Poe no Ichizoku, Question for the audience: Doesn’t this look like the perfect family?

The first picture of the family entering a restaurant in London oozes class in a society that identifies with class. The elegance of the Portsnell family is clearly depicted within the picture, with their ability to capture attention and imagination clearly visible. The photograph masks a number of imperfections, key to which is the fact that the Portsnells are vampires. The innocent look the Portsnells have, sees them smoothly integrate into life away from London, and forms the first of many deceptions the Portsnell family engages in to hide their true identities. Further, the picture also denotes the first time Dr. Clifford and Mrs. Portsnell meet for the first time, a time at which a ploy to take the doctor’s Blood is hatched.

The second picture captures the other side of what living a double life means. All the Portsnells’ are fighting a conflict within themselves in one way or another. The conflicts affect the family itself as well as their interactions with others. For instance, Marybell finds her relationship with Allan getting very complicated due to the love they share, a complication that is further compounded by Allan’s proposal to her. Marybell is aware that she is not a normal child and cannot, therefore, live a normal life, as in the few years Allan expects them to get married she will still be the same age. These conflicts are increasingly resulting in states of despair for the Portsnell family. The fact that they are vampires not only forces them to lead double lives, but it is making them lack proper social interactions