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ローゼンメイデン 
I don't get this. How can a professionally made anime series like this one look this horrid? Just look at the character design for the twin sisters, for example. They are nothing like their manga counterpart. Their eyes are dull and have no life. Similarly, although character design for the regulars look quite good on the previous episode, in this one everyone looks awful. Did Production IG outsourced this episode to an amateur company or did they ask some work experience kids to draw the characters in this episode? Either way, it's disappointing to see what could otherwise be an interesting arc ruined by bad character design. It's a good thing that xxxHOLiC also has an interesting storyline because otherwise, there is little incentive to watch this series. As a side note, a new ending theme called Kagerou is being used starting with this episode.
Watanuki and Yuuko go shopping together and Yuuko, as usual, tries to con Watanuki to buy her some foods. She argues that all of these times she always gives something to Watanuki such as giving him work to do, things to clean up, foods to cook, so now it's time for him to give her something. Watanuki is livid upon hearing this because the things Yuuko mentioned is not his idea of 'giving' but Yuuko tells him that words are living things. Watanuki is confused by this seemingly unrelated point and wonders what Yuuko means by 'living things'. Before Yuuko can answer him, however, they overhear two twin sisters talking about buying a flatfish for dinner. The older one hesitates because it's expensive and if they fail to cook it, it'll be a waste. The younger one, however, thinks it'll be nice to have fish and proceeds to purchase the fish. She then wonders what to buy next so the older sister suggests that they better buy some meat in case the fish turns bad.
After the sisters left the area, Yuuko tells Watanuki that she feels tonight they'll have meat dishes. A few days later, Watanuki encounters the older sister on his way to Yuuko's shop. The girl is trying to look for her contact lens so Watanuki offers to help her looking for it. The girl thanks Watanuki for helping her but she feels that they may not be able to find it. Watanuki suddenly feels waves of negative vibes flowing from the girl. That night, Yuuko complains that instead of cool Cappellini (Angel Hair pasta) with fresh tomato she gets to eat Soba. Watanuki apologises but he had no time to prepare the former because he was helping the girl to find her contact lens. Watanuki is also disappointed because they couldn't find the contact lens. He thinks it's because the object is small and they were in a hurry. Yuuko, however, thinks that is not the reason why Watanuki couldn't find the contact lens. She tells him it's because the girl thinks she can't find it.
She points out that words are living thing that binds itself to its speaker. The next day, Watanuki is talking about chains with Doumeki until he realises that he's eating hamburger together with Doumeki. After Watanuki calms down from his anger high, Doumeki asks him if the twins are humans. He reminds Watanuki that in Zashiki-Warashi's case, she wasn't one. Watanuki tells Doumeki that Yuuko didn't say anything so he assume they're not. Doumeki then tells Watanuki that he knows Watanuki can see spirits and while Zashiki-Warashi wasn't a problem, he understands there are others that do bother him. Watanuki tells Doumeki that even if there are, it is not his problem. Doumeki thinks it is his problem if Watanuki is not around....there will be no one to make him bento. Watanuki is pissed off again upon hearing this but before he can acts out his anger, he notices that the waitress at this Duklyon burger chain is the one of the twin girls that he met earlier.
He, however, mistook her as the oldest sister so the girl tells him that she's actually the younger sister but she has heard from her sister that Watanuki helped her sister. She apologised that Watanuki spent his time in the hot weather, helping her clumsy sister looking for the contact lens even though they don't know each other's name. In order to pay for Watanuki's kindness, the girl invites him and Doumeki to have dinner with her and her twin sister. Because of this the four of them walk together toward their destination. The younger sister immediately take a liking towards Doumeki and walks alongside the guy. Because of this, Watanuki ends up accompanying the older sister and along the way notices that she tends to put herself down. Watanuki tells the older sister that it must be fun to have a sibling since he's an only child. The older sister simply agrees without any enthusiasm before telling Watanuki that the truth is she and her sister are different.
As the older sister said this, Watanuki once again senses the negative vibes emanating from the older sister. Once they arrive at the cafe, the younger sister asks the guys if they have girlfriends so Watanuki tells them that they haven't got one. Watanuki notices that the younger sister seems to like Doumeki and this seems to upset the older sister. Later on after they are out of the cafe, the older sister looks like she wants to say something to Doumeki but can't find the courage to do so. The younger sister, on the other hand, suggests that the four of them meet again soon to see a film. Doumeki immediately looks at Watanuki to see if they should go. Watanuki tells the girls that he actually dislikes going to a cinema but he can't give the reason because it's spirit-related. Because of this, the younger sister asks Doumeki to persuade Watanuki to come with them. Watanuki who feels sorry for the older sister eventually agrees to come.
Much to Watanuki's relief, Yuuko tells him that night that the girls are humans. Watanuki, however, is concerned about the negative vibes that the older sister emits so Yuuko tells him that it's what she calls "Waves". The next day, Watanuki talks with Himawari but is shocked when Doumeki suddenly appears and asks him if he wants to go with him after school. Himawari becomes interested and wants to know where Doumeki and Watanuki are going. Much to Watanuki's horror, Doumeki tells her that they're going to cinema with two other girls. Fast forward a few hours later, Watanuki is seen sitting in a cinema watching a horror film. Because of the atmosphere, spirits start to appear inside the cinema but they eventually vanish due to Doumeki's presence. Watanuki, however, notices that the older sister seems to be jealous that her younger sister is very close to Doumeki. The older sister then tells herself that she wants to get out soon and all of a sudden, her forehead starts to bleed.
Impression:
When I'm not busy feeling depressed to see the horrid quality of this episode, I got a good laugh out of the negative vibes that the older sister emits in the episode. For some reason in this version it felt unintentionally funny to me. In other anime like Ouran Host Club, this would have been completely milked for comedic purpose. Usually with the character in question crouching in a corner, surrounded by dark blue shadow. Having said that, I feel sorry for the older sister. It's hard living in the shadow of one's own sibling. She also seems to have no confidence in herself and often ends up putting herself down before she tries anything. What Yuuko said here about words and how they can chain a person down is really true. By saying that you can't do something, you have pretty much ruin your own chance at the thing you want to do. However, sometimes it's difficult not to feel this way when the thing that you desire feels unreachable and difficult to obtain.
New Ending
xxxHOLiC ED Theme 2 - Kagerou performed by Buck/Tick (12MB, for PSP/Quicktime).
The new ending theme, Kagerou is a lot better than I expected but I still prefer the first ED theme, Reason, a lot more. I guess I just like mellow, laidback song a bit more. I also don't understand the anime writers' obsession with the concept of Manatsu no yoru no yume (A midsummer night's dream). They seem to like it so much that even the ED theme now has a lyric containing this phrase. It doesn't help that I'm not familiar with the literature in question or the xxxHOLiC movie so I have no idea what the story is about.
wooooo more action with XXXHolic
it's back
It's strange too that Suga Shikao's single for Death Note is also called A Midsummer's Night's Dream after his involvement with the xxxHOLiC movie, huh?
I hadn't really pondered any potential connections between the play and the series ... but I suppose in a way there are some similarities. The play is a comedy about misplaced love (probably not a concept alien to xxxHOLiC). Basically you have Hermia, who is supposed to marry Demetrius but is in love with Lysander, and her friend Helena, who is in love with Demetrius. Then you get the fairy kingdom messing around with this dynamic and accidentally making both men fall in love with Helena. Yuuko is a little bit like Titania, the queen of the fairies, I suppose, though hopefully at some point she will not fall in love with a man with a donkey's head.
Then again, I know in Japan people tend to latch onto Western concepts without any real understanding of their meaning (Lolita, for example), so this may just be a case of that.
I love this 2 parts story the most so far, could have been that I don't remember any bit of it showing up in the manga.
Any how I am most looking forward for next week when Zashiki Warashi show up again !!
The last two episodes were very lackluster to me. It was in the manga but is forgettable compared to some of the other stories.
However...Yatta!!! Next week is Watanuki and Zashiki Warashi and Pipe Fox and Talking Daffodils! Is giddy...
As for Midsummer Night's Dream, it is one of Shakespeare's lighter stories and also one where supernatural characters actually play a central role and in direct contact with regular folks. Affecting the mortals and being affected in turn. That ties it to xxxholic nicely.
Actually its kind of nice to see a referance to the Bard's work in anime rather than to Lewis Carrol or the Brothers Grimm. Romeo and Juliet doesn't count either, its way too overused in everything, not just anime. This is a refreshing change of pace and personally I'm a little tired all the Alice in Wonderland translations running around out there.
Production wise... it's bad, really bad!!! I don't know how to say but if you compare the other animated CLAMP works, they're really good, now this? I can't believe they allow this. :(
I'm glad this story is interesting. I'm also glad that Watanuki calmed down unlike the previous episode. I think from this episode (chapter in manga) Watanuki will become more mature towards to Doumeki and Yuuko.
For the ending, i like the ending. It's really cool!!! :)
omgosh.. i'm shocked to ....
what kind of drawings are those!???
ewww!!!!
i feel like lots of anime's drawings are going worser and worser as it gets longer~~
dunno if you watch one piece but the art now is sooo bad! just like this episode! like they dont care about drawing it... disspointed.. but the ending looks so cute~~
Garten, thank you so much for blogging xxxholic! I have every single manga, plus the anime(fansubs)! I do agree that the anime suffers in comparison to the manga which is stylishly Art Nouveau-ish in concept... But I love the animated version of Watanuki! I love the way they animate him freaking out! Heh! Heh!
About the Shakespearean theme they are pursuing, Midsummer Night's Dream is all about delusion/illusion and the extent to which people are willing to go in order to fulfill desire... Very fitting, don't you think?
".....character design for the twin sisters.....Their eyes are dull and have no life...." I definitely see your point, Garten-san. I haven't get the privilege to see the manga yet, but it looks really clear to me that their eyes can give you the feeling that they were just done in plain Microsoft Paint --- created in full pitch black color and nothing more.....awful.
"....although character design for the regulars look quite good on the previous episode, in this one everyone looks awful."
Just like what you said here, the regulars look a lot uglier this time. Taking a look at your posted screeshot no.9 (w/c shows Watanuki and Doumeki together) gives me the idea that both of the male leads have become more malnourished, most especially Doumeki.....and here I was, thinking & believing that Doumeki is a lot stronger than Watanuki; now it would be hard to believe that he is --- what with that kind of face and body......SO THIN.
However......the story's really good (and it is still good, as it has always been); and just like what you've stated too, the anime's storyline is, for me, the only one that poses as a real catch for one to get hooked to it. This anime so far, is the only one I've ever known that uses both a touch of fantastical-magical Realism & a sense of somewhat biting yet totally hilarious humor, which in an absolutely unique way, could still come down to Life's meaningful lessons without putting up so much "drama" & "sob stories". Furthermore, it is set in the backdrop of a modern yet magical-esoteric setting, which makes it all the more a different "anime blend" from the rest of the other animes in the world.
Oh, so there's a new ending theme now, huh? That's probably because this anime has entered into its 2nd half (of the season). Most animes would do that kind of theme song change, don't they?
God bless you all....... :)
"Taking a look at your posted screeshot no.9 (w/c shows Watanuki and Doumeki together) gives me the idea that both of the male leads have become more malnourished, most especially Doumeki"
Exactly!!!! I saw that the seen with Watanuki he's so thin and it's get worse. Some of the colors are missed and if you looked closely to their eyes... it's not appropriate.
WARNING!
*spoiler starts*
in episode 15, this is bad animation!!! I mean the story is interesting but Clamp works should be beautiful (CCS, Tokyo Babylon, X) Even Tsubasa has good animation but this one is worse!
*spoiler ends*
Hello, i just found your blog, it's incredibly GREAT AND FULL of anime, i will use these days to read your comments about the series i like.
P.s. i'm watching, Haibane... Nana, Bleach and others for the moment, just as reference in case you were wondering, well, have a nice day!
i love ur comments and intro regarding the animes, i have been reading all the comments u have posted on the site. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK ;)and yes i agree they could have made the anime char look much better
Well, it seems I'm fated to be always the last one on posting his comments, and the worst is that if the torrents continue releasing the episodes this late -the same goes for Ouran Host Club, I'll not even have the manga reference for the next episodes since I've only got till the Vol 6, so, if anyone has any suggestions for this this unlucky akiba-kei, please, make know.
Ok, my comment. I totally agree with Hush and Garten-san about the bad design in this ep., I can tell this buddies probably know we hapily tolerate this bizarre but innovative design of the characters making thier arms or their extremities in general long this much, or the fact that this drawings are suppoused to be regarded nicely done by this few using of shadows, but this time, I think even me, who knows almost nothing of photo shop, could've drawn the ep so as they did.
Something else that disappoints me a little is that unfortunately in the anime they couldn't develop the interactions and relationship progress between the characters better than this. In the manga, Doumeki and the Shigatsu tsuitachi guy (jejeje, Watanuki), appear more times showing more progress getting on well with themselves, or at least, they tolerate more the other one with its ration of comedy included, but here, suddenly, with almost no precedent of Doumeki being able to express his feelings or at least joking about it, this two guys appear in a fast food restaurant like any normal school friends, and after Watanuki's anger attack he always displays, he's almost told by the always-like-a-tree Doumeki that Doumeki cares for him, I just think it happened very suddenly.
About Himawari, she always seems unable to see that Watanuki losts his mind for her, in both, manga and anime, but it's just that she has more entrances in the manga and even she takes the iniciative when doing something, and so it gives the impression she at least is able to think there's is something else, or taht she expects sth from Watanuki -except for the beach time when she had her own plan-, and so, I think it could've been better.
About the music..., yes I still like more Reason, it's more moving and even its happy tone is contagious, but the only theme I've always liked of Buck Tick is Trinity Blood's opening, Dress Blood, in his discography simply all his sings seem to be too plain for me, but if you keep on listening to his songs one time and another, you end up liking them, and this new ending, it's not the exception.
Finally, I'd like to thank the "ugly" german guy (jejeje, Haesslich), for Del Rey's manga reference, but anyway, I'm still as I explained it above.
Well, probaly I'll see you in Ouran, or soon in Honey&Clover, or even in past series like Fate/Stay Night whose chance to watch I lost at taht moment, but anyway I post there too, if I get no more of xxxHolic, see ya!
I dunno... I'm kinda used to the strange/ugly character designs in the anime... they all look pretty bad to me in almost every episode. But then again, I've never read the manga, so I've nothing to compare them to.
Anyway, this episode, and the continuation in the next, was pretty good in the theme that words can bind you or shape your abilities.
May I know the chapter of the Manga? I'm desperate to know about "waves" as I don't have time for the Anime one.
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