#IReadsYou Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 4

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 4
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

[This review was originally posted on Patreon.]

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-1076-8; paperback (March 2020); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was first serialized in the shojo manga magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It was collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media published the manga in an English-language edition as a graphic novel series under its “Shojo Beat” format.

Vampire Knight is set in and around Cross Academy, a school for vampires (the “Night Class”) and humans (the “Day Class”) and focused mostly on the following characters: Headmaster Kaien Cross; his stepdaughter, Yuki Cross, a pure-blood vampire; Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire; and Kaname Kuran, the progenitor of a pure-blood vampire family line.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society and then, sleeps for a thousand years.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters.”  These “Memories” are chapters that recount the events which occurred during Kaname's slumber.  VIZ Media publishes Vampire Knight: Memories annually as a single-volume graphic novel.

Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 4 opens with the story, “Dark Shadows of the Underground.”  It is a precarious time in the relationship between vampires and humans.  A mysterious group calling itself the “Vampire King” has launched a terrorist campaign of bombings.  Yuki and Zero are determined to capture the Vampire King, a mission that will take them deep into the underground areas beneath the city.  With the help of Maria Kurenai, a young leader in the Hunter Society, they close in on the quarry.  Their target, however, is also prepared for them and has plans to take prisoners.

In “One Step After a Hundred Years,” Yuki realizes just how shocking what she blurted out to Zero is.  What will she do about what she said?  Is she willing to join Zero in a life-changing event?  Finally, in the stories, “The Hope Inside a Photo Album” and “Goodbye and Hello,” a rabble-rousing human mayor of a nearby city pulls a publicity stunt that leads to Headmaster Cross making a decision that will have momentous consequences.

[This volume includes the bonus story, “The End of a Certain Lady;” the one-page comic, “Memories of Little Consequence;” and “Editor's Notes.”]

I am a fan of the Vampire Knight manga, although I did not like the final graphic novel, Vampire Knight, Vol. 19.  As for the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, the various chapters have been of uneven quality.  Some are exceptionally good, while others run the gamut from good, to bad, to average. The graphic novel collections have been good, especially Vol. 2, and Vol. 3 stood out by focusing on romance.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 4 picks up on a theme and plot line that began to play out in Vol. 3 – the rising tensions between humans and vampires after a period of peace between the two races.  Vol. 4 is filled with tense stand-offs, kidnappings, rescues, subterfuge, suspicion, bombings, and mad scientists.  There is also some romance and a shocking turn of events that I do not want to spoil.  I can say that in the chapters that comprise Vol. 4, creator Matsuri Hino has brought back the mystery and the violence and the romance and the drama that were the highlights of the best chapters in the original run of Vampire Knight.

Tetsuichiro Miyaki (translation) and Nancy Thislethwaite (English adaptation) do stellar work conveying the deep feelings of love and family between characters like Yuki, Zero, Headmaster Cross, and Ren and Ai (Yuki and Kaname's children).  They also capture the heartfelt emotions, the sadness, and the sense of hope that define the end of Vol. 4.  Inori Fukuda Trant's lovely and quiet lettering emphasizes the drama with power that lingers after the final page.

Fans of the original series would serve themselves well to obtain this fourth volume of Vampire Knight: Memories, especially if they have not really followed the series since its English-language debut in 2017.  Vol 4 is a winner for sure.

10 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.


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Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 3

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 3
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0515-3; paperback (July 2019); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It has been collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media has published the manga in the United States as an English-language, paperback graphic novel series.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters.”  These are episodes of Vampire Knight that take place after the events depicted in Vampire Knight Volume 19, which contained the final chapters of original manga.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language translation of the new chapters in a graphic novel series, Vampire Knights: Memories.

Vampire Knight focuses on Yuki Cross, a student at the vampire (the “Night Class”) and human (the “Day Class”) school, Cross Academy.  Headmaster Kaien Cross is her stepfather, but Yuki eventually learns that she is a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Yuki eventually falls in love with Kaname Kuran, a pure-blood vampire.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society.

Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 3 opens with the chapter, entitled “Bond.”  Yuki and Zero encounter old friends, now aged, and new enemies.  All that pales next to the strength of their bond, and now, they have decided to become a couple.  In “Memories of Those Who Have Gone,” Kaien Cross reminisces about the photographs he took and the memories they recall.  Vampires Ruka and Akatsuki become engaged in the story, “Wedge,” and they marry in “Till Dust Do Us Part,” which also finds Yuki and Zero make decisions about their relationship.

[This volume includes the bonus stories, “A Vampire Who Claims that Friendship is the Source of Life” and “What is to Come;” a four-panel manga, “Memories of Little Consequence;” and “Editor's Notes.”]

In general, I enjoyed the Vampire Knight manga, although I was not a fan of the final graphic novel, Vol. 19.  I liked the first volume of the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, but I thought the second volume was stronger.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 3 maintains the increase in the quality of drama that Vol. 2 presented.  I like that Cross Academy is back in play, but I am also intrigued by the increasing tensions between various factions of humans and vampires.  Intrigue will apparently yield acts of terrorism, double-dealing, double agents, and perhaps, some kind of biological warfare.

Best of all about Vol. 3 is the romance.  We have a wedding, a beautiful one that occurs at night.  The new state of affairs between Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu promises a resurgence of Vampire Knight.  How long will this “sequel” last?  Hopefully, it will last several more volumes – if love and war are the order of the Day (Class) with the creatures of the Night (Class).

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2019 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for syndication rights and fees.

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Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT: Memories Volume 2

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 2
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-9747-0024-0; paperback (August 2018); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It has been collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel), and VIZ Media has published the series in the United States as a series of English-language, paperback graphic novels.

A few years after the end of the original series, Hino began producing a series of “special chapters,” episodes of Vampire Knight that take place after the events depicted in Vampire Knight Volume 19, which contained the final chapters of Vampire Knight.  VIZ Media is publishing an English-language translation of the new chapters in the graphic novel series, Vampire Knights: Memories.

Vampire Knight focuses on Yuki Cross, who eventually learns that she is a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Yuki eventually falls in love with Kaname Kuran, a pure-blood vampire.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrifices his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the vampire-hunting Hunter Society.

As Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 2 opens, Kaname experiences the events that occurred during his thousand-year slumber as memories.  While Kaname sleeps, Yuki and Zero begin a romance and contemplate marriage.  However, vampires begin threatening Zero because he is a vampire hunter, and they do not want him tainting, Yuki, their “pure-blood” princess.

Can Yuki and Zero overcome the forces arrayed against them?  Meanwhile, vampire scientist and inventor, Hanabusa Aido, begins a doomed romance with Sayori Wakaba, a young human woman.  Can either of them really accept the fact that Sayori will suffer the fate of all humans – to die one day, while Zero will not.

As I wrote in my review of the first volume of the Vampire Knight: Memories manga, I did not like the end of the first Vampire Knight manga, especially the “death” of Kaname.  In general, however, I really liked the series, and I enjoyed the prettiness of creator Matsuri Hino's art.

Vampire Knight: Memories Graphic Novel Volume 2 is a little stronger than the first volume.  The series is now more a melancholy supernatural romance, purely so.  The original series deals with the politics of Cross Academy, a school attended by vampires and humans who did not know that vampires attended.  Vampire Knight also focuses on the internal politics and intrigue of vampires and Hunters.

The new series is quite a bit different.  I like its focus on themes of love, family, and obligation.  The five chapters contained in this second volume also deal with how complicated relationships can be and with the fragility of life, especially that of humans.  If fans did not get enough of Vampire Knight, Vampire Knight: Memories is a worthy second serving.

A
8 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2018 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT Memories Volume 1

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MEMORIES VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

MANGAKA: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Nancy Thislethwaite
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-9430-9; paperback (August 2017); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
200pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight was a vampire romance and shojo manga from creator Matsuri Hino.  It was published in the magazine, LaLa, from 2004 to 2013.  It was eventually collected in 19 tankōbon (similar to a graphic novel) and was also published in the United States (by VIZ Media).

Vampire Knight: Memories is a collection of four short stories that continues the world of Vampire Knight.  Written and drawn by Matsuri Hino, these stories delve into the past of some characters, and also explores the relationships between new characters and old.

The series was set in and around Cross Academy, a private boarding school with two classes:  the Day Class and the Night Class.  At twilight, the Day Class students returned to their dorm and crossed paths with the Night Class.  They did not know that the Night Class students were actually vampires.

The series lead was Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of school headmaster, Kaien Cross, but she later learned that she was also a pure-blood vampire.  Her first love interest was Zero Kiryu, a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Together, Yuki and Zero were the Guardians of the school, patrolling the hallways and school grounds to protect the Day Class humans from the Night Class vampires.  Yuki eventually fell in love with Kaname Kuran, her fiancé who was raised as Yuki's sibling.  At the end of Vampire Knight, Kaname sacrificed his body to create new vampire-killing weapons for the Hunter Society.

As Vampire Knight: Memories, Vol. 1 opens, a peace has been established between the Hunters and the few remaining vampires.  Kaname continues to sleep in an ice coffin, and Yuki has given her heart so that he can be revived as a human.  Yuki and Zero begin a new relationship.  Yuki's birth daughter, Ai, and her adopted son, Ren, seek to learn more about Kaname.  Memories contain four stories that tell about life during the 1,000 years of Kaname's slumber in an ice coffin.

I was not crazy about the end of the Vampire Knight manga, especially the “death” of Kaname.  In general, however, I really liked the series, and I enjoyed the prettiness of creator Matsuri Hino's art.

Vampire Knight: Memories Volume 1 contains four manga short stories:  “Life,” “I Love You,” “Love's Desire,” and “Between Death and Heaven.”  The most poignant segment of this volume is the “Seiren's Side Story” part of “Between Death and Heaven,” which reiterates that while the vampire leads of this series are adorable, most other vampire characters are monsters.

If I understand correctly, there will be more of these “Memories” stories, which I hope is the case.  A lot happens in a thousand years, and there are a number of shocking deaths and demises in the stories of Memories Vol. 1 that need some narrative expanding.  These four stories are, for the most part, a really good addition to Vampire Knight, and I think fans will want to read them and want to read more.

A-
7.5 out of 10

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"


The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Review: SHURIKEN AND PLEATS Volume 1

SHURIKEN AND PLEATS, VOL. 1
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Katherine Schilling
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-8525-3; paperback (March 2016); Rated “T” for “Teen”
192pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Matsuri Hino created the bestselling manga, Vampire Knight.  Her other popular series include Captive Hearts and MeruPuri.  Her latest series is Shuriken and Pleats.

It focuses on teenager, Mikage Kirio, a skilled ninja.  After the master that she is sworn to protect is killed, Mikage moves to Japan to start a new, peaceful life for herself.  Soon after she arrives, Mikage finds herself fighting to protect a man being attack by two ninja.

Shuriken and Pleats, Vol. 1 (Chapters 1 to 5) finds Mikage totally dedicated to her master, James G. Rod, who has already lost family members to assassins.  Despite her best efforts, James is killed.  In Japan, Mikage hopes to enjoy the life James had planned for her.  Mikage enrolls in high school, where she finds other teenagers, especially Kotaro Suzuki, to be curious.  Soon, however, Mikage is drawn into the machinations of a powerful family, after she saves a man named Mahito Wakashimatsu.

The Shuriken and Pleats manga is another of those manga that are tailored made for me to love.  I am a fan of ninja manga, such as Tail of the Moon and especially the recently completed Naruto.  Shuriken and Pleats is a different kind of ninja manga, which is what I would expect from Matsuri Hino.

Shuriken and Pleats Volume 1 offers plenty of action involving ninja and also lots of intrigue.  I find it odd that Hino fills the first five chapters of this manga with so much back story, plot twists, plot lines, etc.  It is as if Hino is hurrying to finish this story.  In fact, there were times when I thought that the story was racing to its conclusion because it was a single-volume manga.

I have to admit that I am a little confused about the protagonist or antagonist status of several characters.  Perhaps, that is how Hino intends it, so I hope that Shuriken and Pleats reaches it potential because I do like my ninja manga.

B+

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2016 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

Review: Matsuri Hino Presents LAST NIGHT - Vampire Knight Illustrations

MATSURI HINO PRESENTS LAST NIGHT: VAMPIRE KNIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7605-3; hardback (October 2014); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
44pp, B&W, $15.99 U.S., $18.99 CAN, £9.99 UK (for graphic novel and art book set)

Vampire Knight is a shojo manga series written and drawn by manga creator, Matsuri Hino.  VIZ Media recently published the final graphic novel collection of the series with the release of Vampire Knight Volume 19, on October 14, 2014.  Vol. 19 was released in a regular edition graphic novel and also a “Limited Edition” with an alternate cover.  The Limited Edition is actually a two-book collection that includes a hardcover mini art book entitled, Matsuri Hino Presents Last Night: Vampire Knight Illustrations.  [The Vampire Knight “Night Class” Manga Box Set 2, to be released November 4, 2014, will also include a copy of Last Night.]

Last Night contains over 40 full-color illustrations drawn and colored by Hino.  Most of these illustrations appeared in LaLa, the Japanese manga magazine in which Vampire Knight was originally serialized.  Many of the series' characters appear in these illustrations, but the characters which are most depicted are, of course, Vampire Knight's (un)holy trinity of and love triangle:  Yuki Cross, Zero Kiryu, and Kaname Kuran.

Is the packaging price of Vampire Knight Limited Edition 19 money well spent?  Well, my generous VIZ Media rep gave me both the single-volume regular edition and Limited Edition set.  The Limited Edition costs $6 more than the regular edition, and Last Night is worth the extra six bucks, especially if you, dear reader, are a fan of Matsuri Hino's illustrations.

Hino's moody, pouting, and contemplative vampires are gorgeous.  Other than their school uniforms, little of the characters' clothing could be “off the rack,” unless the clothes are off a rack found in an acclaimed fashion designer's personal work place.  These are fashion icon vampires.  As we leave the world of Vampire Knight, Last Night is the kind of neato item we might grab before we turn off the lights on our way out.

A-

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Review: VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 19

VAMPIRE KNIGHT, VOL. 19
VIZ MEDIA – @VIZMedia

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
LETTERS: Inori Fukuda Trant
EDITOR: Nancy Thislethwaite
ISBN: 978-1-4215-7391-5; paperback (October 2014); Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
208pp, B&W, $9.99 U.S., $12.99 CAN, £6.99 UK

Vampire Knight is a shojo manga series written and drawn by manga creator, Matsuri Hino.  The series premiered and was serialized in the Japanese manga magazine, LaLa.  VIZ Media publishes Vampire Knight in North America, collecting the manga in a series of graphic novels.  VIZ Media recently published Vampire Knight Volume 19, the final volume of the graphic novel series.

Vampire Knight is set in and around Cross Academy.  This is a private boarding school with two classes:  the Day Class and the Night Class.  At twilight, the Day Class students return to their dorm and cross paths with the Night Class.  They don't know that the Night Class students are actually vampires.  Yuki Cross is the adopted daughter of Headmaster Kaien Cross, and she is also a pure-blood vampire.  Zero Kiryu is a human suffering from the curse of the vampire.  Together, they are the Guardians of the school, patrolling the hallways and school grounds to protect the Day Class humans from the Night Class vampires.

As Vampire Knight, Vol. 19 (Chapters 89 to 92 to The Final Night) opens, Cross Academy will be closed again.  This time it will become the headquarters of the Hunter Society.  Meanwhile, Yuki has stolen Zero's memories of her to free him, and she plans on giving her own life to turn her brother, the pure-blood vampire, Kaname Kuran, into a human.

Kaname, however, plans to die so that his body can create new vampire-killing weapons for the Hunter Society.  The other vampires are determined to stop him, and that means war between humans and vampires.  Eternity is at stake, and Yuki and Kaname try to change destiny.

So the Vampire Knight manga has come to an end, and I didn't see it coming.  I don't know if other regular readers of the series will be satisfied with this finale.  I'm not.  Vampire Knight Volume 19 is not of poor quality.  It just seems like an untidy semi-rush job on the part of creator, Matsuri Hino.  Or maybe I'm in denial.

Vampire Knight has always been melodramatic, edgy, and bloody, and Vol. 19 is certainly that.  As usual, all the characters seem emotionally, if not mentally unhinged in this final graphic novel, and that offers some enjoyable vampire soap opera.  To the end, it's all crazy love, so at least the narrative is consistent to the end.

B

Reviewed by Leroy Douresseaux


The text is copyright © 2014 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this blog for syndication rights and fees.

Vampire Knight: Origin Metal Jacket

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 18

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin, and you can follow me on Twitter or even contribute to my Indiegogo campaign.

Vampire Knight: War of the Kuran Roses

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 17

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Vampire Knight: Underground Tablets

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 16

I posted a review at the ComicBookBin.

Vampire Knight: Return to Cross Academy

I read Vampire Knight, Vol. 15

I posted a review at ComicBookBin (which has free smart phone apps and comics).

Leroy Douresseaux on THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MATSURI HINO ILLUSTRATIONS

THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT: MATSURI HINO ILLUSTRATIONS
VIZ MEDIA

CARTOONIST: Matsuri Hino
TRANSLATION & ENGLISH ADAPTATION: Tetsuichiro Miyaki
ISBN: 978-1-4215-4005-4; hardcover; Rated “T+” for “Older Teen”
94pp, Color, $24.99 U.S., $28.99 CAN, £16.99 UK

Matsuri Hino is a Japanese manga artist or mangaka. She made her debut in 1995 with a one-shot manga. Her first series, Captive Hearts, which began publication in 1999, was about a young man bound to a teenaged girl via a family curse. Hino is now most famous as the creator of Vampire Knight.

Vampire Knight is a popular shojo manga that first appeared in January 2005 in LaLa magazine, a Japanese manga publication. Vampire Knight became a media franchise with the publication of light novels, video games, and two 13-episode anime series, among other things.

VIZ Media is Vampire Knight’s English-language publisher, releasing the series in a graphic novel format, beginning in 2006. The company recently published the 13th English volume of Vampire Knight (October 4th). VIZ Media published an English-language edition of the Vampire Knight Official Fanbook, a guide to the manga that is filled with illustrations, trivia, and general information.

VIZ Media also recently published The Art of Vampire Knight: Matsuri Hino Illustrations. Originally published in Japan in 2010, this hardcover, full-color book is exactly what the title declares on the cover: the art of Vampire Knight as presented through illustrations by Hino depicting characters from the Vampire Knight manga.

Vampire Knight is set at the private boarding school, Cross Academy, where there are two classes – the Day Class and the Night Class. The Day Class students are humans. When they return to their dorms at twilight, the Day Class doesn’t know that the Night Class students that are on their way to school are actually vampires. Vampire Knight’s main character is Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of Headmaster Kainen Cross. Yuki’s earliest memory is of being attacked by a vampire.

There are two co-leads. One is Zero Kiryu, a human suffering the curse of the vampire. Yuki and Zero are Guardians at Cross Academy; they patrol the hallways and school grounds to protect the students of the Day Class from the vampires. The other co-lead is Kaname Kuran, a pureblood vampire who is the leader of the Night Class. Yuki is attracted to Kaname, and the two actually have a connection revealed later in the series.

Quite a bit of the movie Underworld (2003) takes place at the mansion of a vampire coven. Most of the vampires in the film are sleek and sexy; hair is cool platinum blonde or dark and sexy dangerous. They lounge around their posh estate, with its Gothic flourishes, in icy luxury.

The Art of Vampire Knight is a catalog of similar images. There are vampires in tuxedos, Goth-Loli girls, Victorian fashions, Pre-Raphaelite touches, etc. Actually, much of what Matsuri Hino presents is a blending of many styles, but an artist must take her influences and create something that is uniquely her own, even with its familiar elements. Hino has certainly done that.

The two-page spread on pp 40-41 is oddly familiar, with its wings-as-drapery, but Hino fans know this can only be Hino. Illustration meets fashion design, and the art of Vampire Knight is born. Vampire Knight fans, get this book. Clutch it to your bosoms. You might even want to… get down with it… so to speak.

A