Manga - Japanese Comics
A handsome vampire lord falls in love with an unsuspecting human girl and….
No, this isn’t the beginning of a Twilight summary. Vampires have long since been a center piece of pulp culture, taking the forms of beautiful, androgynous, leather clad beings that show up every once in a while to steal the hearts of teenage girls around the world. From books to the big screen, Vampires have invaded every facet of every genre; so why should manga be any different? Vampire Knight is what happens when you crossbreed the two, with the results making for quite the satisfying read.
Set at the aptly named Cross Academy, Vampire Knight tells the story of three students who attempt to live their lives despite their undeniable differences. The first of which is Yuki Cross, the adapted daughter of the headmaster. She serves as one half of the disciplinary committee, guarding the students from the academies secret. Acting as the other half of the committee is Zero Kiryu, who acts as a ward to the headmaster and secretly protects Yuki. Filling out the trio is Kaname Kuran, the head of the night class and the anomaly of the group, what with him being a Vampire lord.
The three are thrust into the center of the plot as they work to bring about coexistence between Humans and Vampires. Yuki and Zero keep the day class blissfully unaware of the Vampiric presence, while Kaname keeps his brethren in check, making sure they don’t develop a taste for the other half of the student body.
As with any Vampire tale, this series oozes teenage angst. A love triangle develops between the three, drowning them in dramatic tension as each one is forced to accept the consequences of their feelings and the heartache that soon follows. Yuki secretly harbors a crush on Kaname that steams from him saving her life ten years prior to the story. Kaname works to keep Yuki safe from outside threats such as rival Vampire lords, all the while pulling her under his sinister yet charming influence. Zero slowly develops feelings of his own for Yuki, while at the same time despising Kaname for being a Vampire.
Being a series focused on Vampires, it tends to journey into darker territory, often leaving tragedy in it’s wake. Both Yuki and Zero were victims of Vampire attacks in their youth with Zero’s stripping him of everything he ever cherished. Characters aren’t all at once what they appear to be and many go through various metamorphoses within the first half of the series.
The artist's stylings only help to enhance the feel of the piece. Gothic artwork is prevalent on every page with each panel being lusciously drawn to match the mood. Wide eyed girls and tall handsome men interact amidst dark and medieval settings without any hint of abnormality.
Sure, it wallows in the usual cliches associated with stories of this nature, however if given a chance, many may find that haunting yet touching moments mixed with enigmatic characters make this a veritable feast for fans to sink their teeth into.
For:
- Vampire fans
- Fans of Romance
- Dark brooding characters
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