Vampire Knight

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Vampire Knight


caption = Cover of first volume of "Vampire Knight" released in Japan by Hakusensha on July 5, 2005
ja_name = ヴァンパイア騎士
ja_name_trans = Vanpaia Naito
genre = Drama, Romance, SupernaturalInfobox animanga/Manga
author = Matsuri Hino
publisher = flagicon|Japan Hakusensha
publisher_en = flagicon|United States Viz Media
flagicon|Australia Madman Entertainment
publisher_other = flagicon|Germany Carlsen Verlag
flagicon|Italyflagicon|Franceflagicon|Brazil Planet Manga
flagicon|Thailand Bongkoch Comics
demographic = Shōjo
magazine = flagicon|Japan LaLa
flagicon|United States Shojo Beat
flagicon|Germany Daisuki
first = January 2005
last = ongoing
volumes = 9
chapter_list = List of Vampire Knight chaptersInfobox animanga/Anime
director = Kiyoko Sayama
studio = Studio Deen
network = flagicon|Japan TV Tokyo
first = April 7, 2008
last = June 30, 2008
episodes = 13
episode_list = List of Vampire Knight episodesInfobox animanga/Anime
title = Vampire Knight Guilty
studio = Studio Deen
network = flagicon|Japan TV Tokyo
first = October 6, 2008 (scheduled)
last = unknown
episodes = 13

Nihongo|"Vampire Knight"|ヴァンパイア騎士|Vanpaia Naito is a shōjo manga and anime series written by Matsuri Hino. The series premiered in the January 2005 issue of "LaLa" magazine and is still on-going. Chapters are collected and published in collected volumes by Hakusensha, with seven volumes currently released in Japan. The manga series is licensed in English by Viz Media. The English adaptation premiered in the July 2006 issue of Viz's "Shojo Beat" magazine, with the collected volumes being published on a quarterly basis.

Two drama CDs were created for the series, as well as a twenty-six episode anime adaptation. Produced by Studio DEEN, the anime series' first season aired in Japan on TV Tokyo between April 7, 2008 and June 30, 2008. The second season, titled Vampire Knight Guilty, began airing on the same TV station on October 6, 2008 and is currently running. The anime uses many of the same voice actors as were used for the drama CDs.

Plot

Yuki's earliest memory is of a snowy night in winter, when she was attacked by one vampire and was saved by another, Kaname Kuran. Ten years later, Yuki Cross, the adopted daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, has grown up and become a "prefect" (also known as a guardian) for the school with two purposes: to protect the Day class students (humans) from the Night class students (vampires) and to protect the true identity of the Night class students from being discovered by the Day class students. Her fellow guardian, Zero Kiryu, a childhood companion whose parents were killed by a pureblood vampire, is now determined to kill them all and refuses to trust them. Through a cruel twist of fate, Zero becomes a vampire himself, having been bitten by a pureblood vampire four years before, Shizuka Hiou. Kaname, Yuki's savior, leads the group of Night class, with the help of Takuma Ichijo (the vice president).

Differences between media

The main differences between the anime and manga are the placing of the story and the finer details. Several events with the anime are rearranged (such as when Yuki is attacked, however she is attacked several times in anime). Also, minor details of how Yuki is attacked are also changed. Some scenes and details, like when Zero fires his gun, the Cross Academy symbol is shot out, or when Yuki follows a child with a red balloon or Aido's "Souveneir Collection", which appear in the anime but are not seen in the original manga. The scene where Kaname lets Zero drink his blood is also different in the manga.

Characters

;Nihongo|Yuki Cross|黒主 優姫|Kurosu Yūki: The adoptive daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, Yuki is a member of the school's disciplinary committee, which is also known as Prefect (Guardian). Ten years prior to the events of "Vampire Knight," Yuki was attacked by a vampire, but was rescued by Kaname. She has lost all memory of her life before the attack because her mother, Juuri Kuran, used her pureblood powers to put her vampire side to sleep, and Headmaster Cross took her in as his own daughter. She, like Chairman Cross, believes that vampires and humans can live together peacefully. She has also been giving her childhood friend Zero her blood to save him from becoming a Level E vampire. She and Kaname were raised as siblings by Yuki's parents, Juri and Haruka Kuran, who were also siblings and heads of the Kuran line of pureblood vampires. She is also Kaname's fiance, whom she believes to be her brother, and Kaname has yet to tell her the truth about who he is. Yuki has feelings for Kaname who has always been protecting her and has been by her side during her childhood as a vampire, but also has a deep connection and strong feelings for Zero. When Rido Kuran, Yuki's uncle, resurfaces at Cross Academy, Kaname awakens her vampiric side and pureblood powers.;Nihongo|Zero Kiryu|錐生 零|Kiryū Zero: Zero's family was killed by the pureblood vampire Shizuka Hiou. Zero was taken in by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and became a Prefect, (Guardian) alongside Yuki Cross. He has a great hatred for vampires though he is revealed to be himself a Level E due to Shizuka's attack four years ago. He also has a younger twin brother named Ichiru who was living by Shizuka's side. Even though Kaname killed Shizuka, Ichiru thought it was Zero and blamed him. Zero assumed that Ichiru wanted revenge but instead he wanted death so he let Zero "eat him" making Zero complete putting him at a tier of power above vampires and hunters and possibly saving him from becoming a Level E indefinitely. Zero is in love with Yuki, always protecting her, and almost kissing her but restrains himself.;Nihongo|Kaname Kuran|玖蘭 枢|Kuran Kaname; romanized as "Clan" in later issues of Lala Magazine: A pureblood vampire, Kaname saved Yuki from an attack by another vampire when she was little. He is the class president of the Night Class, much feared and respected by the other Night Class students. While he is cold and authoritative towards his fellows in the Night Class, he is always kind and sweet to Yuki. He has shown that he cares deeply for Yuki, and loves her in a romantic sense. (He allows Zero to live because he knows his death would sadden Yuki, and because Zero is useful).He is both jealous and angry of Zero for biting Yuki and endangering her life. He has a deep love for Yuki. They are also engaged, just like Haruka and Juuri, who were married to each other as it is common for pureblood siblings to marry. It is essential to keep the bloodline pure. Also, a fact yet to be revealed to Yuki is that Kaname is not her "true brother". He is actually the ancient ancestor of the Kurans, and Rido is his master who awakened him from his grave, making him unable to kill the man.

Media

Manga

The first chapter of Matsuri Hino's "Vampire Knight" premiered in the January 2005 issue of "LaLa", where the series is still on running. The individual chapters are being collected and published in "tankōbon" volumes by Hakusensha, with eight volumes released in Japan as of October 2008. The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media. In addition to publishing the individual volumes, the series is being serialized in Viz's "Shojo Beat" manga anthology. The first chapter was published in the July 2006 and it is still on-going. It is licensed for English release in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, which has released six volumes as of June 2008. [cite web |url=http://www.madman.com.au/actions/periodicals.do?method=view&periodicalId=40 |title=Vampire Knight |publisher=Madman Entertainment |accessdate=2008-10-02 ]

Drama CDs

Two drama CDs have been released for "Vampire Knight". The first, "LaLa Kirameki" was released as an extra with the September 2005 issue of "LaLa Magazine". The second, "Vampire Knight Midnight CD-Pack" was released only via mail order.

Anime

Studio Deen produced a twenty-six episode anime adaptation of the "Vampire Knight" manga, using many of the same voice actors featured on the drama CDs and directed by Kiyoko Sayama.cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=9009|title=Vampire Knight (TV)|publisher=Anime News Network|accessdate=2008-04-10] The episodes started airing on TV Tokyo in Japan on April 7, 2008 and ran until the season conclusion on June 30, 2008. The episodes were also aired at later dates on TV Aichi, TV Hokkaido, TV Osaka, TV Setouchi, and TVQ Kyushu Broadcasting Co. The second season, named "Vampire Knight Guilty", premiered on the same station October 6, 2008.cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-23/vampire-knight-2nd-season-to-air-in-japan-in-october |title=Vampire Knight 2nd Season to Air in Japan in October |publisher=Anime News Network |accessdate=2008-06-23 |accessdate=2008-08-07]

The series uses four pieces of theme music. The opening themes of both the first and second season are performed by the duo On/Off, with nihongo|"Futatsu no Kodō to Akai Tsumi"|ふたつの鼓動と赤い罪| as the opening for the first season, and nihongo|"Rondo"|-ロンド- as the opening for the second.cite web |url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-08-26/vampire-knight-guilty-sequel-promo-video-streamed |title=Vampire Knight Guilty Sequel's Promo Video Streamed |publisher=Anime News Network |date=2008-08-26 |accessdate=2008-08-26 ] Kanon Wakeshima performs the first season ending theme, "Still Doll", and also the second season's ending theme nihongo|"Suna no Oshiro"|砂のお城.

Light novel

Two light novels based on the "Vampire Knight" manga was published in Japan by Hakusensha. The first, nihongo|"Vanpaia Naito Aisu Burū no Tsumi"|ヴァンパイア騎士 憂氷の罪, was published on April 5, 2008; [cite web |url=http://www.vampire-knight.jp/contents/index.php/archives/70 |title=Vampire Knight Comic |publisher=Hakusensha |language=Japanese |accessdate=2008-10-02 ] the second, nihongo|"Vanpaia Naito Nowāru no Wana"|ヴァンパイア騎士凝黒の罠, was published on October 3, 2008. [cite web | url=http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4592187016/ | title=Amazon.co.jp： ヴァンパイア騎士凝黒の罠 (花とゆめCOMICSスペシャルララノベルズ): 樋野 まつり, 藤咲 あゆな: 本 | language=Japanese | accessdate=2008-10-04 ]

References

External links

* [http://www.hakusensha.co.jp/vampire/ Hakusensha's official manga website] ja icon
* [http://www.vampire-knight.jp/ Official anime website] ja icon
* [http://www.shojobeat.com/manga/vk/ Official Viz "Vampire Knight" manga website]
*