XXXHOLIC IS A HIDDEN GEM.

JOSÉ CUEVAS - Writer, 6th Year, Intended Nuclear Engineering and Philosophy

"By the way, it’s pronounced 'Holic' — the 'xxx' part is silent, kind of like Hunter x Hunter"

xxxHOLiC is an incredibly deep anime that handles many complex subject matters with its unique brand of comedy, supernatural elements, and most of all, style. I think it's closest to, say, the beginning parts of Yu Yu Hakusho or Bleach in this regard, although it stays solidly in that state throughout, unlike those other shows which switched to more traditional shounen tropes later on. In this regard, I have to commend the series for sticking to its original concept and not deviating as it is emblematic of the creatives’ sense of integrity for not compromising in their artistic endeavors to, say, a corporation or something. xxxHOLiC is a series lacking much tethering it to the rest of Japanese anime, other than the base style of its designs and some tropes.

Handled by CLAMP, the legendary manga artists who brought you the influential classic Cardcaptor Sakura and the character designs behind the seminal masterpiece that is Code Geass, xxxHOLiC exudes their unique sense of art. Oozing in a sort of gothic world, xxxHOLiC mixes what could potentially be an alienating setting with a far more traditionally understood one, that of a Japanese high school. In this way, the authors maintain a balance between elements that are artistically fulfilling and those that are widely consumable. This is to the series’ benefit. After all, one could make the deepest, most insightful, work of art to ever be conceived. If its reach is limited with few understanding the creator’s main intentions, what’s the point?

But still, while CLAMP’s balance between the gothic mysteries and typical Japanese high school allows for some leeway in terms of creativity, that isn’t to say that xxxHOLiC is in any way passe with its themes. In fact, while xxxHOLiC is episodic and thus does not have the capacity to wholly go full out in defining deep concepts, the majority of those one-off episodes feature numerous commentaries on the meaning of various intricacies fundamental to life. It’s a series that radically changes depending on your stage in life and in of itself has the capacity to redefine how you view things. This is all brilliantly interwoven with humorous dialogue between the main characters as they all stand out from one another. One could perhaps consider some of the characters a bit too defined in tropes, but they make up for it by providing relatable anchors for the wackier supernatural ideas from a more human perspective; different viewers will likely see themselves within different members of the cast. In effect, xxxHOLiC’s writing manages to be poignant in its commentary of the human experience whilst simultaneously being grounded enough so as to not alienate your casual viewer.

Of course, none of this means much without the impeccable style that xxxHOLiC possesses. The world itself benefits massively from technological advances in animation from the turn of the century – it’s a show that could not possibly work in the nineties from a visual standpoint. Every setting has a mysterious vibe to it emphasized by the way they’re shown on screen as well as the music and the voice acting that complement it well. Indeed, one of the most standout elements of the series is definitely the mise en scène. With a dark gothic atmosphere directly beside a bright cheery academic setting, xxxHOLiC is an anime series that I’d recommend with glowing praise. There’s a real sense of eastern supernaturalism that meshes well with the series’ goth vibes which is all the more emphasized with great production. It’s a thoroughly underrated hidden gem that deserves more mainstream attention, though. For a first time viewer, though, I specifically suggest the film, xxxHolic: A Midsummer Night's Dream, as it’s extremely interesting, not to mention super trippy with the way the film shows some things. As a whole, the series is completely overlooked, so I highly recommend everyone and anyone to check it out. Beyond many fun crossovers with other CLAMP works that are crucial to understand the shared universes, xxxHOLiC definitely contains the same magic that makes some of its creators’ best works so stellar.