ヴァニタスの手記 2

The Case Study of Vanitas Manga #2

by Jun Mochizuki, 望月淳

君の血を、飲みたい。

――ここは人跡未踏、もう一つのパリ。抗えない吸血衝動、拡散する呪い、記憶の深奥、失われた日々。陰謀渦巻く仮面舞踏会に、いま蒼い月が高らかと昇る。「PandoraHearts」の望月淳が紡ぐ吸血鬼譚、華やかに踊り舞う第2巻。

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Vampires, Steampunk, Mystery, Comics, Supernatural

239 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 2016

About the author

Jun Mochizuki (望月淳 Mochizuki Jun) is a Japanese comic artist (manga-ka), best known for the fantasy shounen series Pandora Hearts/パンドラハーツ.

Reviews

[Victoria ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ll ever get over just how stunning Jun Mochizuki’s art is. I just wowwwwwww it’s so beautiful! The story is so amazing too ahh my boys!

[Lunar · Rating 3 out of 5]

ارتشم خیلی چشم گیره:")

[Ray Flores · Rating 4 out of 5]

[ Re-read in 2023 & 2024. ]

In this second volume we know a little bit more about the vampires and their origins, apparently, a man’s invention went out of his hands and end up in several mutations; this event is what they call “Babel”. So, Vampires are basically enhanced humans –which is a totally new perspective on vampire’s origins for me-, this also includes some metals and living things too.

Most of these vampires live in an alternate Paris and that’s where Noé, Vanitas and Dominique de Sade, Noe’s childhood friend go to.

Domi is gorgeous but there is something different about her aura. She’s suspicious of Vanitas and his true purpose, since the human has no self-preservation sense. Nevertheless, he’s loyal to his word and he exposes himself in order for other vampires to see him for what he truly is: a mere human that wants to use the Book of Vanitas so he can “cure” them, as if he were a vampire doctor.

Vampires that change into curse breakers have to be killed, you see, and Noé has experienced this first hand. When he was young, he was an orphan but Domi and Louis’ grandfather bought him in an auction for his particular ability to see other’s memories when he drinks from them.

From then on, Louis, Domi and Noé grew up together. But their friendship was tainted by the curse Louis was living with. He was never meant to be alive for that long and so, one day, a terrible accident takes the lives of several young vampires. We see Noé hold his best friend’s body in his arms before he is beheaded by his own grandfather.

Now, Mochizuki-sensei never ceases to amaze me. She knows how to build up a story and she makes you care about her characters, all of them. Plus, the art style is absolutely breath taking and the more I read, the more I get invested in the story.

I have to be honest, I teared up a little because Noé is my fav character and he deserves nothing but happiness. He still feels guilty for Louis’ death. But… somehow, meeting Vanitas has helped him see that there’s always another way of doing things so I really want them to help as much people as they can.

This is a fav new series so I can’t wait to read the third volume next month!

This volume contains mémoire 6 – 10.

PREVIOUS REVIEWS:
Volume 1

[Liza · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think this is one of those series that just isn't for me. I like the art but I'm not really a fan of the characters.

[szpieg z krainy deszczowców · Rating 5 out of 5]

uwielbiam, ale serce złamane

[Inna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Виявляється, що учитель Ноя – це маркіз де Сад.
То між Ноєм та Ванітасом нічого не буде?🤔

[fxtiko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zbyt głębokie. Jedno z lepszych historii jakie czyt-am/łem

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jun Mochizuki ma’am your art and story are to die for.

[Gateway_to_Wonderland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarjan toinen osa on edelleen aika pitkälti esittelyä. Toisaalta samalla juoni etenee ja saa uusia ulottuvuuksia. Tässä ollaan luomassa mielenkiintoista maailmaa, jossa eletään määrittelemättömässä ajassa, joka kuitenkin henkii 1800-lukua, mutta jossa on myös steampunk henkeä. Eli potentiaalia löytyy!

Hahmojen taustoja avataan ja sieltä löytyy draamaa, tragediaa, romanssia ja salaisuuksia. Myös itse maailma on todella moniulotteinen sanan jokaisessa merkityksessä: pääsemme nimittäin vilkaisemaan Toismaailmaa, joka tavallaan on rinnakkaisulottuvuus.

Kuvitus, varsinkin maisemakuvauksissa, on todella upeaa ja yksityiskohtaista. Manga kliseitä kyllä myös löytyy, mutta pääasiassa tässä on tunne siitä, että ollaan jonkin mielenkiintoisen äärellä.

[Jessica ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story? 😍😭😏
The art? 😍😍😍
Vanitas is bbg and I am obsessed with this story. On to the next ❤️

As always with manga, I’ll leave a full review when I finish all volumes, but I believe this one is still ongoing as of now. ❤️

[zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE FUCK WERE THOSE LAST BITS IN CHAPTER 10?!?!?? throwing up blood vanoe is starting to have me on a chokehold

[Mizuki]

Review for vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Review for vol. 4: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review for vol. 5 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Alisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looooveeeeeeeee this series. I swear I say it every single time but I really freaking love this series! It's definitely my favourite ongoing one right now, and considering how much I love Fairy Tail...that's saying a lot! I just fell in love with this when I read the first volume. I've recently started to read Pandora Hearts too but to be honest....so far it isn't a patch on this one. Sorry Pandora fans! With this volume....Vanitas continues to be my favourite manga ever right now!

I love steampunk, and in this manga we get a steampunk Paris, and I completely love the world that has been created for this manga. Not to mention the fresh take on vampires. Let's be honest they've all been overdone in every genre ever, but I'm really enjoying this take on them and I'm so curious about them and the curse-bearers.

The story is engaging and entertaining, and each chapter leaves me wanting more and eagerly turning the page. Which is great until you get to the final chapter and then it's like nooooo I have to wait so long for the next volume! WHYYYYY. I'm so intrigued by this story, and where it's going to go and what's going to happen next. There's some many little intricacies and mysteries and intrigues to keep you hooked and guessing.

The characters are so much fun, they're lively and entertaining and brilliantly created! When I read the first volume, I so badly wanted to know more about Vanitas and Noé and this volume delivered! We find out more about Noé and his past and his childhood and I'm even more intrigued to be honest! Noé turns out to be an Archiviste, a clan thought to have died out and he has a rather interesting power. Poor guy. We seriously get so much backstory on him but I don't want to spoil you guys so I wont' say anymore! Vanitas kinda takes a backseat in this volume, we still see him a lot, but this volume is all about Noé if you can't tell from the cover!

We get a new character this volume too! Dominique. Domi is Noé's childhood friend and I loved her so much. She's kind of overdramatic but she really cares about Noé and looks out for him. She's kind of sweet, and kind of amusing with it at the same time. Like threatening Vanitas. There are some interesting connections between them as well as her grandfather is Noé's teacher so we find out more about that as well! OH and we're all friends with Lucius now too, seeing as he finally saw reason!

Now, I already mentioned how much I love the world of this manga, but in this volume we take a trip to Altus Paris...the Vampires world and I'm so curious about it! I want to see more of it and get to explore it and the differences between it and the Paris of this world. We get to learn a load more about the history of the world and it's so rich, I love it. Not to mention the science of the world and how it came to be as it is and the differences after a certain event and so on.

If you can't tell from the stunningly eye catching and colourful cover, the artwork in this manga is gorgeous. You're reading it and there's all these little decadent touches to it. But there's so much detail, the artwork is genuinely so stunning. The first volume had a stunning airship, this volume has some stunning cityscapes...and a masquerade ball scene that has such amazing detail to it. Decadent is literally the only word I can think of to describe the artwork and it fits the vibe and the world of the manga so well! I was a bit sad there weren't as many full colour pages as volume 1 because they where so stunning but this volume was thicker than the first volume so I'll forgive it for now! I just love how colourful the covers and colour pages are!

The Case Study of Vanitas volume 2 picks up from the morning after the events of Volume 1 and it ends leaving you wanting more. Again. This series gets better and better with each volume, and I get more and more obsessed with each volume. Part of me wants to read the individual chapters but part of me wants to stick it out for the volumes so I can read loads in one go!

Vanitas is one of the most stunning and intricate manga's I have come across, and it's so much fun and so easy to dive in to and get lost! There's plenty of intrigue, the characters are memorable and the world is fascinating. Plus....stunning art work! I'm so excited for volume 3 already, I can't wait to see where it goes and find out even more about the world and characters, there's so much to be explored! I'm just completely in love with this manga okay. CHECK IT OUT RIGHT NOW.

[Emily M · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ton of interesting information about the vampire world gets revealed in this volume. We find out that Noe is an Archivist, a rare type of vampire who can read someone’s memories by drinking their blood. These vampires don’t have to drink either human or vampire blood to live – Noe is a big fan of tarte tatin! – but they do enjoy both. At one point Vanitas remarks that he doesn’t really understand what vampires mean by “friends”…which is a fair question, given that vampire friendships seem to involve sexy blood-drinking with some frequency.

Speaking of which, an old friend of Noe’s, the gloriously named Dominique De Sade - who kind of makes me think of Julie D’Aubigny vibes, what with the flowing hair but rather masculine 18th century clothes and the ability to sweep anyone of any gender off their feet – shows up and takes the to a masked ball over to the parallel vampire dimension. Yes, there’s a parallel vampire dimension, with its own version of Paris. We find out more about the relationship between Noe, his teacher, Domi, and Domi’s brother Luis, and the entity that has been cursing vampires makes an attack on the party but is largely foiled by Vanitas.

Full manga and anime review: https://ajungleoftales.blogspot.com/2...

[Tania · Rating 5 out of 5]

Qué onda con lo interesante que está este manga, en serio.

O sea, los vampiros son mutaciones de los humanos surgidos de un experimento que salió mal. Ufff.
El asunto de los nombres y su relevancia para alterar el estado de los vampiros me encanta. Como sea, aquí aparece Charlatán, que es un coso de sombras que distorsiona las cosas y la verdad da mal rollo.
También aparece Dominique, la amiga de la infancia de Noé y con quien comparte un evento traumático.

Me recuerda un poco a D-Gray Man en el aspecto de que al parecer el maestro es el que anda detrás de todo y, oh, la ironía.

[Lucía Cafeína · Rating 4 out of 5]

fascinante y sorprendente
Continuamos sumergiéndonos en este país oscuro, y en el sombrío mundo de las criaturas de la noche; descubrimos el triste pasado de Noé, y... bueno, sigo fangirleando y riéndome mucho con todos los diálogos, me encanta que a pesar de que la trama sea algo turbia, los personajes sean tan raros y graciosos.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am hooked

[Αλέξης Ζησιμόπουλος · Rating 4 out of 5]

Σ' αυτόν τον δεύτερο τόμο μαθαίνουμε περισσότερα για το παρελθόν του Noé. Γενικώς ένιωσα πως όλος ο τόμος ήταν κατά κάποιον τρόπος αφιερωμένος στον Noé μιας και τα γεγονότα, οι νέοι χαρακτήρες και η εξέλιξη της πλοκής συνδέονταν άμεσα μαζί του. Φυσικά, δεν έλειπαν και οι στιγμές του Vanitas και οι γενικότερες πληρφορίες περί κοσμολογίας. Οι σοβαρές και χιουμοριστικές στιγμές συνεχίζουν να ισσοροπούν άψογα και ευρηματικά. Τα σκίτσα είναι όπως πάντα πανέμορφα. Δεν μπορώ να κρίνω ακόμη σωστά για την πλοκή και το pacing, μα ήδη περάσαμε σ' ένα νέο arc που δεν θα κλείσει σ' έναν μόνο τόμο όπως έγινε με τον εισαγωγικό πρώτο.

Αυτός ο τόμος μας έδωσε αρκετές ενδιαφέρουσες ιδέες, χαρακτήρες και πληροφορίες - ανυπομονώ για τη συνέχεια.

[Yukaroo · Rating 5 out of 5]

کمتر مانگایی دیدم که ارتش تو تمام پلن ها عالی باشه و قطعا ایشون جزوشه.
فقط اینکه چرا هرچقدر میره جلوتر انگار همچی اوکی میشه و همه ابهامات رفع میشه بعد ته هر جلد میزارتت تو خلاء

[Martina Koa Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I disegni sono sempre più stupendi e i personaggi che compaiono un questo volume sono stupendi quanto gli altri. Le loro interazioni risultano sempre interessanti e originali!

[Kacper ) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn 😥

[Papież Avery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wiecie, że simpuje do białowłosego wampirka Noègo, prawda?

[Faye Fite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can tell this is going to be a new favorite series. The character development and feels are already strong, and this is the first volume I've ever read. The artwork is amazing (of course...this is Jun Mochizuki we're talking about here). The world-building is SO cool. Victorian-era, but a little bit steampunk...and with vampires who live on earth and in an alternate dimension. I'm in love. Can't wait for volume 3! Full review coming soon.

[Nic · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm, conflicted. Early in the volume, I was absolutely in love with the wackiness, but then things got really serious and sad. Noé's backstory is tragic like WHOAH.

And Vanitas is maybe almost too much of a weirdo for me? I dunno. I'll probably still read the next volume, though.

What this series really needs is more Murr. Murr is a great character.

[Shaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Es un manga que cada tomo que leo me gusta más, porque se están viendo muchas cosas que me llaman mucho la atención y quiero que se resuelvan y ver quién está detrás de todo porque el maestro de Noe no me cae muy bien y tengo ganas de seguir.

[Sofie · Rating 5 out of 5]

i genuinely didn’t think we’d get to 5 stars this quickly in this series but HERE WE ARE. these characters continue to be SO complex while the theming is super tight. this really was noé’s introductory volume, and seeing his backstory and his ongoing struggle with what “salvation” truly means is just brilliant. i LOVE how vanitas is clearly set up in his mind to be this second chance at redemption, especially after vanitas saves him from naenia, but then that idea is immediately challenged when vanitas has to kill the curse-bearer that’s too far gone. vanitas is not this saint, he’s not the answer to all of noé’s grief and regret. he is actually just as filled with self-loathing, and he also knows better than anyone that sometimes death is the only salvation. it’s probably what he wanted for himself before he was marked by the vampire of the blue moon. they’re both just trying their best to justify their own existences after they’ve lost what was so precious to them

i feel like that image of louis’ box of handmade stakes spilling its contents all over the floor in front of noé and domi will stick with me for a long time. what a way for his fear and pain and anger and yearning to manifest, and what a way for noé to be reminded of how badly louis wanted noé himself to be the one to put an end to his suffering. he didn’t just make one, he made at least a DOZEN. it’s a heartbreaking symbol of louis’ own heart being spilled out onto the floor, but it’s too little too late. and as noé starts to realize at the end of this volume, it wasn’t that he couldn’t cure louis that was the most torturous part, it’s that he didn’t know the extent of his suffering until after the fact. death WAS his only salvation at that point, but noé couldn’t even offer it to him the way he wished.

[Joselin Orrillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Antes que nada, la portada es hermosa, Noe te quiero.

Y justamente de él se trata este tomo, conocemos su pasado a la par de la aparición de su amiga de la infancia Dominique de Sade, la historia con su maestro y Louis nos ayuda a comprender mejor al personaje, sus poderes y lo que posiblemente le espera a futuro.

Por otro lado y también gracias a Domi conocemos el Altus Paris, una versión alternativa de Paris habitada exclusivamente por vampiros, además de su bella estética también le damos un vistazo a como funciona la sociedad para ellos, sobre todo las jerarquías.

[rylie · Rating 5 out of 5]

even better than the first vol! <3 since i’ve already seen the anime, i feel like i'm picking up on a lot more things in my reading, especially about the characterization. we get so much insight into noé in this volume, and he is just the sweetest, despite everything he goes through :( also we get the introduction to domi! i love love love the masquerade chapters, they're just so pretty, and it's so fun to see the dynamic between vanitas and noé begin to evolve.

[Jack Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not completely sure on where the story is going (like with Pandora Hearts), I'm still down for learning more about Noe's past and the queer pining. Mochizuki's arti doesn't hurt, either! The Jeanne and Vanitas romance gets an interesting spin to it when I think more about Vanitas wanting to experience what it feels like to be bitten by a vampire after seeing Noe do the biting. Oops!

[★julia✿ · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOUIS MENTIONED LOUIS MENTIONED 5 GWIAZDEK DLA MOJEGO NAJUKOCHAŃSZEGO LOUISA LOUIS MENTIONED AUSKENSIWJXOWNZOAOZN
Podobal mi sie bardziej niz pierwszy tom!! klimat bardziej oddany :0
i Louis mentioned!!!
I Vanitas robil lepsze akcje lubie te scene co skoczyl i gadal te rzeczy wampirom
i lubie przeszlosc noego