Liked xxxHolic? Watch Fukigen no Mononokean!

• Episodes: 12
• Aired: July 4, 2016

3 Major similarities shared by xxxHolic and Fukigen no Mononokean!

1. Yokai

The first episode of Fukigen no Mononokean already treats you to a lot of excitement as Ashiya is faced with a serious problem: he can't get rid of this cute, fluffy yokai. Every time he attempts to rid of this thing, it grows larger and larger to the point where Ashiya can barely move. It wasn't a life that he had chosen, as it was merely a random encounter that turned ugly. Similarly, Kimihiro's life is in disarray because he simply can't stand these spirits around him and just wants to get rid of them all. Unfortunately for both individuals, they end up taking on a new role in their life under the authority of a mononokean or someone who casts away spirits.

Both Ashiya and Kimihiro only wanted to get rid of their pain, but then are sucked into a fantasy world filled with the same yokai they vowed to avoid in the first place. Over time however they slowly come to realize their purpose, and find themselves actually enjoying the company of these yokai, while dealing with their stubborn yet endearing mentors who teach them about the underworld of yokai.

2. Overcoming Burdens

Ashiya and Kimihiro are thrown into a world that they didn't really ask to be in, and must now live with their new responsibilities. They both carried the heavy burden of dealing with yokai but then eventually come to see the reality of what their lives have transformed into. Each task that is given to them is more challenging than the next, but amusing in every way as they work very diligently not to screw things up. Every time they encounter a new spirit, there's always some crazy and random story that goes along with it, and so the weight continues to grow heavier as they progress.

They initially despised their line of work, hoping that someone would just rid them of their bad luck, but are then rewarded in the long run for their efforts. Abeno and Yuuko are actually quite similar in their own ways too, because their burdens are that much greater than the others, simply because it's been their job to rid of these yokai forever. Now the two must deal with clumsy and confused individuals who not only threaten their job, but also their safety at times. Every moment these two pairs encounter is always joyous to watch, because you start to see some chemistry building between them, which makes the humor all that more satisfying.

3. Traveling to New Worlds

Both Ashiya and Kimihiro came from the real world, where everything around them was pretty much normal, outside of the random spiritual encounters. Their lives only became more entertaining once they were transported to a world they never expected to see in their existence, and how much of an impact it made on their character. Ashiya was shocked to realize that the portal to the underworld was located inside of his school, and that all he needed was Abeno's help to get there. He was surprised to see just how vibrant and alive this new world was, and that the yokai in this world behaved much like humans did in the real world.

The same can be said about Kimihiro's experience as well, as he was taken aback by the fact that Yuuko's store was a portal to another realm. While Kimihiro's time in the underworld was a little different from Ashiya's, the two came to realize just how similar life was on the other side.The only major difference, of course, came in the fact that they were no longer surrounded by humans, but now had to build and create relationships with those around them.

Liked xxxHolic? Watch Seven Deadly Sins Sequel!

• Episodes: 4
• Aired: August 28, 2016 - September 18, 2016

3 Major similarities shared by xxxHolic and Seven Deadly Sins: Seisen no Shirushi

1. Friendship and Teamwork

If there's one thing that truly stands out between both xxxHolic and Seven Deadly Sins it's that, in almost every situation there's a lot of emphasis placed on teamwork and helping those around you. Meliodas bands together with his remaining six knights of the kingdom to help put a stop to the corruption that's taking place within the society. Whenever there's a large battle each member of the team is available to ensure that everyone is safe, and that the threat is most certainly taken care of before moving forward. Their teamwork is what helps to build their confidence going up against their opponents, and allows each member to feel secure and protected should the worst case occur. Not only that, but there's certainly power in numbers, and so when Meliodas is given the task to protect the kingdom from being destroyed, he can trust in his team to get the job done.

2. New Challenges

One of the biggest threats was taken care of in the first season of Seven Deadly Sins, as we saw the fall of Hendrickson and Dreyfus and peace was restored back to the kingdom. However a new threat is looming in the shadows as the Vanguard is still growing stronger by the minute, and the team needs to find a way to stop it before it evolves into something catastrophic. We see that in the very first episode of season two that Meliodas and Elizabeth are standing atop a mountain, basking in the celebration with the townspeople, but Meliodas tells Elizabeth that his journey isn't over yet. This was a precursor for things to come, as we now know of the serious danger that lies ahead.

3. Using Powerful spells and Solving Problems

One thing that both shows tend to focus on a lot are using powerful spells to cast away enemies, while coming up with clever solutions to avoid further mishaps. Kimihiro's world is full of crazy yokai and he needs to work alongside Yuuko who's also pretty crazy herself. The two are always faced with new tasks, that they must rely on their magic in order to solve the problems before it escalates into something they can't handle. The same premise is followed in Seven Deadly Sins where Elizabeth is the sidekick to a crazy yet kind individual, and Meliodas needs to use his special abilities in order to subdue the enemy in order to protect those he cares about. Every problem in Seven Deadly Sins grows larger and larger, and with the new threat of the Vanguard on the way Meliodas now must rely on the magic spells and powers of his team to keep the castle safe.