HOLiC seems to defy any real sense of simplistic genre classification and thats a good thing. Given the sheer breadth of its surreal dives into the darkly fantastical the comic and the serious it seems to have all its conventional genre labels connected to one another in inseparable ways. It makes its home in a strange twilight zone. But no matter what particular style or tone it is going for at any given moment it always seems to move in sneakily smooth motions of change rather than being plopped down from out of nowhere. It sows seeds early that germinate into their fuller blooming later and at the center of its blooming lies a certain shop that grants any wish. For Kimihiro Watanuki plagued by spirits that he cannot seem to get rid of he comes across the shops proprietress the sakeloving coy and outright mysterious Yuuko. 550https://i.ur.com/M0NqhTd.png From her early introduction Yuukos physical presence as depicted by CLAMP intrigues the eye with excess texture and smoke. As Watanuki enters the shop we enter a world as seen through Yuukos strange mystifying allure and gaze To see the world through Yuukos eyes is to be made keenly aware of to put it in rather odd words the relationship between everything and everything. Every step blink word and thought has a resonance and a meaning a cause and effect that vibrates and changes the surrounding universe. Whether that meaning is immediately known to us or if it causes consequences that we ourselves are not aware of varies depending on the circumstance. HOLiC makes its narrative out of this idea and it proves delightfully malleable regardless of your own personal history. After all there is no one singular realworld ideology that monopolizes these thoughts. Many of the worlds religions psychoanalytical theories and philosophies implyif not outright state in their textsan inherent connection between the material and the spiritual the natural and the supernatural how the weight of ones actions and thoughts dictates lifes destiny or whether there are no coincidences and that everything is inevitable or predetermined the question of personal agency. One could easily map Jungs synchronicity idea Sartres man is condemned to be free and living authentically analysis from Being and Nothingness Buddhism Christianity or any other construct upon it as our guiding light. When thought about in this way it clarifies what makes Yuuko a mystifying presence both within the narrative proper and as a reader experiencing the story. HOLiC personifies these numerous realworld metaphysical beliefs by using Yuuko as the cipher a characterized embodiment of the thing that we wrestle with and engage in something that we take comfort in get frustrated by but also provides wisdom when needed with a gentle push. 550https://i.ur.com/EpZgOoA.png 550https://i.ur.com/WV8mKBn.png CLAMPs sense of paneling helps bring a surreal quality to both the physical space and the inner thoughts or actions of its characters when appropriate visually complementing the idea that every event / panel has an inevitable meaning or consequence HOLiC does involve pushing sometimes with characters kicking and screaming. Whether it be Watanuki grimacing at needing to bring Yuukos fourth sake bottle of the day or someone coming to Yuukos shop in need of a wish granted they are at times pushed into situations beyond? their control. In a philosophy where seemingly everything is inevitable this could prove either fatalistic or nihilistic depending on your perspective. But focusing on a whats the point angle means not focusing on the what do I do about this matter and its that distinction that makes the mangas material work. Even in the supposed closedcircuit nature of its themes and presentation choices are always present. Watanukis nature defaults to unfailingly be of help even to the detriment of his own body or happiness. Choosing one possibility out of the many that exist fueled by the past choices youve made and the state of your own mind means rejecting all the other choices before you. To HOLiC this fact carries with it all the weight of a worldinteracting power. Of course using that power carries consequences of their own especially if one claims theyll pay any price in reckless desperation. With the supernatural and natural world held sidebyside in the manga one can only imagine the payments and compensations that could form... 550https://i.ur.com/b3PF21L.png People of all sorts come into Yuukos shop to get their wishes granted some of whom are desperate for an exit while others have their malice hidden behind veils that as far as Yuuko is concerned are as nonexistent as coincidence But regardless of ones motive for making their wishes everyone as a result is changed in some way shape or form sometimes coming complete with the recurring imagery of butterflies. The core relationship of the series is the prime example. From their earliest interactions Watanuki and Yuuko sometimes have a relationship akin to a cat being dropped into water annoyance to the point of sheer frustration take a wild guess who the cat is. But such a dynamic is to be expected for the purposes of this story if Watanuki is to experience the universe through Yuukos eyes it must not should involve pushback and gradual realization. No worthwhile transformation happens overnight and nothing worth experiencing doesnt come without effort. As HOLiC cautiously warns though to become aware of something means that you cannot necessarily go back to the way you were before time and experience always push you forward. The series does not say outright that this change is good or bad but understatedly claims that change is the quintessentialor to use Yuukos favorite term inevitableaspect of existence and one that we all must reconcile in our own way. We reconcile it with our own choices at each new turn. When enemies become friends or you make a baseball bat and computer get intimately acquainted with one another that may or may not be the part of some grand design by God gods or someone else. But no matter what design or notdesign was in place to make it all happen choosing or not choosing along with the changes that come as a result must occur. There is no pointlessness in HOLiCs inevitability philosophy instead it encourages the possibilities that inevitability brings. So if you find yourself needing a wish granted look feel and choose carefully. Then change look ahead and regret nothing. The trust you place in your decisions can make wishes and dreams become reality. As Yuuko would say its no coincidence its inevitable. 550https://i.ur.com/T4ydPsH.png The following is deliberately separated from the rest of the review but might be a concern for anyone curious about the material. Because of its nature I am giving it a spoiler tag even though no major plotrelevant specifics will be mentioned.