Current mood:	curious
Entry tags:	xxxholic

×××Holic {1+2+3+4} - Cheats & Lies


“Humans are simply the strangest creatures in this world.”

Another of CLAMP’s work, ×××Holic is one of the unique works created by the group of artists. As this would be my first ×××Holic update, I might as well explain what is with this anime and how it is different compared to its manga, and how supernatural incidents occur as the story goes on.

To those who don’t know about it, ×××Holic is a story collaborating with Tsubasa Chronicle; or at least CLAMP intended the two stories to come together at several points. However, the creator of the anime decided to do it otherwise by not even mentioning Syaoran and the others in the anime. In anyways, the anime still retained the original humoristic style featuring Watanuki and Yuko as the main characters, with a few other side characters such as Himawari and Doumeki. The anime also retained the original manga art style by CLAMP, which featured its characters with long hands and long legs.



"You're going to work in this shop,"


"What is a Mokona?"

Episode one of the anime was the same as the manga, with Watanuki reaching Yuko’s shop. Watanuki was born with a special ability, and the ability was to be able to see strange things, such as ghosts and spirits. This had caused him to be unable to live a peaceful life, since he had been running away from strange creatures. Somehow, Watanuki was led into the shop, although he didn’t wish to do so, and met Yuko. Yuko had promised to grant all of her customer’s wishes, as long as they pay a price: something of equivalent value with their wishes. Watanuki had wished that he would not have to see strange creatures anymore, and in order for Yuko to fulfill his wish, Yuko had him to part-time work in her shop. So, from here onwards, the story goes on.



"If it is a wish, then nothing comes to mind..."


"Somehow, I'm unable to move my pinky finger..."


"She does not have a boyfriend. She is lying the whole while..."


Smoke emitting from the pinky finger after the ring was removed...

Episode two is the starting point of the title of this update, “lies”. The story of this episode was as if it was trying to convey a message, telling us not to tell lies, or else one shall pay for one’s own deeds. In here, a middle-aged woman visited Yuko’s shop. She claimed that she wasn’t able to move her pinky finger. Yuko told her that she ought to stop a habit. Meanwhile the middle-aged woman lied about her age, smoke started to emit from her pinky, and Watanuki is able to sense it. She left after Yuko gave her a ring to be put on her pinky finger. Then later on a few days later, the middle-aged woman visited Yuko’s shop once again, and this time, she had problem moving her arm. Yuko gave the same advice once again. Meanwhile, Watanuki had followed her all the way back, and he had found out that the habit Yuko was talking about. She had been lying (as in telling lies) all along. In the end, the middle-aged woman was hit by a truck. She died on the spot. You should know the moral of the story. Even a three-year old kid would know this.


"A few of my classmates are playing Angel-san.."


"AT LEAST COMMENT SOMETHING ON THIS EARPHONE!"


A few girls playing Angel-san..


"There is something behind you!"

In episode three, Himawari, Watanuki’s crush in school, was introduced to Yuko. Himawari told Yuko that she had a few friends who had been playing with “Angel-san”. Yuko sent Watanuki, together with Doumeki to check out the school. Meanwhile, Watanuki was also forced to wear a pair of ears which resembles the ears of Chi from Chobits. Watanuki and Doumeki saw a few girls playing the game on top of the roof. The rules of Angel-san, is that you may not take your hands off, or else you shall be cursed. Well… in the end, Watanuki forced the girls to take off their hands. He was paid a price. He fell down the roof, but luckily, Doumeki saved him. To repay Doumeki, Watanuki had to serve barbeque lunch for him with the others.


The fake fortune teller..


Yuko was able to sense that this is a fake fortune teller..


Yuko made a butterfly out of a handkerchief.. and it let Watanuki and herself to a real fortune teller.


The real fortune teller...

Episode four is another episode telling us not to delibrately cheat. In this episode's case, the story is about Yuko looking for a fortune teller, but ended up consulting a fake one. However, she is able to sence it, while Watanuki seemed to have fallen for the fake fortune teller's trick. Yuko then became mad, and quickly finished up the consultancy and left the spot. Yuko then created a butterfly which lead Watanuki and her to a real fortune teller. A real fortune teller risks their own lifes predicting the future, and this is why Yuko got mad at the fake fortune teller.