xxxHOLiC Dorama 
Japanese Title: ホリック xxxHOLiC
Romaji: Horikku xxxHOLiC
Release Date: February 24th, 2013 (WOWOW Channel 11:00PM) Japan
Running Time: 8 Episodes
Director: Keisuke Toyoshima
Writer: Jun Tsugita (Screenplay), CLAMP (Original Manga)
Starring: Anne Watanabe, Shota Sometani, Masahiro Higishide, Naoto Takenaka, Yumi Adachi,
This post marks my first dorama post… I am relatively inexperienced with Japanese television having only watched two live-action shows but I am on familiar ground here because despite the fact I have never read xxxHOLiC I know about it. The reason why is because it comes from CLAMP the artist collective who have a very, very impressive track record creating supernatural romances and other types of shows which I have watched. For example, I have watched Cardcaptor Sakura (it was airing on British television and there wasn’t much on in terms of anime!) and read some of their works but xxxHOLiC I have missed… which is a shame because from the research I have done I found it an attractive prospect! Here’s the trailer.
Yūko Ichihara (Anne) is a witch who owns a shop. People visit the shop to have their wishes granted. Such things do not come for free and for those wishes people must give up something important. Kimihiro Watanuki (Sometani) is a high school boy who can see Ayakashi (spirits). He decides to work in Yūko’s shop after she promises to get rid of the spirits.
Anyway, it’s getting a live-action TV adaptation the lead role as Yūko Ichihara is Anne Watanabe who I last saw in Ninja Kids!!! and can be seen in the forthcoming adaptation of Keigo Higashino’s novel Platina Data. Watanuki is played by Shota Sometani who voiced one of the characters in The Wolf Children and put in a phenomenal performance in Himizu. They are joined by Masahiro Higishide (The Kirishima Thing) and Karen Miyazaki (Great Teacher Onizuka). As far as I am concerned that is a great cast. It is directed by Keisuke Toyoshima who worked on the 2004 movie Tales of Terror, so he’s comfortable with supernatural action.
The show launches on the 24th (thanks Paul)! I may just start watching the anime and then this.
Genkinahito 
I don’t watch much anime but I’ve watched this, been waiting for this show for a while……….Sometani seems perfect for Watanuki, he needs to be a bit whiny which I think Sometani can do…….I always imagined the Yuko Ichihara character would be played by an older (early 40’s / late 30’s) woman but I’ll wait and see…..I saw this teaser the other day after getting really frustrated at the geolocked wowow site.
Now what I wouldn’t mind seeing happen is a Welcome to the NHK live action!
The actors do reflect the characters in everything except that long-limbed look that CLAMP are so fond of. A live-action adaptation of Welcome to the NHK would be very welcome. I would also like to see a live-action adaptation of Monster directed by Takashi Miike!
Anne Watanabe does have the right look but not age, although her being magical and all and being a lot older than she looks means it’ll probably work out.
Haven’t watched monster, watched the first episode of Deadman Wonderland the other day, I was quite impressed.
Monster is really, really, really good. It’s a great thriller and I was hooked early on in a way I haven’t been with many other shows. I even started buying the manga.
Berserk and Mawaru Penguindrum are the only other recent example of a show that had that effect on me although I would not want to see a live-action version of them!
I haven’t watched Deadman Wonderland, It looks good but I’ve never found the time. I’m trying to get through Robotics;Notes and Arch Enemy and Hero at the minute. I want to review them at some point because I haven’t written about anime for a while.
I have real trouble committing to watch an anime for some reason….only ever watched a few.
Oh and the air date for xxxHOLIC is 24th btw!
Thanks for the heads-up. I checked the trailer and slapped myself!
You should watch Mawaru Penguindrum. Only 24 episodes and it is packed full of gorgeous animation, a great twisting story and lots of Japanese cultural references.