Publishing Information: TOKYOPOP, B&W, paperback, 208 pages, $10.99 (US), $13.99 CAN
Ordering Numbers: ISBN: 978-1-4278-1580-4 (ISBN-13)
Kiyo Katsuragi lives in a crumbling mansion located deep in a fog-enshrouded forest. However, the house isn’t the only thing Kiyo inherited from her late grandmother. The mansion comes with two squatters, Lord Kuroboshi, a dhampir – half-human/half-vampire – and his attendant, a vampire named Alshu. Apparently vampires choose to drink blood from only one person, called a “bride.” In order to be a full-fledged vampire, Kuroboshi must have a bride, and he chooses Kiyo, who isn’t crazy about the idea.
Bloody Kiss, Vol. 2 is the concluding volume of this fantasy, gothic romance, light drama, and comedy. This volume features the debut of another main character, Sou Mizukami, a childhood friend of Kiyo’s. Now, a monster/demon hunter, Sou is determined to protect Kiyo from Kuroboshi, but that is more out of jealous than out of fidelity to his vocation.
While the previous volume focused on the combative, growing romance between Kiyo and Kuroboshi, the second volume focuses on Kiyo’s high school, where Kuroboshi also becomes a student. Kiyo and Kuroboshi are still fighting, in that way two people who might become a couple fight in romantic comedies. Now, each is also fighting rivals for the other’s affections, which gives the stories a nice change of tone. The unusual living arrangement at Kiyo’s mansion works best as a comedy when placed in contrast with the outside, normal world.
Bloody Kiss
has a nice, appealing mood – part pop gothic romance (the Twilight Saga
) and part high school comedy. Fans of shojo manga (comics for teen girls) will like it just because it feels so different. Like the gaze of a vampire, this series has a mysterious power over the reader Although the series ends abruptly, creator Kazuko Furumiya hints that there may be more. I hope so because Bloody Kiss’ potential is largely untapped.B+
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