Wow, that was touching. It seems that Himawari is going to have a rival. It’s going to be interesting, since she doesn’t think of Watanuki as someone who’s in love with her. Also, for some reason, it appears to be good for Watanuki to interact with the Vestal Sprite. In any case, according to Yuuko.
We start with Watanuki, who’s having some trouble with the Pipe Fox. For some reason, the creature turned big again, though it didn’t lose its tendency to hug Watanuki at every possible moment. Meanwhile, the Vestal Sprite pays Watanuki a visit, though she’s a bit too scared to show herself. Therefore, she throws stones in order to get his attention to a package of deep-fried tofu, which happens to be the Pipe Fox’ favourite food. Yuuko gets a strange look when she sees this. One of the spots on the forehead of the fox disappears when he eats the deep-fried tofu.
The next day, when Watanuki, Domeki and Himawari are walking to some place, Himawari runs into a jewelry shop, and it seems that she likes things like these. Watanuki then decides to buy something for her as well, though he’s probably too scared to directly give it to her. Later, when Watanuki feeds the pipe fox another bunch of deep-fried tofu, Yuuko warns him about it. Even though it may be the pipe-fox’ favourite food, it isn’t really healthy for them. If it eats too much of it, it won’t be able to transform.
In order to make the pipe fox transform back at this stage, Watanuki needs to enter a place full of pure spirits. Yuuko then offers a special vase, which has to be filled with water and crystals, while the light of the full moon shines on it (there are a lot of full moons on xxxHolic, aren’t there?). It then brings him and the pipe fox into some kind of dimension which is full of animated daffodils who can change their size. They’re apparently pure spirits, as the fox changes back.
Afterwards, Watanuki meets up with the Vestal Sprite, and ha eactually gives her the present he intended for Himawari. I also like Watanuki for the fact that he doesn’t blame others for the mistakes they made (except Domeki, of course), as he never mentioned the fact that deep-fried tofu is bad for Pipe Foxes.
Overall, the episode was surprisingly touching. The Vestal Sprite is surprisingly cute.
Memorable Moment: The Rain Sprite getting her umbrella stuck in a tree.
I like Watanuki with the vestal spirit alot more because he’s not acting like a complete doofus contrary to when he spends time with Himawari. And I lol’d at the scene were the rain sprite tried to do a dignified entrance. ^^
Hmmm, this episode left me a bit bitter after the twins. It was of course, still good, but I prefer when they approach situations that we’re familiar with in a more or less “magical” way, that doesn’t involve some weird clothed old man swinging around a wooden staff 😡
Nonetheless, the pipe fox was well done, as the persoanlity remained while the shape changed. Often you get to see things that become stronger recieving an ego boost *cough*dragonball*cough*. Though not completely unique, it’s still a good aspect.
The vestal sprite-Watanuki, I don’t think so. Unless something changes about Watanuki’s feelings that is. Though you may like them better together, and it would be a nice surprise if they did end up together, I don’t feel like Watanuki picking her over Himiwari.
On a side note, I bet I mispelled like hal of the japanese names here >_>
two things. First, I don’t think the pipe fox had turned back to the small form at all since the parasite episode, it was large, but behind the scenes since then.
Second, the hairpins may have been for the Vestal Sprite in the first place, otherwise I’d think he would have used it as an opportunity to talk to Himawari the day he got them. Since he bought them after he got the deep-fried tofu and along with his explanation to the Vestal Sprite, I figured that he bought them for the Vestal Sprite. Unless Watanuki is a cover-his-ass sort of guy, which i doubt, since I don’t think he could lie with a straight face, let alone lie to a cute girl.
You might be right on that one. After all, Watanuki was able to just buy the hairpins without getting freaked out. I guess he bought it, in the hope of meeting her again. I guess Yuuko noticed this, so she sent him inside the vase.
In the manga, they were for the Vestal Spirit alone, because (in there) they didn’t mangle the episode order so the Vestal Spirit had given him a Valentine’s Day gift – thus necessitating his own gift on White Day. Here, they had to struggle a bit to make things fit.
Still, she’s rather cute, and Watanuki DOES get embarassed talking to her – which suggests he finds her cute as well, albeit in a less ‘toppling over’ sorta way than he does with Himiwari. Still, it’s one way of showing him that not ALL spirit encounters are bad…
I think Zashiki warashi is the cutest character in xxxHOLIC.
Oh yeah, she’s very cute. I like her much more than Himawari.