[Shonen] Pandora Hearts

Oz Vessalius (オズ ベザリウス, Ozu Bessariusu)

The main character of the story. A 15-year-old boy with blond hair and green eyes from the prestigious Vessalius family, whose father is the reigning lord. His mother was killed by the Nightray family, but despite this, he retains a bright, optimistic, and energetic personality. The story of Pandora Hearts starts when Oz turns fifteen. During the ceremony to celebrate this reaching of adulthood, he was dragged into the Abyss for the sin of 'existing'. There he meets the chain named Alice and makes a contract with her. Upon returning to the real world, he finds out that 10 years have passed. In order to find out what his sin meant, he began to work under Break as part of Pandora. During this, it is shown that when he was young, he worked hard to gain praise and recognition from his father. However, he had discovered that his father hated him to the point of not wanting to touch him. After experiencing this, Oz began to think that there is no guaranteed thing in the world. He thought of himself as weak and, in order to protect people, he should at least remain an obedient child and let harm come his way.

After traveling into the Cheshire Cat's lair, Oz meets Jack Vessalius and in turn becomes his 'medium'. Jack eventually speaks at Pandora's headquarters and the public hail Oz as a 'hero'. Oz finds that he can swap control of his body with Jack if he calls hard enough and may sometimes even see snippets of Jack's memories. According to himself he is quite skilled with the sword, particularly in self defense. However, he has no real experience in fighting. Oz likes cute, younger girls and flirts with them frequently. He once wished to marry Shalon when they first met. In chapter 20, Oz called Alice "my most precious Alice", but it is not known if these feelings are sincerely his or Jack's since he resides in his body. Oz, himself, thinks of Alice as his precious someone, calling her his "sun". He thinks that it is because of Alice that he can still smile.

Jack tells Oz that has the "right" or "prerequisite" over Alice's powers and that a seal won't restrain Alice's powers any longer, making Oz have the ability to use B-Rabbit's power even without Alice's permission or Gil's help. Oz proves it when he was able to stop Alice's B-Rabbit's power temporarily on his own; another time when Oz was almost kidnapped by the Baskervilles at Latowidge, and then recently when he was able to summon B-Rabbit's scythe to fluently fight his assailants inside Sablier's illusion, despite the fact he had never used a scythe before. (He doesn't seem to notice this though). According to Lottie, Oz was suppose to be the vessel for the sake of hiding the existence of Jack Vessalius and should the vessel be broken, Jack’s existence will be brought to light and the further warping of abyss’s will, who seeks for him, will most probably interfere with the real world. Later, Oz reunites with Gilbert and immediately meets with the person behind Oz's suicidal nature: Zai Vessalius, his father. It has been seen that Oz has had a will to destroy everything until Alice stops him.

Alice (アリス, Arisu)

The heroine of the story with a height of 150 cm. Alice first appears as a chain that persuades Oz to form a contract with her in the Abyss. In fact, she is actually the infamous B-Rabbit (Bloodstained Black Rabbit), the strongest chain in the Abyss. Alice's goal is to find her lost memories, which plays a major role in the story. In human form, Alice has long dark brown hair with 2 side plaits. She has a huge appetite and loves meat especially. She is hotheaded, loud spoken and says what she thinks without regard to the consequences. Despite this, she has a soft side, especially when Oz is involved. She hates when Oz leaves her alone, but to hide it she usually says, "I'm in a contract with you. You are my manservant, and as a manservant, what were you thinking, leaving me behind!?" or she just hits Oz and says, "Shut up".

It also appears that she is developing feelings for Oz, being that she considers his health when using her powers. In chapter 42, she bites his cheeks to make him feel better, copying a picture Shalon showed her thinking it was biting instead of a kiss. Also, in episode 20, she tells Shalon, who threatens her to tell her what she has on her mind, that she felt left out and ignored when Oz went to talk with Break without her and when he was happy to see his sister.

Gilbert Nightray (ギルバート ナイトレイ, Girubāto Naitorei)

Oz's best friend and loyal servant. To him, Oz is his most precious person, and he is willing to sacrifice anything for him. He was taken into the Vessalius family after being discovered in an injured state 15 years ago. He was invited by Oz to attend the coming of age ceremony as his friend. During the ceremony, he was controlled by a chain in the Baskerville's possession and forced to attack Oz. After regaining consciousness, Gilbert tries to stop one of the Baskervilles. He ends up seeing his face, who is later revealed to be Oz's father, and protects him when Oz tries to slash at him. This causes Oz to cut Gilbert instead. After he was hit, Gilbert passed out.
He goes on to become Raven (鴉, Reibun?) and appears as a member of Pandora who retrieves Oz after he escaped from the Abyss. Oz later discovers Raven's true identity, and calls him Gil again. However, everyone else still calls him Raven. After the ceremony 10 years ago, he was adopted by the Nightray family, who earlier adopted his younger brother Vincent, and thus feels that he betrayed Oz because the Nightrays were the prime suspects in the assassination of Oz's mother. He had no memory of Vincent before they met at the Nightrays. In hopes to eventually rescuing Oz from the Abyss, Gilbert trained hard in gunmanship, and even killed in order to tame the Nightray family's chain 'Raven'. He uses its power to somewhat control the B-rabbit through Oz, preventing side effects like the clock hand moving. After 10 years, he still hates cats and is a wonderful cook. After drinking alcohol he reverts back to his 'Gilbert' self: insecure cry-baby. He really cares about the hat that Ada gave him. He is from 100 years ago and used to serve Jack along with Vincent, but he was killed by Glen while trying to protect Jack, and his brother Vincent open the path to Abyss in order to save him. And in later chapters he has a fear of being left behind. Gil is one of suspects for the murder of Alice a hundred years ago. It is revealed that Gil was killed in order to be Glen's new vessel. The chain, which would be used in the ritual, is ironically Raven, his current chain. Vincent, however, interfered the ritual by opening the Abyss Door and in return, caused the Tragedy to happen. Gilbert has also reunited with Oz in Sabrie where they immediately meet Oz's father, Zai Vessalius.

Vincent Nightray (ヴィンセント ナイトレイ, Vinsento Naitorei)

Vincent is Gilbert's younger brother by one year. As the Vessalius family found Gilbert, the Nightray family similarly adopted Vincent. His left eye is golden like Gilbert's, but his right eye is wine-red and his long hair is golden in color. He loves his brother Gilbert to the point of slight obsession. He has an easy-going personality on the outside and is often seen smiling. However, it is shown that Vincent also has a dark, unstable side. He has a habit of carrying around scissors and cutting up stuffed animals with them. Break is often at odds with him, which is fueled by Vincent sending Echo to attack Shalon. Vincent is from 100 years ago. In Alice's memory, a young Vincent is seen walking among corpses, gouging out eyes and intestines with a pair of scissors saying that "it's not his fault", because he was doing this to save his brother. He is also shown to be in alliance with the Baskervilles. It was him who called Zwei out from Echo, telling Echo that she is not required anymore in order to release her other personality.

later chapters showed some of his time during 100 years ago. Due to the belief that red eyes will bring disasters, Gilbert and Vincent used to live on the streets where people would attack them whenever Vincent's eye was revealed. This continues until Jack Vessalius found them and brought them under his wings. The brothers then became his servants. He was fond of Jack, who didn't care about his eye and even cut Vincent's hair which was used to hide his red eye, stating that Jack "loves" it. Vincent also called him Master like his brother. It was also shown that Jack tried to introduce the two to Alice since they were in closer age to her. Unfortunately, Alice immediately made fun of Vincent's red eye which caused Gilbert to pull her hair. This incident fueled Vincent's hatred towards Alice since she had made Gill "showed that kind of expression again" and Jack "sighs in worry" and began his habit of tearing up dolls (often rabbits) out of frustration and hatred. He is the prime suspect of Alice's death because of his hatred and his placement in Alice's memories. In one flash-back, Vincent is shown threatening Alice and even giving her the corpse of her cat, Cheshire, after he'd gouged the cat's eyes out.
When Vincent found out about Gil's death and how he will be Glen's next body through a ritual from Alice, he was visited by a mysterious lady (later revealed as Miranda Barma) who told him how to prevent the ritual by opening the Abyss's door. Though he had succeeded in saving Gil, Vincent had caused the Tragedy to happen, making himself a "child of disaster". He has a contract with the Dormouse.

Shalon Rainsworth (シャロン レインズワース, Shalon Reinzuwāsu)

The Lady of the Rainsworth household. Shalon is a member of Pandora and looks like a thirteen year old girl, although she is technically 23 years old. Her appearance does not change from her first meeting with Oz to after he came out of the Abyss because she has a legal contract with a chain, the black unicorn Eques. Shalon and Break have a close relationship. She was the one that discovered Break in a fatal condition after he came out of the Abyss. When she was young, she used to call Break 'Xerxes-nii', as he was like a big brother to her. She wants to be of use to him. She also looks a lot like her mother, Shelly Rainsworth. While Oz and co. were taken into the Cheshire Cat's dimension, Shalon was abducted by Echo under the orders of Vincent Nightray, who poisoned Shalon in order to blackmail Break into destroying the memories from the Tragedy of Sablier that Break attained from the Cheshire Cat. Despite Shalon protesting to Break to not destroy the memories, which took the form of the bell Cheshire wore around his neck, Break destroyed the memories in exchange for the poison's antidote. Shalon develops a queen complex when she drinks, which Oz strangely finds cool. She likes the concept of "love" and trys to teach Alice about it. In episode 20, she wanted Alice to call her "big sister." In the second DVD special, she trys to teach Alice "her status as a female." Also in episode 20, she beat Oz with a paper fan after Alice told her that she and Oz already kissed, later apologizing.

Xerxes Break (ザークシーズ ブレイク, Zākushĩzu Bureiku)

Commonly known as Break, he is a member of Pandora and a servant of the Rainsworth household. Break's appearance does not change from the ten year gap between Oz entering and leaving the Abyss. He has a legal contract with the Mad Hatter. Break is often seen with a doll on his shoulder, which he calls Emily. He adores sweets and cakes. From the outside, Break seems like a carefree character, never serious and always smiling. When needs be, however, Break shows his dangerous and evil side. Reim tells Oz that Break has not always been the way he is now. Before, after losing his eye, he was a bitter and angry person, never smiling. However, through the kindness of Shelly, Shalon's mother, he began to open up. He has sworn absolute loyalty to Shelly.

Break has no left eye. He reveals that the Intention of the Abyss took it from him and that the Cheshire has it. Break's true motive is to find the truth behind what happened 100 years ago. He hates Vincent with a passion.

It was revealed by Rufus Barma in chapter 29 that his real name is Kevin Regnard. Break was originally a knight who served under the noble family Sinclair until they were mysteriously massacred for political reasons. His lord was killed during the incident while Kevin and the daughter of the lord were out. Kevin blamed himself for his carelessness, and became an illegal contractor to try to change the past. When his clock made a full revolution, he was pulled into Abyss where he met the Intention of the Abyss and a young Vincent. The Intention of the Abyss once changed the past for Break. In return, Break was asked to fulfilled her wish, which is still unknown. Break then was sent to the Rainsworth house over 30 years later.

The changed past wasn't really what Break wanted. The Sinclair family was still murdered. According to Cheryl, the oldest daughter of the house was assassinated, which led the younger daughter to become an illegal contractor and got sent to Abyss after her Chain murdered the entire family. The political massacre did not happen and Kevin's lord lived for 4 years longer, but instead, the little girl who originally survived the incident died. Break blames himself for that. For one moment he also blamed the Intention of the Abyss, but he realizes that he was the one who asked for the past to be changed, and in reality, he really just wanted to erase his own guilt. In Retrace 42, it is shown that Break has lost his eyesight, causing him to be blind. Although it is later relieved in Chapter 43, that Break has not gone completely blind. He can no longer discern faces but can make out general objects.

Volume 1

* Retrace I: "Innocent Calm"
* Retrace II: "Tempest of Conviction"
* Retrace III: "Prisoner&Alichino"
* Retrace IV: "Rendezvous"

Volume 2

* Retrace V: "Clockwise Doom."
* Retrace VI: "Where am I?"
* Retrace VII: "Reunion"
* Retrace VIII: "Whisperer"
* Retrace IX: "Question"

Volume 3

* Retrace X: "Malediction"
* Retrace XI: "Grim"
* Retrace XII: "Who am I?"
* Retrace XIII: "A Lost Raven"

Volume 4

* Retrace XIV: "Lop Ear"
* Retrace XV: "Welcome to Labyrinth"
* Retrace XVI: "Keeper of the secret"
* Retrace XVII: "Odds and Ends"
* Retrace XVIII: "Hollow eye socket"

Volume 5

* Retrace XIX: "Detestably"
* Retrace XX: "Who killed poor Alice?"
* Retrace XXI: "Discord"
* Retrace XXII: "His name is..."

Volume 6

* Retrace XXIII: "Conflict"
* Retrace XXIV: "Hello my sister!"
* Retrace XXV: "Eliot&Leo"
* Retrace XXVI: "The pool of Tears"

Volume 7

* Retrace XXVII: "Get out of the Pool"
* Retrace XXVIII: "Modulation"
* Retrace XXIX: "Rufus Barma"
* Retrace XXX: "Snow White Chaos"

Volume 8

* Retrace XXXI: "Countervalue of loss"
* Retrace XXXII: "Snow dome"
* Retrace XXXIII: "Echo of Noise"
* Retrace XXXIV: "Noise of Echo"

Volume 9
* Retrace XXXV: "Maddness of Lost Memories"
* Retrace XXXVI: "Sablier"
* Retrace XXXVII: "Glen Baskerville"
* Retrace XXXVIII: "Scapegoat"

Volume 10

* Retrace XXXIX: "Gate of Blackness"
* Retrace XL: "Blindness"
* Retrace XLI: "Where am I!?"
* Retrace XLII: "Stray"
* Retrace XLIII: "Crown of Clown"
* Retrace XLIV: "Dusty Sky"
[Chapters not yet collected in tankōbon volumes]

Episode 1

* "Innocent Calm"
* "Tsumi Naki Heion" (罪なき平穏)

Episode 2

* "Tempest of Conviction"
* "Danzai no Arashi" (断罪の嵐)

Episode 3

* "Prisoner & Alichino"
* "Maigo to Kuro-Usagi" (迷い子と黒うさぎ)

Episode 4

* "Rendezvous"
* "Asahikage no Basho" (朝日影の場所)

Episode 5

* "Clockwise Doom."
* "Tokeimawari no Akumu" (時計回りの悪夢)

Episode 6

* "Where am I?"
* "Kuichigatta Genzaichi" (食い違った現在地)

Episode 7

* "Whisperer"
* "Shin'en Kara no Yobigoe" (深淵からの呼び声)

Episode 8

* "Question"
* "Inja no Toikake" (隠者の問い掛け)

Episode 9

* "Malediction"
* "Noroi no Kotoba" (呪いの言葉)

Episode 10

* "Grim"
* "Kasanaru Kage" (重なる影)

Episode 11

* "A Lost Raven"
* "Otosareta Karasu" (堕とされた鴉)

Episode 12

* "Welcome to Labyrinth"
* "Kagami no Kuni" (鏡の国)

Episode 13

* "Keeper of the Secret"
* "Yuganda Kioku no Jūnin" (歪んだ記憶の住人)

Episode 14

* "Hollow Eye Socket"
* "Akaki Sekigan no Akuma" (紅き隻眼の悪魔)

Episode 15

* "Who Killed Poor Alice?"
* "Ta ga Tame no Kotoba" (誰がための言葉)

Episode 16

* "His Name is..."
* "Eiyū to Shōnen" (英雄と少年)

Episode 17

* "Hello My Sister!"
* "Kaikyū no Senritsu" (懐旧の旋律)

Episode 18

* "Eliot & Leo"
* "Toaru Jūsha no Shi ni Tsuite" (とある従者の死について)

Episode 19

* "The Pool of Tears"
* "Namida no Ike" (涙の池)

Episode 20

* "Modulation"
* "Utsuriyuku Oto" (うつりゆく音)

Episode 21

"Snow White Chaos"
"Junpaku no Kuro" (純白のくろ)

Episode 22

"Countervalue of Loss"
"Shitsui no Taika" (失意の対価)

Episode 23

"A Warp in the World"
(軋む世界)

Episode 24

"Kyrie"
(憐れみの讃歌)

Episode 25

Beyond the Winding Road"
(否定の彼方へ)