xxxHOLiC

Alternative Titles

Synonyms: xxxHolic Rou, xxxHolic Cage

Japanese: xxxHOLiC

More titles

Information

Type: Manga

Volumes: 19

Chapters: 213

Status: Finished

Published: Feb 24, 2003 to Feb 9, 2011

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Mystery, Supernatural

Demographic: Seinen

Serialization: Young Magazine (Weekly)

Authors: CLAMP (Story & Art)

Statistics

Score: 8.38¹ (scored by 30,355 users)

¹ indicates a weighted score.

Ranked: #201²

² based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.

Popularity: #154

Members: 74,109

Favorites: 4,748

External Links

Wikipedia

8.38

Ranked #201Popularity #154Members 74,109

MangaYoung Magazine (Weekly)CLAMP (Story & Art)

Add to List

Volumes: /19

Chapters: /213

* Your list is public by default.

Available on Manga Store
xxxHOLiC Omnibus
Volume 1
$19.99

Edit
Synopsis

Living alone after his parents passed away, Kimihiro Watanuki is a high school student who can see otherworldly creatures that are attracted to him. His days are plagued by these nuisances, and he wishes to rid himself of this inconvenience. One fateful day, as Kimihiro is being chased by a horde of spirits, his feet bring him into a mysterious store to seek shelter. Here he meets Yuuko Ichihara, the mistress of this supposed store, who claims to be able to grant wishes. Yuuko offers to grant Kimihiro's, as long as he pays an appropriate price.

Thus begins Kimihiro's time working in her store to earn the payment necessary for his wish. In Yuuko's employ, he must become further involved with spirits and the supernatural before he can leave that world behind. How will he fare in the inexplicable encounters that await him?

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Edit
Background

xxxHOLiC was previously serialized in Young Magazine, but moved to Bessatsu Shounen Magazine in June 2010.

The series was released in English by the now defunct Del Rey from April 27, 2004 to February 21, 2012. Kodansha Comics USA has republished the series in an omnibus edition from March 18, 2014 to September 8, 2015 the final two volumes were 2-in-1, while the previous were all 3-in-1. It was also published in Spanish by Norma Editorial from July 2004 to October 2011.

Edit
Related Manga

Other:	K-Dash, Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE, Drug & Drop
Spin-off:	Shiritsu Horitsuba Gakuen
Side story:	xxxHOLiC: AnotherHOLiC
Sequel:	xxxHOLiC: Rei
Adaptation:	xxxHOLiC, xxxHOLiC: Kei, xxxHOLiC: Shunmuki, xxxHOLiC: Rou

More characters
Characters

Ichihara, Yuuko

Main

Watanuki, Kimihiro

Main

Doumeki, Shizuka

Main

Modoki, Mokona

Main

Kunogi, Himawari

Main

Tsuyuri, Kohane

Main

Flourite, Fai D.

Supporting

Syaoran

Supporting

Sakura

Supporting

Kurogane

Supporting

More reviewsReviews

Sep 6, 2011

213 of 213 chapters read

Overall Rating: 10

-redux (All reviews)

72 people found this review helpful

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.

Helpful

permalink | report

Dec 18, 2013

213 of 213 chapters read

Overall Rating: 4

arielphf (All reviews)

35 people found this review helpful

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 read more

permalink | report

Jun 10, 2012

213 of 213 chapters read

Overall Rating: 6

Aria34 (All reviews)

28 people found this review helpful

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 the series skips to a very emotionally charged exploration of the main characters, making them feel more human and tightening their relationships. This to me was the pinnacle of the series because, before this, there really was no reason to care about these characters before because they were so flat and they couldn't be called much more than stereotypes; spastic weirdo, silent manly hero guy, love interest, sexy boss lady. They developed sympathetic characters traits and I found myself suddenly caring whether or not one of the main cast got hurt or not.

The next 'part' of the series is actually an ongoing theme that the series includes, and it grinds the story to a screeching halt. It is one of the things about this series that the majority of the fans hate, and with good reason. The series tries to increasingly tie itself to Tsubasa, and it is very forced and it provides ....... little to nothing of value to the universe of xxxHOLiC. It's during these sequences that you have to force yourself to read these very long-winded boring sequences of Yuuko explaining to us how the two stories are 'connected.' Except... it's not all that connected. All of this can be easily removed and none of is actually has is direct or important influence on the main story of xxxHOLiC.

As for the home stretch of the series, it makes a jarring return to the mystery-of-the-week format. It's obvious that the author started to see this series as a burden. There are a lot of pointless time-skips, and its the most jarring with the major ten-year time skip. Some main characters are forgotten and don't even show up for the last chapters. One character in particular gets so lazily written-out of the series that it was shocking. And, in the end the series goes out with a whimper. No fanfare, no emotional intensity, just a lot of mundane talking in a very repetitious sequence.

CLAMP's long-limbed characters are often the subject of much ridicule but I have to say that some of the designs, especially Yuuko's outfits and the chapter title cards, are lavish and quite pretty. The style of all the butterfly imagery to the simple flowing of smoke from a pipe is great eye-candy. That being said, panels can be lazily drawn like giving two-page spreads to pages full of black ink and/or a simplistic character portrait (especially near the end.)

I do recommend this manga... but only the middle portion of it. Don't bother reading the ending, and (only if you have time to kill) read the beginning.

Helpful

permalink | report

Apr 23, 2016

213 of 213 chapters read

Overall Rating: 10

BeniChan (All reviews)

12 people found this review helpful

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 from the start, they show you what kind of story this is going to be, full of funny moments, love and mystery. Even if this one isn't the last of Holic mangas, the put a good ending on. They created a point so the story can continue not getting all boring and becoming a circle of events. This is the kind of manga that, yeeears after you finished, if you look at the cover, you gonna become nostalgic and remember the good time you spent reading, and do it all over again.

The only problem I see in the plot is regarding the points where the story connects with Tsubasa, for exemple. If you hadn't read Tsubasa, you may get lost, but reading Holic til the end, you still can get the story. They don't explain the connections from the start, and this is the only point where you can fell lost, because the other parts from the Holic world, lines that didn't get a tie in the first serie are explained after, and as there is a new serie going on, it's early to say "but i didn't get that yet!"

About the art and characters:

The art may not have shinning eyes, well structured bodies and flattering traces, nor realistic art and so. Yet, it matches so perfectly the atmosphere that the story gives, that it is almost surreal. Here's something important about the art: they are simple yet so detailed in the clothing and covers, that you need to spend such a long time to contemplate everything. It complements the mysterious feels that the store gives you.

About the characters:

When we talk about the characters, we NEED to talk about the bonds between Yuuko and Watanuki, and between Watanuki and Doumeki. They are really important for the story development and the plot itself, because, let's say, xxxHolic is about bonds. Even the characters that in any story would be the "good for nothing good looking char", here they have their special roles in the plot, none of them were waisted.

___________________________
Well, to finish this short review, I'll just complement what I said before: Read this story, not because it is CLAMP, not because it has a good scoring.

Read it because it's good. This funny and amusing story explains to you the importance of every single thing that happens in life, the people we met, it teaches you the importance of making choices and that it will always bring something to your life, be it good or not.

Helpful

permalink | report

More stacks

Interest Stacks

Best shounen , seinen manga of all time

by Ark-Hu

46 Entries · 17 Restacks

The Kino Stack pt.4

by petbastard

50 Entries · 10 Restacks

Must Read

by Ark-Hu

47 Entries · 15 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

View All

More news
Recent News

Manga 'xxxHOLiC' Receives Live-Action Film

Film production and distribution company Asmik Ace announced a live-action film for CLAMP's xxxHOLiC manga on Tuesday. The film is scheduled to open in theaters...read more

Nov 23, 2021 12:29 AM by Vindstot | Discuss (17 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for September

Here are the North American Anime & Manga releases for September Week 1: September 1 - 7 Anime Releases Argevollen Collection 1 DVD Argevollen Collection 1 Blu-r...read more

Sep 1, 2015 5:05 PM by trebmeg | Discuss (30 comments)

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

	omnibus release quality weganizm - Dec 1, 2021	2 replies	by weganizm »» Jan 3, 7:54 AM
	Poll: xxxHOLiC Chapter 213 Discussion ( 1 2 3 ) tsubasalover - Feb 9, 2011	112 replies	by ArtemisMeiko »» Mar 22, 2021 4:29 PM

xxxHOLiC
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

External Links

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Edit
Related Manga

More characters
Characters

More reviewsReviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

xxxHOLiC Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsType

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

External Links

EditSynopsis

EditBackground

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

EditRelated Manga

More charactersCharacters

More reviewsReviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

More featured articlesRecent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

xxxHOLiC
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Edit
Related Manga

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles