"Manga versus Anime" is one of the oldest arguments in the otaku world. For most anime, they are adapted from manga, but it is not rare for original anime to exist without a manga. As with most adaptations, it can be very hard to animate every single detail from the manga. However, as more studios animate popular manga, they try their best to honor the original source and many do a great job.

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This is the case with CLAMP's xxxHolic, which is one of their most popular titles. To date, xxxHolic has three different manga series and four anime adaptations. While the anime is almost entirely canon and does a great job bringing the series to life, there are still some manga details that have the anime beat. Here are 5 things that anime does better than the manga and 5 ways that the source material is superior.

10 ANIME: The Spirits Are Scarier

xxxHolic is not a true horror anime but it definitely deals with the supernatural, which can scare people. Watanuki Kimihiro is plagued with the ability to see spirits, which is what leads him into Yuko's shop. Watanuki normally feels the presence of the spirits instead of seeing them, and often what he does see are dark clouds.

The beauty of animation allows the spirits in the xxxHolic anime to come to life in a way they don't on paper. They are large, creepy, and ominous. The anime also adds some more spirits that are not in the manga.

9 MANGA: Every Client Teaches Watanuki An Important Lesson

Watanuki Kimihiro from XXXHOLIC.

Filler episodes are very common in anime. Some fillers can be enjoyable, while others may annoy fans who prefer a show to be as canon as possible. xxxHolic is one of the few anime that is very faithful to the manga, however, it does have some filler content.

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In the first season, there are a few customers of Yuko that are in the manga. To most, it may have gone undetected because the filler episodes fit right in. This may not seem like a big deal but every client in the manga teaches Watanuki an important lesson that will serve him later.

8 ANIME: The Beach Episode

A common trope in anime is the beach episode and xxxHolic is no exception. Beach episodes in anime are usually filler, as this one is, and serve to show fans their favorite characters on a beach and in bathing suits.  These episodes are meant to be light-hearted and fun.

This beach episode is a little different as most of the time, the story revolves around the vacation home the gang is staying in. Domeki and Watanuki are tasked with solving a mystery involving a spirit. Nevertheless, it was a great showing of a nontypical anime doing a typical anime trope.

7 MANGA: Yuko's Outfits

It is understandable that due to animation constraints, not every single detail from the manga can be included in the anime. When it comes to xxxHolic, one of the best-dressed characters in the manga had to suffer the most.

Yuko Ichihara is known for dressing well in the series. Through the manga chapters, multiple splash pages are dedicated to her and her extravagant clothing. It is important to note that her outfits are so vibrant and unique, it is actually woven into the storyline as she never wears the same outfit twice. Many outfits are included in the anime but don't have the same attention to detail.

6 ANIME: The OP

An opening sequence can either make or break an anime. Fans will either rush to fash forward through it or rewind a few times to relisten. For a show with "holic" in the name, xxxHolic could not have a more addicting OP.

Season one opens up with the song "19 Sai" by Suga Shikao. The song is a perfect combination of sultry, upbeat, and catchy. It's hard to listen and not sing along, even if one does not speak Japanese. Suga Shikao is also responsible for all of the xxxHolic openings.

5 MANGA: Domeki & Yuko's Relationship

Both the xxxHolic anime and manga center heavily on Watanuki's relationships with Yuko, Domeki, and Himawari respectively. Since he works at the shop, he has the most interactions with Yuko as the other characters are not able to enter the shop: a point that is very important in the manga.

In the anime, the focus is heavy on Domeki and Watanuki working together and as a result, one of the funnier relationships is swept aside: Yuko and Domeki. While is pairing is purely friendship, in the manga, they grow close due to Watanuki's destiny. They can often be seen enjoying sake together and jointly making fun of Watanuki.

4 ANIME: More Zashiki-Warashi & Ame-Warashi

One of the best parts about filler episodes is that they sometimes include more of our favorite characters that otherwise would not get as much screentime. Such is the case with the Zashiki-Warashi, a sacred spirit, and Ame-Warashi, a rain spirit.

They play important roles in the manga but they are given a lot more shine in the anime. They are added into a few scenes that do take place in the manga but don't originally include them. The Zashiki-Warashi is very shy in both the anime and the manga but has more speaking parts in the anime.

3 MANGA: Easter Eggs from Other Series

In the anime, Yuko's storeroom does not get much airplay. There are a few moments where it is shown but in the manga, Watanuki spends more time there cleaning and sorting through all of the wonders that it has to offer.

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Most of the items are payments Yuko has received for previous work. Fans of other CLAMP series are able to spot trinkets from Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits, Murikuri, Magic Knight Rayearth, and possibly more. As the manga goes on, there are more references such as locations and other series xxxHolic is tied to.

2 ANIME: It's Funnier

Watanuki and Domeki eating together in xxxholic.

The best thing about anime is its ability to bring to life some of the funniest moments in manga and make them even funnier. xxxHolic has a lot of funny moments in the manga, especially at Watanuki's expense. Whether it is his inner monologues, his body language, and odd movements, or his fights with Domeki, Watanuki is always giving the readers something to laugh at.

This was translated exceptionally well in the anime. Both his Japanese and English voice actors did a great job voicing Watanuki and all of his antics.  Coupled with the animation style which kept the crazy body proportions from the manga, the anime is hilarious.

1 MANGA: The Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle Connection

Fans of CLAMP already know that xxxHolic and Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle are sister series. Both mangas were serialized at the same time and their stories intertwine. When it comes to the anime, the Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle anime was created first and includes Syaoran and Sakura going to Yuko's shop, and meeting Kurogane and Fai. In this episode, Watanuki is shown bringing out the Mokonas.

In the xxxHolic anime, none of this is included. The series starts off with Watanuki meeting Yuko, Mokona is already awake and it does not cross over with Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle. This is disappointing as the crossover is a big part of Watanuki's storyline later on in the manga.

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