Ranked #369

xxxHOLiC: Manatsu no Yoru no Yume

xxxHOLIC - Manatsu no Yoru no Yume is mystery, horror, fantasy movie of the series xxxHOLIC. This movie does not follow the storyline of the series, which is to say it also does not have ties to the story in the manga. I would suggest watching the first season of xxxHOLIC before watching this.

It starts with Yuko receiving an invitation stating that her 'collection' is incomplete and is inviting her to an auction at his house. This story is something we've all probably seen before. Main character gets invited to creepy old house, weird things happen, they solve a mystery, the end. Even with a common plot, it's still a good story. They keep a fair amount of mystery and there are scenes that make your heart skip a beat.

The characters aren't something new. We have the same main characters, Yuko, Doumeki and Watanuki. One thing worth mentioning is the crossover scene at the end. This movie crosses over with Tsubasa Chronicle: Tori Kago no Kuni no Himegimi.

The sound is something I would expect out of a Final Fantasy game. It has that mysterious tune that helps build up the climax and is perfect for this movie's theme. Once again, Shikao Suga does a great job with the ending song.

The animation is, as expected of Production I.G., superb. The animation is smooth, their movements precise and has great quality. The details were really improved. I liked the art in the xxxHOLIC series, but this is a step up from that. You will also notice that Watanuki is also more flexible, thus being able to perform more of his weird movements, which we all enjoy.

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I’m even more impressed by the movie compared to the series. I like how the horror and comedy was balanced. It was even exciting in some parts, especially the scene with Yuuko, Watanuki and Doumeki near the end.

It still scared me though. That little girl is the spawn of evil and I wish I never have to see her in a CLAMP crossover series. Speaking of crossover, I got a laugh out of the shameless plug at the end. I don’t wanna give out any spoilers, so I’ll just say it has something to do with a CLAMP crossover movie.

The animation really improved for this one with regards to details. The backgrounds were more intricate, the color palette had more variety and the characters were given more realistic bodies. Their heads were notably smaller though.

The music was really great too. There was an assortment of tracks that were nicely made and perfect for the theme of the movie. I also like the ending theme by Suga Shikao.

It really was a good decision to watch the movie as a supplement to the series. I strongly recommend watching this movie to other xxxHOLic fans – you will not be disappointed. read more