Usually I would do a first impression on only the first episode of a new series, but xxxHolic Kei threw me a curve ball due to the fact that the first three episodes is a story arch. Which meant I watched all three episodes to get a better feel for the show. As watching only the first episode would have given me an unbalanced first impression of the show.
The first three episodes we see what happens when Dōmeki, receives a grudge by a spider deity for breaking it’s web and destroying it’s home. But Dōmeki did not do this with malicious intent but rather to untangle Watanuki who got stuck in it, due in part to the fact that Watanuki got carried away and did not look where he was going. Due to the fact that Dōmeki was the one who broke the spiders web, his right eye got taken away from him by the spiders grudge.
Watanuki feels guilty for being the one that caused Dōmeki to receive a grudge and loosing his right eye. So Watanuki goes to Yūko’s house to ask her for help and to save Dōmeki’s right eye. But due to the nature of the curse she is unable to help him, so Watanuki proceeds to make a wish in front of Yūko. He is willing to sacrifice is own right eye to save Dōmeki’s. A equal trade of sorts, which Yūko agrees upon. The very next day we see Watanuki walking to school with a eye patch on, and Dōmeki’s right eye fully restored.
Dōmeki discovers what Watanuki did and is really pissed off at Watanuki, because he has no regard for his own life and is willing to throw it away for other people without thinking about the consequences and the people who care for him. Dōmeki meets up with Yūko in a local park and ask her to reverse the wish. But Yūko is unable to help Dōmeki because only people who want something can visit Yūko’s residents, and on entering her house make a wish while trading something of equal value for it.
Dōmeki, with no other options decide to go to his families house. As his grandfather was a great spiritual priest and he might have a book on how to reverse the grudge on Watanuki’s right eye. Watanuki and Dōmeki discovers a hidden book in his grandfathers house, which contains a spell which can reverse the grudge. But soon afterwards the book gets attack by a book spirit which eats the letters of books which carries a lot of importance to someone or something. Yūko shows up just in the nick of time to save Watanuki and Dōmeki from the spirit, but the book with the spell is lost.
On his way back from school the following evening, Watanuki runs across a cat girl from the spirit world who informs him that the spirit world is currently fighting over his right eye as it hold great power for them. He also finds out later from the Karasu-Tenge, that Zashiki a spirit girl (Vestal sprite) who has a crush on Watanuki has been kidnapped by someone.
Watanuki agrees to help Karasu-Tenge save Zashiki ,as they are send to the spirit world by Yūko. Upon arriving in the spirit world, Watanuki discovered that the queen of spiders Jorougumo has captured Zashiki and is the one who has Watanuki’s right eye. Zashiki tries to get Watanuki’s eye back for him but she gets captured in the process.
But with the help of the pipefox (Hell yeah.) Watanuki is able to save Zashiki, but at the cost of his right eye which Jorougumo swallows before she escapes. Watanuki collapses afterwards, only to wake up in a spiritual pool with Zashiki crying over him. And this when Watanuki releases that his life is just not his own, but the people who care for him as well. At the end of episode three we see Yūko giving a piece of Dōmeki’s eye to Watanuki so that Watanuki is able to see again. As he accepts this gift he collapses of exhaustion, and falls asleep on Yūko’s lap.
WOW the second season started off with a pretty big bang right into a three episode arch. I am reminded how much I enjoyed the first season so much, by watching the second season. And the second season delivers. I can highly recommend the second season of xxxHolic to the fans of the first season, and to those who have not watched the series yet. You cant go wrong with this Anime, I cant wait to watch the rest of this series.
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