Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
xxxHOLiC Episode 14 – Quick Summary
In xxxHOLiC episode 14, “Seal,” Yuuko and Mokona went shopping, and Watanuki tagged along. They saw twins buying some flounder – nice flounder, flown in from Dover. Watanuki thought Yuuko coveted the fish. But she really saw something disturbing about the sisters. What, she wouldn’t say, but Watanuki had a bad feeling about it. Why was one sister so upbeat and the other so gloomy? What had Yuuko seen? And how many more times will Watanuki buy lunch for Doumeki?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from xxxHOLiC Episode 14
He thinks he realized what’s going on. Now what? Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Cooking for other people is weird. If I do household chores for someone, or if I mow their grass, that’s one thing. But cooking feels like something completely different. It’s more personal. It’s almost intimate.
That’s why I get how Yuuko might be right when she said she “lets” Watanuki cook for her. Mind you, with Yuuko, the sentiment might come with a load of teasing. That seems doubly true when Mokona is involved.
Be that as it may, though, I think Watanuki is aware of how weird it is to cook for other people. He seemed excited as he thought about what he was going to prepare. Suddenly, he froze, and his self-awareness caught up.
He said (05:44), “I get the feeling that I’m brimming with joy and willingness because she’s letting me do this. She got me!”
I think he was a little reluctant to say that, because I think he really does enjoy cooking for the Yuuko household. Still, I can see how he’d feel a little put upon!
Favorite Moment from xxxHOLiC Episode 14
I don’t know for sure, but she doesn’t look too scared to me! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: It Might Be Nothing, But…
I noticed something interesting as researched for this post. I couldn’t find the names of the twin sisters. I thought, “Oh, that’s okay. I remember the younger one seeing Watanuki and Doumeki in the restaurant. I even remember she chided her sister for not asking for Watanuki’s name (10:23)! I’ll bet she introduced herself!”
She didn’t ask Watanuki’s name. Nor did she introduce herself. I wonder if that’s significant? Yuuko did say that they’re human (15:42). Which reminds me: I would watch an entire episode of Yuuko juggling. But now I’m off track.
I present to you… Yuuko juggling! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
I can’t find their names in any Wiki or other literature. And they didn’t introduce themselves. Why is that? The reason I ask is a) I’m curious and b) I don’t remember this episode at all. I’m sure I didn’t skip it the first several times I watched this series.
Maybe they broke the fourth wall and messed with my mind? Or maybe I’m just forgetful. Occam’s razor probably favors the latter!
So, I’m torn about my favorite moment. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Yuuko juggle. She seemed so festive! But instead of that moment, I’m going to pick a character moment. It’s something that felt perfect for who Watanuki is.
Delivery: Watanuki Missed The Point – Didn’t He?
Watanuki and Doumeki took the sisters on a movie date. Watanuki had observed the older sister (the one who acts gloomy) acting in a way that suggested she might like Doumeki. While they watched the scary movie, Watanuki watched as the young sister, the one who acted more outgoing, cling Doumeki’s arm during a scary moment. She even said (20:10), “It’s scarier than I thought it would be. You’re a lifesaver for coming along. Like I can relax!”
The look she gave him spoke volumes.
Watanuki, though, thought (20:25), “I wonder if regular people can sense Doumeki’s ability to ward off spirits.”
It’s got to be hard, living in the world Watanuki does. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
I think he missed the point, didn’t he? The younger sister didn’t look in the least bit afraid. She just wanted to have a socially acceptable reason for grabbing onto Doumeki. From where I sat, it looked like she was really enjoying herself! But Watanuki could only see the scene in terms of the spiritual monsters clustered all around them. Seeing such a natural, innocent flirting scene set in that context was itself fascinating. Seeing how Watanuki interpreted it was even better.
My life just feels happier when I encounter well-written characters interacting with a well-crafted world.
What did you think of the older sister’s forehead bleeding at the end? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to share in the comments!
xxxHOLiC Episode 14: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- My Anime List (must be logged in to view): xxxHOLiC Episode 14 Discussion
- Star Crossed Anime: xxxHolic – 14 – Twins and Vibrations
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- xxxHOLiC Episode 01: The Inevitable
- xxxHOLiC Episode 02: Falsehood
- xxxHOLiC Episode 03: Angel
- xxxHOLiC Episode 04: Fortune-Telling
- xxxHOLiC Episode 05: Game of Letters
- xxxHOLiC Episode 06: Indulgence
- xxxHOLiC Episode 07: Hydrangea
- xxxHOLiC Episode 08: Contract
- xxxHOLiC Episode 09: Pinky Promise
- xxxHOLiC Episode 10: Lamplight
- xxxHOLiC Episode 11: Confession
- xxxHOLiC Episode 12: Summer Shade
- xxxHOLiC Episode 13: Transfiguration
- xxxHOLiC Episode 14: Seal
- xxxHOLiC Episode 15: Release
- xxxHOLiC Episode 16: Reunion
- xxxHOLiC Episode 17: Self-Mutilation
- xxxHOLiC Episode 18: Ground Cherry
- xxxHOLiC Episode 19: Unreasonable
- xxxHOLiC Episode 20: Atonement
- xxxHOLiC Episode 21: Nail Clipper
- xxxHOLiC Episode 22: Tempations
- xxxHOLiC Episode 23: Choices
- xxxHOLiC Episode 24: Side Story: Reminiscence
The fact no one can find, or remember these twins names – really adds to the mystery of this episode, doesn’t it? Watanuki has to ask Yuuko if they are human. True, Doumecki has seen and interacted with them – so they aren’t spirits of some kind, or one person pretending to be twins or…are they? What is NOT a mystery is the waves of negativity pouring off the older sister. For those (like me) in the self help community, this is a very familiar scenario. If you believe you cannot do it, you can’t do it. If you expect people to reject you, they will. If you expect bad things to happen, they do. What you put out – you get back. To me, it isn’t at all surprising to see this attitude coming off someone in waves – waves that affect everyone and everything around them. This happens in reality – well, my reality. And the other twin is upbeat, out going, and sociable. I think this actually does happen sometimes. While this is going on, Watanuki is being Watanuki and overthinking everything based on his own ego, is she not interested in me, is she more interested in Doumecki, I’m surrounded by spirits in the theatre (when its obvious to us observers they are pulled to the negative sister). I think my favorite moment in this one though, is a personal thing. Because I HAVE been standing and talking to someone and so involved in what I was trying to express to them that before I knew it I had gone through the line and bought lunch for both of us… yes, really. Blush. I was young… The blood on the foreheard – well you know she wanted to go home, so she created a situation – consciously or unconsciously – that made it so no doubt Watanuki is going to leap up, panic, and offer to take her home (or to an ER) thus ruining everyone elses night in such a way that they can hardly complain about it – but instead have to show concern and worry over her, moving the center of attention to the oldest sister who otherwise quite stands in the shadow of her bright and engaging younger sister. Lots of entanglement and complexity here…
The waves thing — it’s a hard concept to get ahead of. By that, I mean I see that you’re right. We get back what we put out. But the causality defeats my attempts to understand it. “Bad luck” seems to follow some people, even when they try to be positive. Or maybe the attempt to be positive is a facade, and reality know that? Or maybe both.
The character subtlety here, as you described with the older sister manipulating the situation, really impressed me. this show had such a deft hand when it came to character! Very enjoyable and thought-provoking.
It is made clear in the next episode specifically where this is coming from and I’ll talk more about it in the comments there, but you are quite right when you say sometimes you don’t see how in the world bad luck (to use a term that is easier than a 40 word explanation) comes to some people over and over in spite of what seems like a good attitude and good words. We can never know everything about another person. We sometimes cannot see where these bad vibes that affect them are coming from. When someone has such negative self talk, it certainy does or did come from somewhere else – that is to say, usually, someone else. Maybe they have been in a situation where their ethnic group is constantly put down and they internalized that, or their gender or something else. That’s why some attitudes are so perversive, such as watching TV in the early years and seeing only white people, and black people as comedy and servants can cause someone who is black to internalize that, and worse, as they go through life express that to their children and grand children. That’s just an easy explanation, you ought to hear the one with Native Americans. One thing I am happy to see is that humans seem to be developing a knowledge and appreciation of this, and working to improve both what they say now, and trying to repair damage done over generations as well.
I suppose in that context, I should take some encouragement from seeing one of our political parties fighting so hard to block an accurate representation of history — they know that the facts don’t put them in a good light, and they want to continue the status.
That they feel threatened is the encouraging part!
I really do feel sorry for Watanuki. He needs Doumeki’s help but refuses to admit it. Individually they are flawed but together they make a decent team. At the same time, Doumeki uses him mercilessly. Watanuki gets flustered but still just takes it. He’s really very passive.
They really do make a decent team, don’t they? Is pride keeping Watanuki from admitting it? Poor self-esteem feeding a need to be independent? The character makes sense to me, but I haven’t been able to get inside his head to understand his POV yet. Even after watching the show all these times.
Hmm, I’m with you, I really don’t remember this episode. Or rather, I only remember Doumeki and Watanuki chatting with some twins at a cafe. I honestly don’t remember them going to a movie or really anything else. Oo, now I’m curious! What are the twins names?! I’m going to have to research this.
If you find out, could you let me know? I still haven’t found them!