THE CASE STUDY OF VANITAS

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MANGA ActionThe Case Study of Vanitas
ANIME ActionThe Case Study of Vanitas Part 2

REVIEWS

• 

  vessalius5524

  92/100
  An intriguing Slowburner Vampire Mystery

  All good things must come to an end but in Vanitas case it’s just begun

  On A side note If you are looking for long shounen fights, an idealistic protagonist, one objective and goal for which everyone works for and if you dislike slow burners, dialogue Then drop down. This series is not for you!

  Synopsis is already there so I am not gonna bother with it. so lets get down to it.

  

  Each story has different strengths.
  In Vanitas case, it’s the writing style itself. The author Jun uses drip feeding technique and she is extremely talented in doing so and anyone familiar knows what I am referring to. and due to this Everything in the world of Vanitas from characters to plot and the world itself is a mystery.
  Don’t let some common tropes mislead you!(The writer is pretty famous for that)
  Vanitas is not your typical vampire story
  In other words, Vampires are not blood sucking parasites which is pretty common in vampire stories. Turning into a blood sucking parasite though is a huge crime. But they are still vampires so yup there are occasional blood sucking scenes.
  The world building is unique and is done extremely well but at the same time not entirely revealed (Drip feeding). And You always learn something new while you are moving ahead in the story and that makes it intriguing to say the least.

  The power system of the series has to be interpreted through several hints and it is explained occasionally when it needs to be (World formula theory, vampire eyes and the book of Vanitas are based on altering the formula to do something) and it too is quite unique.

  As far as comedy goes (For now only) its either a hit or a miss but that being said, the comedy is actually good (Unlike Jujutsu kaisen, demon slayer or any other common shounen comedy you can think of). The author basically uses the comedic factors in order to balance the overall tone of the 1st cour/half of the story since after that its quite dark. With that being said it doesn’t become overdramatic or overly emotional and is pretty much balanced.

  

  The characters of Vanitas are very well crafted. They are not your Typical shounen protagonists or characters and majority of them including the mains are 18 or 18+ in other words it has primarily adult cast. There is no good or evil regarding them because every character has deep rooted motivations and ideologies which make them correct and their actions logical (With an exception of some). The best characters being Vanitas and Noe the 2 main characters of the series. The contradicting ideologies of the 2 main characters but how they are able to work together and make each other “whole” makes their dynamic a treat to watch/read. Other than that, the expressions and dialogues regarding the characters are extremely important. That being said the characters are a mystery and its extremely important to pay attention to their expressions and dialogues to learn about them. That gives hints to why they are like that in the first place.

  On a side note, the chibi is all Bones original with an exception of a few scenes and make no mistake its not a BL
  With that being said and done
  And this is basically the beginning of the case or should I say the tragedy of Vanitas.
  What can first time viewers can expect?
  The plot twists haven’t began yet so without counting that they can expect an original story with a few tropes here and there, good dynamics, Great Music(Yuki kaijura) and a developing mystery and several raised questions waiting to be answered later on while watching or completing the first cour
  So considering the writing style and everything about the series i believe everyone atleast should give it a try.

  
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• 

  Astrodogs80

  85/100
  An intimidating Vampire show with a gripping plot. You'll love it. Guaranteed.

  Not spoiler free but it won't spoil you either.

  Vanitas no Karte or simply ‘The case study of Vanitas’ is about a self-proclaimed doctor, Vanitas, out to cure the vampire race of the curse that plagues them (which is the anime’s base concept) along with a naive young vampire Noé who tags alongside him. Set in 19th century France, Vanitas no karte is one of the best anime airing in the season of summer 2021. It’s a show centred around vampires but it’s done incredibly well, honestly compared to the other vampire shows I’ve watched, Vanitas no Karte comes out splendidly. I don’t say that as a personal opinion, even objectively not only is the concept intriguing but even the characters catch your attention. It is not set in the typical manner where there is the only disparity between humans and vampires with divided factions either against vampires, with them or vice versa. Funnily, we are shown the disparity between them in a manner that isn’t repetitive and has some involvement with a 3rd party (You’ll find out in the anime, I don’t want to spoil).

  Later on, when Noé and Vanitas collide with the church, we see some innovative devices used to combat Vampire’s and proper logic behind them, it isn’t your typical clique where the antagonist just happen to have a strong constitution to combat vampires or just happens to have a one in a million item to attempt to win against them. No, in Vanitas no Karte they have clever items to help them. For example, when a Church paladin, Roland also a side character, collided with Noé, he used a special light to disrupt the power the eyes of a vampire hold and a chemical he injected into himself to gain a boost in strength. Might I add, he very cleverly put Noé (and Vanitas) into a vulnerable position. It was mildly predictable but great nonetheless. For your information, there aren’t any dense explanations, so don’t worry about that.

  Coming back to my previous points, the characters are intriguing. I especially like Vanitas, he seems like a very dominant man yet a very submissive one. From time to time, it becomes impossible to understand him but again, his actions become very clearly after some background information. Honestly, the anime has not covered his backstory entirely which makes his characters seem flimsy and too stubborn but keep an open mind, the second cour of Vanitas no Karte will answer the question of why the kin of the blue moon is a human. The other main character is Noé, who I personally dislike to some degree, he is the perfect partner for Vanitas, not fixated on views, persistent and for sure can keep up with Vanitas’s antics however his naivety annoys me. Noé is more child-like than you would want him to be despite being unbiased and expressive of his views. The mature world created by Jun Mochizuki, creator of Vanitas no Karte, makes Noé similar to an out-cast. Objectively speaking, this may have been done for character growth and to provide another perspective on the whole vampire and human situation. Other characters like Jeanne, Dominique, Dante, etc have various varying personalities and situations (that I don’t want to spoil) which add to the characterisation, even the names are intriguing! Honestly, watch the anime to get a better handle on them.

  Left to right - Noé, Dominique, Jeanne, Lucius and Vanitas

  This is a very small peek into the range of characters but I assure you, all of them are diverse, to some extent mysterious as well as complex and none of them is unimportant or presents just for gag reasons. The designs of the characters are great as well, Due to it being set in the 19th century, the atmosphere around them feels antique as well as unique. Again, Vanitas stands out the most and his design is amazing. I’ll add here that his reluctance to do some things or his impulsiveness does get annoying but it’s not enough to push you away.

  Vanitas, the Kin of the blue moon

  Let’s now expand a little bit on the genres of Vanitas no Karte and subsequently any themes. It certainly is a mystery, even I desperately want to find out why cursed vampires exist, what their collective goal is. It’s very gripping, honestly, I can’t type a word of it without spoiling the anime. Comedy is fine, nothing amazing, the sudden change in art style doesn’t make it comedic neither does the change in tone. Yes, you may laugh from time to time but it also feels a bit misplaced and jarring. Romance is similar to comedy in that aspect, it certainly shifts the tone quite a bit but it's not bad when it comes to it. Nothing else can be said about supernatural, fantasy and drama genres, they are self-explanatory. This isn't Boy's love either, some misconception of the show has been spreading as per my information, just wanted to clear that up as well.

  Animation is great, I never once saw an issue with it. Quality, as well as strict adherence to the manga, is followed thanks to Studio bones. The background is well detailed, so are the characters. Overall, I am impressed, I love seeing good animation along with a great plot, it’s a very enjoyable experience. Similarly, important scenes are highlighted well and are made animated to make them stand out. The anime opening is animated impressively too, along with the song, they make for a wonderful opening and I haven’t skipped it even once. Of course, an opening is always subjective but animation quality cannot be denied. At first, I decided the ending is 'meh' but after listening to it several times, my opinion had changed. I love it, it did take me some getting used to but I like it as it is without the visuals.

  Finally, the voice acting. Did I mention I love Natsuki Hanae? Yeah, he’s amazing. One of my favourite voice actors of all time and worth listening to, surprisingly he just happens to voice Vanitas, a brilliant choice, you might know him from his other roles as Tanjirou Kamado and Ken Kaneki. Ai Kayano voices Dominique de Sade who may sound familiar if you have seen Konosuba, Yes, she voices Darkness. Other actors include Inori Minase for Jeanne, Kaito Ishikawa for Noé, etc. All of them just have so much emotion when the situation calls for it and are a treat to listen to. They create such a beautiful atmosphere that you’d want to hear their voice on repeat, not to mention, the OST just makes things better, it may even give you chills.

  To conclude, watch Vanitas no Karte when you want a change of pace and a vampire centred story that isn’t repetitive. Animation along with the Voice acting make for a brilliant combination and will certainly keep you watching. I fail to understand why the average rating on this show is below 80% but I’m sure the second cour will be higher. One criticism I will add is that the world-building is missing from a cultural perspective, if Jun Mochizuki added more of French culture, it would elevate the anime’s world-building aspect, though the lack of it doesn’t take away from the anime. I hope you liked my review, I certainly enjoyed typing it out. I appreciate all feedback, which you can just drop in my profile as a private message or otherwise (do tell me which review you are giving feedback on). Enjoy watching Vanitas no Karte!

  One final blow to convince you to watch Vanitas no Karte!
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• 

  AnotherBadger

  73/100
  Vampires, Curses & Impending Tragedy Are Only The Tip Of The Iceberg

  “You cast pity where it’s unwanted. You don’t realise that you look down on others. I choose my own path, no matter what I do!”

  • Vanitas, Episode 9

  Vanitas no Carte is a series that opens with a simple goal and an apparently clear endpoint but steadily becomes a more complex series as it progresses. Mixing its premise with a healthy dose of well-handled vampire lore and a host of interesting characters, this is an anime that has enough to draw an audience in and keep them watching.

  The opening scene of the series definitely leaves a strong impression; setting up what is to come and giving the audience a very generalised idea of the key elements involved. It also demonstrates some of the stylistic vision behind that stays true to the manga it is adapting. As the series goes on, more elements are added; building on what the audience has already been told. This really makes Vanitas a series more suitable for watching in a short space of time since the weekly episodes made it a bit difficult to remember what was happening, especially in regards to the world and lore. At times the plot can feel very dense, with the series having a constant forward momentum and using its time effectively. Despite this, the anime manages to retain an air of mystery throughout, playing its cards at effective moments which works well for keeping the mystery elements feeling fresh.

  One of the elements that makes Vanitas no Carte stand out is how it treats vampires. It creates its own mythos around them that, while it mostly remains true to the core elements we would expect in a vampire story but reworks them to suit both its settings and themes. We also get a couple of different dynamics within the vampiric world as well as the human world which create a nice balance of perspectives around the treatment of vampires. This treats them more like people rather than reducing them either being simply misunderstood or stereotypical villains. Having a vampire, Noé, as one of the main characters allows the narrative to lean into how diverse the world of vampires is as his reactions help to guide the audience as to how this society usually functions and what is seen as peculiar or concerning. Vanitas is a far less reliable character but this makes him more enigmatic and unpredictable; establishing a great dichotomy between him and Noé. It is their relationship that is the focus of this first series, setting it up and showing how the two characters interact; demonstrating ambiguity around whether they will ever fully see eye-to-eye about certain topics. Not only does this stay true to their personalities, but it also mirrors the tone established by the closing lines of the first episode.

  Due to the first series of Vanitas no Carte focusing mostly on their relationship, the secondary characters have less development in terms of gaining dimensionality. For most, we get an understanding of their relationships and what their functions are; allowing the audience to understand more about Vanitas’ setting. However, for the most part, they are handled well enough that they have purpose and don’t feel like unnecessary additions. There is a sense that we will slowly learn more about them as the series progresses. We also have a really intriguing mix of characters that offer a lot of potential, from the Vampire Nobility to the vampire-hunting Chasseurs; from the open and direct Roland to the mysterious Lord Ruthven. It creates a world that feels, for the most part, like it is going to develop into something that feels alive. The voice acting is also stellar; bringing the characters to life and enhancing the experience in a way that the manga cannot.

  The animation is handled fantastically, capturing not only the setting of 19th Century France but also Mochizuki’s incredibly distinctive style; bringing it to life. This is most noticeable in the scene focusing on Charlatan, especially with Naenia, standing out as the surrealism and haunting charm are conveyed to the audience. Historical France has often been a setting associated with a mystical whimsy and hidden darkness that Vanitas does a great job of conveying; especially in its backgrounds. The soundtrack also helps bring the setting to life, especially the opening which really sets the tone and immerse the audience in its world. It is no understatement to say that the series looks and sounds gorgeous and there are nice touches added by the anime staff. Some of the stylistic choices made by Bones work really well, such as the use of CGI for the book which gives it an other-worldly feel although this might be off-putting for some. The use of colour to help convey the mood of characters, especially in Episode 5, heightens the emotional connection between the characters and the audience. The darker moments are also well animated, giving them a sense of importance which allows them to stand out from the gentler tone of the series.

  The pacing of fight scenes is also done well, conveying each one cleanly so that the audience knows what’s happening even when the two main characters are doing different things. It also manages to convey the different styles of fighting well; mixing hand-to-hand combat with weaponry in a coherent way where one doesn’t become lost in the other. There is also a consideration for the supernatural and how to combat it; as demonstrated by the Chasseurs. It creates a steady foundation for the next series to develop from. The only stylistic choice that I personally wasn’t too fond of was the use of quick cuts as these can be distracting and affect the pacing a little. This would be when the series would quickly flash an image, usually a shot of a character's eyes, and then it would be gone. It seems to be one of the stumbling points of an anime adaptation as Mochizuki would often dedicate a panel to a small moment that would later become significant. In a manga format, the reader has time to dwell and read the image, but for an anime, there had to be a decision made on whether to linger on the image or move on quickly. I can see why they would settle for a faster pace but it can come across as a little bit abrupt.

  There will be a few things that might put people off watching Vanitas. One of the most notable is the pace, especially in the beginning; it can range from being slow to being fast in a very short space of time. A part of this is due to its slow build-up which is to be expected as this series acts as a foundation for the next season to work from. It also means that the audience is given quite a lot of information to take in, which could make some moments confusing or potentially dull to watch. However, these scenes are few, far between, and always serve a purpose. The second thing that could put people off are the moments of comedy. The tonal shift and switch to a cuter art style will potentially be off-putting, especially if you are looking for a series with a serious tone. Comedy’s subjective nature means that these moments will inevitably fall flat for some people. They do balance the tone of the series out though, keeping a more pleasant façade that eases the audience in while something darker lurks underneath.

  Despite its potential flaws, Vanitas no Carte acts as a great series that sets the foundations for something even better to follow. It introduces the mechanics of the story, establishes an intriguing mystery and lets the audience get familiar with the setting. This is prioritised over character development so that it can be developed in-depth rather than trying to balance two large undertakings in twelve episodes. Overall, it is a series that takes its premise and begins to weave an intriguing tale of magic, vampires, and a deadly curse.

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