X ~TV Series~ DVD

Kamui Shirō returns to Tokyo after six years away, drawn back by the deaths of people connected to his past. Tokyo is the stage for the prophesied Armageddon — the Final Battle for Earth — and Kamui has been chosen by fate as its decisive figure. Two opposing groups wait for him: the Dragons of Heaven, who fight to preserve human civilization and the world as it is, and the Dragons of Earth, who seek to cleanse the planet of humanity and allow nature to reclaim it. Each side holds people Kamui loves. His childhood friends Kotori and Fuma are bound to this conflict in ways that go beyond their knowledge, and the future of everyone he cares about hinges on which side he chooses. Kamui does not want to choose. Destiny does not offer an exemption.

X is a 24-episode supernatural action drama produced by Madhouse — the studio behind Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Metropolis, Chobits, Claymore, Ninja Scroll, Texhnolyze, and Paprika — directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri — the director of Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, Cyber City Oedo 808, Demon City Shinjuku, and Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust — and based on CLAMP's manga serialized in Monthly Asuka from 1992 to 2003, which remains unfinished due to publisher censorship concerns. The series aired on TV Tokyo from January 3 to December 26, 2001, producing its own original ending where the manga could not. The score was composed by Hiroaki Serizawa; the opening theme "Forever Love" is performed by X Japan — the same song written by Yoshiki for the 1996 theatrical film. A prequel OVA episode (Episode 0) is included on the FUNimation DVD set. Geneon Entertainment originally released the series in North America on eight DVD volumes from September 2002 to November 2003, followed by two box sets in January 2005 and a Remix edition in 2006 with re-encoded 5.1 audio. FUNimation re-licensed the franchise in 2009 and released the Complete Series DVD on June 15, 2010 — using the original Geneon English dub — in a slipcover holding two thinpak cases with four discs total. A FUNimation Anime Classics reissue followed January 3, 2012.

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Wicked City, Ninja Scroll, Demon City Shinjuku, Goku: Midnight Eye, Cyber City Oedo 808, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, The Animatrix)
Original Manga: CLAMP (Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi, Satsuki Igarashi — also: Cardcaptor Sakura, RG Veda, Magic Knight Rayearth, Angelic Layer, Chobits, Code Geass character designs)
Studio: Madhouse (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Metropolis, Chobits, Claymore, Ninja Scroll, Texhnolyze, Paprika, Elfen Lied, Cyber City Oedo 808)
Music: Hiroaki Serizawa
Opening Theme: "Forever Love" by X Japan (Yoshiki — originally composed for the 1996 X theatrical film)
Ending Theme: "Forever Love (Piano Version)" by X Japan

Japanese Cast:
• Tomokazu Seki as Kamui Shirō (Chobits, Arjuna, Vandread, Gate Keepers, Sorcerer Hunters, Fushigi Yugi, Wagnaria!! — Hiroomi Soma, Junjou Romantica additional cast)
• Takehito Koyasu as Fuma Monou (Slayers, Escaflowne, Gate Keepers, Fushigi Yugi, Z.O.E. Dolores I, Spriggan, Witchblade, Sorcerer Hunters TV, Texhnolyze, Gundam SEED Destiny, Code Geass additional cast)
• Mamiko Noto as Kotori Monou (Kaiba, Haibane Renmei, Elfen Lied, Freezing, Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne)
• Yuki Matsuoka as Yuzuriha Nekoi
• Kazuhiko Inoue as Seiichirou Aoki (Macross II, Outlaw Star, Vampire Princess Miyu TV, Cyber City Oedo 808 — Benten)
• Aya Hisakawa as Seiichiro Aoki's additional cast / Karen Kasumi (Sailor Moon, Oh My Goddess! OVA, Battle Athletes, Night Warriors, Claymore — Teresa, Dragon Ball Super — Bulma)

English Dub Cast (Geneon dub — used on FUNimation release):
• Steve Cannon as Kamui Shirō
• Lex Lang as Fuma Monou (Gestalt, Rurouni Kenshin, Moldiver, Ninja Cadets, Burn-Up Scramble, Star Ocean EX — Dias, Record of Lodoss War additional cast)
• Michelle Ruff as Kotori Monou (Noir, Claymore, Freedom, .hack//Legend of the Twilight — Rena, Elfen Lied additional cast)
• Carrie Savage as Yuzuriha Nekoi (Ghost Talker's Daydream — Ai Kunugi, Haibane Renmei — Rakka)
• Wendee Lee as Karen Kasumi (El-Hazard, Tenchi Universe, Gestalt, Kurogane Communication, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Video Girl Ai, Ninja Scroll — Kagero, Goku: Midnight Eye, Galaxy Fräulein Yuna Returns)

DVD Features (FUNimation Complete Series, June 15, 2010)

• All 24 Episodes + Episode 0 OVA on 4 Discs
• Slipcover packaging housing 2 thinpak cases (2 discs per case)
• Director's Interview with Yoshiaki Kawajiri
• Original Japanese Trailer for Episode 0
• Textless Opening & Closing Songs
• Trailers
• FUNimation Previews
• Note: Uses original Geneon Entertainment English dub. FUNimation Anime Classics reissue January 3, 2012.

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: X (エックス / Ekkusu)
Runtime: 625 Minutes (24 Episodes + Episode 0 OVA, 4 Discs)
Director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri
DVD Release Year: 2010 (U.S. Complete Series, June 15 — FUNimation Entertainment, $49.98, slipcover / thinpak); Anime Classics reissue January 3, 2012; original Geneon release 2002–2003
Original Broadcast Date (Japan): January 3 – December 26, 2001 (TV Tokyo)
Publisher: FUNimation Entertainment (re-license); original publisher Geneon Entertainment (2002–2006, out of print)
Rating: 14+
Region: Region 1 (U.S. / Canada)
Note: Based on CLAMP's unfinished manga — series produces its own original ending. Opening theme "Forever Love" by X Japan originally written for the 1996 theatrical film. Yoshiaki Kawajiri directing an apocalyptic CLAMP property is as distinctive a collaboration as it sounds.
Genre: Action, Drama, Supernatural
Themes: Dragons of Heaven and Earth, Apocalyptic Prophecy, Fate vs Free Will, CLAMP Mythology, Yoshiaki Kawajiri Direction

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.