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The Case Study of Vanitas (TV 2)

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The Case Study Of Vanitas - What We Know So Far

Avid manga readers have probably picked up, or at least heard of, "The Case Study of Vanitas." Set in 19th century Paris, the story's use of steampunk has produced gorgeous and unique art that puts one in mind of the ever-popular "Black Butler." However, the aesthetic isn't the only thing that makes this story interesting. Created by Jun Mochizuki ("Pandora Heart"), "Case Study" follows Noé Archiviste as he aids Vanitas on his journey to help vampires from giving into their predatory nature. It is not an easy task though, as danger lurks in every corner and a force called the Charlatan tries to corrupt the vampires before they can be saved. The series has appeared in Square Enix's "Monthly Gangan Joker" since 2015, and has since produced 8 volumes. 

Fans of "Case Study" will be pleased to know that Vanitas and Noé will be animated. The anime will be adapted by Bones Inc. Studio, which is known for producing popular series such as " Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood ," "Ouran High School Host Club" and, most recently, "My Hero Academia." Here is everything we know about "The Case Study of Vanitas." 

When will The Case Study of Vanitas be released?

According to Anime News Network , Aniplex revealed back in March that the anime adaptation of "The Case Study of Vanitas" was on its way. It was later announced that the series would premiere on July 2nd and will air across multiple TV networks (via  Crunchyroll ). In addition to Bones Inc., Tomoyuki Itamura of "Owarimonogatari" will be directing, while Deko Akao of "Snow White with the Red Hair" and Yoshiyuki Ito of "Carole & Tuesday" will be serving as the script overseer and the character designer, respectively.

The anime's official Twitter also recently attached a trailer , which features Vanita's book of healing, fights with vicious vampires , and of course, the stunning 19th century Paris in which all the action takes place. Fan reaction to the over minute-long teaser was overwhelming, with many merely responding with heart-eyes emojis and gifs to accurately express their excitement. 

With only a couple of weeks to go, viewers won't have to wait long to return to Vanita's world or venture into it for the very first time. 

What characters will be in the "The Case Study of Vanitas?"

"The Case Study of Vanitas" features a wide variety of characters, who add more to both the plot and various relationships. If the anime will cover the first 40 or so chapters, fans can expect many of these people to make an appearance. 

Vanitas is the current holder of the Book of Vanitas, and thanks to its powers, he can do amazing things, though he claims to be a normal human. Despite his seemingly carefree personality, Vanitas' childhood — his parents were murdered by a vampire and his guardian subjected him to painful tests — has shaped who he is and what he does. During his travels, he meets Noé Archiviste, a man seeking the Book under the orders of his teacher. Noé is very caring, and because of this, he travels with Vanitas, finding his mission to save vampires rather than kill them to be an honorable deed. 

On Noé's and Vanitas' journeys, they come across other friends and enemies. These include Jeanne, an enslaved vampire ordered to kill her own kind; Luca, a young vampire and son of the Grand Duke; Dominique, Noé's childhood friend who harbors unrequited feelings for him, and the Teacher, a cruel, mysterious, and ancient vampire that exploits his students. 

The series is also likely to expand on supporting characters responsible for leading the main cast into even more perilous situations. 

What will be the plot of "The Case Study of Vanitas?"

Noé Archiviste hopes to find the legendary Book of Vanitas, a relic with extraordinary powers. Aboard a 19th century blimp, he meets Vanitas, the newest inheritor of the ancient text. Together, they search for sick vampires and use the power of the book to heal them. 

Most animes' first seasons usually follow up to the manga's  sixth or seventh volume, so we can expect this series to do the same. Within those approximately 40 chapters, the adaptation will depict Noé's first meeting with Vanitas, how Vanitas utilizes the book to get the job done, the introductions of Luca, Jeanne, and Dominique, Noé's relationship with the mysterious Teacher, and the risks of dealing with bloodsuckers and the Charlatan that threatens to undo Vanitas' work and continue to corrupt any vampires. 

Though there are more than seven volumes currently published, fans will have to wait for the "Case Study of Vanitas" to get renewed if they want to see the next adventure animated.

The Case Study of Vanitas » 24 episodes

Series » Published by Square Enix . Started in 2021.

Summary Short summary describing this series.

The Case Study of Vanitas last edited by cloudguy on 01/17/22 10:44AM View full history

In nineteenth-century France, humans and vampires coexist. The young vampire Noé is traveling to Paris in search of The Book of Vanitas, which is said to be capable of unleashing a curse upon all vampires. On an airship, he finds himself embroiled in a strange incident. It is Vanitas, a human calling himself a vampire expert, who appears before Noé in the ensuing chaos. In Vanitas’s hands is the very book that Noé has been searching for: The Book of Vanitas… Following this encounter, the curtain is set to rise on this tale of vampires, curses, and salvation…

Based on the Japanese manga Vanitas no Shuki .

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24 episodes in this series Add Episode Reverse sort

Episode #24

April 1, 2022

Episode #23

Tears like Rain

March 25, 2022

Episode #22

March 18, 2022

Episode #21

March 11, 2022

Episode #20

The Incurable Disease

March 5, 2022

Episode #19

Snow Flower

February 25, 2022

Episode #18

Just the Two of Us

February 18, 2022

Episode #17

Hands Upon a Nightmare

February 11, 2022

Episode #16

February 4, 2022

Episode #15

The d'Apchiers' Vampire

January 28, 2022

Episode #14

The Witch and the Young Man

January 21, 2022

Episode #13

A Chance Encounter

January 14, 2022

Episode #12

Point of Departure

September 18, 2021

Episode #11

September 11, 2021

Episode #10

September 4, 2021

Those Who Hunt Crimson

August 28, 2021

Where Death Slumbers

August 21, 2021

August 14, 2021

August 7, 2021

July 31, 2021

Night of Mocking Masks

July 24, 2021

Fangs That Lay Bare Blood

July 17, 2021

In the City of Flowers

July 10, 2021

In the Event of Rusty Hopes

July 3, 2021

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Manga / The Case Study of Vanitas

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" I'll do as I please, use methods I choose, and, no matter what you people want... I will save you without fail! " — Vanitas

Stories tell of a mysterious clockwork grimoire called The Book of Vanitas which, once opened, is said to place a curse upon the reader that is worse than death itself. Drawn to Paris on rumors of the book's existence, Noé, a vampire, boards the airship La Baleine to confirm it for himself. There, he's suddenly attacked by a fellow vampire who loses control of herself after her true name , the foundation of a vampire's self, is corrupted.

In steps the enigmatic, self-professed "vampire doctor" Vanitas wielding his namesake tome , which he uses not to curse but to cure. Claiming he inherited the book as well as his name from the original Vanitas , a vengeful vampire born under the ill-fated blue moon, he cheerfully recruits Noé to work with him in eradicating the malady that's robbing vampires of their true names — and their sanity .

The Case Study of Vanitas ( Vanitas no Carte , or The Memoirs of Vanitas ) is an ongoing 2015 Steampunk fantasy manga by Jun Mochizuki of PandoraHearts fame. It runs in Square Enix's monthly Gangan Joker magazine and is simulpublished in English by Yen Press . An anime adaptation by Studio Bones began airing in July 2021.

Contains examples of:

• Adaptation Distillation : The anime adaptation maintains the basic story, but excludes explanations of world building, several action sequences, dialogues, some foreshadowing and minor characters.
• Adaptation Explanation Extrication : In the beginning of the Bal Masque arc in the manga, Dominique has her two attendants chain Vanitas to a giant wooden wheel so she can interrogate him about what he really wants with Noe and his Archiviste powers. For some reason, the anime adaptation cuts out her attendants, showing Vanitas still being chained to the wheel, but it creates some confusion as to how a girl of Dominique's stature and size could possibly be capable of putting him, a grown man, on there without help. It also creates some confusion as to why Vanitas would even let Dominique chain him to a giant wheel, since he doesn't seem like the type of person who would just let some girl do that to him. Possibly subverted: Dominique as a vampire is physically stronger than the average human so it could be feasible she can overpower Vanitas by herself, though that’s still debatable.
• Alternate History : The series takes place in a world where the 16th century's alchemist Paracelsus altered the World Formula with the Tower of Babel and created those that are known as vampires. The manga starts around 300 years after the incident, in a version of 1889 Paris where the Tower of the Sun was built instead of the Eiffel Tower.
• Amusement Park : The fifth arc of the series takes place at an amusement park where Mikhail is keeping Dominique hostage by threatening to make her jump from a Ferris wheel if Noé doesn't drink Vanitas' blood .
• Ancient Tomb : The Catacombs of Paris appear as the setting of the third arc, as well as the secret lair of the Chasseurs.
• The anime's first opening sequence, played over the upbeat song "Sora to Utsuro," features the two protagonists, Noé and Vanitas, going on a tour around Paris where they visit the many attractions in the city and Vanitas plays babysitter for an excited Noé. This makes the anime look like a happy-go-lucky Bromantic Comedy set in a mundane France. The series is actually a vampire story taking place in a Steampunk version of 1889 Paris, containing plenty of drama, action, horror, and tragedy that wouldn't be expected from that carefree opening.
• The second opening sequence also shows nothing but Vanitas and Noé walking around Paris, but this time separately until they find each other. Most of the second half of the anime doesn't even take place in Paris.
• Bathos : Moments of drama and angst are frequently juxtaposed with slapstick, snarky banter or chibi antics.
• The Beautiful Elite : As typical of a Jun Mochizuki work, a lot of the characters in Vanitas are gorgeous beyond compare.
• Bookcase Passage : In Mémoire 6, Dominique and Noé go to a shop where they go through a hidden passage behind a bookcase that leads them to Altus Paris, the Pocket Dimension of Paris where vampires live.
• Breather Episode : Episode 7, which adapts Mémoire 12 from the manga, is a much-needed break from all the action and angst from the episodes so far. It focuses on the main characters just eating and dancing together at a restaurant to have a good time for once. As well as a good delivery of Ship Tease for all the potential couples, both the opposite-sex and same-sex ones.
• Bridal Carry : In Mémoire 53, Jeanne carries Dominique bridal-style after saving her from her own suicide attempt . Funny as Jeanne had fantasized about a similar scenario with Vanitas a few chapters back.
• Buddy Picture : Vanitas and Noé's relationship is consistently central in the story. The first chapter has Noé himself state that the plot is about his journey with Vanitas, which will end with the latter's death at his hands .
• Cast Full of Pretty Boys : Most of the male characters are either very handsome or incredibly pretty. An omake makes a joke about it by showing several of the guys working at a Host Club .
• In the first chapter, Vanitas falls off of a Cool Airship and Noé jumps right after him to catch his leg. Somehow, both survive the landing without a parachute.
• At the start of Mémoire 53, Jeanne saves a suicidal Dominique who had jumped off a Ferris wheel, catching her in the air before she hits the ground.
• Childhood Friend Romance : Noé's childhood friend Dominique has been in love with him since they were children, but the death of her brother Louis makes it hard for Dominique to progress her feelings for Noé. Meanwhile, Noé's exact feelings for Dominique are unknown aside from being very close with her and wanting to protect her to not lose another loved one after what happened to Louis.
• Children Do the Housework : Two orphaned human boys got adopted by the vampire known as Vanitas, later renamed Luna. To the concern of the boys, Luna sucked at cooking and cleaning. The older boy happened to be very good at both things, so Luna left those responsibilities to him.
• Church Militant : The church is the main human organization in charge of hunting and killing vampires. The Chasseurs are soldiers of the church who have been trained to fight vampires with weapons, aided by a Super Serum to match a vampire's strength.
• Noe is purple, representing his curiosity, nobility of spirit, and the mystery surrounding his past.
• Vanitas is dark blue, representing his confidence, melancholy and strong integrity.
• Dominique is red, symbolizing passion, aggression, and a desire for love.
• Jeanne is yellow and pink, symbolizing idealism, love, joy, and jealousy.
• Luca is green, symbolizing youth, jealousy, generosity and vigor.
• Compressed Adaptation : The anime's first half was fairly faithful to the manga, only cutting some minor scenes for faster pacing. However, the second half was significantly condensed in order to adapt the Gévaudan arc's three and a half manga volumes and the amusement park arc's two and a half manga volumes into a 12-Episode Anime . As a result, it eliminated a chunk of Chloé's backstory as well as the scenes related to the vampire senate and the extremist faction of the church that set up future arcs.
• Cool Airship : Noé and Vanitas first meet at La Baleine, a giant airship designed to look like a flying Gothic palace.
• Corrupt Church : The Catholic Church carried out a big massacre in Gévaudan, killing hundreds of women and children, under the delusion of exterminating vampires hiding among humans. They then used the "Beast" and curse-bearers as a cover story.
• Subverted in the belltower scene of Mémoire 11/Episode 6. Noé chooses to join Vanitas' journey by his own will and he makes a vow to stay together with Vanitas to the end as the sun rises to symbolize the start of their companionship. Sadly, Noé's narration from the future immediately reminds the audience that his relationship with Vanitas will end in tragedy.
• Played straight in Mémoire 55/Episode 24. In the aftermath of their big fight at the amusement park, Vanitas and Noé reconcile and reaffirm their bond to each other. The arc ends with Vanitas looking out at the sun rising through the clouds as he takes Noé's hand and goes to eat breakfast with him.
• Dance of Romance : Mémoire 12/Episode 7 has one big Ship Tease moment for those who are into the potential same-sex couples as NoéxVanitas and DominiquexJeanne dance a waltz while surrounded by Love Bubbles and Bishie Sparkle . Dominique takes Jeanne to dance with her (to tease Noé as she thinks he likes Jeanne) and both enjoy it so much that they immediately become good friends. While the girls dance, Noé asks Vanitas to dance with him, using that he wants to teach him as an excuse. Noé takes the chance to ask Vanitas what love is, but both are just left wondering as neither know the answer.
• Dark and Troubled Past : Noé who is the last remaining survivor of his clan and was a slave on the black market before Dominique's family bought him; Vanitas whose parents were murdered by vampires and became an experimental subject.
• Date Peepers : Domi spies on the date she set up between Jeanne and Vanitas, disguised as a man . Dante ends up stumbling across her and then tagging along for the rest of the date.
• Daywalking Vampire : None of the vampires in the setting have any problem with sunlight.
• Dysfunction Junction : As it's to be expected from a manga made by Jun Mochizuki, almost all the characters have a terribly traumatic backstory, are mentally unstable, or both.
• Everyone Is Bi : Although none of the main characters' sexualities have been explicitly confirmed, everyone in the main cast gets Ship Tease with people of both genders. Vanitas enjoys making unwanted sexual advances at Jeanne and lets her drink his blood several times. Meanwhile, Vanitas is all but stated to feel curious about how would it feel like to let Noé bite him and drink his blood too (even thinking about Noé biting Dominique when pressing Jeanne into doing it with him). Noé repeatedly drinks blood from Dominique and likes it, but he also drools at the mere thought of having a taste of Vanitas's blood. Dominique has an obvious crush on Noé since childhood, not that it stops her from flirting with women for fun and later forming a very affectionate friendship with Jeanne who often blushes at Dominique.
• Fantasy Metals : In this world, almost all machines are powered by Astermite, a mineral with miraculous properties that doesn't produce smoke that pollutes the air and has made it possible to build giant airships.
• Ferris Wheel of Doom : In the amusement park arc, because of Mikhail's Book of Vanitas going out of control, a Ferris wheel collapses and almost crushes Vanitas and Noé. They're saved by Dominique who creates an ice barrier to protect them.
• First-Episode Twist : The start of the first chapter/episode introduces Noé, a young man traveling to Paris in order to search for a legendary grimoire named the Book of Vanitas. While boarding an airship, Noé meets a sickly woman who is seemingly attacked by a suspicious man. Noé reveals himself to be a vampire and fights the man to protect the woman only for the woman to bite Noé as she's actually a curse-bearer, a vampire who went mad after having their true name stolen. Vanitas, the man who Noé fought, then reveals he's the possessor of the Book of Vanitas and uses its power to restore the curse-bearer's sanity.
• Flames of Love : In Mémoire 27, Vanitas and Jeanne take shelter from the snow at an abandoned cabin. After Jeanne orders to undress themselves to warm their bodies up together, they cuddle in front of a fireplace. The icing on the cake is Jeanne giving water to Vanitas mouth-to-mouth as the flames burn behind them.
• Flowers of Romance : In Mémoire 42, Jeanne has a passionate moment with Vanitas in a field of astérisque flowers, where she pins him down to drink his blood and kiss him on the cheek.
• Foregone Conclusion : The first manga chapter and anime episode close on some narration from a future version of Noé, who muses on the journey he went on alongside the titular Vanitas and reveals how the story will end: with Vanitas dying by his hand .
• If you look carefully, Vanitas never touches his book barehanded... or anyone for the matter. The one time he touches a vampire with his bare hand, her strength vanishes and she becomes unable to even stand.
• One of the covers shows the arms of Vanitas and Noé wrapped by chains... At the same emplacement as Vanita's scars. The Book of Vanitas has a silver chain, and he never touches it bare-handed. Do the math.
• In the first chapter/episode, as Noé narrates the fairy tale of the Vampire of the Blue Moon, the audience can see the Book of Vanitas... and the silhouette of another book behind it. There are, in fact, two books. When Vanitas' younger brother Misha introduces himself to Noé, he reveals he also has his own Book of Vanitas.
• Formulaic Magic : The World Formula, a mathematical equation originally written by Paracelsus in the 16th Century, is reality, and any changes to the formula also changes reality. It's believed that vampires resulted from the formula for humans being changed, and Astermite resulted from the formula for coal being changed. Vampires are able to see the World Formula and change it on the fly, giving them magical powers like Playing with Fire and so on. In turn, Chasseurs have developed technology to blind a vampire's ability to see the Formula, thus disorientating and weakening them.
• French Accordion : The setting is France (mostly in Paris) and fittingly, Yuki Kajiura used a lot of accordion for the anime's soundtrack.
• Gaslamp Fantasy : Though it has very strong Steampunk influences, the series's inclusion of magic, the supernatural, and many Gothic Horror tropes sets it as one of these as well.
• Gothic Horror : Like PandoraHearts , Vanitas has big elements of the gothic genre such as vampires, the late 19th century European setting, old castles, symbolism, and physical as well as psychological torture.
• Gratuitous French : The series is Japanese, but the characters occasionally speak French words to remind the audience that the work's setting is France. For example, the word vampire is spelled in French, the Vampire Hunters are called Chasseur, and vampire executioners are called Bourreau. The first scene of the first anime episode has news titles in correct, understandable French, but if you squint, you can read the text below... Which is some text about an archeological finding made in 1901, and rediscovered in 2021, obviously google-translated from the English.
• Great Offscreen War : Between the 16th and 17th centuries, humans and vampires were in a great war as both races tried to exterminate each other. By the time of the late 19th century in which the story takes place, humans and vampires have long stopped having anything to do with each other. Although, there's danger that another war might break out if Curse-Bearers continue attacking humans.
• Half-Breed Discrimination : Dhampirs are heavily discriminated against by humans and vampires. Their hybrid heritage causes them to be abandoned by their parents and hunted by vampires and/or the church, unless they're under the protection of a high-ranking vampire like Marquis Machina.
• Half-Identical Twins : Louis and Dominique de Sade are actually fraternal twins and they look very alike, especially after Dominique started dressing like a boy to cope with Louis' death.
• Hemo Erotic : Having one's blood drunk by a vampire is noted to be pleasurable for many, and in fact many Vampires will drink each other's blood as an act of affection between friends and loved ones, as demonstrated by Noé and Dominique. It's explained that this reaction is because there's a biologic response that anesthetizes the bitten individual through a substance that is apparently similar to... an aphrodisiac . However, the degree which this is pleasurable runs on a sliding scale, with some just becoming numb or drowsy, and not feeling any pleasure at all. The individuals involved also seem to matter, possibly on a biological level, as Vanitas comments that he feels particularly euphoric when being fed upon by Jeanne compared to other times he's been bitten. Also, apparently, drinking someone's blood without consent is considered a crime .
• High School AU : The omake of Volume 7 is about an AU where the characters are high school students and teachers. The premise is Vanitas infiltrating the academy while Disguised in Drag and gets found out by Jeanne who also is disguised as a man to be Luca's bodyguard. The omake later got an Audio Adaptation with a couple of Drama CD for the anime's Blu-ray release.
• I Know Your True Name : A vampire's true name is linked to their destiny and is as important as life itself.
• "Le Formidable!" for Vanitas and Noé, sung by Natsuki Hanae and Kaito Ishikawa .
• "Blooming in the Sun～mon trésor～" for Jeanne and Luca, sung by Inori Minase and Shino Shimoji .
• "Nameless Road" for Roland and Olivier, sung by Kengo Kawanishi and Tomoaki Maeno .
• "Snow Flower" for Chloé and Jean-Jacques, sung by Rie Kugimiya and Daiki Hamano .
• Louis begged his beloved friend Noé, to kill him when he was going out of control, fearing that he would kill Noé if he wasn't terminated. Noé's inability to fulfill Louis's last wish continues to haunt Noé to this day, and is in fact part of what drew him to Vanitas since Vanitas 's abilities represented a hope that Louis could have been saved.
• When Chloé was in despair over how miserable her existence was, outliving generation after generation of her human family and being hated by the townspeople she had been brought up to love, she desired to be killed by Jeanne who she loved like a little sister. Jeanne was actually directed to do so, but was unable to carry it out.
• Layered World : One of the effects of the Babel Incident was the creation of secluded dimensions, named "Altus," that are connected to the original world, but are only accessible to vampires and humans who cross the border while touching a vampire. After the war, most vampires are living at Altus, although there's still some vampires who live at the original world along with humans.
• Legacy Character : The current Vanitas claims he's the inheritor of the original, though he's only an average human rather than a vampire.
• Masculine Girl, Feminine Boy : Jeanne and Vanitas are turned into this in the High School AU where both go to the academy Disguised in Drag . Jeanne also behaves like a flirt who calls Vanitas her food property because of all the shoujo manga Dominique made her read.
• Masquerade Ball : The second arc of the series has our heroes attend a Bal Masque full of vampire aristocrats.
• Mass Super-Empowering Event : The renowned alchemist Paracelsus built the Tower of Babel as part of an experiment to rewrite the World Formula, resulting in a disaster known as the Babel Incident. The formula that constituted coal was altered to become the blue mineral, Astermite, from which power could be produced without almost any environmental pollution, a flora formula was altered to create bioluminescent flowers, and most importantly, the human formula had been altered and given way to the existence of vampires.
• Matricide : In a disturbing example, Catherine, a young girl vampire attacks her mother after being affected by the curse. She then begs Vanitas to kill her before she hurts her sister. He obliges
• "Vanitas" can mean "vanity" (exhibited in the self-serving way he talks about saving the vampires) or "emptiness" (a possible allusion to Noé's statement at the end of chapter 1 that he would kill him with his own two hands). A vanitas is also a particular style of painting, a reminder of death and the frailty of life which demands that we cannot be obsessed with trivial things. This may also be a factor in the meaning of Vanitas' name.
• Noé's name. Vanitas calls him "Child of the Ark" and he is an Archivist, a clan of vampires believed to have died out. Noé is the French version of "Noah" from Noah's Ark, a famous Bible story where two (a male and a female) of every animal is brought upon a boat to survive extinction...
• A vampire's true name seems to be this in general.
• Mercy Kill Arrangement : Vanitas promises Jeanne to kill her if there ever comes a time that she's 'no longer herself'.
• Mind Virus : The malady afflicting vampires that Vanitas is aiming to eradicate. It takes possession of the victim's true name and endows them with an unquenchable thirst for blood.
• Mutual Pining : In the aftermath of the Gévaudan arc, Vanitas and Jeanne find themselves pining for each other, leading people around them to point out Vanitas has fallen for Jeanne and vice versa. Vanitas is highly uncomfortable with catching feelings for Jeanne because his self-loathing keeps him in denial about being deserving of love. Meanwhile, Jeanne is happy to be in love with Vanitas, but since he claims he doesn't feel attraction to someone who can love him, she plans to not let him know her true feelings.
• Mythology Gag : When Vanitas and Noe are initially caught by Roland, Vanitas introduces themselves as Vincent and Gilbert. These are the names of two brothers from the author's previous manga, PandoraHearts .
• Myth Prologue : The manga begins with Noe narrating the story of the Vampire of the Blue Moon and how they were exiled for being a bad omen while swearing revenge. It later turns out that this story isn't as accurate as other vampires believed as it turns out that the Vampire of the Blue Moon was actually a nice guy with no interest in revenge.
• Not the Fall That Kills You… : In the first chapter/episode, Noé and Vanitas fall off of a Cool Airship . Not only do they survive the fall and landing (without a parachute!), they come out unharmed even though they crashed against a cathedral and made a hole in the ceiling.
• Off with His Head! : Decapitation is the only certain way to kill vampires. Louis, who was Dominique's older brother and one of Noé's first friends, was decapitated by his grandfather in order to protect Noé when Louis became a Cursebearer.
• Oh, and X Dies : The first chapter ends with Noé's narration stating that he will kill Vanitas at the end of their journey.
• One Cast Member per Cover : There's a different character on each volume cover, with the occasional exception of pairs (Vanitas and Noé in every cover featuring them since Volume 3, Chloé and Jean-Jacques in Volume 7). Only the two protagonists, Vanitas and Noé, have more than one cover.
• One Twin Must Die : Twins are a symbol of bad luck to vampires, which is why some families kill one of the twins at birth. This was supposed to be Dominique's twin brother Louis' fate as giving birth to twins would have been a disgrace to the noble house of de Sade. Louis was only spared because his grandfather wanted to use him for some sort of experiment involving his transformation into a Curse-Bearer, so he could live up to his teens.
• Our Vampires Are Different : Vampires are closer to a Mage Species that drinks blood to gain strength. Because of their direct connection to the World Formula, they have abilities similar to magic that allow them to increase their physical strength and stamina, and in the case of more powerful vampires, use Elemental Powers and such. They apparently won't die unless directly killed via decapitation and their bodies instantly turn to dust after losing their head. Drinking blood is not a necessity for them and they can easily suppress their blood cravings unless they become Curse-Bearers, vampires who went insane after their true name was corrupted.
• Over-the-Shoulder Carry : Jeanne carries Vanitas over her shoulder when she needs to take him away for a private conversation about her blood cravings.
• Pink Girl, Blue Boy : There's the pink-haired Jeanne often paired with Vanitas who is blue-eyed and dresses in blue clothes.
• P.O.V. Boy, Poster Girl : A male-male variation; Vanitas is the titular character and poster boy while Noé is the viewpoint character.
• The Power of Friendship : A recurring theme is Vanitas and Noé growing stronger together and overcoming obstacles by learning to trust and help each other as friends. A notable example is Noé managing to stop a hypnotized Vanitas' attempt to murder him by swearing he will never let him be "free" (i.e. alone) .
• Real Event, Fictional Cause : Between 1764 and 1767, there was an incident of serial murders in the former French province of Gévaudan that were attributed to a man-eating wolf-like animal that was called The Beast of Gévaudan. In this manga, the murders were supposedly committed by a Curse-Bearing vampire. In reality, that was just a cover. The real cause of the murders was an illegal vampire hunt of the church that indiscriminately killed everyone in Gévaudan that could be, become, or give birth to a vampire.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning : Vampires' eyes turn red when they display their superhuman powers that allow them to rewrite the World Formula. They also turn red when they're feeling strong emotions or are thirsty for blood.
• Reluctant Psycho : Many curse bearers are unwillingly turned into feral animals due to having their true names tampered with. Only a handful trade their names willingly for power. Even then, eventually their curse will leave their control and devolve into violent rage. Even fully in control, Chloé had difficulty resisting Noé's blood.
• Revenge : Vanitas' whole motive for saving the vampires; not to help them out of genuine good will but as revenge against the Vampire of the Blue Moon.
• Roundabout Shot : The anime opening sequence has one of these with Noé grabbing Vanitas by the hands and spinning him around in the air until they fall into a fountain.
• Rule of Symbolism : In an art illustration Jun Mochizuki did for Vanitas shows him falling, blue butterflies all around him. The only butterflies that are not blue are the purple ones on his arm where the mark of possession by the original Vanitas of the Blue Moon gave him.
• Scars are Forever : Vanitas' left arm is scarred since he was bitten by the Vampire of the Blue Moon (or claims that he was).
• Scenery Porn : As expected from Jun Mochizuki's work. Just look at Chapter 1's scenery of Paris as Noé and Vanitas fall out of the airship. It's breathtaking.
• Ship Tease : The series has teasing moments for all the potential couples of the main cast, mainly VanitasxNoé (unusual partnership with lots of Homoerotic Subtext and Noé's strong interest for drinking Vanitas' blood), VanitasxJeanne ( Forceful Kiss from Vanitas, very sexually-charged blood drinking scenes, and a persistent Unresolved Sexual Tension ), NoéxDominique (childhood friends who like drinking blood from each other and are very protective of each other), and DominiquexJeanne ( Pseudo-Romantic Friendship where both girls admit to love each other).
• Spell Book : The Book of Vanitas has the power to interfere with the World Formula and restore the names of vampires that had them stolen.
• Steampunk : The series takes place in a steam-powered Paris as opposed to the Gaslamp Fantasy of PandoraHearts , though Vanitas also qualifies as that as well.
• Take Away Their Name : Naenia strips vampires from their true names, which causes them to become curse-bearers. The only known way to cure them is using the Book of Vanitas to bring their true name back.
• Technically-Living Vampire : Vampires are an advanced Human Subspecies that came into existence because of a disaster known as the Babel Incident. Some humans gained the supernatural ability to use their eyes to rewrite the World Formula. Vampires drink blood if they want to (although the urge is easy to suppress) and are Long-Lived , but they're just like humans in every other aspect.
• Unresolved Sexual Tension : After a very weird and rough start, Vanitas and Jeanne have developed a very strong mutual attraction since the Gévaudan arc, with Vanitas having become increasingly flustered around her with their interactions.
• Void Between the Worlds : Between the human world and the vampire world, there's a void known as the "Border" that only vampires are able to cross. It's said that if a human were to step into the Border without touching a vampire, they would fall into nothingness and be lost between worlds forever.
• Wall Pin of Love : Vanitas has Jeanne cornered after tricking Noé into taking Jeanne's master Luca as a hostage. As Jeanne begs for Luca's life, Vanitas pins her against the wall, does something to her that makes her lose her power, and forces a kiss on her before asking her to marry him as he has fallen "in love" with her.
• Watching the Sunset : A variation happens in the belltower scene at the end of Mémoire 11/Episode 6. Noé makes the declaration that he wants to understand Vanitas and has decided to stay by his side. Vanitas concedes and the two men watch the sunrise, a symbol of the true start of their partnership.
• Witch Hunt : After the Babel Incident caused some humans to be transformed into vampires, they became hunted by regular humans who viewed them as unholy monsters. The original Beast of Gévaudan incident happened because paranoid members of the church were hunting hidden vampires in Gévaudan and killed any women and children they came across.
• The X of Y : The title is "The Case Study of Vanitas".

Video Example(s):

Vanitas and Jeanne

When Vanitas finds out that Jeanne apparently gets random cravings for blood, but can't figure out if she's a curse-bearer or not, he decides to entice her to drink his blood. It works, and he winds up enjoying it to the point where, in a later episode, he offers to give Jeanne exclusive bloodsucking rights to him in exchange for keeping the fact that she bit him a secret from her master Luca.

Example of: Voluntary Vampire Victim

Noe Archiviste

Vanitas and Ast...

Jeanne The Hell...

Vanitas Takes M...

Vanitas [Bats]

The Book of Van...

The Case Study ...

Noe Asks Vanita...

The Vampire of ...

Vanitas Hates R...

Dominique de Sade

Dominique Threa...

Jeanne Loves Va...

Jeanne Carries ...

Noe Throws Vanitas

Noe Takes Vanit...

Jeanne and Vanitas

Vanitas Kisses ...

Vanitas' Declar...

Noe's Slow Reac...

Noe Loves Tarte...

Murr Scratches Noe

Vanitas Makes F...

Astolfo Granatum

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Vanitas no Karte

The Case Study of Vanitas

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English Dub Season Review: The Case Study of Vanitas Season One

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Long ago, a vampire named Vanitas was born under a blue moon and was thus called a curse-bearer. Legend tells that he wrote a grimoire called the Book of Vanitas and that its powers can be used on those vampires who are of the crimson moon. Fast-forward to the present day and a human named Vanitas has possession of the book. He partners up with a vampire called Noe, and the two of them work together to advance Vanitas’s agenda. From evading the church’s vampire hunting agents to falling in love, the two of them are up to something wild each week as they make their way through 19th century France.

Set in 19th century Paris, The Case Study of Vanitas tells the story of an eccentric man child called Vanitas and the vampires and humans he meets throughout his travels. It’s a trippy road trip through Paris, England, and otherworldly vampiric realms—and it’s also very sexy (if you’re into vampires of course). Whether it’s good or not is another story, and it’s a little hard to answer because it’s going to depend very much on your ability to overlook how annoying Vanitas is.

The basic plot is that Vanitas is a human who’s goal is to find the so-called curse bearing vampires who have been afflicted by the misfortune. He does this via a magical tome called the Book of Vanitas, which was written by a long-gone vampire also named Vanitas who was born under a blue moon. He meets up with a vampire named Noe, and the two of them form a kind of frenemy bond. From then on, it’s the two of them going on new adventures each week. The quality varies depending on the episode. The show does action fairly well, and some of the more fight-oriented scenes are fun to watch. The romantic arcs are much less well done, although I might be biased since I’m not a huge fan of vampiric romance, which at least according to this show, involves a lot of blood.

The anime is based on a manga by Jun Mochizuki. It’s been said that one the trademarks of the original manga was the tension-filled drip of information and backstory, but I don’t feel like the anime really did this justice. Instead of a slow build, the series seems to mostly ignore questions of logic and backstory—until it doesn’t, and then it force feeds you flashbacks for entire episodes. This makes it hard to keep the pace interesting, and I often found that I would lose what little excitement I was feeling because the show would suddenly take a detour, like when it abandons Vanitas and Noe at the party with Charlatan in favor a melodramatic tale from Noe’s past.

The production quality of the show is fine, but nothing special. Bones is the studio that worked on it, and they’ve made a lot of very well respected series in the past. Vanitas probably won’t go down in history as one of them. It doesn’t look bad, but it none of its visuals really appealed to me very much and I couldn’t really get a feel for the art direction of the show. Some of the character designs are fun, especially Ronaldo and Dr. Moreau, but those were the highlights for me. The English dub is serviceable, but some of the dialogue can sound stilted and off—although that might just be part of the show itself, since The Case Study of Vanitas is certainly one to lean into weirdness.

All in all, Vanitas isn’t really the kind of show that appeals to me. It takes its ingredients (vampires, 19th century Paris, romance) and kind of throws them around in hopes that something will be born out of the chaos. Chaotic shows are well and good, but usually there has to be at least one character to sort of anchor the plot, and none of the characters here really did that for me. Noe is presumably the one who we should be rooting for alongside Vanitas, but his blind loyalty and odd naivety toward Vanitas didn’t really endear him to me as our main character. About half of the character in the show suck blood, and I would have to say the show itself also sucks.

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About Caleb

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• Clan of the Blue Moon
• View history

Vanitas (ヴァニタス, Vanitasu ) is a protagonist and the titular character of Jun Mochizuki 's The Case Study of Vanitas . Contrary to the legend of Vanitas of the Blue Moon , Vanitas claims to be "an average human being" who happened to inherit the Book of Vanitas . It is his stated intention to save the Vampire race by any means possible, using the Book of Vanitas not to spread Malnomen but to cure it. As such, he refers to himself as a doctor who specializes in Vampires. He commissions the help of Noé Archiviste , a Vampire sent by his teacher to research the Book of Vanitas and the series' narrator, in finding cases of Malnomen and curing them. [1]

Originally the child of a former doctor and a performer, Vanitas's biological mother died in childbirth, leaving him to be raised by his father and the traveling players he worked with. Their party was eventually attacked by Vampires, leaving Vanitas as the only survivor. Subsequently, he was picked up by the Catholic Church , and trained to be a Chasseur . However, his death was faked by Doctor Moreau , [2] and he was kept as a test subject, renamed No. 69. [3] There he would meet Mikhail , known as No. 71, and come to regard him as a younger brother. The two were subjected to inhumane experimentation in hopes of turning them into Vampires, all to no avail. Eventually, it was revealed they had received the blood of the Vampire of the Blue Moon, being the only human subjects not to reject it. This gave them abilities somewhat beyond normal human capacity, allowing them to heal slightly faster. The two were to be forcibly linked to the Books of Vanitas in a procedure which would destroy their minds, but were rescued by Vanitas of the Blue Moon. [4]

Desperate, Vanitas and Mikhail went along with Vanitas of the Blue Moon, and were taken as their adoptive children. While Mikhail quickly warmed up to his new guardian, Vanitas remained distrustful, despite taking an active role in supporting them and Mikhail. After some time had passed, Vanitas of the Blue Moon confessed that Vanitas and Mikhail would likely soon die due to the strain the Moreau's experiments had put on their bodies. They said that, lacking any other options, the two could be saved by becoming the Vampire's Kin . While Mikhail, whose body had begun to break down, quickly accepted, Vanitas vehemently refused. He killed the Vampire of the Blue Moon after being Marked , in an event he believed to have killed Mikhail, thus leading him to believe he was the only legitimate Kin of the Blue Moon. [2]

• 1 Appearance
• 2 Personality
• 3 Powers and Abilities
• 5 Appearances
• 7 References
• 8 Navigation

Appearance [ ]

Vanitas is a slender, androgynous young man of average height. He has pale skin, large, expressive eyes, a round face, and a small chin. So blue are his eyes that they are used as an immediately identifiable trait, compared to the color of copper sulfate . An upper left canine tooth is especially pronounced, giving the appearance of fangs when his teeth were visible, though they are not as pronounced as vampires' fangs. His hair is long, black, and irregularly cut, his bangs falling into the center of his face. On either side of his face, his hair is straight cut, the left side to one level and the right side to two. Though he at times appears to wear a ponytail, his hair usually sits freely, the hair on either side of his head cut shorter than that down the middle. One cowlick sticks up from the right side of his head. Both of his ears are pierced, a simple stud worn in his right ear, while his left ear is pierced with a silver (gold, in the anime) hourglass-shaped earring that he inherited from Luna, and two rings through the helix.

Vanitas's reference sheet from volume 2.

While Vanitas wore several outfits over the course of the series, he usually wears a white shirt over black pants, a dark blue striped vest, a large blue bow tie, and an oversized black coat. As accessories, he wears a long, wide ribbon tied into a bow as a belt, short boots with white spats, and black gloves with claws embedded at the fingertips. His coat is long, with a wide collar and a single button, large enough to frequently fall over one shoulder. At its hem, it takes a baloon-like form, and is joked to float "through some mysterious power." Its sleeves are someone based on those of a furisode kimono . To his belt, he straps the Book of Vanitas, two knives, and two tool cases. His outfit is called "the outfit nobody understands." [5]

As a child, he looked much the same, though his hair was less cleanly cut. He was thin and physically diminutive, despite his active training as a chasseur. Prior to being Marked by Vanitas of the Blue Moon, his eyes were a darker shade of blue.

Personality [ ]

Vanitas seems to take nothing seriously, and almost always has a playful grin on his face. He acts impulsively most of the time, and his plans are normally reckless. Vanitas carries a mischievous air around him. He finds utmost amusement in Noé's abnormal reactions to things. However, he is capable of showing seriousness when the situation called for it, as well as anger. He is very flirtatious, as seen in the way he behaves around Jeanne.

Beneath his flippant attitude, Vanitas is a broken man who despises both humans and vampires, but hates himself more than either. Vanitas hates being vulnerable around people, refusing to go to sleep around anyone he doesn’t trust. He likes high places and is often seen hanging around rooftops.

Powers and Abilities [ ]

General: As a mere human, Vanitas is more often than not significantly less powerful than those around him who are Vampires , at least physically so. While he is demonstrably fit, athletic, and spry, his strength, speed, and endurance are only that of an average human being and no more. The exception is the rate at which he heals from injuries, which is accelerated due to Doctor Moreau 's experimentation. [4] To compensate for his generally inferior physical strength, Vanitas is extremely sharp, clever, and resourceful in battle. He can analyze situations and come up with appropriate solutions and counterattacks very fast, even in the middle of a dangerous battle. He makes use of every resource available to him and is not afraid to use underhanded tactics, to the dismay of those around him. [6]

Weapons: Vanitas's main weapons are a pair of knives whose hilts are rigged with wires. In addition, stored in some pockets on his belt are various "cheaters' implements" which he uses both in and out of battle. He has a tendency to try and keep his weapons and tools hidden, to allow himself the additional element of surprise should he need it, adding to his devious trickster-like fighting style. [5] He is also skilled in gathering information about his enemies and putting that to use in battle against them. [7] He favors being prepared and constantly having the upper hand against his enemies.

Chasseur Training: Vanitas's proficiency in combat seems to have originated from his training as a Chasseur. In addition to his combat abilities and weapons training, his brief time with the Chasseurs taught him in great detail the methods of fighting a Vampire. He knows that, as their eyes are the conduit with which they can access and rewrite the World Formula , the first step is to aim for a Vampire's eyes. [8] He has utilized this knowledge not only against Vampires he's attacked [2] but also against Chasseurs who have attacked him. [9] He also, through unknown means, has access to the drugs Chasseurs use to boost their physical abilities. He only uses them in the rare scenario where he has no choice but to fight a Vampire to the death. [10]

The Book of Vanitas : The main source of Vanitas's power is the Book of Vanitas and his control over it. The main method in which he uses the Book is in healing curse-bearers with what he calls an "Inverse Operation" ( 逆 ( ぎゃく ) 演 ( えん ) 算 ( ざん ) , Gyaku Enzan ). Contrary to Vampires' common belief and fears about the curse of the Blue Moon and the related Book, Vanitas uses the Book to interfere with True Names and heal them, extracting the Maladies that warp them into Malnomen . [1] He can also, before doing so, use the Book to identify exactly what Malnomen it is, though just as often Vanitas can name said Malnomen at the top of his head. This inverse operation requires a high amount of proficiency from the user, as the only other to own a Book of Vanitas cannot interfere with True Names on such a level. [11] On rare occasions the Malnomen will be too strong for him to heal on his own, and he will require the curse-bearer in question to reject it of their own volition and call upon the power of his Mark of Possession to complete the operation. [12]

Vanitas does not only use the Book for saving however, it is also his main weapon in battle. As the Book of Vanitas is able to rewrite the World Formula at will, he can use it to a variety of purposes. He can stun Vampires and render them immobile for a short period of time, [13] though a Vampire strong enough may be able to gain mobility sooner. [6] He can also interfere with Astermite , which allows him to manipulate automatons to do his bidding, go haywire, [14] even explode at his will. [15]

Menial: Aside from combat, Vanitas also has a number of skills in other areas of expertise. Despite his status as a doctor being largely self-proclaimed, Vanitas has had clear medical training and experience, likely from being raised by his doctor of a father. [2] He knows how to perform first aid, how to treat poisons, [16] and carries various medicines around with him. [5] He also knows a number of other practical skills, including how to cook, how to clean, [2] and has various knowledge about French history and culture, [17] even minor trivia such as different apple desserts. [18] He is familiar with the Latin language, likely the result of both his upbringing in the Church and his medical knowledge.

• “—Non! I am a doctor. One who specializes in Vampires. I came… to heal her!” [1]
• “I am Vanitas. I inherited this Book and the name from the Vampire of the Blue Moon, and I am… an average human being ! Lend me your strength, Noé!” [1]
• “I’ll do as I please… use methods I choose… and, no matter what you people want… I will save you without fail!!” [1]
• “You gave yourself something to protect. That’s why you’re weak.” [6]
• “But rest assured. There’s nothing to fear. You are truly fortunate! I—! I, who am Kin to the Blue Moon!! I tell you I will use the Book of Vanitas not to slaughter but to save you!! All you have to do… is tremble with humiliation and be saved!!” [19]
• “…No real reason. Right now… you could say I don’t much care what happens.” [20]
• “I have absolutely no interest in the sort of person who would fall for me.” [21]
• “Listen! I never act against my own wishes. The fact that I’m with the Vampires, that I infiltrated this place, that I just hurt you—I did it all of my own free will!” [9]
• “…If you ask me… there’s not much difference between humans and Vampires. They’re all terribly ugly, endlessly selfish creatures.” [14]
• “I… am a doctor. I am here to save Vampires!” [22]
• “Once there were no more curse-bearers, I stopped caring.” [22]
• “If that time comes, I’ll kill you. I promise… I’ll kill you. I love you. I’m the one who’ll make your wishes come true. It has to be me. So, Jeanne… there’s nothing to worry about.” [17]
• “I’m going. If there’s a chance I might find a curse-bearer, I’ll go anywhere.” [23]
• “‘Archiviste.’ I’m only going to say this once, so listen up. If you so much as try to drink my blood… I’ll kill you. Is that clear?” [23]
• “I came here to save Vampires. Are you here for some other reason?” [7]
• “‘Revenge is pointless, so don’t attempt it. It won’t make anyone happy.’ Is that what you’re getting at?” [24]
• “I’m telling you I’ll act on the assumption that you’re going to convince me . If you want them treated… make me feel like treating them.” [24]
• “I love you. I’m the one who’ll make your wishes come true. It has to be me. So spit it out. Tell me what you really want. No matter how trivial it is. Whether it’s an ugly emotion… or even a curse… I’ll accept it for you!” [25]
• “I know that face . It’s self-satisfaction… and self-absorption. The face of someone who’s made an arbitrary decision to die alone. It makes me sick!” [26]
• “Chloé d’Apchier!! Either vanish with this world… or live on in humiliation! Choose however you like!! Even if you survive, you’ll never regain your honor. The Church will never admit to the truth of the past, and you’ll continue to be hounded as the Beast. It’ll be hell either way! Even so—you make the choice!!” [12]
• “Don’t hesitate, Noé. Don’t think about whether Astolfo’s hate is justified or not. Both humans and Vampires act on their own concepts of justice. One’s just can be someone else’s evil. ‘Being right’… is ‘power.’ It can easily turn into violence that’s much harder to deal with than malice. Don’t brandish it. Keep it inside. Justice should merely be the light that illuminates the path ahead of you.” [12]
• “This isn’t about what’s ‘right.’ Base what you do on what you can’t concede. At any rate… in your case, that will work.” [12]
• “It’s revolting! The thought of someone falling for a person like me…” [27]
• “I’ll never become your Kin. No matter what. Even if I knew I’d die tomorrow… I want to stay human until the end.” [2]
• “Bring them… back to life? Don’t even joke about that. I’ve been working to erase their existence entirely. Do you have any idea… how much I’ve—!!” [10]
• “Enough of that. You’ve gotten the wrong idea about something. You and I were only working together because our interests happened to align. We’re strangers. If the other stops being useful, cut him loose. If he gets in the way, kill him. That’s all we are, and you know it.” [10]
• “‘If anyone tries to take my memories… no matter who they are… kill them. Kill them. Kill them. Without fail. Kill… Noé. Kill that Vampire !!’” [10]
• “…Why… can’t I… kill… Why!? Wh… why…?” [28]
• “I’ll never forgive Luna. I’ll erase every last fragment of the Vampire of the Blue Moon’s existence. I’ll consign them to oblivion. That… is my ‘revenge.’” [29]
• “If I— …get to choose how I die… If I can… wish, then… If I’m going to be killed I want Noé to do it.” [29]
• “As for the rest… nothing will change. I am a doctor. I’ll keep on treating curse-bearers. I’ll do as I please. I’ll save the Vampires, for the sake of my revenge.” [29]
• “He acts as if he prefers to resolve problems by talking them out… but he gets violent first thing. He marches right into others’ personal space with his muddy boots. He’s much too stubborn. What can I do but back down!?” [30]

Appearances [ ]

• Mémoire 1: Vanitas — In the Event of Rusty Hopes (First Appearance)
• Mémoire 2: Noé — In the City of Flowers
• Mémoire 3: Jeanne — The Hellfire Witch
• Mémoire 4: Femme Fatale — Love
• Mémoire 5: Archiviste — Fangs That Reveal Blood
• Mémoire 6: Altus — Other World
• Mémoire 7: Bal Masqué — Night of Sneering Masks
• Mémoire 8: Louis — Sinking in a Pool of Blood
• Mémoire 10: Salvatio — Uncertainty
• Mémoire 11: Deux Ombres — Point of Departure
• Mémoire 12: Pause 𝄻
• Mémoire 13: Glissando — Glissando
• Mémoire 14: Catacombes — Where the Dead Sleep
• Memoire 15: Chasseur — Those Who Hunt Crimson
• Entracte: Chambre d'enfants — A Dream of the Sound of Rain
• Mémoire 16: Galop — At the End of the Riot
• Mémoire 17: Cicatrice — No. 69
• Mémoire 18: Dos à Dos — The Shape of Salvation
• Mémoire 19: Serment — Spell-bound
• Mémoire 20: Serment — Promise (Part One)
• Mémoire 21: Serment — Promise (Part Two)
• Mémoire 22: Hurler — A Calling Voice
• Mémoire 23: Au Pas Camarade — Pace
• Mémoire 24: Forêt d'argent — Chance Encounter
• Mémoire 25: Endroit Approprié — Melee
• Mémoire 26: Dissonance — Creaking Laughter
• Mémoire 27: Cage de Neige — Dregs
• Mémoire 28: Dal Segno — Question Mark
• Mémoire 29: Chateau de Sorcière — The Witch and the Youth
• Mémoire 30: Strascinando — Tremolo
• Mémoire 33: Cauchemar — Rumble
• Mémoire 34: Jean-Jacques — The Vampire of the Chastels (Part One)
• Mémoire 34.5: Jean-Jacques — The Vampire of the Chastels (Part Two)
• Mémoire 35: Louisette — Pillar of Justice
• Mémoire 37: Vengeance — Hands That Touch a Nightmare
• Mémoire 38: Naenia — She Who Harbors Death (Part One)
• Mémoire 38.5: Naenia — She Who Harbors Death (Part Two)
• Mémoire 39: Poupée Fissurée — The Essence of the Witch
• Mémoire 40: Avec Toi — Alone Together
• Mémoire 41: Canorus — Snow Flower
• Mémoire 42: Encore une Fois — Love
• Mémoire 43: Encens Restant — Lingering Scent of the Dream
• Mémoire 44: Mal d'Amour — The Incurable Illness (Part One)
• Mémoire 45: Mal d'Amour — The Incurable Illness (Part Two)
• Mémoire 46: Un Autre — Scar
• Entracte: Jours Bruyants — Tales of Lost Children
• Mémoire 47: Hétérogène — Sneering Laughter*
• Mémoire 48: Rencontre — Blue Night*
• Mémoire 49: Douleur — Kind Child
• Mémoire 50: Petrichor — The Thread That Reels in the Past
• Mémoire 51: Tempest — A Silent Scream
• Extra: The Case Study of Vanitash!!!! —Expanded Edition— (Non-Canon)
• Mémoire 52: Sens Unique — Fall
• Mémoire 53: Pleuvoir — Rain Which Doesn't Know the Sky
• Mémoire 54: La nuit sans lune — Dark Night (Part One)
• Mémoire 54.5: La nuit sans lune — Dark Night (Part Two)
• Mémoire 55: Après la pluie — His Wish (Part One)
• Mémoire 55.5: Après la pluie — His Wish (Part Two)
• Mémoire 56: Faire un gâteau — Bittersweet
• Mémoire 57: Au Revoir — Again, Someday
• Mémoire 58: Observation — The Darkness in Between
• Mémoire 60: Bonne journée — Sweets, Complaints, and Reconciliation
• Entracte: Couche — On Clothing
• Mémoire 61: Jeu de paume — Court Tennis (Part One)
• Mémoire 61.5: Jeu de paume — Court Tennis (Part Two)
• Mémoire 62: Bourdonnement — Wingbeats of Scattered Thought (Part One)
• Mémoire 62.5: Bourdonnement — Wingbeats of Scattered Thought (Part Two)
• Mémoire 1: Vanitas -In the Event of Rusty Hopes- (First Appearance)
• Mémoire 2: Noé -In the City of Flowers-
• Mémoire 3: Archiviste -Fangs That Lay Bare Blood-
• Mémoire 4: Bal Masqué -Night of Mocking Masks-
• Mémoire 5: Réminiscence -Friends-
• Mémoire 6: Salvatio -Questions-
• Mémoire 7: Femme Fatale -Love-
• Mémoire 8: Catacombes -Where Death Slumbers-
• Mémoire 9: Chasseur -Those Who Hunt Crimson-
• Mémoire 10: Cicatrice -No.69-
• Mémoire 11: Serment -Promises-
• Mémoire 12: Deux Ombres -Point of Departure-
• Mémoire 13: Forêt d'argent -Chance Encounter-
• Mémoire 14: Château de Sorcière -The Witch and the Young Man-
• Mémoire 15: Oiseau et ciel -The d'Apchiers' Vampire-
• Mémoire 16: Chasse aux Vampires -The Beast-
• Mémoire 17: Vengeance -Hands Upon a Nightmare-
• Mémoire 18: Avec Toi -Just the Two of Us-
• Mémoire 19: Canorus -Snow Flower-
• Mémoire 20: Mal d'amour -The Incurable Disease-
• Mémoire 21: Un Autre -Scars-
• Mémoire 22: Rencontre -Blue Night-
• Mémoire 23: Pleuvoir -Tears like Rain-
• Mémoire 24: Après la pluie -His Wish-

(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.

• "Vanitas" is an artistic term referring to a symbolic work of art showing the transience of life, the futility of pleasure, and the certainty of death, often contrasting symbols of wealth and symbols of ephemerality and death. It derives from the Latin word "vānitās" which can translate to "emptiness," "nothingness," "falsity," or "vanity" in English. [31]
• Vanitas shares a character song with Noé, Le Formidable! , sung by their Japanese voice actors and composed by Sasanomaly.
• Around the Chasseurs, Vanitas uses the French name "Vincent" (in Japanese, ヴァンサン, Vansan ) as an alias. This is likely a reference to Vincent Nightray (using the English pronunciation, in Japanese, ヴィンセント, Vinsento ), a recurring antagonist from Mochizuki's previous series, Pandora Hearts .
• That said, oysters seem to be a favorite food of his. [32]
• According to an interview with Jun Mochizuki, Vanitas was going to be a vampire. The fangs from his design are something that remains from that original idea. [33]

References [ ]

• ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mémoire 1: Vanitas
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Mémoire 49: Douleur
• ↑ Mémoire 47: Hétérogène
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mémoire 48: Rencontre
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Volume 2 Additional Content: Vanitas reference sheet
• ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Mémoire 4: Femme Fatale
• ↑ 7.0 7.1 Mémoire 25: Endroit Approprié
• ↑ Mémoire 14: Catacombes
• ↑ 9.0 9.1 Mémoire 15: Chasseur
• ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Mémoire 50: Petrichor
• ↑ Mémoire 54: La nuit sans lune (Part One)
• ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Mémoire 41: Canorus
• ↑ Mémoire 3: Jeanne
• ↑ 14.0 14.1 Mémoire 16: Galop
• ↑ Mémoire 51: Tempest
• ↑ Mémoire 27: Cage de Neige
• ↑ 17.0 17.1 Mémoire 21: Serment (Part Two)
• ↑ 18.0 18.1 Volume 3 Omake: "Apple desserts"
• ↑ Mémoire 7: Bal Masqué
• ↑ Mémoire 8: Louis
• ↑ Mémoire 12: Pause
• ↑ 22.0 22.1 Mémoire 18: Dos à Dos
• ↑ 23.0 23.1 Mémoire 23: Au Pas Camarade
• ↑ 24.0 24.1 Mémoire 34.5: Jean-Jacques (Part Two)
• ↑ Mémoire 39: Poupée Fissurée
• ↑ Mémoire 40: Avec Toi
• ↑ Mémoire 44: Mal d’Amour (Part One)
• ↑ Mémoire 53: Pleuvoir
• ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Mémoire 55.5: Après la pluie (Part Two)
• ↑ Mémoire 60: Bonne journée
• ↑ Wikipedia: Vanitas
• ↑ Volume 5 Omake: "What Mademoiselle Amelia saw!"
• ↑ Anime da Vinci Interview

Navigation [ ]

• 2 List of Characters (The Case Study of Vanitas)
• 3 Noé Archiviste

• Cast & crew

Where Death Slumbers

The case study of vanitas.

• Vanitas and Noe head to the catacombs of Paris in search of the Chasseurs, an anti-vampire squad of warrior priests.

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