Move aside,Twilight, there’s no glitter to be found on these deadly creatures. At the peak of its success, Stephenie Myer’s books did bringvampiresback into the spotlight, but anime was already hopping with representation long before she put pen to paper. Whether they are the protagonist, the monster in the closet, or the legendary Dracula himself, these top-tier anime are sure to provide a better story (love occasionally included.)
Vampires in media have always been a fascinating concept to adapt since it’s been around for so long in all types of folklore. Many cultures have their own beliefs of what makes this monster so terrifying, yet it’s constantly brought to life in movies, anime, books, and webtoons. There is atype of romanticism that coexists with the fear vampires inject, and these following classics make up the best representation for the fanged beasts in anime today.
Vampire Hunter Dis an older film adaptationwith a dark fantasy science-fiction setting, blending a mix of technological advancements with the archaic castles and a status hierarchy between humans and vampires. The story follows Doris and her younger brother Dan as they work together with a Vampire Hunter, simply referred to as D, to assassinate the vampire count who bit and infected Doris in an attempt to claim her as his bride. Not only that, but the Count works together with the mayor of the town to further control Doris and thwart D’s plans.
The movie weaves together the complicated and devious natures of both Count Magnus Lee and his vampire family, but also the humans who commit monstrous actions for their own greed, as represented by the town’s most prominent members.Vampire Hunter Dsubverts the expectations of who is the real antagonistbetween the vampires and those who would manipulate others since it is later revealed that D himself is a dhampir, a mix of human and vampire. This gives him the advantage in fights against the supernatural without being hindered by the restrictions vampires often adhere to.
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Vampire Hunter Dis a chilling watch, only aided by its age, and combines sci-fi with supernatural elements such as the mystic abilities of vampires, and other dangerous creatures that exist within its world. While it may seem dated, it’s definitely considered a classic and its light novels only further expand on what’s already a very interesting story.
Similar to the previous entry,Trinity Bloodis an anime seriesthat aired in the early 2000s, so the animation is leagues more interesting for the modern day viewer. The world-building is immaculate as it expands into the division of humans and vampires, referred to as the Methuselah or Krusnik. The latter of these species is a type that can consume other vampires and is the cryptic secret of the series’ protagonist, Abel.
The best part about this anime is its complex narrative that explores both sides of the Methuselah and how they came to be as well as the Vatican’s fight against this evolved species that seeks to overthrow humanity. Abel himself is a complicated, but emphatic character that only joined the military forces of the church after the war created a rift between his siblings that couldn’t be mended. Although the anime couldn’t be completed,Trinity Blooddoes wrap up its conclusion in the light novel and bonus illustrations.
Call of the Nightis a solid watch, reversing the roles ofTwilight, by having Kou Yamori as the human who can’t seem to fit in with his other peers and finds solace in the dark of night during his insomnia episodes. After running into a like-minded Nazuna Nanakusa, he discovers she’s a vampire and wishes to become one as well. The parameters are not so simple, however, as it requires love to complete the transformation.
Setting aside theblatant, but standard issue of age-gaps in anime, exploring Kou as a protagonist is quite interesting if only the story delves more into the feelings of infatuation needed for him to turn, what it means to lose his humanity, and his own relationship with Nazuna given her mysterious intentions. While maybe not a family watch, the animation is fluid and beautiful, painting the night as a symbolic representation for why Kou feels drawn to it and his poetic insight gives the anime an overall calming feel alongside a gorgeous soundtrack.
Vampires and apocalyptic worlds really go hand-in-hand with anime, especially withSeraph of the Endadding in one more element, demons. After losing his entire family to his vampiric captors, Yuichiro vows to eliminate all vampires by joining the Japanese Imperial Demon Army that uses the unique method of contracting themselves with demons to give themselves enough anti to properly fight against vampires. A problem arises when it’s revealed that one of his closest friends who had sacrificed themselves was turned into a formidable soldier of the Vampire Queen and is still very much alive as a vampire.
Seraph of the Endintroduced an interesting premise in that humanity resolved to demonic contracts, therefore no longer making themselves human to combat a threat that sought to use them as cattle. For 2012, the anime holds up today with fluid fight scenes, an interesting power structure, and exploration of the different sides of the human and vampire factions through Yuichiro and Mikaela.
Noblesseis a bit of a tricky watch, but it really builds up as its world expands. Originally based on the webtoon or manhwa, the animation captures a lot of the well-known scenes showcasing the abilities of the vampires and other creatures within this unique story. It’s been over 800 years since Raizel last roamed the earth, and as the purest noble among vampires, he’s simply referred to as the Noblesse. To protect Rai, his faithful servant Frankenstein, hides him where he can learn about humanity’s modern-day advancements, a nearby high school.
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Noblessehas the complicated task of balancing Rai’s almost childish nature when it comes to learning about modern technology in contrast to the overwhelming power he wields as the strongest Nobles among vampires. This leads to threats against his daily life, occasionally roping in the young humans he’s enrolled with.Noblessewas a great anime given that manhwawasn’t often adapted at the time, and had an enthralling story of hierarchy dynamics as well as human experimentation with vampire DNA.
Blood+is an underrated classic that adapted itself into a full-fledged story afterBlood: The Last Vampiresaw its success as a movie. Saya Otonashi believes herself to be an ordinary high school girl who occasionally suffers from bouts of anemia and doesn’t recall the last year or so of her life. That all quickly changes after she’s attacked by a creature that feeds on humans, the Chiropteran, but it doesn’t survive long after consuming her blood. Saya has a unique characteristic in that her blood specializes in killing these monsters, kickstarting her journey to discovering why this is.
LikeNoblesse,Blood+is slow to build up its narrative, butinterweaves a compelling story by having the viewer unravel the mysteries of Saya’s origin alongside herwhile the world showcases itself to be much more complicated than our original understanding. It’s a short watch that is a must for anyone who loves vampire anime and lots of gory moments contrasted by the slightly muted saturation in the rest of the scenes.
On the flipside,The Case Study of Vanitasis a beautifully striking anime that balances the use of a vivid palette illuminating the world and the mysterious vampiric creatures in contrast to when it takes color away to deepen the significance of intense and dark moments. Written by the same author asPandora Hearts,The Case Study of Vanitastreats vampires more like a curse in the way it can be cured through Vanitas’ unique tome connected to the Vampire of the Blue Moon.
This anime has a fascinating cast of characters that are all much more than what they originally seem, especially in the case of Vanitas, who is a mysterious enigma to any he comes across. The manner in which he cures curse-striken creatures opens a well of questions as to how he came across this book and what his original connection is to the Vampire of the Blue Moon. Along with being visually stunning,The Case Study of Vanitasis a compelling watch for its fascinating narrative and character development.
Shikiis an underrated gem of a vampire anime, encasing the true horror of a looming threat further amplified by being condensed to a small town in the mountains. When a series of deaths begin to plague the humble community, the local doctor initially suspects that this must be a mere epidemic, but as the cases only increase, his suspicions turn to something far more sinister and supernatural. The anime follows the mystery in the perspective of Natsuno Yuuki as the dead rise to haunt him.
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Shikiis a brutal watch only because the main characters remain in a position wherehope is almost nonexistent, but the thrill of watching them slowly unravel the mysterymakes this a hard anime to pass up. It’s a sadly short but meaningful experience that can be relived in the light novel and manga for devoted fans.
LikeFull Metal Alchemist,Hellsinghas two different versions where an original was released before the manga was completed and then revamped in a later reiteration known asHellsing (Ultimate.)For an adaptation that follows the manga faithfully,Ultimateoffers a better experience, but of course half the fun is comparing the different visions the anime had in store before and after its canonical conclusion. With supernatural creatures running amok, the Hellsing foundation relies on newly recruited Seras Victoria and the original vampire, Alucard.
Both iterations are worth a watch due to their strengths in story-telling and stellar scenes. Though fans often argue that the originalHellsingmay have teetered off a little from the original narrative that is more accurately represented and holds together inUltimate.
Video games have anotorious reputation of not receiving good adaptations, butCastlevaniais the best result anyone could ask for. The infamous vampire, Dracula himself, starts a war against the humans following the demise of his human wife after being accused of witchcraft. As monsters and demons run amok, a vampire hunter by the name of Trevor Belmont teams up with Sypha Belnades who can conjure up powerful arcane magic and none other than the dhampir son of Dracula, Alucard.
Castlevaniais the culmination of everything that its prior entries have exceeded at by having a gloriously adapted story and stunning fluid visuals that are mesmerizing whether it’s flowing fabric, magical explosions, or bodily restoration of ancient creatures. Its success has earned it the title of the best video game to be adapted into a series, and is avampire animethat every fan needs to see at least once.
