The list for my favourite anime vampires is kind of always under construction. Largely because I love vampires and also because every year we seem to get a few anime that take their own interpretation on the blood-suckers. I was kind of hoping Mars Red would add a few new names to the list but alas that story kind of fizzled in the end.
As always, I’d love to know your favourites so please share in the comments below.
Who are my favourite anime vampires?
Please Note: There will be spoilers below.
Honourable mention this week goes to Staz from Blood Lad and Alucard from Hellsing (because even if I don’t mention him on the list, everyone else will).
I also need to throw Dracula from Castlevania here as well because after watching season two I’m just not that into him anymore.
I was really tossing up whether it would be Kaname or Zero on this list when I decided that at least one of them had to make the top 5 but ultimately Kaname being a pure blood vampire and not a human turned into a vampire kind of tipped the scales in his direction. More importantly, it isn’t every character that can turn other vampires into confetti. Kaname may spend way too long brooding on things and is a terrible communicator, but he certainly has the whole presence, attraction and air of danger that tend to be defining traits in certain types of vampire stories.
Jirou is a fantastic character. He’s pretty traditional in terms of being a vampire who is sensitive to sunlight and salt water, he doesn’t like being awake during the day, but he is definitely a fighter particularly when his ‘brother’ is being threatened. Which makes him a bit different from so many anime vampires that kind of have their own rules. Add to that the usual fantastic vampiric fashion sense (because who doesn’t look amazing in that shade of red) and a very cool sword and you have one very fun character.
A new entry on the list. While Dracula may have been relatively unimpressive throughout season 2 of Castlevania (okay a lot unimpressive unless you like broody and sulky in your anime vampire), Carmilla swept in and shook things up. While a lot of her manipulations really served no purpose and ultimately she kind of got nowhere, I have to admit she had style and was definitely the most memorable of the new characters introduced during the second season.
I still haven’t actually reviewed Owari and I really should get around to it, particularly as I now have the DVD’s and any story that focuses on anime vampires vs humans is worth at least a discussion.
Mikaela is one of my favourite characters because of his transformation from human to vampire (yet arguably he remains the most human character in the show). Even after everything that happens to Mikaela he never loses sight of what he wants to protect and he will go to any length to keep it safe. It would be nice to say the whole vampiric strength thing was an asset but in Owari just being a vampire really isn’t enough.
She absolutely had to make the list of anime vampires and all things considered, given she’s been the vampire I’ve consistently liked the most, she probably deserves the top spot at this point. Another human turned vampire and loving it (at least at first). Megumi always believed she was destined for more than the village could offer her and while she may not have intended to die, she certainly made the most out of her undead life while she could. Megumi gets bonus points for being one of the creepiest stalkers ever.
There’s the list this week and again, feel free to share your favourite anime vampires in the comments below. I’d love to know your picks and your reasons.
Very likely this list was inspired by the fact that I’m currently trying to watch Vatican Miracle Examiner, but today I’m looking at my top 5 favourite anime priests. When I say priest, I’m using a broad brush so I’m not overly concerned what sort of priest, or what religion, or even if they are actually ordained. If they dress and kind of act or are treated like a priest, I’m going with that. What put these characters on my top 5? They are a priest and I found them interesting and sometimes even useful to the story they were in. It isn’t an overly deep list this week.
Please Note – Probably a few minor spoilers this week.
It may be unfair to have John Brown at number 5 given of all the priests on the list, he’s actually the one who acts most like a priest. However, he’s held back by two things. The first is he wasn’t the protagonist of his story and was clearly strictly back up. There were almost no occasions where he was actually useful other than one or two minor exorcisms throughout the story. The second being his horrendous Australian accent in the dubbed version of Ghost Hunt. Certainly if you are looking for comedy, that accent is going to hit the mark but otherwise all it will do is make most Australians cringe.
Already I can hear people wondering why this anime priest isn’t higher up the list and the answer is simple: he’s dead after the introduction to the series. Yes, we get flash backs to him being awesome and to be honest, he’s probably the best character in Blue Exorcist, but none of that gets us past the fact that he’s already dead. The doting father and incredibly strong exorcist literally steals every scene he gets to appear in, there just aren’t enough of them.
Though I would love to see a prequel series about his exploits as an anime priest.
This guy’s a priest? You actually do know that about him but sometimes it is very hard to remember given his flamboyant ways as well as his taste in… literature. Yet, he does his job and still manages to look pretty cool while doing it which has earned him a solid third place on my list.
And honestly it isn’t as though most anime priests actually act all that much like real priests so authenticity isn’t exactly a requirement here.
I really like Seishin’s character for a couple of reasons. The main one is that he provides a different perspective on the vampires and their invasion to his friend’s. Whereas the doctor chooses to rally people to fight the vampires, Seishin chooses to seek coexistence even when it clearly becomes impossible. It’s another valuable perspective that the story kind of needed particularly during the gory conclusion.
I wonder what the world has in store for him after the events of Shiki as this anime priest definitely made some questionable decisions along the way and his actions were noted. Still, he was a complex character and one who provided a needed alternative perspective to both the vampires and humans in the story.
Seriously, what is not to like about this awesome character. He and Vash are perfect as a team and Wolfwood very clearly highlights the path Vash might have taken rather than the one he chooses. Wolfwood, you will be missed.
But in the meantime you were my very favourite anime priest and quite the entertaining character before that whole tragic end thing. And, seriously, using the giant cross you lug around as a weapon is just kind of awesome.
Shiki is a horror anime that came out in 2010 set in the small isolated village of Sotoba where life goes on the same way everyday despite the number of characters that seem dissatisfied with their everyday life. The story begins with the disappearance of Megumi, a girl who is desperate to leave the village and to shine in a big city one day. We soon learn of the events leading up to her disappearance and follow the villagers as they slowly become aware of the danger surrounding them.
It’s a slow burn of a story until the end where the villages understand everything and the mob arms themselves and then it does what horror anime tend to do at the end and all the carefully built up suspense kind of gets thrown out the window in a shower of blood and pretty fire. That said, the ending is conclusive, character arcs do come to a close of sorts during that climax, and for those who appreciate the slow reveal it makes this series feel genuinely like it was worth the time.
Yeah, and the creepy eye thing doesn’t get less creepy while watching.
There seem to be three views on Shiki that I have commonly encountered:
It’s boring and nothing happens.
It reignites classic horror.
It’s a great character piece that then throws itself under a bus for a gore filled ending.
The problem is you can’t actually disagree with any of these positions as you can see the reasoning for each. I loved Shiki. I fell in love with the characters and the community of Sotoba and the way the individual struggles play out even while the horror slowly consumes the village. I feel there’s a lot we can take from this in terms of the way we all get too involved in our own individual problems and lose sight of the bigger picture, much to our detriment and the detriment of the world at large.
Shiki is a slow burn but well worth the wait.
I also think they did a pretty good job of interweaving these stories and cutting between them so that we had a feeling of being in this village and experiencing the different perspectives of those who knew early on what was going on but were not believed and those who knew but denied what was happening, and finally those who remained in the dark until it was too late.
So here is my attempt at reviewing Shiki; examining the good and the bad and ultimately my reason why I would strongly recommend this as at least a once watch to anyone who enjoys a good horror story.
Shiki’s Characters:
Shiki has a really large cast. You have the elderly villagers who either sit gossiping at the bus stop or go about their jobs. You have the children and teens trudging to school or pursuing their individual dreams. You have the police, the council, the doctor and his nurses, the tradesmen, the priests and on and on it goes. What I love is that despite the small amount of time devoted to these characters, they seem genuine. You feel like you could go to this village and meet these people.
Natsuno shines as the teen dragged from the city by his parents. His only desire is to finish school and get into college so he can leave the village. His cold views and analysis of other characters regularly puts him on the wrong side of an argument but he is a fascinating character to watch, particularly in the latter half of the series.
Muroi and Ozaki as the priest and the doctor to a wonderful job of creating opposing moral views on how to deal with the invasion of the village. Both ideals are flawed and neither side is really willing to compromise leading to the very tragic events at the end of the series. It’s interesting that Ozaki seems like the voice of reason for so much of the series but by the end becomes completely consumed by violence and Muroi who tries to sit on the fence is pushed into actions against other humans even as he realises he is in the wrong.
There are also some fantastic performances by the vampires (sorry, shiki) but it’s hard to really get into those characters without giving the plot away too much and in a horror/mystery you really don’t want to know too much about where it is going. That said, one of them does get a listing on my top 5 anime characters that creep me out so if you aren’t caring about spoilers, check that out.
But if the characters are the strength of the series, they are also what ultimately bring it down. The journey you go with these characters is long and you feel you know them, so as reason is tossed aside and they become involved in increasingly violent acts it can make you uncomfortable. Characters who are set up as good or nice meet tragic ends for no other reason than to play on the audience’s emotions and barbaric characters are seemingly glorified at times.
As for the main cast members, none of them could actually be described as the hero of the piece. They are all just deeply flawed humans acting in their own self interest. While there is a great message in that, it does leave the audience with no one to really support during the final stages of the anime as even Natsuno and Ozaki, arguably the lead characters for the kids and the adults respectively, pursue their own vendettas in the finals episodes.
Advertisements
Shiki’s Plot:
I’ll try to avoid too many spoilers but the set-up involves a family of vampires (obvious to the audience from the start) have moved into the village and are using its isolated nature to their advantage as they believe no one would notice if the entire village became a vampire village. One by one the humans are dying and while at first they believe it is the work of an unusually hot season and then an epidemic, some members of the village begin to suspect more is going on.
This is a slow burning story that spends a lot of time building atmosphere and doesn’t try to do jump scares or excessive violence (until the ending – then it is the definition of excessive). Creepy music, long pauses, and dialogue full of double meanings abound while actual evidence is slow coming during the first half of the series.
The doctor’s exploration of the Shiki and their nature is incredibly cold and will have you questioning his humanity while the priest’s naïve attempt at bridging the gap between humans and shiki is equally doomed to fail. The kids just want to escape and the other adults just want to continue as they always have.
Once it is finally established that vampires are in fact present in the town, there is a dramatic shift in both tone and pacing. Time is divided between the various human characters and the vampires and their actions. The similarities between the two sides are continually emphasised.
Humans are faced with the prospect of killing their former loved ones (re-killing?) and the vampires are faced with the thought that they will need to kill, potentially their loved ones, to live. It is here we find the horror of Shiki. The questioning of the audience about what is right in such a situation. This is far more effective than any slaughter filled horror where vampires appear and devour their prey before being taken out in a shower of blood.
That said, early on you wonder why the characters are so slow to realise what is happening. You wonder what the end game could be. You also begin to wonder why the occasional absurdity is thrown in (such as the vampire run funeral which leaves the family of the deceased speechless). These moments that break the mood and disrupt the flow are frustrating. As is the ending itself. And while I won’t spoil it for those that haven’t already read about it or watched it, it just feels like they couldn’t think of any way to satisfactorily resolve the conflict.
Advertisements
Shiki Other:
I’ve already kind of discussed the village and its setting. The visuals are fantastic but the whole show leans towards a dark colour palette, so with the exception of Megumi and Chizuru’s outfits, don’t expect much in the way of colour. The opening song is suitably creepy and the time skips forward and back are quite effective for showing multiple perspectives on events, and shining new light on events that you had already seen.
The entire anime is very much about building atmosphere and it is here that Shiki excels. The isolated setting, the sleepy pacing and creeping sense of horror, and the music all work together to weave together a fairly tight viewing experience with only a few moments that really break the flow.
Shiki Verdict:
I loved Shiki. I get why other people may find it boring and may dislike the ending. But for me, it was a great journey and gave me plenty to think about, and really, I can’t think of ending that would have been satisfying because it wasn’t that kind of anime. There wasn’t ever going to be a hero to swoop in and save the day, and if one had, it would have kind of invalidated everything that came before it.
What are your thoughts on Shiki? Or, what are some horror anime that have really worked for you?
A lot has changed for me over the last decade. For one thing, midway through 2016 I started this blog and the amount of anime I watched and discussed exploded. So looking back at the anime and taking a step back from the heat of the moment and snap judgements, I’m now getting the chance to think about the anime I most loved from the last ten years.
The Rules:
No. 1: No sequels of any kind. This kind of knocked Natsume Yuujinchou out of the lists straight away because the first season aired in 2008. That said, Natsume is awesome and is now six seasons in. It was a big part of my last decade of anime and hopefully we’ll get more in the next decade.
No. 2: Only one anime from each season which gave me 4 picks from each year. Let me point out, when we hit 2016 that became a big problem, but I resolved it by cheating and you’ll see how when we get to that post.
No. 3: Other than 2019 anime, no matter how brilliant an anime was if I hadn’t rewatched it since it aired then it didn’t make the list. If I don’t like it enough to watch it more than once then it doesn’t deserve to be on an anime of the decade list.
Otherwise I just decided to have fun and go on a nostalgic trip through the last decade of anime. Incidentally, my to be watched and rewatched anime lists grew massively as I came across titles I remembered wanting to watch and anime that I really meant to get to rewatching and hadn’t. I do love that we have access to so much anime these days.
Katanagatari
I’ve previously gushed over my love of this series in this review but I’m going to gush a little here. Despite it now being ten years old, Katanagatari is an amazing anime and one that is highly underappreciated. The format is a little different with episodes running 40 minutes rather than 20, but the story that unfolds over the 12 episodes is well worth watching. Between the gorgeous and unique art style, the fun characters, and a solid and well structured narrative, Katanagatari is one of those anime that has withstood the decade and remains a solid piece of entertainment. I’d also solidly recommend reading the novels because so far I’ve been having a fantastic time with them.
Definitely a must watch anime. It has adventure, martial arts, love and drama all wrapped up inside a truly beautifully presented package.
Angel Beats
Another anime I know I’ve gushed over on numerous occasions and definitely expressed my love for it in my series review here. Angel Beats is an odd anime that uses the whiplash between ridiculous slap-stick comedic moments, slice of life antics, over-the-top action and high stakes drama to drag the viewer through an emotional roller coaster before ripping your heart out of your chest and stomping on it. And just when you think you won’t get over that it makes you smile and feel all warm and melty inside. Sure, there’s plenty you could say to criticise this story but if it sweeps you away it is one of those moving viewing experiences that is unforgettable and this one gets better and better on multiple watches.
Totally recommend you give this one a try though mileage will vary. Those who don’t like abrupt tonal shifts or ‘whacky’ characters will find this one a bit draining early on and it really is contrived to play on your heart strings, though it is effective if you let it be. I love it and I do believe this anime is one of my most rewatched DVD’s.
Advertisements
Shiki
A slow burning vampire horror story set in rural Japan? Yeah, Shiki was a must watch for me and ended up being the first full anime I ever reviewed on my blog. Needless to say, I love it though with all the anime I’ve watched since starting the blog I will admit some of the shine has come off of it. Still, in terms of horror anime, this is still one of my favourites. For me, the long and slow build up as we wait for the first characters to realise what is happening is the kind of tense viewing I love with horror and once all hell breaks loose it feels worth it. While the ending definitely goes for shock and gore, horror fans will definitely appreciate it. Even a decade later there are few horror anime that can stand up to this one in terms of enjoyment.
Note, this anime is absolutely not for everyone. If you aren’t into horror and you don’t like blood then you are really going to find a lot to dislike in this story. Also those who just want to get to the fighting part of the story will find this one on the slow side because it takes a long time before people accept that they are actually even under attack. That said, there’s a great ensemble cast here and with rewatches you really appreciate all the relationships that exist within the village. Definitely one I’m still in love with ten years on. Plus there’s this creepy scene:
Bakuman
Bakuman isn’t an anime I talk about much on the blog and while characters and ideas from it have ended up on some of my top 5 lists, I’ve yet to write a review of it. Part of the problem is I haven’t watched it since starting my blog though it did meet the requirement of having been watched twice to end up on the list. The thing is, Bakuman is an awesome story of two aspiring manga artists. I feel some of the drama is a little contrived and the whole I won’t speak to you until you succeed gimmick is idiotic, but the core of the story, the creation of a manga and trying to succeed is absolutely solid and entertaining. Despite that, it just isn’t the kind of story I want to watch over and over. Twice was enough. That said, if you have never seen Bakuman, then you are missing out on a very solid anime from 2010.
Now there are entire essays that can be written about the working conditions of manga artists, the gender stereotypes reinforced within this story, and a whole slew of other points, but the bottom line is that it is a fun anime and if you ever wanted to learn the basics of how manga is produced, this anime is definitely going to give you a starting point.
That was 2010. Tomorrow we will check out the year that was 2011. In the meantime, what are your must watch anime from 2010? Be sure to share in the comments.
As an avid bookworm myself I definitely appreciate seeing characters who read, who talk about books, and who generally respect stories and it is no surprise that some of my favourite characters ever are bookworms (though there are plenty of book reading characters who are neither here nor there really). Today I’m counting down my top 5 anime bookworms and why I enjoy them so much (though those who have been following the blog for awhile will already know who number one is sure to be).
Please note, there will be spoilers below.
Honourable mention: Sunako from Shiki and Makashima from Psycho Pass. Okay, I seriously want to add Makashima onto the list and I just can’t fit him so here’s a picture anyway.
Jibril loves knowledge. As a member of the Flugel race she craves it and after defeating the King of Imanity in a game she claimed the library as her own. There’s something really special about a character who is powerful enough to have more or less anything and she picks the library and while her reaction to a tablet full of books from a world she didn’t know may have been a bit over the top, you have to appreciate the enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge.
While I haven’t much liked much of Tokyo Ghoul since season one, it is undeniable that I quite liked Kaneki’s character way back when. The shy book loving boy who just wanted the pretty girl to notice him and discuss books with him was adorable and the tragedy that befell him suitably heart wrenching. If only they’d continued to evolve his character sensibly from that point I probably would still love Kaneki as a character. Still, any guy who thinks of a bookshop for a date is definitely going to get a spot on my list.
The only member of the literature club who then is forcibly joined into the SOS brigade, Nagato is very seldom seen without a book. She even passes message to Kyon about meeting by lending him a book (a failed strategy when he at first just forgets to read the book and it isn’t until the second night he gets the message). Still, she’s persistent. It is hard to figure out whether Nagato actually enjoys reading or whether it is just a habit, but she’s one bookworm you do not want to mess with, or apparently try to verse at any kind of computer strategy game.
Chito’s genuine joy and love at finding a book and her genuine horror at Yuu’s callous destruction of a book, is something that really drew me to her character during Girls’ Last Tour’s run. There’s a lot to like about the quieter and more contemplative of the pair, and I definitely think that anyone who wants to save books even at the end of the world deserves to be mentioned on this list with love.
In fairness, I think Maka loves studying more than she actually likes books, and yet she’s a badass character who takes time to read, to learn, and to genuinely bury herself in words. Although, she isn’t above using a book as a weapon of mass destruction should the person near her annoy her enough. Honestly though, Maka and books are more or less inseparable in my mind and they are a part of what made her character so incredibly relatable and memorable to me all those years ago. I love Maka as a character and she well and truly deserves the number one spot on this list.
So I’m dying to know who your favourite anime bookworm is. Be sure to let me know in the comments.
Last week I looked at my favourite male characters with pink hair and realised, tragically, there just aren’t that many that I’ve remembered. Totally opposite problem this week when I tried to narrow down my list of lovely anime ladies with pink hair. Ultimately I went with characters who I felt were striking in appearance (pink hair does tend to stand out) as well as characters who added something to the plot of their story. The list ended up being a bit interesting.
I’d love to know who you are including on your list so please share your choices in the comments below.
Please note, there will be spoilers below.
Honourable mentions: Emi Yusa (The Devil is a Part-timer) and Yuno Gasai (Future Diary).
Kofuku may be a god of poverty and have a tendency to bankrupt men and tear rifts into the underworld leading to more phantoms being released, but you have to admit, as one of Yato’s few divine friends she’s certainly a lot of fun. She gets that sometimes you just have to go with things yet ultimately she’s ready to do what needs to be done. As a character who has offered advice, shelter, power, predictions, and full on muscle to the team when needed, Kofuku definitely earns a spot on this list.
Amu is definitely one of my favourite pink haired characters of all time. The contradiction between her outer appearance and personality is one that causes her no end of confusion in this magical story that very much focuses on her finding out what she actually wants to be and who she is. With three different guardian characters all pulling her in different directions as well as her own heart, Amu is a very fun character to get to know and to watch grow up and learn to really harness all of her potential.
And here is another spoiler warning just in case you missed the one earlier in the post.
Yuki is a fantastic character. When we are first introduced to her, she’s your basic school-girl air-head all happy to be with her friends and join in club activities. As you follow Yuki around in a typical day during the first episode, you note that not everything seems quite right, but it isn’t until the end of the episode you realise that Yuki is living in a zombie apocalypse and just hasn’t admitted it to herself yet. Yes, this adorable pink haired protagonist is firmly convinced everything in the world is fine and it is up to the rest of the club members to keep her from wandering outside of the barriers or getting herself killed. That would be interesting enough, but Yuki’s character has a beautiful arc as she comes to terms with what has happened and she is fantastic to watch. Definitely an anime to check out and Yuki’s character will leave a lasting impression.
Megumi may not be the main character of her series, but she is the first victim we see on screen in this vampire horror story. Megumi, so desperate to escape village life, ultimately dies and comes back as a vampire and is pretty much asked to continue living a village life. While she at first has a great deal of fun tormenting those who used to be friends, as life sours for the vampires, Megumi starts looking seriously at escape. While she is never a fantastic character, Megumi gives us some excellent creepy moments and she is a character who is very true to what she wants at all times.
It is no secret that I have a deep love of Angel Beats, and a lot of that came about because of Iwasawa’s character. Prior to the episode that focused on Iwasawa I’d been enjoying Angel Beats and I’d loved the music and craziness of it, but when I first heard “My Song” and watched Iwasawa ‘accept’ things, I think that was the first time Angel Beats broke my heart and it was the moment I realised that this anime was something a bit special. While its blend of over the top action and comedy as well as melodrama may not sit well with most people, for me it was an emotional roller coaster that I never could get enough of. Iwasawa’s song and character moment remain one of my favourite anime moments ever.
That’s a wrap on pink hair. Leave me a comment telling me who is on your list, and next week we’ll count down anime with dark endings.
We use cookies to optimize our website and our service.
Functional cookies
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
