James Nicoll Reviews

Jun Mochizuki’s The Case Study of Vanitas (Japanese: ヴァニタスの手記, Hepburn: Vanitasu no Karute) is a gas-lamp fantasy manga series. It has been serialized in Monthly Gangan Joker since December 2015. Volume 1 collects the first four chapters.

Steampunk Paris! Second only to London in the technological marvels it introduced to the 19^th century world, Paris will astound country bumpkin vampire Noé Archiviste — should he manage to reach it. 

Noé has been dispatched by his master in quest of the infamous Book of Vanitas. Rather conveniently for the vampire, the book will come to him.

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Jun Mochizuki’s manga series Pandora Hearts(Japanese: パンドラハーツ, Hepburn: Pandora Hātsu) was serialized in Monthly GFantasy between May 2006 and March 2015. There are twenty-four volumes. It’s a bit of a read.

Oz Vessalius has it all: social position, a distant, estranged father, one friend (whose salary Oz pays), a doting sister, a loving uncle, and an impeding coming of age ceremony in which he will be elevated to adulthood. 

Mid-ceremony, ominous figures descend on Oz, condemn him for the sin of existing, and consign him to the Abyss, the closest thing to hell that exists in this setting. Oz is somewhat taken aback by this development.

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