Comics / Manga

Pandora Hearts Volume 8

By Chris Zimmerman
April 8, 2012 - 10:07

With every passing volume, the cast of Pandora Hearts demonstrate how delicate their allegiances are, and that their actions should not be perceived by readers as blatant as one would believe. When first introduced back in the first volume, Break was far from being a sympathetic character. His devotion to his master coupled with his enigmatic nature made him a mystery. His recent exploits with Oz and co. have helped to shed light on his character, but volume 8 finally peels away the mask of his character and reveals the series events that have molded him into the man he has become.

His story is a bloody one, and pulls no punches in detailing his crimes. Even so, his fulfillment of his contract is something unique to only him (for now), though his ties to series antagonist Vincent still put his agenda in question.

Vincent’s influence on the series should not be underestimated. With his fingers weaving through so many of the character’s histories, it is surprising that his true reason and motives still remain in the dark. Regardless, it’s pretty evident that the man is a master manipulator and after an unexpected encounter between Oz and Vincent’s servant Echo, it becomes even moreso his lack of compassion for even his followers.

The volume also delivers a stunning revelation pertaining to Alice, though the fallout from this is rarely felt or touched upon. Perhaps next volume?
Volume 8 also has a bonus of sorts, cutting short the amount of pages reserved for the story in favor of including the original pilot episode for the series. Reading the chapter and comparing it to what the series has currently become makes for an interesting reflection, seeing how the story’s progression shifted early on, and the development and roles of the characters along with it.

Despite only including three chapters this time around, Pandora Hearts consistently crams tons of revelations that keep the pages turning. While some of the twists don’t hold nearly the weight of others, and some are so obvious they can be seen coming from a mile away, each new volume acts as a piece to a larger mystery that still remains a long way from being solved.

Rating: 8.5 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12