X/1999 (X/1999)

Rating:
Summary: Ahhhh... satisfying translation (for once).
Review: Alright. I'll put down my 'Anti-Viz' banner for the time being, though I'm certain that it'll be flying high for volume 16 (that scene just won't be the same without the honorifics, I tell you. Lose the impact without 'san's and 'kun's).

I was actually pretty darned satisfied with this volume. First off, no mention of 'dodge ball' (involuntary shudder at memories of volume 12).

Important things of note in this volume?

UBER-CUTENESS!Yuzuriha. Love this volume for it's centricity about poor li'l Yuzu-chan and the resolution of her crisis. Faboo! Though why no one got the damned hint about our li'l dreemseer when Inuki went apesh*t is far beyond me. Dur hur hur. Kamui, grow a brain. (smack on da head) And she told Kusa that she loves him! Kawaii! My cuteness factor's been pinged high. Time to get back to angst. *cackle*

VIOLENT!Kamui. The boy grew a spine somewhere between here and volume 12, which is highly satisfying. Gives me hope that the li'l touch of happy-happy that Clamp let Kotori elude to in volume... I think it was 5 or 6... has a chance of coming true. C'mon, Kamui! Live, Kamui! *waves her "Yay, Kamui! We love you!" banner*

ANGSTING!Kakyo. Actually, he's always angsting. But this explains all of that angsting. Oh, the pain... the pain!! Damn it, this boy should just jump ship and go to the side his precious one would've wanted him to be sided with. Moron. And with Evil!Hinoto these days, the DOH do need all the help they can get - even if it's a goober who's unconscious for 18 of 18 volumes of X.

PRESENT!Hokuto. Been loving this girl since Tokyo Babylon. Still loving this girl. She is, without a doubt, one of the most friggin' awesome female characters ever created by CLAMP. Jubilent, independant, angsting only when the world's crashing down about her (and even then, doing it with whaps to her brother's head, gentle hugs and chocolate cakes with tea), bright, smiley and just all around great, she really gets her time here (especially considering that she's been dead for 9 years). Love the way she and Kakyo so beautifully interact, explaining everything about invalid boy and nothing about her experimental 'dates' with the dreemseer. *cackle* Yay, Hokuto! More Hokuto! Gaw, I miss her. *cries*

EVIL!Hinoto. She's been evil for awhile, but this was a wonderful volume full of wickedry. I love the fact that the translation (that I didn't have to pound through one friggin' symbol at a time...) nicely clarifies (or attempts to!) what her deal is.

SEXY!Fuuma. The boy's always sexy (at least, he has been since he got hit by the giant DOE stick), but this volume... hoooo, maybe it's just something about him being evil and covered with blood, but #($@ the boy just rocks. *drool*

OH-SHNIKEYS!Subaru. Volume 16's just around the corner. *shudder shudder* Mmmmm.... heh heh heh heh. No spoilers here. THAT'S the volume... ahhhhh. No spoilers! *refrains from typing more*

Rating:
Summary: A Great Volume
Review: This is the 15th volume of X. Just for your information, Yuuto is on the cover.
I greatly enjoyed this book, mainly because Kamui gets a spine. It's very encouraging, and it makes me think of how far he's come. I don't want to give anything away, but let's just say that Fuuma's at it again... with a particularly vulnerable Dragon of Heaven as his target. At the end of the book is the back story for Kakyou. It's pretty sad, but how Kakyou became an invalid is finally explained.
In conclusion, don't miss this volume!