Pick of the Week: xxxHolic

Once again, there are a number of fine choices for a Pick this week, as reported by Midtown Comics, notably the second volume of Code: Breaker, a series that surprised me a lot, as well as the second volume of In the Walnut, which Michelle reviewed favorably in this week’s BL Bookrack.

But this week is a no-brainer for me, as it marks the release of the latest volume of xxxHolic, a series I’ve discussed, reviewed, and proselytized over pretty vigorously ever since I began talking about manga to begin with. It was one of the first series I read and loved, and certainly the series that got me interested in CLAMP’s work overall. Also, with Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle no longer in the picture, readers can continue on with ease, confident that CLAMP will be divulging all important information in one place.

From some of my discussion of volume 14:

“Though this volume proceeds more quietly than the last, it is filled with wry humor and thoughtful revelation, two of the series’ best qualities. Also notable in this volume is a strong sense of warmth, something that has increasingly become a part of the series. This is particularly evident in each character’s relationship with Watanuki—from Yuuko to the fortune-teller—including even dry-humored characters like Doumeki and Mokona (with whom Watanuki shares an especially sweet moment in this volume). It is the connection between people that makes this series feel so rich, a point made stronger in this volume when Watanuki reveals that it is these connections that have inspired him to continue his own existence. ”

“What read as cold philosophy at the beginning of this series has become intimate personal drama fourteen volumes in, and even Yuuko can’t pretend to be detached from the story’s outcome…”

If you have yet to enter the world of xxxHolic, there’s no time like the present. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll want to run out and buy this book!