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The Case Study of Vanitas
A luminous gothic-steampunk fantasy cloaked in melancholic grandeur, brimming with desperate longing and theatrical defiance, where fragile souls dance across the cobblestones of a gaslit Paris beneath crimson and azure moons.
The Case Study of Vanitas
The Case Study of Vanitas

ヴァニタスの手記

03 July 2021 — 02 April 2022 Japan 1 season 24 episode Ended 8.3 (254)

Cast: Natsuki Hanae, Kaito Ishikawa, Inori Minase, Shino Shimoji, Ai Kayano

Animation Sci-Fi & Fantasy Action & Adventure Mystery Trauma, Self-Loathing, and the Pursuit of Worth Identity, "True Names," and Bodily Autonomy Companionship, Intimacy, and Vulnerability Prejudice, Otherness, and Societal Duality Determinism vs. Personal Agency

The Case Study of Vanitas — Characters & Cast

Character Analysis

Vanitas

Natsuki Hanae

Archetype: Flawed Antihero / Trickster Healer Key Trait: Masked vulnerability beneath cynical bravado.

Motivation

Spite toward the Blue Moon vampire and a paradoxical compulsion to save all vampires against their will.

Character Arc

Evolves from a pathologically detached, suicidal operative into a man who tentatively allows himself to love and be loved, confronting his traumatic past with Dr. Moreau and Luna.

Noé Archiviste

Kaito Ishikawa

Archetype: The Reluctant Hero / Inquisitive Idealist Key Trait: Unflinching moral earnestness and physical prowess.

Motivation

To discover the truth behind the Book of Vanitas and prevent the tragedy of his childhood friend Louis from repeating.

Character Arc

Begins as an innocent, sheltered vampire entering Paris; gradually confronts the grim complexities of mortality, loss, betrayal, and his own capacity for violence when protecting those he loves.

Jeanne ("Hellfire Witch")

Inori Minase

Archetype: The Redeemed Executioner (Bourreau) Key Trait: Devastating combat lethality coupled with emotional naivety.

Motivation

To protect Luca and atone for her parents' historical betrayal.

Character Arc

Transforms from an emotionless, guilt-ridden executioner bound to Lord Ruthven's commands into a self-determining woman experiencing romantic awakening and reclaimed agency.

Dominique de Sade

Ai Kayano

Archetype: The Dutiful Aristocrat / Tragic Protector Key Trait: Noble devotion cloaking fragile self-worth.

Motivation

To safeguard Noé and preserve the memory and standing of her family.

Character Arc

Shifts from an assertive, playful noblewoman into a deeply conflicted figure burdened by survivor's guilt over her brother Louis's death and her perceived inadequacy.

Cast

Natsuki Hanae as Vanitas (voice)
Kaito Ishikawa as Noé (voice)
Inori Minase as Jeanne (voice)
Shino Shimoji as Luca (voice)
Ai Kayano as Dominique (voice)
Yoko Hikasa as Veronica (voice)
Toshiyuki Morikawa as Ruthven (voice)
Kengo Kawanishi as Roland (voice)
Tomoaki Maeno as Olivier (voice)
Ayumu Murase as Astolfo (voice)
Rie Kugimiya as Chloé (voice)
Daiki Hamano as Jean-Jacques (voice)
Akira Ishida as The Teacher (voice)
Taro Kiuchi as Dante (voice)
Koji Yusa as Johann (voice)

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