Sorry I’m a bit late, I’ve been traveling around for the past weeks (see location at the end of the post =P) and I have had very little online time. But here are the most important news that have appeared in the past few weeks.

• Artbook:

Here is the cover of the Kobato. Illustrations & Memories artbook:

So pretty, I loved it! The artbook will have a short story drawn by CLAMP and an interview with them. It’ll be released on September 26.

• Blu-Ray:

The Kobato. TV Anime series will be released in Blu-Ray format sometime soon. The information comes from the series’ official website (http://www.kobato.tv). More details will be announced soon.

• Ranking:

After its first week of sales, the final volume of Kobato. debuted in the 16th position in Oricon’s ranking. That’s a very good position considering that it’s only covering 2 days of sales (since it was released on the 26th and the ranking covers up to the 28th).

08/22~08/28

1st – Ao Haru Ride #2
2nd – GANTZ #32
3rd FAIRY TAIL #28
16th – Kobato. #6

This is the first time that a Kobato. volume appears in Oricon’s ranking after volume 2. It is also the highest position reached by a Kobato. volume.

Also according to Oricon, Kobato. #6 sold 43.331 copies in its first week. In comparison, Kobato. #2 sold 32.351 copies in its first week.

Hopefully we will see Kobato. again in next week’s ranking, specially since there is a campaign related to that volume.

– Next scheduled chapters (red means new):

08/04 – Jump SQ #09 – Chapter 6 (on sale).
09/04 – Jump SQ #10 – Chapter 7 – Last chapter of tankoubon 2.
10/04 – Jump SQ #11 – Chapter 8 – Beginning of tankoubon 3.

No new additions for GATE 7.

• Gouhou Drug:

The covers for the new editions of Gouhou Drug #1 and #2 were announced!

Ahhh, so the original design was preserved, I’m so glad! They are even wearing the same outfits, it’s like the same “photoshoot”, but with different poses XD But maaaan, do they look different! I don’t like this new style at all, their trace looks too simple! =( I really hope Nekoi improves her drawing with time.

The new editions of Gouhou Drug #1 and #2 will be released on October 4

• BLOOD-C – Novel:

CLAMP has drawn the cover illustration for the novel version of BLOOD-C:

So nice!

The novel is written by Junichi Fujusaku, who is also one of the writers for the TV Series along with CLAMP’s Nanase Ohkawa. It will be released by Kadokawa Shoten on October 4.

• BLOOD-C – Interview:

Website ANN interviewed the director Tsutomu Mizushima and screenwriter Junichi Fujusaku of the BLOOD-C TV Series. It’s a very interesting reading since they talk about CLAMP’s involvement on the project. You can read it here.

• CLAMP FESTIVAL 2011 TOKYO:

Suga Shikao has been added to the festival’s line up as a special guest! He will make a XXXHOLiC special live performance.

So cool! This festival line up was missing a major name and that name has been filled now by Suga Shikao =)

Here’s a detailed schedule for the festival:

Singer Stage:
– Suga Shikao XXXHOLiC special live performance.
– Duet between Sakura Tange and Junko Iwao (Card Captor Sakura).
– Card Captor Sakura medley featuring 5 songs.

Seiyuu Stage:
– Holitsuba skit (script by CLAMP).
– Maaya Sakamoto will be the narrator for the animation based on the original manga drawn by ClAMP.
– Live performances of the seiyuus are scheduled during the Holitsuba skit as well.

A free event named CLAMP Campus Festival will be held at the back of where CLAMP FESTIVAL will be held. In this event, cosplay contests and sales of original goods will take place. There will be a CLAMP Cafe, where visitors can have Mokona-shaped candies while they check a collection of CLAMP’s art reproductions.

An official Guide Book about the Fetsival will be sold at the event and the cover art will be drawn by CLAMP.

The Japanese video streaming website Nico Nico will cover the event from 10 AM until 10 PM (not sure if they will cover just the CLAMP Campus Festival or the entire CLAMP FESTIVAL event).

And more, there will be merchandise booths for Card Captor Sakura, GATE 7, Kobato., Gouhou Drug and BLOOD-C.

Anyway, there is simply a lot of stuff happening in this event, it will be one hell of an event. I may have missed a few things here and there, or maybe I chose not to post about them, but this is pretty much what’s been confirmed so far =)