Welcome, Gakuen Alice, and Xxxholic

Hi all! Well, I’ve decided it’s about time I did a blog for the anime I watch and the manga I read. If I don’t have anything current to talk about, I will talk about past favorites, especially if I have just finished revisiting them. So without further ado, here are my two cents on the Gakuen Alice anime, which I just finished, the first volume of the manga, and the Xxxholic anime, which I finished today, for your enjoyment.

I have said it before and I will say it again, Gakuen Alice really reminds me of Fruits Basket, but that is a good thing. It is full of interesting characters and has a dark undertone which adds resonance. Mikan is a cross between Tohru and Kagura while Hatoru is Hatori with more violent tendencies. Natsume is an interesting mixture of Yuki (cool, and I mean both attitude and how others perceive him) and Kyou in how he particularly hates and fights against his fate. I have heard that it also resembles Kodancha, but having never read that I can’t comment. It also is a bit reminiscent of X-Men with all the super powers, though saying it is reminiscent of Heroes might be closer to the truth given the lack of spandex.

It is interesting how just by arriving and by having the ability that she does (nulification) Mikan starts to change the people around her at Alice Academy. And they have given so many hints about Mikan’s mom in particular, I hope they explain more eventually. And more about Persona and his true goals.

I have heard that the last four episodes don’t really fit the manga. I haven’t read enough of the manga to comment yet. But I have noticed that often happens when an anime catches up to the manga and they decide to end the anime. What I can say about the manga so far having just read the first volume is that it is an interesting mixture of styles. Half is beautiful, the other half is comic, perhaps more comic than usual. And it somehow seems to fit the duality of the series well.

What to say about Xxxholic. CAMP does their usual gorgeous artwork as usual, which the anime doesn’t quite capture though they do a valiant effort. And the stories are unusually thought provoking. If anything, aside from the mystical/horror aspect of it, a little too close to life. Which (aside from the fact that ghosts are not my thing, just think Sakura from CCS) explains why for all its good points it is not a comfortable series. Which is probably the point, or at least part of it.

Watanuki is an unusual protagonist, and Doumeki is the perfect cool foil to Watanuki’s hyperness. (I can just hear Watanuki saying: Oh great. Another thing I have to be grateful to that guy for.) Himawari seems to be oblivious to both how Watanuki and Doumeki feel about each other and about how Watanuki feels for her. As for Yuuko, she is a study in contrasts. Why do I get the feeling that she has a model in real life? Watanuki really is a softy, though. Episodes 22 & 23 remind us of the fact, and were particularly enjoyable that way.

The one nice thing about the Xxxholic anime as compared with Tsubasa (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles) is much more closure. It isn’t entirely Tsubasa’s fault, given the way CLAMP did the stories. But with Tsubasa, they do so many flashbacks and stretch out the stories so much . . . Sigh. Xxxholic is much more contained and doesn’t feel stretched out but feels more comfortable pacing wise. Thank goodness for the Tsubasa OVAs . . . Much better pacing in my opinion . . . And have I said yet how much I like “Synchronicity”? (Sets Winamp to repeat on this song again.)

Next time, hopefully a review of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles season 2. And I’ll get the movies in sometime. And part 2 of the Tsubasa OVA comes out next week! Kind thoughts to the subbers since my Japanese is very week still.