Anime Expo 15 Cosplay 2006

This focus panel was truly significant as it would be the first time ever that CLAMP had made an appearance in the US. This is quite an accomplishment as this group is well-known for cherishing their privacy and being rather reclusive.

The line (shown above) to get into the CLAMP focus panel was huge. It completely filled the 6,000 seat auditorium with a waiting list on top of that. Many of the events at AX were so large that special accommodations had to be made for the waiting line down on the first floor. This was a great idea and kept folks from mobbing the hallways outside the panel room. The focus panel was scheduled to start at 2 PM, but I suppose that was to include seating fans in the auditorium, which ended up taking about 2 hours. The panel finally started about 3:20 PM.

First, let me be clear. For the focus panel, ALL recording devices, video, still, even audio was strictly forbidden. Any violations would result in the surrender of badge and media cards and eviction from the convention. So hopefully the crude notes I took will suffice.

The host for the CLAMP panel was Colleen Clinkenbeard, an accomplished voice actress for FUNimation as well as director and script writer for many anime titles. She would be directing the English adaptation of Tsubasa Chronicles. Kudos were also given to Kodansha, the largest publisher of literature and manga in Japan, for making the CLAMP focus panel possible.

Before the CLAMP artists appeared on stage, members of the audience were invited to relate their personal stories on why they became fans of CLAMP. For one person, it was Cardcaptor Sakura. For others, it was Magic Knight Rayearth. After the personal accounts, a 22 minute introductory video was shown. As the different works were brought up in chronological order, the audience would break into cheers of various intensity depending on the popularity of the series. Some of the series that met with rave cheering were Tokyo Babylon, Magic Knight Rayearth (the first manga to combine girls with battle mecha), Wish (big cheers), Cardcaptor Sakura (huge, huge cheers). The video pointed out that CCS was initially aimed at young girls, but quickly crossed generations and became popular for all ages, Angelic Layer (CLAMP's first attempt to appeal specifically to a male audience), Chobits (big cheers), Tsubasa Chronicle (huge cheers), xxxHolic (big cheers). Tsubasa Chronicle and xxxHolic are currently in production and the storylines are linked to each other. Two movies will be created for these two series and the movies will be interlinked to each other as well.

After the video, Gen Fukunaga, the CEO of FUNimation took the stage to announce that both movies would be released in the US by FUNimation and to introduce CLAMP to the audience.

Seated left to right was Satsuki Igarashi in brown, Ageha Ohkawa in green, Tsubaki Nekoi in white and Mokona in a floral kimono.

Ageha Ohkawa spoke first and was also the one to answer the majority of the questions that would come later. Before getting to the questions, she showed some photos from their studio. Each artist had her own very small office where they each do their own respective work. First was Ohkawa-sensei's office. She uses a computer to write the scripts and employs a playwright style rather then a conventional manga style. Next was Mokona-sensei's office where she gets the scripts and works on the storyboards. Ohkawa-sensei took a moment to ask if Tsubasa Chronicle was in the states yet and the audience went wild in response. There were shelves and boxes filled with hundreds of Copic pens in Mokona-sensei's office. It was a bit humorous as yet another slide appears with yet more pens, Ohkawa-sensei looked up and says there are more pens, next please. This prompted some good-natured laughter from the audience. Next was Tsubaki Nekoi's office which Ohkawa-sensei says is the neatest of the group. Mokona-sensei protested that her office is messy because of the many Copic color pens that are required for her work. Finally we see Satsuki Igarashi's office where she is inking an illustration for xxxHolic.

Ohkawa-sensei pointed out that they do all their own work without the assistants that are normally associated with manga production.

After the slide presentation, questions were asked from a pre-selected list which was earlier solicited via  the Anime Expo website. Out of 1000+ questions submitted, 12 or so were selected. Remember, I had no audio recording upon which to base my recap of these questions, only my hastily scribbled notes. The following is extremely paraphrased and in some cases, questions may have been unwittingly combined. However, I believe that I've gotten the gist of the answers detailed.

• How did the group first get together? (See press interview below for an in-depth response to this)

• How long does it take to produce the story before it is drawn?
  Each story  is written with the ending predetermined. (There was a shocked response from the audience to this announcement. This was obviously news to the majority of attendees).
  The script for each installment (about 20 pages of artwork) takes about 8 hours to write
  The storyboard takes about 12 hours
  The artwork (20 pages) depends on the particular story. For example, xxxHolic takes about 2 days, X takes 4-5 days.

• How do you work together? Who does which work?
  Ohkawa-sensei writes the scripts and comes up with the plots. Responsibility for the storyboard varies and depends on the particular series. Likewise, the artwork depends on the story as well. xxxHolic actually has two artists (Mokona-sensei and Nekoi-sensei) working on it. Someone takes care of directing the toning, but there is no particular role that anyone assumes.

• Are your character designs changing to a taller, thinner, which is still beautiful, style? (See press interview below for an in-depth response to this)

• How long does it take to finish one drawing? (There may be two or more questions rolled up into this explanation)
  Unless there is an ink blot, the color work is never started over. Tsubaki Nekoi pointed out that first the work is done in pencil so errors can be easily fixed at that time. The inking and coloring comes later. Igarashi-sensei said that Nekoi likes to doodle a lot and then throw those doodles away. But they sometimes uncrumple the papers and submit them to their website. Ohkawa-sensei said that deadlines are the best motivation.

• What was your most enjoyable series?
  Ohkawa-sensei said that their early works had much tragedy in them so, for her, Cardcaptor Sakura was the most fun. For the other three artists, they all unanimously agreed that Duklyon: CLAMP School Defenders was the most fun.

• In linking your various characters, do you have a clear idea of the basis of your characters when you start?
  Ohkawa-sensei responded that aside from the fantasy stories, all CLAMP works take place in the same universe. There was a desire to link the fantasy characters as well, so that's where Yuuko from xxxHolic comes in.

• What was the motivation for creating Tsubasa Chronicle?
  Ohkawa-sensei responded. We knew that the characters chosen for the TC role would have to come from a story with a happy ending (editor note: which shows why CCS was chosen). The inspiration was to link all of the CLAMP fantasy worlds just like the other real world stories were linked. Ohkawa-sensei continued. Sakura and Syaoran must go through many trials to reach their own happy ending. (editor note: Does this mean that Tsubasa Chronicle will indeed have a happy ending?)

• When will you finally complete Kobato?
  It will be continued in the Japanese Newtype (editor note: in October 2006)

• Why is Yuuko's symbol the butterfly?
  In Oriental philosophy, the butterfly symbolizes a person's soul. It also stands for transformation.

• Fai and Kurogane seem to represent a sort of yin/yang idea, black and white, light and dark. Did you intend for there to be a kind of opposites attract sort of thing with them? (The audience goes wild at this point with much enthusiastic yelling and cheering. You have just got to love those otaku fangirls.)
  Ohkawa-sensei laughed a bit and then looked quizzically at the audience. She asked if it is the fans' desire to see these two paired up (The audience breaks into even greater yells and cheers of affirmation. It was an amazing thing to witness). Ohkawa-sensei continued with the answer. Syaoran as a young hero is the main character of the story and is still growing and developing. The CLAMP artists wanted some adult side characters to accompany him. Kurogane is dressed in black but is a more straightforward character. Fai is dressed in white but his character is harder to read. Ohkawa-sensei continues... In the current installment, Fai is in a tight spot. You might not be happy with it.

• Would CLAMP consider working on an American project?
  Ohkawa-sensei responds. We might want to do something, but we should start with the Tsubasa Chronicle and xxxHolic movies for now.

This ended the questions for CLAMP. Their parting words were that this was their first experience with the US. Having seen the enthusiasm of the audience has made them very happy.
 

Following the public CLAMP focus panel, there was a private press conference. Only two photo sessions were allowed, one at the beginning of the press conference and one at the end. In both cases, it was a posed photo shoot. Candid photos were expressly forbidden.

(A transcript of the press conference will be following shortly)