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December 31, 2009

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2009 Retrospective

It is that time of the year to look back at what happened in this so-called “CLAMP World” =)

I’m very thankful for 2009, among many great things that happened to me, it was the year that I met CLAMP (for the first time, let’s be positive! haha). For me that was undoubtedly the highlight of 2009.

I have selected a few of what I judge to be the most important happenings of this year so we can take a good look to what happened while we wait for the 2010 releases.


• January:

– A Holitsuba Gakuen short comic was published in Kodansha’s special magazine Magazine Dragon.
– The XXXHOLiC Shunmuki Part 1 OAD had its first screening in Tokyo at the Kodansha Hall. Director Tsutomu Mizushima and cast members Sayaka Ohara and Mika Kikuchi attented to the event.

• February:

– A CLAMP large feature is published in Da Vinci magazine to celebrate the group’s 20th Anniversary.
– A symposium about mystery with CLAMP (Nanase Ohkawa and Tsubaki Nekoi) and Soryuuden’s creator Yoshiki Tanaka is published in IN★POCKET magazine, a magazine about pocket books.
– Release of XXXHOLiC #14 and XXXHOLiC Shunmuki Part 1. The regular edition stayed in the Top 3 positions in most rankings in its release week.
– Satsuki Igarashi’s column Shimarisu no Hoobukuro (Chipmunk Cheeks) ends its serialization in Newtype magazine after 7 years.

• March:

– Release of Tsubasa #26 and Tsubasa Shunrariki Part 1. The regular edition stayed in the Top 5 positions in most rankings in its release week.
– The first picture of CLAMP’s new manga Mangettes: Gate 7 was revealed. The manga is a joint collaboration with the American publisher Dark Horse and is slated to start serialization in 2010.
– The design and content of CLAMP-NET.COM were renewed.

• April:

– CLAMP celebrated 20 years of professional manga creation.
– CLAMP is chosen to draw the illustrations for the two final chapters of Kamigami-tachi no Gosui, a fantasy novel written by Atsuko Asano and serialized in Animedia magazine.
– CLAMP draws the box illustration that came with the 9th and final volume of the Code Geass R2 DVD and Blu-Ray.

• May:

– Release of Tsubasa #27 and Tsubasa Shunrariki Part 2. The regular edition stayed in the Top 3 positions in most rankings in its release week.
– CLAMP draws the illustrations for the final chapter of the novel Kamigami-tachi no Gosui.
– CLAMP draws for VOGUE NIPPON magazine. The illustration featured fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and it was part of a collaboration project. The illustration drawn by CLAMP became a T-shirt that was sold for a limited time at the VOGUE NIPPON × Comme des Garçons MAGAZINE ALIVE store.

• June:

– Release of XXXHOLiC #15 and XXXHOLiC Shunmuki Part 2. The regular edition stayed in the Top 2 positions in most rankings in its release week.
– An OAD sequel for XXXHOLiC is announced for 2010.
– Release of Satsuki Igarashi’s Shimarisu no Hoobukuro, the book compiles all the essays published in Newtype magazine from 2002 to 2009 as well as new essays written exclusively for the book release.
– CLAMP joins with Mihara Ichirou and Shinji Hosoe, both from the game developer company ARIKA, to create an original music video using the popular japanese software Vocaloid. The video became a hit on NicoNico Douga (japanese video-sharing website similar to YouTube).

• July:

– CLAMP members attend to the opening of the art exposition CLAMP Les Reines du manga à Paris (CLAMP The Queens of manga in Paris) in Paris, France. The exhibition featured CLAMP’s original illustrations and manuscripts. More than 10.000 people attended the exposition during the 56 days of its run.
– CLAMP members attend to the anime-manga convention Japan Expo in Paris, France. They did two signing sessions, a public conference and were the judges of the CLAMP Cosplay Contest.
– Dark Horse announces at the San Diego Comic-Con its plans to produce with Universal studios a live action movie adaptation of CLOVER.

• August:

– Release of the new versions of Wish #1 and #2. The new versions featured newly drawn cover illustrations.
– CLAMP draws a Code Geass R2 illustration for the 2010 Newtype pin-up calendar.

• September:

– Release of the new versions of Wish #3 and #4. The new versions featured newly drawn cover illustrations.
– Release of the 4th Holitsuba Drama CD. Written by Nanase Ohkawa, the limited CD was available only for those who applied for it.
– CLAMP draws the cover for the book release of Kamigami no Utatane (also known as Kamigami-tachi no Gosui).

• October:

– Tsubasa – RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE – ends its 6-years serialization in Shonen Magazine with a total of 232 chapters and one epilogue. Tsubasa sold over 20 million manga copies (volumes 1 to 27). This corresponds to 20% of CLAMP’s overall comics sales (currently around 100 million copies).
– The TV Anime series of Kobato. starts its broadcast in NHK BS2 channel. The script of the debut episode was written by CLAMP member Nanase Ohkawa.
– Release of ALL ABOUT CLAMP book by Kadokawa, the book version of the CLAMP Newtype [PLATINUM] and [PASTEL] special magazines originally published in 2006, it carries information about all CLAMP works and also X 18.5.

• November:

– CLAMP draws the cover for Jun Fukuyama’s original album Romantic World 31.
– CLAMP draws the extra costume for character Jin Kazama for the game Tekken 6.
– Release of Tsubasa #28. The regular edition stayed in the Top 3 positions in most rankings in its release week.
– Release of the Tsubasa – ALBuM De REPRoDUCTioNS 2 – artbook.
– Release of the CLAMP and Kobato. 2010 Calendars.


• December:

– Release of XXXHOLiC #16.
– Release of Kobato. #4.

– New XXXHOLiC OAD with volume 17.
– Beginning of Mangettes: Gate 7 serialization.
– Kobato. TV Anime series.
– And of course, the manga serializations of XXXHOLiC, Kobato. and any other new stuff that CLAMP will definitely provide us =)

HAPPY NEW YEAR !! ^__^

Also one more important thing. Yesterday was the 5th anniversary of my LiveJournal! I would just like to say a huge thank you to all of you who read it and make comments and share your thoughts. Thank you so much for all the support during these 5 great years! =D

75 thoughts on “2009 Retrospective”

  2. Reading all they did in one year, CLAMP are really workaholics!

    Thank you very much for all you did for us in 2009! I hope to be able to keep reading both your news and comments on all CLAMP stuff that’s to come (^^)

    Happy new year, Chibiyuuto! And congratulations for your 5 years old journal ♥

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  5. Happy New Year! 2009 has been a fun year for CLAMP fans, here’s hoping 2010 will be just as great!

    Also, congratulations and thank you for five years ^_^ It’s wonderful to have such regular updates on CLAMP’s projects and I really enjoy reading your comments.

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  7. This was the year I discovered CLAMP’s mangas, and became a fan! and that in part it’s thanks to you!
    I have had watched Card Captor Sakura, MKR and Tsubasa on tv and knew that those were CLAMP’s works but I’ve never read a manga, and researching info about a Tsubasa’s continuation on tv, found this Livejournal, and started learning about this magnificent mangakas and their wonderfull work.
    You’ve made and continue making a great job here, keeping us informed, and amusing us with your comments!
    So I must say that I’m very very very grateful to you!! Keep doing like this, so one day I will be jumping all around my house, because CLAMP will finally have decided to give X a continuation (and I know you’re with me on that XD), and of course to Gohou Drug and Clover too
    (sorry for my horrible english, I’m argentinian and it’s been like nine thousand years since I had my english leassons)
    HAPPY NEW YEAR CHIBIYUUTO!!

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    • Hello there! Reading that sort of thing makes me so happy and it is the “fuel” to keep this LiveJournal alive =) I joke that that’s kind of my mission on Earth, to spread the CLAMP love a little xD So I’m really glad when I read comments like this.

      Thank you so much and I hope you’ll be with us in 2010 and the upcoming years. Welcome! =D

      Happy New Year!

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  9. Happy New Year 2010 and a Happy 5th Anniversary to your LJ ^^
    Thanks to YOU for all your hard work all these years, it’s a pleasure to follow and read your LJ posts during these past amazing years! And I hope it will continue from now on too 😉

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  11. Thank you for all the hard work you put into sharing news and information about CLAMP!

    So many things happened this year! I really wish I could have gone to the Expo in Paris…here’s hoping they come to Europe again soon!

    There are so many things to look forward to next year. With the confirmed projects and the potential ones, 2010 is bound to be a great year for CLAMP.

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    • HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!

      I loved the holic-tusbasa OADs and Im in love with the kobato anime…Im so sad that we dont have an ep. this week.

      I AM SOOOOO LOOKING FOWARD FOR MANGETTES!! Because it will be the first CLAMP manga that I will follow since chapter one release, u know? IM SOOOO LOOKING FOWARD TO IT!!

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  16. Hey Chibiyuuto-san!
    First of all, Thanks for all you hard work, bringing us information about CLAMP. Congratulations for your 5th livejournal anniversary! Happy new year, my best wishes to you for 2010!!

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  19. Haha! Happy (belated) 5th Anniversary! and yesterday was my b-day, remember? XD

    What a year of 2009! Clamp in Paris, Tsubasa’s final serialization, xxxHolic OADs, Kobato’s anime debut, and the announcement of the upcoming manga, Mangettes: Gate 7! This year was amazing! *o* Thanks for being there for us with announcements and being a great friend for us! Can’t wait for what coming up next in 2010! o.o

    Happy New Year~! *bear hugs*

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  20. I remember that picture from Gate 7, man, that image alone makes me want to read it. XD Also sad that the R1 releases of Code Geass don’t use the pretty CLAMP art boxes, I was really looking forward to that.

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  21. whoa…some of the stuff that happened doesn’t seem that long ago actually…
    It’s been a great year for CLAMP’s 20th anniversary!

    I believe my CLAMP highlight for the year was definitely the community fanbook. ^^

    Congrats to your 5 year old journal! There was a time I used to check it daily till I decided to get a lj and let the “Friends Page” notify me instead. XD Please continue all your great work, both you and CLAMP!

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  23. Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to your livejournal. Thank you for 5 years of great work and I hope to read your updates for many more years to come.

    2009 was another great year for CLAMP, I’m looking forward to Gate 7 and the continuation of their previous works 😀

    funny thing, as I was counting down for 2010, I was thinking, 2009’s over huh… and the first thing that came into my mind was “CLAMP’s 20th anniversary’s over already” to be honest, during 2008, I thought that it would be the most exciting event of 2009 XD

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    • to be honest, during 2008, I thought that it would be the most exciting event of 2009 XD

      I TOTALLY DOUBLE THAT! It was so much less fuzz in comparison to their 15th anniversary D=

      Happy New Year!!! =D

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  25. It seems that this was a very busy year for CLAMP, hope the same for the next (at least that’s good for us the fans xD) thank you chibiyuuto 😀 and happy new year!!!

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  26. Still not New Year here but, I wish you a HAPPY 2010!! Thank you for always keeping us up to date with all Clamp news! Best regards from Argentina!! 😀

    I’d love to see a new banner for new year !!! Please!!!!*–*

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  27. Happy New Year, chibiyuuto-san and all others here ^^
    The year past really fast to me it seems and there indeed are a lot of great things happening around the clamp fandom~~

    Hope the coming year will be full of new illustrations and collaborations from clamp ^^

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  28. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010
    Wow~~ Can’t believe we reached the end of year again. 2009 seems like a blurry yesterday. *hahaha*

    Thank you for delivering CLAMP news regularly (for 5 years already? Wow~~). Without you, I think I will miss lots of update. I wish you a nice and successful year as well. ^^

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  29. Happy new year, and thanks for all the CLAMP updates you’ve given us during 2009! I especially enjoyed the reports from Paris; being there must have been a wonderful experience. Now I’m looking forward a lot to Gate 7, I’m so curious to see what it will be like.

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  30. It is incredible how much these women can do in one year O_O;

    And Happy New Clamp-Year Alex-kun, thanks for all the news and for your kindness and frienship *hugs*

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  33. \\o/

    Happy New Year and Happy Birthday to this wonderful LJ!
    I’m really happy about 2009, but now in 2010, I’m happier than before, ’cause now my life will change. So, I’m thankful to you, ChibiYuuto-san, because you always talk to us the CLAMP News!!!!!! *O*

    Well, I don’t know speak english wery good, but I belive that you understood what I told XD So, again, HAPPY 2010!!!!!!!!

    Bye ~

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  34. first of all, yippeeee happy anniversary! and I’m such a bad LJ user T_T I don’t usually leave comments lately… >< Twitter is so much convenient for me 😀

    thanks so much to keep us updated about CLAMP :DDDD

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  36. > And what’s with all the kissing? Looks like CLAMP is having fun now with the kissings xD

    One kiss on chapter 0
    One kiss on chapter 1
    Zero on chapter 2
    Zero on chapter 3
    One kiss on chapter 4

    That makes an average of 0.6 kiss per chapter. ^^;

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