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Some series strive to tell a straightforward story pertaining to good vs evil while others choose to add little intricacies that add up to more than a character piece but rather a mystery designed to coax the reader into delving further into the plot to see how it unfolds. This approach is a double edged sword that risks becoming so caught up in its own self importance; it forgets that it is a story meant to entertain. Pandora Hearts is a series walking this fine line, at risk of stumbling.

The mystery elements of the series are intentional, given there is an overarching conspiracy against the protagonist Oz, but there is just so much going on with the characters, their motivations, and new plot threads introduced that it becomes a convoluted mess.

There is some much needed exposition concerning Oz’s past that does add to their characters. Whereas in the past two volumes, it’s been difficult for Oz to endear himself to readers given his stuck up nature but here we are finally given a look into what prompts him to act this way, coping with the fact that he isn’t wanted by his own father who see’s him as little more than a mistake. Even with these new additions to Oz’s character, Alice continues to be the most interesting personality of the bunch. Her cute looks betray a feral personality threatening to tear her enemies asunder.  

Readers are also given an explanation as to the events that transformed Gil during Oz’s ten year absence, also introducing Gil’s younger brother Vincent into the fold. To say the two have issues is an understatement though the reason as to why is not yet revealed.

There’s a lot of foreshadowing and clues as to where the story is moving but Pandora Hearts main fault is its insistence on telling rather than showing. It’s clear there are an abundance of ideas the author is trying to get across but if you have to explain everything to the audience through dense narratives, it’s probably too complicated to begin with. That said, this volume did further the story to a degree and added depth to an otherwise uninteresting lead.

Pandora Hearts is the kind of series that should appeal to the hot topic crowd. Reveling in excessively gothic imagery and drowning in emoness, the series was tailor made for punk rock teens and fans of Burtonesque imagery. And how very apropos, considering both share a connection to Alice and Wonderland.

Offering no shortage of gothic Lolita dresses and whacked-out scenery, Pandora Hearts knows exactly for whom it caters. References to Alice in Wonderland are abundant in this semi reworking of the beloved children’s fable, despite the countless liberties taken. Whereas the book presented a maelstrom of child-like enthusiasm encapsulated within a world turned upside down, Pandora Hearts thrusts viewers into a darkly depressing and visually haunting world that would scare any child into their right mind.

The series follows a Victorian noble named Oz, who spends the days teasing his servants and partaking in aristocratic activities designed to prepare him for the future. During his coming of age ceremony, Oz finds himself the target of a massive conspiracy that results in his banishment to the other-worldy abyss. There he meets Alice, an uneven tempered girl with the ability to turn into an ax wielding rabbit. On more than one occasion, she threatens Oz’s life, though admitting that she can’t kill him due to some unknown connection he has to her past. The two agree to work together to further their own ends, encountering strange individuals determined to take both their lives.

With such an interesting premise, one would think the plot would progress in a timely manner, unfortunately, the series is under the misconception that it is a book, spending agonizing minutes explaining the plot, over and over, to the point that the dialogue feels as though its stuck on a loop.

Pandora Hears has the fantastical imagery down pat, filling itself to the brim with sharply dressed aristocrats in Victorian era garb and twisted environments for them to occupy. The animation drowns itself in dark colors and atmospheric imagery designed to haunt a child’s dreams. Its all very surreal and eerily enjoyable but unfortunately, it is nearly undone by the poor image quality that is no fault of NIS America. There is a noticeable amount of grain that distracts from the animation and makes it threatens to pull viewers out of the series. The official word is, this effect was done by the director to add texture, in which case, it fails on every level, doing little more than defacing otherwise eye-pleasing animation.

Characteristic of NIS America, the premium addition comes packaged in a sturdy box and is accompanied with a hard cover art book. This is really fantastic treatment and it’s a shame that most companies opt out of giving the fans more for their buck. The discs themselves feature a pair of gag shorts that aren’t particularly enthralling but are appreciated none-the-less.

Pandora Hearts is a series that should appeal to dark fantasy enthusiasts. Unfortunately, the series is terribly uneven and despite its gorgeous imagery, the grain and distracting exposition make it tedious to sit through. Still, like a Tim Burton film, it’s pretty to look at, and that’s all that counts, right?

For all its flaws, Pandora Hearts continues to keep the audience’s attention with its assortment of crazy characters and Victorian era settings. Despite the slow progression of the plot, Jun Mochizuki manages to pack in enough twists to prevent reader’s interest from waning.

This volume invites us into the Cheshire Cat’s home. Full of abnormal imagery such as flowers sprouting from the ceiling, upside down stair cases, and faces protruding from the ground, the over the top scenery allows Mochizuki to unleash her artistic flair.

Following that, Oz and Gil take a trip into another dimension, where the pair find themselves assaulted by the Cheshire Cat. The battle is broken up between different scenes involving multiple characters that give us several shocking revelations, none of which I’ll spoil here, though I will say, we get a glimpse of what took place between Oz and the Vessalius family.

Even with all the big reveals and teases, Pandora Hearts still suffers from a poorly paced plot. With four volumes and counting, the story still hasn’t made much progress. The narrative feels as though it’s being written on the fly with no clear direction, which is never a good thing when you’ve introduced a mystery as complex as that of Oz’s exile to the abyss.

While the series seems to be killing time, one can’t knock the fact that its shown improvement. As slow as the plot progression is, the development of the characters coupled with the slow reveal of their pasts is enough of a hook to keep readers coming back. Still, there’s only so long that can last before readers realize Mochizuki is just digging a deeper rabbit hole for herself.

Arata: The Legend Volume 5 cover image

Rated “T” for “Teen”
In the world of Amawakuni, humans and gods coexist.  High school freshman Arata Hinohara switches place with an Amawakuni boy also named Arata.  Hinohara is chosen to wield a Hayagami (a god in sword form) named Tsukuyo so that he can save Princess Kikuri.  Arata lives on Earth, while Arata Hinohara goes on a life-changing journey.
In Arata: The Legend, Vol. 5, both Aratas have their true identities uncovered by the young women close to them.  Meanwhile, powerful forces conspire to end Princess Kikuri’s life so that they can seize control of Amawakuni.  Back on Earth, Masato Kadowaki, the boy who has bullied Hinohara since they were both in middle school, turns violent and gets a chance to get back at Hinohara.
THE LOWDOWN:  There is actually a lot of internal mythology and terminology to learn when trying to understand Arata: The Legend – to say nothing of the large cast on two different worlds.  Figuring all this stuff out is, however, worth it.  An epic fantasy blended with teen drama, Arata is a lovely read told through some gorgeous art that is the perfect graphic style for a fantasy comic book.  Creator Yuu Watase has a way of engaging the reader and making him or her want to know more about the fantastic world of Arata.  I can’t wait for the next volume.
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for epic fantasy in comic book form will want to try Arata: The Legend.

Genkaku Picasso Volume 2 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
Seventeen-year-old Hikaru Hamura is called “Picasso” by his classmates because of his natural artistic abilities.  Hikaru and his only friend and classmate, 17-year-old Chiaki Yamamoto, are in a freak accident, but while Chiaki is killed, Hikaru escapes with his life.  However, the cost for having cheated death is that Hikaru must use his artistic abilities to help people.  Chiaki has returned as a diminutive spirit – Hikaru’s Jiminy Cricket – to spur him into action.
In Genkaku Picasso, Vol. 2, Hikaru helps a classmate who is having problems with his girlfriend, or is it all in his mind?  Later, he helps a teen girl who has turned her passion for mecha and for boys’ love into a problematic dating and social life.  There is also a boy who has a strange attraction to female products.  Next, there is a girl who loves/hates a Walt Disney-like entertainment empire – a complicated relationship that manifests at a theme park.  Hikaru isn’t too happy about helping these people, but his body will rot away if he does not help them.
THE LOWDOWN:  How does Hikaru help people?  First, when he sees a dark aura around a classmate, he knows that is the sign that this classmate is having some psychological issue – something is bothering them.  He immediately takes his sketchbook and somehow draws an illustration that symbolizes the person’s problem.  Hikaru and Chiaki enter the illustration where they have to unravel the mysteries of the symbols and determine what they mean.
As good as the dialogue is (and it’s pretty sharp), Genkaku Picasso is strongly graphical in its storytelling.  Whether the story takes place in the “real world” or in an illustration, this manga engages the readers, asking them to look deeply into each panel while simultaneously connecting them.  This is a 3D-like experience of understanding the narrative’s plot, characters, and settings (even the surreal settings).  Genkaku Picasso is one of the most art-centric comic books I have ever read, and visually it offers so much on several levels.  It’s a shame that there is only one volume left.
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers who enjoy unusual manga will enjoy Genkaku Picasso.

Neon Genesis Evangelion Volume 12 cover image

Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
Neon Genesis Evangelion the manga is the companion to the Neon Genesis Evangelion anime.  It is the story of humans at war with hostile beings called Angels.  The human side of conflict is led by NERV, a paramilitary organization.  The Earth is defended by giant mecha called Evangelions (also known as EVA and Evas) that are piloted by teenagers.  The lead character is 14-year-old Shinji Ikari, EVA “Unit-01” pilot.
In Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol. 12, government forces, the JSSDF, launch a brutal assault on NERV headquarters, killing everyone they encounter.  NERV operations chief, Misato Katsuragi has to get Shinji and EVA “Unit-02” Pilot Asuka Langley Soryu into their Evangelions.  However, Asuka is ill, and Shinji’s encounter with his father, Gendo Ikari, NERV Supreme Commander, has left him doubting everything he’s done.  When Asuka does enter battle, she will have to face an invasion of mass-produced Evas.
THE LOWDOWN:  Although I’d heard of Neon Genesis Evangelion, this 12th volume of the manga series is my first experience with it in any form.  Surprisingly, I found that with a little research, I was able to follow the manga’s narrative, and I enjoyed it.  What I found appealing was the excitement of Shinji and his side taking on the gun-wielding invaders; it had a really thrilling backs-against-the-wall vibe.
The Neon Genesis Evangelion manga reminds me of Akira, especially the art of the creator behind the manga, Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.  The fast paced, tense, graphic storytelling looks and reads like Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira manga, and as an Akira-lover, I’d like more Neon Genesis Evangelion.
POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers looking for shonen science fiction and classic mecha comics will want Neon Genesis Evangelion.

In the not too distant future, a distortion in Earth’s atmosphere finds Tokyo surrounded by the mysterious Hell’s gate, while South America plays home to a similar Heaven’s gate. From these formations come puzzling events such as the disappearance of the stars as well as the birth of the contractors, humans endowed with unique powers. In exchange for their powers, contractors must separate themselves from all emotional reasoning and pay a specific price.

BK201, aka Hei, is arguably the most infamous of this new breed, wielding electro kinesis in his work for a suspicious group known as the Syndicate, eliminating both humans and contractors alike. Unlike other contractors, BK201’s power requires no cost nor was he forced to forsake his emotions. While his loyalty to the group appears to be absolute, his true motives are a secret to all, as he uses their influence to search for his sister.

Darker than Black is an arc-based series from Studio Bones, comprised of many multi-part episodes that range in quality, focusing on the various assignments given to Hei and his cohorts. Assisted by a group of fellow syndicate members Mao, a contractor capable of transferring his mind into other animals, Yin, a doll with empathic abilities, and Huang, an untrusting human, Hei carries out every mission with deadly accuracy while fending off an intuitive detective, determined to uncover the secrets behind the syndicate.

Created by Tensai Okamura with animation provided by Studio Bones, and featuring music from famed composer Yoko Kanno, Darker than Black certainly would appear to have a lot going for it. The series was awarded Best Original Anime of the Year by GOGO Magazine before being snatched up for US distribution by Funimation. 

The series is action centric as Hei and other contractors are pitted against one another, giving way to beautifully animated scenes in which one power clashes with another. There is a good deal of violence to be had but not enough to be considered gory or extreme. Studio Bones is known for their superb animation, making full use of it here, using visually arresting techniques to spotlight the extensive use of the contractor’s powers. The characters themselves sport more slick and refined designs while the Tokyo landscape is given a more naturalistic atmosphere.

Unfortunately, Darker than Black does suffer from its fair share of flaws, the most notable of which is the varying degree in quality of episodes from arc to arc. While none ever reach the level of mediocrity, there are more than a few that could have used more attention to detail. Also of issue is the nonexistent ending, in which none of the mysteries behind the gate or the contractors is explained, leaving the possibility for a second season, which only recently aired in Japan.

This release sports a healthy dose of bonus features, with cast and crew commentaries on select episodes as well as production artwork and even cast auditions. There is of course the usual slate of textless songs to be had. It goes without saying, the extras presented here are of much higher variety than most anime releases and are greatly appreciated.

All in all, grievances aside, Darker than Black is still an exceptional series. The intoxicating action sequences combined with the over arching mysteries running rampant make for an engaging viewing experience that is not to be missed. While the climax is not nearly as great as it should have been, it presents a satisfying end to Hei’s search for his sister, wrapping the main plot point of the first season. Consider this release highly recommended.