XXXHOLIC

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ComedyxxxHOLiC◆Kei
MANGA ComedyxxxHolic
NOVEL ActionxxxHOLiC: AnotherHOLiC
MOVIE ComedyxxxHOLiC: Manatsu no Yoru no Yume
ANIME AdventureTsubasa Chronicle
ANIME AdventureTsubasa Chronicle 2nd Season
MOVIE ActionBLOOD-C: The Last Dark
ANIME ActionBLOOD-C
MUSIC ActionCLAMP in Wonderland 2

REVIEWS

• 

  deli000

  90/100
  xxxHOLIC tackles both the supernatural and human side of its world with a delicate touch.

  Shall I grant your wish?

  xxxHOLIC is about a High Schooler named Kimihiro Watanuki who can see spirits. He has been trying to avoid them since forever and what seems to be a normal day of running away from these entities turns into an encounter with the eccentric owner of a shop that grants wishes; that owner being Yuuko Ichihara. This encounter begins Watanuki’s journey into the supernatural, filled with many conflicts that are wrapped around a supernatural layer but are very human at its core.

  You see, xxxHOLIC uses its supernatural world to not only give glimpses into Japanese folklore and mythology, but it also uses it to tackle very human issues. Themes such as guilt, obsession, and a lack of self-confidence are injected into the anime in meaningful ways. It introduces these ideas in a simplistic fashion and then adds depth to their foundations by allowing them to be explored by Yuuko and Watanuki through the lens of the supernatural. They are fueled by the concept of “wishing”, a concept that Yuuko knows all too well, and it makes the show that much more interesting.

  xxxHOLIC takes in an episodic structure, most episodes being portrayed as stand-alone stories that give the reader something new each time. Whether the conflicts be solely supernatural or more on the human side, they are conveyed in a natural manner with an equally natural conclusion. Of course, some stories are better than the others, but the anime does a good job of staying consistent with the quality of these stories by the efforts of its vibrant and colorful cast of characters.

  It really is incredible how loveable the show’s cast is and how great the dynamic between their personalities are.

  Sporting an entertaining bunch of individuals, ranging from the constantly whining but extremely caring Watanuki to the calm and seemingly aloof Doumeki, one of xxxHOLIC's biggest strengths is in its quirky characters that have exceptional chemistry with each other which makes even the show’s weaker stories entertaining and engaging. Despite the show’s style of light-hearted comedy, mostly consisting of Watanuki’s complaining regarding Yuuko’s odd tendencies and Doumeki’s nonchalant attitude, it also introduces very mature themes that the characters mix with perfectly as Watanuki learns more about the supernatural and about his own life.

  Watanuki and Yuuko’s relationship is a prominent element of xxxHOLIC, and it is also responsible for playing a major part in making the show what it is. Watanuki’s constant complaints are overshadowed by his caring and curious personality and Yuuko’s eccentricities (acting carefree but also showing a grand level of wisdom) provide the perfect source of entertainment and drama. They lay the foundation for a lot of what happens in the show, and they do not disappoint when they get involved.

  The music is another strong element of xxxHOLIC as while the soundtrack is rather simple, it is also smooth and nice to listen to. It clearly executes the dramatic points of the show and also does a good job of evoking the emotions that it comes with.

  xxxHOLIC's animation is its weakest part, but even with that in mind, the animation is good enough to emphasise the emotional weight of the show’s themes, and it works well in delivering the comedy and attitudes of its cast. It also does a good job of encapsulating the various tones the show enters in.

  xxxHOLIC is a fully entertaining anime that deals with both the supernatural and the human side of its world with a delicate touch through its quirky cast of characters. It works at delving into its mature themes with grace, never reaching too far or finishing too short. Its own supernatural coating lends itself to a lot of interesting endeavors that take you into a neat glimpse into Japanese folklore and myth. It is for these reasons that xxxHOLIC is an anime that I fully recommend you to check out.

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• 

  EasternWarrior

  87/100
  Be careful what you wish for or assume the consequences

  _There is no such thing as a coincidence in this world. The only thing... ...is Hitsuzen!_ Yeah yeah, we all heard the story. A genie in a lamp that grants you 3 wishes of your choice in return for...yeah nothing. How bout we changed that a little bit and make it easier than idk search for a gad damn lamp... Having a random house in a park with a random woman in it that of course grants wishes is, in truth, something different. And this is where our story begins. __Introduction__ Ahh yes, the generic starting plot. You're the only one who found this amazing power, temple, house, artifact, etc, while others couldn't for some reason intensifies. Whelp yeah but not entirely. Kimhiro Watanuki, your average student, has a strange power that he’s able to see all kinds of spirits attached/following him or even others, either being good or bad spirits. Luckily or not, he ends up in a house where he meets Yuko, a strange woman of unknown age, learning that she can grant any wishes on the world...for a price of course. At first, he wasn’t convinced but since he was somewhat desperate to get rid of the spirits haunting him he makes a deal with Yuko to remain (not all the time tho) in that house as a housekeeper in order for his wish to be granted. Little did he know this thing won’t be as easy as it sounds as he will encounter supernatural events, other spirits and characters that will change his life there. xxxHolic series presents us a detailed and well-made approach to Japanese folklore, with all kinds of spirits, legends, myths, etc. that show the impact they made on others and their actions. On the other hand, the people that come to the house in search of their deepest desires: revenge, being successful in everything regardless of other's warnings, lying of their problems just to get what they want, etc. In fact, only a few people can see this house, as Watanuki, but very few will come there with goodwill in terms of their wishes. Since everything they wish for has to be paied with something equivalent, not many will be able to accept it, falling in agony and sorrow.(some even have to pay with their own soul in order to have the wish granted for example) There is a little bit of comedy, some supernatural and some drama if you get hooked up in this. __Characters__ __Kimihiro Watanuki__ As I said previously, apart from being one of the few characters that can see the spirits along with him, most of the story will focus on him and his actions towards spirits and his friends. He’s a caring type but also a volatile one once he’s irritated or criticized by his friends. It’s someone that I personally find myself, but not to extremes. His wish to be granted and his payment will turn out eventually into something else, but as I want to avoid spoilers... it was inevitable?. Fun fact: he's also a side character in the Blood-C anime since still made by IG I guess. __Yuko Ichihara__ Damn, if it was someone like her every time I make a wish I wouldn't mind at all. Jokes aside, don’t let the appearance fool you, cuz she has many other powers unknown, connections and she’s the wisest of all (kind of). Apart from that, she enjoys drinking and eating all kinds of food and alcoholic beverages with his little companion Mokona. Seriously, it’s unknown what is her age is but due to other interventions in Tsubasa Chronicles universe, you could say almost 100 years or even more. __Mokona Modoki (Larg)__ The other twin creation of Yuko and Clow Reed from the Tsubasa universe. I’m not gonna dig too much in this: one went with Sakura (again same universe) and the other remained here to help Watanuki. There’s more to learn either by reading or watching Tsubasa Chronicles, but it’s not entirely necessary. Anyway apart from being a drinking buddy to everyone, communication with the other mokona and being a vacuum cleaner with UNLIMITED BLADE WOR...space storage. It’s not something that can affect the plot evolution too much since in some cases he can’t intervene over Watanuki’s decisions. It doesn't do much, but it’s honest work. __Doumeki and Himawari__ The few friends Watanuki has apart from those he will encounter. Domeki, the calm and serious-looking guy, he’s also the rival and opposite of Watanuki. Not speaking too much unless asking others about folklore, making some sarcasm and demanding out-of-season food for Watanuki to cook. As Kimihiro, he also has some hidden powers that will be discovered later. Himawari is the crush of Watanuki. She’s very intelligent, friendly and relaxed. There are obviously more than them, but if I made u interested in some already, why don’t u find the others as well? __Animation__ In this topic, let’s be honest, Production IG tried to adapt the manga s much as they could (naw don't blame them for those extremely LONG legs and arms, cuz that's the same in the manga). Unfortunately, the studio wouldn't just drop tons of effects and quality just for this particular show. Personally, some panels from the manga are just blissful and priceless, being a little hard to give us the same feeling in anime. (obvs credits for CLAMP and a job well done) __References__ Hey, I don't mind references whatsoever, as long as they’re really well made. It’s nice to see they also included some of their previous works like GITS, but at the same time Kaiji’s face?:))Come on:) I couldn't find some images on net to show em but they are in the sure and u'll see them pretty soon anyway. __Manga and other universe connection__ xxxHolic follows the route focusing on Watanuki, while Tsubasa Chronicles follows the route of Sakura and Shiaoryan, having also a mokona with them with slightly different abilities. No, it’s not entirely necessary to either watch or read the manga of Tsubasa to understand xxxHolic better. (unless you’re a CLAMP fan or interested in more). Yes, they do have some intersections along with the story but u won't miss _ehem_ major spoilers bout xxxHolic in particular. So there u have it. I would however recommend the manga over anime for xxxHolic (as many other examples) cuz some parts are either skipped or modified in anime, but for the sake of it, watch the show if it’s easier. __Conclusion__ xxxHolic it’s a show that kinda resembled me of the Monogatari Series, tho not at the same quality, complexity and characters (true, it’s another level ngl). But there is however a similarity between them like the spirits, long discussion, supernatural, characters, etc. Maybe there we’re some inspirations considering xxxHolic aired before Monogatari, but those are just my thoughts so far. Some didn’t see this adaption as a good one but I rather not judge other tastes since that what makes us different. There's also a netfli...live adaption on this one buuuut....wasn't that interested in it tho. If I got ur interest somewhere, I’m really glad. In ur free time maybe this show could just fit in. It’s best enjoyed with either a beverage or a cup of tea, so stay safe and thanks for reading.
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