[Review] xxxHOLiC Kocho no Yume artbook

This arrived about a week after its release in March, but I did not have the time to actually thoroughly look at this until now. There are some nicer photos out there and probably scans of most of these images, but in case you wanted a hands-on review of it....


This came in a beautifully illustrated cardboard box which you'll want to keep for reasons below...


Inside the box is a hardcover slipcase with a magnetic closure.

The book itself is a flimsy softcover/paperback book with a decorative red paper cover. Like I mentioned, you'll want the cardboard box to protect the book since it can easily slip out of the hardcover portion. Reading right-to-left, you'll find a short story by Tow Ubukata in the beginning.

Then you get to the delicious insides; all of the lovely illustrations unmarred by text or ads. The color and print quality are excellent. Because of the square layout, the majority of the illustrations a intact on one page. There are only a few that a split between two pages. The illustrations are mostly chronological with the colored illustrations first, and then the monochrome illustrations (ie. splash pages) next.

The only items lacking are an index...and an omake comic that sometimes grace CLAMP's artbooks, but the packages clearly presents itself as something quite special and elegantly put together. Will it be another 10 years before we see part 2?