In this volume, Doumeki and Watanuki visit a spirit festival and we get more glimpses of how news of Watanuki is spreading through the spirit world. The main story in this book is about Watanuki meeting a woman who's lost her child, and forming a connection with her. However, the woman is a spirit and being near her makes Watanuki sick. He must decide if she's worth and Doumeki has to decide what he'll do to help, cumulating in Watanuki finally accepting Doumeki as a friend. ( )

This one had my favorite mini-story yet of this series. Heads up for spoilers here!

The first story involved Watanuki's introduction a cat-like spirit who gives him an inkling of his growing popularity in the spirit world. Along with Domeki they get to witness a special parade and, much to Yuko's delight, bring home some special Sake.

In the next story arch (my favorite mentioned above) while Yuko is away making Gods, presumably of Ashura and Yasha in the Tsubasa universe, Watanuki meets a woman who has lost her son. Being an orphan himself Watanuki strikes up a friendship. However, it soon becomes clear that the relationship between them is hazardous to Watanuki's health. Despite that, he continues to see the woman he now knows is a spirit. In an effort to save Watanuki Domeki shoots the spirit, knowing Watanuki may never forgive him.

I'm not really sure why I liked that particular story so much. Maybe because we get to see Watanuki acting more sympathetic and serious than usual in his attempts to ease the spirit's loneliness knowing it is causing him harm or Domeki's determination to protect Watanuki in spite of himself. Very interesting either way.

I think that xxxHolic is actually a pretty philosophical manga. It is odd that this story counterpoints the primarily straightforward adventure tale of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle but they work well together anyway. I can easily see why both series are so popular. ( )