VThere is a dorm inspection at the Cross Academy and this time, Yuki and Zero would finally act as real prefects as they will be confiscating items not allowed inside the campus, including pictures of the Night Class students taken by the members of the Day Class. Dorm Leader Kaname-senpai made it sure that everything illegal would be disposed of, and the first “victim” at the Moon Dorm was Aidou-senpai whose hobby is to collect odds and ends destroyed by Kaname’s powers (such as broken goblets).

However, the dorm inspections marked the start of the darker side of Vampire Knight. Not all vampires are gorgeous and admirable people. There are vampires who have lost their humanity and who hurt and kill, like the one Yuki encountered ten years ago, the Level E vampires.

When Zero suddenly disappeared, Yuki looked for him around town but instead she encountered Level E vampires. Zero quickly realized that Yuki was in danger and rushed to where she is but one of the Level E vampires after Yuki blocked Zero’s way. The Level E recognized Zero as one of their kind and called him a comrade which made Zero pull the trigger of his Bloody Rose. He was disturbed that a Level E knew that he really was turning into a Level E, the lowest of all vampires.

On the other hand, Yuki was trying to fight-off another Level E, a small boy, when suddenly, the Level E stopped in its tracks and froze in fear. The reason: the appearance of Kaname, a pure blood, the highest and noblest of all the vampires, to save Yuki. Kaname destroyed the Level E with his powers without even getting near the Level E and spared Yuki from that scene by covering her eyes.

This incident was duly reported by Kaname to the Chairman and he was agitated by the Chairman’s idea of keeping Zero with the Day Class. Then, it followed a lot of revelations: (1) that Zero was hurt not by just an ordinary Vampire, but by a pureblood vampire; (2) that the Chairman was a former vampire hunter, Cross Kaien; (3) that when a person was bitten by a pureblood, only one of two things could happen: die or become a vampire; (4) Zero was fighting-off his vampire instincts for the past four years; and (5) Zero could not anymore resist his thirst for blood and bit Yuki in the neck.

Zero bit Yuki in the neck?! OMG! For me, that was the real highlight of this episode, for obvious reasons. Kaname’s show of power is a close second. Well, I must admit that when Kaname-senpai appeared (the scene where he saved Yuki), even I felt fear. His presence was chilling, enough for me to feel shivers down my spine.

I have already watched up to the latest episode of this series and believe me, the story gets better and better. I am forcing myself not hint any spoilers and if I do not end this post, I might not be able to hold down myself any longer. So, please wait for the next installment!

     Someone asked me if Vampire Knight has funny moments, and I said yes.  In fact, in this second episode, there are quite a few, brought about by this one special occasion, Valentine’s Day.

     At Cross Academy, the Day and the Night Classes share the school facilities.   Chaos starts when the Night Class begins to go to enter the gates to the main school building.  However, Valentine’s Day is not just chaotic.  It spells W-A-R.  Yup, the school grounds become a warzone.  Yuki even made a special arrangement and drew a layout for an orderly celebration of Valentine’s.  Yuki took this matter seriously and even made a remark to the Night Class students that the event is not for playing around. Of course Zero detested the idea and even told the Chairman that they are prefects and not the bodyguards of the Night Class students.

     As I said, Yuki took this Valentine’s event rather seriously.  She even tried to make a handmade chocolate for her beloved Kaname-senpai but she failed to do so.  She had to settle for store-bought ones.  Her determination to hand the chocolate to Kaname gradually waned as it became impossible to give him chocolates due to the sheer number of admirers who wanted to do the same.  Zero, although he was irritated and pissed-off, made a way for Yuki’s chocolate to reach Kaname’s hands, and it worked perfectly.   Again, Kaname showed his special interest in Yuki when he gave his chocolates away and kept the one that came from Yuki for himself.

      Well, I am babbling about Valentine’s Day at the Cross Academy but the focal point of the story is actually about Zero, that is why this episode is entitled, “Memories of Blood.”  Here, the secret about Zero’s changing nature from human to a vampire was revealed and the reason why he stayed at Cross Academy.  Apparently, the Chairman took him in after his family was killed by a vampire.  When the Chairman first brought Zero home a couple of years ago, the right side of his neck and shoulder had blood all-over.  The young Zero then remained silent even during the time when Yuki helped him clean and take off the blood from his body and he stayed that way for quite awhile.  In the present time, Zero began to act like he did when Yuki first met him and his sudden change of behavior baffled Yuki.

     As for me, I really enjoyed watching this episode for several reasons:  First, there were a lot of “scary” and “don’t mess with me” looks from Zero, all of which were so funny and cute at the same time.  Second, there was a rare, split-second smile from Kaname.  Third, the Valentine’s Day scenes.  Fourth, Zero’s past was revealed. Fifth, Zero was shown at his cutest and cuddliest when he was younger.  Sixth, the story is slowly showing a darker side.  Well, actually, there are a lot more reasons but I don’t want to bore you all with nonsense details.  However, I promise that this episode is really worth watching and that every anime fanatic should consider adding this anime to their “to watch list” this season.

     Till then!

     Vampire Knight is an on-going manga series by Matsuri Hino(MeruPuri) that is now turned into anime which is currently airing in
Japan.  Thanks to the wonders of fansubbing, non-Japanese speakers can now watch this highly-popular series without any problem of understanding the dialogues.  Each episode is being subbed at super-fast speed and of super-quality for fans all over the world, and we are currently updated up to episode 9.  I am hoping to provide a summary for each episode, as well as my opinions and reactions. 

Episode 1:  Night of the Vampires

The opening scene of the pilot episode of Vampire Knight shows a young girl standing outside on a snowy evening.  A shadowy figure suddenly appeared, asking her if he could suck her blood.  It seemed like the end for the young child, but someone came to save her and killed the shadowy figure who turned out to be a vampire.

From that scary moment, the scene reverts to the present.  The young girl and her savior are now both students at the Cross Academy, a privately-run dorm school where the classes are divided into two:  the Night Class where the girl’s savior, Kaname Kuran, belongs to; and the Day Class where the young girl then, Yuki Cross, and her friend, Zero Kiryu, are prefects.

Unknown to the rest of the Day Class, the Cross Academy harbors a huge secret:  the students of the Night Class are all vampires.  Only Yuki and Zero know of the secret and helps protect that secret by patrolling at night.  That responsibility is a feat in itself considering that the Night Class are composed of bishoujos and bishonens of unparalled beauty and students of the Day Class would always gather to where the students of the Night Class would pass by.  Some would even wander at night to get a glance at their favorite Night Class student.  The most popular of the Night Class student is Dorm President Kaname Kuran, a pure blood vampire of the most noble and highest order, who appears to have a special affection for Yuki Cross.  The rest of the Night Class reveres Kaname and have enrolled in the Cross Academy because of him.  Apparently, the Chairman of the Cross Academy, Yuki’s surrogate father, have this dream of humans living in peace with vampires, two different species who have fought against each other since time immemorial.  While it may seem as an idiotic ideal, young vampires have gathered at the Cross
Academy if only to get close to Kaname and try to live the ideal that Kaname got interested with.  They even had to make a vow that they would not suck blood of humans inside the campus and were amenable to taking blood tablets instead to curb their thirst.

On the other hand, Zero, Yuki’s childhood friend and co-prefect who always seems pissed-off, cold and mean, slowly reveals his changing nature: that of a vampire.  Apparently, Zero’s family was attacked and killed by a vampire and Zero survived the ravage, thus explaining his absolute disgust over vampires.  However, he was bitten himself and the story gave hints that he is turning into a vampire.  He was seen several times to have a blood tablet with him and the smell of blood makes him want to have a sip and even has a desire to bite into the unsuspecting Yuki’s neck.  While Zero may be in denial, Kaname and the Chairman both know that Zero is slowly progressing into becoming a vampire and they both make it known to Zero.

Zero is indeed in a dilemma.  The hatred he feels for the vampires becomes a complete mockery considering that he is already becoming one.  However, he still loathes vampires and even shot at Aidou, a member of the Night Class, deliberately missing his target using his Bloody Rose, a gun that can kill vampires, to punish him for biting into Yuki’s hand and licking a drop of her blood.  That incident, however, did not go unnoticed by Kaname.  Immediately after Zero fired his gun, Kaname appeared to pacify the parties and ordered someone to report the incident to the Chairman.  Although Aidou was suspended for ten days, he feels no remorse and even said that it was worth Yuki’s blood, which of course, was heard by Kaname and he was slapped right there and then.  The harsh treatment Aidou got only means to say that Kaname Kuran takes seriously any matter concerning rules of the academy, especially anything that involves Yuki.

I must say that I am really, really hooked with this series.  I am so in love with Kaname-senpai.  His dark and sultry eyes, his regal bearing, his soft affection for Yuki, his awesome physique, his deep voice…every single thing about him is enough to make anyone want to be close to him.  Well, of course, except for Zero, that is.  Anyway, Zero himself is freaking hot, especially when he draws out his Bloody Rose.  However, I also like the emptiness in his eyes, it shows his vulnerability.  At times, his eyes betray him that he is still the same boy who could not get over his past.  As for Yuki, sometimes I feel sorry for her because Aidou-senpai always teases her but then again, every time Kaname-senpai turns his head to Yuki, I envy her a bit.  Heehee.  I could even feel my heart go ”ba-dump” whenever Kaname-senpai looks at Yuki.

I have always known that vampires are quite sexy ever since Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire.  But main draw for this series is actually not the beauty of the characters, though it helps, but the compelling story they tell.