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Facts -- Rabi's X Page

Some facts are gathered from Richard Vermaas's CLAMP Internet Guide.

Click on each line to go directly to the answer.

1. What is the meaning of X?
2. What is the meaning of "the promised day of 1999"?
3. I heard that some of the characters in X were from other CLAMP's manga, is that true?
4. On the inner flap of each X tankouban's jacket, there is a special title underneath each character's picture. What do those mean?
5. At the end of tankouban X7, the scientist were impressed by Satsuki's understanding of Sephiroth? What is that anyway?
6. Can someone explain all those religious sect and temples in the stories? Do they really exist?
7. What are the significance of various well-known buildings in the story?
8. What is written on the blade of the Shinken (Holy Sword)?

1. What is the meaning of X?

   According to Cynthia Ma's translation of part of CLAMP's interview (original interview found in Asuka #6, June, 1993):

   There are several meanings. It can mean a cross of cruxification, of course, or unknown in formulae and scientific analysis, and there is also a narcotic named "X". "X" is a combination of meaning like these.

2. What is the meaning of "the promised day of 1999"?

   In the same interview, Ookawa-sensei replies:

   Like the "Revelation to John" of Christians and Nostradams (sp?), the final judgement day is called the "promised day". Although the Christians did not presume it to be in the year of 1999, combining the stories of the "last war" according to various religion, it is said to be 1999.

3. I heard that some of the characters in X were from other CLAMP's manga, is that true?

   Yes. In fact, a lot of CLAMP's manga have characters crossing over different series. In X, we have:

   • Seishirou Sakurazuka -- also in Tokyo Babylon
   • Subaru Sumeragi -- also in Tokyo Babylon
   • Nokoru Imonoyama -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, Campus Police Duklyon
   • Akira Ijuin -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, 20 Menshou ni Onegai
   • Suoh Takamura -- also in CLAMP Campus Detective Team, Hagun Seisenki

4. On the inner flap of each X tankouban's jacket, there is a special title underneath each character's picture. What do those mean?

   Those titles are the names of "trumps", or "major arcana", of a tarot deck (like fortune-telling cards). There are 22 such trumps, and CLAMP is assigning an X character to each of these trumps. So, we may well expect X to last for 22 volumes. For more info on tarots, here is a Tarot Resources page.

   The following has been revised since the previous update. Also, my friend Subaru's tarot-character prediction has been taken out from this page, but I have kept his explanation for Fuuma's card at the bottom. The list below contains known combination (X1-X13), upcoming tarot cards, and a list of remaining characters who may appear on any tarot.  X14 - from the hints on the spine of X13, it looks like the next volume is gonna be Arashi.

    1. Magician - Kamui                
    2. High Priestess - Hinoto         
    3. Empress - Kanoe                 
    4. Emperor - Kyougo                
    5. Hierophant - Seiichirou         
    6. Lovers - Kotori                 
    7. Chariot - Sorata                
    8. Strength - Yuzuriha             
    9. Hermit - Satsuki                
   10. Wheel of Fortune - Kakyou       
   11. Justice - Karen
   12. Hanged Man - Subaru
   13. Death - Seishirou
   14. Temperance - Arashi
   
   Upcoming tarot cards   Remaining characters
   ====================   ====================
   15. Devil              Nataku
   16. Tower              Yuuto
   17. Star               Daisuke
   18. Moon               Kusanagi
   19. Sun                Nokoru
   20. Last Judgement     Akira
   21. Universe           Suoh
   0/22. Fool             Fuuma
                          Saya
                          Tooru
                          Tokiko
                          Keiichi
   

   If all remaining 7 DoH/DoE have their own cards, we have 4 more seats to be filled by at least 8 candidates. Who's gonna get left out?

   Below is my friend Subaru's explanation for Fuuma's trump, "Rest assured, if there is ONE trump I am 100% sure of, it is Fuuma-san being Fool.":

   Fool is the most important Trump in Tarot. Magician is the only one, who anywhere near approaches it in power. Magician and Fool are linked, both in Tarot and in Quabalah. As such Fuuma-san, being the second "Kamui" is the only one, who is anywhere near important enough, to be a Fool. Plus, the "twin-star" thing REALLY gives it away. Plus, the Tarot interpretation fits. Plus, Quabalistic information fits. Plus, add to it the fact that Clamp will probably go for wrap-around picture, on the spines of tankoubons, so that volume 0/22 will have to contain second half of the face, we see on volume 1. Again, two "Kamui"s thing.

   Well, what do you think??

5. At the end of tankouban X7, the scientist were impressed by Satsuki's understanding of Sephiroth? What is that anyway?

   I'm not an expert on these western occult topics, but these are the links on the net which you can find more info about Sephiroth, Tree of Life and also Kaballah (or Quabalah): Kaballah FAQ.

   Also, at the end of X7 fan-script, the translator "Fuu" included footnotes on these topics, provided by, again, "Subaru-kun":

   1. The Quabalah, itself, is a system of relationships among magical symbols, which allows one do understand the meaning behind those symbols.
      Historically, Quabalah is a system of beliefs, which was originated with ancient hebrews and was later on adopted by the Christians and has been rewritten many times since. Different people tried to bring a lot of different stuff into Quabalah, from Scientology teachings to Buddhism and yoga. Just as it always was, different people have entirely different ideas of Quabalah.

   2. Tree of Life.
      The basic diagram of Quabalah and its most important symbol. It consists of ten spheres, called Sephiroth (sing: Sephirah) interconnected by twenty two paths. (Note: In Quabalistic symbolism, Tarot Trumps each represent one of those 22 Paths.)
      There is also 11th, 'invisible', Sephirah, called Daath. It was not featured in orthodox hebrew text and is considered to be a later development. Tree of Life can be taken (and was indeed taken) to represent anything from the spiritual map of the universe, to the history of the Creation, to the structure of the human being. It is an abstract symbol that was (and still is) an subject of much philosophical speculation.

   3. Sephiroth. (Singular: Sephirah).
      The component parts of the Tree of Life, each one carries a symbolism of its own. There are 10 of them, arranged in a numerical order.

      1) Kether. 2) Chokmah. 3) Binah. 4) Chesed. 5) Geburah.
      6) Tiphareth. 7) Netzach. 8) Hod. 9) Yesod. 10) Malkuth.

      In the most traditional interpretations of the Tree of Life, Sephiroth are taken to be stages of emanations of the Spirit of God in its progress from noumenal existence to its physical form in the physical world. Kether is the point of Creation, the infinite potential, without a form or shape. Malkuth is the whole of the physical existence. The others are stages in between.
      Again, as previously mentioned, this is but one of the interpretation of Sephiroth.

   To tell you the truth, I'm quite lost there...

6. Can someone explain all those religious sect and temples in the stories? Do they really exist?

   Yes, they do exist, and so do the shrines mentioned, with the exception of Tougakushi Shrine. The following info are gathered from various volumes of the X scripts:

   • Sorata: He is a priest from Kouyasan, connected with Mikkyou, also Vajra-yana Buddhism. Kouyasan ("Mt. Kouya") is one of the spiritual capitals of Japanese Buddhism. In this case, Kouyasan refers to the Mantric Buddhist Sect (Japanese Mikkyou; Indian/Tibet Mikkyou can be called Tantric Buddhism), not the mountain itself.

   • Arashi: She is the Kakushi Miko "hidden shrine maiden" of Ise Jinguu. Ise Jinguu is one of the most important Shinto Shrines, as it is dedicated to Amaterasu, the Sun goddess (the Imperial Family is said to descend from Amaterasu). The head priestess is always an Imperial Princess. One of the three Imperial treasures, the Mirror (the other two being the Sword and the Jewel), is enshrined at Ise.

   • Yuzuriha: She is from Mitsumine Shrine, on Mitsumine Mountain in Chichibe region of Saitama Prefecture, that got the title of Mitsumine-Daigongen ("The Great Avatar of Mitsumine") from the Shougoinkan. Shougoinkan is a distinguished temple belonging to Tendai School of Buddhism, and also the headquarter of Honzan sect of Shugendou.

   • Subaru and Seishirou: Both are Onmyoujis, or ying-yang magicians/sorcerors. Although both characters, Sumeragi clan and Sakurazuka-mori are fictional, there are Onmyoujis in Japan. The magic they use is called onmyou-jitsu (ying-yang magic). An onmyouji is believe to have the power to cast spells and summon spirits, etc.

7. What are the significance of various well-known buildings in the story?
   • Diet Building, or House of Representative -- the basement of which is where Hinoto-hime lives to foresee the future for politicians and the Earth, the basement where the Dragons of Heaven are gathered.

   • Tokyo Government Office -- where Kanoe works as a secretary, the basement where Kanoe gathers the Dragons of Earth, and where Satsuki builds her computer "Beast".

   • Sunshine 60 -- where Nataku was being healed in the laboratory in the basement. Sunshine 60 is one of the tallest buildings in Tokyo, as well as a symbol of the Ikebukuro region in Toshima-ku. One of the scenes in "Call A" of Tokyo Babylon also took place in this building. According to Hinoto-hime, Sunshine 60 serves as the cornerstone that supports the unstable foundation of Tokyo.

   • Tokyo Tower -- one of the buildings which still stands in the dream sequence that Hinoto shows Kamui. Probably the most important kekkai that sustains Tokyo in this story. Tokyo Tower was built in 1958, modeled after the Eiffel Tower of Paris.

   • Yamanote-line -- a linear kekkai, according to Hinoto, that centered on the Imperial Palace; the tracks of which were laid in the shape of Buddha's Palm to protect Tokyo. The Yamanote-line is a railroad loop which circles the heart of Tokyo.

   • Shinjuku -- Hinoto mentions that the roads and the high-rise buildings in the Shinjuku district serve as kekkai stones as well.

   • Nakano Sun Plaza -- the kekkai which collapsed in Nakano-ku. Please refer to X7.

8. What is written on the blade of the Shinken (Holy Sword)?

   According to Mark Neidengard's post on CML, the info was given to him by a member of the anime club in Caltech whose name is Sander Granat, the text is written in Hebrew as follows:

   "Barukh attah adonai eloheinu melekh ha-olam, she-ha-kol nihyeh bi-d'varo."

   "Praised are You, Lord our God, King of the universe at whose word all things come into being."

   This is a prayer to be said before consuming "miscellaneous" food not covered by certain other special prayers.

   (source: _Siddur_Sim_Shalom_, "A Prayer Book for Shabbat, Festivals, and Weekdays", ed. Rabbi Jules Harlow, p. 715).