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Oh CLAMP! I’ve always loved their works; there is (albeit, sometimes misguided) sincerity in their stories that many other anime/manga can’t quite manage. An example of this is in the second episode that revolved around a girl with a pinky problem. It is revealed that it’s not mere limb stiffness, because to Yuuko and Watanuki, they see that she has a trail of black smoke coming out from her finger. The episode goes to reveal what the black smoke is about and the type of life this girl leads. There is obvious social commentary going on, and in a very CLAMP-esque way, rather than any form of judgement, it is simply an observation into human behaviour and how people cope with living.

The art style was something I had to get used to. Everyone in xxxHOLiC has tremendously long limbs, which makes them really tall. I guess it makes it stand out compared to other more glossy, better-proportioned anime series out there. It’s pretty amusing how bosomy Yuuko is and how some of her many costumes shows it off off quite unabashedly. :P

As for characters, I really don’t care for Watanuki too much. He’s always so neurotic and prone to making a ruckus over the smallest things. However, as the main character, he gets the most character development, so that does make him difficult to hate. The other characters are prone to be kind of one-dimensional and can be summed up with a sentence. Watanuki’s love interest is cute, pretty and sweet and his rival/friend is stoic, dependable and more silent than not. I guess my favourite character is definitely Yuuko. While she doesn’t vary much from polarising from being mysterious and thoughtful, to being a spontaneous drunk, the former quality makes her very interesting. Character exploration is not too big in xxxHOLiC, but if you don’t mind the existing, albeit archetypal, character types, then it shouldn’t be a problem.

CLAMP’s attempt at humour works at times but it’s not a consistent thing. I personally don’t find it very funny whenever Watanuki gets all slapstickishly angry about something, but at times it does surprise me with how funny and adorable some of the characters are at times. But if you’re looking for consistent humour, this anime probably would not fit the bill.

xxxHOLiC is great if you want a well-paced, episodic anime that has somewhat of a focus on exploring social phenomena and human behaviour through a fate/destiny, supernatural light. Sometimes touching, often spooky, kooky and clever. Each episode, while it may not be gripping plot-wise, is one that leaves you wondering what the next episode would be about. read more