xxxHOLiC, Vol. 14

xxxHOLiC [xxx ホリック] #14

by Clamp

Kimihiro is a mystery even to himself. He has no memory of his past, or even of his beloved parents’ names. Neither does he have any idea why he is being followed by malicious spirits. But his boss, the witch Yûko Ichihara, knows, and in this volume many of Kimihiro’s secrets are finally revealed!

xxxHOLiC crosses over with Tsubasa, also by CLAMP. Don’t miss it!

Includes chapters 85-91

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Supernatural, Seinen, Comics, Mystery

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Ōkawa Nanase 大川七瀬
[born: 2 May 1967; Ōsaka, bloodtype: A]

Mokona Apapa もこなあぱぱ
[born: 16 Jun 1968, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]

Nekoi Mick 猫井みっく
[born: 21 Jan 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: O]

Igarashi Satsuki 五十嵐さつき
[born: 8 Feb 1969, Kyōto; bloodtype: A]


CLAMP originally began in 1989 as a twelve-member dōjinshi circle, but by 1990, the circle had diminished from twelve to seven. Of the remaining seven, Tamayo Akiyama, Sei Nanao, and Leeza Sei left the group during the production of the RG Veda manga. Other former members of CLAMP also included Soushi Hishika, O-Kyon, Kazue Nakamori, Yuzuru Inoue and Shinya Ōmi. Currently, there are four members in the group.

In 2004, CLAMP's 15th anniversary as a mangaka group, the members changed their names from Nanase Ohkawa, Mokona Apapa, Mick Nekoi, and Satsuki Igarashi to Ageha Ohkawa, Mokona, Tsubaki Nekoi and Satsuki Igarashi (her name is pronounced the same, but written with different characters) respectively. The August 2004 issue of Newtype USA, a magazine specializing in events of the anime and manga subcultures, reported that the members of CLAMP simply wanted to try out new names. In a later interview with Ohkawa, it was revealed that initially Mokona wanted to drop her surname because it sounded too immature for her liking, while Nekoi disliked people commenting that her name was the same as Mick Jagger's. Ohkawa and Igarashi, wanting to go with the flow of Nekoi's and Mokona's name changes, changed their names as well.

In 2006, they made their first USA public debut at Anime Expo in Anaheim, California. They were well received at the convention, with 6,000 fans in attendance at their panel.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't considered this a "foodie manga" up until now, but with Korone, and a new character, both learning cooking with Watanuki's guidance, that's definitely a factor.

I like how the parts of the story involving Syaoran from Reservoir Chronicle have art in that series' style. The lore around Watanuki's name was really interesting, but going into that much more would be spoilers. With that, and other secrets* being revealed, there's a strong impression the story is heading toward its conclusion... if this being volume 14 out of 19 hadn't indicated that already.

* memories of the mind, and memories of the body...

[Chivitouille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este tomo trata mucho acerca de Watanuki y Domeki, el cómo su relación ha ido cambiando y cómo han ido cambiando los dos, definitivamente en este punto de la historia es grato ver que su amistad ha avanzado mucho y aunque aún tengan momentos de discusión, las cosas vayan muy bien.
Continuando con el tomo anterior, una vez superado todo el problema, finalmente Kohane ya puede estar más tranquila y aunque sus poderes ya no sean los mismos sigue siendo muy perspicaz, tanto que en un almuerzo con Watanuki y Domeki en la casa de la adivina donde se esta quedando, tiene la oportunidad de hablar con Domeki sobre cómo es que ahora se lleva bien con Watanuki. Sin duda la respuesta me ha conmovido y podemos enterarnos un poco de cierta manera de pensar que tenía Wataniki.
En estos momentos él esta pasando por una etapa difícil en la que esta perdiendo los recuerdos poco a poco, de lo que no se había dado cuenta hasta hace poco, por lo que su estado anímico no es el más favorable, pero al sentir el apoyo de la gente que lo rodea sigue adelante esforzándose.
Una de las formas en las que se ha percatado de esta falta de memoria es en lo que más disfruta haciendo y que es cocinar. No recordar cómo debe de saber lo que esta cocinando ni si el sabor que tiene es el sazón que él le da a sus platillos ha sido sin duda un golpe muy duro, puesto que cocinar refleja de alguna manera quién eres y el ya no saberlo es como ir avanzando por inercia, dejando que la corriente te lleve.
Toda esta situación cobrará aún mayor importancia debido a una nueva clienta que llegará a la tienda con el deseo de poder cocinar mejor.
Y al terminar siendo él quien le dará las clases de cocina, esto lo ayudará a cuestionarse y darse cuenta de muchas cosas, la mayor parte por si solo, mientras que otra con ayuda de conversaciones con Yuko y Domeki.
Poco a poco se va notando que ahora puede conversar más con Domeki y que ya no recurre tanto a Yuko a la menor señal de necesitar conversar o pedir algún consejo... es como si Yuko con ayuda de Mokona lo fueran encaminando para que ya no dependa tanto de ellas, pero a pesar de esto, admito que es muy grato de ver esta interacción entre ellos dos, puesto que vamos conociendo más a Domeki y otra faceta más seria de Watanuki. Sin duda ha cambiado y este tipo de interacción con Domeki es un ejemplo.

Finalmente conocemos más de la historia y pasado de Watanuki, aunque en el transcurso de la historia nos han dado algunas pistas en este tomo nos dan bastante información...que por cierto me ha dejado sorprendida, con ganas de saber más y con muchas preguntas. La información no es del todo clara y solo cuentan algunos aspectos relevantes así que espero con ansias poder saber más.
Para terminar, por lo visto el pequeño arco de la clienta que quiere aprender a cocinar jugará un papel importante en el camino de Watanuki puesto que solo hemos tenido una breve introducción, que se resolverá en el siguiente tomo y que definitivamente ya tengo muchas ganas de leer.
Las situaciones se están preparando para cambiar, así que solo queda avanzar y averiguar que es lo que le espera a Watanuki en este camino.

[Jesus Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tenemos conclusión sobre lo de la niña Medium, me parece adecuado.
También hay cruces con la historia de Shaoran y Sakura, pero los de Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, y un poco de explicación sobre Watanuki y cómo se relaciona.
El caso del deseo principal es de una chica que quiere aprender a cocinar antes de casarse. No suena como uno de los deseos habituales en esta serie, pero es interesante el comentario que hace la señorita sobre por qué no come lo que prepara, lo cual resulta desconcertante.
Buen tomo

4 stars

[Bexx · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

[isa · Rating 4 out of 5]

a tensão de saber que tem algo vindo ai mas que não chega nunca

[Emilie · Rating 5 out of 5]

omg les révélations. Ça me retourne le cerveau.

[Bibliothecat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review for complete series



xxxHolic is not the type of manga that I would usually pick up - somehow, stories about stores with special services have never really caught my interests. As it happens to be a CLAMP manga which is heavily interwoven with Tsubasa and also has ties to Blood C, I knew I'd at the very least have to give it a chance. The good thing is, apart from the ending, it's a pretty neat manga series.

Watanuki has always attracted ghosts and spirits and he wishes they would just go away. Fate leads him to Yuko's wish-granting shop, but wishes don't come for free. In order for Watanuki's wish to be granted, he must work in the store and becomes involved in all manners of the supernatural.

The art is easily recognisable as CLAMP's, yet it is different. Everything is in black and whites with no greyscales and the characters' eyes are rather empty looking, even the covers are anything but vibrant. But this is actually very well suited for the atmosphere of this series. I only wish that, similar to Tsubasa, the characters' limbs weren't so unnaturally long.

What I first thought to be a rather bland set of characters soon turned out to be a much deeper and very likeable bunch. It's odd, I was against every character from the start and I can't even put my finger on when it changed, but I ended up loving them all. I must confess, I preferred the first three-quarters of the story more - Watanuki becomes a more serious character after certain events and I just prefered him the way he was before. That being said, I can understand how and why he changed.

Although there is an underlying story that is interlaced with Tsubasa, the rest of the series is very much episodic. The different episodes all revolve around legends and myths and it's very interesting to read about them. Not only are the origins explained, but given the modern setting of this series, they are always shown with a contemporary sample. I am only guessing here, but I feel as though having visited Japan and recognising various elements increased my enjoyment of this series as it really is very heavy on Japanese-lore. This holds particularly true about the Jorougumo chapters - there's just something very unsettling about these joro spiders.

The story can be a little slow at times but it generally has good pacing. It's a nice balance between humour, horror and a bit of moral lecturing - in a good way. Unfortunately, as is often the case, the ending isn't exactly satisfying. In fact, it's not that much of an ending at all; would I not know that this series is complete with 19 volumes, I'd think there is more to come. Thanks to its episodic nature, this series can in a sense conclude at any time it wants to. Yet the underlying story is left hanging in the air and there's nothing in terms of closure. CLAMP has started a sequel (which is one of their many works on hiatus - surprise!) which may or may not remedy this issue at some point, but for that, one will need to wait for the sequel to conclude. Otherwise, there are a few glimpses of Watanuki in Blood C which I feel not that many people know of - have a look if you care to see more of what happened to Watanuki post xxxHolic!

[Rebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Welp it only took 14 volumes for some of the most confusing things about the manga to be explained (more or less). So I guess it seems as if Watanuki is not from our world but another, the one that Sakura and that S-guy are from, and he’s basically like a piece of the original that was sent to our world under a new name and appearance to protect him. That the reason he was chased by spirits is bc he somehow knew he wasn’t supposed to exist (as such) and drew them to him in a kind of indirect suicide... and since he does want to live now, to keep existing, to not disappear, he doesn’t see spirits nearly as often.

So when he nearly died by falling from the window, it was (partly) bc, again he was trying to snuff out his existence/go back to being a whole with his true self (the “real” S-guy)... which is confusing, but interesting and makes the whole butterfly dreaming of being a man proverb make so much more sense. The reason Watanuki had come to believe he was not real was because, I. A sense, he wasn’t, and ofc paying for a wish with his memories only added to that feeling.

So now it makes sense why that S-guy paid a price to help W survive the fall, but what wish did W pay for...?

My guess is the big bad thing that’s on the horizon has something to do with the bad guy that W’s parents were hiding him from, but why he wants him isn’t clear, is it bc he has some kind of powers he’s unaware of? Also, it’s been said that his parents “died to protect him” but in the last chapter, Yuuko makes it sound like they aren’t dead just somewhere else...???

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

After Kohane's relationship with her mother came to a head in the last volume, CLAMP takes a slight break by focusing on Watanuki's first client and his growing maturity in the series. Several characters comment on his change, and I can see this through his tendency to not get as flustered often (Yuuko and Doumeki are exceptions), plus him expressing how he wants to hold on to the memories he has despite them slipping away. This was padded by stronger art and intensely satisfying reveals. This world is looking more fragile as we continue. Where will CLAMP take it next, and how will it impact Watanuki and Yuuko's working (although it may lean romantic) relationship?

I can understand why this and Tsubasa parallel each other now. It'd likely be worth my time to check it out to see how that story goes. Considering both anime adaptations were produced before their respective franchises were finished, did CLAMP have ideas for said reveals? The answer will no doubt be yes.

[Mika · Rating 4 out of 5]

(01/16/2021)
First of all, good for Kohane, being loved and validated.

The main thrust of the volume is Food. Quite interesting as a concept. We don't get a conclusion yet, but I like it. It's classic xxxholic, bringing magic from the mundane.

Now, in terms of over acrching plots...we have Watanuki and his parents. Watanuki and his memory. So many unanswered questions, though I am relieved that it's not gonna "all be a dream" tho. Yay.

Is he a Clow? #thats my guess?

(I do think this is probably spoiling a part of Tsubasa, for sure.)

[Seamaiden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another volume full of dread and hope. The story now is more focused on the events of Tsubasa Chronicle and we get more hints about what really happened. So, Syaoran is the son of Syaoran and Sakura from Cardcaptor Sakura. In order to travel in time and save his Sakura, he split his soul into two. That's Watanuki. Watanuki should be a place holder but he was protected by his parents and hidden from Fei Wing.

But Watanuki is no mere placeholder. He's precious to people and he'll exist separately. They're all fighting to end the dream and keep everyone alive.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dans le tome 14 de xxxHOLiC, Watanuki a réussi à éloigner Kohane de l'influence néfaste de sa mère. Kohane vit désormais chez une voyante, une amie de Yûko, où elle peut utiliser ses pouvoirs de médium.

Peu de temps après, une nouvelle cliente se présente à la boutique avec un souhait particulier : prendre des cours de cuisine. Yûko confie cette mission à Watanuki. À travers cette expérience, Watanuki découvre que la cuisine révèle la personnalité de celui qui la pratique et que cet acte n'est pas aussi anodin qu'il y paraît.

[Hannah Belyea · Rating 4 out of 5]

While Watanuki begins teaching a young woman how to cook - struggling to understand why none of it pleases the usually so hungry Domeki - Yuuko dwells on the shocking truth behind her employee, and his connection to his friends and those beyond their world...CLAMP offers fans a revelatory entry brimming with unraveling mysteries and ever poignant atmosphere. Just who is Watanuki, and how does it fate weave into that of others?

[Josh 谢翊杰 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is moving a lot faster than I thought it would. And finally explanation behind who Watanuki is and where he came from. I've read Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, so I already knew, but I feel like the explanation is fleshed out a bit more here. Which makes sense as he is the protagonist in this series. I love the idea that you can know who someone is by the food that they make.

[Scott Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first volume in the series that feels like the series as a whole was at least a shared major plot point. We find out what it is Watanuki has forgotten, and how exactly this world is tied to the world of Cardcaptor Sakura and its sister series Tsubasa. Excellent stuff.

[Child960801 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The young medium is staying with the fortune teller and healing from her many wounds. We find out new information about who people are. A client comes in wishing to learn how to cook. Everyone talks about how much Watanuki has changed.

[Emilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

watanuki made wine and seems happy in the shop. good wrap up

[Noshin Rahman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Argh! Stop being so cryptic Clamp!

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am super loving all this food stuff.
I am super terrified of all this plot stuff.
I AM HERE FOR UNSETTLING SMOKING BUDDIES?

[Anto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Más perdida que teta en la espalda

[Kurtis Burkhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting and really good manga! Really love the art style and story! Really addicting manga😻👻👻😁❤️❤️

[新新 Xin-Xin · Rating 4 out of 5]

百目鬼「只吃自己能接受的東西」

相關討論都挺有趣的

[suzie]

小羽、料理的心意、守護的孩子們、四月一日的身份（應該是小櫻跟小狼的孩子）
到底會怎麼樣呢，好緊張啊啊啊

[Lucie J Assalit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Watanuki is best boy™

[VSP · Rating 5 out of 5]

Siento que está a punto de pasarle algo a Yuuko y no quiero :c

Qué por cierto, Yuuko nos soltó una bomba en el capítulo anterior y eso solo alimenta mi teoría.

[Clement ✨Todas las historias · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hay se me rompió
Un poquito
El corazón

[Luis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se va a venir llorera

[Bell Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Aviso: lectura hecha en ejemplar en español, publicado en México. La presente nota se modificará cuando se dé de alta en GR la edición correspondiente).

[Pedro Ángel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todo el ambiente se esta volviendo muy pesado, ¿Que es esto inevitable que esta a punto de suceder?

[Räech Parra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Se ve que va tendiendo hacia el final del manga pues ya están hablando de secretos que explican los “porque’s” de lo que sucede.
También están tendiendo el camino para el final.