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Japanese RAWs.
English translations.
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XXXHOLiC Rei is available for purchase at CD Japan with worldwide shipping.
We have a beautiful new color page to celebrate the serialization’s 50th chapter (why didn’t this happen 2 chapters ago, then? lol). It’s been quite a long time since the last color illustration. It’s Yuuko and… Haruka? I’m not sure if that’s Haruka or Doumeki. That is Haruka for sure, you can see the cigarette in his hand, plus, it was requested in CLAMP’s radio show that they draw a color illustration with Haruka for the 50th chapter celebration. In that color illustration we also learn that the 4th volume will be released in the Japanese Fall.
It looks like Neko Musume found some very interesting info for Watanuki. She lets him know that the curse (?) that fell upon, or rather, the thing that’s trapping Zashiki Warashi is something known as “Shuka” and among all the other people that seem to be interested in getting hold of that power, there was none other than the Witch of Dimensions, our Yuuko-san. For what reasons? I don’t know, but Watanuki seems surprised with that information.
If she had wanted it, she never got it because her time moved and she died, but supposing she did get it, I wonder what she would have done with it and if things would have gone any differently…?
Will Watanuki try to get it now? Does he think that getting it, whatever it is, can help him in his fruitless attempts of bringing Yuuko back? The first 3 volumes of XXXHOLiC Rei were focused in getting the itens for Syaoran’s team. Now that that’s over, what will be the main theme of XXXHOLiC Rei? Are we going back to Watanuki trying to meet Yuuko again? Even though we know that he still hasn’t managed to do that even after a 100 years? Ohkawa said in CLAMP’s radio show that many people thought that the “Rei” (return) in the title was due to Yuuko re-appearing, but she added that that is not the real reason. What is the real reason behind that title, then?
15 pages for this chapter — 177 pages for volume 4. I’m not sure if the color page will be included in the tankoubon… probably not. Next chapter will be published in Young Magazine #40, that is 8 weeks from now, which sounds like September 5, but that’s only an estimate. CLAMP-NET.COM confirms next chapter will be out on September 5. The text at the end of the chapter promises a “new development” for the next chapter, which probably means a new arc.
This means that XXXHOLiC Rei is not ending. The whole “climax” thing was only for the amber stone and the crimson pearl arcs, which seem to have been concluded — although I would say they were put aside for a while, we haven’t seen the last of them yet, I think.
I don’t understand all the long breaks, though. Before, we could justify that with Tsubasa, but now that Nirai Kanai hen is over, there is no reason for such long breaks in XXXHOLiC Rei anymore — unless Tsubasa is getting a new arc soon.
Update: After reading the english translations, I realize that it’s a little different than my first assumptions. So there is another Witch of Dimensions out there, trying to get hold of a “shuka”? In present tense, which means she is still alive. Is that another Witch of Dimensions? I thought there could be only one? (Yuuko). Does that mean there is another Yuuko living in a different dimension? Unless it’s a new character…?
23 thoughts on “XXXHOLiC Rei – Chapter 52 (Updated)”
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Chibi Yuuto's CHRoNiCLEs 
That’s very serious, then. no wonder Ame Warashi was very worried and wanted Watanuki to risk it. That’s a really long break (at least over month and schedule page not listed 40th issue).
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The schedule page is now updated =) Next chapter on September 5 confirmed!
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I see.
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The translation is up!
It’s terrible that we have such a big break in front of us, since the whole shuka thing is pretty suspenseful. It seems like shuka are slaves that can be controlled through the poison circulating through their bodies, and the Zashiki-warashi is turning into one. The shocking thing which the Neko-musume tells Watanuki at the end of the chapter is that the Witch of Dimensions is interested in getting a shuka. That means that there’s someone out in there at this point in time in the comic who answers to the title “Witch of Dimensions” and is interested in a mind-controlled slave.
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I must admit I’m glad that rei is continuing. I really wana see it’s potential that is there, but got completely lost in twc. As for the breaks, yeah could be for a new arc of twc, or maybe its to focus on getting ccs cc chapters flowing perfectly, instead of getting 100 going no where chapters! ^^
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Someone calling themselves witch of dimensions… Is watanuki gona be dealing with a magical enemy I wonder… Now that would be interesting. We’ve seen yuuko deal with an enemy but not watanuki yet.
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The closest thing to an enemy Watanuki has faced so far would be the malevolent spirits trying to capture the soul of the unborn child back in Rou. Interestingly, that chapter had a similar theme of evil/impure beings wanting to possess pure beings.
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oh yeah! i remember that one. that has to be my favourite chapter in rou. it was quite a powerful one.
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Thank you for the always on point translations =)
The revelation of a new(?) Witch of Dimensions is very shocking indeed. Is it someone knew? Or ir it Yuuko? If it’s Yuuko, how is that possible? And if it’s Yuuko why would she need such a thing? At least this mystery got me excited!
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“At least this mystery got me excited”
yep!! or theres an alternate version of yuuko afterall. either way this is a huge revelation, and maybe we’ll find out what actually killed yuuko in the first place. ive also enjoyed the subtle yet strong ominous feeling with the zashiki warashi. i like how we havent even seen her, nor did we know what was actually wrong with her till now, but the extremities of ame warashis action, and her facial expressions say it all. im liking the direction its now headed in, and instead of it being a random change in arc/direction, its been hinted at or subtly put in during the syaoran arc. so its a smooth transition into more exciting and hopefully stronger story which i have thought for a while that rei has the potental for. BUT!!!! 12 fucking pages!? sorry for the language! but seriously. it needs at least 15-20, if its gota be 12, then release it twice a month damn it!
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No problem!
The revelation of a new(?) Witch of Dimensions is very shocking indeed.
It’s a total mystery. My thinking is that it could be a cruel trap set up by someone who wants to hurt Watanuki, and knows that he’s been looking for the “Witch of Dimensions.”
Anyway, this is the kind of development I’ve been waiting for ever since Rou started, so I’m really disappointed that we have to wait until September for the next chapter!
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no, im kind of glad that they wait, cause the story will be stronger if clamp take a breather from it, then start with a new arc after the syaoran arc thats lasted like 2 years. and its a fantastic cliff hanger to be on right!? so its reigniting the excitment. and im loving the darker tones that are lurking in the background. kind of similar threat suspense with ccs at the moment. and its about time we saw watanuki come into his own, and find his own strength and manor as shopkeeper. seems like rei is padding rou out a bit more? but do NOT take my word on this. i have no sense of timeline with either story. ive kind of given up on that one
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CLAMP really needs to graduate from the 12 pages chapters every random month: it’s really hard to keep myself interested like this, and the content too > no more chapters about food or drinks (well, none is impossible, it’s part of the series mood, but less!) or Doumeki looking for the nth time at the egg but without doing anything about it etc…
XXXHolic have the potential to be really great, as the first volumes showed, but CLAMP need to pick themselves up and think long and hard about what they want to do with this series!
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Yeah, I want more PLOT and less chit chat.
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“more PLOT and less chit chat”
yes. there has indeed been a LOT of symbolic and sometimes too complex chit chat since watanuki became shop owner. i dont mind the chit chat, but it needs to be more varied, with more plot, and more action not just inside, but outside the shop too. being stuck inside the shop and too much chit chat slows it all down. it’l be cool if watanuki started using agents, or if he had an enemy. whilst continuing with his angst over loosing yuuko, and developing his magic.
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XXXHolic have the potential to be really great, as the first volumes showed, but CLAMP need to pick themselves up and think long and hard about what they want to do with this series!
yes exactly. ive thought that always. its not like watanuki hasnt got the strength of character. i think he has huge potential as a lead character. as strong as yuuko or sakura. but we need more depth of plot and action with the angst that is already lurking there. so the chit chat and enjoying food and alcohol becomes a light relief. id also like to see characters like kohane, haruka, zashiki, spider lady, and ame warashi as more permenant features.
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I think the page number issue might be due more to publication constraints. Young Magazine is a weekly periodical with a lot of series and features that run every issue. Just because xxxHOLiC comes out on more of a semi-monthly basis doesn’t mean that the editors of the magazine should take pages away from their more consistent contributors to give CLAMP extra space when they have something to submit. The ideal solution for CLAMP would be to either move xxxHOLiC to a monthly magazine or buckle down and try to release something every week (which, given their ages and the amount of work they must have on their hands due to the new CCS comic and animation project, doesn’t seem plausible).
What’s hitting me is the feeling that Rou was overall a giant waste of time, and we’re only now getting into the meat of what Watanuki’s tenure as the shopkeeper is supposed to be like. Seriously! The only arcs Rei is referencing from Rou are the chapters centered on the Yaobikuni/Crimson Pearl and maybe the chapter with the soul of the unborn child. You could cut out everything else — even the developments with Doumeki, Kohane, and Himawari — and still have basically the same story that we have now.
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Word on the page issue. But I hope they can do at least biweekly.
And the timeline mysery remains. We don’t know when Rei is set: after or before the end of Rou. We haven’t seen Himawari or Kohane in Rei yet.
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The fact that Himawari and Doumeki followed Watanuki into that weird dream-world in the beginning of Rei doesn’t provide any answers, either. Was it actually them, or was it their dead souls? And if this is supposed to take place after Rou, then wouldn’t Clow’s magic circle have popped up again?
I’ve believed for a while now that this arc takes place somewhere between the beginning and the end of Rou, but that sucks all the suspense out of it since we would then know how both the Zashiki-warashi and Watanuki himself turn out.
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The fact that Himawari and Doumeki followed Watanuki into that weird dream-world in the beginning of Rei doesn’t provide any answers, either.
Yeah because that was a completely alternative universe. Not even Yuuko was the same one (Watanuki himself said that once he was back). Mokona didn’t exist and all that.
Good point about Clow’s magic circle… we should pay attention to that. He does have Clow’s glasses, though…
I’ve believed for a while now that this arc takes place somewhere between the beginning and the end of Rou, but that sucks all the suspense out of it since we would then know how both the Zashiki-warashi and Watanuki himself turn out.
For Watanuki yes, but how about Zashiki Warashi? Was she mentioned in the end of Rou?
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He does have Clow’s glasses, though…
Oh, noooo! You’ve activated my
trap cardpet peeve! They can’t be the same glasses, since Clow always wore pince-nez, while Watanuki’s glasses have arms. The glasses scene is important because both Yuuko and Clow’s magic circles are in the box when Watanuki opens it up. Since the glasses are fitted perfectly for his face and unusual eyesight, the implication is that Clow and Yuuko got/made them especially for Watanuki sometime in the past, possibly with the knowledge that he’d become the shopkeeper. It’s that small narrative strain that got started up back in Vol. 3 or thereabouts — the whole “Yuuko being in cahoots with Clow the whole time about Watanuki’s future” thing.So how does he even learn how to use Clow’s magic circle in the first place, anyway? That sounds like it would be a big plot development.
For Watanuki yes, but how about Zashiki Warashi? Was she mentioned in the end of Rou?
I remember that Watanuki met up with the Ame-warashi before the end of Rou, and she made some kind of clandestine comment that Watanuki was becoming more like a spirit (and less like a human being). She mentioned the Zashiki-warashi in passing in the present tense, but I can’t for the life of me remember what she said. The Ame-warashi’s attitude seemed gentler than what we have here in Rei, so it could definitely be a scene that happens after the whole shuka business is resolved. Then again, it could totally have happened before, too. No answers!
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Hummm I never noticed if Clow’s and Watanuki’s glasses were different. I always thought Watanuki was using Clow’s glasses, as if he inherited them. But I shall pay more attention to your theory and consider that.
So how does he even learn how to use Clow’s magic circle in the first place, anyway? That sounds like it would be a big plot development.
The same way Sakura did? ^^” I guess it’s something in his blood. He is related to him, after all.
The Ame-warashi’s attitude seemed gentler than what we have here in Rei, so it could definitely be a scene that happens after the whole shuka business is resolved. Then again, it could totally have happened before, too. No answers!
I just re-read that part again and Ame Warashi appears before the 100 years have passed, because we still see Kohane and Watanuki calls Himawari after Ame Warashi pays her visit. So it happens before the end of Rou.
So we know what happens to Watanuki but we don’t know what happens to Zashiki Warashi.
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didnt syaoran inherit clows magic when he got reincarnated? so its probably via syaoran? but i would love to see that explored- watanuki developing his magic.
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