![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
louiseluxSo I am writing xxxHolic fic for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
springkink, and I just felt the need to write down what I think the plot of the manga is, so far (up to the end of vol 8). It's one of those mangas where I can never quite keep everything straight in my head, so this is more an explanation to myself, although I'd dearly love any comments on it... and I don't mind being spoiled for later vols.
Watanuki is an orphan. His living arrangements aren't clear, but he seems to look after himself, hence his skill at cooking and general housekeeping. He can see spirits and has been able to see them all his life, but they are starting to take over his life. He meets Yuko, who is described as a 'spirit witch' in the blurb. In any case, she is a powerful mystical force and she has the ability to grant wishes, although she exacts a high price for these. One day, Watanuki stumbles into her 'shop'.
She says Watanuki finds her because of 'hitsuzen', which is a concept similar to fate, but has some other additional nuances that I really don't grasp. She says she'll grant Watanuki a wish - that he stops seeing spirits, but that Watanuki will have to pay (in cooking, cleaning, solving mystical mysteries and being her dogsbody, it is very cute).
Often, Watanuki is the only person who can resolve some spirit's distress and there is a theme that each person he meets changes him. Yuko often points this out, usually in an obscure way and also with an obscure little smile. Yuko reminds me of Count D: yes, she'll grant your wish, but there are no guarantees that this will make you happy.
Domeki is in the archery club at school and also has a mystical talent. He can repel spirits, so he's a handy person for Watanuki to have around, except that Watanuki can't stand his calm and patronising manner. Yuko says they have a 'deep bond' and it's true, they do seem to. Domeki saves his life at one point and so Watanuki makes him lunch, often. It is also very cute. The cuteness often revolves around cooking. Reading it makes me hungry, often.
But Watanuki and Domeki take each other's insights and warnings very seriously. Domeki once stood for 10 hours in the rain to make sure that Watanuki was safe. When Domeki lost an eye to a spider with a grudge (I love being able to type sentences like that), Watanuki gives him his own eye, and then Domeki forces him to take half of it back. The result is that Domeki gets random glimpses of things Watanuki is seeing. I'm not sure of it works the other way round too?
Domeki lives in a house next to temple that his grandfather used to look after. He can't go into Yuko's shop, because, as Yuko points out, Domeki doesn't need any wishes granting. Watanuki often goes to Domeki's house and, in later vols, meets the ghost of Domeki's grandfather, who looks exactly like Domeki, but who is very charming and smokes.
Watanuki has a crush on Himawari, who is at school with Watanuki and Domeki. She is always smiling, but there is something not quite right about her. I don't think she's evil but, as Yuko says, she's not Watanuki's 'good luck goddess'. Domeki calls her by her first name.
Maru and Moro are girls who live with Yuko in her shop. They can't leave because they don't have souls, which I find deeply creepy.
springkink, and I just felt the need to write down what I think the plot of the manga is, so far (up to the end of vol 8). It's one of those mangas where I can never quite keep everything straight in my head, so this is more an explanation to myself, although I'd dearly love any comments on it... and I don't mind being spoiled for later vols.Watanuki is an orphan. His living arrangements aren't clear, but he seems to look after himself, hence his skill at cooking and general housekeeping. He can see spirits and has been able to see them all his life, but they are starting to take over his life. He meets Yuko, who is described as a 'spirit witch' in the blurb. In any case, she is a powerful mystical force and she has the ability to grant wishes, although she exacts a high price for these. One day, Watanuki stumbles into her 'shop'.
She says Watanuki finds her because of 'hitsuzen', which is a concept similar to fate, but has some other additional nuances that I really don't grasp. She says she'll grant Watanuki a wish - that he stops seeing spirits, but that Watanuki will have to pay (in cooking, cleaning, solving mystical mysteries and being her dogsbody, it is very cute).
Often, Watanuki is the only person who can resolve some spirit's distress and there is a theme that each person he meets changes him. Yuko often points this out, usually in an obscure way and also with an obscure little smile. Yuko reminds me of Count D: yes, she'll grant your wish, but there are no guarantees that this will make you happy.
Domeki is in the archery club at school and also has a mystical talent. He can repel spirits, so he's a handy person for Watanuki to have around, except that Watanuki can't stand his calm and patronising manner. Yuko says they have a 'deep bond' and it's true, they do seem to. Domeki saves his life at one point and so Watanuki makes him lunch, often. It is also very cute. The cuteness often revolves around cooking. Reading it makes me hungry, often.
But Watanuki and Domeki take each other's insights and warnings very seriously. Domeki once stood for 10 hours in the rain to make sure that Watanuki was safe. When Domeki lost an eye to a spider with a grudge (I love being able to type sentences like that), Watanuki gives him his own eye, and then Domeki forces him to take half of it back. The result is that Domeki gets random glimpses of things Watanuki is seeing. I'm not sure of it works the other way round too?
Domeki lives in a house next to temple that his grandfather used to look after. He can't go into Yuko's shop, because, as Yuko points out, Domeki doesn't need any wishes granting. Watanuki often goes to Domeki's house and, in later vols, meets the ghost of Domeki's grandfather, who looks exactly like Domeki, but who is very charming and smokes.
Watanuki has a crush on Himawari, who is at school with Watanuki and Domeki. She is always smiling, but there is something not quite right about her. I don't think she's evil but, as Yuko says, she's not Watanuki's 'good luck goddess'. Domeki calls her by her first name.
Maru and Moro are girls who live with Yuko in her shop. They can't leave because they don't have souls, which I find deeply creepy.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-04-07 10:12 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-07 10:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-07 10:34 pm (UTC)That really does explain a lot, specially why Yuko says they have a 'deep bond'.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:02 am (UTC)I think what she says is that everything has to be balanced out with the exact amount - no less, but also no more. That is one of the reasons why ... err, that might be vol. 09 content so it's spoilerish. Hmm. Anyway, there's a point when she tells Watanuki that a certain wish wouldn't be possible, because the price would be too high. (I love love love this manga so much)
Anyway, it's true that sometimes getting a wish granted doesn't guarantee for the wish-making person's happiness.
Doumeki's eye sight is lost because of the spiders grudge after he destroyed it's net - in which Watanuki had gotten tangled up while flailing around. Watanuki doesn't give him his eye, but trades his one side's eye sight against Doumeki's with the spider! In fact, Watanuki later receives half of Doumeki's originally restored right eye's sight, and in ways unclear a bond is formed that allows Watanuki to see glimpses of the spirit's world, and sometimes seems to connect Doumeki as well. I don't remember if it works both ways.
It's so wonderful to follow the character development, and the growing bond between Watanuki and Doumeki (which Yuuko early indicated is there, no matter how much Watanuki dislikes that idea). In baby steps, they change, and in case of Watanuki, he learns exactly how much other persons care about him, and it shocks and scares him, and surely also makes him happy. (<-- not that it's said like that, but it's clear to see XD). This whole story is so much love. So. Much.
Haruka-san. Doumeki's grandfather. Damn, he's so hot. XD I swear (nearly) his sole purpose is to show us how naughty and desirable Doumeki could look when he let's loose. Rawr!
Also, you + xxxHOLiCfic writing plans = a very happy me. ^_^
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:16 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:21 am (UTC)If you still need Volume nine, there are scanlations up at the scanlation group's website:
http://www.bwys.net/index.php?page=projects/xxxholic
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 09:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:03 am (UTC)(Random person who loves your Saiyuki fanfiction)
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 12:14 am (UTC)I'd love spoilers, please!
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 01:04 am (UTC)Maru and Moro are supporting the shop, which was created for Watanuki.
no subject
Date: 2007-04-08 09:47 pm (UTC)That does not entirely surprise me about Himawari. She does seem very distant and distracted from people too, as if she wants to keep her distance.