The velveteen black rabbit….
Creative Staff
Story/Art: Jun Mochizuki
Translation/Adaptation: Tomo Kimura
What They Say
The tragedy that befell a bustling city a hundred years earlier. Eyes of ill omen. Stone seals. The warped gears that have continued turning since long ago play out a requiem for one who was much loved. The solemn sound of the dirge colors the world that hears its notes a melancholy gray…as though it was always meant to be…
Content: (please note that content portions of a review DO contain spoilers, because this entire volume is one big spoiler):
The last volume of Pandora Hearts ending with the bombshell revelation which changed everything that we knew about the series. It wasn’t the reveal that Jack was the sociopathic mastermind behind the Tragedy of Sablier, the truth had been obscured enough to know that something fishy was going on. No, the real shocker is about Oz and the role he plays in all of this.
Other readers pointed out that I missed the hints being dropped about Oz and his relationship to Alice and to the B-rabbit. Maybe I’ve read too many poorly constructed series that at this point when I saw discrepancies I simply ignored them. Somewhere in the exposition drop is the almost casual confession that Gilbert is next in line for the role of Glen. This is the one ’surprise’ that was obvious from long ago, and maybe that’s why I wasn’t expecting the real shocker. Jun Mochizuki was telling us to ‘look over here’ while she sets up her magic trick!
Or maybe I’m just oblivious. Heck, the information that Alice was the result of a human giving birth in the abyss was told to us back in volumes 7 & 8 in Break’s backstory! “It grants will to those without life” was also a key piece on information that I’d long forgotten.
Oz is the B-Rabbit. A plush bunny turned chain.
WHAT? When Alice said Oz belonged to her, she meant it! The weird, twisted origin of the black rabbit named Oz is revealed, and inside of that tale is the whole truth about the Tragedy of Sablier. Not just the truth about that, but a look behind the curtain at the workings of their world and what the chains really are.
There are still missing pieces that we haven’t had explained. The big one is how Oz went from what he was to what he is know, and how his and Alice’s positions appear to be reversed. I’m sure that will become clear later on, but now so much about what we thought we knew has been turned upside down.
We also have one last, sad betrayal in the final pages of this volume. One that Break was too late to prevent and one that will have lasting consequences. I’m also worried about what Barma didn’t tell Break before he rushed off, and if Break is a ticking time bomb. The ‘white’ Alice did make a request of him in exchange for his wish being granted, I just hope it’s not something that’s going to manifest against his will, much like Oz and Jack. He was unintentionally carrying out her wish all along anyway.
This series… I don’t even know what’s going to happen next. Break is most likely going to get Alice and Oz away from there, probably with the now awake Reim’s help. Beyond that, anything goes.
There are no crazy fake advertisements from the author for extras this time. Just a short cute side comic about happier days.
In Summary
The author comments at the end of this volume that “volume 18 has fallen as deep into the depths as possible.” I’d say that’s a fair assessment of the state of the main characters and their friends after the truth comes out. All things forgotten are being remembered, and just when I thought I had a handle on everything I’m left scrambling once again. I do think I may have to go back and reread all the previous volumes leading up to these moments, as there are plenty of bits of important information that I simply forgot as well! Pandora Hearts tends to fly under the radar of many manga readers, to whom I implore to check this series out, you won’t regret it!
Content Grade: A +
Art Grade: A –
Packaging Grade: B +
Text/Translation Grade: B +
Age Rating: 16+
Released By: Yen Press
Release Date: October 29th, 2013
MSRP: $11.99
Yeah, the plot twist about Oz’s true identity is great. But, the more you think about it,
the more obvious it becomes. After all, there is this famous book the Wonderful Wizard
of Oz in which the Wizard of Oz turns out to be fake, not a real wizard. Similarly Oz from Pandora Hearts turns out to be a fake human being. What a nice and obvious allusion in hindsight. -_-