Gilbert and Vincent’s tragic past is dragged out screaming into the present.
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Jun Mochizuki
Translation/Adaptation: Tomo Kimura
What They Say
A century before, in Sablier, a forbidden portal was flung wide by a boy, Vincent, in his single-minded desire to protect his brother, Gilbert. And thus did that foolhardy desire lead to the corruption of that innocent boy’s soul like a sweet poison… Now, as Gil, Oz, and Alice wander the ruins of the former capital, they are assaulted by illusions from the past. But how much of it is real? And how much of it illusion?
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
One of the early complaints I have often seen levied against Pandora Hearts was the lack of explanations for the mysteries the story was presenting. If you’ve stuck with the series up to this point then you’ll be richly rewarded in this momentous volume. Answers are practically spilling off the pages throughout the book.
Oz and everyone else are still trying to find their way through the crater that once was the city of Sablier. While the attacks they are suffering are having bad effects on all of the heroes, the one who seems least able to deal with the situation is Gil. This volume is very much Gil’s story, breaking down his past and letting us see all those missing gaps in his timeline. Gil fans get to watch him and his deliciously tussled hair stumble along through most of the volume in fits of torment. We even find out where Gil’s deep seated hatred of Alice stems from, and surprisingly it has little to do with his feelings about Oz. The madness of the pit throws everything against Gil, forcing him to confront all of his issues at the same time, and it’s amazing that he’s still standing by the end of it all.
Since so much of Gil’s past is wrapped up with his brother’s, we get to see all of what happened to him as well. Vincent is a perfect example of a victim become the victimizer, stuck in a horrible loop of madness and abuse. Despite trying to drum up sympathy for the man, I can’t cut Vincent any slack. It is nice to know what makes him tick and that he does have a motivation behind all his hideous actions.
Meanwhile, Alice is still mostly an enigma. She’s a rock in a storm, marching away from what should have caused her emotional distress and straight to Oz’s side once again. I actually like that about her character, that strange determination and cocky attitude that nothing can stand up to her.
As for Oz, he finally learns to control Alice’s powers without her being present. The side effects of using that power are almost too much for him to take, even if he seems to be a natural at manipulating the B-rabbit’s scythe. Adding to the loss of self control is the unexpected appearance of Xai Vessalius, Oz’s estranged father, who arrives not to rescue his son, but Elliot Nightray.
Which leaves Break to take care of the Baskerville clan while the rest of the group tries to get their act together. At the beginning of the series he appeared to be the insane one, but now I’m convinced he’s the only one who isn’t! It may have been the case the entire time, all of his eccentric behavior is probably just part of whatever master plan he has.
Toward the end of the volume the actual goal of the Baskerville’s is revealed, in what is an almost a comical dump of information. It doesn’t explain everything relating to the abyss or Glen Baskerville’s imminent resurrection, but it does make everything much more clear than it was previously. It also provides a gruesome explanation of Jack Vessalius’ ultimate demise, and makes me wonder exactly what role the former Duke and Duchess Burma played in this whole tragic escapade, and what the Burma’s goal was.
The usual extras are included in this volume, which consist of amusing gag comics between chapters and the usual slightly off-color fake advertisement at the end with the author’s notes. The first printing contains the usual color frontispiece.
In Summary
This volume of Pandora Hearts answers many of the long lingering questions that readers have been wondering about. Gil and Vincent’s bleak pasts are explored in depth, while the group presses on past the corrupted wraiths of the former city of Sablier. With the enemy making a strong press forward to free their master’s soul, the goal of OZ’s group going forward is clear. There’s barely a wasted moment, and it’s almost comical how quickly things are explained after being so secretive for so long. It looks like everything is poised for a strong second half of the series, and the story just keeps getting better.
Content Grade: A
Art Grade: A –
Packaging Grade: B +
Text/Translation Grade: B +
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: May 29th, 2012
MSRP: $11.99