seen the series. "X" is so unknown in North America that I can't imagine anyone looking it up unless they had already seen it. But, in the off-chance that someone just happens across this review, I'll try to convey how incredibly perfect this anime is.

The main thing that caught my attention was the unusual main character. There wasn't a sweet and focused hero who was intent on doing the right thing. There wasn't even a tough loudmouth who fell into situations where he would inevitably end up doing the right thing. Kamui was a bitter, depressed teenager who didn't want to have any contact with past friends and family. I had to love his reaction when he's confronted with the fact that he holds the key to the worlds future. He absolutely didn't care. Let someone else save the world. He would have killed one of the supposed 'good' guys in the first episode if he wasn't stopped. When he made his eventual decision, he still didn't really care about the fate of the world, except for two people. If not for them, he likely would have voted to destroy it all.

Another thing that I loved was the complexity, which was evident from the first episode (basically just a 30 mix of scenes from the rest of the series). There was no easy 'right' and 'wrong' here. One of the first episodes has a fight between two people who you get the feeling would be good friends in another time and place. There are romances and friendships on both sides, and some that cross the boundaries. You've probably read the descriptions about the sides: The seven Seals vs the seven Angels. The allegiances are very fluid, though. One Seal (the people who want to save humanity) crosses over to the other side because of personal reasons. An Angel (the group who wants to save the earth by destroying humanity) admits he's "not really into it (the War and all it stands for)", and at one point is a hair away from killing the leader of the Angels in order to protect a Seal.

If you've read through my rambles so far, maybe I can still convince you. "X" is honestly the best TV series I've ever seen (anime or non-anime). I can't recommend it enough. After I saw the final episodes (which will stun you even if you know what's coming), I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterwards. It's such a dark, mature (there's tonnes of blood and violence, and quite a bit of almost-nudity and adult situations) production that anyone who watches it is pulled in, even if they've never been into anime before.

OK, enough talking. There's so much more I could say, but I won't spoil it for you. Go rent it or buy it. It will be the best 12 hours you ever spend in front of the TV.

Awful theme song, brilliant series

[nimbleweevil · 9 June 2004]

Two months ago, I'd have told you that I despised anime, because two months ago I was under the heavily mistaken impression that all anime was "Dragonball Z" and "DigiMon". Having recently viewed all 24 episodes of "X", I was clearly mistaken. This was the first series I have ever seen about which I have had nothing serious to criticize.

Once one gets past the absolutely godawful, mood-killing, schmalzy theme songs at the beginning and end of each episode, one discovers immensely complex characters and plot lines. Our hero is 16-year-old Shirou Kamui, your very untypical high school sophomore. He's quiet, bitter, has no family left, and he doesn't know or particularly care that he's supposed to decide the fate of the world. This is beginning to sound cheesy, but surprisingly enough, it's not. Basically, we have two opposing sides - the Seven Seals, who are fighting to preserve the world and contain everyone from a hyper 14-year-old to a devout Christian woman who happens to be a prostitute, and the Seven Angels, the "bad guys" who really aren't that bad - they may be fighting for the destruction of Planet Earth, but they're likable and very human. Kamui comes in because he's the only one of this group who gets to choose which side he wants to be on. And it only really begins to matter when he realizes that his two best friends are going to be affected by this.

Kamui (and everyone else) are your standard shoujo posterboys - gentle, selfless, and (as Arisugawa Sorata, one of the primary players in this apocalyptic game comments) ridiculously attractive. But at the same time, they are characters anyone can relate too. The animation is gorgeous, and the non-theme music is actually pretty good. The series also features a trench-coat-clad young medium named Sumeragi Subaru, who seems not to have a personality. He is, in reality, one of the most complex characters ever created. For more on him, read the Tokyo Babylon manga.

If you're skeptical, that's understandable - I was. Now, I'm giving this fascinating series 10/10.

An amazing series and an example of good storytelling

[mxb598 · 27 March 2002]

I read X about two years agao and saw the movie. I loved the comic but was appauled by the movie. I thought to myself if they could make a series out of the comic that would be amazing. 2 years later my wish was granted. X tells the story of kamui Shiro and his destiny. After leaving tokyo 6 years earlier he returns and is greeted by the people known as the dragon of heaven and another group the Dragon of Earth. He is told that he has two futures one as a dragon of heaven where he would save us from destruction and the other as a dragon of earth which he would anihilate the earth. If you hated the movie check this out. The story is so much better with more characters and not all the characters die like in the movie. The animation quality is superb too. Don't pass up X

Love. Hate. Life. Death. Loyalty. Betrayal. Desenity.Will. Heaven. Earth. Tragedy The End. X.

[raptorsnest · 16 December 2005]

I first became aware of X when I bough the 1996 film version in high School, when I saw it I was blown away the visual aspect of the film, The battles were brutal fast and intense and the ending was truly Tragic.

But being the writer I am, I was sorely disappointed the two dimensional Characters that film portrayed, it focused mainly on Kamui, Fumma and Kotori...and the other Dragons of both Heaven ad Earth's stories were Mere footnotes and gave the Angels and Seals no life.

Then a friend told me that Clamp was writing a TV series based on the Original manga, I was ecstatic, I immediate got my saved birthday cash And purchase the first five volumes and was immediately Engrossed.....the beauty of the TV series is that there no one main Character, they ALL have weight & residence....you don't have to commit Yourself to one, each have their own unique story, personality And own sense of tragedy and justification for fighting on the side They fight on, while some of them truly do have an evil aura about them, You cannot help but feel sorry for them in some aspect.

The other great thing is the story takes it time, while this can mean death for some anime titles, for X is works very well, it lets you get a feel for everything that is going on, Fumma as the leader of Dragons of Earth is one of the coolest bad guys in anime history, he revels in his power and delights of suffering of his foes (and sometimes his allies) Kamui, is sort of like this the beginning of the series being cold and unfeeling those around him where Fumma was warm and under standing but was the series progresses the roles switch and Kamui must face his destiny in order to save his friend.

The colors of shows mix nicely together, being dark but no so you can't see anything, being bright but so much as making the colors bleed on the screen, the English voice overs did very very well. bringing veteran voice actors who fit their characters perfectly. Music was very very good, mixing between techno and orchestral pieces making it seem very brooding and intense at the same time.

All in all, X is one of those animes that you can watch over and over and find new meaning in stories and characters, whether it is the love story between Ahrashi and Sorta, or the bitter rivalry between Sabauru and Seishiro, the refining of her humanity in Satsuki, the innocent and heartbreak in Yuzuriha or the epic main story of Kamaui himself, there not one person you will not be interested in. Go see X. Now.

Will vs. Destiny

[angel49200 · 21 August 2004]

X/1999 was my first great love in the world of anime,and my favorite of at least 6 years running, and I felt terribly that people attacked the movie. In light of what director Rintaro had to work with at the time, I thought the movie was wonderful. It followed the surreal beauty of X and carried over its darker themes. While the characters could not be fully explored in the span of an average movie, it was masterfully completed.

The director still retained the theme of fate and the protagonists' war against destiny. I believe the ending of the movie was much more effective than the television series, really. I also loved the fact that X Japan did themes for both the TV series and the movie. I love everything about X/1999, and while the movie was a rapid story, it has an endearing quality to it, for example the intense colors. That brought more focus to characters. In short, X/1999 is a story, no matter how quickly told, in which the characters are developed to the point of forming a kind of bond with those who view or read it. You want to cheer on many of them, or simply beat some of them senseless.

It likely sounds like a full out rant, but then I believe a story is in its purest form only in the original shape it took. A movie will never capture the charm of the novel that spawned it, and neither series nor movie can replace how characters develop in a manga series. It leaves parts of characters or story to the mind of the reader, and that is why manga will remain unique. What the TV series and movie are should be able to stand alone and speak for themselves, and they did an effective and beautiful job telling the story. But what has CLAMP ever created that wasn't lovely?