Once I realised the things we take for granted are really miracles I came to see everything in its precious ephemeral beauty. Lacie Chapter 72 The first time I read this series I was hit with so many emotions that it felt more like being trapped in a vortex than reading a manga. When rereading it years later I found myself appreciating all the little moments I missed before and it only made Pandora Hearts better. The narrative is a fresher take on the comingofage genre in which the idea of discovering who you are takes on a new meaning. Mixing in the Alice in Wonderland elements with a bigger focus on fantasy and the intermingling of two different worlds establishes a strong foundation for the story. It also introduces enough interesting mechanics to keep readers hooked. The mysteries at the heart of Pandora Hearts spin an intricate tale that continues to improve as the series progresses. Watching Mochizukis art style and storytelling develop and improve over the course of Pandora Hearts run is an absolute joy with the splash pages being absolutely stunning further in the series. The chain designs are imaginative while sticking to the constraints of the premise inspiring a mix of wonder and awe. This process of growth so integral to the story is also wellhandled with the characters with each becoming more and more engaging. Each character is given time to shine and feels as though they have their own stories which reach satisfying conclusions. This series utilises these characters as part of the plot extremely well with the more philosophical elements being perfectly encapsulated by their struggles. The mirroring of characters and the circular nature of Pandora Hearts plot means that the readers understanding of events is forever morphing showing how our perception is not as fixed as it would appear to be. In doing this Mochizuki puts the readers into the characters shoes which only heightens the already emotional moments. The only complaint if you can even call it that is that at times the story can feel a little bit convoluted and difficult to follow at times. With so much happening it would be nearly impossible to prevent some of the story threads from becoming tangled and Mochizuki does very well to avoid this being a bigger issue. And even then these threads are untangled by the end which makes it all the more satisfying to read. Overall this series is beautiful. The characters are fleshed out and engaging the core concept is intriguing and wellhandled and the art grows into something breathtaking. Pandora Hearts also stays true to its core themes sometimes we may become unsure of who we are but its ok as thats a part of what it means to be human. 600https://64.media.tumblr.com/2ab64d54aa63c1d7fd503b24b076a12e/7ffd70922b424263be/s2048x3072/0f08fe915cfbbad87f77b22241899634b3758b6e.jpg