well, previously i was shocked that the series ended without me knowing. but after re-reading i realised that i wasn't reading close enough to understand what they were actually saying. i can finally come to terms with the ending.. but it could have ended better, that's for sure.

... Last updated on January 30th, 2012, 6:01am

Sooo... I loved xxxHolic! The art is glorious, and the many stories and situations really thought-provoking. The mangakas also did a good job with the 'overall' main plot with the main characters and keeping their story going. However, the ending was really, really confusing for me. I UNDERSTOOD it, but it just felt incomplete to the EXTREME. I feel like the audience was being led on to a great, complicated, story plot, with much suspense and ado... but then? END. Bam. ... wha? Where'd that come from? I hope CLAMP comes up with a sequel for this. Much love, really, just... want MOAR! xD This is actually still rated as a 10... right up until the unexpected ending.

First of all i have to say that this manga was cool to read.
The art style is just wonderful and it really relates to the story.
It felt like a dream, a smooth, calm, vivid dream.
It was interesting and mysterious, Yuko is a great character and the remainder of the cast is also pretty good.
And while the first half of this manga is just top notch...
It starts to go downhill until it reaches an absolutely horrid ending.
I'm serious about this: it has to be one of the worst i've seen so far.
This rating is more biased towards the first half of the manga, because the story is good, but if i were to rate it whole...then it would have gotten a 6 or something like that.

The artwork is strong as is the lore background. It's not a series for everyone. Some of the main characters are aloof and hard or impossible to have enactments to. Instead this series leans heavily on mystery and psychological while remaining firmly in twisting in lore and fantasy. Expect some commentary on modern society and individual desires or just read it for fun.

This series had a good run. Of course I would have liked it to go on but 7 years was good enough. I loved the ending and felt it fit, though truthfully I didn't see it coming.

... Last updated on February 22nd, 2011, 2:41pm

Ok, I read xxx holic in 2 sitting (was planning to read it in 1 but wanted the story to sink in more deeper).

The beginning was kind of "meh" to me. Read it because of TSC, but in the end xxx holic surprassed TSC in my opinion. So many twists and turns that hooked me in. Granted, there are some boring bits, but nevertheless it was still a good read.

I have always been a fan of time skipping, and Watanuki's progress is one of my fave. I especially love the part where he decided to inherit the shop later on. When Yuuko's role was done, I thought the story would get down hill. BOY WAS I WRONG. I must admit that Watanuki does a much better role that Yuuko, or maybe it is because he is new at it all that I find myself caring for him through and through.

xxx holic has made me think deeply, and it made me look at myself more focus. I would say that this is a story that must be read by deep thinkers!!

10/10

I had just finished reading the Tsubasa Resevoir Chronicles and thought it would be a really good idea to read xxxHolic. Watanuki's character intrigued me in TRC, so I jumped right into it. I will admit it wasn't as good as TRC. The character development wasn't as good, the art style was a little weird and the plot line felt a little disjointed. Yet, despite all that, I thought it was still pretty good. I definitely recommend you read Tsubasa first because CLAMP doesn't do all that much to explain the characters like they did in its companion series, but if you do read it, it makes a lot more sense.
The one problem I had with it was the ending. I won't say anything so I don't give anything away, but I thought it could have been developed more. It was to be expected though. With the way the story was set up, there wasn't much else CLAMP could do. Its a good series and it really makes you think. It manages to work around its own flaws.

... Last updated on February 10th, 2011, 6:28pm

I feel this story won't end
I mean, come on,

I don't know why it's not complete yet. Is CLAMP trying to add another plot? If so,I hope they do it as soon as possible, before it get boring

Everything's been said a hundred times over in here.
Great manga, could even be a masterpiece, if it wasn't for one of the most typical and well hidden trapdoors: the middle of the manga is a bit too slow (which is when all the costumers come to the shop's owner Ichihara Yuuko).
Well, turns and events in the story make it all up to you. The character developement is some of the best you'll ever find in mangas.

General things people should know when reading xxxHolic:
Reading the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (TRC) first would drastically increase the ability to understand the embedded details. These two manga are closely linked and even facets of the same story. Treat them as a series, that tell a single story, except this one isn't prequel and sequel, but rather it's all happening at the same time, actions in each of them explain certain other actions in the other.
TRC however is the easier read (mostly) and does not require xxxHolic for understanding, so it might be best to read TRC first, then xxxHolic.
I personally would refer anybody above age 18 to this story. Anybody below that age may require a re-read or two later in their lives to understand the whole manga in its entirety, all social aspects included. I am 21 as I write this comment, I've a good if not especially intricate understanding of Asian cultures and life has equipped me with a deep understanding of human psyche and yet I am sure, if I were to read this story again in five years, I'd catch on things I didn't quite see this time around.

After the introduction and the first few chapters things slow down a bit. Maybe too much, but that is personal preference and might have been neccessary to keep xxxHolic and TRC in synch, both publishing and character developement wise. Should you find that you dislike xxxHolic because of that, don't be discouraged. The real interesting stuff starts right after TRC's plot ends in xxxHolic.

The end feels kinda hurried though, incomplete. That's why it might not be very easy to identify with, even though it is quite emotional. The ending is not the worst I've read, in fact it is still one of the better ones, but it does not quite do the rest of the manga justice. Therefore I reduce the score from a 9.5 to a 9 of 10.
Note: There is a sequel planned: xxxHolic: Rei, so that might be the reason for the loose ends. That doesn't change anything for this manga by itself though, so the score stays.

... Last updated on January 15th, 2013, 9:46am

xxxHolic is really my favorite manga of all time.

The storyline is very deep, allowing the characters to develop and grow progressively in a really smart fashion. Every single character (not only Watanuki and Yuko) is interesting on a standalone basis (they are not just tools to put the main characters into perspective like in some other mangas).
You get to learn about japanese folk cultures and in each arc the supernatural is presented in a way that makes you reflect about life in general.
It is also extremely well balanced: comedy, reflection, drama, mystery, slice of life and even adventure are all present but none are too overpowering.
The art is FANTASTIC. That combined with all I said above (balance and storyline) makes it a very relaxing but at the same time challenging read; in a positive way. In my opinion, CLAMP are the best manga artists out there at the moment.

Regarding how it intertwines with Tsubasa RC. I must say that you can read the series without really paying attention to Tsubasa: most of the arcs are xxxHolic-specific. I started readingTsubasa after a while but did not get to finish it. The parallel between the two stories becomes very significant at some point but as another reviewer says, you can get your fix from wikipedia.

After the Tsubasa arc ended, and I felt like the series would come to an end and nothing interesting would happen anymore. Boy was I wrong!! Watanuki's character gets even deeper and I am quite curious to see how the story will turn out from now on. Props to CLAMP for managing to keep the story fresh like that!

... Last updated on June 17th, 2010, 4:15pm

... Last updated on November 21st, 2009, 1:58pm