A press release was sent to several Japanese media outlets today sharing more information about the GIFT picture book, along with its key visual:

Source: PRTIMES, Fashion Press, Famitsu

Some Famitsu article reports that a translated version of the book is being considered for a future release, although it’s not mentioned which language.

The other information has already been shared elsewhere and you can check my previous post for them, but this key visual is brand new.

Yesterday, the GIFT performance was held at the Tokyo Dome and two other illustrations were published on the special newspaper that was being distributed at the venue:

The color palette in the key visual is different than the one from the newspaper, so I wonder if it’s related to the story or if the ones shared at the newspaper were only proof of concept ones.

I prefer the key visual one. It looks gorgeous and more polished.

CLAMP trended once again on twitter in Japan today after this news piece was published:

The GIFT picture book will be released on September 1st.

Kodansha has announced more details about the upcoming Yuzuru Hanyu x CLAMP collaboration picture book GIFT.

It will be released on September 1st, costing 3,300 yens. The book will have 64 pages, a hardcover. Its format will be AB — 210 × 257 mm, which is slightly similar to A4 format.

Moreover, the limited first print will come with 2 postcards.

You can preorder the book at CD Japan and Amazon Japan.

Hardcover is nice! I think this will be quite fancy looking =) and if I have to guess, I would say one postcard will have a Yuzuru Hanyu picture and the other one a CLAMP illustration.

CLAMP announced their first collaboration with figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu: a picture book based on Yuzuru Hanyu’s solo performance “GIFT”. which will take place on February 26 at the Tokyo Dome.

The picture book is going to be released by Kodansha.

Yuzuru Hanyu’s comment (taken from the official website of GIFT)

In creating the story “GIFT”, I had many different images in mind. I was hoping that CLAMP would be able to realize this image of GIFT as a picture book. I hoped that CLAMP would embody this image in his work, which offers a different worldview from that of the performance at the Tokyo Dome. I hope that through this work, many people will feel a different perspective and enjoy it.

CLAMP’s comment (taken from the official website of GIFT)

We were really surprised when we received this offer. I hope that we can help deliver to you another “GIFT” called “picture book” envisioned by Hanyu-san, which is different from the unprecedented performance called “GIFT,” without any discrepancies.

More details to be announced soon! The official website of GIFT says that more information will be given on the official social networks and the special newspaper sold at Tokyo Dome, which makes me think that the book will not be released in time for the performance.

It’s always exciting to see collaborations like this. This is what makes CLAMP a “creative group” instead of ‘simply a “mangaka group”. It’s also worth mentioning that they specifically mentioned that this is their “first” collaboration, implying that there could be more in the future.