Comics / Manga

Pandora Hearts Volume 6

By Chris Zimmerman
January 11, 2012 - 06:38

Six Volumes in and its probably safe to say Pandora Hearts no longer resembles a reworking of the Alice and Wonderland books but has veered off into its own product, using the wonderland novels as more of a guideline for characters and settings. The early portions of the series were structured in such a way as to have mysteries with layers on top of layers in which Oz and Alice traversed through fantastical landscapes in search of a way to return the former home. The intentions of everyone else were vague and the characters themselves ill defined, making for a clunky read.

The previous volume sought to simplify the issue by simply focusing on action and emotion to great effect. Oz’s efforts to rescue Alice made the character more than a child out of his element, and showed a different side to the stuck-up brat that he had previously been portrayed as. With much ground made, the sixth volume stays the course, with its share of highs and lows.

The first chapters delve into Break’s character and define his bond with Lady Sharon. Being the most interesting character of the lot, it was nice to see Break’s history explored, even just briefly. His explanation pertaining to his loyalty for Lady Sharon fits his complex character. Likewise, his confrontation with Vincent added a humanizing element to the character.

Sadly, the rest of the volume see’s Oz and his uncle sneaking into a school (it is never explained why they had to sneak in) so that Oz could meet with his sister. Fortunately, the break in story is a short one, showing that members of the Baskervilles have also infiltrated the school with the intention of learning of what happened 100 years prior by drawing out the hero Jack Vessalius from Oz.

The sixth volume of Pandora Hearts contains its share of hits and misses but overall is a tight package. Plenty of plot points are introduced, along with a new setting keeps the series fresh, despite the ham-handed attempt at school drama.

Rating: 8.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12