xxxHOLiC

10/10 easily. xxxHolic is a gem of an anime. I've seen both in English and in Japanese, and both the dub and sub hold up well. I prefer the English dub for its character, but Japanese is good too. Story-wise, I love it. Each episode focuses on a new plot and issue for Watanuki to learn from. It all connects. It is based on the manga. I like the characters. I do wish at certain times that Watanuki would show more depth, or Yuuko, but it does happen, especially in S2 and the OVAs. This show builds up his growth, just slowly. There isn't a single character I don't like in this show. The art and animation are great and hold up to my high standards, and this series is from the early 2000s. The characters ARE lanky, and have large hands at some points, but that is a stylistic choice. Have you seen Code Geass? It's the same thing. I personally love it and I think it helps this show stand out from many others. I love the music. I could hear any one of the tracks from this show a million times and I'd never get tired of it. They easily make me feel emotional. Additionally, the openings for season 1 and season 2 (kei) are unique and sound great. Overall, I love this show, it is one of my favorites and it will always hold a special place in my heart. There are some dark episodes, feel-good moments, and plenty of humor. This show is funny, I think you'd have to be emotionless not to laugh. Also, the reviewer talking about yuri in this show?? Huh? There is literally no yuri in this show, whatsoever. I assume they're referring to Yuuko holding people's faces with her hands, and she does this with nearly every main character. I guess if a woman is in the same room as another one it constitutes yuri? what horrible logic haha

NOTICE: This review covers the whole franchise; not just the first season. No need to make different reviews for the exact same show. THE STAFF - Animated by Production I.G. which means it will have a good budget but the characters will behave like robots, or in this case like string puppets. - Directed by Mizushima Tsutome, who has some fame for his fondness of making comedies with cute chibi girls who act all erotic and/or violent (Hare+Guu, Dokuro-chan, Punie-chan, Squid Girl). Other than that, he is not good in anything else he was part of (especially with the crap he did in Blood-C and Another) and since this show is not about chibi girls it is not one of his better works. - Based on the manga by CLAMP, one of the most famous team of mangaka in the 90’s. Most of their numerous works have been adapted to anime and most of them were a hit in airing shares and sales. They have a style that combines the cute with the dark and know how to create spicy premises and hot romantic pairings. Sadly their stories are good only as far as premises go; their plots always fall apart under the lack of proper handling of their themes. You end up reading or watching just for the kinky situations and give up on the story. A note must be said here that they primarily make shoujo shows with lots of action and romance that ends up appealing to both genders. But since the shoujo is their base template, it is expected to focus almost entirely on character chemistry and visual aesthetics than… well, anything else. SPECIFICS It is an almost entirely episodic show about Watanuki, a high school boy with a curse, working for Yuuko, an eccentric witch, in order to remove it and together dealing with supernatural cases concerning ghosts and demons. There is very little to write about the story; you can read the description of the premise and this is as far as the whole thing goes. There are some episodes in the second season that offer development to the main characters but it is still close to zero. And there is an OVA that exists purely to have a cross over with Tsubasa Chronicles, another CLAMP title that was nothing but a parade of cameos. Because of the episodic nature there is very little character development throughout the seasons. Watanuki is just a typical hyperactive high school boy, and Yuuko is just an enchanting witch that loves to change clothes every episode. Just like in all CLAMP works, you mostly like them for their simple-minded personality and eccentric clothes. You tolerate everything just to see the sexual tension of Watanuki building up slowly next to the super hot Yuuki and you just wait for some spicy romance to occur… slow as always. There are some other interesting secondary characters from time to time but the show barely tries to offer backdrop stories for most of them, so they too have close to nothing as far as fleshing out goes. The artwork is very good as far as cinematics, clothes, and decorations goes. There is a lot of detail given to make everything dark and plethoric as means to attract your attention. It is average to bad when it comes to animation, backgrounds, or character designs, since there is little actual motion, the sceneries are simplistic, and the characters look damn skinny and simplistically drawn. There is nothing overall great regarding the music part. The first opening is somewhat good and there are some famous and professional voice actors in the cast but in all there is nothing I found above average or memorable. Most dialogues are dull, most BGM is passable. Having close to no on-going plot and mostly style than substance is of course nothing new in the genre but it definitely looks less interesting than its cousin shows. - Mushishi is far better in atmosphere and philosophy. - Mononoke is far better in aesthetics and fleshing out the characters. - Bakemonogatari is far better in cinematics and fan service. - Natsume Yuujinchou is just… cuter with those cats. So in all, it is a boring and passable anime. And now for some excused scorings. ART SECTION: 6/10 Analysis: General Artwork 1/2, Character Figures 1/2, Backgrounds 1/2, Animation 1/2, Visual Effects 2/2 SOUND SECTION: 6/10 Analysis: Voice Acting 2/3, Music Themes 2/4, Sound Effects 2/3 STORY SECTION: 4/10 Analysis: Premise 1/2, Pacing 0/2, Complexity 1/2, Plausibility 1/2, Conclusion 1/2 CHARACTER SECTION: 4/10 Analysis: Presence 2/2, Personality 2/2, Backdrop 0/2, Development 0/2, Catharsis 0/2 VALUE SECTION: 1/10 Analysis: Historical Value 0/3, Rewatchability 0/3, Memorability 1/4 ENJOYMENT SECTION: 1/10 Analysis: Art 0/1, Sound 0/2, Story 0/3, Characters 1/4 VERDICT: 3.5/10

I do love this show a lot but there are some problems in it too. Inconsistencies between the manga and the anime make me cringe just a tad. Now I have not actually read the manga, but I have seen enough to find that some of the artwork is not right, but we will get to that in a moment. This is pretty much Pet Shop of Horrors with wishes and spirits; sometimes their good, and sometimes they will try to rip you apart. The story follows a fail of a boy named Watanuki. Pretty much everything he does, he messes up with and is always hunted down by spirits. He is the only one who can see them which makes him look like a fool most of the time when he runs around the town from spirits that seem to not exist. Now here is where some of the inconsistencies that I found. Almost every picture I have seen of him has two different eye colors but yet, the anime has given him both blue eyes. I am not sure exactly which is true but it’s what I’ve seen from the manga, it’s supposed to be the later. (Now that I have read the manga, I found out that it happens after a event.) Yuuko is an interesting character and from what I’ve seen, they are actually alike between the manga and anime at least in looks. She has a way of getting what she wants with no worry as to what will happen to the other person although I believe she always knows it will work out. I never once saw her worried that something may happen. If Watanuki wears his emotions on his sleeve, Domeki is the exact opposite. Maybe that’s why they make a great pair. Domeki cancels all of Watanuki’s crazy antics, giving mostly a base monotone as he speaks. I wish he was actually in the show more often and given a bigger role because it was really fun to see the conversation between him and Watanuki (and the idea of them being a yaoi pair makes my fan girl in me scream for joy...) In fact, all the characters are pretty memorable as main characters except for one. Himawari is a little two plain and cheerful all the time. Sometimes I want to smack her hard because she just gets so annoying. There are many times that Yuko gives cryptic statements about her but it is never explained what is going on with her. I somewhat understood all that was being said but then some of what they talked about, I felt would only make sense to a Japanese person such as the game ‘Angel’ which seems to be a Japanese version of Ouija Board or Wigi Board. When they first talked about it, I thought that it was something else. Another thing that is bothersome to me is that no one takes her advice, which I understand, some of the reasons for it but then they get into problems and suffer for it and I just have to roll my eyes at it. The animation is alright but all the characters are much too thin and long limbed which makes it hard to watch sometimes. Even fluid movements would never make the shows good to me. There are many times when the artwork pretty much sucks for an anime, and really makes me wonder. It surprises me that such a low design could come from Clamp. In fact, the fact that there are references to other Clamp manga’s in the show is interesting if you take the time to pick them out. Sadly, the only details with this seem to be in the background except one or two things the characters end up wearing and the characters themselves are poorly lacking in detail and actual proportions with arms and legs going everywhere during freak outs. I also don’t like how their eyes are all blank. They have no high lights what so ever so it makes them look dead. I really like the English Voice acting, which to me, it’s much better then the Japanese. The English has more fluid movement in fact then the Animation and feels like a cloud of smoke to the ears. At least for most of the things Yoko says. The other actors are pretty good for them going with Shizuka’s monotone to the crazy way Watanuki’s voice gets with some of the things he gets in to. Really I do feel sorry for the boy. The music is also really well done, giving it a really nice mystic feel to it and the opening is rather fun. This show works a bit better in the manga because it explains so much more.

xxxHolic is an anime I just finished not long ago. It's based on the manga of the same name by CLAMP. It is also a spin-off of another CLAMP famous anime/manga, called Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. The story is basically about a guy called Watanuki who can see spirits and other supernatural things. One day, while he is being chased by a spirit, he finds himself entering a store with no reason. Once he enters, he meets Yuuko, the owner of the store. He finds out that it's not a normal store, but a store that grants wishes for a cost. Watanuki asks Yuuko to get rid of his ability to see spirits, so they can't chase him anymore, but in order to get his wish granted, Watanuki has to start working in the store. That's basically the main plot. It may not sound as interesting as it is, but in every episode, something new happens. For example, an episode can be about a girl who is always negative about things, or about a girl who always lies, etc. Those persons with problems somehow get to meet Watanuki and you can see how what they do reflects in their lives, and how Watanuki tries to help them. All of this is developed with a paranormal touch, for example being negative can attract negative thing, and stuff like that. The series is episodic, but really interesting, with every episode bringing something new, and a few 2-episodes arcs here and there which leave you in suspense. Watanuki and Yuuko aren't the only characters however. Doumeki is Watanuki's friend and he can repel spirits, but he can't see them. Even when he is Watanuki's best friend, Watanuki is always fighting with him. He has a very calm personality, which differs from Watanuki's, and he's very popular with girls. Himawari is the girl Watanuki likes, and she's a very good friend with Watanuki and Doumeki, but Watanuki doesn't dare confess her his love. Overall the series is really good. The only thing that people think keeps it from reaching it's full potential is the art style. Something else people complain about is that minor characters just look like shadows, with no face. Personally I don't really care about the art since the anime is so great and just feels so mystical at times. The music is also amazing, with some awesome tracks that always make you feel what the anime wants you to feel. Most tracks were good IMO. In conclusion, this is an awesome anime, don't hesitate to watch it now

The anime interpretation of CLAMP's story "xxxHolic" is a marvelously witty and stylishly animated look into the old saying, "Be careful of what you wish for, because you might get it." High school student Watanuki is not much different from most other guys his age. He just wants to outdo his rival Doumeki, and to win the affection of a pretty girl named Himawari who is in his class. But the "difference" in Watanuki is a bit more "different" than normal, because Watanuki attracts and can see spirits, but he can't keep them from bothering him. This "attraction" eventually brings Watanuki to the very mysterious house/shop of an agelessly beautiful witch named Yuuko, who grants wishes for a price. Yuuko takes a fancy to Watanuki and offers to eventually rid him of his problem, but for the price of having Watanuki become an unpaid servant in Yuuko's very strange household. Watanuki very quickly learns that there are many things in the world that are much stranger than the spirits that pester him, as he gains both an education in life, and an odd sort of "family" to replace the one that he doesn't have. The "xxxHolic" anime excels at mixing humor, horror, romance and pathos in surprising doses and patterns. The cast of characters are likeable and intriguing, and the stories skillfully reiterate classical morality tales. Add to this a very enjoyable sound track and theme songs, and the result is a series that is memorable and demands re-watching.

People not knowing anything about this show might see the name and wonder, 'Is this show a porno or something?' And the simple answer is no. Doesn't even come close which is a good thing. Holic is a supernatural anime that follows our main lead Watanuki with an interesting ability to see spirits. Very much to his annoyance as he just wants to live a normal, peaceful life. One day while trying to escape from a spirit, he stumbles across a shop run by an odd woman called Yuko who specializes in the granting of wishes. She forces him to work for her as a form of payment for helping him to deal with his ability and so begins his new life as a part time worker in a less than normal environment. The story takes on a sort of episodic nature with some episodes dealing with various customers who stumble upon the shop while others deal with Watanuki dealing with various supernatural events so there isn't really a grand plot to the show. Despite this, it's very fun to watch and is quite comedic while some elements can get quite serious which I suppose makes it a sort of dark comedy. For our main characters we have of course Watanuki. He is an all round decent guy who enjoys sports and cooking and is extremely self-sufficient since his parents died at a young age. Since he was young, he's been able to see spirits to his utter dismay as they tend to be a nuisance rather than life threatening and sometimes makes him look like an escaped mental patient to people who happen to see him when he is being 'attacked'. He works part time at Yukos shop as an errand boy. He cooks and cleans for Yuko and is often sent out to shop for food and alcohol which annoys him most of the time. Then we have Yuko who is completely shrouded in mystery as we know very little about her or her past. She is generally very lazy, getting Watanuki to do everything for her and enjoys drinking a lot, usually suffering from hangovers the next day despite Watanuki's warnings. She often states that there is no such thing as coincidence, only inevitability which she often states to customers who don't understand why they came to the shop. She has a laid back sort of attitude to her work as she appears to get rather annoyed when someone shows up. She gives advice and objects to help them probably knowing he/she won't listen hence leaving the outcome to fate. Next we have Doumeki who is a 'friend' to Watanuki. They are in the same year in school. He comes from a family of monks and posses a power to repel spirits as a contrast of Watanuki's attraction of them. For this reason, Yuko always insists Watanuki have him by his side much to Watanukis annoyance. He acts as a rational thinker and calm, quiet personna to Watanuki's more eccentric and loud personality. One can say they compliment each other but Watanuki refuses to acknowledge it. He tends to find Watanuki annoying at times but still sees him as his best friend and is always there to help him no matter the risk. And finally we have Himawari, a classmate of Watanuki and obvious love interest for Watanuki who goes into a sort of 'lovey dovey' mood around her only to be 'interrupted' by Doumeki. She is generally upbeat and high spirited and loves seeing Watanuki and Doumeki together as she finds their actions together funny. The show has a few recurring characters such as an elder Fox who runs a food stand, a rain spirit who doesn't have much time for Watanuki or any human really and a more nicer spirit who seems to exhibit feelings for Watanuki but is very shy. We also have Maru and Moro. Yuko's 2 assistants. They seem to be young girls who speak in unison together and tend to play around a lot. And of course we have Mokona, a black Firby like creature that lives with Yuko. He often accompanies Watanuki on some jobs, usually just to boss him around and is Yuko's drinking buddy. Overall the shows characters are pretty well rounded and fun to watch. Watanuki's rage moments can get annoying at times but most are still quite funny so don't let it discourage. The show was made by Production I.G with the source material being a manga of the same name by CLAMP. The animation of the show is decent with it's best being during serious moments. However it can be quite inconsistent at times, especially when making legs and arms 10 feet long at times which isn't too much of an issue but still noticeable. The Japanese audio is pretty good with Jun Fukuyama as Watanuki who gives a great performance. The English audio is top notch to with Todd Haberkorn as Watanuki. One of my favourite Haberkorn performances. We also have Collen Clinkenbeard as Yuko and she gives a very performance, really nailing the mysterious nature of her character. J. Michael Tatum gives a nice performance of Doumeki. I believe he really nails silent nature of Doumeki very well. I believe Haberkorn and Tatum displayed great chemistry between their respective characters very well. Cherami Leigh gives a lovely performance as Himawari also. She highlights her outgoing personality well I think. I'd recommend to watch the show in English but if you're a sub person, the Japanese audio is perfectly fine to. I'd recommend this show as a buy personally. For folks, like myself, who live in the UK, you should be able to pick up the show pretty cheap from Manga UK. Funimation has the show licensed in the US and Madman has the show licensed in Australia. However the 2nd season remains unlicensed unfortunately. I hope it's gets picked up at some point. Thanks for reading. Hope it was beneficial.

xxxHolic is a 26-episode anime series produced by TBS and Production I.G. and is based on the CLAMP manga of the same name. It's a highly exciting and delightful anime, and will offer the viewer a different side of the CLAMP franchise. The art of the anime is superlative. It takes time to get adjusted to the slightly unconventional art, but one soon gets used to it. Additionally, every character except the lead characters is not clearly drawn; rather, you get gray silhouettes which serve to further accentuate the lead characters’ behavior. The lead characters themselves are very-well conceived of. Their physical structure embodies their traits, and gives us a sense of something slightly off from the real world. That said the story is eerily un-CLAMP-like. There are not many happy endings, just enough to get the reader hooked. Most times, the evildoer gets a punishment for what he has done, in a way that serves to hold his crime up to the moral judgment of the viewer. But the damage is not restricted; sometimes, even the person who is nearby or a family member also gets mixed up. The story at times seems so real-life that one has to literally shake his illusions away. Several philosophical issues are treated with such deftness that even the hardiest Sophist would be hard put to deny their efficacy on the viewer’s mind. The character conceptualization is a work of pure finesse, characteristic of I.G. works. Watanuki is a deep study in psychology, Yuuko Ichihara is one of the charismatic philosophers ever seen in anime, and both Domeki and Himawari depict two sides of the human animal: the strong, disbelieving side, and the believer inside every one of us. Maru and Moro, as well as the irritably cute Mokona, serve to lighten the viewer’s concentration with a dash of well-placed humor. Additional characters, such as the incredibly likable Vestal, and the hoity-toity Rain Sprite, also attract the viewer’s affection or irritation: an altogether natural reaction that all anime hopes for. The music for the show is great. The OP, Suga Shikao’s 19sai, is a foot-tapping number (and my flagship song, hee hee). Its tight vocals and awesome accompaniments will make it an effortless climber on your playlist for sure. The EDs are similarly awesome; the first one, Reason by Fonogenico, will bring out the goofy side of you, while the second ED, Kagerou by BUCK-TICK, is a great listen, well-assisted by the credit scene, where we see Maru and Moro playing air guitar. So, in conclusion, who do I recommend to? All the seriously concerned folks out there, for starters. Here many sensitive and basic ethical problems are treated with a delicacy and sophistry that’ll probably satisfy all your dreams of being philosophers. Secondly, all you guys who like the fables and myths of Japan should check it out; these abound in the anime. Thirdly, I’d recommend this anime to all those who enjoyed Ghost in the Shell and its beautiful leading lady; I assure you, Yuuko Ichihara is eminently suitable for your appreciation as well. But that’s of course just a suggestion. All are welcome to see this funny yet serious, hysterical yet humbling view of men and their conception of their true worth in the world.

“xxxHOLiC” is what happens when You have a pretty nice premise but only surface level execution. One day a high school student named Kimihiro Watanuki is assaulted by an apparition. Trying to get away he stumbles upon a strange house whose fence seems to save him from the attack. Inside he finds a mysterious store with an even more mysterious proprietress. She’s willing to get rid of the spirit that attached itself to the boy… for a price. Watanuki agrees and soon enough is freed from this burden. In exchange he becomes a part time worker in the mysterious shop that deals in wishes. His life, already full of the supernatural, is going to get a lot more fantasmal. Despite having a few recurring characters the main cast consists of three characters: Kimihiro Watanuki - our protagonist. The boy didn’t have an easy life. His parents died when he was still very young and had to manage by himself. Thanks to that he’s dependable, a skilled cook and compassionate. Too compassionate as some episodes show. He also has a special skill - he can see and interact with the supernatural. Ghosts, apparitions, spirits and other, sometimes more sinister creatures are almost a daily occurrence for him. That said, he isn't like the protagonists of more recent anime. Most modern anime have a MC who is a blank page with mostly goals and little to no personality, that can’t make mistakes, the world bends over backwards for them and are OP in the confinement of their world rules. Watanuki isn’t like that. He has some personality. While it is true that he’s a bit of a pushover and does most things that he’s told he doesn’t just take it lying down. He’s rather mouthy when he doesn’t like something… or someone. He complains, loudly and despite often being ignored he still gives everyone a piece of his mind. He also makes mistakes. A lot. Some of them are rather costly. Because of his recklessness his friend (although Watanuki wouldn’t be caught dead calling him that) - Doumeki, is injured and risks his health and life to keep Watanuki out of harm's way. He also has a crush and isn’t especially shy about it… even if that got him nowhere. His power isn’t exactly all that powerful as well. He can see the supernatural but doesn’t have a special attack that can exorcise evil spirits that try to harm him, or even a sustainable way to ward it off. He’s very much vulnerable. Shizuka Doumeki - Watanuki’s classmate and friend / rival / enemy (?). Yeah… they are friends, let’s be honest, but none of them would admit it, especially Watanuki. When it comes to demeanour he is the polar opposite of Watanuki. He’s stoic, at first glance cold and often sarcastic towards Watanuki. Despite that he helps him a lot even gets injured and saves his life on numerous occasions. He’s a member of the archery club and excels at it. A skill that helps him because he’s able to exorcise spirits using an arrow mage of energy he shoots from his bow. He isn’t able to actually see most of the apparitions but because of his upbringing he doesn’t make fun of Watanuki for stating he sees ghosts, nor he states he doesn’t believe him. Something that really rubs Watanuki the wrong way is the fact that Doumeki is popular with girls and even some spirits are in awe of his spirit. He loves to treat Watanuki as his personal chef but is more than willing to risk his life to save him. Yuuko Ichihara - The true mystery of the show. She’s beautiful, mysterious and seemingly omniscient or at least close to it. She runs the shop that Watanuki works at and is responsible for freeing him from one of the apparitions that stalked him. Her shop deals in wishes and only people who need to find it even get to set a foot inside. She believes in equivalent exchange. For her services there always must be payment and always of equal value. No excess or scarcity is allowed. Something she uses against Watanuki everytime he needs her help. Despite being more than happy to use Watanuki as her personal errand boy the cook, she also acts like a mentor for him. She often warns him about the dangers that are nearby but allows him to make his own choices and mistakes simultaneously keeping a watchful eye on him. From the very beginning it is hinted that both she and her store are much more than meets the eye. Her knowledge of the supernatural and a collection of magic items hints at a long life of dealing with them. She seems to be fascinated by Watanaki and the path he will travel through life and doesn’t shy away from helping him grow… even if she does make him work more as payment. I would like to make something clear: I don’t mind the heavy stylization of the characters. They give me a vague “Nightmare before Christmas” aka burtonesque vibe and as a fan of Burtonesque I can’t really complain. It may not be as detailed or full of personality in the case of Mise-en-scène as a proper burtonesque but the character stylization does the job. As a result I don’t intend to comment on the visuals. Simply put I don’t mind them and in some cases I believe that they amplify the drama. The show is episodic in its format, we often get one problem per episode, sometimes per two episodes but that’s very rare. It uses urban legends, folklore and ghost stories as fuel for it’s plot. Most of the clients that come to Yuuko’s shop have wishes that can be granted with little to no supernatural help, just some good old fashioned armchair psychology from Armchair psychology from Yuuko combined with a little scare and maybe a touch of blackmail for good measure. That said, even in those cases there is often something supernatural. Like a smoke that is visible by Watanuki when a compulsive liar tells Yuuko her story or a visible sound wave when a young girl is depreciating herself. Other times Watanuki is faced with real spirits and other apparitions. Not all of them evil, like a fox running a food stand or a shy Zashiki-warashi that has a crush on him. Other times he is in serious danger like when facing a kind, gentle and loving spirit that sucks away at his life force (which she regrets… it’s hard to describe it without spoilers but those two episodes with her can hit pretty hard) or when a whole procession of spirits wants to eat him and Doumeki (and yes, it was all Watanuki’s fault). The mysteries of the show are its weakest points unfortunately. There are four secrets that I was interested in but the show never really touched upon. Those were: Who/what is Yuuko? What’s the extent of Watanuki’s power? What’s the extent of Doumeki’s power? Why is Yuuko keeping Himawari close? It is hinted that there is a secret to Himawari but it’s treated as a throw away line. The everyday mysteries, if they can be called that way, are much simpler and often You know the answer before Yuuko turns into an exposition dump and just lays everything for all to hear. To be fair to the show because it wants to retain its “one problem per episode” format it has no choice but to be heavy handed and reliant on info dumps. Not all of them are bad but more often than not Yuuko just says obvious things that don’t mean much. Because of that the show suffers from lack of originality and immersion. It gives an interesting premise of the episode but then just resolves everything in a manner of minutes, like the aforementioned liar episode. There are some episodes that were clearly given more love than others. The best example would be episodes 22 and 23 that have more personal drama and stakes for Watanuki than any other in the show. Another would be the episode with twin sisters, one an extrovert and the other a shy introvert or the snowball fight where everyone uses snow golems to fight. Even episodes that are seemingly lacking in originality like the one when Doumeki has his soul stolen have a twist that changes everything about them. More episodes should get this kind of love and imagination. As a whole this show has a very similar vibe to “Petshop of horrors” or “Hell Girl”. B…

The best anime out there. This is the first season of the anime and it is beyond belief spectacular. A perfect pace between slow and intense, characters with depth and humour, an opening theme to get addicted to. From watching the first episode you are brought into the story in a way that is not overwhelming or questionable. It is carefully and artistically done in a way for you to get involved from the very beginning. The stories and characters are multi-dimensional and this is the perfect anime for someone who likes anime with some mystery, clever humour, wit, whilst maintaining a relaxed energy. I can only describe this anime as being extremely special. Everything is hitsuzen... If you watch this anime or not, it is hitsuzen... Highly highly highly recommended, my #1 favourite anime.

XXXholic is one truly amazing anime show and its one of Clamps finest works yet but clamps work just gets better and better with each one they do. The characters are very lovable and the way only the characters relevant to each story are give full detail so you only focus on those characters. The artwork is stunning and works well for the show. The English voice actors are very well chosen and Todd Haberkorn was a very good choice for Watanuki. Colleen Clinkenbeard as Yuuko is also a very good choice as she fits the character very well. The music choice is very good the opening and closing songs are very good and suite the show well. Also the show is full of interesting little words of wisdom like little fortune cookie moments. A truly great show anyone should love this show.

a wonderfull anime it has a darkness that is brilliantly done and an underplayed horror theme dealing with peoples actions and the reactions that follow. the show gets better and better further in and seems to me like this fill be my first time rewatching an anime in order to put the story in perspective. the story its self has a good flow linking episode to episode perfectly if i had the time i could definitly watchit all in one. i would recomend this anime to anyone but in particular those who enjoy darker anime and want something that they can obsess over.

xxxHolic is a another awesome work of CLAMP and is a crossover to Tsubasa. It has a good english and japanese dub ( especially with Yuuko :3) and also its supernatural-like artwork. We've seen Yuuko in Tsubasa's OVAs and episodes, but there's more to her and Watanuki's ,the main charater,story. It all began with Kimihiro Watakuni, a boy who saw spirits all his life and came into a magical shop and met the one and only, Yuuko Ichihara. She said the reason that he came to the shop was that he had a wish to not see spirits anymore. So she made a deal with him that she would grant his wish, but he had to pay for it so he decided to work at her shop. But there's always an adventure once he started to work with her at good times and bad times. There is also a girl that Watanuki likes named Himawari and a boy that Watanuki dislikes but has exroist's powers named Domeki in the series and are half main charaters, but of course we can't forget the little Mokona and Yuuko's assintists Maru and Moro. Ever since I read the first chapter of the manga, I fell in love with it and decided to watch the anime. Lucky its dubbed by Funmation so I gotta say the english dub is good (also the japanese is awesome too). It has one ,i think, filier episode but its really good and the soundtrack is pretty good too. So all I have to say is the show is good,but for some people it can get boring sometimes. There is a second series out, but it hasn't been realsed to America yet and there's no episodes of it on Youtube ( there is also changes in there like Kohane's story). So to all of the CLAMP fans and people who like supernatural, fatansy and mystery animes, then xxxHolic is the one for you!

This anime takes a new take on demons and the supernatural world in general. Watanuki is a orphaned high schooler who can see spirits, which to him is more of a burden that gift. He feels out of place and is socially akward sometimes so he doesnt have many friends but is very kind, responsible, and hardworking. One day he is drawn into a shop where the owner's service available is granting wishes. His life changes dramatically from that day. Overall this anime is one of my favorites. I love the original storyline and artwork and i find that all the characters are very creative and have not found any other like them. There is a good mixture of comedy and supernatural in the plotline as well as several plot twists and leaves the watcher very entertained throughout the story. I recommend this anime highly for it originality and well developed plot line and characters.

I loved this anime. It was comical, was the sci-fi genre (a genre which i particularly like) and brought in more characters as it progressed. The art isn't the best, but didn't make me enjoy it any less. I liked the mystery part to it and the atmosphere it builds when discovering something. The characters " although not told in depth" were cool and colorful. This anime isn't really an action, but does contain a little. The story isn't complicated to the point you have to go back and think about it, but actually more laid back letting you watch each episode without going " wait what?". This anime would be enjoyable to watch, I think, for the lover of comedy, sci-fi mystery. kind of like ghost hunt.

xxxHolic is about Watanuki who, unlike most people, all his life has been able to see supernatural spirits. Unfortunately this means when he is attacked by a spirit in public he looks like a lunatic. One day he stumbles across a strange shop owned by the equally mysterious Yuuko who has the ability to grant any wish for a price which means you won't always be expected to pay with money. In exchange for taking away Watanuki's ability to see spirits Watanuki has to work part-time at the shop as er Yuuko's dogs body. However, by working at the shop Watanuki learns about the spirit world and there is sometimes a reason behind Yuuko's often unreasonable demands. I have to say it took me a while to get used to xxxHolic with the long character designs and Watanuki's one way arguments with Domeki and his fawning over Himawari. However, I slowly got used to it and honestly began to enjoy Watanuki's adventures in the spirit world and the interesting and sometimes troubled characters he meets not to mention. The series is episodic with a different story each episode which are mostly well written with interesting plots. Despite the design of the characters the animation was good without being spectacular although I don't think it really needed to be and the music was good. What xxxHolic excelled in the most was the characters. It was one of the few anime's I've seen which I saw with the English dub. Happily they used some of the best English voice actors and properly translated the Japanese script, which I don't think is always the case, so they don't look like they are reading the English subtitles in the subbed version. I really enjoyed Yuuko and Domeki's deadpan laidback persona. When Watanuki was not complaining at Domeki or fawning over Himawari he was a likable main character. I also like the spirits Zashiki-warashi and Ame-warashi as well as the characters we see in only one episode. If there is one thing I really bugged me that was Mokena. Whatever it was it wasn't funny and added nothing to the series and I think wouldn't be missed.

It's a must watch anime. Subtle storyline with not many twists and turns, acceptable behaviour of the characters with the hint of supernatural, that's something unusual in today's animes. This anime proves that a good logical and sensible anime doesn't have to be full with hell lots of characters or technical terms but just connection to the real world and time fills all the requirements. The first time I saw this anime, I was actually feeling bored since I didn't like the characters but within few moments, I got obsessed with the "ghostly experience". * Story: 1010 I've no complain or demand with the story or whatsoever. It fulfilled everything I need to stick to the TV for 24 mins. Watanuki, a high schooler with the ability to see supernatural stuffs. In many animes it is shown that the characters express their feelings in an extraordinary manner than their usual demeanor. For example Bleach, where the hero Ichigo is not ready to help normal people yet have sympathetic side for ghosts. I liked the behaviour of Watanuki that instead of being scared or happy to be surrounded by those creatures, he called them "bugs" which stick to him everywhere he goes. Then came Yuuko. I got stuck to the anime because of her. Extremely sensitive dialogues yet delivered in such simplicity. No doubt, her quotes over life are moving. "For everything you get, you must pay an equal price to balance the rules of nature" I made this quote the principle of my life. Psychological animes are always a masterpiece and this one is no less. The last four episodes were rather moving, I must say. But the ending of episode 10 was rather intriguing. * Characters and Animation: 8.5/10 I have no problem with the character profile rather the animation. I don't think it would have been a problem to create perfect characters. Yet they were all having elongated hands and legs. This somehow suited Watanuki though. The way he walked in sigh nad angry made it look more funny. Character development was perfect. Nothing more nothing less for the season. It went on slow and steady so that people who miss some episodes might catch up. Yuuko Ichihara, the witch, her dialogues were spot-on for the situation. I liked the fact that there weren't any friends of Watanuki otherwise the character development could have been a mess. Shizuka Domeiki, the next character, he was good. Just little so much serious in my eyes, good thing that he smiled in the second last episode. * Music and Soundtracks: 8.5/10 The background play was smooth. It wasn't fighting for spotlight. It fitted the show's theme perfectly. The opening 19sai by Suga Shikao was very catchy. I got it in my playlist right after I heard it. The first ending Reason by Fotogenico was good. The second ending was not my type and hence wasn't good. * Reason to Watch/Enjoyment: 10/10 A great mixture of spook plus psychology! I can't wait to watch the further seasons! This story can hold you up as long as you like mystery. I will say if you want something else other than the mainline animes with lots of action and gory scenes then this is the place for you to visit. It will not only entertain you but also help you with some great quotes over human's life. I would highly suggest people watching it because it is worth spending your time on TV or net. There are small defects in it but hey, every good thing has to have something bad or there is saying like that ^_^ Anyways, if you haven't seen the anime then surely visit it once.

This series didn't seem to have much of a plot and aside from the superstitious aspect, has characters and art that remind me of Ouran/Host Club. (Doumeki being the strong silent type like Mori senpai and Watanuki being the annoying Tamaki senpai.) The characters are unusually lengthy in both anime. The one part that kept me watching were the lessons taught by Ichihara. She's very knowledgeable, wise, and likes to drink a lot. XD This series is full of Eastern superstitions and interesting deities but the characters themselves (aside from Ichihara) span from downright annoying to needing more involvement in the series (Doumeki). I don't know what kind of people like a character as annoying as Watanuki, but if you can get past him then the other things in the series are interesting enough for a one time watch.

Out of all the clamp stories this has the best over all feeling of a series. It has the flavor of a great fairy tale.

What made me keep watching this was it's style. The artwork and music gave it a quirky, playful, artsy feel. Unlike many animes, there was no ongoing story. Most of the episodes are not connected to each other, and each is a separate event. So most can be watched independently of the others. This makes it easy to re-watch favorite episodes. Most of the events seemed a bit...how do I say...childish? A lot of the time it felt like a morality show for children, with each episode teaching a particular lesson (do not lie, do not kill, be nice to strangers, etc.). There was also plenty of comedy to keep things entertaining.

Your typical supernatural anime but this one lacks adventure and initiative although there are some few good psychological epsiodes but still lacks a good point for a story.. The Characters: **The Hot Bitchy Witch- All she does all day is grant wishes, though there are some good "Morals" that come out of it from the ones she grants wishes from. **The Nerdy, Manbitch A Very annoying character that i don't believe he deserve the the role as the main-character.. He shouts too much like a girl and acts all goofy especially around his cool rival and his crush on this girl whom he even don't have the guts to confess to. **The Cool,Calm Quiet Kid- This one should be the Hero of this anime.. He acts cool,calm, knows how to fight and not scower in the corner like a trapped animal and is the "BODYGUARD" of Watanuki (the looser-boy) since watanuki can't even freagin defend himself from his monsters, Watanuki relies on him regretfully and angrily since he sees him as a competition to his crush. END.