People are digging the romance and vampire genre combination and born from Matsuri Hino’s creative imagination, Vampire Knight takes the spotlight as it as premiered early January of 2005 in LaLa magazine. Several chapters have already been published and most of which were collected into tankobon volumes wherein 17 volumes have already been released in Japan alone. The manga has since then been licensed for an English adaptation by none other than Viz Media and as of today, 15 volumes have been released already. The anime adaptation of the manga was produced by Studio Deen and aired in Japan around April of 2008. A sequel was made after the first season following its successful year and was broadcasted later that year around October 2008.
Vampire Knight follows naïve Yuuki Cross, the headmaster’s daughter and the school’s Guardian. At an early age, Yuki was attacked by a rabid vampire and was rescued by a Kaname Kuran, a pure-blood vampire. Years have passed and Yuki Cross now goes to Cross Academy and is the school’s prefect or sometimes known as “Guardians” along with his childhood friend, Zero Kiryuu. Cross Academy is not your average run-of-the-mill school as it holds classes not only for humans but also for vampires as well. As the school’s guardians, Yuki and Zero patrols school grounds to make sure unprecedented accidents never happens around school. It was later revealed that Zero had a traumatic childhood wherein everything was taken away from him by a vampire who goes by the name of Hiou Shizuka or otherwise known as the “Madly Blooming Princess”. At an unfortunate accident, Yuuki soon discovers that Zero was turned into a vampire and has since then been trying to control his bloodlust. Halfway through the season, Hiou Shizuka enrolls at Cross Academy as Maria Kurenai. His chance encounter with the Madly Blooming Princess was never a coincidence as it was all perpetrated by his once-dead twin brother Ichiru, who now works as Shizuka’s right hand and bodyguard until she recovers her full powers. Filled with hate and rage, Zero tries to redeem himself by killing Shizuka but Kaname Kuran beat him to it.
After the successful breakthrough of the first season, a second season was already in the works and was later released that year on October 2008 with the title “Vampire Knight Guilty”. The second season ran for 13 full episodes which ended on December 2008 of the same year. The second season follows Yuki Cross as she struggles with getting her memories back. Tension rises as Yuuki is now torn between two lovers either Kuran Kaname, the true blood vampire who saved her when she was still a kid or Zero Kiryuu, her childhood friend she so longs to protect. As a forbidden love blossoms, Yuki now faces a horrible destiny and its now up to either Kaname or Zero to save her from her fate.
