xxxHolic - 11 - Mokona’s So Cool!
This episode continued the awesomeness that xxxHolic managed to start in the previous episodes. Both in terms of comedy as in terms of stories. I just love seeing Yuuko, Maru, Moro and Mokona getting giddly over just about everything, and this episode was no exception. The scenes which happened in the air treated the viewer with some great choreography. Especially when Watanuki fell from the sky, I really noticed how great that scene looked.
It’s great to see that characters are actually returning. In fact, it seems that the sprites will be playing some kind of role, later in the anime. The fact that the rain sprite appears in two episodes, and gets mentioned in another one has to say something. Especially if you include the fact that both this episode as the seventh one were the only ones who got featured in the OP.
Mokona was just utter coolness. Just try to compare such a cute and fluffy animal with the enormous bird it was riding. I also just love it when the Watanuki and Mokona are alone on some kind of mission. Mokona’s playful character really helps Watanuki get through trials like these. Even though he doesn’t like it. ^^;
The Vestal Sprite was too cute, by the way. At first, it’s obvious that she doesn’t want to talk to Watanuki. Though as the episode progresses, I really believed that she wasn’t interested in neither Watanuki or Doumeki. That made the end of the episode turn into a small surprise after all. I really liked her character art, especially if you combine it with these firefly-esque lighty thingies.
We also get to see the five unidentified flying objects which were haunting around the OP. I kept wondering what they were. Well, they appear to be Karasu Tengu, or bird-like servants of the Vestal Sprite. And rather short tempered ones as well. I just loved their squeaky little voice-acting and the way they yelled towards Watanuki. i loved them even more at the end of the episode, when they were chased by Mokana in the background. It’s a little detail, but I can really appreciate such subtle details. Especially when Mokona just kept chasing those guys until Watanuki told him (her?) to stop. ^^;
You can say that Watanuki’s relationship with Himawari is annoying. And yes, at times it is. Though Doumeki manages to play for an adequate rival in order to spice up this relationship a bit. That’s again something that this episode displays, as Doumeki manages to steal the lunch that Watanuki had prepared for Himawari. ^^; I also loved the fact that Himawari actually sent a letter to Yuuko, in order for her to give it to Watanuki. Did she have any specific reason to do that?
Overall, xxxHolic is just a great anime. Ranging from Yuuko, Maru, Moro and Mokona trying to get on Watanuki’s nerves as much as possible to Doumeki’s sarcastical comments to the very interesting stories told at each episode, along with the themes and characters that come with it. I don’t care if the art is low-quality. It looks great, and that’s what matters, no?