The Case Study of Vanitas has confusing titles. Each episode has an English title on Crunchyroll, for instance, this last one was called His Wish, referring to Vanitas’s last lines. But the episode itself had a title card with the title Après La Pluie, which means after the rain, also a fitting title. So every single episode has had this dual titling.

This week, I figured I would pay tribute to that and go with a French title for the post.

Au revoir is the French expression for goodbye. However, it literally means until we see each other again. So there is this saying “Ce n’est qu’un au revoir” which is roughly like this isn’t farewell it’s just goodbye, implying there will definitely be a next time. I’m hoping that by naming my post this way, it will work as a bit of mojo to get another season of The Case Study of Vanitas. You may not have picked up on it, but I really liked the show!

But where do I begin with this last episode? First I guess I should thank them. They listen to my last post and did not end on a cliffhanger. It’s not like everything is resolved by any stretch of the imagination but it felt like a good stopping point. There was some closure there.

Looking at the pictures above, I just have to say, wasn’t Domi amazing? For those who may not know, I have a very soft spot for Dominique de Sade. I think she’s my favourite character, it’s just that there are a lot of good character moments in this show so it changes from time to time. But Dominique is always someone I enjoy watching.

I had some complicated feelings about how she had been cast last week. On the one hand, making Domi the damsel in distress worked very well. I really cared a whole lot about what happened to her. And it gave us a chance to see his lost and vulnerable side to the character which really fleshed her out. On the other hand, I just had a tough time watching the great Dominique so helpless. It just wasn’t her, you know?

And indeed it wasn’t. All that fragility just made her moment shine all that much brighter. The ladies in this show really know how to take matters into their own hands. I liked Domi’s grand return (I guess I’ll call it that). It felt properly impressive and earned.

But I couldn’t just sit back and enjoy it. Oh, no no no! Because the next second… Guys!

First, I was a bit confused in the first cour about the antagonist of the series. So Charlatan which is what I was calling Naenia for a while is an organization that she is part of as is Sensei possibly(?). Sensei seems to have raised Noé, he is also the De Sades adoptive grandfather and benefactor and apparently the formless one as he can freely shapeshift. we got all that! ok good.

Remember forever ago when I shared a wacky theory I had read that Murr is the big bad of the show. At the time, I was still thinking of Naenia as she was the only clear antagonist we had seen. But guys!!!!Those eyes!!! That’s totally Murr, right? And he was conspicuously absent during this time. I mean Murr shows up in the oddest of places and in the middle of fights all the time, but where is he in this most important moment? Right there wearing a top hat mayhaps??? I both really want and really do not want this theory to be proven true. Murr!

I didn’t think I would say this, but can’t hate Misha. I mean, he’s just a little kid. With all the cruelty and sweetness that implies. Even after all that happened, he was clearly just a little kid who wanted his family back. I still want to whack him but I also understand.

In some ways, not that much happened. We saw the conclusion of the fight, a quick and cryptic appearance from the Comte de Saint Germain and then the next day, a talk between Vanitas and Misha. When Noé was holding out his hand to Vanitas I thought, ok, they gave us some closure, that’s good, but there’s more, we’re only halfway through, that was 15 minutes TOP. Then the closing credits started and I figured, it’s one of those fakeouts like all the other shows, we’re gonna get a 10-minute after-credits scene that’s cool. But no, it just ended. And I had to look, I was seriously refusing to believe that was a full-length episode. That’s what good pacing does.

Well, season 1 of The Case Study of Vanitas is now well and truly over. It was a fun ride and a very pretty one as well. There are still so many questions left unanswered but I had a blast with what we did get. It seems I’m now a vampire anime sort of girl!

One last little spell: see you all next season!

Previous episodes

• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.1 – Blue Moon Rising
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.2 – There’s Always a Jeanne
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.3 – What A Jerk
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.4 – Sexy
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.5 – The Sad Sade
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.6 – Salvation?
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.7 – Jeanne’s Walk of Shame
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.8 – Read the Room
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.9 – Everything is Math
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.10 – Birds of a Feather
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.11 – Date Night
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.12 – Entracte
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.13 – Winter is Come
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.14 – Cabin Fever
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.15 – Bird on a Wire
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.16 – Birds of a Feather
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.17 – A Noble Woman
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.18 – Epic
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.19 – In Broad Daylight
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.20 – Lovesick
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.21 – Brothers
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.22 – Family
• The Case Study of Vanitas ep.23 – Betrayal