Finished watching Miss Hokusai

Finished watching Miss Hokusai (2015, Production I.G., 90m) on 07/14/2017.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, the popular painting by Japanese artist Hokusai. But he wasn't the only artist in his family. His equally-talented daughter Katsushika Ōi worked under his shadow while the two shared the same roof with Hokusai's apprentice. But Ōi's relationship with her father isn't the best, and his reluctance to visit his wife and younger daughter of two only makes things a bit more tense as Ōi juggles between the two.

Some might be quick to assume this is a movie from Ghibli studio. I was too... well, I thought I had heard a rumor that it was directed by Miyazaki's son... or something to that effect. Well, turns out it is neither of those things. It's actually Production I.G., whom I will always remember now as the same studio that worked on the Xenogears animation sequences. But there are some visual similarities to a Ghibli production, so maybe that's understandable.
Anyways, Miss Hokusai focuses mainly on the relationship between Hokusai and his two daughters. One of which, Katsushika Ōi is just as talented with a brush as he is. His younger daughter is blind, and is rarely visited by her father who relies on Ōi to keep him up to date on the family as she is the one that visits them often.

7.5/10 - I really liked this one, and at 90mins-long it felt like just the right length. I also liked how mystical it would get sometimes with some of the yokai elements in the movie. It actually reminded me of things like xxxHolic or Mushishi.

Finished watching xxxHolic Rou & Adayume

Finished watching xxxHolic Rou & Adayume (2010, Production I.G, 2 OVAs) on 5/28/2016.

Ten years have passed and now Yuko must say goodbye. She leaves Watanuki in charge of her wish-granting shop to continue her work. Nothing that a well-trained witch apprentice with years of experience can't handle. But the hope of seeing Yuko again drives Watanuki's will.

8.5/10 - Rou was a very interesting show. The way it started and the case Watanuki solved. The way it ended also left me with exciting questions. If you've been keeping up with my anime reviews you should know that I love Production I.G's work and this one's no different. I've become really fond of the xxxHolic series and just love to watch each new installment in the series. I even go for other of CLAMP's work just for the xxxHolic cameos. Needless to say, Rou was an amazing experience with that deliciously elegant art quality that the series is known for.

Finished watching xxxHOLiC Kei

Finished watching xxxHOLiC Kei (2008, Production I.G., 13 epi.) on 4/25/2016.

It's been a while since Watanuki has been working for Yuko in her shop. As such, he's seen his fair share of spiritual phenomena and other unbelievable things from the other world. But now these strange events seem to be affecting his life more and more, and even the people he loves. Could this be an omen of things to come? Watanuki must be strong!

8/10 – Continuing on the 2006 series, this show now seems to focus more on the main characters and their relationship with the supernatural world that Watanuki has known his whole life. The show is also a bit of an improvement in terms of quality. The art is good, and the animation quality as well. Long gone are the days of tall, exaggeratedly disproportionate bodies with tiny little heads. The story, above all else, is quite juicy and intriguing. You really come to learn more about the characters and meet new ones that really grow on you. Simply put, great things come in small packages.

Finished watching Tsubasa: Tokyo Revelations

Finished watching Tsubasa: Tokyo Revelations (2007, Production I.G., 3 OVAs) on 4/13/2016.

With the services of a dimensional witch named Yuko, a boy named Syaoran and his childhood friend Sakura continue their journey together with a warrior named Kurogane and a magician named Fai in search for Sakura's memories which turned into feathers and scattered throughout various parallel universes. Far into their travels, they reach a dismal land known as Tokyo Country where factions fight eachother for survival and resources while acid rain constantly pours from the sky. Our heroes are taken in by a faction and reluctantly fight bloody battles as secrets are revealed changing their lives forever.

8.5/10 – Wow! Holy Mokona! Y'see what happens when you hand this show over to Production I.G.? Seriously! In just three episodes this OVA mini-series revealed so much more content, and did so much more than two whole seasons of RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE ever did. I honestly don't know what Bee Train was thinking. I mean, this show really kicked it up to 11. There's so much bloody violence, really not for the weak hearted. And then there's Sakura. Wow. She had to pull her own weight this time around, all on her own nonetheless and boy, did she take it like a champ! You really don't need me to keep going here. This show is amazing! I just wish it continued with a few more episodes. But, anyways, go watch it, you won't regret it.

Finished watching xxxHolic: A Midsummer Night's Dream

Finished watching xxxHolic: A Midsummer Night's Dream (2005, Production I.G., 60mins) on 2/23/2016.

Yuko, Watanuki and Domeki are invited to a mansion party where they meet a handful of collectors. While staying at the mansion, everyone starts to wonder who the master of the house is as they are guided into different rooms for dining, lounging and sleeping without any maids or butlers. Watanuki even finds himself going though puzzling mazes just to get to a restroom.

8/10 - Although it's a movie, it's a little short for one. But I think it's because this movie double-features with an even shorter movie, Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle the Movie: The Princess in the Birdcage Kingdom. The two are also directly connected. This movie was fun and interesting to watch. Animation quality got... well, a bit too stylized at times, specially with Watanuki flailing around to get spirits off of him. Watanuki reacts to everything very dramatically so this fun-house mansion filled the movie with comical sketches between him and the ever-stoic Doumeki.

Finished watching xxxHolic

Finished watching xxxHolic (2006, Production I.G, 24 episodes) 1/16/2016.

Watanuki has spent most of his life running from the ghosts and spirits that chase him from time to time. One of these chases eventually leads him to a mysterious house where a tall, gracious woman named Yuko runs a spiritual shop as a witch. According to her, whoever steps into her house does not do so by accident but because they have a wish she can fulfill... at a price. As for Watanuki's price, he is hired on the spot by Yuko to cook and clean for her. While working for her he becomes more familiar with Yuko's magical ways and relics as well as how they're used on and by her customers.

7/10 - I've never read the manga to its full extent so I can't say how they compare, but the show was interesting although at times it got a bit repetitive. The manga style portrays the characters with long limbs and bodies, but this doesn't translate very well into the show, specially in mid-show episodes where the art quality is considerably lower. This results in abnormally tall and skinny characters with unreasonably tiny heads during some shots. The final few episodes were good and kept me on the edge of my seat. They were quite the tear jerkers as well.