xxxHOLiC◆Kei

***I have decided to change the format of my reviews to provide more to-the-point ups and downs of the subject in review. I hope people like this new style since the old essay style reviews are tl;dr and just take too long to write. Anyways here is the first anime I'll review under this new format***

xxxHOLiC - Kei is the sequel to the first xxxHOLiC anime which is an adaptation of the CLAMP manga of the same name.

Story:
+ A great plot that leaves you wanting to know what happens next
+ Very deep symbolisms and philosophy are presented
+ A bigger focus on character development
+ An actual ... sense of continuity unlike the first season's more episodic format
+ Great mix of supernatural elements into a slice of life anime

- Fans who prefered the episodic format might be let down
- Less freakish supernatural situations (in comparison) to the first season
- Fans of the manga might be let down at the lack of references to Tsubasa Chronicles this far into the story.

Art:
+ Flawless animation
+ No quiality fluctuations throughout the series, solid and stable all the way
+ CLAMP art (for those who love it)

- CLAMP art (for those who hate it)
- A little spoilerish but I wish they had kept "a certain person'" eye colours like they should have been

Sound
+ Very awesome soundtrack that fits the atmospheres perfectly
+ Very good use of the soundtrack making scenes more powerful
+ Great performance by all the seiyuu's they did an awesome job

- Watanuki's voice can get irritaring sometimes (but thats me)

Character
+ Yuuko is amazing....very deep and mysterious character that just makes you wanna know more about her
+ Watanuki, despite being annoying sometimes, is a great and likeable character
+ The rest of the cast both main and supporting are very likeable
+ Great character development that actually makes you care for them

- Watanuki's short temper irritates me sometimes (but thats me)
- Mokona is also annoying

Enjoyment: xxxHOLiC - Kei was really an incredibly fun anime to watch, I just didn't feel like stopping, mainly because I loved the characters and the plot.

Overall: xxxHOLiC Kei is a great sequel to a great anime that is adapted from a great manga. But even as great as the anime is I highly recommend you read the manga since there is a lot of IMPORTANT material that was left out of both anime adaptations. If you like slice of life and supernatural animes, then by all means watch xxxHOLiC, its one of the best at doing both at once.

First let me say I truly enjoyed the first season and the art is just as striking but Kei is a total waste of characters with tremendous potential. - Try this out: the rain sprite, the Ame-warashi, standard mood is bad but she always sees the good in people; the vestal sprite, the Zashiki-warashi, is innocent and virginal she lives on pure, as in virginal, energy and is very susceptible to evil energy; the beautiful human spider, Jorougumo thrives on that evil energy; almost all the other secondary characters are just as vivid and unique - and CLAMP doesn't do a damn thing with them. ... To top it off the lead female, Yuuko, could have been one of the great females in anime but they turn her from the super dominant, supernatural witch of the first season into an insipid drunk whose only purpose is exposition.

Almost every episode had the making of two or three story arcs. The writers of "xxxholic kei" seem to be the type who when asked, "How did you like that elephant that just walked by?" reply, "What elephant?"

To someone who watched all the first season episodes at least twice the second season is an insult.

Still creepy, still mysterious, still fascinating, and still cryptic, xxxHOLiC Kei is the follow up to the first Holic, bringing along with it a new raft of ideas.

The new season does many of the same things as the previous. There's more of the supernatural, more cultural insights, and more social commentary. Ghosts, spirits, and psychics all return en masse, escorted by Mahjong lessons and the depravity of internet media.

Kei almost did everything the first Holic did brilliantly. "Almost" because there was just one element I found lacking compared to the original. There was decidedly less of the extremely creepy vibes that resonated from the ... first Holic. I wanted Kei to have its scary moments just like its predecessor, but alas, there were none. (Of course this is also the most subjective opinion I have up here, so don't take it for granted.)

However, Kei did well in respect to bringing up some more social concerns just like the first season. One small example being the introduction of Watanuki's newest friend, Kohane. Through her, Kei gives another candid view of society and how the problem of prejudice affects people. Of course, this wouldn't be xxxHOLiC without more mind-boggling questions about fate, destiny, and choices. They're another integral part of the anime, helping to make the story even more compelling.

With respect to the plot, Kei started off on the wrong foot for me. The very first story arc seemed rushed, with too little preamble to make the flow natural. Yet in the overall scheme of things, it became clear that the individual episodes were once again the agents of character development. This realization made me appreciate how the plot was truly structured, and to other viewers, the slightly rickety pace will become clearer as the series progresses.

Hence, moving on into character development, it has to be said that there was remarkably more in Kei as opposed to the first Holic. True, Watanuki still performs his insane stunts of protest against Doumeki's stoic nature, and Himawari still comments that they're the best of friends. However, Watanuki does develop, changing the group's dynamic considerably throughout the course of the series. As for Yuuko... well, she's still a combination of a serious all-knowing psychic goddess and frivolous alcoholic, but that's just another one of the reasons I can't stop watching.

In the fields of art and sound, much of Kei is similar to its predecessor. People still have arms and legs that are a little too long, but the artwork still retains its great quality. Heck, even the food looks appetizing.
It turns out that there were some differences in sound, but only with the opening song. It was a little more upbeat than the old one, and definitely retracted from the ominous ambiance. Other than that, I still considered it quite catchy.

Regardless of all of the above, I was glued to this show and couldn't let it go. I laughed at the comedy, shivered at the creepy parts, and felt sad whenever misfortune fell upon the characters (well, not really). Anyone who loved the first Holic absolutely must get their hands on Kei. And while they're at that, let's all keep an eye out for a third season.

Quick Thoughts:
The less episodic format led to improvements in some areas, but ultimately this season still suffers from many of the issues I had with the first season, like character designs and the repetitive interactions between characters.

Story:
Instead of being mostly episodic like its first season, xxxHOLiC Kei is presented in loosely connected arcs 2-4 episodes. This should've helped by allowing more time for developing more in-depth stories and settings, but outside of one arc towards the end the arcs felt mediocre. The couple plot twists they attempted were too predictable, and most the new characters introduced weren't interesting enough to carry the story.

Character:
I think ... they dropped the ball in their attempts to develop Watanuki's friend group. In the first few episodes it seemed like the relationship between Doumeki and Watanuki would develop past the very stale, one-dimensional interactions they would have in the first season, but their dynamic hardly changed. The end result is basically an ability that's used sparingly throughout the season. Himawari's development was strange and almost nonsensical, that's all I can say without spoiling. Even with these developments though, nothing really changed with their interactions. Watanuki's still unreasonably antagonistic towards Doumeki, and swoons over Himawari any times she's mentioned.

Enjoyment:
I enjoyed just one arc, which was about 4 episodes. Everything else mildly enjoyable at best and boring/repetitive at worst.

XXXHOLIC KEI (XXXHOLIC Season 2)
Rating: C+ (7.6/10)
Episodes - 13
Worth Watching?: Watch season 1, then decide.
Directed by Tsutomu Mizushima (of CLAMP) _ Aired in 2008

Welcome to WanderAgain's very biased review!

Story 2.2/2.5: Season 1 drew me in with it's entrancing portrayal of folklore and mysticism. This season did very little of that. Perhaps, it wasn't a mistake. Although the many magical layers of season one were one of xxxHolic's strongest points. Somehow, in some way, CLAMP managed to pull it away from that focal point and still do a great job. Kei was a more character-centric season, with minor magical elements mixed in. Much of it, ... interestingly, reminded me heavily of episodes from Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl). These episodes were surprisingly enjoyable, and even made me feel what little feelings I have left. What didn't amuse me, was the filler episode in the middle of the season. Who, other than xxxHolic, can get away with basing an entire episode on the game Mahjong? Literally, there is a Mahjong episode. Hardly any actual plot was completed in this episode. For a 13 episode series, I'm a little confused as to why they'd dedicate their resources to characters playing Mahjong. If it weren't for how enjoyable the main cast was, I'd probably be a lot more upset. But still, there's a Mahjong episode.

Art 1.6/2.5: In the case of xxxHolic, I both really love CLAMP and really hate CLAMP. For season 2 of xxxHolic, the art was terribly inconsistent. Most of the time, you were greeted by horribly drab backdrops that really didn't seem to fit with the rather unique character designs. However, on specific scenes, where some sort of important story element is brought to attention, the art is just phenomenal. Vibrant and magical, they highlight the true potential of CLAMP working with Production IG. This pains me, really; I would've like to see further effort into the everday scenes, rather than just a few poorly colored Japanese city houses.

Audio 1.4/2.0: I really enjoy the themes Suga Shikao has put out for xxxHolic. Perhaps it's personal preference, but I feel that
the jazzy pop-ish techy groove style really fits the air of xxxHolic (specifically Yuuko). As for the audio in the show,
it really didn't surprise me that they'd stick to the very friendly music from season one. Although I would've loved to hear
some new content. It gets a bit repetitive at times.

Characters 1.9/2.5: Welcome back the screamy headed nerd, Watanuki. Thankfully CLAMP's efforts this time around seemed to focus on the relationships between each character, and their subsequent development. Watanuki's growth has been a slow burn that finally fizzles out in Kei. He and Doumeki undergo a time of change, and it's splendid. As for new characters introduced... Fantastic! A certain young female character blew my little mind in many different directions. She was wonderfully crafted, and well portrayed. There is however a flaw, too major to ignore. Himawari. Oh Himawari. You beautiful bastress, how they changed you so. Himawari's characterization in Kei was ridiculously poor. It was laid out so strangely and suddenly that I even question calling it characterization. Aside from this major disappointment, I also really miss the Warashi. Just a warning, our enticing duo get very little screen time. They were quite dynamic (or at least interesting) characters that were not fully explored in Season 1.

Bias 0.4/0.5: I love Yuuko. I really really do. Her outfits alone makes me love the show so much more. I can't get enough of that
woman. I tell you what.

Interesting ideas in this show tend to get bogged down in the irredeemably unlikeable characters of the show. The way they become unlikeable is however peculiar, as on their own each individual character is OK. Effectively, when the main characters interact with one another they become obnoxiously annoying. Most of this is due to Watanuki, the main character. His reactions are so formulaic that now into the second season they are driving me up the wall. He goes gaga for Himawari, he gets inexplicably angry at Doumeki, and he lets himself get pushes around my Yuuko and Mokona. This has become extremely formulaic and you ... should expect to see this happen in every episode. In a typical scene I have no seen too many times, Watanuki will be talking, Doumeki will show up, Watanuki will flip out, and then third character will say 'You two really get along'.

The contrast is when the characters are actually in action. Storylines such as Watanuki and the pipe-kitsune trying to save zashiki-warashi were very good, and the action a far cry from the usual monotony. Comparitively, the game of Mahjong was one off the most annoying (ignoring that a game of Mahjong episode is mandatory and right up there with the mandatory hotsprings episode in every anime).

As long as Watanuki isn't flipping out at someone, and as long as Yuuko isn't on screen, the show is good.

The second season of xxxholic seems very mediocre compared to the first season. If you did watch the first season and enjoyed it very well, like i did, then you might be disappointed at the lack luster story that plaque most of the second season episodes. The only thing going well is character development, as you will learn to understand the characters even more. True some of the characters, especially Watanaki, can get annoying but it's not anything to go crazy over. Overall this season felt more like of "slice of life" of the xxxholic world rather than the stories about ... the mysteries of the world. Although this season is not yet complete, from what i can guess, it would seem possible that a third season will come eventually, and hopefully with a deeper story revolving around mysteries. If you haven't seen the first season yet, don't let the second season from discouraging you from watching it, you won't be disappointed.

XXXHOLiC Kei serves as the sequel set in a high school backdrop infused with Japanese mythology. This season intertwines its plotlines more tightly, offering humorous character interactions. Prior viewing of the original series is recommended for optimal understanding.

The characters retain their core traits from the previous season while gaining deeper dynamics. Doumeki's grandfather's involvement in Watanuki's dreams adds intrigue, and Himawari's presence casts a foreboding shadow over Watanuki's life. Yuuko continues her whimsical exploitation of Watanuki, aided by the increasingly selfish Mokona. Newcomers like the seductive spider queen Jorogumo and the mysterious Kohane Tsuyuri contribute unique backgrounds and interactions to the narrative.

XXXHOLiC Kei introduces longer, ... interconnected story arcs, offering a more concentrated narrative experience. Themes of fame, love, and despair emerge prominently, enriching the show beyond its supernatural elements. The exploration of darker themes, such as the exploitation of Kohane's abilities, adds depth to the storyline.

While XXXHOLiC Kei maintains the art style and fidelity of its predecessor, its visual quality is limited to 480p, which is disappointing considering the beauty of its art design.

The intro music echoes that of the first season, possibly performed by the same band. The new outro is enjoyable, featuring Mokona's whimsical presence in the credits.

XXXHOLiC Kei surpasses its predecessor with its focused narrative and enriched character development. It offers a compelling mix of supernatural elements, Japanese folklore, and thematic depth, making it a must-watch for genre enthusiasts. Whether attracted to its unique art style or intrigued by its thematic exploration, viewers seeking a departure from typical anime tropes will find XXXHOLiC Kei a refreshing and captivating continuation of the series.

Xxxholic: kei is everything that its first season tried to do and failed miserably. Therefore, combining with the whole, it gave a huge step-up to xxxHolic series, made the ride of watching the anime is somewhat memorable.

By getting rid of its episodic nature, both the story and the characters got well-developed over a short period of time. The pacing is faster and the overall tone of the series is more serious than ever I would say. That's a great thing cause I was very annoyed at how comedy was played out in this anime, they're just too much and not even funny. I blame CLAMP ... for that.

And again, by developing the story, it cleared lots of mysteries that was presented in the first season. I also loved how the characters became more mature and honest along the way. It made me investigated in them and therefore raised the quality of following their stories.

The soundtrack is a plus. Fitting the moments with melancholic and dark songs. While I don't like how the characters in xxxHolic are designed, the animation gets a bit better than the first season.

XxxHolic is an anime of wasted potentials. Even though the second season fixed many of its problems, it couldn't reach the high of its successors in the same themes like Natsume Yuujinchou or Mushishi. Still a good anime though.

xxxHOLiC started off as with an episodic formula. Although it showed almost no exposition to the mystery behind the core premise, it managed to introduce most of the important characters and established strong emotional bonds between them.
xxxHOLiC Kei, is where the wheels start rolling. Instead of the previous relaxed episodic format, this sequel drastically transforms itself with a deadlier, serious tone and arc format. The main characters finally face true danger, despair and challenges that were subtly warned from the prequel. There were a lot of stakes and sacrifices, nailing a good depth in the characters' development. There are still some comedic and relaxing ... breathers in between to lighten up depressing mood. The pacing is perfect. Overall, it's a solid anime.

HOWEVER, there's still almost zero exposition on the main background. Along the series, it is obvious that the authors/writers are unwilling to reveal the core mystery and background of some characters, not exactly because it's too early (30+ episodes in), but because they haven't written or determined it yet. It's also closely connected to Tsubasa Chronicles which is shown in the later parts of manga and OVA, yet never really explained how they are connected. Plot holes are left unfilled for too long, and a decent completion would require unimaginable progress writing.

What a shame. xxxHOLiC has uniquely sharp character designs, elegant feminine traits and experienced drama writing. The anime also has amazing control of sound effect and music. But its overambitious crossover might be holding back the story too much. I enjoyed the anime so far, but I'm afraid its failure is inevitable.

Ahh, xxxHolic: Kei. A fitting sequel of the series introducing consistent plots, like ones about Watanuki's eye, Doumeki's grandfather, Himawari's true self, and more. What could possibly go wrong? Well, let's consider to start with that the season only has 13 episodes; this somewhat puts it on a timer to wrap up old plot threads, something that it honestly...doesn't really take the time or care to do properly. Most of the characters are still the same as they were, with Doumeki making Watanuki freak out and him gushing over Himawari still being consistent elements. Despite a hope that you know, some people may have hoped ... to actually develop their friendship. Some other storylines weren't really fully explained or seemed forgotten, like what exactly happened with Haruka. And other times, the story felt that somehow it was able to squeeze filler into it. Case in point: An episode that expects one to learn the moderately complex game of Japanese mahjong. Not something universally relatable in a story about spirits, nor even appropriately fitting into the theme. There were some good episodes, but it felt like some of this was old hat. The revelations surrounding certain characters led to some interesting results, and Kohane's storyline was gripping, if troublesome and full of unfortunate implications that weren't really resolved. If given more episodes to develop, I believe this could've made a great series, given a little more care put into the writing. 6/10.