CLAMP - xxxHolic, vol. 09-11 + ch. 133-134
Sat, Apr. 28th, 2007 03:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oyceterThis has gone from being something I read largely for the art to something I was getting interested in to something that's really quite good right now.
I found the resolution of the "Himawari might be evil" storyline pretty satisfying; I'm glad she's not malicious, and I now find all the Watanuki-Himawari interactions much more touching. Before, it was rather squicky, as it seemed he was sort of forcing his crush on her, but the little bits of kindness he's shown her and the difference it makes to her really gets to me.
Also -- dude! She took his scars! (also, it's been a while... I forgot he had scars! Or was it one of those never-mentioned things?)
On a minor note, I thought the whole "corpses lately haven't been decaying very fast" would end up being something supernatural and nifty, like Death going on vacation or on strike. Nope. Instead, it is because we modern-day people eat too many preservatives, which slows down decay for a really long time! *snorfle*
I am not even going to take that theory seriously enough to poke holes in it.
Anyway. I continue to derive much pleasure in the always-funny play between spazzy!Watanuki and stoic!Domeki, particularly when there are also scenes of major angst, like Domeki giving up the amount of blood Watanuki lost as a price for his healing.
On another minor note, Watanuki is so totally your standard damsel in distress. He cooks! He cleans! He tragically falls out of windows or faints, only to be rescued by manly Domeki and to be taken back to Yuko's, cradled in Domeki's arms!
I also really like the one-off characters who don't seem to be one-off characters any more: the little oden fox (so cute!), Kohane and her evil mother, Haruka, the zashiki waraki (i think).
Most importantly, though, it looks like we're moving into big plot territory, complete with big character development as well. I love love LOVED the image of Yuko dissolving into butterflies; it makes me want to reread the series to check all the butterfly imagery. And I love the regret and sad acceptance in her voice, and the way she hides it from Watanuki by asking for more alcohol. I'm also really curious about the hints that Yuko's store might be there for Watanuki and that whatever Syaoran and Sakura and company are doing are threatening all the worlds. And that Watanuki is somehow the key to all this.
Really looking forward to the next chapters.
I found the resolution of the "Himawari might be evil" storyline pretty satisfying; I'm glad she's not malicious, and I now find all the Watanuki-Himawari interactions much more touching. Before, it was rather squicky, as it seemed he was sort of forcing his crush on her, but the little bits of kindness he's shown her and the difference it makes to her really gets to me.
Also -- dude! She took his scars! (also, it's been a while... I forgot he had scars! Or was it one of those never-mentioned things?)
On a minor note, I thought the whole "corpses lately haven't been decaying very fast" would end up being something supernatural and nifty, like Death going on vacation or on strike. Nope. Instead, it is because we modern-day people eat too many preservatives, which slows down decay for a really long time! *snorfle*
I am not even going to take that theory seriously enough to poke holes in it.
Anyway. I continue to derive much pleasure in the always-funny play between spazzy!Watanuki and stoic!Domeki, particularly when there are also scenes of major angst, like Domeki giving up the amount of blood Watanuki lost as a price for his healing.
On another minor note, Watanuki is so totally your standard damsel in distress. He cooks! He cleans! He tragically falls out of windows or faints, only to be rescued by manly Domeki and to be taken back to Yuko's, cradled in Domeki's arms!
I also really like the one-off characters who don't seem to be one-off characters any more: the little oden fox (so cute!), Kohane and her evil mother, Haruka, the zashiki waraki (i think).
Most importantly, though, it looks like we're moving into big plot territory, complete with big character development as well. I love love LOVED the image of Yuko dissolving into butterflies; it makes me want to reread the series to check all the butterfly imagery. And I love the regret and sad acceptance in her voice, and the way she hides it from Watanuki by asking for more alcohol. I'm also really curious about the hints that Yuko's store might be there for Watanuki and that whatever Syaoran and Sakura and company are doing are threatening all the worlds. And that Watanuki is somehow the key to all this.
Really looking forward to the next chapters.
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Sun, Apr. 29th, 2007 12:00 am (UTC)(no subject)
Mon, Apr. 30th, 2007 09:48 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Sun, Jun. 17th, 2007 11:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Mon, Jun. 18th, 2007 06:30 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Thu, Jun. 28th, 2007 01:59 pm (UTC)But what is with CLamp and these spazzy boys? I find myself wanting to yell "Chill!!" at Watanuki and Kazahaya.
(no subject)
Thu, Jun. 28th, 2007 05:14 pm (UTC)Kazahaya's spazziness and cluelessness really annoyed me, but I wasn't quite as bugged by Watanuki's... possibly because he gets more development later. Now I find it rather hilarious.