X (1999) The Beauty of complexity

X (1999) or X Clamp is a 23-episode anime that, surprisingly, is not that famous. Personally I think It didn’t get its due attention and fame. What first drew my attention to the anime (In France2 around 17.00, several years ago) were the beauty and the new technique it uses in its “drawings”. It has an extremely charming and even mystic touch embellishing the general anime: it is central European style mixed with Japanese modern and traditional cultural features and some pastiche from the oriental mode.

Another colossal aesthetic point is the characters’ profiles, and chiefly the intricate links between all of them that oscillate between love and hatred, pity and destruction … philosophy, theology, pure aesthetic ism, sociology, psychology… the anime incarnates all in a general harmonious pleasurable whole. If such a combination was made possible it was owing to the ingenious battle- plot: each mini “chapter” centers around the pivot of a fight between members of the two teams; the dragons of the Earth and the dragons of Heaven. Both parties fight over a decisive act to be inflicted or not on earth. I leave for you the pleasure of discovering the epic but fatal decision each camp adopts.

The impossibility of judging the motives of characters or classing them to categories of good and evil makes this anime perplexing while at the same time alluring. It clothes it with a highly complex mesh of themes, motifs and symbols … the audience finds itself smoothly indulging in a game of interpretation with the anime, its characters, its events and motives. 

However, (there must be always a however, HAHA, till now it seems perfect) the ending is unfortunately … hmmm … euphemistically, catastrophic. That Ending, Man!!! They spoiled a tremendous work done on such a perfect anime (till we reach the ending). It seems that the group wanted to close the anime and finish with it (since X 1999 was meant to be the crowing of other animes by the same Studio): this led to a hasty conclusion that ruined in a way the anime.

But, still, the anime is worth watching! Even with the abrupt ending it s still one of the most amazing ones: plot, characterization, animation, graphics … I ardently recommend it; you won’t regret it!

 waiting for your comments!