Comics / Manga

Pandora Hearts Volume 9

By Chris Zimmerman
May 24, 2012 - 17:12

Patience is a virtue. And by that same token, Pandora Hearts rewards those who have patiently made the effort to untangle the labyrinth of mysterious, pasts, characters, and events threading throughout the series. The fact that the series can constantly reference the tragedy of Sablier to the point that it has almost beaten its readership over the head with it without revealing what really happened is enough to drive anyone crazy. 9 volumes in and Pandora Hearts finally makes the attempt to recognize the ramifications the event carried.

The ever sinister Vincent is still up to no good, this time turning his machinations on his passive servant Echo after her day out with Oz. Not content simply to stand superior over others, Vincent is a breed of villain that must constantly be inducing suffering in others. His casual smile at the sight of Echo’s struggle to contain her inner self is a textbook example of a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And his next target just happens to be Oz’s sister.

Meanwhile Oz and Gilbert arrive at the site of the tragedy of Sablier, and begin their descent to uncover the truth of what really happened. However, as the group makes their way further into the darkness, shadows of the past spring out of the woodwork, and visions of that day begin to haunt them. The chapter carries a certain sense of foreboding, and would genuinely be scary if Mochizuki’s style were better suited for it.

The mix of drama and suspense is where Pandora Hearts truly flourishes. While the mystery of what happened to Sablier is still far from being solved - and can even be considered a patchy mess at times - its presence within the context of the story is one of the key devices to driving the narrative in intriguing new directions. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but the intertwining plotlines and multi-faceted characters ensure that readers will continue on down this rabbit hole.

Rating: 8 /10

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12