xxxHolic by CLAMP

[zenakumk]

Hi ~S.a.k.u.r.a. no HaNa~ , ZaCloud, watanuki01/04
So surpise and somewhat delighted to see you are still on this site!!!

Haven't been on this site since Tsubasa has ended!!!!!!
Miss Tsubasa SOOO MUCH T____T

Sorry for being slow to point out but, I WAS SO Heart warmed and EMOTIONALLY TOUCHED when I saw the Watanuki + Syaoron appear in Kabato. Such a nice surpise too, I was not aware of it when I watched the series. The moment Tsubasa gang showed up was a GREAT GREAT EPISODE!!!!!
Anyone else felt that?

Too Bad they didn't have Sakura in that episode (Like for example, when Syaoron mentioned to Kabato that there is someone waiting for Syaoron to return, I reckon CLAMP could of did a brief few second moment of Sakura in Clow Country with only half her face showing? something like that, waiting for Syaoron patiently)
That would make that Episode Perfect


When is 205 caming out (T____T)? Somehow.......Watanuki is Clow Reed really is not a surpise to me..................

[watanuki01/04]

Hello!!!

XXXholic is moving to a new magazine called ' bessatsu Shonen' so chapter 205 isn't going to be released until June 9th.

However we will not have to endure completely without holic during that time!

Holic One-shot is release on May 19th and a Horitsuba One-shot is out May 20th.

Plus the OAD has just been released which i just Love!!!!

[daman246]

so xxxholic is having a 2weeks break or something?

[<.Haruka.>]

@ zenakumk! watanuki01/04 is right, it would be on June for chapter 205 release and it would be on Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine.

This coming May, there will be a XXXHOLiC oneshot published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine #25.
and a new Horitsuba story published in the Magazine Special. (source: chibiyuuto & xxxfeather)

I'm also hoping that there would be some appearances of the Tsubasa casts on the future chapters of xxxHolic and maybe some directions of what path will Watanuki, Doumeki & Himawari takes (also some clue who will be Watanuki after some few more years) but until then we have to wait a little more...

[xSeaStar]

Ooh lovely collection!! Thank you!! <3

[Snowolf]

did anyone notice that the background for vol 7 cover is the same used for the opening of xxxHOLiC Shunmuki? :D

[Akiyama]

LQ versions of 13~17.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/th_XxxHOLiC_13.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/XxxHOLiC_13.jpg) http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/th_XxxHOLiC_14.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/XxxHOLiC_14.jpg) http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/th_XxxHOLiC_15.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/XxxHOLiC_15.jpg) http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/th_XxxHOLiC_16.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/XxxHOLiC_16.jpg) http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/th_XxxHOLiC_17.jpg (http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa197/esker08/volumes/XxxHOLiC_17.jpg)

[cari-hime]

finally!!! well i got the ova its pretty much like Snowolf said. My guess is she isn't a reincarnation in any way, it's like Yuko's soul is communicating thru her. Right, we're left to wonder what's up with that "Im back" something- what does that mean, im back???
and if she is ineeded back, does that mean that Watanuki can leave the store? Is Yuko back to her granting wishes? Guess we'll have to wait for the manga ending.
And Himawari is married. Poor wata.

[xSeaStar]

Hi guys, I've just started reading this series and am confused about the chapters and the magazine releases.

I have all the BWYS (http://www.bwys.org) chapters and volumes from MT, but it seems like there are discrepancies with the chapter numbering, like it suddenly seems to jump from around chapter 100 to 200.

I've done a search and all I can find is that Holic was released in a different formats for its tankoubons and in its releases in the magazines.

Would someone be kind enough to clear me up on:
1) what the situation is
2) exactly which magazine chapters are in which tankoubons.

Much love and appreciation!! <3
[hr]
Update if anyone was interested.

I still don't know why the two are not matching, but after going through onemanga.com to match the chapters this is what I found:

Volume 1 = Ch 01-08
Volume 2 = Ch 09-15
Volume 3 = Ch 16-22
Volume 4 = Ch 23-28
Volume 5 = Ch 29-34
Volume 6 = Ch 35-42
Volume 7 = Ch 73-84
Volume 8 = Ch 85-96
Volume 9 = Ch 97-108
Volume 10 = Ch 108-121
Volume 11 = Ch 122-132
Volume 12 = Ch 133-144
Volume 13 = Ch 145-157
Volume 14 = Ch 156-170
Volume 15 = Ch 171-182
Volume 16 = Ch 183-193
Volume 17 = Ch 194-204

The latest chapter is Ch 204.

[ZaCloud]

I noticed the same thing as I had caught up on the English published tankoubons, and was in too much suspense so I tried finding the next chapter scanslated and it was completely different in position. I was like whaaaat?

I think the chapters are longer in the tankoubon, so maybe they merge several magazine chapters together for the volumes? The chapters were fairly long in the book so maybe?

I was gonna line 'em up but never got time to, and still don't have any. ~_~

[shaheer]

hello every one new chap is out its a special chap 204.5 .Its available here (http://www.onemanga.com/xxxHolic/204.5/)

[watanuki01/04]

Looks like ~S.a.k.u.r.a nohaNa~'s wish came true!!!

Its great to see the Tsubasa guys again!

[xxxfeather]

Looks like ~S.a.k.u.r.a nohaNa~'s wish came true!!!

Its great to see the Tsubasa guys again!

Sure it is!!! And the Tsubasa icon...

...is Watanuki's signature.

Loved the mokonas. They look so cute together.

[shaheer]

wonder y this looong wait was... and i guess 205 will again go along with wataniki s wish fulfillings . wonder when April 1 st will come thenn we can see himawari again .

[watanuki01/04]

It was such a joy to read. Trying to contain my fan girl screams so my family doesn't think i'm strange was a real effort.

It was great to see the tsubasa gang again. I'm sure i have never seen Kurogane look so happy!

[fairiehearts]

I was sooo happy when I saw the tsubasa gang!! And I thought it was sooo sweet of watanuki to give syaoran a chance to see his sakura after like two years =)

Oh and I was wondering where you can find the horitsuba ch that's supposed to come out today...

[<.Haruka.>]

Its nice to see the tsubasa gang once more & yes its nice for watanuki to help syaoran & the others go back home since their travelling randomly.
Now Wata having his own signature makes it more exciting because it may mean that on next future chapters he might be granting wishes like Yuuko-san..


Oh and I was wondering where you can find the horitsuba ch that's supposed to come out today...

i just found raws for the new Horistuba chapter, you can download it here (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IMX4VX1I) (source: chibi yuuto & ritualscan2)
or check out chibi yuuto's site (http://chibiyuuto.livejournal.com/) for more info :)

[ZaCloud]

Seriously, this was AWESOME and BEAUTIFUL! X3 Seeing them all together again was wonderful! The Mokonas = luv! Even Kurogane looked fluffy! :XD Seriously, I never thought I'd see him so gosh-darn HAPPY!!! It made my eyes tear up and I couldn't stop staring at his smile! X333333

And Wata looked ready to cry happy-tears himself. ^_^ So awesome. And loooove the sig. More and more, this story comes full-circle. It's amazing.

[borrows123]

That list is too long and it looks like that you have spent a lot of time in writing this ...
Thank you man you share with us...

[zenakumk]

Ah, too bad they didn't show us what happened to the gang.
I wonder if this marks 'Tsubasa Chronicle' an 'End'. I hope not because I really like to see the gang one last time before the end of xxxholic. But maybe this is a sign that xxxholic is ALSO coming to an end.

[fairiehearts]

i bet if anything clamps going to have the tsubasa gang pop in and out of newer mangas in the future (ex. Kobato anime has them in one episode)
But I wonder when xxxholic will end, it seems to be winding down to a conclusion soon

[feisu-chan]

Great chapter!!! It was fitting for the TRC Commemorative Day last 21 May... it was fun to see the TRC guys again!! I'm really all smiles now! Though, I hoped Doumeki was on this chapter drinking sake with Kurogane and Fye... And I hope the next chapter won't be a month long of waiting... still, I love this fanservice so much!!!

[shaheer]

i am sick of waiting any news on next issue ..y in the world Holic became this much irregular

[ZaCloud]

Cuz CLAMP's busy working on so many things at once, plus the series needed to wait for a particular slot to open to move to the new (shounen) magazine.

Though yeah, the wait's killing me too... but it should pop in soon. It's June now! :nod

[watanuki01/04]

Very soon. Release should be the 9th

[Shippou_Incognito]

Here's ch. 205 RAW (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=MDL5SUPL) to tide us over.

[watanuki01/04]

omg! There are 50 pages!!!!!!! So much Holic i can't contain myself!!

[harmaa]

Evil cliffhanger! Can anyone post a translation summary? I can read some Japanese, but this is a series where you really have to be fluent to know what's going on...

[ibra87]

In the following a link a summary of chapter 205:

http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=217404

[ZaCloud]

Evil cliffhanger! Can anyone post a translation summary? I can read some Japanese, but this is a series where you really have to be fluent to know what's going on...

There's a link to it in the Spoilers thread, but here it is again: http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=217404

Just a very general summary. This is one of those series where a real translation's very much needed. :darn

[xxxfeather]

This could be a clue...

It seems that Watanuki was holding something while the group was sitting outside. It becomes visible on page 44 and looks like a ball, similar to this one:

http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/18/10/

Then, something happened and the ball "exploded" on him. The effect is more or less similar to this (breaking or crashing something?):

http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/18/12-13/

Any ideas? :?bunny

[cari-hime]

i couldnt understand a thing. i need those translations.

[Shippou_Incognito]

This could be a clue...

It seems that Watanuki was holding something while the group was sitting outside. It becomes visible on page 44 and looks like a ball, similar to this one:

http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/18/10/

Then, something happened and the ball "exploded" on him. The effect is more or less similar to this (breaking or crashing something?):

http://www.onemanga.com/Tsubasa_Reservoir_Chronicles/18/12-13/

Any ideas? :?bunny

I dunno. It's hard to say if Watanuki is holding something in his hand; then again it looks like his hand is empty - especially if you look at that hand in the pages that follow it.

Starlady38 (http://starlady38.livejournal.com/354567.html) started working on the translation last night. Being that it's 50 pages long, dealing with an allergy flare-up and that she started on it late she's got up to 15 pages posted so far. I won't post the translation in here until she's satisfied with it after she's finished, but if you can't wait then go check out what she has so far.

When she does manages to get it done then I suppose it will take a bit longer than usual for Fail Manga (http://failmanga.wordpress.com/) to churn out the finished scanlation, again because of the size of this chapter. My guess is within the next 24 hours at best. Fail manga is pretty quick once they get a translation in their hands.

[Pointlessness413]

Chapter's out: http://www.onemanga.com/xxxHolic/205/

Not sure what to say about this one...but it looks like we're getting somewhere.

[Shippou_Incognito]

It also looks like we could get a revision of this scanlation as it has some coherency problems and missing text.

[Joei]

i didn't follow what was going on at all, despite it being translated -_-

[<.Haruka.>]

If i understand it right it time skipped 10 years after.. but Doumeki & Kohane still on university, does that mean they're on graduate school already?
Being on 50 pages seems too long for the current story, though i was thinking it could have been for the special release on the new magazine..
On last page (cliffhanger), i can't guess what was Watanuki was protecting (which Kohane can't see, only can be felt) but it looks strong when it snapped...

[cari-hime]

Kohane looks so cute grown up! and Domeki wants to keep close so he wont go anywhere despite that he already graduated and should be working or something like that. apart from that i couldnt understand anything else. what's that thing that Wata has??? and what about the glasses..? too many questions.

[Ocean2292]

So that's Shizuka? How did he get a body?
Where's Doumeki?
Who/ what are the little ones Watanuki's protecting? Are they spirits that have no place in the world?
And... What just happened to Watanuki!?

[ZaCloud]

So that's Shizuka? How did he get a body?
Where's Doumeki?

Shizuka is Doumeki's given (what we'd call "first") name. Doumeki is his family name (or "last" name). His grandpa's given name is Haruka.

The fact that Kohane uses his given name, means she's close to him and considers him a friend. While using "Doumeki" is more formal when they're at school.

Doumeki using Watanuki's family name, instead of his given name (Kimihiro), the few times he doesn't just go "hey you" or "that guy", implies either a polite, or impolite, distance in relationship. Even though they share everything and are clearly close. It's an interesting dynamic.

Kind of like the guy friends who call each other names casually and aren't afraid of offending each other, who don't act very close yet will actually do anything for each other.

So you'll know that if either of them calls the other "Kimihiro" or "Shizuka", it'd be a sign of extreme sincerity at this point.

Just another cultural aspect of Japanese language that not everyone knows about. That's why sometimes in other anime or manga, you'll see a character say like, for example, "Hi, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, don't forget it!" (family name comes first, given name comes second. But sometimes translators reverse them to Western order, as do the dubbers, so we might read Naruto Uzumaki). And someone who wants to be friendly will ask "Is it ok... if I call you Naruto-kun (your given name)?"

Calling someone their given name without earning it, or getting permission, can be rude or invasive. Like Yuuko-san pointed out long ago, your name gives people power, so by social rule they have to earn the right to use your given name, unless you're willing to give out the permission right away based on first impression.

For example, despite their animosity toward each other, Naruto and Sasuke still call each other by their given names, so that shows that they've always been close on some level.

It's a subtle way of determining just how characters feel about each other, and provides dynamics to relationships that might be different than what we perceive through other words and actions. It's useful to know. :nod

(The rest of the questions... I don't know yet, I'm curious too, I'm sure it'll be revealed in the next chapter. :sweat )

[euphoric_shorti]

Clamp was always great for their cliffhangers. XD
Gee, this keeps on getting more thrilling..
I'm so enthralled by the ghost thing that Watanuki is "protecting"...
Seeing that it "snapped"... I wonder if it exploded or it's trying to harm him...

//wonders

I'm thinking it's evil, but then again, we don't know what sort of twist Clamp will give us. XD

[shaheer]

the4 chaps seems to be aim less ..i mean we havent seen that much of story progression yet have we ..neither did we know any thing more abt yuko ..and what abt himawari...maan to much to show yet

[ZaCloud]

Hmm, yeah I did get a little miffed at yet another time-skip. It makes things seem so insignificant in the grand scheme of things, and for some reason we didn't get to see Himawari-chan. I was looking forward to seeing her... wonder what's up with her. Something has to be up, since they keep hiding her...

I'm sure there's a reason though. And maybe it's to help us get into the mentality of Watanuki, who is now timeless and thus existence just keeps going on and changing without him. Might be priming us for something in the future. Just rough right now to handle. :sweat

[<.Haruka.>]

the4 chaps seems to be aim less ..i mean we havent seen that much of story progression yet have we ..neither did we know any thing more abt yuko ..and what abt himawari...maan to much to show yet
I think its to early to conclude about the story going afar. Since the chapter is a start of new arc, it introduces an adult setting for Wata & Doumeki (after 10 years) which they are showing they are reliable to handle the mysteries by themselves & as well as running the shop.

I think its sensible enough that Kohane is with Doumeki maybe most of the time since they are going on same university and they complement on abilities (just like on Doumeki-Wata).

As for Himawari and Yuuko, it might be a bit long before we knew what's on them since next chapter would be probably more about that thing that Wata protects and also because of the manga's being on monthly release.

[shaheer]

still it has been long time since Yuuko disapeared...and since then i believe we have seen 2 time skips...and still no himawari or Yuuko ....it is going slow...

[euphoric_shorti]

I'm getting kind of confused with what the stories' about now since Yuuko's gone now. =n=
Himawari has been bugging me.. I heard that she got married in the anime? OAO

[harmaa]

Is there a new chapter this month?

[jessyt1992]

Is there a new chapter this month?

yah there's a new chapter this month coming this Friday!
im actually enjoying the storyline more now..
and i like how this chapter was 50pgs long :amuse

hope the tsubasa gang will appear in the next few chapters.

[<.Haruka.>]

Here's chapter 206 (http://www.mangafox.com/manga/xxxholic/v18/c206/1.html) :)

The mystery of the little one which Watanuki protects has been revealed..

[Shippou_Incognito]

The scanlation on MangaFox is a rough translation and is missing pages. I'm trying to get a better one out.

[Vande]

Chapter is now up on OM.

[Tsukisama]

This chapter was nice, another very long chapter, although it was a quick anejoyable read leaving me wanting more. I read the same scanlation that was hosted on OneManga, but I was a bit unsure about what the mystery spirit was. I realize that it was an unborn baby, but it seemed as though they were implying that the fetus was aborted. Is that correct? :?bunny

If so, the conversation between Doumeki and the old diviner seemed a bit like a rather heavy-handed criticism on abortion. I also wonder what Doumeki is not telling Watanuki; perhaps it is going to be subject of the next plot.

[Shippou_Incognito]

I read the same scanlation that was hosted on OneManga, but I was a bit unsure about what the mystery spirit was. I realize that it was an unborn baby, but it seemed as though they were implying that the fetus was aborted. Is that correct? :?bunny

Correct.


If so, the conversation between Doumeki and the old diviner seemed a bit like a rather heavy-handed criticism on abortion. I also wonder what Doumeki is not telling Watanuki; perhaps it is going to be subject of the next plot.I suppose it could be from a different cultural perspective. You can to focus on it but it sets up for a potentially more drama in future chapters. We'll just have to wait and see.

I also wonder what Doumeki is not telling Watanuki; perhaps it is going to be subject of the next plot.
He's never obfuscated Watanuki this whole time - it's been the other way around ever since Watanuki's taken over the shop.

But it looks like Obasan has set Doumeki on the right path by him going to her to get answers that he won't get from Watanuki. He seems now to understand what could be going on with Watanuki now, and it will help him how to proceed.

Why does Doumeki get lost all the time when he's trying to help Watanuki? Because it takes him 10 years to ask a woman for directions. :eyeroll <jk>

[ZaCloud]

Yeah, this chapter dealt very directly with a sensitive issue. I respect that greatly. It always is tragic when a potential life is lost. Who knows if one aborted 'fetus' would have grown up to be the man who would have found a cure for AIDS, or a woman who would have been the biggest musical genius since the classical era? Or the destined love of someone who will instead remain lonely?

I like that this was an issue that was finally dealt with in an unexpected medium. It was heartwarming though, to see Watanuki cradle and protect that young spirit, and give it another chance to be born, instead of becoming a hateful spirit.

After all this time, Doumeki and Watanuki still have their dynamic, of insulting each other, of seldom thanking, and yet fully trusting one another, even with vagueness going on. It's kind of sad though, seeing how much time has gone by, how much older everyone's getting around Watanuki. Even though he's aging as a person himself, it's just so sad seeing how many years are going by.

As readers, we sort of see it from Watanuki's viewpoint with these time jumps. To him, it's all a blink of an eye. For the rest, years pass with each arc now. They're getting older, blossoming, perhaps wilting... I'm actually getting tense about it. Tense at the thought of Doumeki no longer being a fit warrior for Watanuki, or being gone altogether.

And feeling very sorry for Himawari-chan, quite possibly being all alone all this time, rarely ever seeing Watanuki, and probably not having another boyfriend due to her circumstances. Growing older, and so lonely... :( Why haven't we seen her for so long?

Could it be... Maybe she'll eventually become... Yuuko? o.o Could her bad luck be related to her being an anomoly of being around her old self? Just a theory. That'd be weird, but who knows...

This was a strange, internal, emotional arc, but a good one. Doumeki fighting in the rain was a really cool image!

I wonder how new shounen readers are taking this though... It's still quite similar to its old seinen flavor. Still dunno why it was relocated to a Shounen magazine... Oh well.

[Shippou_Incognito]

Yeah, this chapter dealt very directly with a sensitive issue. I respect that greatly. It always is tragic when a potential life is lost. Who knows if one aborted 'fetus' would have grown up to be the man who would have found a cure for AIDS, or a woman who would have been the biggest musical genius since the classical era? Or the destined love of someone who will instead remain lonely?
It was a parallel to Watanuki's own situation, just as every customer we've witnessed since he's taken over the shop. Just as you described for the unborn one we could ask what Watanuki's life could have been like if he wasn't the shop master. And like the customer, Watanuki felt lonely/abandoned and questioned his own worth of existence. He's still dealing with this even now.

After all this time, Doumeki and Watanuki still have their dynamic, of insulting each other, of seldom thanking, and yet fully trusting one another, even with vagueness going on.

The dynamic is a serious matter - one that will have to be addressed eventually. Since Rou began he's consciously suppressed it, with the end result being secretive, cynical, and antagonizing to Doumeki.


As readers, we sort of see it from Watanuki's viewpoint with these time jumps. To him, it's all a blink of an eye. For the rest, years pass with each arc now. They're getting older, blossoming, perhaps wilting... I'm actually getting tense about it. Tense at the thought of Doumeki no longer being a fit warrior for Watanuki, or being gone altogether.
That's a great observation. But I think Doumeki is starting to position himself to maybe do something about it now. This was a milestone chapter.


And feeling very sorry for Himawari-chan, quite possibly being all alone all this time, rarely ever seeing Watanuki, and probably not having another boyfriend due to her circumstances. Growing older, and so lonely... :( Why haven't we seen her for so long?
At first I thought they were just trying to write her out of the story just to get to the ending sooner, but after watching the OAV and reading this chapter I think she's being set up for some serious drama down the road. I really miss her but if my hunch is right she's going to wind up being Rou's punching bag. We'll just have to wait and see.

Could it be... Maybe she'll eventually become... Yuuko? o.o Could her bad luck be related to her being an anomoly of being around her old self? Just a theory. That'd be weird, but who knows...
I use to think that too a long time ago, but not anymore. I used to include Zashiki in that mix as well.

I wonder how new shounen readers are taking this though... It's still quite similar to its old seinen flavor. Still dunno why it was relocated to a Shounen magazine... Oh well.
I'm starting to interpret it as some bad signs for CLAMP. All of those missed publication deadlines/delays caught up with them, having too much on their plate with three series going on at once has hurt their credit some. Add the fact that the manga industry has been going down hill for the last 7 years in Japan plus a global recession doesn't help at all.

But the big straw for holic was Yuko's exit. While it was an epic event for her to go she was probably the most popular CLAMP character ever since CCS. Add to it that they took Himawari out of the story (for now, at least) that holic lost it's billing in Young Magazine (http://downloadbox.org/uploads/posts/2009-07/1247679129_you.mag.32.jpg), a publication that's hosted great, all-time classics like Ghost in The Shell and 3x3 Eyes. When they took sexy Yuko and darling Himawari out of the story so did their following went with them. So holic got shipped to a newer, less popular publication.

[spikey]

I'm starting to interpret it as some bad signs for CLAMP. All of those missed publication deadlines/delays caught up with them, having too much on their plate with three series going on at once has hurt their credit some. Add the fact that the manga industry has been going down hill for the last 7 years in Japan plus a global recession doesn't help at all.

But the big straw for holic was Yuko's exit. While it was an epic event for her to go she was probably the most popular CLAMP character ever since CCS. Add to it that they took Himawari out of the story (for now, at least) that holic lost it's billing in Young Magazine (http://downloadbox.org/uploads/posts/2009-07/1247679129_you.mag.32.jpg), a publication that's hosted great, all-time classics like Ghost in The Shell and 3x3 Eyes. When they took sexy Yuko and darling Himawari out of the story so did their following went with them. So holic got shipped to a newer, less popular publication.

The thing with Yuuko is that... while she may not physically be there, she's always in the back of Watanuki's mind, and thus in the back of our minds. Everytime we see Watanuki smoking the pipe, we compare him to Yuuko. When he first saw him take over the shop and he didn't have the power to really grant wishes like Yuuko did... it was slightly worrisome. But we've seen him grow and he's continually growing so that it's even possible for him to become more powerful than Yuuko. At the same time, it's been stated that having too much power could be dangerous...

As for Himawari-chan, her popularity doesn't really concern me, and she's always been just a minor character. I've wondered if Doumeki would court her... or even if Doumeki would court Kohane.
Speaking of Kohane, she's almost filled Himawari's shoes, but not as a love interest for Watanuki. I personally like her character much better than Himawari's... she's an interesting person and she's someone who contributes to the story and foils the characters really well.

As for the popularity or credibility of CLAMP... They are one of my top 3 favorite anime/manga companies, and I do not really care which media publication they are being released in... Holic and Kobato have been really great, and even if there are delays in production schedules, that's not a big deal.
When you make art sometimes you have to take a little bit longer to make it perfect. I for one, am willing to wait a little bit longer for this series even if Yuuko isn't back yet or Himawari is gone.
[hr]
predictions-
watanuki will recover swiftly...
doumeki gets a girlfriend (himawari or kohane)
still awhile until yuuko comes back

[Lirael]

As for the popularity or credibility of CLAMP... They are one of my top 3 favorite anime/manga companies, and I do not really care which media publication they are being released in... Holic and Kobato have been really great, and even if there are delays in production schedules, that's not a big deal.
When you make art sometimes you have to take a little bit longer to make it perfect. I for one, am willing to wait a little bit longer for this series even if Yuuko isn't back yet or Himawari is gone.
<hr noshade size="1">
predictions-
watanuki will recover swiftly...
doumeki gets a girlfriend (himawari or kohane)
still awhile until yuuko comes back

It was probably the publishers who had a problem with Clamp's delay.

I don't think Doumeki will ever get a girlfriend, he's too busy taking care of Watanuki and Clamp needs him for the shounen-ai subtext in the story (it's not a Clamp work without this).

After this chapter, I think the time for Doumeki to use the egg is coming closer.

[cari-hime]

After this chapter, I think the time for Doumeki to use the egg is coming closer.

i almost forgot about that egg. makes me wonder....
i felt so bad with this chapter. just hoping the next one won't be as intense as this..

right! what's up with himawari?........ still waiting for her..

[Shippou_Incognito]

I think (and hope) that ch.207 will not take as long as the last chapter did. I believe there's a raw in the works though.

Here's a spoiler for ch.207:
A new woman customer comes to the shop wishing to date Doumeki.

I hope we can get some answers for some mysteries about him in this arc.

----------------------------------------

While we wait for the engrish scans from the usual sources, enjoy the quick chinese scans (http://www.imanhua.com/comic/151/list_47386.html).

I hope we can get some answers to some long held mysteries about Doumeki in this arc.

Some spoiler notes (somewhat) translated by YamiSakura:
At the courtyard, Maru, Moro and Mokona is splashing around with the waterguns. Watanuki got annoyed by them saying how can they be so noisy when the weather is already so hot. At the same moment, he sense an aura of a new customer.

The customer appeared to be a really cheerful/energetic girl. Her wish is to have a chance to date a person... she hands Watanuki a piece of paper that has written the other person's name. As he is getting the paper from her; he has been puzzling as for why he is sensing such an aggressive feeling from her. When he take a look, he is shocked to see that oh-so familiar name

"Shizuka Doumeki"

That night, Doumeki brings the wine over to the shop, As Watanuki teasingly said, "I really don't understand no matter the previous time or currently, you are always so famous" , "Don't come to the shop for a while"

The day after, that girl comes back again ... It doesn't matter how but I want to have this wish fulfill, she is willing to try any method... even if it goes to the extend of harming the people who are around that person.

Watanuki said to her, "you are not able to pay the price". the word "longing", its root meaning came from the word "the hiding place of a soul" (T/N: "longing" in hiragana is akogare, it is only 1 syllable off from akugare). Your current appearing existence is no different than just a dead-living soul. A dead-living soul that doesn't matter what kind of person it may come to harm... you are a person without a heart which you can use to pay the price.

After the girl hear such saying, have face immediately turned blank, as if it is slowly erasing... and then she vanished.

After that, Watanuki immediately calls Doumeki on the phone telling him that there's a girl laying at the front door of Doumeki's temple courtyard, and asked him to call the ambulance immediately.


Watanuki: Even though I have fulfilled many different kinds of wishes... However, the most troublesome one is still a person's desire/lust... and which I am the same way too...

Seems like Watanuki has a self-realization to it as well.

[Shippou_Incognito]

Holic is loaded with fun, interesting characters. If I had to pick one out of the entire series then hands down it is Yuko.

She's smart, wise, funny, beautiful and sexy. She's wise without coming off as a know-it-all, and in terms of CLAMP history I'd say she's the most fascinating character they've come up with so far.

[cari-hime]

thats interesting who knows what the price would be of dating him... haha
[hr]
i read the new chapter and a rough translation. since there's no more om, i wonder when anyone will post it.....
you were totally right. and it is a very interesting chapter which makes me wonder
who is doumeki dating...? for what i understood he is..

[Dhazard]

http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=859911571
207 in chinese :amuse

[cari-hime]

i saw them too! It was sooo sweet because Syaoran tells Kobato that he definetely wants to see [Sakura] again, though he doesn't say her name and Kuro is still getting angry at Mokona. But it was too short for me, anyway it was great to see my fav characters again.

[feisu-chan]

i've read the translation, and I think this is an interesting chapter... it dealt with human desires and emotion... actually, i like Watanuki's last words in the end of the chap... thanks for the translation!!

[Kiana_Ishido]

This one chapter has been bugging me for a long time, and now that I'm re-reading the series, I cam across it again. In chapter 42, when Watanuki is delivering the birds that can only be seen in the light of the full moon, we get a panned-out view of that man's shop. It's the very last page of that chapter to be exact. In the right of the panel is a black object on a small cupboard (maybe refrigerator...?) that highly resembles the bat that is known as Fei Wang Reed's symbol. The same shape is used as small handles on the desk in the left of the panel.

I'm sorry if this has been discussed before, but I have browsed through a few of the threads and none of them seem to mention this.

So, what do you think? Is this man somehow related yo Fei? Heaven knows CLAMP doesn't add details like that for no reason...

[kewl0210]

Hey um, can anyone tell me if this XXXHolic series running in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine is the main one, the one you guys are talking about? This one:

http://s1d4.turboimagehost.com/t/4021336_01.png (http://www.turboimagehost.com/p/4021336/01.png.html)

Or is that like a spinoff? Because there are no chapter numbers. And it has the suffix "Rou". But I don't really read this series. Planning to. It doesn't seem like anyone's scanlating recent chapters though. I'm scanning another series in BSM so I was wondering. Most places say it's just running in Young Magazine.

[ibra87]

It used to run in Young Magazine as xxxHOLIC until a certain event with a huge impact, after which it switched title to xxxHOLIC Rou and moved to Bessatsu. Or something along those lines.

[Shippou_Incognito]

ibra87's info is correct. xXxHOLiC changed it's title to xXXHOLiC: Rou to emphasize the series's plot tranformation after a major protaganist's death. It also moved from Young Magazine to BSM. The chapter number of the picture you have there is ch.207, vol.18. We could use an english release of it because there's one floating around with dubious sources.

I really hope you do decide to pick this up. Ever since TRC has ended this series has lost allot of following and since raw sources have been drying up the english scanlation releases have taken a serious hit.

Are you just going to supply the raws or are you considering handling the translations and scanlation? Either way I hope you can help us holic fans. Let me know what you plan to do and I may consider trying to help out in some way.

[Shippou_Incognito]

You are not alone on this one. It's been speculated like you have throughout the holic community worldwide.

Nothing has been confirmed but I'm incline to believe that there is no connection at the moment, but you never know.

That very same shop (named as the "Lamp Shop") is mentioned in ch.206 as it relayed the payment for the wish that allowed the child spirit to pass over. During that incident Watanuki was injured. Let that one run around in your imagination. ;)

[feisu-chan]

I don't know if I should create a thread about it, or if I'm even allowed to do that, but ch.207 is now out in Mangafox. Great chapter! I like the concept about 'yearning' and how it was used in context of the woman's soul... nice!!!

[Vande]

Chapter 207 is finally out, not sure if i can link. Pretty sure you can find it easy enough.

Go enjoy :)

[ibra87]

Feel free to post the link to failmanga's blog (http://failmanga.wordpress.com/) ^^

Thanks for notifying us. At any rate, finally \o/

[Vande]

I didn't want to post anything that could be 'suspect'. No point getting anyone into needless trouble :D

Well the woman from the chapter was a nightmare and a half. Watanuki....i believe you have an important decision to make soon.

[watanuki01/04]

Watanuki is reminding me more and more like Clow. The way he's dressing and the facial expressions just looks like him!

BTW did we ever find out who was looking after Watanuki in the apartment complex?

[Shippou_Incognito]

LOL that's a good question. I sure hope he didn't leave the tv on.


Maybe Kobato found out it was rent-free and helped herself to it.

[<.Haruka.>]

Looks like Watanuki a bit jelous of Doumeki being popular :amuse
The lady customer is quite obsessed with Doumeki.
Though I wonder what/who is residing that lady's body since Wata said her soul was hiding and what is Watanuki's desire he said on the last page...

[Shippou_Incognito]

No one else was "residing" in her body while her spirit/soul was at the shop.

She was doing what is known as astral projection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astral_projection), which allows your soul/spirit to wonder outside of your physical body.

The big concern here was that she had no idea that she was doing it, or that she was capable of doing it.

One of the greatest fears of practicing this stuff is if you do it wrong you could be locked out of your body forever. Your body will then resemble a coma-like state.

This was Watanuki's greatest concern for her, since she didn't know what she was doing.

Did you see the incense holder that was shaped like a butterfly reflecting in Watanuki's eye in the last panel? Who would you associate butterflies with in xxxholic?

[<.Haruka.>]

I see, its astral projection :)... it must be a deep obsession for Doumeki I guess for that to happen.

Yup, I saw the butterfly in Watanuki's eyes, i just remember Yuuko-san, does that means Wata's desire is to see Yuuko again or is it something else?
Though I wonder what will Yuuko's role/going to do if she ever reappears again.

[Shippou_Incognito]

I see, its astral projection :)... it must be a deep obsession for Doumeki I guess for that to happen
Exactly.


Yup, I saw the butterfly in Watanuki's eyes, i just remember Yuuko-san, does that means Wata's desire is to see Yuuko again or is it something else?
Right again: it's all about Yuko for RouWata. Watanuki was able to empathize with the customer.


Though I wonder what will Yuuko's role/going to do if she ever reappears again.
She should kick him in the head a few times, not that it would do any good though.

My guess is that if he doesn't get his missing memories back before she does return (if ever) then he'll just go back to feeling lonely and detached, and resume his low self-esteem issues, which was causing him to almost vanish like it was before she died.

Watanuki has consciously substituted his deep longing for his parents with his obsession for Yuko, so seeing Yuko again would only treat his symptoms, and therefore it won't cure him.

[Shippou_Incognito]

This opening trailer was mailed free to those who sent in 3 proofs of purchase for Kodansha magazines, aka xxxHolic's publishers.

YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjraaKKYy3s)

Multiupload (http://www.multiupload.com/X7HACBW2W0)

MediaFire (http://www.mediafire.com/?rxz27nqqldxzw2i)

The full OAD is tentatively scheduled to be released in Spring 2011, which probably translates into Winter 2011, CLAMP standard time. :darn

Suga Shikao wins again.

[Kiana_Ishido]

Thank you very much. I was sure it must have been discussed many times, but I could never find threads for it.

I truly hope CLAMP does connect it in some way, though. There's still a lot of xxxHolic to go! :)

[Shippou_Incognito]

Thanks to drakonika for translating The Last Fruit's blog entry of spoiler notes for chapter 208:
Autumn night. Watanuki meets Haruka-san in a dream. Haruka-san tells about the Chrysanthemum festival which is held on September, 9 (which is the next day). It's a day when people make ornaments of chrysanthemum flowers, drink chrysanthemum wine, pray for longevity and purification of evil. But it's also the most dangerous of all Five festivals, because calamity is the strongest---
Here Watanuki wakes up, upset that he once again couldn't hear an important part to the end. He decides to start preparations and goes to the garden, but there are no chrysanthemums. Ame-Warashi appears bringing the flowers as he requested. When Watanuki takes the chrysanthemums, he feels that it was Zashiki-Warashi who picked them.
In the evening Doumeki comes to visit and finds Watanuki in the garden performing a ritual. Watanuki is holding a chrysanthemum. He says that it's a necessary item during this festival. The water wavers slightly, and the flower blooms to its fullest. Watanuki puts it into a jar, thus completing the chrysanthemum wine. He called "wine spirits" and "borrowed" the power of the festival to bring good health to his important people and to protect them from harm. Watanuki's feelings found shape in this chrysanthemum wine.
Watanuki tells Doumeki to fetch this wine to Himawari, Kohane and the fortune-teller Granny. Doumeki says "You drink too." Watanuki is surprised by his expression, but replies, nodding, "Sure".

[Biassed]

Yuko, of course. Avatar doesn't lie :)

[ibra87]

But Yuuko is dead :(

What alive characters are your favorite?

[<.Haruka.>]

Still waiting for chapter 208 english scan, all I got for now is the 208 chinese scan (http://www.dm72.com/XXXholic_di208huajuan/104126.htm).

Chapter 209 c. scans are also here

http://www.dm72.com/XXXholic_di209huajuan/111858.htm
http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=910258737
...and a bit of 209 info/summary (http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=265624) from tsubasalover.

[<.Haruka.>]

chapter 208 (http://www.mangafox.com/manga/xxxholic/v18/c208/2.html) is out. :)

I got dizzy of Doumeki's grandfather explanation on festivals/calendar & stuff, but its nice to see Ame-wareshi once more.

[ZaCloud]

Ooooh, awesome. That was so cute of Zashiki to pick those for Watanukiii :amuse

This was a neat story, a nice little self-contained tale. And thought-provoking, when speaking of the world's debt... :o

(But is it just me, or is the artwork VERY different compared to the previous chapter? It's almost like one of the other artists or even an assistant did most of it this time around... :blink )

[<.Haruka.>]

Ooooh, awesome. That was so cute of Zashiki to pick those for Watanukiii :amuse
http://i795.photobucket.com/albums/yy232/PixKaruumi/Pixels/Emoticons/thfluffy.gif I wish Zashiki and Watanuki meet once more.

Rebuilding the garden in some kind of lake was cool, though I just find it weird for Wata having this (http://www.mangafox.com/manga/xxxholic/v18/c208/28.html) steps/walk above the water.
It was very thoughtful of Watanuki to send of those chrysanthemum sake to his friends but I think Doumeki was quite more heedful for Wata because he thinks Watanuki is the one who needs most of that purified drink.



(But is it just me, or is the artwork VERY different compared to the previous chapter? It's almost like one of the other artists or even an assistant did most of it this time around...)
I think its just same as the previous artwork, although I like the colour pages recently than before, they were much better, imo. :)

[ZaCloud]

I think Wata's eyes looked bigger this time, and the artwork way more simplified. Not that it's bad, just different.

I forgot to say before... I'm blown away with how powerful Watanuki's become. It's amazing! :o

[<.Haruka.>]

Well, there are some of the pages I observed too that Wata's eyes got more rounder & bigger than before but others still same for me..

Yeah Watanuki really goes more stronger and I'm happy there are friends who helps him so that he became more better than he was before even without Yuko-san.

Also I like his dress when he performed the chrysanthemum ritual. :)

[<.Haruka.>]

chapter 209 (http://www.mangareader.net/160-58233-2/xxxholic/chapter-209.html) is up :)

Himawari already has a husband, after a long time Watanuki wasn't able to see her. Though I guess they had phone calls for communication.
I like Kohane-chan growing up beautifully with the pretty dress she wear on this chapter.
Seems like Watanuki is a false name according to the girl that came from the box Doumeki brought (the box was from the university professor).
I wonder what is real Wata's name then, and who was that mysterious girl from the box.

[ZaCloud]

Oooh, more mystery! Always a staple of this series.

It seemed a bit abrupt, to suddenly be like "Oh btw, Himawari's married, so no pairing anymore. Oh btw, Kohane n Wata suddenly have more chemistry, here ya go!"

Not that I'm dissatisfied with the result; I think that the time-warp allowing Wata and Kohane to have more romantic vibes is very nice, and they'd make a very cute pair. :nod But, just saying this was rather abrupt for CLAMP, and for being such a long-running story, in the way it was handled. Having to simultaneously suddenly grieve for the loss of the WataXHimawari pairing and cheer for WataXKohane... just, major whiplash there.

Glad they're still great friends at least. Their phone conversation was very human and made me smile. A good, subtle establishment of friendship and a lot more slice-of-life than the usual for this series.

Definitely looking forward to the mystery of this girl.

(And I wonder if Wata's real name is Tsubasa as well... with Watanuki given to him to protect him by making it different)

[<.Haruka.>]

Yup its kind of rushed info that Himawari got married when for a long time she wasn't around. But I hope there is a reason why it has to happen and not just for the pairing reasons. I do prefer DouxKohane more but its much better if they highlight Kohane's progress of her power.
I guess the time skip left some questions that needs to be answered.

The mystery girl reminds me of ashura (http://img.youtube.com/vi/_mVaNQ9Y3P0/0.jpg) from Shura country (TRC). They kind of look alike but I hope its not her.

[Tsukisama]

I don't know how abrupt this feels for me. I sort of had the feeling that Himawari is no longer a romantic option for Watanuki since the time skip happened. She had been mentioned before this chapter, and Watanuki did not have the same reactions to the thought of her as he did in the past. While it could have just been a sign of maturation, I interpreted it as foreshadowing of something, and apparently it foreshadowed Himawari getting married.

I hope that we get to see Himawari and her husband in the future. I wonder how the two met and how Watanuki took it when it happened.

Kohane is a really good match for a pairing with the current Watanuki, but I still sort of think that Doumeki is a pairing partner for Watanuki. (I don't think that they would ever be romantic, but I sort of see them as soul mates.)


(And I wonder if Wata's real name is Tsubasa as well... with Watanuki given to him to protect him by making it different)

Great idea! I would not be surprised if that turns out to be Watanuki's real name. That or...
Syaoran :mokona

[Asahina]

I really don't understand where the plot is going...
Ok, Yuki died. Watanuki takes over the place. His 1st crush is already married.
Doumiki & Watanuki seems to be "more than friends" at this point..only problem is that they aren't gay...which gets me wondering - what else are we expecting from this manga?

There is nothing interesting I'm sensing..at all.
I guess I'll have to update myself with the anime...maybe then I could understand why I liked this series so much before.

[<.Haruka.>]

I really don't understand where the plot is going...
Ok, Yuki died. Watanuki takes over the place. His 1st crush is already married.
Doumiki & Watanuki seems to be "more than friends" at this point..only problem is that they aren't gay...which gets me wondering - what else are we expecting from this manga?

There is nothing interesting I'm sensing..at all.

I think the story introduces the important events that happened/is happening to the main characters in a bit abrupt way but it might have some reasons. True that the story went time skip after some few years and lots of things had happened for the characters which may not be quite interesting or entertaining like before when Yuuko was alive, but I think its the manga's style of introducing maturity for the characters. Together with it, the issues that were handled by the characters (especially Watanuki who handles the customers of the shop) shows more complicated stuff than before which I think is just suitable for the current story's and characters' progress/development.
Though somehow, I miss the old times of Watanuki and Doumeki's humour.

Anyway, I hope sooner or later, Wata finds more clues about his identity (just like in the current chapter).

[ZaCloud]

Well, the reason I liked this series before, was 1, the characters, and 2, the moral lessons and social commentary that the customers brought with them. For each of them, getting their wishes granted or falling victim to their faults, it always made me think about life and humanity in a brand new way.

For a while, the story was losing that second aspect, and focusing on the characters more. Which was cool, I liked it, but now I realize that it's returned to bringing the second aspect back. I only just now realized it while reading your comment, Asahina. :sweat

So, we get to see how wise Watanuki has become, figuring out how to keep helping people as has always been his nature, but with the wisdom and wonder of Yuuko to show how she's still in his heart.

Maybe the abrupt, odd pacing is to reflect how time passes so differently for Watanuki. How sometimes things move very slowly and carefully, and yet life's big events happen in seemingly the blink of an eye.

Now that I got to think about that, maybe it's to help immerse us into Watanuki's different flow of time. Where gentle events flow by slowly and he relishes each nuance. And everyone around him keeps growing and changing outside the shop, at a pace that feels fast for a being who has become timeless.

Maybe this is hidden genius at work, supposing this was indeed the intention. I'm glad I got to think of this. Thanks. ^_^

[Lady Sakura-chan]

I AM BACK FROM THE GRAVE!!!! Did you guys from TRC forum miss me?

Does anyone elese think that the littel girl in the box is Ashura? I think so.
Himawari-chan is married. :) I did not see that comming. Kohane-chan is very beautifal, I think wow. :)

[Lady Sakura-chan]

Still it is Yuko for me. :)

[Lady Sakura-chan]

I hope that we`ll se her again.

[Asahina]

I think its the manga's style of introducing maturity for the characters. Together with it, the issues that were handled by the characters (especially Watanuki who handles the customers of the shop) shows more complicated stuff than before which I think is just suitable for the current story's and characters' progress/development. Though somehow, I miss the old times of Watanuki and Doumeki's humour.Yeah, I guess you are right...

But all we really see Watanuki do is just give a certain gaze, smile with his eyes closed, make a polite or sophisticated remark about something and then try to act like he's in control of the whole situation. :s (walking or floating above water or ground..wtf?)

No matter what he does, I can't accept him as the new Yuuki.
And I hate how Doumeki comes back to the shop with his suit on (looking like the "husband" coming from work) and Watanuki wearing the Kimono (acting like a woman making recipes upon recipes and cooking for him)...What worries me is the fact that he doesn't complain at all towards Doumeki. :blink Did he really lose that much of his old personality?


the moral lessons and social commentary that the customers brought with them. For each of them, getting their wishes granted or falling victim to their faults, it always made me think about life and humanity in a brand new way.Yeah, now that I think about it, the moral lessons and the way Yuuko influenced characters (at the same time teaching Watanuki) made things interesting. At the beginning of the manga, I was just reading the manga as if I was in Watanuki's shoes; ;) Like as if Watanuki was the actual reader of the manga who is introduced to a whole new concept because of some mysterious 'witchy' woman and her cocky statements about "coincidence" and "destiny" and the sort.

But then when Doumeki got introduced, I just hoped it wouldn't be a permanent meeting. :notrust But it obviously became one, and now I really don't like how they are good pals now.

I don't even know if I made any sense. :darn

[Snowolf]

I for one, am personally loving the transition. It's a great way to see how Watanuki has matured and how he takes his upbringing, as we could loosely call it, into practice. I honestly have no idea how this phase will last- I expect it to be for sometime, but I really don't have any problems with this phase. We have a more serious, mature tone of course, with the result of losing the geeky jokes and such, but they're not lost completely- CLAMP has made sure of that with the little taunts Watanuki shares with Doumeki and Maru/Moro & Co. I also don't feel like the change in Watanuki's personality has been too rapid- it's been ten years after all. While I do feel slightly annoyed with the random skips in time, it makes sense- after all, CLAMP would not draw xxxHOLiC for ten years to see how slowly Watanuki matures.

I do miss Yuuko and hope for her to come back soon, but I personally feel satisfied with where the manga's currently heading for. I'd like to lay back and see what happens. :D

(Also, is it me or is there a HUGE delay in the chapters coming out in japan and the scanlations being released? If there's trouble with the production of good scans, I'd love to help!)

[watanuki01/04]

Hey everyone!!
Spoiler alert because i'm gonna be mentioning Clamp's new work 'Mangettes: Gate 7' but this does link with the last chapter of XXXHolic too.

The girl in the box looks a lot like one of the main characters in Gate 7.

http://www.flyluo.com/showpic-tid-60925-page-1.html

There are also some other links to Holic in this. The main Male Character at the start looks like a mix between Shaoran and Watanuki. Plus, there is some referrences to the School Watanuki went to.

What do people think?

[ibra87]

The art looks amazing anyway, if only we could get a group interested in scanlating the series.

Personally I am more interested in the female on the main page: she looks like a chibi Yuuko with Syaoran's eyes.
But yes, the main character looks a lot like Syaoran imo, but I'm not sure about Watanuki, maybe the hair?

[Tsukisama]

Hey, guys! I just wanted to let you know that, if you are really interested in Gate 7, there is a thread devoted to the one-shot here (http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65466) in the Shounen section.

So, after you check out the manga, if you want to discuss it beyond the context of xxxHolic and focus on the content of it itself, go there! :mokona

I have not yet looked at it beyond the front page, but the girl on the front page does look familiar to me too. (I'm not sure just yet of whom I'm reminded, but it is certainly something.) Perhaps there is some connection in the stories. (Note: I haven't read Gate 7 yet, and so I am basing this on only the cover and the two posts about this above me. I am totally prepared to be wrong on this. :sweat)

[kurofaikitty]

Ugggghhhh . . . i haven't commented since Rau (Reo? Rao? CAGE) whatever began for this series, tho i ranted about it in my head. but this time i have to say something.

while i do love the thing about Himiwari being married, i have to wonder HOW, wouldn't her powers, you know, kill him? i get the feeling that special wine or whatever Wata-chan gave them was to help with that. either that, or he has magical powers like Dou-chan.

on another note, i hate to say it but Watanuki/Kohone is ew for me. majorly. first of all, no ageing or not, that's still pretty pedo-ish. to me.

and two. WTH CLAMP. how dare you build up Doumeki to be Watanuki's soulmate and then be all, "la-di-di, here's Kohone" and such. i'm hoping he still sees her as a sister figure as he did in the past, really, because as it stands it's just giving me the willies. and plus, why not give the egg to Kohone then? huh? it was given to Doumeki for a reason, that he's the only one wo can save Kimihiro from whatever is to come. not Kohone, not Himiwari, Doumeki. B< and i'm not just saying this chiz as a DouWata fan, i woulda been (grudgingly) okay with WataHima, but Watanuki and Kohone is just . . . no. just no.

okay, i'm done, *wanders back to depths of hell*

[Tsukisama]

while i do love the thing about Himiwari being married, i have to wonder HOW, wouldn't her powers, you know, kill him? i get the feeling that special wine or whatever Wata-chan gave them was to help with that. either that, or he has magical powers like Dou-chan.

Yeah, I had not thought about that. Himawari's husband might have new powers; Watanuki might be sending her something periodically to keep her powers in check; or something might have happened to Himawari over the course of the years to cause her to lose her supernatural misfortune.

We really do need to see more of Himawari and her husband, but I feel like it seems like this may be something that we will find out in drips and drabs because the primary action seems to focus in Watanuki's space and I don't think we will see Himawari and Watanuki in the same space for quite some time.


on another note, i hate to say it but Watanuki/Kohone is ew for me. majorly. first of all, no ageing or not, that's still pretty pedo-ish. to me.

I disagree with you on this issue. I don't think that their ages are all that different, to be honest. When Watanuki was a teenager, Kohane was a preteen. (I don't know their ages, but she looked to be at least 10 to me.) Kohane is now a young woman of university age (around 18), and if Watanuki were still aging, he should only be in his upper twenties, which is not the big of a deal as an age difference at that stage in their lives.


and two. WTH CLAMP. how dare you build up Doumeki to be Watanuki's soulmate and then be all, "la-di-di, here's Kohone" and such. i'm hoping he still sees her as a sister figure as he did in the past, really, because as it stands it's just giving me the willies. and plus, why not give the egg to Kohone then? huh? it was given to Doumeki for a reason, that he's the only one wo can save Kimihiro from whatever is to come. not Kohone, not Himiwari, Doumeki. B< and i'm not just saying this chiz as a DouWata fan, i woulda been (grudgingly) okay with WataHima, but Watanuki and Kohone is just . . . no. just no.

Like you seemingly, I preferred DouWata over WataHima during the original (mainly because I never was very fond of Himawari), but I always liked Kohane and thought she had a very nice connection with Watanuki (obviously not romantic back then, but a really good bond nonetheless).

Now that she is older, I wouldn't mind if WataKoha is explored a bit, but I think Doumeki is still Watanuki's soul mate. Yes, I think that Watanuki's relationship with Kohane has advanced somewhat, but his relationship with Doumeki has grown and is a lot more profound than it was before the time elapse. Kohane hasn't replaced Doumeki as Watanuki's seeming "special person" yet; she has just taken Himawari's place as the other pairing possibility for Watanuki, which I welcome.


okay, i'm done, *wanders back to depths of hell*

Please come back from hell more often! ;) Even if you have a dissenting opinion, your voice still adds to the discussion when you give your opinion so thoughtfully and ardently. :nod

[<.Haruka.>]

A bit of spoilers for chapter 210...

..chinese scans
http://www.dm72.com/XXXholic_di210huajuan/116540.htm
http://tieba.baidu.com/f?kz=932220153

..translation from tsuyuhime
Opening text: The request this time is… to guess the true nature of the youth who appeared from the box given by the university professor!

Page 01
W: … Can I ask questions?
H: You cannot tell simply by looking at me, you mean?
W: I’m still not that good yet.
H: Then, by the basis of your name, I will allow four questions.
(TN: The person’s language is quite formal/old, even though I’m not translating it in that way.)

Page 02
W: Is it something used in daily life?
H: No.
Once placed, it shall not be touched.
W: Is it something used in magic?
(TN: Magic, spells. Whatever you want to call the ‘powers’ in holic)
H: Yes.
It is not used for ill purposes, but for praying.
W: How so?
H: To prevent disasters and protect one’s family.

Page 03
W: The colors of these floating banners include
Green. Red. Yellow. White. Black.
Are the colors related?
H: Yes.
The five colors together make the true appearance.
W: …
H: Answer.

Page 04
W: Then lastly, let me ask another one.
H: I cannot allow that, as you have asked four questions already.
W: If we are basing it on the numbers in my name, after four questions, there is one more.
After all, my last name is ‘April’ ‘first’.
H: Only for this time then.
W: Thank you very much.

Page 05
W: Is the place you are supposed to be
One in which light does not reach?
H: Yes.
The place where I stay is one where light does not reach.
Answer quickly, one whose fake name is Watanuki.

Page 06
W: You should be a ‘heigushi’, right?
(TN: If anyone has a better translation of that word, I’d appreciate knowing it.)

Page 07
D: Watanuki?

Page 08
W: … It said… I was correct.
D: So, it is a heigushi?
W: Because it was disassembled, so the professor not recognizing it is understandable.

Page 09
W: Originally
It should have been like this, as its name suggests, connecting everything through the middle.
Heigushi is an ornament placed on the central beam of a building on its completion ceremony.
(TN: There’s a background on the ceremony mentioned here. Basically, from what I gathered, it’s the day when the central beam of the house is placed onto the house properly. Which should mean that the house is now complete, thus the way I translated it.)
It is to pray for happiness and avert disaster for the family who will live in the house.
It has many different appearances, as well as different names by which it is known. But most of them have five-colored streamers. This stems from the ‘five phases’ way of thinking.

Page 10
D: Wood is green. Fire is red. Earth is yellow. Metal is white. Water is black. The colors are used to represent them as such, right?
W: Yes.
It was fortunate that these papers were here. It was a big help.
Besides, if it is ‘placed in a location where light does not reach’, then it must have been that.
D: If the correct answer wasn’t guessed, I wonder what would have happened.
W: Looks like this was a heigushi for a building with a lot of history.
Moreover, it was carefully treated by the people there.
Otherwise, it would not have come with a human appearance to speak with me.

Page 11
W: Ah. Whether it can stay here like this now is a problem.
D: It wasn’t discussed beforehand? If so, what would have happened if you didn’t guess correctly?
W: If it was discussed, and made the other party upset, then I wouldn’t have been able to ask questions.
It would have been impossible to guess without hints.
Ah. This can be thought of as just tactics.
We now know what it is.
But like I said before, this heigushi cannot be treated like a dead thing.

Page 12
D: Tsukumogami?
(TN: spirits that originate from items that have reached its 100th birthday and thus become alive and aware)
W: Putting it like that isn’t wrong.
Heigushi seemed to ‘want to be at the place where it is supposed to be’.
That is to say…
D: It wants to exist as a heigushi.
W: That’s right.

Page 13
D: Does it want to be placed on the beam of a building?
W: But if it isn’t a suitable building for it, it wouldn’t agree either.
D: …
…How about a temple?
W: Hmm?
D: A familiar acquaintance’s temple’s main hall is being renovated right now.
How would the beam there do?
W: Is it a good temple?
D: Mm. It has some history, and the priest is a good person as well.

Page 15
W: … ‘Yes’, right?
There won’t be any problems with the professor?
D: Let me explain it to him. He should understand.
What about the price?
W: Mm…

Page 16
W: You can bring some liquor to that temple’s completion ceremony, as a congratulatory gift.
Then, bring some of the same liquor here.
D: Alright.
W: This means that the request has been completed, right?
D: Mm.
W: Then let’s keep drinking.
Eh?

Page 17
W: You want to drink even though it’s not the completion ceremony?
That really is an amazing alcohol tolerance.
Doumeki, you’ll have to prepare some good liquor for the ceremony.

Page 18
W: I need to go get another cup, and some more liquor. This isn’t enough for three people.
D: There’s the liquor I brought today.
W: It would be good if it hasn’t been opened by Mokona yet.
…
D: What?
W: … Do you have plans to renovate your temple?

Page 19
D: No.
W: Calling it a temple, it might as well be a residence…
D: There aren’t any plans.
W: … Ah, nevermind.
It doesn’t need to be done immediately.
Talking about it now is still too early.

Page 20
W: I have now seen a heigushi with history. When the time comes, I will make it for you.
D: … Mm.
W: The object that protects the home
And the family that lives in it.

Ending text: A friend’s ‘home and the family that lives in it’… The thing that Watanuki truly wants to protect is…

source: http://tsuyuhime.livejournal.com/6243.html#cutid1

[Akiyama]

xxxHolic is ending soon check it out.
http://twitpic.com/3c5qxa

They have to concentrate on Gate 7 more is my educated guess.

[ibra87]

Oh.... that's.... Hopefully it means a soon-to-come conclusion, considering how nobody knows how "soon" soon is.

[<.Haruka.>]

I wonder how that 'soon' on concluding xxxHolic on finals chapters will be.

Gonna miss the manga if it would happen, though after the arc where Yuuko died somehow made the plot/story of the series a bit clouded/confusing so I hope before it ends, there would be answers on some things like Watanuki's identity as well as if Wata will meet Yuuko again..

[<.Haruka.>]

xxxHolic chapter 210 (http://www.mangareader.net/xxxholic/210) is up :)

Atlast Watanuki guessed the identity of the mysterious girl from the box, a 'heigushi'.
Watanuki's quite clever to have a fifth clue using his birthday as an excuse (4/1) instead of just only four clues. :amuse
Though I wish next time it would be Watanuki's turn to find out he's real name.

[Snowolf]

Right; I just downloaded the raw of the 211, and I'm in the process of cleaning it up right now so that if anyone's willing to translate, I can typeset and get it out for you all!

From what I've seen, it's somthing like this:

Watanuki is walking in the rain, looking at some flowers when he sees a woman (ghost?) appear. She's holding an umbrella and she's crying. I'm assuming Watanuki asks her why and she gives an answer. He then talks with Doumeki about it, sees the woman, goes back to talking with Doumeki, and sees the woman again (this all happens in about 4-7 pages) and finally converses with her (and I'm thinking does a request?) She's still crying and it's raining (so I'm presuming this has all taken place on the same day) and finally she's surprised and finds a man who gently has his hands on her shoulder (her lover/husband/someone dear to her) and considering the circumstances, I'd say he's already moved on and she hasn't (maybe she's waiting for him?) but he takes her and she fades away. Watanuki takes her umbrella and then goes back inside the shop and leaves some last remarks with Doumeki.

I just want to clarify: there HAS been some nasty rumours going along that xxxHOLiC is ending, and while it may seem so with the dragging chapters and the shortening pages (this one was only 24 pages) it does say that xxxHOLic is reaching a 'climax' similar to the one spoken of TRC when it was on it's last arc, BUT it then says "an unexpected development". So I'm assuming this was just build up and hopefully we're getting something a little more exciting along the way.

[Snowolf]

I'd just like to tell you all here straight out- xxxHOLiC is NOT ending, because if you read the translation properly, it says "reaching a climax...AN UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENT".

I'm pretty sure a development is not an ending. And if you all remember, they said the same thing about TRC in January and it didn't finish until SEPTEMBER. So I'm not really sure, but it sounds like xxxHOLiC is still up and running. I do hope they get a move on with it though; things need to be tied up and with Gate 7 on the way, they need to act quickly to ensure a good ending of xxxHOLiC.

[Snowolf]

Okay, I cleaned up 211 to the best of my abilities. You can download the RAW here:

http://www.mediafire.com/?a3elv6un35u38qj

If anyone's willing to translate, I'd be able to typeset it and release it! So it'd be great if anyone could do that. :D

[twoearphones]

WARNINGS! SPOILERS!
(sorry i have no idea how to do the spoiler box)


i was wondering, haruka is dead, but he is still able to appear in watanuki's dreams, why is that so ? does this mean yuuko, or clow reed can contact through dreams as well ? ... will they ?
i just finished rereading the series, it has been a while so i might have skipped some details about this, please tell me if i have :P
maybe the circumstances of their deaths are different, or maybe haruka's not really dead o0o hitsuzen (i joke :P)
i've also seen various posts saying something like a girl came to the shop with a tape that has yuuko's voice in it. if this is in the manga, then i have not gotten there yet. so is it in the anime ? isn't the anime different from the manga though ?
so yeah, just trying to comfort myself and find a way back for yuuko because YUUKO DON'T LEAVE ME ;_____;

[<.Haruka.>]

Chapter 211 (http://www.mangareader.net/xxxholic/211) scan is up :)

Just a simple chapter here Watanuki found a lady customer who wishs to see her love one. He helped her understand how to use correctly the charm she had on the umbrella so the lady and her lover could meet.
The payment was the umbrella with the serpent's eye charm. I hope the umbrella would help Watanuki in the future in fulfilling his wishes too.

[Akiyama]

The last chapter will be in issue #03 coming out on February 9th.
via manga_news
http://twitter.com/#!/manga_news/status/22939676826411008

[ibra87]

Hmmm, now I'm confused :)

[<.Haruka.>]

@ibra: I agree, its quite confusing but the common thing about the news is, it looks like holic would end the next month or two. :darn

If they'll release the last one, two or three chapters, the conclusion for the manga would be abrupt, imo. I think it would be better to have it on hiatus storywise, but probably clamp's all set for the new series instead.

[bellcrossage]

@ibra: I agree, its quite confusing but the common thing about the news is, it looks like holic would end the next month or two. :darn

If they'll release the last one, two or three chapters, the conclusion for the manga would be abrupt, imo. I think it would be better to have it on hiatus storywise, but probably clamp's all set for the new series instead.The manga's ending on the 9th of February. This article (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2011-01-07/clamp-xxxholic/ro-manga-to-end-in-february) states that it'll end on that date.

[Negative Syndicate]

It is weird to see that Clamp going to move to Kodansha's biggest rival's magazine.

[<.Haruka.>]

chinese scan for chapter 212
http://www.imanhua.com/comic/151/list_51555.html?p=1

translation from radiomacrossing (http://community.livejournal.com/clamp_now/652568.html)


Page 1:
I want a way to get out of there
To fly to the one I love

Page 6:
Doumeki: And then you woke up
Watanuki: Yeah
Doumeki: It’s done.
Watanuki: Put it in.
Watanuki: Alright

Page 7:
Watanuki: …..
Watanuki: OK
Doumeki: It’s good.
Watanuki: I see.
Watanuki
Watanuki: Hirezake (sake with blowfish) is really great for winter.

Page 8:
Doumeki: So.
Doumeki: Whose dream was it?
Watanuki: I don’t know, because I woke up right away.
Watanuki: Well,
Watanuki:: I’ll find out when I see it again.

Page 9:
Watanuki: If it’s necessary.

Page 10:
Watanuki: A butterfly again.
Watanuki: It’s not hot. It’s not cold. There’s no wind. There’s nothing.
Watanuki: Just a world with a butterfly.

Page 11:
Watanuki: Whose dream could this be?
Watanuki: Do you
Watanuki: Want to tell me something?

Page 12:
Watanuki: What do you want to tell someone?

Doumeki: And then that’s where you woke up again?
Watanuki: Yeah.
Doumeki: So, in the end, you weren’t able to find out whose dream it was.
Watanuki: Yeah.
Watanuki: But, if there’s a necessity for me to know, I’ll probably see it again.

Page 13:
Watanuki: The continuation of that dream.
Watanuki: A butterfly again.

Page 14:
Watanuki: Won’t you tell me?
Watanuki: What you want to tell me?
Watanuki: At least, if I knew whose dream this was.
Watanuki: Oh well.
Watanuki: I’m going to search around a little.

Page 15:
Doumeki: You searched, but didn’t find anything, and then you woke up.
Watanuki: That’s right.
Doumeki: This is the first time I’ve heard you say that you couldn’t understand a dream, Watanuki.
Watanuki: Yeah.
Watanuki: It’s been a long time for me too.
Watanuki: Eat some konnyaku too.
Watanuki: It’s good, this konnyaku.

Page 16:
Doumeki: It may taste that way.
Watanuki: You don’t like the texture.
Doumeki: Yeah.
Watanuki: For such a huge body, you sure are picky.
Doumeki: Body size and texture have nothing to do with whether you like something or not.
Doumeki: …What are you going to do?
Watanuki: It doesn’t look like there’s anything that I can do.
Watanuki: I’m certain it wants me to do something, so I’ll see it again.

Page 17:
Watanuki: The continuation of that dream.

Watanuki: It really is pitch black.
Watanuki: And there’s a butterfly flying.
Watanuki: Hey, won’t you tell me?
Watanuki: What you want me to do, or what you want to tell me?

Page 18:
Watanuki: And, whose dream is this?

Page 19:
Doumeki: You asked, but you didn’t get an answer and then woke up.
Watanuki: That’s right, but the way you say that irritates me.
Doumeki: I’m not really implying anything.
Watanuki: I know that, but sometimes it irritates me. Remember that.
Doumeki: Alright.
Doumeki: What’s (on the menu) today?
Watanuki: Potstickers. That’s why there’s Laochu (sp).

Page 20:
Watanuki: You seem very happy.
Doumeki: Because it’s good.
Watanuki: Thank you very much.
Doumeki: What are you going to do next?
Watanuki: I’m going to try to use a spell.
Doumeki: Even though you don’t know who the requestor of this job is?


Page 21:
Watanuki: Well, to me, butterflies are special.

Page 22:
Watanuki: We meet again.
Watanuki: Now, I’ve continued to see this dream so many times.
Watanuki: It’s definite that you need me for something.
Watanuki: Then won’t you tell me today what it is?

Page 24:
Watanuki: Sorry to scare you.
Watanuki: If you tell me, I’ll let you out right away.
Watanuki: What did you come to tell me?

Page 25:
Watanuki: What?

Page 26:
That form was the beloved person he continued to wait for a long time. Next issue, last episode of xxxHolic.

[<.Haruka.>]

Its kinda difficult to predict what events would happen on the end chapter. The latest chapter release was just like an ordinary day scene for the magic shop where a customer was granted a wish and the wish has an equal price to be paid for. To think there are quite some questions left unanswered on the manga like what happens on the egg Doumeki was keeping, Waytanuki's real name and existence still unknown and more about Yuuko.
(Though I kind a sense a bit of cliche/clue from chapter 212 raws on Yuuko's comeback...)

I'm wondering if the last chapter would be like Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles which the finale is open-ended and the characters would make crossover.
I'm thinking also that a special chapter could be possible just to catch up in an abrupt end of the series unless the last chapter would be an extra long one.

[<.Haruka.>]

Just came across at Failmanga's site and i was surprised to see chapter 212 (http://failmanga.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/xxxholic-c212/) scan. :o :)

Watanuki kept seeing a dream about a butterfly but he doesn't know whose dream it belongs to. He tells it to Doumeki that he kept seeing the dream more than once. The last page was surprising because the butterfly has a company with a lady who resembles the previous owner of the magic shop but has wings of a butterfly.

I just wonder what will happen on the next and last chapter...

[feisu-chan]

Last episode of xxxHolic?! woooow! i didn't guess it would be that soon! Then, Yuuko would finally show up, and may tell Watanuki to stop waiting for her because she already died and she could never come back again.

[feisu-chan]

butterflies usually meant reincarnations, maybe Yuuko is telling that she has been finally reincarnated with the one she loves, or maybe not, but she's now at peace and with Clow Reed now. I'm guessing that she will not return and just tell Watanuki to live his own life and stop waiting for her.

aw! xxxHolic is finally coming to an end...

[Tsukisama]

Heads up for all Yuuko fans!

Go support her in the MangaHelpers Manga Awards! She is nominated for Best Female Supporting Character (http://mangahelpers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=66531). Leave a post letting others know why she is so great!

While you are over there, feel free to look at all of the other categories and weigh in! :mokona

[Tsukisama]

So, does anyone have any predictions for the final chapter? :?bunny

I hope that we see Himawari as she is now. I wouldn't want the series to end with seeing her one last time. I also would like to see something about Doumeki's egg.

Hopefully, this manga will end in an open-ended fashion so that the story can be revisited in a new manga series, because there is so much in relation to Watanuki, Doumeki, and the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle gang. :mokona

(Due to some shortsighted post repositioning, this post now is in this thread, but it is still relevant and hopefully adds to the flow of discussion. :sweatbunny)
[hr]
Okay. So, I have now read the chapter, and I can clearly see that this is the end. Yuuko's back. This chapter, while only a setup chapter, was still beautifully done and makes me anticipate the end.

Yuuko and Watanuki's final conversation is probably going to make me cry. :sad (I hope it makes me cry. Make it just that beautiful, CLAMP! :yelling) It shall be nice to see Watanuki show a bit more emotion. Since the time skip, his more stoic attitude has been somewhat disheartening to me.

I like feisu-chan's prediction, although I am hoping that, while Clow Reed is mentioned, he is left still looming mysteriously in an uncertain condition. Clow Reed is the most mysterious character of the CLAMP universe to me, and I don't want his mystery ended so abruptly without more buildup of his story. I am still hoping that the events of the CCS/TRC/xxxHolic multiverse will be picked up in a future CLAMP work.

[<.Haruka.>]

I like Feisu's prediction on the last chapter too. :amuse
I agree with Tsukisama that this manga might end in an open-ended fashion like what happened from the previous clamp's works (e.g. TRC) because there are always possibilities where the characters in holic
would reappear in other series.
Though I'm quite dissapointed that the manga's conclusion would end in 1 chapter. I just hope that 1 and final chapter could resolve, if not all some of the major questions/dilemmas from the main characters.

Butterfly is a symbol of afterlife and also rebirth (so feisu's theory of reincarnation could be right also).
I've also read on wiki regarding butterfly symbolism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly#Symbolism), there's one Japanese superstition says that if a butterfly enters your guestroom and perches behind the bamboo screen, the person whom you most love is coming to see you.
If this old belief applies to them, I just can't tell what kind of love (relationship) defines them now.
Also I wonder if this time, Yuuko will be the customer (requestor), and if so, i'm just eager to know what will be her wish and message to Watanuki.

Anyway, just few more weeks 'til the last chapter comes out and ease my anticipation. :)

[DiegoAnime3000]

I can´t wait for the next chapter. I hope the last chapter explain what is the egg for or how did Yuko return. I don´t think we can see Himawari one more time in the manga but her seiyuu is in the new OAD so I hope we can "see" her instead just listen her in a phonecall like the other OAD :darn she may change a lot cause we can see her hair in chapter 199
and it´s really long but if she became a wife maybe she cut her hair (I hope no).

CCS and TRC end with a open-end like: See you in the next manga! :D I
agree with Tsukisama, I hope Clamp picked up the events of TRC and xxxHolic in another work (maybe in another 10 years in the manga of course). Maybe the next protagonists of Clamp Multiverse could be Watanuki and Syaoran sons or descendants.

I was thinking that maybe Yuko was alive all the time. Watanuki´s father said before disappear: If the Creator dies then the creations will die too even if they reincarnated. If Yuko and Clow are dead then how the Mokonas are still alive? and maybe Maru and Moro are creations of Yuko as well. Maybe in the next chapter: After the last conversation between Watanuki and Yuko. He leaves the shop cause he meet Yuko in that dream. He´ll continue with his live, meet Himawari´s husband, take care of Maru, Moro, Mokona and the shop and continue forward in time changing and growing as always have to be.

[Tsukisama]

I was thinking that maybe Yuko was alive all the time. Watanuki´s father said before disappear: If the Creator dies then the creations will die too even if they reincarnated. If Yuko and Clow are dead then how the Mokonas are still alive? and maybe Maru and Moro are creations of Yuko as well. Maybe in the next chapter: After the last conversation between Watanuki and Yuko. He leaves the shop cause he meet Yuko in that dream. He´ll continue with his live, meet Himawari´s husband, take care of Maru, Moro, Mokona and the shop and continue forward in time changing and growing as always have to be.

That is a really interesting thought, Diego. I had not really thought about it, but you are right that the Mokona are the creations of Yuuko and Clow. Perhaps there was some sort of ceremony in which Watanuki became their new masters in a similar fashion as to what happened with Kero and Yue when Sakura became their master.

I too hope that this last meeting will result in Watanuki moving forward again. I want him to grow older and experience life, but I don't know if that is possible given his connection to Syaoran. We'll see soon! :mokona

[DiegoAnime3000]

There is something I can´t understand. In episode 17, Watanuki appears as the shop owner but in episode 22, Touya Kinomoto appears but he looks so young. If Watanuki is Sakura Kinomoto son then why his brother looks so young? xxxHolic Rou takes place at least 27 years after Sakura Card Captor. Any Ideas? :blink

[DiegoAnime3000]

I don´t think Haruka is dead. In chapter 194, the lunar rabbit come to Watanuki shop. The rabbit mentions that If Watanuki travels in dreams too much time then He wouldn´t be able to return. Maybe Haruka is not dead. Maybe he stay in the dream world a long time and he can no longer return. If he is trapped in the dream world then his body in the real world looks like a corpse and he was presumed dead.

But at the same time I have a theory. Himawari mentions that when she was young her grandma took her to an exorcist and he told her about her bad luck. In episode 5, after Doumeki said that Haruka was an exorcist and he died when he was in the elementary school, Himawari have a flashback about the exorcist she meet and he touch her head. Maybe Himawari kills Haruka after the visit but I don´t think Haruka could died so easy, he was afraid about her bad luck after all.

[gosakurago]

for some reason, i actually have this feeling that watanuki is going to go with yuuko. dont ask why, i just feel that yuuko telling watanuki to move on and start aging again would b kinda anti-climactic for clamp. not to mention that watanuki already traded his 'time' away for... something, i cant remember wat. haha :sweat

as for everyone else, im pretty sure we'll get a quick glimpse of Himawari. i think we will get a much more in depth look at doumeki and kohane (especially with that egg) :D

[Dorothy]

OMG I can't wait for the chapter... and I think that it could be sad to don't see Himawari for the last time, I miss her a lot... :(
I wish for a happy ending...

[feisu-chan]

Hey guys! Only a few days away until the final chapter! I'm feeling bittersweet about it...

Anyway, I've just watch xxxHolic Rou OVA today, and it's a whole new arc apart from the ones in the manga. While I'm not sure whether it was CLAMP who wrote the storyline, somehow I believe that this OVA is a foreshadowing of how xxxHolic is going to end.

Well, at the end of the OVA, Yuuko had a message for Watanuki through the Izuna user they had helped, and it was recorded by Doumeki in a video. In Yuuko's voice, she said: Tadaima, Watanuki. (I'm home, Watanuki) And after Watanuki had replayed that scene over and over, he replied: Okaeri-nasai, Yuuko. (Welcome back, Yuuko)

I wouldn't want to read into it that much, but I don't think this meant that Yuuko is literally back in the shop. I would still put CLAMP's principles into consideration, i.e. the dead cannot be resurrected. I'm thinking that maybe Yuuko is back in that world, modern Japan, in another form. She was reincarnated, and eventually into the same world as with Watanuki.

Relating it to the manga, maybe Yuuko's anticipated visit in Watanuki's dream would finally help Watanuki understand that Yuuko has indeed been resurrected. And the butterfly in his dream seems to want Watanuki to do something. Again, I believe that Yuuko wants Watanuki to be freed from the responsibility of "holding the shop".

With Yuuko's resurrection, maybe the time had been fixed or something, or at least freed Watanuki of being 'caged' in the shop. Doumeki would choose Watanuki's freedom and the egg will be the key to it.

[repme]

Read raw here (http://www.manga4lifez.com)

[Snowolf]

I honestly don't know what to say. It seems like an open ended chapter, but I can't help but be extremely disappointed with the rushed ending. Basically from what I got of this, Yuuko just pops up to say that Watanuki shouldn't be weighed down and that he's free to go using a long winded analogy of him being a bird in a cage. And then she disappears and whoopdy freaking doo, it's Watanuki and Doumeki on a friggin porch again drinking sake.

I REQUIRE A BUCKET FOR MY CREYS.
[hr]
Translation (2 pages missing) can be found here:
http://starlady38.livejournal.com/420704.html

Interesting but definitely shocking.

[shukketsumaru]

Meh, I'm not surprised at all, it's CLAMP after all. Though I'm surprised it was 100 years. A bit dissappointed it was just Watanuki, Doumeki (the third), and Yuuko's silent apparition. No Monoka, boo.
So...apparently the egg contains Watanuki's memories of Yuuko?

[<.Haruka.>]

Yay! final chapter...
The english scans is up on Failmanga's site (http://failmanga.wordpress.com/2011/02/10/xxxholic-c213-the-end/#comment-572).

And I agree with Snowolf, two pages were missing (pg. 26 (http://www.dm5.com/Comic/MH83/Comics-83157_323cfb36_page-25.htm) and pg. 27 (http://www.dm5.com/Comic/MH83/Comics-83157_323cfb36_page-26.htm)).
Here's a chinese scans site where I found complete pages, i think... http://www.dm5.com/Comic/MH83/Comics-83157_323cfb36_page-1.htm

The end was quite simple and yes its an open ended chapter where I think there's lot of unanswered questions for some of the characters in the story except for Yuuko.
I was quite intrigued with the egg, because it was not used by the grandson of Doumeki to erase Watanuki's memories of Yuuko. I do hope there would be an epilogue chapter like on TRC.
And yes, I was looking for Maru, Moro and Mokona, even just a glimpse of them since they belong to the shop with Watanuki.
It just feels like that the last chapter wasn't the end of the story, but anyway, i enjoyed reading the manga especially the early chapters.

[pupujohn]

What the Freeze? I knew purchasing all those xxxholic books might be a mistake. Hot D! Seriously, I understand that modern asian writers adopted and flourished on the cryptic ending from the influx of "Western" arts, but seriously, this is going much to far!
Perhaps it's all my lack of satisfaction; for years, xxxholic has been my favorite and I still love the all of the series, but this VERY Large Open ended Ending only reminds me of my bad investments in X1999 and Legal Drug. -_- oh well, I'll pull them out to look at the beautiful art and try to forget the lack of stability behind the clamp name when it comes to adult fiction.
Still I can't help but thank the scanlators and the artists themselves for giving so many unwinding hours of relaxation. I especially thank the scanlators. thank you, thank you.


Sorry, made the font a lil' bigger ^^

[oralyon]

It's a really sad ending but I don't see how it could have been any otherwise. He simply couldn't see Yuuko anymore, Deads do not comes back, as every Clamp manga have previously said. In the end Watanuki never learned what Yuuko tried to teach him.

I think at this point, it's pretty obvious that Watanuki is somehow FeiWan Lead. Like the final chapter of tsubasa state, Feiwan was some sort of images of the wish to bring back Yuuko, a being that exist solely for that purpose. After waiting for a 100 years, I think it's clear that this is pretty much what Watanuki is.

Someone on some other forum made the remark that as the chapter went on, less and less caracters were involved. Kohane, Himawari, Maru, Moro and even Mokona got out of the pictures one after the other. Maybe that's kind of what they were going for. As time passed, Watanuki became more and more retired form his relationship with everyone and from reality.

The only thing that isn't anwsered is how he could be Feiwan Lead and how it would fit with the whole time paradox from Tsubasa, but it's not that significant. The evidence for Watanuki being FeiWan are simply too huge.

On a final note, did you notice the moon at the top of the final page. Kind of remind me of the soul that Feiwan lead stole that fly toward the moon in volume 5 right here

http://www.mangafox.com/manga/xxxholic/v05/c030/43.html

[Snowolf]

Full thoughts: I guess you could say I’ve been having a mixture of feelings. One one hand, I am totally disappointed. Not only was there no resolution to the fact that Yuuko-san had not come back (the thing was merely a dream- but more on that later) but nothing resolute had come out of this chapter. I was extremely hopeful to at least get a glimpse of her, or know if Watanuki’s waiting had actually paid off. Nope. Not only that, but finally we understand the meaning of the Egg she gave to Doumeki which is a cruel, cruel task. In the beginning, Yuuko-san only tells Doumeki that “nothing will be born out of that egg.” While ‘nothing’ relates to tangible, it seems that the egg is to be used for Watanuki to forget Yuuko. She also told Doumeki some time ago that he would be the only one to know when to use it, as he shared Watanuki’s right eye and they had become closer.

The biggest shock of course, was learning that 100 years had passed by since the event of Yuuko’s death, and Doumeki had passed away, leaving a very uncannily look alike grandson behind. While this saddens me immensely, as that must mean Himawari-chan (WHO NEVER SHOWED UP IN THIS FUCKING CHAPTER WTAF) must have passed away too, it also gave me relief that the Doumeki never paired up with Watanuki and that it sort of set and end to that hope (as much as fangirls all over are disappointed.) I’ve always shipped Yuuko and Watanuki despite the interesting relationship they have had (some think of it more as a mentor/student or a mother/son relationship, but I thought it was too personal for that). I am just extremely mad that none of the other semi-main characters played any resolution in all of this. Himawari wasn’t there. Zashiki Warashi wasn’t there. Kudakitsune wasn’t there. It definitely gives off this feeling that CLAMP suddenly burst it’s bubble and said “Oh, we’ve got to end this now before the serialization of GATE 7” and they did.

In spite of all of this, I definitely feel relief. It’s an open ending. Watanuki continues to wait for Yuuko. He has enough power to get out of the cage. In that meaning, it is hopeful. He is able to move freely around. And he did see Yuuko again. Which of course, brings us to the dream.

We’ve all known that a major theme in xxxHOLiC is dreams. There is a particular example when Harada-san tells Watanuki of the Butterfly Dream. Once there was a boy, who dreamed he was a butterfly, flying, being free. But then he woke up, and asked himself “Was I dreaming of becoming a butterfly? Or am I the butterfly, dreaming that I have become a man?” Later on, Yuuko-san tells Watanuki- “It’s the same dream.” Lastly, right before Yuuko vanishes, she tells Watanuki “If you dream/wish hard enough, it can be a reality.”

Which brings me to ask. Who’s dream was it? Was it Yuuko-san’s dream? Or was it Watanuki’s dream? Or are they the same thing, two people wishing for each other’s continual existence, only hoping that one day it comes true? It definitely is a mindwracking question. But like all things xxxHOLiC and CLAMP, there is more meaning than to what meets the eye. In the end of the chapter, we see the butterfly and the bird fly off together. Watanuki’s symbol is the Bird (Tsubasa~) and Yuuko-san’s the Buttefly (change). It is this sort of resolution that while not completely understandable at first, lends a hand in completing the circle.

Either way, I’m somewhat satisfied. This open ending wasn’t great, but it wasn’t the worst. And it leaves us to hope that somewhere in the midst of CLAMP’s new works, we will see Watanuki again. And maybe, just maybe, Yuuko-san too.

[oralyon]

We’ve all known that a major theme in xxxHOLiC is dreams. There is a particular example when Harada-san tells Watanuki of the Butterfly Dream. Once there was a boy, who dreamed he was a butterfly, flying, being free. But then he woke up, and asked himself “Was I dreaming of becoming a butterfly? Or am I the butterfly, dreaming that I have become a man?” Later on, Yuuko-san tells Watanuki- “It’s the same dream.” Lastly, right before Yuuko vanishes, she tells Watanuki “If you dream/wish hard enough, it can be a reality.”



Not only that, but when Yuuko was talking about Fei-wan Lead she always said "The dream must end". If she at some point said "It's the same dream" Could it always have been the same dream, even when she spoke about Fei-wan ?

[AkemiJamie]

I, myself, am also feeling a little uncomfortable about the ending. However, I was really more into the anime than the manga. and from what I can tell from the ro ova. There are some hints that Yuko may be alive. Also I saw a screenshot from the new one, and Yuko is there! So maybe the new Ova will answer some questions that the manga couldn't. And who knows? Maybe they might sneak in an epilogue chapter in the 19th volume.

[<.Haruka.>]

No, i don't want Watanuki to be Fei Wang Reed in the future. (although there could be a possibility) :darn

I'm hoping that it would be on a positive side that Watanuki would rather be an individual/sole magician just like Yuuko, Fei Wan and Clow Reed who would be the new successor rather than an image of the past magicians or their reincarnation.

Even though Watanuki was someone to fill the gap for Syaoran/Tsubasa on TRC, being him included to the Li family, shows hints (e.g. the magic circle on the last chapter) that he probably had acquired the powers from the said family, imo. Although before, Yuuko said that Wata looked like Clow Reed when Clow was young, and there was also the case of Fei Wang as a direct descendant of Clow.
If ever Watanuki is not an individual/unique character of his own, he might fall either to be Fei Wan or Clow in the future. To think that Fei Wan and Clow's identities are mysterious and where they came from and how they are related to Yuuko, somehow others came up theories that Watanuki could be either of them.

Somewhat a bit off-topic.. I remembered there were instances that Fei Wan wanted to revive the witch (Yuuko) so much which he said plenty of times in chapter 226 & 227 on TRC, which made an impression for me that he resembles Watanuki in some aspects. It makes me wonder also what is the reason why Fei Wan wanted to exceed Clow. When I tried to re-read chapters 220-221 of TRC, it was explained that Clow made a wish that Yuuko's life might remain but it was Fei Wong who attemtepted to grant the wish (http://www.mangareader.net/338-24073-8/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicles/chapter-220.html) and not Clow. This made me an impression that Fei Wong is like an afterimage or the other alter ego of Clow. If we'll correlate it to the present Watanuki, Wata knew that a dead can't be brought back to life because Yuuko taught him about that. If he didn't break the law of nature (which will lead him to be like Fei Wan) and instead he is the one that made the wish on holic's last chapters to see Yuuko again, knowing that his powers are growing stronger as time goes by, he could be like Clow (or worse, he might be him), whereas even a simple wish of wanting to see Yuuko and having the strong desire/feelings for it, the strong magic he possess might create something out of it (even their just unconscious thoughts) just like in Clow's case of accidentally halting time for Yuuko (http://www.mangareader.net/338-24073-13/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicles/chapter-220.html).

Back to topic.. I just observed that the egg's role (http://www.mangareader.net/xxxholic/213/27) which was Doumeki's grandson was keeping was the exact opposite of the earring's function which white Mokona kept and gave to Syaoran (the black Mokona handed its earring before to white mokona). The earring consists of memories to all kinds of different people which Syaoran and company had encountered before. (refer to TRC epilogue chap., pg. 27 (http://www.mangareader.net/338-34985-27/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicles/chapter-232.html), 28 (http://www.mangareader.net/338-34985-28/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicles/chapter-232.html), 29 (http://www.mangareader.net/338-34985-29/tsubasa-reservoir-chronicles/chapter-232.html))
Though someday, I hope to see these items again and will be used perhaps in other clamp's work so that we'll know the purpose of these things.

Anyway, these are just some of my thoughts/theory regarding the last chapter and on the characters.

[kkck]

Isn't watanuki 100 years past the events of reservoir chronicles and all that stuff though? Maybe I missed something though.

[ZaCloud]

I ain't readin' it 'till them there missin' chapters is translated, yo... :sweat

Hope someone posts about it when it happens, I'll hafta keep poking around once in a while in the meantime.

[<.Haruka.>]

@ZaCloud: I think the chapter was already updated some few days ago on failmanga's site.
The missing pages were added.

http://failmanga.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/xxxholic-c213v2-the-end/

@kkck: Its kind of difficult to explain Tsubasa Chronicles timeframe because it's somehow complex. Here's a timeline of events (http://ccs.wikia.com/wiki/Timeline_of_events) for clamp's three series crossovers, mainly CCS, TRC and xxxHolic. On holic's timeline though, i think the events in the last chapters/events were not yet listed.

[damir]

Bravo maestro, bravo.
My favorite one is:

"Instead of regretting what we cannot do, it is better to do what one can. Even for example, what you do has nothing to do with results, you must forge forward."
-Yuko-san. Volume 9, P.157.

[k-dom]

Chapter 1 of xxxHolic Rei has been released. After reading it, I wonder what CLAMP wants to do with that serie. It's like an old chapter of xxxHolic...

[ibra87]

Chapter 1 of xxxHolic Rei has been released. After reading it, I wonder what CLAMP wants to do with that serie. It's like an old chapter of xxxHolic...

Yeah, seems like an alternative plot line of some sort, rather than a continuation? Though I might be wrong and it could all be a dream. At any rate Yuuko =)))))) (I'm guiessing they're going for this effec)

[Jaimini626]

hey i wanna start readinh xxx holic , i watched some episodes of anime , so my question is should i read some other manga from clamp too , to catch up with xxx holic , or i can start from xxx holic rei

[ibra87]

If you want the whole story of xxxHOLIC then you'll have to read the manga as well (the original xxxHOLIC) since the anime pretty much skipped a lot of parts and doesn't cover the whole story. That said, I have no idea how Rei relates to the original story as of yet.