☆What is the horizon that CLAMP are aiming for in 1997?
1996 was a year of big news for CLAMP, with the movie adaptation of X and the completion of RG Veda and Rayearth one after another. 1997 will also bring a whirlwind of fun with the spring event CLAMP IN WONDERLAND 2.[1] What will CLAMP be looking at and aiming for in 1997? We will bring you a direct interview with CLAMP’s latest comments!
Q: Looking back in 1996, when RG Veda and Rayearth were completed, and X was adapted into a movie, how do you feel about it?
A: Every year, when December approaches, the four of us are surprised and say, “Oh, it’s already been a year!”, but 1996 was a special year. It has been a year that has passed in a blink of an eye.
Q: Looking back on RG Veda and Rayearth, how do you feel?
A: We are glad they are over (laughs).
Q: Please comment on the Rayearth OVA.
A: As for the OVA version of Rayearth, we left everything to Director Toshihiro Hirano. Mokona made the character design and Ohkawa co-wrote the script for the first episode with Manabu Nakamura, but we asked Director Hirano to make all the final decisions. We are also looking forward to seeing what kind of new Rayearth world we can show you.
Q: Please tell us your impressions of the CLAMP School Broadcasting Club radio show?[2]
A: We are very happy to receive so many postcards from you every day. We read them all in the studio. We have just started, but we hope that we can make this an enjoyable program together with you.
Q: What are your aspirations for 1997?
A: Satsuki Igarashi: I want to be able to wake up with just one alarm.
Nanase Ohkawa: I want to do something about my stiff shoulders.
Mick Nekoi: I want to sleep with cats.
Mokona Apapa: I want to do something about my forgetfulness.
Q: In 1997, you will enter your 9th year since your debut. Do you feel that anything has changed between your debut and now?
A: EH!? It’s been nine years already! What a surprise! We feel like we are still newcomers. There are not many things that we feel have changed, but recently we often think, “Oh, we are getting old, aren’t we?” (laughs).
Q: What is CLAMP’s ultimate goal?
A: That’s a secret that only the four of us know (laughs).
Q: The 20th century is coming to an end. Do you have any feelings about that?
A: Not particularly. At the end of every year, all we can think is: “May next year be a good one”.
Q: What is the latest boom within CLAMP?
A: Drinking at home. A pillow to prevent stiff shoulders. Ranran Suzuki. Katsuya Terada. Shimako Satou. Kengo Kaji. 007 series. Scary stories. Martial arts. S.R.S.[3]
Q: What else can you tell us about the latest news?
A: On December 6th, Hakusensha will release a comic book titled Shin Shunkaden (B6 size). It is a fairly old work, but please take a look at it if you can!
■Card Captor Sakura
Q: What is the most impressive response you have received from fans?
A: “The art style is different from Rayearth“, “It’s white”, and “It’s kind of happy”, are the typical comments from readers of Nakayoshi magazine (laughs). Many of the Puff readers write to us saying, “Yukito is good, but Fujitaka is better” (laughs).
Q: Which character is the most popular among fans?
A: It’s Sakura. Kero-chan is also popular among children.
Q: What are the future developments?
A: The story is about to take a sudden turn with the appearance of Syaoran, but we will continue to move forward in a relaxed manner as usual. Thank you for your support.
■ X
Q: Please give us your impressions of X Character Files.
A: It was hard (laughs). The scripts for the 14 characters were written, and a jacket illustration was drawn once a month, so it was a lot of work. Anyway, it was all very difficult (laughs).
Q: Has there been any recent change in the character’s popularity among fans?
A: Many people say, “I hated Kamui at first, but recently I’ve come to like him”. It’s interesting to see that Fuuma is split into two groups: “I like him better now” and “I don’t want him to be like this” (laughs). Then, there’s Kakyou, who has just recently revealed his true identity.
Q: Please tell us about your future plans.
A: Volume 9 will be released on January 18, 1997. The story will now start to get serious, it’s a long story, but if you don’t mind, please stick with us until the end.
■Wish
Q: Please give us your impressions of the radio drama adaptation.[4]
A: It was CLAMP’s wish to have the music composed by ALI PROJECT, so we are very happy that it came true. The songs on the single CDs as well as the BGM[5] in the drama are very nice, so please listen to them.
Q: Which character is the most popular among fans?
A: Kohaku. For some reason, the main character is also strong (laughs). Then, there is the newlywed (laughs) couple, Hisui and Kokuyo.
Q: Please tell us about your future plans.
A: We have learned about Shuichiro’s past, and someone has become a bit more mature (laughs). We are talking about Kohaku, but we would be happy if you could look forward to the changes on Shuichiro’s side in the future. Volume 2 will be released on January 8, 1997, so please look forward to that as well.
Q: Do you have a message for the readers of Puff?
A: The whole CLAMP team will continue to work hard in 1997.
Notes
[1] CLAMP IN WONDERLAND 2 was an event held from March 23rd to April 27th of 1997 in different cities of Japan, like its predecessor, the event CLAMP IN WONDERLAND, it was a special event for fans. During this event, the video CLAMP IN WONDERLAND was shown again, exclusive merchandise was sold, and it was the only time when the Wish Music Clip was screened. Not to be confused with the CLAMP IN WONDERLAND 2 1989~2006 music video, which would be released only in 2007.
[2] CLAMP School Broadcasting Club radio show was aired on TBS radio (954 KHz) each Wednesday at midnight.
[3] Ranran Suzuki is an actress; Katsuya Terada is an illustrator and cartoonist; Shimako Satou is a screenwriter and film director; Kengo Kaji is a director, writer, TV and film producer, and manga author; S.R.S. was a Japanese TV show that ran from 1996 to 2008.
[4] Wish radio drama was part of the CLAMP School Broadcasting Club radio show, the contents of this radio drama are the same as the singles Wish, music tracks from Wish, and Wish Drama Album.
[5] BGM is short for “background music”.
Translated from Japanese by shidouhikaru15.
Source
Interview published in Puff January 1997 issue (Zassosha), released on January 1, 1997. Original text available upon request.
If you found mistakes in this translation or would like to contribute with translating other interviews, please contact me.
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