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completeoveranalysis · 6 months

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Of Yūko's customers, which ones you find most memorable?

Most memorable customers, you say?

I hope you don't mind me using this as an excuse to make an arbitrary list by way of answer. (Arbitrary lists, my beloved...)

Yuuko's Customers In Order Of How Well I Remember Them

(Though I will exclude all the bigger characters for fairness. So, Syaoran, Watanuki, Lava Lamp, Fai, Kurogane, Doumeki, Himawari, Seishirou, Ashura, Tomoyo, etc, etc. Regular xxxHolic customers only!)

10. Birdcage Customer

What was this about? Was he even a customer? We just don't know!

But the thing most memorable about this whole situation is the most pressing question: WHY DO YOU HAVE EVIL WOLVERINE'S SYMBOL ALL OVER YOUR HOME? It's even on his front sign!

WHO ARE YOU?????

9. The Liar

Mostly at the bottom because I can't resist the irony. She's the first big customer we see - but what do we really know about her? Absolutely nothing, because she lied every step of the way!

What can we really remember about someone who never actually told us anything about herself?

Though I guess you could say her ending causes quite an impact.

8. Monkey's Paw Customer

Did I forget this had happened? Perhaps!

She's one of those cases where the cause and effect are so clear that the rest of the cast might as well not even be there - and I think most of her story IS told through scenes entirely from her perspective.

I think the most memorable thing about her is the Sheer Audacity of hunting down a monkey's paw and being convinced that, actually, she already knows what it does so it can't possibly go wrong. Love that for her. Would kill for this confidence.

(Not literally - but she kind of did that also)

7. Ame Warashi

Her impeccable style. Her winning charm. She's an icon.

I had just completely forgotten that she was also a customer at one point.

She makes up for it for being absolutely great in every scene she was in, but what are you going to do in a list based purely on how well I remember the customer part? Woops! My bad!

6. Karasu Tengu

They get huge points for this being a Central Event in the narrative, but also I completely forgot they were in this as customers. The entire plot scenario? Incredible! Character defining! Et cetera!

The actual Karasu Tengu themselves? Woops! I forgot they were there. My fault though!

5. The Computer Addict

I love this one. She's so ahead of the curve that she was addicted to the internet back when you had to be on the pc to use it. Honestly, relatable. I also went through a phase like this as a young teen, so the struggle was real.

Little did we all know that in the present day the accessibility of the internet would be so rampant that she literally wouldn't even need that pc to indulge her habits anymore. Oops!

But that aside Yuuko is peak during this arc and I love everything about it. Especially the fact that Yuuko just hangs out on message boards in her free time? Wonderful information. I can do so much with this.

4. Oops! All Ghosts

Another incredible storyline. The twists are preserved by some sneaky panels from Watanuki's perspective and Yuuko's morally grey approach to the whole situation is wonderful. What if you wanted to get rid of the ghost in your home, only to find out that YOU were the ghost all along? It has the DISTRESS. It has the CONFLICT. It has the TRAGEDY. 10/10

3. Haunted Photo

Another customer with Peak Audacity. Trying to wish away the consequences of your own actions? Committing something awful but being unable to actually look at the proof yourself? The ultimate wish being an anxiety inducing curse that is sure to fail? Love it.

It's also one of those juicy situations where the morality of the situation basically drives itself. The customer causes her own problems and can't actually be saved - and doesn't deserve it either.

And honestly I think CLAMP should get a lot of credit for having the haunting effects of a photograph slowly turning around in a purely static medium. They really pulled that off.

I still love the evil smile in the photograph the last time we see it. PURE memorable.

2. The Twin

WE LOVE HER? WE LOVE HER.

Being consistently cut off and run down and overwritten and slowly clawing your way out of the situation through the sheer desire to be your own person?

And then the answer is a haircut?

It's another glimpse into the side of Yuuko that really does try cut people a good bargain. The wish could have been taken in any number of ways, but Yuuko went for the easiest and most affordable way that would genuinely help the customer actually fix her life on her own. She didn't specifically need supernatural help for this, but it was the route that presented itself, and it was the one that got her the help she needed when she needed it. Very hitsuzen, very relatable, very identifiable storyline that sticks with you.

Just like the final entry!

1. Kohane

Listen do I even need to explain this one.

Kohane is like THE storyline. It's THE example of what it's all about. It's not entirely supernatural in nature but completely heart wrenching. It has Watanuki playing a central role in fixing the problem, setting up for his future (or at least, what I assume it will be). It ties xxxHolic to Tsubasa and hints at a secret tool that will help with someone later.

And it has Kohane! You can't go wrong.

#I'm not counting the ghost who tries to kill Watanuki #because she was lonely #Or uh... all the other ghosts that try to kill Watanuki #Didn't buy anything! Not customers!#replies #traditionalartist #not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #xxxholic #Oh am I doing a ranking list for no reason?#YES ABSOLUTELY #Listen I love it #I'll rank anything for any reason #But also #The thematic links between all the longer Customer arcs?#The overlaps between the computer addict the twin and kohane?#The line between the haunted photo and kohane's mother?#Wonderful #I love how they play with themes all the way through #But in different flavours and in different stages

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princess-of-the-corner · 6 months

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Okay finally a proper liveblog of Shadybug and Claw Noire!

Gabriel's VA is having so much fun in that intro

How'd they get video from the other dimension? Is that explained?

FUCKING BETTERFLY I refuse to call him that we're calling him Hesperia. Anyway buddy boy everything is crumbling you don't have time for the speech!! You already know she's doing this shit just say yes!!

Well someone went whole hog on the intro sequence

NATHALIE SENDING GABE RIGHT TO VOICEMAIL

Also I forgot this is right after Destruction no one is getting any fuckin sleep

Mari and Alya are real gay here

TIKKI STEALING MACAROONS

Hesperia asking Mari not to panic after all that has big "B̷̬͇̬̏́̿̚Ȩ̸̬͇̠̓̏͐ ̵̛̝̠̖̤̱͎̻̱͗̉͊́̾̂̔̓̐̃̆̾̽͘N̸̝̠͓͍̺͔͉̮̰̈́̈́̍̒̒̊͐̒̈́̃͜Ǫ̶̧̡͓̥̤̪̤͛T̵͈̳̝̾̀͒ͅ ̴̺̾̈́̾͂̋̇̒̆À̴̢͔͖̯̺̜͇͎͎̬̻̖̲̏̒́͘͜͠F̴̧̧̘͇̈́̏̔̀͜Ŕ̶̨̟͎͕͓̤̟̤̺͓͚̺̰͒̊̌̅̂̈́͝Ḁ̶͙̈́͝Ĩ̵̢̘̩͉̳̯̼D̴̡͉͇̳̮͎̜͐̐́̍̎̉͝" energy.

rest in fucking pieces Markov!

Claw explodes a wall and Sabine just calmly goes to check like?? I'd be sprinting up there???

I was really hoping Shady would say 'Lucky Harm'. I would've also screamed and lit something on fire, but it would've been funny

so. not only can SB make binoculers that track butterfly pheramones. But Hesperia /gives off butterfly pheromones???/ I guess the fandom making everyone more animalistic was right? We won but at what cost?

Also SB and Claw's banter kills me I love the rivalmance

Okay this is a personal thing but I hate this because if it were a more appropriate couple, Hesperia being so soft and carrying Marinette away would be adorable shipping fodder but it's Hesperia and Marinette so I'm like sir step like three feet away

Once again, rip the Eiffel Tower.

I know it's said that Gabriel stole the Miraculous, but does he say it later or are we taking SB's word for it? Because that could be a lie from that 'the supreme' guy.

Tikki. Everything you just said about parallel universes went over my head and this is coming from someone who loves Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle.

Also fuck this existing with Bunnyx's One True Timeline thing

Okay so I 100% called why the Timers are in place. But why does 'being used for evil' override the security system???

... I'm yoinking Claw's nunchucks.

Okay that's the context for Claw doing that. So uh. Buddy boy needs a fuckin therapist NOW

Ladybug: "I'll explain everything to you later." Me: "ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT?!"

Why.... why did time freeze when making Celestial Cat? It's not a thing that happened any time befre??

THE ONE LINERS. CLAW NOT CATCHING SHADY. I LOVE THEM

Also LB should be having Chat Blanc flashbacks right now

DID SHADY JUST CALL CLAW A DOUCHEBAG??? I SWEAR TO FUCK THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID????

First mention of 'The Supreme'. Saying he'll spare whichever gets the Butterfly. But also like. Ya don't have to be so happy about it.

So like. /is/ the other world some evil hellscape where only a few are good? Or is it just that SB was bullied and Claw lost his mom and The Supreme is manipulating them? Because Hesperia is going on about shit being awful, but if there's more changes then just the slightly altered path, that kinda ruins the idea that they're all just a touch different. But if that world's so fucked how'd they turn out good?

I love how Mari's beartrap diary comes back just to get easily broken into because no one would care about minor property damage if they're breaking into her house to read her diary.

Hesperia: "Claw Noir knows nothing about friendship" Me: "GEE I WONDER WHY"

ofc Alya leaves before seeing who Claw Noir is.

.... Hearing that Andre is on the 'never too late to do good' show or whatever is hurting me knowing the abuse abandonment and kidnapping he takes part in during season 5.

GOD EMODRIEN AND EMONETTE JUST FUCKIN but also their lovesquare is great.

We see a glimpse into the other world in a flashback and things seem? Fine?? ???

So SB and Claw didn't know about the Wish that could give them what they want, but joined The Supreme because......?

"MOM GET OFF MY BACK!!!" Peak middle school emo phase.

Okay but question of how bad things /actually/ are aside, the acting in this? It hurts hearing her cry and all and just want to have the life with friends.

Monarch has finally shown up and he's also having fun but also SB, Claw? This would be the time for regular knives!

Okay but why are they trusting Monarch so easily? You'd think they'd have some trust issues with people offering to make their dreams come true

Giant Shady and Claw. If they're not Akumas, I'm assuming Illusions. Why doesn't Mari think of that?

Alya is the MVP tho!

Mari honey your plans are ALWAYS convoluted it's your thing.

Stilll a little bullshit on why they didn't do the identity reveal but... I mean they gotta ya know?

GOD Monarch's stained glass butterfly lapel is the only thing about his design that absolutely FUCKS

THE BAD ACTING OMG

Oh hey Multiplication makes Gabe a normal height instead of fucking 220cm/7'2"!!!!!!!

Here's how Maribug and Adrichat(the ships) can still win!

Chat without an ear looks cursed

So the Guardian Angel thing saves them, but why didn't Monarch try to Venom them a second time?

Still hate how Shady pins all the bad things in her life on Chloé even though either 1.) all the pain is from The Supreme making everything a hellscape and filled with assholes, or 2.) everything was the same up until Origins where she had friends and loving parents and all.

Okay other than the :/ on the Chloé bashing and the question of what's going on in their world/why things are Like This, the scene is fucking fantastic. No commentary. For as much as I dunk on ML, when it's good it's REALLY GOOD

Okay only one note: Mari has way to much faith her speech will work. Like girl at least dodge.

I do think it's a little weird that Claw stopped though. Like, he and Shady already signed up for murder. He's probably killed someone's mother before. Why would he care about the Wish doing it for him?

Also like. Monarch wasn't watching this shit? Really?

They still have the dunking on each other dynamic.

So. The Rooster can do interdimensional travel. Because sure that doesn't break it's bullshit rules I guess. Why doesn't Monarch do this later when no one's paying attention?

HATSUNE MIKU????

Scarabella and Kitty Noire universe! I'm just gonna assume they're the lovesquare in that one.

anime universe lmao

The comic one is a copout

Wait. The implication with the Mr. Bug and Lady Noire one is that it's still the original LB and CN just swapped. How did. How did they swap in 10 seconds without revealing their identities???

Mari's final speech once again implies that everything was the same until Origins.

Also the Alyanette is STRONG today

Get these girlss a fuckin NAP

Okay overall thoughts:

While I do think it has it's flaws, some of which piss me off a lot. This was mostly a very fucking good special holy fuck.

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tsubasame-no · 2 years

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made this blog so i can liveblog tsubasa reservoir chronicle if i decide to re read it without annoying my followers on my main

#im just gonna annoy the ppl in the tsubasa tag instead #trc

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akinari-kashihara · 1 year

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Yesterday's Changelog

Arknights - Updated Avataro Sentai Donbrothers - Updated D.Gray-Man - Updated Mobile Fighter G Gundam - Updated Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger - Uploaded Mirai Sentai Timeranger - Uploaded Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - Uploaded Tsubasa-RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE- - Uploaded Ultraman Geed - Uploaded Ultraman Mebius - Uploaded Kamen Rider Ex-Aid Opinion - Updated Landing Page - Now contains the changelog and removed the Neocities default Liveblog Library - Updated Age Check pages have been added to relevant liveblogs

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psychewritesbs · 2 years

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The Seven Luminaries IV

I’m over all this fate bullsht. idk why but it feels more confusing in x than it does in Tsubasa. BLAH.

Anyways... in this chapter we have...

Sympathy for Kamui

Our rolling head count goes up to 7!

Everybody’s favorite creepster shows up!

More Subaru breadcrumbs

Fuuma the kinkmaster

Humans playing God because the idea that Kamui, a human, can challenge the order of things (fate) wasn’t complicated enough

Kotori’s dream--this was by far my favorite part

I’m going to need for characters to stop meddling with fate

Aunt Tokiko’s nips

That’s right... Aunt Tokiko’s nips make a cameo in this chapter just as she becomes a rolling head god I missed liveblog bsing.

Sympathy for Kamui

I have to be honest.

I did not like Kamui very much at all the first time I read x. Sure I warmed up to him as the story progressed and he became less of a feral cat and turned into a domesticated cat.

And yes, I get it, his cattitude was very much a front, a mask he put on. And I think it was in the last chapter’s liveblog that I mentioned that the mask may have been what others expected and projected onto him.

But, now that I am taking my time reading x (this is my second time reading the manga), and that I am paying more attention to Kamui... man... this poor kid.

This 16-year-old wait actually how old is he?, not only does he carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, literally, he’s had to see and experience heartbreaking things that would break any normal human being.

Not to mention Kamui is also carrying the guilt of thinking that his friends will suffer because of him.

Idk. There’s something here about how these experiences shaped him and led him to make a specific choice.

It’s just so sad to see him try to walk away from his heart (Kotori and Fuuma) to try to protect them and himself--even though in the end, those bonds ended up being far too compelling to be ignored, and the source of the pain he wanted to run from.

Fate.

Rolling head count: #5

Challenging fate and destiny

Um. Listen. Kotori is so damn cute.

But anyways, that’s besides the point.

I just love how Kamui, who up until that point appeared to have no purpose for his power, is questioning whether there is a purpose for his fated powers.

I suppose the difference between this moment and the moment when good boi Fuuma officially turns into Fuuma the kinkmaster is that in this scene Kamui is exploring the idea of using his powers to protect Kotori (and Fuuma).

He has not made a definite choice.

Above all, I particularly love how Kamui is coming to the realization that he can't hide his head in the sand and hide from his fate and/or destiny. He can’t hide from his pain if he wants to protect the people he loves.

I’ve always wondered how many birds CLAMP killed to get so many feathers into the panels but... I think the panel above made me wonder whether the birds are meant to symbolize free will.

In a story about fate and destiny defining our every choice, birds are about flight and freedom, and it kind of makes me wonder about Kotori’s role in the story and her ultimate sacrifice.

Since it parallels Sakura’s from Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle, I can’t help but wonder if Kotori too was trying to influence fate and the future through her sacrifice.

But alas, as soon as Kamui thinks about using his powers to protect Kotori, he’s given the opportunity to test his resolve.

Dun dun dun...

What on Earth could possibly be going on?!

DUN DUN DUN!!!!!

Enter everybody’s favorite creepster

Sei-chan... you’re really over-the-top dramatic and cringe.

But I love you all the more for it.

The seisub breadcrumbs give me life.

Ok but... since Sei hides behind his glasses...

It’s really cool to see his eyes once again.

You know... since he’s so unfeeling and his eyes never give him away about how unfeeling he is and all...

But my favorite part about this whole interaction against Kamui is that Sei looks down on Kamui’s kindness as though it was weakness.

The lines “such a kind boy. But if you continue to hold onto the girl, you won’t be able to dodge the next one” say more about Sei’s own relationship to kindness than it says anything about Kamui.

It’s almost as though Sei sees kindness as something that gets in the way of self-preservation. And like... idk, to me it feels like Sei might have been a kind person once upon a time and had to learn to do away with that kindness to preserve his sense of self.

Truly... who knows.

What gets me is that, despite looking down on kindness as a quality, he can say something like this with such a kind look on his face. Almost as though he feels tenderness for how Kamui’s kindness is about to hurt him dearly.

This man is such a conundrum and I love him all the more for it.

But then good boi Fuuma breaks into and dispels Sei’s illusion and it marks the beginning of their lifelong bromance.

Fuuma the kinkmaster

We also get one of the first glimpses of Fuuma the kinkmaster as Fuuma caresses Kamui’s face.

And then all of a sudden it’s sexy time!

Would you just look at that leg!

Also I’m off the idea that good boi Fuuma and bad boi Fuuma are actually the same--like the two sides of the same coin. So let’s see how that idea holds up as I keep reading because there’s something far less introverted about bad boi Fuuma.

Perhaps introversion is not the right word... I shall think long and hard about it.

But it’s interesting that Kamui kept denying that bad boi Fuuma was the same as good boi Fuuma right up until the end.

Is Kamui in denial? Or does he truly know him best?

But if he’s simply joining team Earth because Kamui has been leaning towards making the choice to honor his desire to protect those he loves, then Fuuma is simply becoming the opposite--one who does not choose his heart.

Ah... idk idk. It truly feels like it’s two sides of the same coin and one of them is hidden.

Humans playing God

What with all the talk of challenging or accepting one’s fate and destiny, we also have humans playing God.

And there’s something kind of unsettling about this because... idk how to say other than by bringing up the idea that fate is beyond the human mind’s comprehension.

And yet, humans, in their pursuit of our egocentric goals, will resort to playing God in the name of science.

Now, there’s more to Nataku’s creation than science for the sake of science, but we’re still talking about humans playing God.

TRC’s Syaoran and Nataku

I’m just going to leave that here for anyone who reads this to mull over.

But anyways, on top of the arrogance of playing God is the arrogance of assuming this creation would not have a soul.

Considering TRC Syaoran and x’s Nataku, it kind of begs the question, what is the soul?

Yay Subaru!

Have you noticed how much hype is built up about Subaru showing up in mangas outside of Tokyo Babylon?

In x, CLAMP has been foreshadowing his return for a couple of chapters already. Feeding us breadcrumbs.

It’s ok tho... I’ll take all the breadcrumbs.

In TRC it’s the same. We get breadcrumbed until we finally see him in the Tokyo Revelations Arc and finally learn he’s the cutest vampire ever.

It’s kind of cute that CLAMP treats Subaru with so much reverence and likes to create hype and anticipation about his character showing up.

Fuuma’s promise

Here we go with the birds again.

Are the feathers meant to symbolize free will?

Or did a bird just happened to get murdered in the vicinity?

Your guess is as good as mine but my money is on the latter.

Also, I suspect that bad boi Fuuma never quite let go of that promise. Instead he decided to be the one who made Kamui cry bahaha.

YES! The breadcrumbs coalesce into something coherent

I just realized how much Subaru wants to look like Sei...

And just as quickly as he came, he’s gone.

Kotori’s dream

Gosh I can’t talk about Kotori’s dream without including all the panels in the dream... but this liveblog is already very image heavy.

It’s just that the way the dream is so...

From the way the whole dream is depicted as Kotori stepping into a realm beyond our physical world--outside of space-time. Or more like... a space between dreams, between two realities where no matter how fated events unfold, her fate is one set in stone.

And, again, there’s something about how she’s a “bird” caged by her fate. She is not free to escape her fate.

I am seriously going to need CLAMP to decide how they want to handle the whole situation.

Is fate something free will can overcome, or not?

Hell. WHAT IS FREE WILL?

Perhaps that is the point--the human spirit can remain free even while bound by fated events, but only when it exercises its freedom of choice.

Idk. This is too smart for me.

I’ll focus on something more aligned with my intelligence level like...

Rolling head count: #6

So if there’s another panel of Kotori’s severed head right next to this one, does that count for two heads or one head?

Ok, let’s count one head per character per scene.

That’s 2 rolling heads this chapter already!

The prophecy

Ok.

What the fudge tho...

I’m getting a Tsubasa-induced confusion headache here.

So Saya’s sacrifice changed the future...

Again, callback to Sakura sacrificing herself to change the future in Tsubasa and Kotori doing the same in x.

Does that mean Hokuto changed the fated future too?

All these women getting stabbed by phallic symbols in CLAMP as a metaphor for changing the future is so... space-time metaphor?

Confusion aside...

What’s also interesting is that at least in x, the swords are given birth to so that the weapons that will be used in the battle for the end of the world are born to this world from a womb the way a human would be.

Which is an interesting contrast to Nataku and how Nataku, not born from a woman’s womb, is thought not to possess a soul.

Again, what is a soul in CLAMP?

Rolling head count: #7

Alas, we end the chapter with yet another rolling head.

Aunt Tokiko gives birth to the second sword is that her nips tho? and thus becomes Kamui’s last living relative (that we know of) to die, thus kickstarting the fated events that would lead to the battle for the end of the world.

#x liveblog incoming #x/1999

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surpriserose · 2 years

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Oh god this town rly is in bad shape

#trc liveblog #tsubasa reservoir chronicle

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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Why is “Good Morning” such a cursed phrase in this universe

#Just OH the VISIBLE PAIN for them both #And you can visibly see them putting on a happier mask #For the sake of the other #Such a tender and small moment #That conveys so much for them both #Not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #watanuki #Yuuko ichihara #xxxholic #xxxholic 77 #-oh do the CURTAINS CHANGE?#When Yuuko changes her expression?#SO STILL DREAM LAND?#IS REALITY REAL???#HOW FAR DOWN DOES IT GO?#DOES THE STORE EVEN EXIST OR IS IT JUST IN THE DREAMSCAPE #IS YUUKO THE STORE OR IS SHE JUST CONNECTED TO IT #UNCONFIRMED

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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A plot theory? In MY liveblog?

It’s more likely than you think!

In which I will secretly divulge my current working theories on Watanuki and what is deal is here in this post.

BUT: please do not comment or reply in a way that confirms OR denies anything in this post.

Nothing at all!

You may be as cryptic as you like but any actual answers will ruin the entire fun.

Do you promise?

Do you?

By clicking the Read More you officially promise not to spoil anything <3

THANK YOU I APPRECIATE IT GREATLY

To be specific, I am currently up to Chapitre 176 of Tsubasa and Chapter 74 of xxxHolic, so nothing after those points should be mentioned in any way.

But that aside, feel free to enjoy the wild theories that CLAMP have inflicted upon me.

Theory Part One: Watanuki and Lava Lamp

In which I’m relatively certain that CLAMP are hinting that Watanuki and Lava Lamp are brothers.

The posts I’m working off are: Post one (where the idea is vaguely born), Post two (the direct parallels with Fuuma/Seishirou), Post three (Sakura mentions it again), as well as Post four and five, the most recent time that their connection has been paraded through the storyline.

(It would also explain this moment, as well as why Lava Lamp wants Watanuki to survive so much, AND how he knows he's under threat of not existing)

Theory confidence: Like 100%

If I’m wrong about this one I will literally scream.

Theory Part Two: Watanuki's Parents

In the current part of xxxHolic the birthday connection between Sakura/Syaoran/Lava Lamp/Watanuki is hovering right in front of our faces doing a T Pose, especially with Watanuki’s name AND unidentified parents in the mix (their faces have always out of shot, perhaps implying that their identity is a reveal? Or that they would be recognisable to us?).

But from the way Sakura talks about the importance it has to HER in particular (in this post again), is it possible that SHE named Watanuki? Through time travel shenanigans?

But also why would SHE name Watanuki of all people - UNLESS UNLESS UNLESS she was Watanuki’s mother???

WHICH LIKE. I’m not sure actually pans out logically but I’ve been thinking about this for days and I think it might work. Either Sakura and Syaoran are Lava Lamp and Watanuki’s time travel parents (In a way set up by the Shura/Shara changing timeline) OR an alternate world version of them are, which is probably safer but much less dramatic. The former might explain why the changing nature of the timeline affects Watanuki so much, since he’s the only one at a stable point in the timeline while Lava Lamp hops around.

Theory confidence: like 30%

Honestly this one could easily go in a completely different direction, but when I read that conversation between Watanuki and Sakura my mind lights on FIRE and the possibility just seems to interesting to ignore.

Theory Part Three: EGG-CHAN

Which basically boils down to me obsessing over the egg that Sakura steals in Acid Tokyo, and how once it crossed dimensions it became two very different eggs: one that hatches and one that never will. Which, like, is such a WILD detail for an egg that Yuuko tells us is going to be a key factor in saving the storyline.

So like, what if that could also happen with people? What if LAVA LAMP is properly Sakura and Syaoran’s son (again, either our versions or other ones) and Watanuki kind of appeared as another universe glitch when they crossed dimensions at some point? Which would explain why it’s ONLY him that is falling out of existence when the timeline seems to change, since he technically was never really part of it to begin with. And also why the egg will be important in saving him (as Yuuko tells Doumeki), since it has such a similar nature to him.

And like maybe I’m WAY OFF and this is just inherently hilarious to read BUT I really like the symmetry of it all if this is true, since it would mean that Past/Future/Alternate Sakura lost Watanuki while trying to save his life as a baby, and Acid Tokyo Sakura (who is or isn’t the same person) also saves Watanuki once he’s grown up, by suffering in Acid Tokyo and stealing the egg that will save his life. It all becomes a lovely inverted circle of causation and I'm just fawning over it.

Theory confidence: like 60%?

Honestly completely regardless of who Watanuki’s parents are I’m relatively confident that THIS is the reason why the egg will save his life. But I would ALSO REALLY like the parents thing to be correct as well. Just for funsies.

ANYWAY: END OF THEORIES.

Feel free to discuss this pretty much anywhere except for on this blog. <3 No answers whatsoever please! :D

#A THEORY: IN PARTS #No spoilers please #Liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #xxxholic 73 #xxxholic #tsubasa

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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[16]

And here is Yuuko to explain the hitsuzen of it all at the end. Like everything else, this was all cause and effect - wishes for harm have harmful effects, like we were noting earlier.

It is VERY nice that Yuuko gets to point out the logic behind the storyline, especially considering this arc began so long ago. Despite it all, Kohane cared for her mother, and was hoping that eventually she would actually come around and start wishing for the same thing she did. But she didn’t, and so she had to look for a chance to change the circumstances.

Which IN ITSELF is incredible of her, really, because not all parents are worth saving, and especially ones that treat people like that.

Doumeki suspects the powers had a part to play in their connection, but I genuinely disagree. At best their shared power just opened the chance for them to meet, but everything else was all just their personalities at play, and their connection was built by choices they both made, irrespective of any spiritual power. At the end of the day the choice to save Kohane had nothing at all to do with the supernatural, and everything to do with them both wishing for it to happen.

And that’s a beautiful way to wrap it all up!

CHAPTER: END

#I know Yuuko’s statement is about Kohane and Watanuki #But the framing of it also makes it apply to her and Watanuki too #And that’s gorgeous #long post #Not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #xxxholic 80 #xxxholic #Kohane #Watanuki #Doumeki #Yuuko Ichihara

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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[17]

;____;

ROLL CREDITS

#;_;#;__;#;___;#Oops it’s Kohane’s happiness all the way down #PERFECT NO NOTES #WONDERFUL CHAPTER #xxxholic #xxxholic 81 #Not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #Kohane #Yuuko Ichihara #Watanuki #Doumeki #Mokona #If xxxHolic ended here it’d be the happy ending #HMM WE CAN PRETEND IT ENDS HERE IT’S FINE #WOW I LOVED THE FINALE OF XXXHOLIC #IT WAS GREAT

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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[10]

Oh oh oh wish time! I genuinely love any time we get to see the magic circles. They’re just so good.

Also shut UP with Kohane’s wish being granted visually making her look like a butterfly unfurling its wings and taking flight for the first time. Shut right up with that.

Gorgeous. Completely wonderful. 10/10 would watch again.

And her HAIR floating straight upward - no longer even slightly looking like the prison bars they once signified, but instead showing her moving forward and upward and getting to move towards the happiness she truly deserves.

It’s um…

Wait.

WAIT EXCUSE ME???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

#???????????#PARDON????#The nick is broken please reboot and try again #xxxholic #xxxholic 81 #Not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #Kohane #Yuuko Ichihara #OF ALL THE THINGS I THOUGHT MIGHT HAPPEN #THAT WAS NOT EVER ON THE LIST #DID YOU KNOW????????#DID YOU KNOW THAT WAS JUST THERE THE WHOLE TIME?????????

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completeoveranalysis · 1 year

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[2]

Ok first page is under the cut because it has a flashback to Watanuki getting hit by a full adult, just in case you don’t want to see this

OOH OOH IS IT DRAMA TIME?

IS DOUMEKI GOING TO PUSH THE ISSUE?

Watanuki said he wouldn’t let someone hurt him - but in the moment he went back on his word to protect Kohane.

Which was a great thing to do, but it still involved breaking his word to Doumeki, and now he’s trying to gloss over it. Perhaps Watanuki thinks it doesn’t count. But it does to Doumeki, who is trying SO HARD to keep him safe and has paid more than once to do so.

THEYRE FIGHTING!! YES PLEASE! THANK YOU! GIVE ME CHARACTER CONFLICT!!!!!!

AND SUCH A MATURE FIGHT TOO???

In all the times it doesn’t really matter, Watanuki yells at Doumeki because it’s what they do, and they both know he doesn’t mean it.

Here, it’s a serious situation, so they’re both calm. There are no frantic outbursts, no flailing or shouting. Just them both trying to navigate the hurt between them while Watanuki refuses to look in his direction or stop what he’s doing, because that would be too much.

It’s really interesting that even when pressed Watanuki still has excuses about why he put himself in harms way - that it would make Kohane LESS sad than the alternative.

They’re past the easy zone of “get hit and make people sad” vs “don’t get hit and don’t make people sad”. It’s a complex situation that pokes holes in all the safe options they had and instead leaves a brutally real mess instead. There was no good option. Watanuki upset people (Doumeki) by being hurt, but he stands by it as the least awful outcome. There’s a lot that can be teased out of this, how Watanuki is willing to put himself through unknown levels of suffering because he’s convinced this will be better for someone else - which is exactly what Lava Lamp was saying about himself a few chapters ago. Both of them are chronically willing to suffer to help other people, even if it hurts others to see it, as long as it seems like the best option. And hint: to them it will ALWAYS seem like the best option, because they view their own suffering as less important than anyone else’s, so it’s a very difficult mental cycle to break.

Doumeki very much takes the place of a concerned partner here, trying to talk Watanuki out of self destructive behaviour without being able to convince him that he matters MORE than other people’s sadness in more scenarios than they’re willing to consider.

BUT

All that aside I want to SCREAM because when Watanuki finally addresses the situation fully and honestly he turns to Doumeki, looking straight at him, and says that he knows he always he’ll be ok when Doumeki is protecting him.

HELLO?????

This is the most open and vulnerable they have ever been when talking alone with each other and it’s SO MUCH

#Never mind the fact that Doumeki was restrained by security #We’re ignoring that for the moment #Watanuki just looked straight at Doumeki and was HONEST #About how he relies on him and trusts him with his safety #AND IM SCREAMING #Not liveblogging the reservoir chronicle #xxxholic #xxxholic 81 #Watanuki #Doumeki #They're married I'm sorry

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