CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Magic Knight Rayearth #1

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.

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Tokyo Babylon #7 cover

The cover of Tokyo Babylon #7 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition has been announced!

Technically, it’s still one person on the cover, or is it three? Hmmm it’s quite unclear.

The cover is very reminiscent of the classic edition, with Subaru looking like a priest. The new additions being obviously Seishirou and Hokuto (which seems to be attending her own funeral?). I have mixed feelings about this cover. Not sure if I find it so ingenious…

Oh, and this time around we got a full view of Seishirou’s shoulders, no cheating 😉

The seventh volume will be released on September 2.

This is it, ladies and gentlemen, this finishes Tokyo Babylon‘s ride with CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION. It was a fun one, and definitely shorter compared to XXXHOLiC. Kadokawa surely made things more fun than Kodansha with announcing the covers in advance and spoiling us with heavy promo.

The next CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION has not yet been announced.

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Tokyo Babylon #5 & #6 covers

The covers of Tokyo Babylon #5 and #6 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition have been announced!

Loved these also! So in the end indeed we ended up with three covers featuring Hokuto and two covers with Seishirou (and we have seen again how Mokona-sensei got away with drawing Seishirou’s big shoulders, haha!)

The cover colors keep following the same pattern as the classic edition, as CLAMP have planned.

These covers also confirm the “rule” that we won’t be getting more than two chararcters on the same cover for the CPC editions.

Volume 7 will probably feature Subaru alone and it will be likely white, as the original.

The fifth and sixth volumes will be released on August 4.

Here’s the upcoming release schedule for Tokyo Babylon in CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION:

August 4th, 2022: volumes 5 & 6
September 2nd: volume 7

In other news, a box to store all 7 volumes will be sold by Kadokawa. It will feature illustrations from the original series.

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Tokyo Babylon #3 & #4 covers

The covers of Tokyo Babylon #3 and #4 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition have been announced!

As promised, we have finally Seishirou debuting CPC on the cover of volume 3, along with Subaru, looking like gangsters. Hokuto is back on the cover of volume 4 with Mokona fulfilling her promise that she would draw Subaru in clothes that could be worn by all genders.

As for the hot topic of Seishirou’s shoulders length, you can’t really tell how wide they look due to the furry accessory he’s wearing over them, but Seishirou looks cool af and that’s all that matters.

The cover colors keep following the same pattern as the classic edition.

Volume 7 will probably feature Subaru alone, so is it going to be for volumes 5 and 6? Again Seishirou and Hokuto, respectively? Or are we getting one (or two) cover with the trio?

I loved them!

The third and fourth volumes will be released on July 4, with two volumes coming out every month.

Here’s the upcoming release schedule for Tokyo Babylon in CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION:

July 4th, 2022: volumes 3 & 4
August 4th, 2022: volumes 5 & 6
September 2nd: volume 7

In addition, Character PVs for Subaru, Hokuto and Seishirou have been added to Kadokawa‘s Anime Channel on YouTube as “Shorts:

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Tokyo Babylon #2 cover

The cover of Tokyo Babylon #2 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition has been announced!

© CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / KADOKAWA

As it was previously shared by CLAMP in one of their twitter spaces, we have Hokuto and Subaru on the cover and the color this time is yellow, just like the classic series. We can also see some of the more contemporary, hip-hop fashion elements on this cover that Mokona-sensei said that she wanted to include.

It looks super great!

The first and second volumes will be released on June 3, with two volumes coming out every month.

Here’s the full release schedule for Tokyo Babylon in CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION:

June 3rd, 2022: volumes 1 & 2
July 4th, 2022: volumes 3 & 4
August 4th, 2022: volumes 5 & 6
September 2nd: volume 7

The official Twitter account of Young Ace magazine (Kadokawa’s current official magazine for all things CLAMP) has made a short promotional video about it, just like they did for volume 1:

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: XXXHOLiC #19 cover

The cover of XXXHOLiC #19 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition has been announced!

© CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / 講談社

It will be released on May 6 and it’s the final XXXHOLiC volume for CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION. It can be ordered via Amazon Japan.

So indeed we had Watanuki all by himself and what’s more, doing the exact same pose as Yuuko in volume 1 cover, except it’s mirrored:

© CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / 講談社

It’s been a fun ride waiting for these new covers every month! Now it’s Tokyo Babylon‘s time!

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: Tokyo Babylon #1 cover

The cover of Tokyo Babylon #1 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition has been announced in a press release published today by Kadokawa!

© CLAMP・Shigatsu Tsuitachi CO.,LTD. / KADOKAWA

The first and second volumes will be released on June 3, with two volumes coming out every month.

Those who purchase all 7 volumes can apply to receive an acrylic stand based on the cover illustration of the classic version of Tokyo Babylon volume 1 (published by Shinshokan in 1991).

Here’s the full release schedule for Tokyo Babylon in CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION:

June 3rd, 2022: volumes 1 & 2
July 4th, 2022: volumes 3 & 4
August 4th, 2022: volumes 5 & 6
September 2nd: volume 7

The official Twitter account of Young Ace magazine (Kadokawa’s current official magazine for all things CLAMP) has made a short promotional video about it:

Source: animebox.jp

Waaaaaahh so cool! *_* So the color does match the original version! Let’s hope it stays this way for the next volumes!

I love Subaru’s outfit! The style looks good too! Very contemporary but still true to Tokyo Babylon‘s spirit.

I love the fact that we already have the cover of volume 1 even before we got the cover of XXXHOLiC #19! Also, we have the full schedule already. Thank you Kadokawa for such efficiency!! Also, good to know it will keep being 2 volumes per month.

Now, the bonus is indeed different than XXXHOLiC, which has a postcard for each volume and a postcard binder for those who purchase all volumes and apply for it. But I thought each volume would come with an extra, but apparently it will be a bonus only if you buy all 7 (and if you live in Japan).

HAPPY CLAMP DAY, EVERYONE! ♡

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: XXXHOLiC #17 & #18 covers

The covers of XXXHOLiC #17 and #18 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition have been announced!

They will be released on April 6. They can be ordered via Amazon Japan (volume 17, volume 18).

My guesses were half-right! We have older Doumeki on the cover of 17 but we don’t have an older Kohane on the cover of volume 18. Instead, we have Yaobikuni, becoming one of the few selected yokai to make it to the covers.

My bet for volume 19 now is Watanuki all by himself, or maybe with older Kohane? xD

Only one volume left for XXXHOLiC now. Volume 19 will come out on May 6th.

XXXHOLiC Rei will not be released immediately after. Instead, the next CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION series will be Tokyo Babylon, to be released by Kadokawa.

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: XXXHOLiC #15 & #16 covers

The covers of XXXHOLiC #15 and #16 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition have been announced!

They will be released on March 4. They can be ordered via Amazon Japan (volume 15, volume 16).

I’m so glad the Oden Fox got its cover! It makes perfect sense!

And as expected, Watanuki on the cover of volume 16, given that this is the volume where “Rou” begins.

Really interesting how they have kept it 100% XXXHOLiC, not using the Tsubasa characters.

What’s next for volumes 17-19? Possibly older Doumeki and older Kohane? We never saw older Himawari so I don’t think she is an option. Is Watanuki getting the 19th cover alone?

These covers are so gorgeous!

Here’s the upcoming release schedule for XXXHOLiC:

April 6th 2022: volumes 17 & 18
May 2022: volume 19 & ?

CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION: XXXHOLiC #13 & #14 covers

The covers of XXXHOLiC #13 and #14 for the CLAMP PREMIUM COLLECTION edition have been announced!

They will be released on February 4. They can be ordered via Amazon Japan (volume 13, volume 14).

Maru and Moro? At this point? xD I feel like CLAMP are cheating, haha!

Funny how Yuuko is sitting in both of them so as she’s on he same height as them =)

Here’s the upcoming release schedule for XXXHOLiC:

March 4th 2022: volumes 15 & 16
April 2022: volumes 17 & 18
May 2022: volume 19 & ?