Pandora Hearts

Reminiscent of a broken toy box, the mystical Abyss is a terrifying realm home to monstrous creatures called Chains. Most believe it to be only a fairy tale, used to scare children who misbehave. Oz Vessalius, the cheerful and mischievous heir of the noble Vessalius family, is one such individual—until, at his coming-of-age ceremony, the mysterious Baskerville Clan arrives and condemns him to the Abyss for a sin he neither committed nor knows anything about. Oz then forms a contract with Alice, a unique Chain who can take on human form, in an attempt to escape from the Abyss.

As Oz struggles to unravel the mysteries behind his sin, the Abyss, and a tragedy from one hundred years ago, he and his companions find themselves confronted by the Baskervilles and ghosts from the past. Meanwhile, his journey back home is plagued by relentless despair.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Included one-shot:
Volume 8: Pandora Hearts (pilot)

Edit
Background

Pandora Hearts was published in English by Yen Press from December 15, 2009 to March 22, 2016, and again in 12 omnibus volumes in a complete box set titled PandoraBox on November 21, 2017. It was also published in French by Ki Oon from July 1, 2010 to April 14, 2016; in German by Carlsen Manga from March 18, 2011 to June 2016; in Spanish by Norma Editorial from March 23, 2012 to June 23, 2016; in Polish by Waneko from October 1, 2012 to July 28, 2016; and in Italian by Star Comics from November 3, 2012 to March 2, 2016.

Edit
Related Manga

Side story:	Fushigi no Kuni no Gilbert, Pandora Hearts: Caucus Race
Adaptation:	Pandora Hearts

More characters
Characters

Break, Xerxes

Main

Nightray, Gilbert

Main

Alice

Main

Vessalius, Oz

Main

Rainsworth, Sharon

Main

Nightray, Elliot

Supporting

Vessalius, Jack

Supporting

Nightray, Vincent

Supporting

Will of the Abyss

Supporting

Echo

Supporting

Reviews

May 3, 2024

NapoTheGuy

Recommended

The following review is in English and Spanish (translated with the support of DeepL)
The version read is the Spanish translation by Gilbert, Lacie, Lotty & Oz from "Pandora Hearts (Latino)"

English

The basis of the universe in which the story unfolds is a Victorian setting with classic fairy tales, having numerous characters that we recognize from European children's stories known worldwide, be it Alice, Humpty Dumpty or March Hare, building a fairy tale atmosphere. And it is extended through the particular symbolism of the work, chains, invocations and a tragedy prolonged through time, acquiring its own marked personality.

Of course, to express it, it also needs equally consistent ...

Open

Gift

Jan 27, 2022

moOnday_8

Mixed Feelings

Preliminary (10/107 eps)

Might be an epic series seeing how high up is ranked out here on MAL, but one thing I also learned from the MAL rankings is that, not ALL top/highly ranked series will grasp my interest.

Main reason why I dropped this is the character design as well as the silly and gag relief moments the author randomly throws at you. I does not suits my taste and I find it very annoying. Which is a bit funny, cause in fact this was my main issue with the anime adaptation of Vanitas, but now that I started reading it, it somehow became more bearable.

Has a sightly ...

Open

Gift

Apr 26, 2010

Rampant

Not Recommended

Preliminary (33/107 eps)

I do not really have a ton of specifics to say here because I just really could not care about this...there was nothing to hate and nothing to love. The premise was a little interesting, but this manga prefers to bog itself down with poorly written gags, atrocious dialogue, and frivolous declarations of affirmation than actually focus on either action or story.

The basic premise of the story is nice enough - secret mysterious prison like madman world that exists alongside the normal world and represents awful things for pretty much any human being. Okay, nice enough! Except...they never explain pretty much anything about it in ... particular. Even worse, our main hero is straightaway declared to be the key to obtaining that power...and no one really says why. We get some vague exposition along these lines, but never anything interesting or helpful; all the interactions and dialogue are more along dramatic lines.

Similarly, there is an interesting enough idea of needing to get back Alice's memories. Great, so we have an actual mission! Except there is no real rhyme or reason to how she gets them back (she just does), and it never really becomes anywhere near a main focus; again, dramatic character interactions and meetings kind of train wreck all of this.

The characters are all essentially uninteresting - Oz the tragic hero who overcompensates by being excessively friendly and accommodating, Gilbert who exists basically to be his homoerotic friend (they made his character dark for a while, then just totally destroyed that to get him back to being homoerotic), Alice the initially tsundere, then just naive and secretly really nice...(ch. 20 p. 32 - She gets angry easily, and her words are harsh, but...the real Alice is very gentle, and loves to cry, and she is very stupid as well...her appetite is also very huge!) *yawn*. Some of the characters have potential for being interesting, like Break or Vincent, but then never actually get to be interesting. The dialogue, always fractured, and ADD of this work ensure that they cannot have any profound details or interactions. It always comes back to bad gags or bad friendship speeches...

All in all, this is not really a work worth anyone's time. It offers a nice concept and world, but fails to flesh them out, it offers boring characters, boring dialogue, boring character interactions, beyond typical gags, and the banter is always lacking in wit. It throws vague calls to Alice in Wonderland mythos and expects you to think that it makes it instantly awesome (unfortunately...this works on almost everyone...). This is a work that offers frivolities instead of awesomeness.

Open

Gift

More stacks

Interest Stacks

The Abyss Will Gaze Back Into You

by claricespectro

45 Entries · 62 Restacks

Visual delight

by -YUMMY-

50 Entries · 146 Restacks

Influential Manga by Female Authors

by Barrycade

50 Entries · 85 Restacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

View All

More news
Recent News

North American Anime & Manga Releases for November

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for November Week 1: November 7 - 13 Anime Releases Cheer Danshi!! (incl. Recap & Specials) Complete Colle...read more

Nov 6, 2017 8:55 AM by Sakana-san | Discuss (16 comments)

North American Anime & Manga Releases for March

Here are the North American anime & manga releases for March Week 1: March 1 - 7 Anime Releases Death Note Complete Collection Blu-ray Death Note The Omega Editi...read more

Mar 10, 2016 10:45 PM by Snow | Discuss (13 comments)

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

Questions about the ending (spoilers) Cestlavie_ - Apr 30	3 replies	by Schalonym »» Apr 30, 11:51 PM
Is this better than Vanitas no Carte? AjiX101 - Feb 17, 2022	10 replies	by 234Mannan »» Mar 6, 4:25 AM
Poll: Pandora Hearts Chapter 51 Discussion ( 1 2 ) Cho_Desu - Jul 18, 2010	59 replies	by de9 »» Jan 17, 5:12 PM
Poll: Pandora Hearts Chapter 49 Discussion meeooowwwww - May 19, 2010	43 replies	by de9 »» Jan 17, 4:38 PM
Poll: Pandora Hearts Chapter 23 Discussion Shouichirou - Jun 13, 2009	13 replies	by de9 »» Jan 14, 9:46 AM

Pandora Hearts
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Edit
Related Manga

More characters
Characters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Pandora Hearts Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

EditSynopsis

EditBackground

Visit MALxJapan MALxJapan -More than just anime-

EditRelated Manga

More charactersCharacters

Reviews

Interest Stacks

More recommendations Recommendations

More newsRecent News

More discussionsRecent Forum Discussion

More featured articlesRecent Featured Articles

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Pandora Hearts
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Edit
Synopsis

Edit
Background

Visit MALxJapan
MALxJapan -More than just anime-

Edit
Related Manga

More characters
Characters

More recommendations
Recommendations

More news
Recent News

More discussions
Recent Forum Discussion

More featured articles
Recent Featured Articles