xxxHolic (2013)

The Jdrama is based on CLAMP’s manga of the same name. Neither have I read the manga nor watched the anime but in general I always liked CLAMP’s mangas and I was interested in the plot of xxxHolic. Therefore, I gave it a try because of it’s shortness, Sometani Shota and the attractive story.

Pro (+) & Con (-) Overview
+ short drama (8 ep, 26m each) -> no overly stretched plot
+ music, filmography, scenery, special effects
+ setting, costumes
+ Watanuki’s + Domeki’s bromance
+/- episodic story-telling but with golden thread
- not enough time to get to know the characters and their developement

The episodes are only 26 minutes each, but it never feels like there is something missing because of the lack of time and due to their shortness it is no overly stretched plot, a flaw that I experienced with a lot of dramas so far. The series is very episodic in a way that you have a new story every episode with a “problem” in the beginning and the “solution” at the end. However, Watanuki’s own personal and interesting story flows through the hole drama and gets to its peak at the end of the series. I prefer dramas with a thick golden thread but in xxxHolic episodic stories and a common theme balance each other, so I still enjoyed everything and the discrete storylines are far from being boring!

This Japanese drama is more “violent” and darker than typical Jdramas but it still has rare and short comedy parts. I wouldn’t classify it as thriller but it has it’s spooky scenes and gets creepier starting in episode 4. In general, it’s a welcome change from all the romance dramas.

I love the filmography, music and scenery! Everything underlines the mystery and blue feeling of this drama. Oh, and the customues + settings! Yuuko’s dresses and her shop are definitely worth a watch! They even use special effects which are not exaggerated and beautiful as well.

As for the actors and their acting, it can’t be faulted. You won’t have to face a lot of overacting as in most of Japanese dramas but it’s still present. There’s not enough time to get to know the characters very well, so you’re not sure if you truly grasped the character’s personality and you’re wondering that maybe you only know the shell but not the heart. (Himawari is very annoying in the beginning because she’s changing her mind all the time, but I came to like her more as the story progressed. Still, I’m not sure what to think about her…) Apart from that Watanuki’s and Domeki’s friendship and chemistry is awesome, hehe.

If you like suspense and dark stories, if you’re looking for a short drama and if you want to see great filmography and beautiful dresses, then xxxHolic is something for you. As I said already, I don’t know the manga or anime, but if you want to get to know more about the characters and their development I guess you’ll have to try the manga. So maybe the drama is a good way to figure out whether CLAMP’s manga or the xxxHolic anime adaption is worth a try. (Well, I’ll definitely gonna read the manga in the future. ^^)

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