This article serves as an attempt to list all historical, mythological, and artistic references in Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts.
This article is incomplete and subject to heavy restructuring, reordering, and rewriting.
Similarities to Alice in Wonderland[]
Plot Elements[]
- Several elements of Pandora Hearts are also based on elements from the life of Lewis Carroll. Jack Vessalius seems to like children and Oscar Vessalius has an interest in photography, traits which Carroll was said to have. Ada Vessalius is obsessed with the occult, something that also fascinated Carroll, though he was still said to be a devout Christian.
- At the start of the manga, Oz Vessalius, driven by curiosity, followed a strange melody until he fell down a hole in the ground, to find a grave and a pocket-watch, which had been playing the music. This obviously echoed the first scene of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
- Both Pandora Hearts and The Alice Adventures in Wonderland series take place or at least draws inspiration from the Victorian era.
- Ada attends Lutwidge Academy, named after Lewis Carroll, whose real name was Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.
- Two themes that appear in both the books and the manga are those of time and identity. Neither Oz nor Alice really knows who they are or what their purpose is, and in his journals, Jack wrote about how Alice would sometimes change, as if into another person (a reference to the Caterpillar scene). Some Legal Contractors such as Break cannot physically age, a nod to the March Hare's tea-party, where the Hatter is convinced that the time is eternally 6:00.
- The Abyss seems like a darker, more twisted version of Wonderland.
- Vincent Nightray loves to play chess, a tip of the hat to the main theme of Through The Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.
- The Doors to the Abyss are based on the little door that Alice wishes to go through, which led to Wonderland (The Abyss).
- The four grand Dukedoms are based on the four different suites of cards: the hearts, the spades, the clubs and the diamonds.
- Break once knitted a scarf for Alice while they were in Cheshire's dimension, a reference to Humpty Dumpty, who was given a scarf for his Unbirthday.
Chapter Titles[]
- "Retrace XXVI: Pool of Tears" and "Retrace XXVII: Get Out Of The Pool" in which Oz realizes that by always being so self-sacrificial, he hurts his loved ones. The naming comes from how when Alice first entered Wonderland, she grew extraordinarily large and began crying, flooding the room she was in with tears and eventually creating an ocean (pool) of tears.
- "Retrace XLVII: Unbirthday" is a reference to the Unbirthdays celebrated by The Mad Hatter and March Hare in Alice in Wonderland.
- "Retrace LIII: Humpty Dumpty Sat On A Wall", "Retrace LVII: Humpty Dumpty Had A Great Fall" and "Retrace LIX: Couldn't Put Humpty Together Again" are named after the classic poem that goes along with the Humpty Dumpty character that appeared in Through The Looking Glass. "Retrace LX: Egg Shell" is also based on Humpty Dumpty and signified his death.
- "Retrace LXXIX: Falling" could be a reference to Alice's initial fall into Wonderland down the rabbit hole, where she passes numerous pieces of floating furniture before finally landing in the hall of doors.
Characters[]
Character Similarities | |||
---|---|---|---|
Name | Image | Description | |
Alice |
Alice and her sister are both named Alice, after the main character from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. As well, Alice's curious and instinctive persona that she obtained after becoming "Alice the B-Rabbit" originates from Lewis Carroll's Alice's own personality. (AAIW). | ||
The White Rabbit | Oz's original character as the Bloodstained Black Rabbit may have drawn inspiration from The White Rabbit that Alice followed into Wonderland. Even after donning the identity of "Oz Vessalius, Oz continued to share many qualities with The White Rabbit, including how both characters carry a pocket watch on them at all times and how Alice was attracted to Oz by her curiosity when she heard Lacie's melody in the Abyss; mirroring how Alice's curiosity drew her to The White Rabbit and then into Wonderland. Additionally, when The Intention confronts Alice (recognizing her as B-Rabbit) for the first time in more than 100 years, she uses a white rabbit doll as a medium to allow her to interact with the 1st Dimension. | ||
The Mouse | The Mouse's crippling fear of cat's that caused him to flee in terror when Alice mentioned Dinah after the Caucus Race, was used as the inspiration for Gilbert Nightray's own fear (AAIW). | ||
The Dodo | The Chains Dodo and one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls were based off of the character of the Dodo, who had organized the Caucus Race in order to dry off those who'd emerged from Alice's pool of tears (AAIW). | ||
The Owl | Owl was either based off of The Owl who had taken part in The Dodo's Caucus Race or The Owl that was mentioned to be eating a meat pie with The Panther and was subsequently eaten afterwards in the poem "Tis the Voice of the Lobster" (AAIW). | ||
The Lory | The Lory that took part in The Dodo's Caucus Race acted as inspiration for Rufus Barma's pet Lorikeet. As well, Lottie's full name (Charlotte) also originates from The Lory's imspiration, Lorina Charlotte Liddell (AAIW) | ||
Bill the Lizard | The Unnamed Lizard Chain that appeared in Retrace LXXXI: CHILDREN was imspired by the character of Bill the Lizard, who had been sent by The White Rabbit to remove an enlarged Alice from his home (AAIW). | ||
The Caterpillar | Both Grim's appearance and Rufus's overly pompous information seeking personality originated from the character of The Caterpillar, whom told Alice how to grow bigger or smaller until she finally returned to her regular height (AAIW). | ||
Father William | Since Xerxes Break is elderly and completely blind in actuality, though he still retains massive amounts of power, this can be considered a reference to the character of Father William mentioned in the poem "You Are Old, Father William", which Alice recited for The Caterpillar (AAIW). | ||
The Cheshire Cat | The grinning, vanishing Cheshire Cat owned by The Duchess, acted as the overall inspiration for Cheshire and the four forms he appeared in (AAIW). | ||
The Piglet | The Mad Baby, a baby-shaped Chain capable of changing its form in order to draw in its victims, was based off of The Piglet, who had originally appeared as The Duchess' baby, only to change into a piglet after being given to Alice (AAIW). | ||
The Mad Hatter | The Chain killing Chain, Mad Hatter, had both similar design and the same name of The Mad Hatter Alice encountered while in Wonderland. As well, Break's nonsensical personality and appearance were brought forth from The Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter also later served under The White King, acting as a White Pawn named "Hatta", who seemed to have no recollection of meeting Alice in the past (AAIW/TTLG). | ||
The March Hare | March Hare's design and name had drawn inspiration from the character of the same name who had been perpetually trapped at a tea party with The Mad Hatter and The Dormouse. The March Hare would also later serve under The White King, acting as a White Pawn named "Haigha", who seemed to have no recollection of meeting Alice in the past (AAIW/TTLG). | ||
The Dormouse | The Dormouse, who had been trapped perpetually at a tea party alongside The Mad Hatter and The March Hare, acted as the main idea behind Vincent Nightray's Legally Contracted Chain, Dormouse conceptually. Vincent's more timid Pandora facade and tendency to fall asleep also tie back to The Dormouse (AAIW). | ||
The Card Soldiers | The weaker species of Chains, Cards were an obvious reference to of the servants of the Queen of Hearts. As such, the Flower Girl's Chain and Card of Fives also resulted from The Card Soldiers (AAIW). | ||
The Queen of Hearts |
Miranda Barma's obsession with decapitation as well as her relation to the Barma Dukedom (the "Hearts" Suit) portrays Miranda as a character born from The Queen of Hearts. Coincidentally, after Miranda was turned into the Chain, Demios the Executioner, she was given the nickname "The Queen of Hearts" by a witness to her assassination of Fred Nightray. As well, The Queen of Hearts acted as inspiration for one of the Intention's Dolls. (AAIW). | ||
The Hedgehogs | The Hedgehogs which had been used by The Queen of Hearts in her game of croquet against Alice act as the origin of the Hedgehog Chains from the Anime series. As well, The Hedgehogs acted as inspiration for one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls (AAIW). | ||
The Gryphon | Xai Vessalius's Chain, Gryphon, as well as Xai's own arrogant and selfish personality, are based off of the Wonderland creature of the same name, who served The Queen of Hearts and brought Alice to meet the Mock Turtle (AAIW). | ||
The Jabberwock | Jabberwock, and one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls, are based off of the dragon of the same name from the poem "Jabberwocky", which Alice read upon first returning to Wonderland - only to later have it explained in-depth to her by Humpty Dumpty (TTLG). | ||
The Bandersnatch | Lily's Contracted Chain is based off of the fumious Bandersnatch that was mentioned in the poem, "Jabberwocky". A Bandersnatch later attacked The Banker while they were searching for Snarks on an island in "The Hunting of the Snark" (TTLG/HOTS). | ||
The Toves | Fang's Contracted Chain, Tove, was based off of a Wonderland creature of the same name that had been mentioned in the poem "Jabberwocky" (TTLG). | ||
The Red King and Queen | Oswald and Lacie's positions among the Baskerville Clan were based off of the Red King and Queen that Alice encountered when she returned to Wonderland (TTLG) | ||
The_Goat | Demios' appearance, and one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls, were inspired through their appearance by The Goat, who had his beard melt off when Alice interacted with him on the train that The Red Queen had sent her off on (TTLG). | ||
The Snap-Dragon-Fly | The Snap-Dragon-Fly was an insect species of Wonderland that Alice had been introduced to through The Gnat upon returning to Wonderland, and it acted as the basis for the General's Legally Contracted Chain Snap-Dragon-Fly (TTLG). | ||
The Rocking-Horse-Fly | The Rocking-Horse-Fly was an insect species of Wonderland that Alice had been introduced to through The Gnat upon returning to Wonderland, and it acted as the basis for an Unknown Pandora Member's Legally Contracted Chain Rocking-Horse-Fly (TTLG). | ||
Fawn | Fawn is based off of The Fawn that followed Alice through the Forgetful Forest; that is until it realized that Alice was a human rather than another fawn - prompting it to flee (TTLG). | ||
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum | Echo and Noise were both based off of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, due to the fact that both Echo and Noise share a body (twins with opposing personalities) (TTLG). | ||
The Walrus | Isla Yura's greedy and treacherous personality was based off of The Walrus that was mentioned in Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's poem, "The Walrus and The Carpenter" (TTLG). | ||
The Carpenter | Bernice Nightray's willingness to unwittingly follow Isla Yura's orders was based off of The Carpenter that was mentioned in Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's poem, "The Walrus and The Carpenter", where The Carpenter helped trick The Oysters into their deaths, only to be fooled by The Walrus himself later (TTLG). | ||
The Oysters | The orphans from the House of Fianna and one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls were based off of The Oysters mentioned in Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's poem, "The Walrus and The Carpenter", where The Oysters are fooled by The Walrus and The Carpenter, and eaten by The Walrus (TTLG). | ||
Humpty Dumpty | Humpty Dumpty, as well as one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls, were based off of a Wonderland resident of the same name whom had explained the "Jabberwocky" poem to Alice, experienced a terrible fall and had been allegedly looking for a hippopotamus. Additionally, Humpty Dumpty told Alice that he'd received a knitted scarf for his Unbirthday once, which is mirrored through Break's own action of giving Alice a knitted scarf to protect her in Cheshire's Dimension (TTLG). | ||
The Lion | Leon was inspired by the character of The Lion that served as a Red Rook that had arrived shortly after Humpty Dumpty's terrible fall and proceeded to fight The Unicorn for the White King's Crown (TTLG). | ||
The Unicorn | Equus and one of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls were inspired by the character of The Unicorn that served as a White Knight that had arrived shortly after Humpty Dumpty's terrible fall and proceeded to fight The Lion for the White King's crown (TTLG). | ||
The White Knight | The White Knight was the basis for both Break's noble role (when he was Kevin Legnard and acting as of of the knights of Roman Sinclair) and Illegally Contracted Chain, Albus the White Knight (TTLG). | ||
The Monstrous Crow or The Raven | Either The Monstrous Crow that Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum mentioned that they fear, and served as The Red King's Bishop or The Raven mentioned in The Mad Hatter's riddle "Why Is A Raven Like A Writing Desk?" served as the basis of Gilbert's Illegally Contracted Chains, Raven. Therefore, the feud between Gilbert and Noise may very well originate from the inspirations of their characters. (AAIW/TTLG). | ||
Dinah | Alice's cat, Dinah, served as the inspiration for Ada's cat of the same name prior to Oz's casting into the Abyss (AAIW). | ||
Kitty and Snowdrop | Dinah's kittens, Kitty and Snowdrop, served as the inspiration for Ada's cats of the same names after to Oz's return from the Abyss (TTLG). | ||
Lily | Lily, being the youngest Baskerville, was likely named after one of the White Queen's chess pieces, who was too young to play (TTLG). | ||
The Red and White Queens | The contrast between Alice and the Intention of the Abyss (red/white) is similar to the contrast between the Red Queen and White Queen (TTLG). | ||
L.C. | Lacie is named after one of the three little girls in the Dormouse's story. Lewis Carroll loved puns and intended for Lacie to be an anagram of Alice. Alice's two sisters, Lorina Charlotte and Edith Matilda, were cleverly disguised as Elsie (L.C.) and Tillie (short for Matilda) (AAIW). | ||
Ada | Ada Vessalius is named after a girl that Alice briefly mentions in the first book (AAIW). | ||
Lewis Carroll | Break's real name is actually Kevin Legnard. Him having an alter ego seems strangely similar to that of Alice In Wonderland's author Charles Dodgson hiding under the guise of Lewis Carroll, so that he would not be thought of as a man who wrote books for children. | ||
The Executioner | Demios the Executioner's name means 'executioner' in Greek. As such, she shares her true name with a character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, who was mentioned to commonly be ordered to behead Wonderland residents by the Queen of Hearts, though often not actually beheading them (AAIW). | ||
The Puppy | One of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls was based off of The Puppy who Alice came across while she was smaller than usual, who Alice played fetch with for a short while (AAIW). | ||
The Rose | One of the Intention of the Abyss' Dolls was based off of The Rose who Alice encountered during her return to Wonderland. As well, numerous Rose-like Chains attacked Alice and Break while they were in Cheshire's Dimension (TTLG). | ||
The Frog Footman | One of the Chains that attacked Alice and Break while they were in Cheshire's dimension was inspired by the Frog Footman. The Intention of the Abyss also had a Doll who's basis was also The Frog Footman. (AAIW). | ||
The Knave of Hearts | One of the Chains that attacked Alice and Break while they were in Cheshire's dimension and the character Jack Vessalius was anatomically inspired by The Knave of Hearts (AAIW). | ||
The Cook | The Cook that served The Duchess (often peppering her food too much) whom later served as a witness during Alice's trial served as the inspiration for one of the Chains that attacked Alice and Break while they were in Cheshire's dimension.
In addition, the Chain that stalked Noise and Ada through Sablier and gravely wounded Xai appears to have also been inspired by the character of The Cook from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. (AAIW). | ||
Mary-Anne | Marie acted as Rytas' housekeeper when he became too old to tend to his needs himself. The White Rabbit also had a housekeeper, who was named Mary-Anne and was briefly mentioned in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. This makes Mary-Anne Marie's inspiration, as both had the same occupation, as well as Marie's name being similar to Mary-Anne's own name (AAIW). | ||
Mock Turtle | During the Chain invasion in Sablier, a Pandora member summons their Chain to battle the invading Chains, this Chain bearing significant resemblance to the Mock Turtle that Gryphon brought Alice to meet (AAIW). | ||
Jub Jub Bird | The Unnamed Bird Chain that was summoned by one of the Baskervilles after Break, Sharon and Sheryl were given free use of their Chains by Reim as part of Rufus' grand scheme drew inspiration from the Jub Jub Bird mentioned in "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There" and "The Hunting of the Snark" (TTLG) (HOTS). | ||
The King of Hearts | Being Miranda's elder brother, thereby connecting him to the "Hearts Suit", Arthur's inspiration can be drawn to The King of Hearts; whom acted rather anxious and submissive to The Queen just as Arthur did with Miranda. (AAIW) |