Pandora Hearts
4/11/10 23:32![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
invitan(I know I shouldn't be doing this, but to hell with self-control and exams = = )
I have finished PH manga in like half a day. And still craving for more. It's a monthly series though, pity.
Anyway, this series is definitely special. I didn't expect much of it when I first picked it up, certainly not getting addicted to it that much, perhaps partially due to my bias towards shounen by female mangaka in general. I expected an angst fest, lots of bishies and brainless action (Hello, DGM, Methuselah?) Not that I'm against bishies or angst or anything, but PH didn't advertise itself to be anything more than that.
This is certainly a case where I'm glad I hadn't acted according to my first impression. The thing with PH is that it has a really bumpy introduction. Too many weird events are squeezed in the opening act, leaving tons of questions and causing it hard to follow if you don't pay close attention. I would have dropped the series after the first 3 episodes hadn't it been recommended by someone whose taste I trusted. Also, there is a bit too much cheese in the first act - the lines are shamelessly copy-and-paste from cheap romance novels.
However, after the first act with the introduction of main characters, the series just keeps churning out pure awesomeness. Every chapter has something exciting to offer, with a good balance between plot and characterisation. I really appreciate the careful crafting of the author - the plot is well thought out from the start and secrets after secrets are revealed. It is definitely refreshing to find a story that has a plot behind it right from the start and not just a premise-first-plot-later like most weekly Jump series.
(Now be prepared for the fangirling)
Another strong point of this series is its characterisation. I mean I just love the characters to bits!!! It's been a long time since I found a series in which I like the main character, like the main girl, and hate absolutely no one among the main cast. Oz is such a poor little boy and you just want to hug him and mother him. He's like a little Allen Walker with less muscle and without a hero complex (and thank god without the super level-up). Alice is, well, I think Alice is cool (and that says a lot because I have strong bias against manga heroine). And OMG I HAVEN'T MENTION BREAK XERXES? AND GIL? Because that'd totally be a sin and I have no desire to be pulled to the Abyss as of yet (pun intended). ~!@#$%^ They are like my main driving forces to continue reading, fangirl instinct be damned. Especially Break! Such a miracle how a character that I have almost no liking for initially can grow on me.
And the most awesome thing of all is that not only the main cast are likable. The author is just absurdly good at making the readers sympathise with her characters, however antagonistic they seem to be. God, even a bastard like Vincent is able to squeeze some pity out of me with his story *well, that and his bishy goodness too*.
My main criticism of this story so far, apart from the first act, is that it can be a bit lecture-ly sometimes (but nowhere near DGM though). Also my gaydar keeps pointing towards Oz and Gil, and then Gil and Vince, then Jack and Glen. Female mangaka and fanservice *sigh*
Overall, I recommend this series to those who loves a good mystery, a lot of subtlety and deception and bishies. Oh, and it has a lot of references to Alice in Wonderland as well. A nice horror twist to such a beloved children' book.
**Edit:
I've just remembered the reason why I purposefully avoided this series before. Some miscommunication and misunderstanding resulted in my impression that PH is a yaoi series *nervous laughter*. I'm just... not fond of most yaoi series in general even though I'm a yaoi fangirl (some previous bad experience led to some sort of prejudice).
I have finished PH manga in like half a day. And still craving for more. It's a monthly series though, pity.
Anyway, this series is definitely special. I didn't expect much of it when I first picked it up, certainly not getting addicted to it that much, perhaps partially due to my bias towards shounen by female mangaka in general. I expected an angst fest, lots of bishies and brainless action (Hello, DGM, Methuselah?) Not that I'm against bishies or angst or anything, but PH didn't advertise itself to be anything more than that.
This is certainly a case where I'm glad I hadn't acted according to my first impression. The thing with PH is that it has a really bumpy introduction. Too many weird events are squeezed in the opening act, leaving tons of questions and causing it hard to follow if you don't pay close attention. I would have dropped the series after the first 3 episodes hadn't it been recommended by someone whose taste I trusted. Also, there is a bit too much cheese in the first act - the lines are shamelessly copy-and-paste from cheap romance novels.
However, after the first act with the introduction of main characters, the series just keeps churning out pure awesomeness. Every chapter has something exciting to offer, with a good balance between plot and characterisation. I really appreciate the careful crafting of the author - the plot is well thought out from the start and secrets after secrets are revealed. It is definitely refreshing to find a story that has a plot behind it right from the start and not just a premise-first-plot-later like most weekly Jump series.
(Now be prepared for the fangirling)
Another strong point of this series is its characterisation. I mean I just love the characters to bits!!! It's been a long time since I found a series in which I like the main character, like the main girl, and hate absolutely no one among the main cast. Oz is such a poor little boy and you just want to hug him and mother him. He's like a little Allen Walker with less muscle and without a hero complex (and thank god without the super level-up). Alice is, well, I think Alice is cool (and that says a lot because I have strong bias against manga heroine). And OMG I HAVEN'T MENTION BREAK XERXES? AND GIL? Because that'd totally be a sin and I have no desire to be pulled to the Abyss as of yet (pun intended). ~!@#$%^ They are like my main driving forces to continue reading, fangirl instinct be damned. Especially Break! Such a miracle how a character that I have almost no liking for initially can grow on me.
And the most awesome thing of all is that not only the main cast are likable. The author is just absurdly good at making the readers sympathise with her characters, however antagonistic they seem to be. God, even a bastard like Vincent is able to squeeze some pity out of me with his story *well, that and his bishy goodness too*.
My main criticism of this story so far, apart from the first act, is that it can be a bit lecture-ly sometimes (but nowhere near DGM though). Also my gaydar keeps pointing towards Oz and Gil, and then Gil and Vince, then Jack and Glen. Female mangaka and fanservice *sigh*
Overall, I recommend this series to those who loves a good mystery, a lot of subtlety and deception and bishies. Oh, and it has a lot of references to Alice in Wonderland as well. A nice horror twist to such a beloved children' book.
**Edit:
I've just remembered the reason why I purposefully avoided this series before. Some miscommunication and misunderstanding resulted in my impression that PH is a yaoi series *nervous laughter*. I'm just... not fond of most yaoi series in general even though I'm a yaoi fangirl (some previous bad experience led to some sort of prejudice).
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(no subject)
20/1/11 00:25 (UTC)(So glad I now at least have someone to fangirl about it with, without getting shot at like a traitor "D Thanks to that stupidity of a tournament, PH characters have received so much hate from VN fandom lately that I tried to stay low =__=)
Yeah, the infatuation between several characters are obvious in sparkling bold underlined capital letters. We don't need to try hard at all. It is made easy for us to SHIP. I'm fine with most pairings actually, although I do lean towards Break/Gil, but it's more because they are my favorite characters and less because of their adorable interactions (but they ARE adorable "D)
(no subject)
20/1/11 05:46 (UTC)Hm, well, a few chapters in PH and I already see Oz/Gil D: Just like you, I think I'm fine with most pairing and there are some that spark my interest like Oz/Gil and Elliot/Leo, but thanks to the latest chapters I must admit I'm guiltily heavily attracted to Break/Reim =__=''...
I don't have a favorite character yet, just like some above others a little, but let's see what happens with the story going on :-?...