xxxHOLiC the Movie: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Review

Of course, xxxHOLiC the Movie is a film adaption from the popular series that follows Kimihiro Watanuki who is more than a normal high school student because he possess the ability to see spirits. One day, he wonders into a shop own by a mysterious Yuuko who grants people’s deepest wishes and desires. She can free him of his “ability”. However, she demands a price in return – he must work for her. This film is very different from a lot of anime films I watch on a regular basis. This can either be interpreted as good or bad. Nothing is what it seems, and little is explained along the way. xxxHolic: A Midsummer Night’s Dream can be seen as an extra episode to the television series which nowadays is good to see as most anime films have no connection to their TV counterparts.

Clocking in at just over an hour, it is short, but carries itself really mature as it has an overall darker, more gothic feel to it. What really makes this anime tick is its ability to draw in the audience and carry them through an unusual, almost frightening, spiral of events. The combination of comedy, horror, and mystery strike a perfect tone with me. Oh, and the best part? This anime is available on Blu-ray which offers up vivid colors and a thoroughly enjoyable soundtrack that anime fans are sure to love.

You’ll immediately gain a feel for the cursory relationships between each character, even within the short running time. During a final confrontation scene between Yuko and her adversary, the way she handles herself amidst ghostly beings attacking her at full speed and debris is completely riveting.  Another one of my favorite parts is Watanuki’s ridiculously long search for the restroom.  The scene is well done, revealing the strangeness of their surroundings as well as being amusing. So as you can see there is plenty of humor and action for all to be had. This film does a good job balancing them out. After all, Yuko and company must wind through the mansion and solve the mystery before they disappear too.

At turns creepy, funny, and a little dark, the xxxHOLiC movie is a lot of fun.  It felt very original and clever. However, at the same time, the themes and psychology of the film make good food for thought, exploring some fairly twisted corners of the human mind. Of course, this film isn’t perfect like I am making it seem, admittedly, the story for this film aren’t especially compelling, they are quite beautifully told. All in all, if you are a fan of the series this is mandatory viewing. Great anime film on all aspects.