A reverse harem set in Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, this adaptation of a dating sim works far better than you might think thanks to its down-to-earth heroine and mildly creepy tone.
Creative Staff
Writer/Artist: Quinrose and Soumei Hoshino
Translation: Beni Axia Conrad
Adaptation: Lianne Sentar
What They Say
In this inventive retelling of the “Alice in Wonderland” story – manga-style – Alice wakes up to find a white rabbit wearing clothes. The rabbit forcefully drags Alice into the rabbit hole, where he turns into a young man with rabbit ears and leads her into a frightful world, where the fairytale-like citizens wield dangerous weapons for an insidious cause…Unable to return home, will she be able to happiness in a world full of danger and beautiful young men?
The Review:
Content:
It’s not surprising, given the basic plot, that Alice in the Country of Hearts (known as Heart no Kuni no Alice in Japan) is based off a dating sim game. A fairly average girl, one who doesn’t quite fit in with the people around her, is whisked away to a different world within the first dozen pages and promptly surrounded by a bevy of good-looking men that all show signs of interest in her. However, this series isn’t based off a run-of-the-mill dating sim. It’s loosely based around Lewis Carroll’s young adult novels, which means that Alice’s group of admirers is made up of some very strange individuals, including an anthropomorphic White Rabbit and Chesire Cat. Even stranger is that the overall unsettling “mood” of Wonderland has been transferred into this adaptation very well. Blood Dupre, the character who bears a striking resemblance to someone from Alice’s past, is the head of the mafia organization known as the “Hatters,” which is at war with Gowland’s amusement park and the Queen of Hearts’ castle. The story is surprisingly focused for a dating sim adaptation; though it’s early on, there are no signs that the story is following any particular romantic path–and that’s probably a good thing given the nature of the romantic options.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: B+
Text/Translation Grade: B-
Age Rating: 13+
Released By: TOKYOPOP
Release Date: February 2nd, 2010
MSRP: $10.99