How lucky I feel to have a free copy of this!
CLAMP have a very special place on my heart, I have a tattoo from another of his series (A butterfly representing Yuuko Ichihara)
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this as it must be the only story of hers I had not read before! Might be a sign to do so :)

On this first volume we get to know the main characters: Hikaru, Umi and Fuu. What seemed like your ordinary school daytrip turns into a life-or-death adventure: we are introduced to the fantastic world of Cefiro, which needs saving with the help of the Magic Knights, the main characters.

So, as usual, beautiful and intricate illustrations, you will recognise their style anywhere! Magical girls but a bit older than Sakura in Cardcaptor (not in Tsubasa!) and a fantasy filled world in which evil forces need stopping. If you enjoyed Fushigi Yuugi you will definitely enjoy this. Plus, white Mokona guiding them, what is not to like?
I cannot wait to learn more about Hikaru, Umi and Fuu in the quest to save Cefiro and rescue Princess Emeraude!

Magic Knight Rayearth Volume 1
By CLAMP
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC Copy for an honest review.
I love classic CLAMP, it been a while since I pick up a title from them and the first time I read
'Magic Knight Rayearth' and I really enjoyed it. The story was interesting and fun and I love the art. I love magical girl manga and anime. It was first published in 1994 and it has held up really well. I would really recommend it to anyone who loves CLAMP, Magical Girls and classic manga.
Rating: 5 Stars

3.5/5

I remember seeing the anime back in the days before going to school and singing the main theme song almost every day. It's one of those childhood pillars and reading it now it's making it feel so nostalgic.

CLAMP's drawings are amazing, they are full of heart and talent and will probably always be my faves.
The story tho was missing something.
Usually I get into the story immediately, but this time it took me way more than expected and I still have that feeling that something was missing from it.
It's missing that spark of magic to making it feel magical, if you get what I mean.

It's definitely a story worth to read, especially if you grew up watching it like me.
It's time to read where everything started. This volume is only an intro to the whole adventure.

This is classical fantasy/isekai at its finest. CLAMP has always been a master of dynamic characters and interesting plots and worlds; Magic Knight Rayearth does not disappoint and I can't wait for the next updated edition so I can finish this series.

Magic Knight Rayearth came out when I was a child and I read the entire thing at the library. I have fond memories laying on the floor with stacks of the novels around me, reading for hours. This re-release is giving me all those vibes and more. The thing about MKR is that it’s old school magical girl manga- it breaks the fourth wall, it makes adult jokes that aren’t obscene, it has the notes at the end that explain some Japanese cultural things Americans won’t get. It is incredible. One of my favorite mangas. Thank you Netgalley for the ability to review this!

Growing up, I was absolutely a CLAMP girl! 😂 On top of that, Magic Knight Rayearth was one of the first manga series that caught my attention in general! So returning to this first volume for the first time in over 20 years was quite the nostalgic trip!! Having not read the original in forever, I wouldn't be able to comment specifically on the differences, but I can say that the translation notes at the end of the book were definitely a nice touch, and the diction in this version still absolutely sticks true to the characters while still keeping a somewhat modern feel!

There have definitely been manga that I reread that made me think, "This is definitely something from the early 2000s" and I didn't get too much of '90s vibes at all in the writing. Part of that is probably because it's so nostalgic to me that I knew I was going to love that too, but honestly, Magic Knight Rayearth just has a very timeless story to it. It's a great entry in the magical school girls trope, and I love all three of our main girls. The characters in Cephiro are also great, and seeing everyone again definitely makes me want to reread the whole thing.

Good, classic shojou manga. Typical magical girls shenanigans and magical creatures, but it's all very nostalgic and wholesome. I like all the little translations in each panel. Very funny, and I'll look for more volumes.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and CLAMP for the opportunity to read this manga in exchange for an honest review.

Originally published in 1994, Magic Knight Rayearth is one of the original works with female protagonists in an isekai (where characters are transported to another world). This rerelease is Kodansha's first paperback edition, having published the series in hardback when they first received the rights to this manga.

Three girls are pulled from a day trip to Tokyo Tower into a world called Cefiro, tasked with saving the world before they can return to their own. In this world, they are called the Magic Knights, the ones who will save the princess from Lord Zagato, but they must summon the rune gods in order to do so. Even though they have a sorcerer guide, everything seems a bit complicated for the heroines!

Despite its age, it stands well within the genre and this paperback edition is a fresh way to share a classic that contemporary manga readers will enjoy.

When I've seen this manga available to read on Netgalley I had to ask for it because Magic Knight Rayearth was one of my favourite anime as a child! I think it's one of my most beloved CLAMP's works, that mixes fantasy, adventure and romance. So, if you like actions, magic transformations, female knights and love stories, this manga is absolutely for you.
This first volume is quite introductive, even if it has a fast pace and lots of things happens. In Magic Knight Rayearth readers will find themselves immediately enamoured with the three main characters, as well as Mokona, devouring these chapters in an istant. I'm ready now for volume 2.

I read this comic as a teen in the 90s and was very excited to get a chance to reread it. This story helped me discover CLAMP and began my enjoyment of there stories. This is a magical girls series is beautiful art and engaging from the beginning. I don't really remember the plot and I was sucked immediately in go the story and the development of the girls friendship and strength and the story progresses. I recommend this to all that enjoy Female centric coming of age magical girl stories. Thank yoh NetGalley for the ARC in e,change t r my honest opinion.

Fascinating visuals, a fluid style, and an action-packaged and creative story. Nothing not to like about this visual world.

Ahh the sweet nostalgia of one of my favorite mangas. I loved Magic Knight Rayearth as a teen, and this edition is a wonderful translation.

Three young girls, on field trips to Tokyo Tower are swept up and deposited in a magical world and told that they are supposed to be the Magical Knights and heroines of Cefiro. One of the original magical girl mangas that came out in the early 1990's, this story follows the adventures of Fuu, Umi, and Hikaru as they discover the new land and develop their powers.

Highly recommend! 5 out of 5 stars!

Review to come early November to my blog/goodreads/etc..

I received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I have read most of the CLAMP stuff but this one I only read a bit of, so when I saw it up on Netgalley? Heck, I had to press the Read Now button and get to reading! 

In this one we meet three girls who get teleported to a magical world, Cefiro which is in trouble. We meet Hikaru, strong-willed and tiny and can talk to animals, Fuu who is smart, quiet, and lastly Umi who is rich and collected. I really loved that these three girls got chosen and I also loved that they all just magically (then again, as Yuuko from xxxHolic has mentioned many times over: "There is no such thing as coincidence, there is only hitsuzen.") teleported to the country and had to become the Legendary Magical Knights! In this one we mostly see the girls find out that they cannot go back, learn about magic and about the world and who they have to save, we meet some key characters and some big villains. The stage is set. The introductions made. And believe me, it was never boring. Because all three girls are really fun and the world was just full of magic and wonder and you just want to go exploring. Out of the characters, energetic Hikaru is so far my favourite of the three girls. I love her energy and I love how she is dedicated to it all. 

But I also love that CLAMP shows how these girls feel about not being able to go back home. First things have to be solved and fixed. And we see how that hits some harder than the other, or well, some just show it more clearly. 

I had a bit of a chuckle how the girls, especially Fuu and Umi were at times comparing it to an RPG. Like when they get their armours/weapons discussing which material it normally is in a RPG. 

I also just love how Mokona in this one, it is one of the earlier Mokona's. It has most of the personality of Mokona, but yet is not entirely Mokona yet. I am still happy for the little ball of fluff!

And it is great fun that you can instantly see which era this manga was originally from. The big eyes. Haha. Which just gave me flashbacks to other manga and anime from that time. Not that I mind, but it was just making me laugh. 

CLAMPs art is just perfect for me no matter which era. I just love their style. 

All in all, I am happy that I finally have a chance to really get to read this series! Again, I did read a bit of it and I know a lot of key points, but there is still plenty to discover and I want to read it all. It is great that Kodansha brings out a special 25-year anniversary edition, I will have to get it for my collection.

I'm big fan of CLAMP Works, their art amazes me and that's why seeing an English release of Magic Knight Rayearth here makes me excited and happy. I've never missed an episode when this was released as an anime long way back. Its story, basically High school girls transported in another world for an adventure and a mission. It's funny and with a little love interest later on. I hope the other works of CLAMP can be released too.

Magic Knight Rayearth is a classic, and with good reason. CLAMP's early artwork is lush, the storytelling is tight and concise (I always forget that for such a big story, each arc of MKR is only three volumes), and the characters are all striking and emotionally impactful. This is isekai before the term was coined and the genre distinguished, and it remains a pinnacle of the genre it helped create.

The new translation is solid, though I know there are some continuity differences in the 2019 translation from the first arc to the second, and we are much closer now to the 30th anniversary than the 25th (which subsequently makes me feel old, but oh well), but it's still lovely to see it with the loving update a classic like this deserves and I hope it draws in many new readers.

I've never been able to read this series before, so I was excited to see there was a reprint. MKR is a classic about three girls who travel through a portal to another world they have to try and save. This volume focuses on setting the story up, and dumps quite a bit of info on readers while glossing over other things. The main trio seem to take getting isekai'd really well, and never really comment on it other than wondering if they'll be able to get home one day. The girls are told they are magic knights destined to save the world and have to go on a journey to unlock their power and save the day. The plot is pretty typical of these types of stories, but given the age of the series, this was a formative work in the genre. The art style holds up well, and adds a lot of character to the story. While I did think things moved too fast, it was fun to read and a great chance for a new generation of readers to get acquainted with the story.

3.75 🌟
The art style itself was unique and this is my first book by CLAMP I think. I liked the action in this manga series and the magic knight aspect was cool hehehe. I'm looking forward to book 2!

I have loved Magic Knight Rayearth since I first got my hands on paperback manga copies in the early 2000's. This manga, originally published in 1993, is a magical girl tale with some bite, and I am so very happy that it is getting a rerelease!!!! It deserves it!
You've heard a magical girl story like this before, right? Three girls from modern day Tokyo are transported to Cephiro, a magical land of prosperity. The girls are called by a princess in need of their help, Emeraude, who has been kidnapped by her general, the evil Zagato, and Cephiro will fall if she is not freed. She is the Pillar, the strength, that keeps the world intact. However, Hikaru, Umi and Fuu quickly find that this is no storybook. Armed with specialty weapons and evolving armor, they journey from one corner of Cephiro to the next, in a world that isn't what it seems to be.
I loved this series twenty years ago; I used to decorate notebooks and write stories dedicated to it. I love it now. I still think about it from time to time. This is NOT Sailer Moon. And, it's all the better for it.

A classic that I haven't thought about in years. I remember picking this series up when I was a teenager and I'm happy to say that it still holds up and I am excited to finally finish it as an adult.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for access to this beautiful arc!!

5/5 stars!! Would give more if I could!

Oh man. The amount I GASPED when I saw this on here!! This series has been one of my absolute favourite manga series since I originally read it as a teenager, and this updated beautiful 25th anniversary edition is STUNNING! CLAMP always delivers, always always always, and I absolutely cannot wait to introduce Fuu, Umi, and Hikaru to a new generation of readers!! AND MOKONNNAAAAA SO CUUTEEE