CLAMP manga returns with a new storyline after 7 years of waiting

A special announcement regarding the return of xxxHOLiC:Rei manga in Spring 2023. Pic credit: Koshiki Comic Guide

On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, the Koshiki Comic Guide xxxHOLiC: Rei book was shipped in Japan. Inside was a special announcement from CLAMP, a manga creator circle, that after 7 years (if you count the release of Volume 4) they will resume their xxxHOLiC:Rei manga in Kodansha’s Weekly Magazine with a new storyline in Spring 2023 !

The series’ 20e The birthday is in February, which would mean that if the manga starts up again in January, it will be just in time to celebrate this special day.

XxxHOLiC: Rei is the latest installment in CLAMP’s xxxHOLiC series, which was launched in 2013 in Kodansha’s Young Magazine magazine. The manga stopped in July 2014 and returned in April 2015. The manga releases were irregular and new manga chapters were published in June. 2016 and March 2017. The third curated book volume was released by Kodansha in October 2016.

Yuuko and Watanuki from xxxHOLiC by CLAMP
Yuuko and Watanuki from xxxHOLiC. Photo credit: CLAMP

The story of the manga and anime follows Kimihiro Watanuki, a high school student who is cursed to see ayakashi (ghosts and ghosts) attracted to him because of his vast spiritual powers. One day, Watanuki stumbles upon a wish-granting shop run by a mysterious witch named Yuuko Ichihara.

When Watanuki discovers that Yuuko grants people’s wishes in exchange for something the person considers precious, Watanuki wants to be freed from the ghosts that plague him. Yuuko tells Watanuki that the price should be equal to Watanuki’s wish and that in payment he should become Yuuki’s helper and also help her fulfill people’s wishes.

Fans keep speculating if Yuuko is really dead

Given what we now know about Yuuko’s sudden “disappearance”, she probably intended to train Watanuki as her apprentice, knowing all along that she would soon disappear. In xxxHOLiC: Rei, he is currently running the shop during Yuuko’s absence. This makes sense, since Yuuko Watanuki is increasingly sending supernatural messages.

Yuuko and Watanuki from xxxHOLiC manga, by CLAMP
Yuuko and Watanuki from xxxHOLiC manga. Photo credit: CLAMP

CLAMP had an interview with Da Vinci Magazine in April and stated that while xxxHOLiC was still on hiatus, they planned to continue the story eventually. Unfortunately, CLAMP stated that they consider xxxHOLiC to be less of a priority than their other works, such as Card Captor Sakura: Clear Cards.

All CLAMP stories are connected, leading to interesting speculation

In Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, it was revealed that Yuuko was on the brink of death, but the mighty wizard Clow Reed accidentally froze her “time”. As this magic started to fade, Yuuko’s ability to maintain the shop’s magical existence disappeared and she either disappeared or died – this has been purposely obscured.

Her last words to Watanuki were that he would finally be freed from the ability to see ghosts. However, Watanuki decides to keep his powers so that he can continue to run the wish shop during Yuuko’s absence.

In Tsubasa, it was revealed that the hero Syaoran was a client of Yuuko and that the wish he made removed him from his own timeline. Watanuki was born to fill the “void” in Timespace that Syaoran left behind.

When Tsubasa reached his conclusion, Syaoran and Watanuki were trapped in a void by the villain Fei-Wang and forced to pay a price in order to survive. Syaoran decided to travel indefinitely to other dimensions without a place to call home, while Watanuki decided to stay in the wish shop, act as the owner and fulfill wishes until he could see Yuuko again.

Watanuki depicted as the owner of the wish shop in xxxHOLiC, by CLAMP.
Watanuki is now the owner of the wish shop. Photo credit: CLAMP

In xxxHOLiC: Rei, 100 years have passed and an immortal Watanuki remains waiting for Yuuko, accompanied by the descendant of his best friend, Doumeki. Fans of the manga have been hoping and waiting for 7 years to revive Yuuko and see Watanuki reunited so we can feel his pain.

Since Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle and xxxHOLiC go hand in hand, maybe Tsubasa will come back with an update as well.

With Card Captor Sakura: Clear Card’s arc comes to an end before an interesting connection between xxxHOLiC and Clear Cards may be revealed in the spring. This seems elementary, my dear Watson.

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