Hino Matsuri - Vampire Knight, vol. 01-02

[oyceter]

I ran out and got vol. 1 in the 3-for-4 Viz sale currently at Borders, because despite all resolutions to budget, the manga lure proves to be too difficult to resist.

Cross School (this is not a manga known for its subtlety) has two groups of students -- the Day Class, which largely seems to consist of squeeing girls, and the Night Class, which largely seems to consist of gorgeous bishounen. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the protectors of the Day Class, which only encounters the Night Class in the evening, when one class leaves for the day and the other class comes in. What the Day Class doesn't know is that the Night Class students are all vampires.

Not that much plot ensues (at least, not so far). What does happen is a mix of angst, neck-licking, bloodlust, and beautiful people with gorgeous hair wafting in the breeze.

It's not for everyone, but I think you will know if you will like it: there is a whole lot of angst, particularly for the gorgeous Zero; the gender roles so far are dreadful, with Yuki being the sacrificial kindly shoujo heroine, but I don't care because that means one scene in which she bares her neck and someone else licks it; almost all the vampires are gorgeous guys, and almost all the students are squeeing girls who don't seem to care about their safety. The art is beautiful, preternaturally large, heavily-lined eyes and long, angular limbs. Everyone is dressed in these great, military-esque school uniforms, with buttons and buckles and giant cuffs. There are vampire-killing guns named things like "Blood Rose." There are melodramatic scenes in which one character dares another to shoot him.

I adore it already.

Comments

[seajules]

Dude, I love Vampire Knight, not least because Zero is a grumpy, gun-toting blond, which is so my Bishie Archetype of choice. And the gender roles are pretty rotten, but I like that Yuki is so present and can't be easily brushed aside for the BL angle. Though I also really dig that the central triangle is on that line of threesome rather than triangle. I like threesomes. *G*

[oyceter]

I adore Zero so much. So much!

So far, Zero and Kaname aren't interacting that much, but I'm sure that will change soon.

[seajules]

I got the scans from Mely, so I'm trying to be good and not reveal spoilers, but. Umm. Yes, much, much love.

[oyceter]

Hee! Ok, cool. Thankfully, I too have scans and am happily reading away.

[coffeeandink.livejournal.com]

I like Yuuki! Okay, she is a standard shoujo heroine but she is cheerful and gets grumpy at Zero for being melodramatic and knows how to use a gun.

And I have read scanlations so I know it gets EVEN BETTER.

[oyceter]

Good! I'm glad it gets better! So far Yuki hasn't done all that much except grump at Zero (which is cool) and get nearly bitten/actually bitten several times.

Not that that would stop me from reading anyhow!

[jinian.livejournal.com]

Maybe if I had enough of it at once it would make sense. I've been reading a couple months of it in Shojo Beat and it's really not impressive that way.

[oyceter]

Hee! I suspect it's never going to make that much sense -- I just love the overblown gothiness of it.

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

I think I must buy this right now.

[oyceter]

I think you should, especially since you like Yuki Kaori ^_^.