I must say that after a rather disappointing second episode (animation lacking quality and unwanted script changes) this episodes was really a gift. I loved it, if you didn’t like it, it’s better if you stay away from this review ^^”
Of course I think the plot and screenplay are both major important things, but a good animation makes my knees weak. The guy who did the storyboard and directed episode 2 must be a big newbie because he wasn’t even listed on ANN’s amazing database, so all I hope now it’s that he’ll stay away from the series for the sake of it !
*ahem* Back at this episode, it was really good animated, IMO, so that cheered me up a lot because I was thinking XXXHOLiC would suffer from the same problem that Tsubasa did u.u Good, it doesn’t seem to be the case here.
So Yuuko and Watanuki are playing at the park… a few things to notice:
– They are Himawari and Doumeki-less, of course, since they decided to put the 100 Ghostly Stories arc for later in the series (my bet is that it’s going to be aired on summer, btw).
– The stone benches are all changed (there’s no duck and it’s missing a cat or two…) but that’s okay…
Then Himawari appears… one may think that it was a bit weird that she came to ask for Yuuko’s help when they hadn’t even met before, but Himawari cleared said that she marked the meeting place and the first thing Yuuko asks her after greeting her is “What is it that you wanted to ask me?”. So to me, it felt more like they had somehow talked to each other before, not personally, though. Maybe she mentioned that she had a problem to Watanuki and he suggested that Yuuko might resolve it.
On Yuuko choosing Doumeki to go with Watanuki, yeah, I do agree that it was a bit weird. Her only “contact” with Doumeki was at episode 2 when Watanuki simply mentioned his name and she thought that name was more suitable for him. Can she really make those kind of connections just by the name? I guess so… I guess also that, like every other know-it-all CLAMP chara, Yuuko probably can see the future so that’s why she was so sure about Doumeki. It’s too soon to judge, IMO, Watanuki can ask her anytime later why she was so confident on picking Doumeki, it could be one of the series’s mysteries.
I just loved the scene where Yuuko is changing her clothes. It was funny and very well-done, IMO, and very faithful to the manga as well. With the exception of the Rubber Duck’s absence, which was first introduced at the computerholic lady arc so maybe that’s why we don’t see it here. I highly hope they won’t cut it off the series because he’s so funny >.< But oh well, they could well have introduced it at this arc as well, I don't see any problem with that.
Yuuko punching Watanuki on the head was TEH funny, nevertheless.
Crossover time ! Maru and Moro weren't just reading Chobits's book, they were actually doing it out loud ! I seriously thought that IN THE CASE of showing it, they would just put the two girls giggling over the book, but no. It was a tiny detail that I pretty much loved, of course ^-^ This really made my hopes for Kazahaya and Rikuou appearing to grow.
The next scene with Watanuki getting to the school has an original and totally amazing dialog. The part where Yuuko and Doumeki are greeting each other, THROUGH WATANUKI, is definitely great xDDD Watanuki's seiyuu was just perfect (as in EVERY other scene, omg he's so awesome) and the dialog is totally made up for the anime only, but it was so suitable.
At the next scene, when they enter the school, we can hear a new track of the soundtrack. I really liked it because the music kind of plays backwards, giving a sinister feeling xD And the SFX of the spirit surrounding the building is also kinda of cool.
Good to see they kept at least ONE single Tsubasa crossover, the Mokona chess pieces xD
Another original thing they added was when Watanuki gets attacked when he first reaches the rooftop, the thing goes away when Doumeki appears, though. It's original, but again very nice. It prooves what Yuuko would say later that the spirits would have attacked Watanuki if Doumeki wasn't there.
The scene with the girls was also very well-done, the girls as cute as in the manga, and differently than at the previous episode, the dark mood stayed untouched, which is excellent. When the girls became creepy, they looked as creepy as in the manga and the monster… well, the monster looked like he was more interested in raping Doumeki than anything else xDDDD No, seriously, it was very good as well, I loved it's texture, I just wish we could see the "garbage" on it's body, you know? It was quite absent.
The snake was omg so perfect ! I just really really loved how they did it, kinda vectorized, you know? XD Just awesome. Graphically speaking, XXXHOLiC is really giving me the satisfation (first the gray people and now this *-*)
Like I said before, I really loved this episode. I'm trying not to be worried about the changes on the original order of events because I just saw today a report of someone who went to that XXXHOLiC Event where Ohkawa-sensei attended as a guest, there she mentioned that she goes every week to P IG's studios to check the scripts. So I think that 3 episodes is way too soon to judge what she's planning.
Indeed I would probably be throwing a bunch of bad words towards P IG if Ohkawa-sensei wasn't at the staff, but since she is and everything is being personally checked by her, I'll trust her. And it's not like I'll have to do a huge effort to like this series, truly, I am already loving it ! ^___^
Overall, the good points were:
– Very well-animated. And Watanuki's crazy attacks were amusing.
– Chobits's book (as well as the ears) was kept AND Maru and Moro read it out loud.
– Watanuki seiyuu is perfect. I know I've said it a bunch of times, but he really is ! He was again awesome on this one. I shall remark this every time it needs xD
– The dark mood of the arc has been kept untouched.
– The episode flowed very well, start to end.
Bad points (not much because I loved it):
– It felt a little weird why Yuuko picked Doumeki to join Watanuki (maybe because she knew Himawari was dangerous?), does she know that much? I hope they'll touch on that subject later on the series.
– Yuuko not mentioning Clow at the end (maybe later in the series? I hope… u.u)
– Rubber Duck's absence xD
Before I forget, one more thing, I found a brief summary of what happens at episode #5, Shiritori (Word-Chain Game).
Apparently it'll be a mix of original and manga story. Watanuki and Himawari goes to see Doumeki's competition for archery, then later they find an oden shop which later they discover that it's run by foxes (of course xD).
The weird thing is that apparently Watanuki AND Himawari goes to the shop… Himawari as well? Weird, isn't it? O.o
Either way, I can see how they will attach the Word-Chain Game to the episode… I just hope that doesn't mean we won't be seeing the Clover Birds arc =_=
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23 thoughts on “XXXHOLiC #3”
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Chibi Yuuto's CHRoNiCLEs 
I really liked this episode as well! It gives me hope for the future episodes, cos I was really unimpressed with the first two.
I would be so happy if they kept the Legal Drug crossover in *_*
About that episode 5 synopsis, what is up with all the Himawari? They are involving her more than she’s supposed to be. Hmm, maybe they have a twist up their sleeves for the anime? Who knows.
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Ow I’m glad you liked it as well ! I’m really liking it, no joke !
>what is up with all the Himawari?
Indeed~ Well, I think she might be really important for the anime adaptation O.o
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Yeah, I’m really interested in the next episode now, whereas before I was more nonchalant about it. I hope they continue being interesting.
If they’re going to force Himawari on us, they better make her interesting >:[ grrr
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Yuuto-san…..
Although you liked it, i think it was not more interesting than the second (I´m with you on the animation/sound effects/Watanuki´s seiyuu).
Yes, we´ve seen Chobits stuff, but I´m still worried that Chobits Stuff is on the series only because the series was also aired on TBS… Maybe they´re changing the order of the facts because negotiation involving trademarks, characters and stuff from other series (aired on other Stations) has not yet been finished. Honestly, I won´t believe a single thing until I see freakin’ Sakura/Syaoran/Fye/Kurogane in Yuuko´s Garden (and the TWO Mokonas).
The more crossovers being cut I see, the more disappointed I get.
*sigh*
The series is still good though. Crossovers are far from being what xxxHolic is made of. It has its own light (I think I´m using your words from some time ago, sorry… no money for royalties…).
See ya
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Ow I liked this one way more than number 2 O.o
I hope we didn’t see Chobits crossovers JUST because it was aired on TBS, please no >_> If I remember well, the director said that we will be seeing other CLAMP charas as well, I hope u.u
I also want Tsubasa’s crossovers to appear as well, but the more episodes I see, the more I am convinced that they totally cut it from the series… I think we would have definitely seen something already like “Both Animes are Linked !!!!!!!!!!!!!” Like that crazy ads Japanese people LOVE to do.
I do think XXXHOLiC has it’s own light, surely, and I’m definitely seeing it with the anime.
> sorry… no money for royalties…
Hahahahaha don’t worry !! XD
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Hi again!
Oh, the director mentioned there´ll be other charas? I didn´t know that… Well, if we take Chobits into consideration, there are still lots of charas. ´Cause if it depends on other CLAMP animes (not aired on TBS… I´ll only believe, as I told you, when I see the freaking people.
> I think we would have definitely seen something already like “Both Animes are Linked !!!!!!!!!!!!!” Like that crazy ads Japanese people LOVE to do.
You´re right. We´ve seen such advertisement for the movie (Remember? “The movies have LINKS”). Why weren´t there any for the anime….?
Oh, by the way, I didn´t know P. IG and Bee Train had parted either. When was that? If it was shortly after the movie, it explains everything. They had an agreement before, so they had crossovers. No agreement, no crossovers. If we follow this reasoning, Tsubasa will also have its crossovers affected…
Only possibilities based on theories. I may be just plain wrong.
See ya
*Yuuto-saaaaaaaaaaaan*
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I’m not sure, the blurb I have with the director speaking about Tsubasa is in japanese and I SERIOUSLY need someone to translate that, but I didn’t find any T_T Though, if my online translator is right, he did mention that other CLAMP charas shall appear. I hope I’m right u.u
>Why weren´t there any for the anime….?
Exactly!! It’s such a money-caller, to link both stories, they would surely make a big deal of it. But no, nothing about a linkage between the 2 works on the magazines or official sites.
>I didn´t know P. IG and Bee Train had parted either. When was that?
I found this news not so long time ago on Anime News Network (if you want search at their files, it’s surely there). Nishikawa (P IG’s president) was saying that P IG owns just a very small percentage of BeeTrain’s loyalties, and that make them kind of independent.
>If it was shortly after the movie, it explains everything.
Indeed. Now I’m not sure if the next tsubasa movie, IN CASE there is one, will be made by P IG anymore. I don’t know if by the time they were doing the 1st one if BeeTrain was still under P IG’s power.
But then, P IG can’t put tsubasa charas on XXXHOLiC, but can BeeTrain put the XXXHOLiC charas on Tsubasa? Will we see Yuuko on Tsubasa’s second season? We shall only wait and see…
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WTF episode 5! But the whole POINT of the oden stand is the fact no ordinary humans can reach it! Crap, they’re fucking my favorite short story up.
Yuuko punching Watanuki on the head was TEH funny, nevertheless.
I found it disturbing. Yuuko isn’t that violent.
About the stone benches, it should be a fox, a cat and a tiger. No duck and no dog.
I don’t see the chess pieces as crossover. White Mokona pieces could be black Mokona pieces painted in white, because it’s chess and it’s white vs. black.
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>But the whole POINT of the oden stand is the fact no ordinary humans can reach it!
I know ! The summary clearly says that “2” people finds the shop… I’m assuming it’s Watanuki and Himawari because the summary STARTS saying that them both went to see Doumeki’s archery competition. It could be Doumeki as well but, then it would mean that the summary has gramatical mistakes ^^”
>White Mokona pieces could be black Mokona pieces painted in white, because it’s chess and it’s white vs. black.
I know xD I was joking, at least there’s a white Mokona xD
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Even if it’s Doumeki, they’re still fucking it up. Doumeki would be “But where are you seating at?”
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Yup xDDDDD Btw, I don’t remember right now, but when they went to that crazy world with all the crazy creatures, did Doumeki see them or not?
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Yeah, because the act of holding the lamp let him. I reread that saga at least three times.
I don’t think if might see the kitsunes if he clings to the miso soup bowls or something.
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Hahahahaha well, we shall see ^^” I’m pretty sure it’s Himawari, though.
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I loved this episode! I haven’t read these parts in the manga for a really long time so I was wondering if it was in the right order…
Anyway, Watanuki and Doumeki are awesome. Too bad to Watanuki, but it’s true. I also loved the part when Doumeki and Yuuko communicated through Watanuki. XD The chess pieces were cool too.
No Clow! Booooooo.
Ahhh, I don’t think I’m going to really like Episode 5. =/ But I need to, y’know, see it first. =/
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>I loved this episode!
Yay ! Me too !
But it’s not really in the right order O.o This arc happened on Vol. 3.
Watanuki is growing on me, really, all because of the awesome job his seiyuu is performing ^__^
About episode 5, yeah, we need to see it first, but I don’t think it’s going to suck O.o
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Yay for the tiny details?
^_^
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Yay for the tiny details ! It makes all the difference ^_~
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Crossovers
Hi Chibi Yuuto-san
In Spanish:
Porque no hay crossovers con TSUBASA o con el mago CLOW???
T-T
—
In English:
Because there is no crossovers with TSUBASA or CLOW?
T-T Why?
Bye
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Re: Crossovers
I wish I could know the answer, really >_> I don’t know why they are cutting them all u.u Wouldn’t it sell more? Maybe they can’t because of copyrights problems? Since BeeTrain is no longer a P IG subsidiary… u.u
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I liked this episode a lot! The faces and everything were awesome and at least we were able to see some blood! XD
After the second episode I was kinda disappointed that this woman was hit but lost no blood…~.~”
Lucky girl…?! o.0
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Yes yes indeed ! And the blood, you are right ! I’m so glad they didn’t censor it like the previous one, I hope it keeps like this for the rest of the series.
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all right, all right, ok, ok… since my brain is more functional today and since I trust you, I’m gonna calm down and wait at least ’till the end of the season ^^”
I think I was EMO yesterday
Great review, BTW!!
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Hahahah I’m glad I convinced you, even if a little xDD Please watch it when you can !
>Great review, BTW!!
Thank you ^___^
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