Review: XXXHOLiC #1

[Ribby]

Might as well do the review for XXXHOLiC since the two of them are a set...

English Title: XXXHOLiC
Japanese Title: ＸＸＸホリック
Subtitle: N/A
Vol. 1 of 3+
Author/Artist: CLAMP
Publisher: Ballantine Books/Del Rey
Translator: Anthony Gerard
Originally Published by: Kodansha
Price: $10.95 US/$16.95 Canada
Pages: 200 (or so)
Age Rating: T (ages 13+)
ISBN: 0-345-47058-3
Release Date: May 2004
Review Date: 4/25/2004
Grading~
Packaging: B+
Artwork: A
Text: A
Extras: A
Content: A
Overall: A

What They Say: Watanuki Kimihiro is haunted by visions of ghosts and spirits. Seemingly by chance, he encounters a mysterious witch named Yuko, who claims she can help. In desperation he accepts, but realizes that he's just been tricked into working for Yuko in order to pay off the cost of her services. Soon he's employed in her little shop--a job that turns out to be nothing like his previous work experience! Most of Yuko's customers live in Japan, but Yuko and Watanuki are about to have some unusual visitors named Sakura and Syaoran from a land called Clow...

Packaging: Matte cover. The cover is a (somewhat) wraparound picture from the original cover, showing Watanuki and Yuuko smiling among smoke and butterflies.
The volume begins with 3 color pages, which are reproduced in black and white at the beginning of the actual story, after the title page and honorifics guide. The paper quality is, meh. It's just like a Japanese tankubon, I think. If we're going to be paying an extra dollar for this, I'd like to have some smooth, whiter paper.
Megs Logo CHECK! It's the original Japanese logo, which is really curvy and glowy and haunting.

Artwork: This is CLAMP at their weirdest and most psychadelic. The entire manga--done in striking black and white without very much use of tone--makes use of swirling smoke in ways that are very Yellow Submarine-esque. Watanuki reminds me of Luffy from One Piece in one panel, the way he smiles and walks around. Yuuko just looks freaky with her very...evil face. It's a style that takes some getting used to, but it's still very much different from its crossover title Tsubasa.

SFX/Orientation: Unflipped. Sound effects are pretty much left intact with English translations written inside or beside them in small letters. Romanization of "ou/oh/oo" and "uu" sounds are handled with a circumflex over the vowel, which I think is an old Viz touch.

Text: A good translation that manages to touch on some of the nuances, such as the spelling of Watanuki's name (四月一日 literally means "April 1st") and the descriptions of various terms related to mysticism and divination. As I am unable to read anything above the level of Nakayoshi, I can't really get a good look at XXXHOLiC's Japanese version.

Extras: Honorifics guide, letter from Dallas, About the Author page, description of Cardcaptor Sakura: Master of the Clow, Artifacts and Miscellany section describing some of the crossovers, some translation notes (complete with panels from the comic to illustrate examples if you don't feel like flipping back.) previews of Tsubasa and a preview from the Japanese version of volume #2. What bugs me is the inclusion of blank pages...I don't know why. It's just all that wasted space. Ads are included for Negima! and Tsubasa.

Contents (Watch out spoilers ahead): This is one of CLAMP's newer series, which crosses over with Tsubasa. Be prepared for bendy bodies and extradimensional visitors...Also, aside from the Tsubasa crossovers, there are some others of note: <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>A toy version of a cute, pink magic wand is found among the store's "treasures" as Yuuko tells Watanuki how much of a creep its maker was; Watanuki stops by a certain drugstore to get hangover medicine; and Yuuko talks about calling on her old friend, a medium that has a doting twin sister.</span> With that out of the way...

<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'>Kimihiro Watanuki is a high schooler that's haunted by spirits. He finds himself walking into the shop of Yuuko Ichihara, a witch that grants wishes to people with the sacrifice of something very important to the person. She tells Watanuki all about him and his wish, and in exchange for her helping him, he now has to help her out in the shop.
Their first client is a woman having trouble with one of her fingers, and at first it seems like Watanuki is only seeing things when smoke erupts all around her every time she says something. Yuuko gives her a ring that she says will stop the problem, but the woman has to start realizing what she's doing. While on a walk with his friend Himawari Kunogi, he sees that the woman's lies eventually cause her downfall.
Their second client is a woman who is addicted to the Internet, and even a visit by Yuuko and Watanuki fail to dissuade her, requiring a follow-up visit and a Lupin quote from Yuuko before making off with the payment. But it is during the third mission that the strangest thing of all happens--a strange hole opens from the ground, revealing a young boy and girl from another dimension...</span>

This is definately a departure from most of CLAMP's other work. The art takes a little bit of getting used to, expecially since characters like Watanuki and Yuuko are drawn with thin eyelids and lanky figures. It has a lot of profound messages about human nature, though, which is something that I think CLAMP excels at conveying. If the artwork doesn't put you off, I'd recommend this.

Highly recommended

Edit by Kiril: Subtle change to subject line.

[HawkEyeTS]

I guess the whole purple tint around the edges of the pages (like the Japanese tankubon) idea didn't pan out. I guess quality paper as a whole didn't pan out... [img]/images/graemlins/depresse.gif[/img] Kinda sad considering the price bump, but regardless, I'll still be picking it up to see for myself. Now if only the local WaldenBooks would get them in stock. I've checked everyday since people started finding them and nothing yet.

[Lovely]

I LOVED this book. I had been loosing my faith in CLAMP after Chobits, Angelic Layer, and Suki*, but this title really drew me in. I'm really loving the art style too. I can't wait to get the next book ^_^ !
I agree that CLAMP tends to excel at stories that sort of sit back and comment on human behavior. Also, Watanuki and Yuko are just really likable to me [img]/images/graemlins/happy.gif[/img] . No forced cuteness, just cool.

OFF TOPIC
* In case anyone is wondering... Why those particular three titles ended my "Obsessive CLAMP fan" status.
<span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> Chobits: little things about it just bugged me (especially as it started to reach the end.)
Angelic Layer: Too little character development, too many really long fights.
Suki: God... I just really dislike Suki &gt;_&lt; .</span>

[egonzal]

I finally got my shipment in (Negima!, Tsubasa, and XXXHolic). Yeah! [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img]

I read XXXHolic first, as it was the title I was most unsure about. After reading it, my first impression is "not bad".

From a "technical" standpoint I thought the way the sound effects and side comments were translated was a very good compromise, the cultural notes and explanations in the back were very, very helpful, and the inclusion of color pages made me very happy. I think I would've liked a shiny cover Vs. the matte finish but at least I don't have to worry about finger smudges. [img]/images/graemlins/happy.gif[/img]

Story wise, it made me curious. I was worried about it being too much like a Petshop of Horrors/Twilight Zone story line. I really do not like those types of stories. Whereas this is definatley an element of the story, it seems to be more of a screen to hide the actual story, which is that of Yuko and Watanuki. Yuko still annoys me at some points, but CLAMP balances out her enigmatic "I am mystery woman" moments with some comedy, or some more serious moments.

I may actually get more than just the volumes which crossover with Tsubasa, which was my original plan. The long release schedule Del Rey has for this book works for me, it gives me time to really decide if I want to continue with this story or not.

Hmm, I feel like I have rambled for a bit and am not sure how to finish this off. So I will simply say that Yuko totally reminds me of a snake.

Edit: &lt;chanting&gt;Del R-E-Y not Del R-A-Y

Well, I saw it at Media Play and I just had to buy it. Some people have written that they aren't sure about the art, but for me it was love at first sight. Even if I hate the story (which I doubt), I still think I'd take it out sometimes to flip through.. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Now to actually go read the thing...
Shawn

[Mrdini]

[ QUOTE ]
egonzal said:
I may actually get more than just the volumes which crossover with Tsubasa, which was my original plan. The long release schedule Del Ray has for this book works for me, it gives me time to really decide if I want to continue with this story or not.


[/ QUOTE ]
*Twitches* Del REY!!!!! REY!!!

*Coughs* Anyway! What volumes are "intermingled" with Tsubasa out of interest. (Not that it really matters as probably will go on buying both anyway).

[Ayaneko]

Oops, I think I've been typing "Del Ray" as well (actually, probably more like "Delray"). [img]/images/graemlins/shy10000.gif[/img]

Anyhoo, picked up volume 1 today and although I have yet to read through it (ugh, have to go to a 6-hour council meeting soon), the printing didn't sit too well with me. Too many blotched up black areas that didn't get printed in completely. *grabs expo marker and colors them in*

But the art is so... beautiful (s'if I'd expecting anything less from CLAMP, though). So swirly.

[egonzal]

Mrdini said: *Twitches* Del REY!!!!! REY!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to be the cause of massive twitching. [img]/images/graemlins/cry00000.gif[/img]

As to XXXHolic and Tsubasa Crossovers <span style='color:#dddddd;background:#dddddd'> The very end of Vol 1 and Vol 2 crossover. </span>

Beyond that I honestly do not know, I don't really have any good information sources for the Japanese Volumes.

[Fencedude]

I picked up this and Tsubasa the other day, and I can honestly say I enjoyed xxxHolic much more than I did Tsubasa.

Yuuko is awesome, and I love the art and atmosphere of the series.

[onigirichan]

Actually this and Tsubasa (which I obtained a day early at a store that will be closed at the end of the week) are finally reasons for me to read CLAMP again. I've been a long time CLAMP fan, even before Rayearth ever was translated here -- and was turned off by the last batch of titles.

It's so nice to see a very consistently well-drawn manga as well. With so many books coming out these days, I'm kind of manga-ed out.

The only bummer is that it appears the next volume of Tsubasa won't appear until September. I'm assuming XXXHolic is the same?