Biography

Elaborate costume designs, often featuring long ribbons.

Often draw characters with elegant beautiful features (whether male or female).

Often feature dead or absentee mothers

Frequently collaborate with MadHouse studios

Their works often crossover with each other, such as Reservoir Chronicle: Tsubasa (2005) which combines several of their works. In addition Battle Doll Angelic Layer (2001) and "Chobits" (2002) are crossovers of each other.

The group cites Hirohiko Araki's manga comic "Jojo's Bizarre Adventure" as an influence on their work (elaborate clothing and superpowers, adventures and battles, attempts to change destiny). They did an unofficial work where "Jojo" male protagonists Jotaro Kujo and Noriaki Kakyoin had a child together named Jota Kujo.

CLAMP is the name used collectively by four female Japanese comic writers/artists: Nanase Okawa (writer), Mokona Apapa, Satsuki Igarashi and Mikku (sometimes her name is translated from Japanese as Mick) Nekoi (artists).

As of July 2004, the four members of Clamp officially changed their pen names. Nanase Ôkawa is now Ageha Ôkawa, Mick Nekoi is now Tsubaki Nekoi, Mokona Apapa is now simply Mokona, and Satsuki Igarashi changed the Japanese spelling of her name from the kanji style to the hiragana style.

Nanase Okawa believes that love knows no barrier of age, gender or race. Thus many of Clamp's romances are between characters of different races/ages and even between characters of the same gender. However, she has noted that this perspective of romance is rather unconventional, so she keeps the romance in Clamp stories as a subplot.

Originally, there were eleven women who were members of CLAMP. This was back in 1989 when the group first was established. At that time, CLAMP made doujinshi (fan comics) to be sold at anime and manga conventions. Their work became popular and was noticed, and it was not long before they were officially published and made it big. After their first major manga 'RG Veda' was released the membership dropped down to seven, and by the end of 1992 only the current four creators were left. The complete listing of the eleven members are:

Nanase Ôkawa (Ageha Ôkawa) - Current head of CLAMP and chief writer Mokona Apapa (Mokona) - Current main artist/character designer Mick Nekoi (Tsubaki Nekoi) - Current supporting artist Satsuki Igarashi - Current art assistant Akiyama Tamayo - Former CLAMP member, stayed with the group until 1992 Sei Nanao Leeza Sei Soushi Hisagi Kazue Nakamori Shinya Ohmi O-Kyon