Appeal and Review of the Movie "xxxHOLiC: A Midsummer Night's Dream": Enjoy the Dreamlike World of Summer

"xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream" - A Midsummer Night's Dream and a Mysterious Auction

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

July 20, 2005 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Shochiku

■Frequencies

60 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

CLAMP ("xxxHOLiC" serialized in Kodansha's "Weekly Young Magazine")

■ Director

Tsutomu Mizushima

■ Production

・Animation production: Production IG
Produced by: Shochiku, Kodansha, Production IG, Nippon Shuppan Hanbai, Movic, Dentsu, Pyrotechnist

■Works

©2005 CLAMP/Kodansha/"xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream" Production Committee

■ Story

Watanuki Kimihiro is a high school student who can see "Ayakashi" that normal people cannot see. One day, he meets Ichihara Yuko, the owner of a mysterious shop. Yuko says she can grant any wish. However, to do so, a price must be paid. The movie begins with Yuko receiving a letter from an unknown sender. It is an invitation to an auction. Seven enthusiastic collectors are invited to an old Western-style mansion. They say they accepted the invitation from the owner of the mansion to complete their collection. However, no matter how long they wait, the owner does not appear. Eventually, one by one, the collectors disappear... The mysterious owner of the mansion. A mysterious girl. A series of strange events that occur in one night. What on earth is being auctioned? Who is the inviter? The cunning and foolish behavior of people obsessed with possessing things, and the timeless feelings of the mansion's occupant. How will the fascinating mystery be solved and how will the sad love story end? A superb mystery where each mystery leads to more mysteries.

*Quoted from the Shochiku DVD Club official website

■Explanation

Let's make your wishes come true.
If you pay the appropriate price--
Yuuko, the female owner of a store, cuts through the various "xxxHOLiC = xxx addictions" that lurk in the darkness in the hearts of ordinary people living in modern society.

*Quoted from Production.IG official website

■Cast

・Yuko Ichihara/Sayaka Ohara/Kimihiro Watanuki/Jun Fukuyama/Shizuka Doumeki/Kazuya Nakai/Himawari Kuno/Shizuka Ito/Maru/Kazuko Kojima/Moro/Hisayo Mochizuki/Mokona/Mika Kikuchi

■ Main staff

・Original work: CLAMP ("xxxHOLiC" serialized in Kodansha's "Weekly Young Magazine")
・Director, storyboard, direction / Mizushima Tsutomu・Screenplay / Sakurai Keiki, Fujisaku Junichi・Character design, animation director / Kise Kazuya・Prop setting / Ueda Minoru・Art setting / Watanabe Takashi・Art director / Hirata Shuichi・Color setting / Yoshida Sayuri・Animation check / Ichimanda Chieko・Director of photography / Ezura Hisashi・Editing / Hamautsu Taeko・Music / Saito Tsuneyoshi・Sound director / Wakabayashi Kazuhiro・Producers / Iwasaki Yoshihiro, Seki Junji, Kawaguchi Toru, Shirahama Natsumi, Doshita Ritsuaki, Watanabe Tetsuya, Shikano Ikuko・Animation production / Production IG
Produced by: Shochiku, Kodansha, Production IG, Nippon Shuppan Hanbai, Movic, Dentsu, Pyrotechnist Distributed by: Shochiku

■ Main Characters

The owner of a store that will grant any wish as long as you pay the appropriate <price>. She leaves the housework to her part-time worker Yokaichi and is a drinker who drinks during the day, but she has a mysterious and powerful <power> and is also known as the <Witch of Dimensions>. There are many mysteries surrounding her, such as her involvement in the birth(?) of Mokona. By the way, <Ichihara Yuuko> is a pseudonym.
Yokaichi Kimihiro A high school student with a special condition that allows him to see ayakashi, which normal people cannot see. He asks Ichihara Yuuko to improve his condition, and in return for her granting his wish, he works at her store. Since he lost his parents at an early age and lives alone, he is good at cleaning, laundry, and cooking. His cooking skills are particularly impressive, impressing even the gourmet Yuuko.
Doumeki Shizuka is a classmate of Yokaichi. He is the son of a Buddhist priest and has the power to keep away the ayakashi. Yokaichi seems to be annoyed by his every move and picks a fight with him about anything.
Himawari Kuno: A classmate that Yotsukaichi has a crush on. Himawari doesn't seem to mind that much though.
Mokona: A mysterious creature. In the other world, there is a white Mokona, and the two can communicate with each other.
・The mascots at Maru & Moro Yuko's shop. Their full names are <Marudashi> and <Morodashi>.

■ Related works

・Tsubasa Chronicle Seasons 1-2 ・Movie version Tsubasa Chronicle: Princess of the Birdcage Kingdom ・Tsubasa TOKYO REVELATIONS
・Tsubasa Shunraiki ・xxxHOLiC
・xxxHOLiC Continuation ・xxxHOLiC Spring Dream Chronicle ・xxxHOLiC Cage ・xxxHOLiC Cage Adayume ・Kobato

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・Sanga ~theme from xxxHOLiC the movie~
Lyrics: Suga Shikao Composition: Suga Shikao Singer: Suga Shikao

Appeal and evaluation of "xxxHOLiC: A Midsummer Night's Dream"

"xxxHOLiC: A Midsummer Night's Dream" is an anime film based on CLAMP's popular manga "xxxHOLiC" and was released on July 20, 2005. This work skillfully incorporates the worldview of the original work while developing a new story, making a strong impression on fans and new viewers alike. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this movie.

The appeal of the story

The story of the film begins with a mysterious letter received by Ichihara Yuko. The letter is an invitation to an auction held in an old Western-style mansion. Seven collectors have been invited, all of whom have come to perfect their own collections. However, while the owner of the auction fails to show up, a mystery unfolds as the collectors begin to disappear one by one. This setting is portrayed from a new perspective while cleverly incorporating the original theme of "desire and price."

Particularly impressive is the way in which the people's obsession with possessing things intersects with the timeless feelings of the owner of the mansion. While the cunning and foolishness of the collectors is depicted, the sad love story of the owner of the mansion progresses, drawing the viewer in. The exquisite intertwining of these two elements adds even more depth to the story.

Character Appeal

The characters in this film retain the charm of the original work while adding the film's own unique charm. In particular, the relationship between Ichihara Yuuko and Watanuki Kimihiro is portrayed in greater depth than in the original work. Yuuko's mysterious powers and Kimihiro's special constitution are at the center of the story, and their growth and conflicts make a strong impression on the viewer. Additionally, the characters of Doumeki Shizuka and Kuno Himawari also make use of the essence of the original work while enhancing their appeal with the film's unique development.

Furthermore, characters such as Mokona and Maru & Moro also add color to the story. Mokona's mysterious presence and Maru & Moro's humorous portrayal lighten the viewer's mood amidst the heavy storyline and balance it out.

The appeal of video and music

The visual beauty of this film is where Production IG's high level of technical skill shines. The depiction of the old Western-style mansion and the visuals of the ayakashi are visually stunning, enhancing the atmosphere of the story. Director Mizushima Tsutomu's direction is also superb, skillfully bringing out the tension of the mystery and the emotion of the sad love story.

Music is also an important element in enhancing the appeal of this work. The theme song "Sanga" by Suga Shikao has a beautiful melody that symbolizes the theme of the story and resonates deeply with the viewers. In addition, Saito Tsuneyoshi's music stirs emotions as the story unfolds, and has the power to draw the viewers into the world of the story.

Ratings and Recommendations

"xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a film that can be highly recommended not only to fans of the original work, but also to those who like anime films, mysteries, and romance stories. By respecting the worldview of the original work while developing a new story, it gives viewers fresh surprises and excitement. In addition, the characters are charming, the visuals are beautiful, and the quality of the music is high, making it a film that deserves very high praise overall.

In particular, the fact that the series was made so that even those unfamiliar with the original work can enjoy it is commendable. The background of the story and the relationships between the characters are carefully depicted, allowing even first-time viewers to become immersed in the story. In addition, the exquisite blend of mystery and romance elements makes it a work that can appeal to a wide range of audiences.

Connections with related works

This work has deep ties to other works by CLAMP. It is particularly related to "Tsubasa Chronicle," and there are scenes where characters from both works intertwine. This allows fans to gain a deeper understanding of CLAMP's worldview, which is a big attraction for them. It also links to other works in the "xxxHOLiC" series, making it an important work for enjoying the entire series.

summary

"xxxHOLiC The Movie: A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a masterpiece that brings out the best of the original work while developing a new story. The elements of mystery and romance are exquisitely blended, and the characters are charming, the visuals are beautiful, and the music is of high quality, leaving a strong impression on viewers. This work is highly recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for those who like anime movies, mysteries, and romance stories, and is an important work for deeply enjoying the world of CLAMP.