There are very few mangas I give a complete 10 out of 10 for, but if anything, xxxHOLiC excels even at that- I would have given it a 100 out of 10 if possible. It's that delightful and amazing.
xxxHolic is a supernatural story about a young teenager named Watanuki Kimihiro who is troubled by his ability to see spirits and his bloodline's inheritance of drawing them close to him. One day, when running away from the usual spirits, he enters a mysterious looking building, only to find that the spirits have vanished, and that the building is inhabited by a "witch"- Yuuko Ichihara- who can
...
grant wishes. Watanuki wishes to be left alone by the troublesome spirits, but in return, must work at Yuuko's shop- a job that is like no other. Soon Watanuki finds himself learning more about the supernatural world, other dimensions, and stumbles upon two characters from a different universe: Sakura and Syaoran....
In a basic short: xxxHolic is not your typical run-of-the-mill manga. Exquisite in it's detailed art and subtle storytelling, this is manga at CLAMP's finest. Beginning with a series of "events" that Yuuko narrates and reveals something poignant about human nature and humanity and then slowly delving into Watanuki's mysteries and importance of being, it features excellent character depth and development. The chapters flow smoothly, going from one event to another without you really realizing it. It is slow at first, but in a good way, as it gives space for the characters to really develop and show their true colors. Eventually, it's crossovers with it's sister manga, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, lead to a main focus around 100 chapters into the manga. Yuuko's exhilarating beauty, seductive and omnipotent nature with young "apprentice" Watanuki is a delightful relationship. Also featuring is a small main cast, and a small minor cast, which allows the manga to focus exclusively on these characters with respect and care, rather than going for halfhearted attempts to cover a large cast. The best thing about xxxHolic is that it is specified for those who like thought-provoking, philosophical manga that manages to be visceral and accessible. It is that quality which allows it to retain a sense of maturity and coherence which draws the reader in, while being relatively simple in plot for a good portion of the story.
Going onto specifics, however, the most wonderful aspect about this series, lies in its balance and characters. Roughly 1/3 of the manga devotes itself to episodic stories, each ending with a certain theme or saying, which may or not maybe as delightful as the viewer would wish to hear. It is here where we get a chockfull of comedy- from Watanuki's exaggerated emotions to Yuuko's fine palette and desire for food. It is here that unusually, we get the most amount of character development. Watanuki slowly transforms from a normal, spastic teenager to a more serious, refined and curious man. Yuuko herself changes- though more subtly, and as Watanuki begins to understand himself better, so do the people around him, and thus xxxHOLiC is really more of a character-based, introspective story than its sister, TRC, which is much more plot-based.
The other 2/3 of the manga go into crossovers with the other series, which in a way is tragic, because in order to fully comprehend what's going on, you're going to inevitably have to read TRC or have a very good understanding of what's going on. That is one of the greatest weaknesses about this manga, one that has put many off from reading it, but let me say it now- don't let it get to you. If you prefer to read TRC - which has quite a long and convoluted plot - then that's totally fine, but the easiest way to understand these events is to simply read some general information about TRC (information that can be obtained by going to WIkipedia, if you wish). It's also around this period that a dramatic shift in tone takes place- a very bold move, and honestly, what makes this manga fantastic in the first place. xxxHOLiC starts off as a comedy, but ends with a much darker atmosphere. It's here where Watanuki's character development really pays off, as we understand that in all things, not just wishes, just as there is a gain for something, there is also a price. Happiness is relative to everyone, and what may be one person's happiness may be another's misfortune. xxxHOLiC explores these themes and excellently, giving quite the realistic (but still with a hopeful edge to it) answers.
Not only that, but lastly, xxxHOLiC is fantastic at giving the setting and characters life. No character feels completely flat and while some additional development could have been added, each character is different in their own way, and most importantly, the relationships between the characters are amazing. Each relationship shapes the character in a completely different way, and as Yuuko said herself- it are these ties that inevitably, make us want to wish, and make us human.
I'm probably ranting at this point at how amazing xxxHOLiC really is, but it changed my entire perspective and philosophy on life, and not many things can do that. A delight that anyone should definitely read, xxxHolic will have you most likely, hooked at first sight.
 Alternative TitlesSynonyms: xxxHolic Rou, xxxHolic Cage Japanese: xxxHOLiC More titlesInformationType: Manga
Volumes: 19
Chapters: 213
Status: Finished
Published: Feb 24, 2003 to Feb 9, 2011
Demographic:
Seinen
Serialization:
Young Magazine (Weekly) Authors:
CLAMP (Story & Art) Statistics Ranked: #2372 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #181
Members: 83,589
Favorites: 5,066 Resources | Reviews
Filtered Results: 21 / 21
Sort
Your Feelings Categories 
Sep 6, 2011
There are very few mangas I give a complete 10 out of 10 for, but if anything, xxxHOLiC excels even at that- I would have given it a 100 out of 10 if possible. It's that delightful and amazing.
xxxHolic is a supernatural story about a young teenager named Watanuki Kimihiro who is troubled by his ability to see spirits and his bloodline's inheritance of drawing them close to him. One day, when running away from the usual spirits, he enters a mysterious looking building, only to find that the spirits have vanished, and that the building is inhabited by a "witch"- Yuuko Ichihara- who can ... 
Dec 18, 2008
xxxHolic is a series that ties in quite closely with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, but for the most part, you don't really need to read TRC in order to understand xxxHolic until you get to about volume 11 or 12. Once you get to that point, though, the two series get heavily intertwined with each other so it might be a good idea to read TRC, anyway, so you don't end up reading 100+ chapters in one go like I did in order to understand what was going on in xxxHolic...Even so, it's interesting just to see where the two plots meet and how one thing
...
Jun 10, 2012
xxxHOLiC was one of the first manga that I ever read and it's probably one of the longest running manga series that I've ever finished. However, despite my nostalgia for it, my enjoyment while reading it was very mixed. xxxHOLiC wavers from being moderately enjoyable, to absolutely awesome, and finally to downright boring.
xxxHOLiC can be split into 3-4 parts. First, xxxHOLiC reads like a supernatural mystery-of-the-week. These sections were fairly interesting and I know I loved certain specific chapters, but for supernatural mini-stories tangentially connected by the protagonist I'd rather read something like Nightmare Inspector which has a more serious tone than xxxHOLiC. Then ... 
Dec 18, 2013
I get very tired of CLAMP.
All of their offerings feel the same; insipid, juvenile and tedious. Perfect fare for a toddler, but rather boring for an adult and as I've gotten older, I find myself disliking their works more and more. xxxHolic has a little bit more of an interesting feel, but the male characters don't act like men and the enigmatic female makes me want to slap her. Like other Clamp offerings, you never really learn what is going on in the story - you never really learn who the characters really are and why they are doing what they ... 
Oct 31, 2008
xxxHolic is a pritty good manga and one of the masterpieces of Clamp. That said, everyone that is a fan of Clamp, should know and should be reading this manga. For the rest of the community of readers out there, like me, should give it a try to see if this manga is your taste, even if you dont like Tsubasa Chronicle. This manga shows a different perspective of Tsubasa Chronicle. Therefore, you will see characters showing up in this manga once in a while.
The main story goes around a shop that grants your wish in exchange of something. And everyone that has a ... 
Apr 22, 2008
The story focuses on Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student who sees spirits. One day he wanders in a strange looking shop, where he finds the other main character, Yuko Ichihara, a witch.
In order to fulfill his wish of not seeing spirits anymore, Yuko pretends to be payed. So Watanuki will work part-time at her shop, and this is where the fun part comes! The idea of a wish-fulfilling shop sounds very nice to me! Every wish that Yuko grants leads Watanuki to a little adventure, which usually involves other characters, a few spirits and a large dose of humor! It's a great mix of fantasy, comical ...
Nov 9, 2008
Alright, I have read 15 chapters of this, and I think this is overhyped.
First, the story.. IT HAS NO STORY! This is about how they go around "saving" people, and random things.. It is rather confusing, and the MAIN storyline never goes on... The Art... OMG The characters are not in "focus", it's extremely hard to distinguish them from the background. The characters looks like they have been cut & pasted, seeing the white outlines on them. The art is a bunch of "pretty" scribbles, and is VERY chaotic. Reading this manga gives you eye-strain. ... 
Apr 23, 2016
When I think about writing reviews for the works i've read/watched, it's waaay easier to talk about the ones that "ok, this was really joyfull" "oh, such good art"... Because when we talk about the one that is THE ONE for us, you may look like a crazy fangirl trying to say more than 'omg sahjashdjkah". XD
Let's try this! And I'm gonna start with: READ THIS, because not even in 1000 years, you gonna forget or regret. About the story: As any other one of the popular CLAMP 'classic' series, the plot has a lot of deep thoughts, meanings, things you carry for your personal life. Since ...
Oct 7, 2018
Although the story crosses over with Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicles, it is not necessary for one to read Tsubasa before reading xxxholic to understand the story, though there will be some moments of slight confusion.
I enjoyed this manga to a great extent, and to date it is one of my favourite manga. The main reason for my love of this manga is the characters within it, especially Watanuki, who's personality I admire greatly, Yuko following closely behind. The manga is centred around the interaction between Watanuki and those of his personal life, as well as the interactions between Watanuki and the customers. Both contribute greatly to ... 
Mar 29, 2019
First things first. My "reviews" system is explained on a blog entry. Which can be found through my profile.
------ ✦Story Story is hard to summarize. But in a nutshell it's episodic problem solving related to spiritual/mythological things for the most parts. With inter-webbing main characters development, story and an absolute cluster of CLAMPs multiverse. Other than that, xxxHolic is extremely emphasized on people, bonds, emotions and heart of a living beings. Which is the same thing I absolutely adored in "Tsubasa Chronicles" and they are quite connected to holic in CLAMPverse. Ayhow, there are plenty of heart tugging episodes and moments with immense amount of bittersweet emotions ... 
Aug 14, 2016
This manga is so completely my cup of tea that I probably can't help but be a little biased in it's favor, but even so it's definitely something everyone should at least try reading.
There are two things about xxxHolic that make it special, that make it stand out in my memory and have it latched permanently into my imagination. First, it's sad. I don't mean it's melodramatic and fraught with character deaths, its just has that perfectly melancholy tone. The enjoyable kind of sad you feel when you stare out your window on rainy days or when you remember happy times gone by. Not ... 
Dec 21, 2017
xxxHOLiC is, to this day, one of my favorites. I'm hesitant to rate it a 10, but I believe it deserves to have the highest rating possible.
Story: The majority of the chapters of xxxHOLiC are contained in their own story, but all contribute to the reader's understanding of the characters and what may be unfolding around them. While sometimes this can bring down the story, overall it doesn't harm it as even things that appear to have no influence on the important events do help develop the characters in outstanding ways. Occasionally it may feel as if the short stories do drag the entire thing on ... 
Feb 24, 2010
×××Holic follows Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student tormented by the blessing/curse of seeing ayakashi, spiritual entities that seem to be attracted to him. The manga starts when he suddenly stumbles into Yuuko's exotic shop, and learns that his wish of rid himself of the ayakashi can be made reality, but he must work for Yuuko as payment.
Story: 8/10 It really fluctuates. On the psychological verge, Holic really does it function, balancing with an interesting use of mythology. As the series progresses, however, it decays to a further exploration of the bigger plot, which is far from interesting. Art: 8/10 It's unfair saying Holic's art is uninteresting due ... 
Jun 28, 2012
The story line for the most part is the same as the anime, with little things here and there that change which is rather normal for going from print to anime. A couple things though seem to of been changed. The first one is that Watanuki doesn’t feel like he is a total spas from what I have read. He seems a little more put together then the anime series. Yuko on the other hand seems to speak even more and says things that could probably go without saying like for instance, saying that Watanuki’s face looked mad when you could tell right from the
...
Dec 5, 2009
xxxHOLiC is pretty much an amazing series.It kind of crossovers to Tsubasa,late in the manga,and in the second and third(OVA) seasons of the anime,but personally,I love xxxHOLiC the first has different arcs or different escapades.But,the art and animation,not so good,cause almost every one looks like trees,and the animation is somewhat lowbudget...
Now,CLAMP has impressed me "once" again,with this very mystical series,and the Openings,and endings,background music,and plot is interesting. Overall,its something you might enjoy watching.10(Masterpiece) -Delaney 
Apr 16, 2009
This series is mainly a serious and somewhat comedic manga. I personally like a lot of action or mystery but i still find myself captivated with this series. I reccomend this book to those you are reading or have read tsubasa. Just remember "there is no coincedence there is only hitsuzen"
May 13, 2013
xxxHolic ties in with the Tsubasa " at various moments. When it does you often times wonder what is happening and get confused but as you continue reading you tend to pass it off as a side dish. xxxHolic is one of those mangas where you reach the end and you end up wanting to tear the book apart or rip out the screen because you don't want it to end. It has a great storyline and you really enjoy how it plays out. The characters will really get you into the story. The art is some of the best art i've seen and you
...
May 12, 2021
Okay. I really liked the first chapters, that kind of introduced us to the characters and had a bit of the "monster of the week" format, though I see many disagree.
Starting with the best part of the manga, the art is phenomenal. I am a big fan of Clamp's art personally, though I have heard that it is rather controversial, so if you aren't into their style, you might disagree with me here. Characters are quite the strong point of this manga, in particular, the main character, Watanuki. I won't spoil anything, but his growth throughout the series is truly fun to watch. Other characters ... 
Nov 8, 2022
To start with, I'll state that I watched the anime of xxxHolic first, and will be judging the manga on its own terms, rather than as a comparison/contrast between the two. To start with, xxxHolic seemed to have an unfortunate issue where chapters would frequently repeat themselves and be listed out of order (which thankfully stopped near the halfway mark/ending of the series.) That aside, how does the plot of xxxHolic hold up? I'd like to preface this by saying that I am not Japanese and despite my interest in Japan, there is much in Japanese culture that doesn't translate very well to western media.
...
Jun 18, 2022
This reads like a Japanese take on Neil Gaiman-style occult, only with a somewhat lighter atmosphere. Magic here is not the mundane thing we see in battle manga, but rather a mysterious weave of power and destiny, that obeys its own rules and is much, much better left alone by mortals.
The MC is cursed with the ability to see ghosts, and unfortunately falls in the web of a mysterious and powerful witch, known as Yuko, in the business of wish granting. He becomes her indentured servant and sees his life turned upside down. Art: 4/10. Really, it's pretty awful. The only subject I like is Yuko, ... |
