About CLAMP
Clamp, stylized as CLAMP, is an all-female Japanese manga artist group that was formed in the mid-1980s. Many of the group's manga series are often adapted into anime after release. The Artist Group currently consists of their leader Nanase Ohkawa, who provides much of the storyline and screenplay for all their works and adaptations of those works respectively, and three artists whose roles shift for each series: Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi. Almost 100 million Clamp tankōbon copies have been sold worldwide as of October 2007. (Source: Amazon.com/CLAMP)
CLAMP has a long list of works often discoverable as Anime with a very distinctive art style. I first met them through Magical Knight Rayearth. This artist group has been a favorite since. Here is my list of three unforgettable favorite mangas by CLAMP.
xxxHolic by CLAMP
Kimihiro Watanuki is haunted by visions of ghosts and spirits.
He seeks help from a mysterious woman named Yuko, who claims she can help.
However, Watanuki must work for Yuko to pay for her aid.
Soon Watanuki finds himself employed in Yuko’s shop where he sees things and meets customers that are stranger than anything he could have ever imagined.
I always love the art found in xxxHolic. I read the manga first before I watched the anime. The manga is much more detailed, so check it out if you get a chance.
Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE
Childhood friends Princess Sakura and Syaoran, the son of an archaeologist, become entangled in a series of events that force them to traverse through alternate realities on an action-packed and unforgettable adventure!
In the Kingdom of Clow, an archaeological dig unleashes an incredible power, causing Sakura to lose her memories. To save her, Syaoran must follow the orders of the Dimension Witch and travel alongside Kurogane, an unrivaled warrior; Fai, a powerful magician; and Mokona Modoki, a curiously strange creature, to retrieve Sakura’s dispersed memories! But first, there is a price to be paid…
Check out the first volume here.
Tsubasa is an adventure manga. Syaoran and Sakura end up on an unforgettable journey accompanied by their friends, Kurogane, Fai and Mokona. Syaoran works at getting stronger through each arc. This is an easy, fun read. You can also watch the anime if you prefer to watch it. The manga is full of gorgeous art pieces. Check it out when you can.
Chobits
After moving from the countryside into the big city, poor college student Hideki Motosuwa finds himself down on his luck. All he wants is a good job, a girlfriend, and his very own “persocom” – the latest and greatest in humanoid computer technology.
Hideki’s luck changes one night when he finds Chi – an adorable, but seemingly broken, persocom thrown out in a pile of trash.
After taking her home, Hideki discovers that Chi is more responsibility than he expected – and that there’s much more to his cute new persocom than meets the eye.
Chobits is so memorable and another CLAMP production that pulled me into the world of manga. Chobits is a sci-fi story that tackles the theme of ‘what it means to be human.’ Hideki picks up Chi who is a persocom (humanoid computer) from a pile of trash and takes her home. Chobits explores their adventures as Hideki gets used to taking care of Chi. The Anime does have filler episodes, but the manga is so full of story and beautiful art and is definitely worth a read.
CLAMP remains one of my favorite manga-kas. The artist group has a massive body of work. Once you fall into their manga world, you will definitely have discovered endless adventures. Most of CLAMP’s manga is available as Anime. So, if you prefer to watch instead of read, then check out the artist groups body of work here.
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