xxxHOLiC Episode 20: Favorites

Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts

xxxHOLiC Episode 20 – Quick Summary

In xxxHOLiC episode 20, “Atonement,” it was almost Valentine’s day, and Yuuko wanted some chocolate desserts. Not just any chocolate desserts – she wanted fancy chocolate desserts! Watanuki would have been angry about that, but he saw an opportunity to give Himawari a tasty treat! How will Doumeki interrupt that scene (because you know he will)? How long will Watanuki rant about it? And what’s that woman with a string-wrapped envelope doing in Yuuko’s shop?

Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.

Favorite Quote from xxxHOLiC Episode 20

I’m not sure if Doumeki is oblivious or mean. Or what. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

I’m trying to decide if Doumeki is trying to antagonize Watanuki or what. I’d say he knows how to push Watanuki’s buttons, but really, under most circumstances, it’s hard not to get Watanuki riled up.

I think I’ve decided that Doumeki sees Watanuki as an annoying little brother. You know, like family. On one hand, he’ll spend all day digging in the dirt, even though it’s raining, because he wanted to rescue Watanuki. On the other… well, on the other hand, there’s my favorite quote.

Watanuki had given one of the small chocolate cakes he’d baked to Himawari, who loved it. As Watanuki tried to take a sip from his cup of coffee, Doumeki walked up, took the cup from Watanuki’s hand, and took a drink himself.

It didn’t help that Himawari observed that Doumeki carried a whole sack full of chocolates from admiring young women. But what pushed Watanuki over the top was Doumeki taking a bit of Watanuki’s own cake. That was after Himawari had assured him the inside was warm and tasty.

That pushed Watanuki over the edge. He began shaking Doumeki’s head back and forth.

“Yeah,” Doumeki said with complete indifference (09:07). “The chocolate inside sure is warm.”

So, what do you think: is Doumeki intentionally setting Watanuki off, or is Doumeki just oblivious?

Favorite Moment from xxxHOLiC Episode 20

The whole affair troubled Watanuki. And I think that’s a good thing. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

Setup: Each Life is Important

This episode dealt with some heavy subject matter. I’m glad all the series’ episodes weren’t this heavy, because that would be difficult to bear. But once in a while, an episode like this one comes along and hits hard.

I consume a lot of science fiction. Much of it is military sci-fi, with books like Nick Webb’s book Constitution. In those books, a lot of people die. I mean, a lot. In one of that series’ books, an entire planet full of billions of people gets destroyed. In those kinds of stories, the impact of the loss of a single human life can get lost.

What’s one life against a billion? That’s the wrong question. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

That didn’t happen in this episode of xxxHOLiC. Yuri had murdered a rival for the man she loved. Consumed by the terror of a photograph of the woman just before her murder, Yuri begged Yuuko for help. She begged Yuuko to destroy the photo. Yuuko warned her that she’d require a price. The woman unwisely said she’d pay anything — in spite of Yuuko’s warning that such a statement was dangerous.

Delivery: Sometimes, We Need a Reminder

So Yuuko destroyed the photo. Her price? The woman could never, ever – ever – appear in a photo or video again. Ever. If she showed up in a video, everyone viewing the video would see the scene of Yuri murdering the woman. Yuri left to face the prospect of staying in her home for the rest of her life.

At the end, Watanuki struggled with what happened. He wanted justice; he wanted to go to the police. In the end, though, Yuuko outlining the situation silenced him. She pointed out that the woman would be unable to even go to the store. “Stores with no security cameras are very rare…” she said (21:11). 

It’s hard to see here, but Mokona’s drinking alcohol again. I’m beginning to understand why. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.

My favorite moment was Yuuko’s solemn assertion that murdering a single human being extracted its own cost. A very, very high cost. Yuuko said (21:54), “It’s so big, it crushes you.”

I appreciated that somber reminder of the importance of each human life. It’s a reminder that is appropriate for all eras of human history, and our current era is no exception. It’s easy to say it’s okay to work someone to death, or, during the height of the pandemic, to not wear a mask to slow the spread of COVID – though such an act has been proven conclusively to protect especially those with pre-existing conditions. Each life is important, even if it’s inconvenient. And I appreciated the reminder.

What did you think of Watanuki’s reaction to seeing the photo move? What were your favorite moments? Feel free to let me know in the comments!

xxxHOLiC Episode 20: Other Posts

Other Anime Sites

• My Anime List (must be logged in to view): xxxHOLiC Episode 20 Discussion
• Star Crossed Anime: xxxHolic – 20 – Picture

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