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Introduction
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Réminiscence ―Friends— is the fifth episode of the anime adaptation of Jun Mochizuki's The Case Study of Vanitas.
This article contains plot and/or ending details for The Case Study of Vanitas.
Read at your own risk.
Synopsis[]
Noé's encounter with Charlatan triggers a childhood flashback. His earliest days are revealed, along with Louis' dark secret. Noé grows up surrounded by friends, but an attempt to save one of their inner circle has tragic consequences.
Summary[]
Charlatan remembering Noé
The episode opens with Noé confronting Monsieur Spider following the appearance of Malnomen during the Bal Masqué. After a brief exchange of blows, Naenia appears from Monsieur Spider's body. Noé immediately recognizes her as the party responsible for the spread of Malnomen and makes to attack her, but is instead taken by her power and experiences a flashback.
After the opening plays, the story switches to the view of a great castle (known but not stated to be in Averoigne). There we see a young Noé, bandaged and carried by his Teacher. In a large field, Noé meets his Teacher's grandchildren, siblings Louis and Dominique de Sade. Once Teacher leaves, the three have a conversation about Noé's past, where Noé reveals he was raised by an elderly human couple and has no memories of his biological parents. Later, he explains that he had been kidnapped, his flippancy regarding the matter amusing Louis greatly before the three children fall asleep in bed together. An older Noé narrates his time spent with Louis and Domi, explaining that the three always had good times together, as well as introducing the village children Mina, Fred, Gilles, and Fanny.
Louis making Noé cry
As the three children grow older, Noé begins to notice concerning behavior from Louis. Using his powers as an Archiviste, Noé learns that Dominique thinks of him quite a bit, but experiences a strange and deeply sad vision upon drinking Louis's blood. Later, Louis tells Noé that he lives with his grandfather due to an unknown illness (unlike Dominique, who lives with her parents and only visits about once a month), then claims he has no desire to see the rest of his family as he is sure he is already dead to them. When the three appear to be in their early teens, Noé attempts to goad Dominique into playing beneath the Blue Moon, much to Domi's horror. The Teacher explains that an admiration for the Blue Moon is extremely rare for vampires. Louis then asks his grandfather about Malnomen, claiming that his grandfather had deliberately left information regarding his illness for him to find.
Mina attacking Fred
Shortly after, Louis begins his strange habit of wood shaving, prompting Noé to ask him about it. Though Louis claims the wooden object is a present for Noé, Noé begins to notice increasingly worrying behavior from his friend, and their interactions grow more confrontational. Eventually Noé asks Louis if there is anything Noé can do to help him, but before Louis can answer, Dominique appears claiming that Mina was slated for execution as a curse-bearer. This causes an argument between Noé and Louis as Noé frets and Louis claims nothing can be done. After running out, Noé and Dominique make a plan to save Mina without Louis finding out.
The Teacher killing Louis and saving Noé
Dominique and Noé, along with the other children, take Mina to a dilapidated church in an attempt to hide her. However, Mina's condition worsens and she attacks, killing Fred. She makes to attack Noé, but is stopped by Louis, who then rips her head off. It is quickly revealed that Louis had become a full curse-bearer and, after expressing relief that Dominique and Noé had not been hurt, kills Gilles and Fanny. Noé instructs Dominique to run, but she remains frozen, and Noé is forced to physically defend her from Louis. As the two fight, Noé asks Louis if he is acting out of anger for their earlier fight, and admits to wrongdoing on the condition that Louis returns to his prior behavior. This briefly calms Louis, who tells Noé that he cannot be cured of his condition and will soon be executed by a Bourreau. He then asks that Noé kill him, as Louis would prefer to die to Noé were he to die no matter what. The two fall to the floor and Noé embraces Louis, but refuses his request, not moving even as Louis begins to drink his blood. Suddenly Louis is decapitated, and Noé's Teacher appears, asking if Noé is alright. Horrified, Noé spends several moments looking at the bodies around him and, sobbing, struggles not to vomit. Eventually he is able to affirm his Teacher, who takes Noé and Dominique back to his home.
A few days following Louis's death, Noé appears near catatonic before he is approached by Dominique, bearing a large wooden chest. She tells Noé that Louis had left the chest to her prior to his death, instructing her to give it to Noé at "the right time." Noé drops the box, spilling its contents. Upon realizing that the chest had been filled entirely with wooden stakes and that Louis had intended for Noé to kill him long prior to Mina's execution, Noé suffers a breakdown. He screams and laments that he had been neither able to save Louis, nor kill him as Louis had wanted.
The story returns to the present day, with Naenia claiming she would be able to return Louis to Noé on the condition he give her his True Name. Noé seems to consider the offer, and nearly gives his True Name to her, but is interrupted. Vanitas dispels Naenia's manifestation, freeing Noé from her power, and the episode ends after Vanitas asks about Noé's condition.
Characters[]
(*) - Denotes that the character did not appear physically, but as a part of another character's memories.
Chapters[]
- Mémoire 8: Louis — Sinking in a Pool of Blood
- Mémoire 9: Réminiscence — Friends
- Mémoire 10: Salvatio — Uncertainty
- Entracte: Chambre d'enfants — A Dream of the Sound of Rain (Mémoire 15.5)
Episode Preview[]
[]
| v - e - t | The Case Study of Vanitas Episodes |
|---|---|
| Parisian Excursion Arc | 1 • 2 • 3 |
| Bal Masqué Arc | 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 |
| Hunters of the Dark Arc | 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 |
| The Beast of Gévaudan Arc | 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 |
| Amusement Park Arc | 20 • 21 • 22 • 23 • 24 |
| Blu-ray/DVD | 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • Season 1 Part 1 |
| Other | Recap • Special |