Following the publication of the 7th and last volume of Tokyo Babylon for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION series, the next title to be published will be Magic Knight Rayearth! This was indeed the guess of a lot of people (including myself).
The first volume will be released on October 13 and its cover has been announced!
You may order it via CD Japan.
As a bonus, each volume will come with a postcard featuring the same illustration used as the cover of the classic edition. The bonus is the same as XXXHOLiC (a bit of a bummer, I expected something different for each series).
Just a reminder that Kodansha and Kadokawa will alternate their titles for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION releases. We have had XXXHOLiC (Kodansha), Tokyo Babylon (Kadokawa) and now Magic Knight Rayearth (Kodansha). The next title, which still hasn’t been announced, will be a Kadokawa one.
What did we learn from this cover?
We learned that they will probably be using the same colors from the classic edition, so likely volume 2 will be blue and volume 3, green.
We also learned that we have 3 characters right from the start. It could not have been different, right? I thought maybe each volume would feature just one girl (like the Kodansha new issue), but this is of course, much better.
Hikaru is on the foreground while Umi and Fuu are in the background (again, just like the classic edition), which means that volume 2 will have Umi on the foreground and volume 3, Fuu on the foreground.
It’s a refreshing cover. It’s nice to see the girls in a new art but at the same time, a bit shocking to see them with with much less detail. The original Rayearth art is so polished, after all!
At this moment, only volume 1 has been announced. It’s unclear if volume 2 will come out on the same day and we will have 2 volumes as usual, or if it’s going to be one per month, meaning a 6 months run for all 6 volumes. I personally think that they will keep the 2 volumes pace.
Kodansha is marketing this as a celebratory release for Magic Knight Rayearth‘s 30th Anniversary, which will be in 2023, and in alignment to that, they will be reprinting the two Magic Knight Rayearth artbooks, that will also be released on October 13. This will be just a reprint, there’s no new content to be added on it (it’s just a reprint, not a new edition).
You may order them via CD Japan: Artbook 1, Artbook 2.
15 thoughts on “CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Magic Knight Rayearth #1”
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Chibi Yuuto's CHRoNiCLEs 
I tend to think this might be the reason why Kodansha USA did not even bother to release regular editions for MKR, Clover, and CCS manga yet.
Although Tokyo Babylon ending up published in Kodansha USA is possible since the Dark Horse rights to Tokyo Babylon have expired already.
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I think Kodansha did release the “new” Rayearth edition, right? But not the classic, yes. I think those ran out of print. Not even Kodansha Japan is printing them anymore, only the new one, which Kodansha USA did release. Same for CLOVER, they released the 2-in-1 edition which seems to be the “standard” now =/ I don’t think they are printing the classic edition anymore.
Although Tokyo Babylon ending up published in Kodansha USA is possible since the Dark Horse rights to Tokyo Babylon have expired already.
Hmmm I don’t think so because Kadokawa is the one holding those rights now. I don’t think they would let Kodansha publish it in the USA xD
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The print editions by Kodansha USA of Clover, CCS, and MKR at this point are their hardcover editions, so I think Kodansha USA will also publish the Clamp Classic Collection of the Kodansha manga of CLAMP or at least of Clover, CCS, and MKR since Clover, CCS, and MKR don’t have soft cover print editions yet.
I think Tokyo Babylon could end up being published by either Yen Press, Tokyopop, or Darkhorse.
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The print editions by Kodansha USA of Clover, CCS, and MKR at this point are their hardcover editions.
You’re absolutely right. CLOVER got printed as soft cover in other countries.
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I’m really hoping Kodansha rereleases Rayearth cuz the 25th anni versions are so expensive. Also rescuing TB, since the Dark Horse omnibuses are impossible to find bc of how they seem allergic to reprinting things (looking everywhere for Drug and Drop 2 😭)
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Wow didn’t know that 2023 is the 30th anniversary of MKR!!! (I feel old hahaha) I really hope we will get some huge news about MKR next year!!! (Maybe something big as a whole new animation based on the manga script??? ✨👀)
And…it reminds me that 2022 is the 30th anniversary of X!!! 😭⚔️😈🗼 I hope they didn’t forget it!! Really hope Kadokawa will make the CPC version of it in the next round and celebrate it with the epic ending and release the 2 different covers for the original ones and the CPC version. That’ll be so wonderful ✨📕📖✨
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If they create a remake, they should have Emeraude and Zagato redeemed and alive in the end since the OVA redeemed Emeraude already.
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I look forward to reprint of MKR artbooks.
For Tokyo Babylon CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION books, may I know the paper quality of the books? Do they use white paper like the previous Aizoban version?
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Yeah, I think it’s the same paper or similar one.
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Do you know if there any news on Tokyo Babylon artbook?
I wish they reprint all of clamp artbooks. There are some that I don’t have.
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No plans whatsoever at this point.
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Yes, they do!
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The Tokyo Babylon remake should have Atsuko Ishida as the designer, who designed MKR anime back in the 90s, her current art style is quite identical to Mokona’s.
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Fuu’s hair on the Clamp Premium Collection cover is a mix of anime and manga colors of her hair, similar to the recent color of her hair on the recent DVD cover of the anime.
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Their Rayearth/X1999/Card Captor Sakura-era artstyle is what made me fall in love with their art and the impossibly cool clothes their characters get to wear.
I know you can’t go back to your old style of drawing, but seeing Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu in their current artstyle nearly made me mistake it as fanart. ^^”
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