xxxHolic #11

Rating NR Genre manga Author Clamp Publisher Del Rey Manga

Kimihiro Watanuki has a problem; spirits plague him. It gets so bad some days that he can’t even walk down the street without being crushed to the sidewalk by a pack of clinging spirits. Enter Yuko Ichihara, Dimensional Witch extraordinaire. Yuko can grant any wish you might desire, but she always demands payment of equal value. One wish later and Kimihiro finds himself in service, part-time, to Yuko. If that wasn’t bad enough, the answer to his wish comes in the form of Shizuka Domeki, whose very presence repels spirits, and is Kimihiro's chief rival for the love of Himawari Kunogi.

XxxHolic is a seinen manga (usually targeted to 18 – 30 year old males) created by Clamp, a group of four ladies responsible for such titles as Magic Knight Rayearth, Card Captor Sakura, and X/1999. One of the unique features of xxxHolic, despite the fact that the series can be read by itself, is that the entire series runs in parallel with another title, Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicles. This allows readers to experience two separate stories revolving around the same central themes, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the events that shape both worlds.

Volume 11 of the series begins with Kimihiro returning to school after having finally healed from injuries sustained in earlier volumes. Shortly after his return to Yuko’s shop, a young woman from Kimihiro’s school appears, seeking out Yuko with a wish to no longer be afraid to live within her own home. Yuko provides the woman with a small bell, which she must carry with her at all times and sends her on her way. While the bell seems to have no effect, the young woman eventually sees her wish fulfilled, though not in the manner she might have expected. But then, that usually is the result when one deals with wishes.

The story continues with Kimihiro receiving a thank you gift from a young fox spirit he helped earlier in the series. Deciding that he should do something similar for all of the people he’s meet during his time working for Yuko, Kimihiro makes another wish (some people never learn) and set's out on his personal quest. Not yet fully healed from his injuries, Kimihiro has a vision of Shizuka and Himawari before passing out and reawakening in Yuko’s shop. If that wasn’t enough, time is growing short as the mysterious “Final Moment” is approaching, and Yuko must work quickly if Kimihiro and Shizuka are to be prepared for “The End”.

Unlike many of their earlier titles, xxxHolic sports characters that have been specifically designed to have incredibly elongated forms, and can be difficult for some readers to get over. Still, when combined with the Film Noir style of stark black and white images, the character designs actually work to help increase the overall sense of mystery and suspense that the series lives in. A colored insert of the first few pages is provided to the readers, as well as translations for some of the more cultural specific references in the book.

Overall, xxxHolic #11 has proven to be an enjoyable read and has certainly peeked my interest in the earlier volumes. Fans of the series, or of Clamp, should definitely pick this one up at your local book stores. For those looking for something new, if volume 11 is any indication you could do a lot worse then checking out the first volume of xxxHolic.