Mary's Review: xxxHolic by Clamp

Chances are good that if you've ever picked up a manga, you're familiar with CLAMP. Chances are good that if you know CLAMP you're familiar with their opus, Tsubasa. Perhaps less famous but just as, if not more, excellent is Tsubasa's periodic crossover series xxxHolic (most often pronounced as 'Holic'). Be not afraid, dear reader; one need not follow Tsubasa in order to enjoy this bizzare gothic/horror/romantic drama, though it does add an interesting layer to the story. Ignoring the intertwining elements, the basic story of Holic can be related thusly; 15 year old Watanuki Kimihiro (last name first) is an emotional young man (almost overly so; his spastic mood swings are a highlight of the comedic scenes) who lives alone, having lost both his parents to an accident at an early age. On top of that, he is cursed with the ability to see spirits who in turn follow him relentlessly. One day Watanuki passes a peculiar house which dispels the spirits once he steps inside. From there he is drawn against his will inside and meets a mysterious woman named Yuko. She claims to run a shop that grants wishes, for an appropriate price of course. That includes ridding Watanuki of his cursed spirit vision. And so, almost unwittingly, Watanuki becomes a part time worker at the shop in order to have his wish granted by hard work. This setup places Holic into a comfortably episodic scene similar to Petshop of Horrors; customers are drawn to the shop for whatever reason, taking away an object or instrument that could help them if only they could realize their flaw. As the series progresses it introduces the cheerful Himawari, on whom Watanuki nurses a crush, and the taciturn Doumeki, a young man with whom Watanuki bickers constantly but seems to be connected to by fate. As interesting as the customer episodes are, it is when the trio comes together that Holic truly shines. Luckily the series trends towards this, using the relationship of the three characters as well as the mysterious relationship between Yuko and Watanuki to form a solid basis for the episodic stories. The limitation of the series is that the stories themselves recall gothic horror using old myths and legends, calling on a love or at least tolerance of horror from the reader. And of course an acceptance of CLAMP's art; that is to say, many attractive young men and women whose slender frames and long limbs could only have been acheived by putting the victim into a taffy puller. That aside, the pacing and subtlety of the story have a way of hopelessly addicting the reader. CLAMP has not been one of the most popular artist groups in Japan for the past 15 years for nothing.

Final Verdict: 5Q, 3P

*This series is not owned by NCPL but can be requested through InterLibrary Loan**