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The Case Study of Vanitas

The Case Study of Vanitas (ヴァニタスの 手記 ( カルテ ) , Vanitasu no Karute ) is the second main manga series by mangaka Jun Mochizuki following the completion of her one-shot Crimson-Shell and her first main series Pandora Hearts . The series launched on December 22nd 2015 and is being published monthly in Gangan Joker magazine. Yen Press publishes the official English localization, translated by Taylor Engel. In Japanese, it is marketed as part of the "shounen" demographic. In English, it is marketed as "older teen."

On March 28, 2021, Studio BONES announced an anime adaptation , which aired from the summer of 2021 to the spring of 2022.

• 2.1 Vampires
• 2.2 The Book of Vanitas
• 2.3 Malnomen
• 3.3 Stage Play
• 6 Navigation

Centuries prior to the French Revolution, the " World Formula " theory was proposed by Paracelsus which posited that the world was governed by mathematical formulas whose variables could be identified and altered. He aspired to change these variables in an attempt to erase suffering and bring happiness to humanity, which resulted in the event known as " Babel ." Innumerable calamities rocked the world to its core, causing massive amounts of death, and once it subsided new entities came into being in the world, primely the Vampire species . Deemed abominations before God, normal humans attempted to wipe out these new beings, and a race war ensued. This attempted genocide failed and Vampires began to hide their existences which came to be believed as no more than myth and legend, despite dwelling only one step beyond the human world.

Noé Archiviste , a young vampire living in late 19th century France, is sent by his Teacher to Paris to find the Book of Vanitas and discover its true nature. Supposedly, the Book of Vanitas is a cursed grimoire created by the Vampire of the Blue Moon from which the incurable disease Malnomen originates. Noé successfully discovers the Book on his way to Paris, as well as the person possessing it—a human calling himself Vanitas who uses the grimoire to cure Malnomen. Vanitas declares his goal to be the salvation of the entire race of Vampires, and Noé accompanies him for his entire journey, wishing to understand the true nature of not only the Book but also the enigmatic owner who wields it.

The story consists of Noé's memoirs on how he would come to eventually kill Vanitas with his own hands.

Terminology [ ]

Vampires [ ].

Though referred to as "vampires," the Vampire race within The Case Study of Vanitas are distinct from mythical vampires, and were in fact named after them for having certain similarities. The main distinguishing feature between Vampires and humans is the ability of Vampires to see and interact with the World Formula , allowing them certain superhuman abilities. Unlike mythical vampires, Vampires within The Case Study of Vanitas do not have to drink blood or harm others to survive, and the vast majority go their entire lives without harming humans. While most (but not all) Vampires do enjoy the taste of blood, it is not a biological need, and is compared to alcohol, smoking, or sex. Compulsive blood drinking only occurs in the case of blood addiction or Malnomen .

Most Vampires are born under the Crimson Moon, and have a natural fear of the Blue Moon. Those who are born under the Blue Moon, as in the case of Vanitas of the Blue Moon , are scorned and ostracized by other Vampirekind.

The Book of Vanitas [ ]

A cursed grimoire supposedly passed on to Vanitas by Vanitas of the Blue Moon themself. It is the originator of the disease Malnomen, created in revenge against Vampires for their prosecution of those born under the Blue Moon. The human Vanitas now has the Book of Vanitas within his possession and is the only person capable of using it. However, contrary to the Book's original purpose, Vanitas uses it to cure cases of Malnomen and desires to save the Vampire race.

Malnomen [ ]

A disease created by Vanitas of the Blue Moon . It attacks the True Name of vampires, causing their bodies and souls to warp. Those infected with Malnomen, usually called curse bearers, gradually grow insane and begin to obsessively search for blood, escalating until they assault and even kill others without hesitation. In addition, their bodies will corrupt, though the onset of physical symptoms appear to happen rapidly in the final stages of the disease. Once warping of the body occurs, the curse bearer will continue to attack others until it dies. Until very recently, there was no possible way to cure those infected with Malnomen, and thus all curse bearers would be sentenced to execution by decapitation once their condition was discovered. The human Vanitas reverse engineers the different forms of Malnomen to find and restore the curse bearer's True Name, curing them.

The Case Study of Vanitas is written and illustrated by Jun Mochizuki and began serialization in Square Enix's monthly shōnen magazine Monthly Gangan Joker on December 2015. There are currently eleven tankōbon volumes collecting serial chapters released in Japanese. The series is licensed in English by Yen Press and published simultaneously with its Japanese release.

The Case Study of Vanitas is an anime television series adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Jun Mochizuki. On March 28, 2021, Aniplex announced at AnimeJapan an anime adaptation for the manga, animated by the studio BONES. It started broadcasting on July 2, 2021.

Stage Play [ ]

Stage "Vanitas no Carte" is a stage play adaptation of the manga written and illustrated by Jun Mochizuki. Announced by the official Twitter account on October 28, 2021. The show was initially scheduled from January 21st to January 30th, 2022 at the THEATRE1010 (シアター1010), in Tokyo, Japan. An encore was performed from March 10th to March 12th, 2023 at the Sunshine Theater (サンシャイン劇場), in Tokyo, Japan.

Gallery [ ]

• Vanitas first appeared in the final Pandora Hearts artbook 「There is.」 , shown waving to the main cast of Pandora Hearts as he passed by alongside Noé with his back turned so that he remained unidentifiable at the time.

Navigation [ ]

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

The Case Study of Vanitas: What Fans Can Expect From Season 2

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Vampire stories in the anime world are well received and are considered a trendy genre. These stories are unique, often blending a variety genres together to craft unique fantasy stories. While names like One Piece and Demon Slayer have dominated the anime scene since last year, a surprise summer breakout vampire story managed to climb its way into the top anime of 2021.

The Case Study of Vanitas is not a typical human-meets-vampire story. On the contrary, the series is an elaborate fantasy world with elements of steampunk and gothic aesthetics topped with compelling vampire lore. The series takes place in 19th century Paris, where, miraculously, vampires can survive without consuming human blood.

Related: In/Spectre Season 1's Biggest Unanswered Questions

In Season 1, the two leads -- Noe Archiviste and Vanitas -- set out in search of "the Beast", a rogue vampire that has been slaughtering innocent people. The duo is determined to find the one responsible for budding impurity in the vampires’ hearts. The twelve episode series immediately stuck out to anime fans, so much so that it didn’t take long to renew the series for a second season.

Fortunately, Season 2 has already begun airing, and viewers are excited to see if their fan theories will be confirmed. The Case Study of Vanitas Season 2 picks up directly. With ten episodes already released, and the tale of the Beast of Gevaudan explored in detail, the plot has begun focusing on Chloe, Jean-Jacques, and Astolfo’s backstories. Mystery still surrounds Ruthven, who failed to kill Noe, hinting at a greater conflict in the future.

The Case Study of Vanitas continues to excell in developing its characters. Season 2 has stayed devoted to developing existing cast members while introducing new characters that stay true to the gothic aesthetic. In terms of character writing, even minor cast members are able to captivate viewers and make their presence known.

Related: The Case Study of Vanitas’ Complex Shipping Situation

That being said, the spotlight still shines on Vanitas and Noe’s turbulent friendship . However, their complicated relationship is what makes The Case Study of Vanitas so entertaining. Without any major spoilers -- the way Noe managed to rescue Vanitas and teach him how to trust again feels genuine and satisfying to the audience. Their relationship feels stronger than ever before.

Speaking of relationships, The Case Study of Vanitas has continued to hint at multiple romantic prospects amongst its cast members. Even though Vanitas and Jeanne make a promising couple, their current status is difficult to place. All in all, the second season of The Case Study of Vanitas will make an excellent watch for fans, and with how well the series has been received by audiences, many are confident for a prospective third season.

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Is The Case Study of Vanitas a BL Anime?

Traditionally, anime hasn't been great when it comes to lgbtq+ representation.

Published: Mar 01, 2022, 11:47 Updated: Mar 01, 2022, 4:43

Traditionally, anime hasn't been great when it comes to lgbtq+ representation , as relevant themes have been often been played for laughs if they were there at all. This is slowly changing, with more works featuring lgbtq+ couples or characters that are actually competent and interesting to watch, as is the case with anime like Requiem of the Rose King .

When The Case Study of Vanitas first came out, many thought it was going to be a shonen-ai, or boys' love anime, as the promoting materials portray the two male main characters very close, suggesting at least a bromance. But is The Case Study of Vanitas really a BL love anime?

About The Case Study of Vanitas

The Case Study of Vanitas is based on an ongoing manga by Jun Mochizuki. It follows Noé Archiviste, a young, enthusiastic vampire, and Vanitas, a bitter human who uses a cursed grimoire to restore vampires' true names and rescue them from unnatural bloodlust. The two start off hating each other, as Vanitas is very obnoxious and his behavior brings him in direct conflict with the friendly, optimistic Noé.

Despite that, the two embark on a journey to heal vampires and prevent tragedies like the ones they themselves experienced, growing closer in the process. But there's a catch; Noé, who is narrating this story retrospectively, after an undefined passage of time, admits that he ended this joint journey by killing Vanitas .

Unfortunately for fans of the romantic sub-genre, The Case Study of Vanitas is not a BL anime, though it might appear as such if you look at certain scenes out of context. The banter between Vanitas and Noé is often permeated by an almost romantic or sexual tension. However, the two never really pursue a romantic path, and, Vanitas, in particular, is explicitly romantically interested in Jeanne , a female vampire, who shares his feelings, although it takes a while for this romance to become clear.

Does this mean that the tense scenes between Vanitas and Noé are queer-baiting? Lgbtq+ viewers should be the ultimate judges of that. The show has not been explicitly advertised as BL, and it has no BL tag on streaming platforms and databases, so it doesn't withhold promised representation, though some viewers might still consider the lack of romance between the two main characters as a missed opportunity.

Related: Who Is The Strongest Character In The Case Study of Vanitas?

The good news is that The Case Study of Vanitas, while far from perfect in its representation of gender and sexuality, has a few interesting elements in that regard. Dominique, one of the main female characters, is bisexual, and, while her romantic life isn't a plot point at this time, there are a few queer coded scenes. In a masquerade ball early on, there's a dance between characters of the same gender, which, while far from being considered groundbreaking representation, is quite interesting as a directing choice. At the end of the day, romance is not the shonen show's main element, so fans are free to interpret character interaction in their own way and even create fan works about them.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for shonen-ai works, we have compiled and updated list of 15 BL anime to watch in 2022 .

Related: When Will The Case Study of Vanitas Be Dubbed in English?

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The Case Study of Vanitas 10

Artist: Jun Mochizuki

Letterer: Bianca Pistillo

Translated by: Taylor Engel

Mikhail’s machinations have succeeded in turning Noé and Vanitas against each other—and in a desperate attempt to stop Noé, Dominique throws herself offff the Ferris wheel! Locked in a fifierce struggle against a relentless Vanitas, Noé cannot do anything but watch as his childhood friend plummets to her death…Are they doomed to end this sordid affffair exactly as Mikhail intended?

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 10

The Case Study of Vanitas Volumes

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 9

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 8

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 7

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 6

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 5

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 4

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 3

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 2

The Case Study of Vanitas, Vol. 1

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Posted Jul 09, 2024 by Callista Gonzalez

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