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UK Reviews
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Saturday, 14 June 2008 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | TANOSHIMI TV UK | | | ▪ | AUTHOR / ART: | | CLAMP | | | ▪ | FORMAT: | | JAPANESE / B&W | | | ▪ | PAGES: | | 179 | | | ▪ | RATING: | | T | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 06/05/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 06/14/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SANDRA SCHOLES |
Kimhiro discovers the eye he lost to the spider spirit is now the item most desired by those in the spirit realm. Zashiki-Warashi, a spirit who has a personal attachment to Kimhiro is being held captive by another spirit, most dangerous who wants the eye for herself.
Armed only with his wits and a pipe fox's spirit to help him, he must go to the evil spirit's domain to bring back Zashiki-Warashi and his lost eye. The concentration has been taken from Domeki to Kimhiro and his bother with his own eye and his urge to retrieve it, and the Zashiki-Warashi, but it may cost him more than he bargained for as the spirit he will be fighting is much stronger than the ones he fought before.
Yuko Ishihawa, his boss tells him it will be highly dangerous if he goes, but when he insists he must go for the sake of them both, she helps him as much as she can being a time-space witch. The story turns out to be somewhat surprising near the end, and with Domeki and Kimhiro competing to make snow statues as part of an adult play session, who knows what else they will get up to?
The balance between humour, fantasy and reality is a nice one in this series, and people will be drawn to the fun element of this volume and the interesting feud going on between Kimhior and Domeki over the girl they want is a good distraction from the peculiarity of the side stories at times. The Clamp artists know how to make a good story that more interesting by their design of the panels and the expressions on the characters faces.
IN SUMMARY:
Dreamy, magical and gripping. xxxHOLIC has all the elements needed in fantasy manga |
