xxx-HOLiC Kei episode 2

This episode sticks closer to the manga than the first did. It's not totally a big deal, but they skipped a few events and went right to Watanuki going to save Zashiki Warashi from the Jurogumo. I wonder if they'll go back over the incident with the moving picture. That was pretty cool... I guess it doesn't matter if that comes before or after the eye issue is resolved.

I don't understand why they changed the 'unfortunate incident' that occurs after Watanuki parts company with Himawari from a transformer off a power line falling to a woman getting hit by a car. It seems trivial to me.

In the manga, Watanuki stops walking when he sees something strange with his missing eye (it appears to be the Zashiki Warashi). A second later, a transformer falls from the power line right in front of him. He is shocked, realizing that it would have hit him if he hadn't stopped just then. Before he can ponder on it further, the Karasu Tengu show up and demand to be taken to Yuuko's shop.

In the anime, he still stops after seeing a flash of something in his eye, but instead of a falling transformer, he sees a woman get hit by a car right in front of him. It could be interpreted that if he hadn't stopped, he would have been hit instead, but basically it just puts him in the right place to see an accident occur. Like I said, not a big deal, so I don't see why they changed it.

Come to think of it, they changed the traffic accident in the first season too... The woman who had a bad habit of lying takes of the ring Yuuko gave her in the middle of a busy intersection, and because of all the lies she told, her body wouldn't move. She got hit by a truck and it was quite bloody. It doesn't say in the manga whether she lived or not, but in the anime it shows the woman in the hospital where Watanuki had taken her. That wasn't a big deal either, really, except I imagine they changed that scene to tone down the show for TV or whatever...

...which is why I don't understand why they decide to put Watanuki at the scene of another traffic accident as opposed to near-death-by-falling-debris. Perhaps they think it's too obviously related to him being with Himawari moments before, and they want to hold off on that issue for now (since I imagine Himawari's bad luck and its eventual toll will be this season's climax).

Anyway, I went on quite a bit for something I deemed 'unimportant'. What a spedly I am.

...and I didn't mention it before, but I wanted to now... I loved the Alice in Wonderland tea party set up from episode 1... That was super.
Yuuko, the queeen of hearts and Watanuki serving her tea... "And why am I dressed as Alice?!" he asks, to which she replies "because it's more interesting that way." And we can't forget Maru and Moro, who are dressed as the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. Too cute!! ♥

So... New episode tomorrow. I can't wait to hear Jurogumo's voice! >__<