Vampire Knight ~Review Special~

Saturday, August 23, 2008 rinachan
Tags: Anime, Manga, Vampire Knight

Howdy, everyone! I’d like to say that I’m a huge fan of Vampire Knight, and so I thought I’d do a special for it.

What’s the difference between the manga and the anime?

While I personally prefer the anime over the manga, there is a difference. The anime cuts out the small issues and focuses on the big screen and has cleaner art with brighter colors, but the manga has many side stories and doesn’t show the full picture– which tends to confuse me…

Is Vampire Knight any good?

Sure! If you like blood-sucking creatures with a real story, not just them going after people like in a murder movie, Vampire Knight is all for you!

Why should I watch/read Vampire Knight?

Well, to tell you the truth, you don’t have to. But after I watched it, I thought of vampires in a whole new light. I also didn’t think it was any good, but the moment I checked it out I was so addicted I couldn’t stop watching–until I finished the show. Then when I finished the show, I was so sad.

What is Vampire Knight even about?

Well, let’s make it short. Maybe.

Vampire Knight follows the story of a supposedly human girl Yuuki, with no memories of her first, maybe, five years of her life. Her parents were murdered. Her friend, Zero, was also treated the same way. After his parents were murdered by a vicious vampire and he was bit by the pureblood, he became one himself. But he despised vampires. Getting back to Yuuki, she was saved from a level-E (a human gone vampire) vampire, by a pureblood. Since then, she had become attached to him. You’re wondering why I’m talking about what happened, rather than what is happening, aren’t you? Well, today, Yuuki is to tend to her school and guard it. She is in the Day Class – class for humans. Night Class is where the true guarding begins, because she must stay up all night and watch the vampires of that class. She gets into several tricky situations with the vampires of Night Class, but she is very devoted to her work.

The story basically starts when she realizes Zero is battling the transformation of becoming a level-E. Why is becoming a level-E so important? Level-E’s are the very vicious vampires, the ones who cannot hold themselves back at the sight of humans and blood. He doesn’t want to become vicious, and she doesn’t want him to, either.

Wow. That’s weird. So, is this thing all about bloody vampires and stuff?

Not completely. There’s very-shoujo love scenes and stuff, just to give the anime an appeal to all audiences. Do you really think I’d actually watch this if it had no depth whatsoever? Haha.

Okay, that’s enough for Q&A (questions and answers). Let’s show you some pictures so you can see the difference of the art.

Anime:

That’s Zero and Yuuki.

Some anime news:

Currently, there’s only thirteen episodes and there’s no word on if it’ll get a US release, but in Japan, a second thirteen-episode season is going to air at the right time–October, 2008! I can only hope it’ll get subbed right away or there will be a release for America soon, but there’s nothing promising, it seems.

Manga:

That’s the manga art. If you haven’t noticed, Zero and Yuuki is my favorite couple.

Some manga news:

Currently, there’s about fourty or so chapters and eight volumes in Japan, and there is an American release still going on. It started in the July 2006 issue of Shojo Beat, and four volumes are released a year.

Characters:

These are the main and most-important characters, in their typical anime appearance.

Yuuki Cross

The adoptive daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, Yuuki is a member of the school’s disciplinary committee, which is also known as Prefect (Guardian). Ten years prior to the events of “Vampire Knight,” Yuuki was attacked by a vampire, but was rescued by Kaname. She has lost all memory of her life before the attack because her mother, Juuri Kuran, used her pureblood powers to put her vampire side to sleep, and Headmaster Cross took her in as his own daughter. She, like Chairman Cross, believes that vampires and humans can live together peacefully. Yuuki loves Kaname so much to the point where her heart beats like crazy and she loses her mind. She even went as far as to kiss him. She has also been giving her childhood friend Zero her blood to save him from becoming a Level E vampire. She and Kaname were raised as siblings by Yuuki’s parents, Juuri and Haruka Kuran, who were also siblings and heads of the Kuran line of pureblood vampires. She is also Kaname’s fiance, whom she believes to be her brother, and Kaname has yet to tell her the truth about who he is. Yuuki loves Kaname who has always been protecting her and by her side during all her childhood as a human and as a vampire, but is still not sure who Zero is to her. When Rido Kuran, Yuuki’s uncle, resurfaces at Cross Academy, Kaname awakens her vampiric side and pureblood powers.

Zero Cross

Zero’s family was killed by the pureblood vampire Shizuka Hiou. Zero was taken in by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and became a Prefect (Guardian), alongside Yuuki Cross. He has a great hatred for vampires though he is revealed to be himself a Level D due to Shizuka’s attack four years ago. He also has a younger twin brother named Ichiru who was living by Shizuka’s side. Even though Kaname killed Shizuka, Ichiru thought it was Zero and blamed him. Zero assumed that Ichiru wanted revenge but instead he wanted death so he let Zero “eat him” making Zero complete putting him at a tier of power above vampires and hunters and possibly saving him from becoming a Level E indefinitely. Zero also seems to have developed feelings for Yuuki, always protecting her, and almost kissing her.

Kaname Kuran

A pureblood vampire, Kaname saved Yuuki from an attack by another vampire when she was little. He is the class president of the Night Class, much feared and respected by the other Night Class students. While he is cold and authoritative towards his fellows in the Night Class, he is always kind and sweet to Yuuki. He has shown that he cares deeply for Yuuki, and loves her in a romantic sense. (He allows Zero to live because he knows his death would sadden Yuuki, and because Zero is useful.) He is both jealous and angry of Zero for biting Yuuki and endangering her life. He has a deep love for Yuuki. They are also engaged, just like Haruka and Juuri, who were married to each other as it is common for pureblood siblings to marry. It is essential to keep the bloodline pure. Also, a fact yet to be revealed to Yuuki is that Kaname is not her “true brother”. He is actually the ancient ancestor of the Kurans, and Rido is his master who awakened him from his grave, making him unable to kill the man.

Thank you very much for reading the review of one of my favorite anime!! Please.. uh.. come again!

Rina-chan says, ‘Peace!’

Entry Filed under: Anime,Manga

2 Comments Add your own

• 1. Jenn Besonia  |  Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 11:07 am

  Agree. I also like the anime over manga because the drawing isn’t that good. Yes, it’s good, but if we’ll talk about drawing manga, it is not good. Do you get what I mean? hehe.

  Ok, not? This is my review created just a few hours ago. http://hindiakoto.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/vampire-knight-good-plot-crap-drawing/

  Cheers!

  Reply

• 2. Akira  |  Monday, October 12, 2009 at 5:38 am

  HEY just wanted to tell you it’s
  ZERO KIRIYU and
  NOT CROSS!! Cross-san sure adopted him… but he did not force him to change the boy’s name! ^___^
  you should check out yaoi fanfics of this one on http://www.fanfiction.net
  one is dissolved into yumminess! 😛
  TC! good luck!

  Reply

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