Crunchyroll will exclusively stream a remastered version of the X² – Double X OVA project based on CLAMP’s X/1999 franchise worldwide (outside of Japan, China, and South Korea) starting on June 10 at 3:00 p.m. EDT. To mark the digital release of the music video compilation from X JAPAN, the rock group’s leader YOSHIKI talked to ANN about the work’s significance and his thoughts about the new release 33 years later (the full interview can be read below).
© CLAMP・ST/KADOKAWA・movic・ANIPLEX
The X² – Double X OVA is a roughly 28-minute work that features four songs from X JAPAN and written by YOSHIKI: “Silent Jealousy,” “Kurenai,” “Endless Rain,” and “X.” The first three songs feature CLAMP’s illustrations from the X/1999 manga in a slideshow style, while the final “X” song features an anime co-produced by MADHOUSE. YOSHIKI told ANN the choices of what songs to use “came together very organically.” He added, “Many of my compositions have a dramatic and cinematic quality, and they seemed to fit naturally with the atmosphere and emotion of CLAMP’s visual style.”
© CLAMP・ST/KADOKAWA・movic・ANIPLEX
© CLAMP・ST/KADOKAWA・movic・ANIPLEX
© CLAMP・ST/KADOKAWA・movic・ANIPLEX
YOSHIKI told ANN that at the time “collaborations between rock bands and the anime world were almost unheard of.” The band and the manga happened to share the same name, which is what caught X JAPAN’s attention, and YOSHIKI stated he was “immediately impressed by the beauty, depth, and originality” of CLAMP’s artwork, feeling as though “there was a natural connection between our two worlds.”
The work was named “Double X” for the collaboration between the X manga and X JAPAN, and from CLAMP and X JAPAN’s desire to create a definitive “Double X” experience. The original VHS release in 1993 sold out instantly, later becoming a collector’s item. YOSHIKI said he remembers “feeling that this collaboration had the potential to become something really special.”
Crunchyroll’s upcoming release on June 10 marks the first time the work will be available digitally officially. YOSHIKI said “it’s exciting to see a new generation discover it,” and expressed his happiness that fans around the world can now experience the work.
The OVA serves as an origin point for animated music videos featuring musical artists. “Anime has a unique ability to connect with people on a deep, emotional level,” YOSHIKI said. “I think both music and anime have the power to transcend language, so when they’re combined, they can create something very special.”
X² – Double X also led to the 1996 X movie, which featured X JAPAN’s “Forever Love” as its theme song. Rintarō (Galaxy Express 999, Metropolis) directed both the OVA and the film.
The four-member manga creator collective CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Magic Knight Rayearth, xxxHOLiC) launched X/1999 (titled simply X in Japan) in 1992, and the series went on hiatus in 2003. The manga remains unfinished. Aside from X² – Double X in 1993 and the 1996 X movie, the manga also inspired the X TV series, which aired for 24 episodes in 2001-2002.
X JAPAN — the highly successful rock group known for pioneering the “visual-kei” movement defined by its look and sound — has sold more than 30 million albums, singles, and videos combined. At the time of the releases of X² – Double X and X movie, the group had completed three consecutive sold-out nights at Tokyo Dome, becoming the first Japanese band to ever do so.
YOSHIKI has since composed and performed theme songs for Attack on Titan and Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary, and YOSHIKI composed and X JAPAN performed the theme song for Buddha: The Great Departure. “Throughout my career, I’ve worked in many different areas of music, but I’ve always believed in the potential of anime,” YOSHIKI said. “You can see its influence everywhere, and I’m excited whenever I have the opportunity to contribute to that world.”
Image courtesy of YOSHIKI
YOSHIKI is returning to Los Angeles for two concerts titled “YOSHIKI CLASSICAL 2026 IN LOS ANGELES: WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL ‘SCARLET NIGHT’ & ‘VIOLET NIGHT'” on July 16 and 17. Additionally, YOSHIKI will also perform a concert in Paris on July 10 at Japan Expo, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Please check out our full interview with YOSHIKI below!
ANN: How did X JAPAN originally decide to collaborate with CLAMP, and what was it about CLAMP and the X/1999 manga that made you want to work with them?
YOSHIKI: At that time, collaborations between rock bands and the anime world were almost unheard of. We happened to share the same name, “X,” which caught my attention. When I saw CLAMP’s artwork, I was immediately impressed by the beauty, depth, and originality. It felt like there was a natural connection between our two worlds.
How did X JAPAN choose the songs to use in the project?
Nothing like this had really been done before. Today it might seem natural, but at the time, I knew it was a bold step. I wanted to create an emotional experience for fans of both music and anime. As for the songs, those choices came together very organically. Many of my compositions have a dramatic and cinematic quality, and they seemed to fit naturally with the atmosphere and emotion of CLAMP’s visual style.
What were your thoughts when you first saw the final product of X² – Double X over 30 years ago?
I remember feeling that this collaboration had the potential to become something really special. No one could imagine how much anime and manga would grow internationally, but it felt like we were creating something new. Looking at the world today, with series like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer reaching audiences everywhere, I’m grateful to have been part of that history. I’ll always be thankful to CLAMP for making it possible.
What are your thoughts now, both about the collaboration and about the anime finally being available to fans worldwide over 30 years later?
I’m incredibly happy that fans around the world can finally experience it. There are many people involved between artists, record labels, publishers, and animation studios, so clearing all of the rights took a very long time. The fact that this work is finally being released globally more than 30 years later is something I never imagined back then. It’s exciting to see a new generation discover it.
Since this collaboration, you composed and X JAPAN performed the theme song for Buddha: The Great Departure, and you have also composed and performed theme songs for Attack on Titan and Saint Seiya: Legend of Sanctuary. Why do you continue to write and perform songs for anime projects?
Throughout my career, I’ve worked in many different areas of music, but I’ve always believed in the potential of anime. I have tremendous respect for it as an art form. It can tell really powerful stories, and there’s something magic about it that connects with people across different cultures and different generations. You can see its influence everywhere, and I’m excited whenever I have the opportunity to contribute to that world.
Many see this work as a starting point for music video OVAs and an early origin of the anime music video. Why do you think the fusion of anime footage and popular music has had such enduring popularity worldwide?
Because anime has a unique ability to connect with people on a deep, emotional level. Of course, it can be entertaining, but it can also be philosophical sometimes and inspiring. The best anime is incredibly moving. I think both music and anime have the power to transcend language, so when they’re combined, they can create something very special. I’m grateful to all the anime fans who have supported and shared this culture with the world, and I’m honored to be part of that journey.
Source: Email correspondence
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
