It finally looks like Watanuki and Domeki might start to be friends! Sure, they still treat eachother poorly in public, but Domeki's sacrifice of half of his eye (after Watanuki permanently loses his) shows that there's something more there! ( )

Nice conclusion to the "Watanuki's Lost Eye" subplot in this episode, and I like the call back to Watanuki's earlier adventures with the Youkai. I'll have a full review up on Bureau42 in a couple weeks. ( )

  This review is written with a GPL 3.0 license and the rights contained therein shall supersede all TOS by any and all websites in regards to copying and sharing without proper authorization and permissions. Crossposted at Bookstooge.booklikes.blogspot.wordpress.leafmarks.com by express permission of this reviewer   Synopsis: Watanuki gets in trouble, has Domeki help him out, complains out it and then turns around and helps Domeki and the circle of helping continues.  Watanuki's eye is the main issue and it turns out to be an object of power and he loses it. Only to have Domeki give up half his eye so they both can kind of see. Teaching Watanuki that he isn't a lone and his life impacts others, for good and for bad.   My Thoughts: This was a light enjoyable read, as always. We have it confirmed that Watanuki is of great interest to the other world in so many different ways. Domeki proves that he is a true friend indeed and Watanuki reacts like he always does, with bombast and insults. Himiwari is right, they are truly a comedy team.   Speaking of Himiwari. Watanuki's continued fascination with her, while being warned again and again by Yuko that she isn't for him and his completely ignoring the young beautiful spirit who loves him, is so typical of youth. Can't have what it wants and doesn't want what it can have. The whole situation makes me grin and reminds me of my college days. So I have some sympathy for Watanuki, but not very much :-)   I enjoy the little chapter stories where Yuko grants a wish, usually to the detriment of the wisher.  They are deliciously macabre, sometimes humorous and always complete in and of themselves. You need that in a longer running series sometimes.   Rating: 4 of 5 Stars Artist & Author: CLAMP " ( )

More world and character development for this volume. The world building is more about the spiritual world that Watanuki partly lives in and the character development is about him, hopefully, learning that he matters. Yuko is getting annoyed with Watanuki about that. He believes that his life does not matter so nothing that happens to him matters. The Shinto belief of all things are connected is very present in this volume and of course in this whole manga. Domeki finds a way to make things better but I am curious to see how he solution will play out. We still have some plot points without any idea about where they are going like what the wing-things were or why Himawari is really bad luck for Watanuki but all in all a very good volume.

I give this volume a Five out of Five stars.

This volume pretty much deals with the repercussions of Volume 7 as the sacrifice Watanuki made to stop a spider's curse on Domeki is finalized and Domeki finally has a wish granted by Yuko. In the interim Watanuki is also taught an unusual lesson in the selfishness of self sacrifice.

Generally the relationship between Watanuki and Domeki confounds me. Neither of them seem overly fond of the other, they've been thrown together by circumstances that they didn't choose for themselves and yet there is a constant case of their protection and sacrifice for one another. It doesn't strike me as Clamp's usual BL storyline either which would be the simple explanation. Since character relationships are always a huge part of my affection for any type of writing this is certainly something that will draw me back to this series. ( )