X (manga)

In 1999, Kamui Shiro returns to Tokyo after a six-year absence to fulfill his mother's dying wish of changing fate. However, he keeps his distance from two childhood friends, Kotori and Fuma Monou, whom he originally treasured as a child. The end of the world is fast approaching as superhuman individuals will assure their victory. The clone Nataku steals the "Sacred Sword" (神剣, Shinken) from Fuma's family temple, with his dying father telling his son that he is Kamui's "twin star".

The Dragons of Heaven are the first to contact Kamui. Hinoto, the dreamgazer for the Japanese Legislature guides them. They are the protectors of the kekkai (結界), spiritual barriers (in the form of buildings such as the Tokyo Tower) that hold the fabric of nature together. As long as the kekkai survive, Judgment Day is postponed.

The manga artist group Clamp created X. Influenced by the works of Go Nagai and Kyokutei Bakin, the story develops the group's ideas on humanity's responsibility to itself; its family and the planet. After the success of Tokyo Babylon and Clamp School Detectives, their editor at Monthly Asuka, Seiichiro Aoki, approached the members of Clamp to script a longer series. Writer Nanase Ohkawa, the group's head writer, seized the opportunity to script her long-in-development "end of the world" epic.

Conceived while she was still in middle school, Ohkawa's original story focused on a group of warriors fighting a losing battle in the name of justice. While the idea never materialized, many aspects were carried over into Clamp's manga, including the lead characters of Kamui and Fuma. Kamui was originally written as a high-school student from Kotori Monou's point of view to appeal to the shōjo audience of young females. However, poor response from readers led to Clamp changing their characterizations.

The X manga series was a commercial success in Japan, with over 12 million copies in circulation; while in North America it often appeared on The New York Times Manga Best Sellers of 2012 and ICv2 lists.

The manga's plot and cast were praised. Animerica regarded it as one of Clamp's most iconic works from their early career. According to the site, "Part of the appeal of the X manga series is its surreal blend of Taoist, Shinto, and even European mysticism with real-world locales and historical landmarks familiar to Japanese fans." According to Anime Nation, X "appears to defy the conventions of "boys' manga" and "girls' manga" because of multiple features provided by the authors such as violence and romance that will appeal to many types of reader. Anime News Network noted that while there are no explicit homosexual relationships, the shōjo appeal might give the reader this impression when the male characters interact, something the shônen demographic might not like.