Vampire Knight

Vampire Knight
File:Vampireknight1.jpg
Genre	Action, Drama, Romance, Horror
Manga
Written by	Matsuri Hino
Published by	Hakusensha<br\> VIZ Media<br\> Madman Entertainment<br\> Carlsen Verlag Panini Comics Panini Comics Shojo Beat<br\> Daisuki

Vampire Knight (ヴァンパイア騎士, Vanpaia Naito) is a shōjo manga by Matsuri Hino. In Japan, Vampire Knight entered serialization in January 2005 in LaLa magazine, and entered serialization in North America in the June 2006 issue of Shojo Beat magazine.

Plot

Vampire Knight primarily takes place in Cross Academy, a prestigious private school with an unusual class structure. The student body is divided into two classes: the Day Class, which is made up of ordinary students, and the Night Class, an elite group of 'beautiful people.' Unbeknownst to the majority of students, and even most of the staff, the Night Class is made up entirely of vampires. The heroine, Yuki Cross, is one of the few humans who knows the school's secret. She serves as a Guardian, dedicated to maintaining the peaceful coexistence of the Day and Night Classes with her childhood friend Zero, who lost his parents to vampires at an early age.

Setting

The vampires in Vampire Knight have the characteristics of a separate species, which contrasts with most vampire stories which portray vampires as transformed humans. In Vampire Knight, vampires can procreate sexually among themselves and with humans, and they age, albeit at a much slower rate than humans. Vampires are nocturnal and they dislike sunlight, but exposure to it does not harm them. They are likewise immune to most of the traditional vampire weaknesses such as crosses, garlic, and running water.

Vampires have interbred with humans extensively, and they organize their society based in the purity of their blood. Level A is the purebloods - a very small but very powerful minority. Only a bite from a pureblood can change a human into a vampire. Level B refers to Noble vampires with advanced powers. Ordinary vampires make up Level C, by far the largest group. Level D is comprised of vampires who were once human; they are a small group, as turning humans is forbidden and only a handful of Level A vampires would dare to. The final designation, Level E, is separate from the others because it is reserved for former human vampires who have become violently insane. Falling to Level E is considered the inevitable fate of former human vampires, who can never completely accept their vampiric instincts.

Vampires have warred with human vampire hunters for centuries, though the existence of vampires, and the war itself, are kept secret from most humans.

Characters

Day Class

Yuuki Cross (黒主優姫, Kurosu Yuuki)

The adoptive daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, Yuki is a member of the school's disciplinary committee (public morals committee in Japanese), which is the 'front' for the Guardians. Ten years prior to the events of "Vampire Knight," Yuuki was attacked by a vampire, but was rescued by Kaname. She has lost all memory of her life before the attack, and Headmaster Cross took her in as his own daughter. Yuuki loves Kaname, and even though she has witnessed his vampiric nature when he bit Ruka, she still couldn't stop loving him. However, she has also started to let Zero, a childhood friend, drink her blood, hoping to save him from madness. Yuuki is cheerful and easygoing, and thanks to her work as a Guardian she is good at keeping her cool in sticky situations. There have been hints that she is special, given that vampires are especially drawn to her blood. Her weapon of choice is the 'Artemis Rod', an extensible staff she received from Headmaster Cross.

Zero Kiryu (錐生 零, Kiryū Zero)

Yuuki's childhood friend, Zero is also a Guardian and likewise on the disciplinary committee. Yuuki has been taking care of him as her little brother since he was brought into their home (the Headmaster's). His family, a line of vampire hunters, was murdered by the pureblood vampire Shizuka Hio when he was young. He harbors a deep hatred for vampires and claims to have taken on the role of Guardian to learn to hunt them better. In truth, Zero was bitten during the attack on his family, and have kept the secret that he was a vampire from Yuuki until he was no longer capable of controlling his vampiric urges.

Zero's body rejects the blood tablets that most vampires take to control their hunger. Drinking Yuuki's blood helps him maintain his sanity, but he is destined to become a Level E vampire eventually. He has started to accept his feelings towards Yuuki and has gone as far as to almost kiss her. Zero's weapon is the gun "Bloody Rose," given to him by Headmaster Cross. He made Yuuki promise that if he becomes a Level E vampire, she will kill him with that gun.

Yori Wakaba (若葉沙頼, Wakaba Sayori)

Yuuki's dorm-mate and best friend since junior high. One of the few girls that is not interested in the night class. She finds them a bit scary and would prefer someone from the day class. Yori is also observant of Yuuki and Zero.

Night Class

Kaname Kuran (玖蘭枢, Kuran Kaname)

A pureblood vampire. He saved Yuuki from an attack by another vampire when she was little. Kaname 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 Yuuki. He has shown that he cares deeply for Yuuki ever since he saved her, and loves her in a romantic sense. (He allows Zero to live because he knows his death would sadden Yuuki). Kaname also asked Yuuki to become a vampire and live with him for all eternity by his side but manages to stop himself from biting her. He is both jealous and angry of Zero for biting Yuuki and endangering her life. He also seems to know the pureblood who bit Zero, Shizuka Hio, and later kills her before drinking her blood to protect Yuuki, in spite of it being a terrible taboo.In the August issue of LaLa DX, Kaname confesses his love to Yuuki, and allows Zero to drink his blood so as to protect Yuuki from Zero's urges to bite her.

Ruka Souen (早園瑠佳, Souen Ruka)

A female vampire popular with the Day Class students and is one of those are the most faithful and protective of Kaname. She seems to dislike Zero because Kaname acknowledges him and carries bitterness for Yuki's place in Kaname's heart as her feelings for Kaname run deep. When Yuki was younger and had not become one of the school's Guardians yet, she once witnessed Kaname drinking Ruka's blood when she paid Kaname a visit. Ruka has feelings for Kaname, although he does not reciprocate them an only drank her blood one time.

Hanabusa Aido (藍堂英, Aidō Hanabusa)

Nicknamed "Idol" by the Day Class girls. Along with his cousin Akatsuki Kain, Hanabusa Aido is known among the Night Class as "Kaname-sama's right-hand," and he has a fierce admiration for Kaname. He possesses an upper-class vampire ability to control ice. He knows that Zero is a vampire, but keeps quiet about it. Aido can seem cheerful and friendly one moment, and cold and vindictive the next. He is not fond of Yuki, but he does have a taste for her blood and tolerates her because Kaname cares for her. He once smelled her blood and licked it and tried to attack her, but was stopped by Zero.

Akatsuki Kain (架院暁, Kain Akatsuki)

He is often seen with Aido, and his carefree attitude gets both him and Aido in trouble at times. His nickname is "Wild", despite the fact he is actually mellower than Aido. He tends to get blamed for the actions of other vampires, especially Aido, despite not being involved and ends up getting punished as a result. He is incredibly perceptive and is frequently sensitive to others' feelings, most particularly with Aido and Ruka's.

Takuma Ichijō (一条拓麻, Ichijō Takuma)

The vice-president of the Night Class, he is an upper-class vampire nearly as powerful as Kaname, whom he is close to and respects. He seems kind and lacks the dark atmosphere that surrounds most vampires, making him appear more like a human. His favorite reading material is manga; in one chapter, it seems he forced Aido into reading a vampire manga series. Ichijo appears to be aware that Kaname rescued Yuki when she was a child and has asked Yuki why her current relationship with Kaname no longer is the same as the one they had when she was a child. Takuma's grandfather is very powerful, and during one of his visits, Takuma reviled his grandfather for wanting to adopt Kaname and had asked for his blood (as it is rude to ask a pureblood for his/her blood). Unlike most of the Night Class, he's one of the only vampires who actually likes Yuki.

Senri Shiki (支葵千里, Shiki Senri)

One of the youngest Night Class members, he works as a model with Rima Tohya. He's close friends with Takuma Ichijo, and he enjoys drinking Takuma's blood. Shiki has a whip-like weapon which develops from his blood. His father is also a pureblood and his uncle is part of the council.

Rima Tohya (遠矢莉磨, Tooya Rima)

One of the youngest night class students. She works as a model alongside Senri Shiki. Her exact relationship with Shiki is unknown, though they are almost always seen together, signifying a close relationship.

Seiren (星煉, Seiren)

A student of the Night Class, she is Kaname's unoffical bodyguard. She is usually the first to defend Kaname from anyone she regards as a threat (this can be seen when Zero pointed the Bloody Rose at Kaname for saying that Zero sympathized with that level E vampire.).

Others

Headmaster Cross (黒主理事長, Kurosu Rijichō)

Yuuki's adoptive parent, who also took Zero into his home several years ago. Headmaster Cross dreams of peace between humans and vampires, and established the Night Class to promote understanding between the two races. Although he is often eccentric, he has a serious side as well. It is revealed that he is a former vampire hunter.

Toga Yagari (夜刈十牙, Yagari Tōga)

The current top ranked vampire hunter, Toga Yagari, formerly trained Zero to be a vampire hunter. He had lost his right eye due to trying to save Zero long ago. He showed up once at Cross Academy serving for a short while as a Night Class teacher to decide whether Zero is considered dangerous or not.

Shizuka Hio (緋桜閑, Hiō Shizuka)

The pureblood vampire who bit Zero; even her fellow vampires are uneasy around her. She is as well called "Mad Blooming Princess" by her fellow vampires. A manservant whom she loved (a former human vampire; said to have never fallen to Level E) was killed by a Kiryu vampire hunter. In retribution she attacked the Kiryu family, killed the parents, turned their son Zero into a vampire, and took Zero's twin, Ichiru, in as a devoted servant. Shizuka's blood can prevent Zero from falling to Level E, and thus Yuuki risked her life for Zero to be able to drink Shizuka's blood. But Kaname killed Shizuka to protect Yuuki. Kaname drank her blood, but left some for Zero to drink as well. Unfortunately the blood was drunk by Ichiru who arrived at the scene first. Before dying, Shizuka warns Kaname that he will live in darkness and has summoned a sinister future for himself.

Ichiru Kiryu (錐生壱縷, Kiryū Ichiru)

Zero's younger twin brother. When they were younger, they were both taught by Tohga Yagari, though Ichiru did not seem to share Zero's natural ability because he was sickly. Zero and Ichiru were very close as children, although later Ichiru claims to have hated Zero after overhearing that his parents preferred Zero over himself. Ichiru now has been cured due to drinking Shizuka's blood and has appeared at Cross Academy as a student by the orders of Shiki's father.

Maria Kurenai (Kurenai Maria)

A very distant relative of Shizuka Hiou. Her mind was taken over by Shizuka in return so her body could be a little stronger, since she was often sickly. Maria has returned to her family after the Shizuka incident, but has asked Yuuki that if she sees Ichiru to tell him Maria wants to see him again.

Asato Ichijo (Ichijo Asato)

Asato is Takuma's grandfather and a member of the Vampire Council. Kaname lived with him and his grandson briefly. He has allowed Takuma to attend Cross Academy for the purpose of spying on Kaname. His age and demeanor brings fear to many vampires, though Aido and Ruka openly confront him when Asato implies his desire to drink Kaname's blood.

Sara Shirabuki (Shirabuki Sara)

A pureblood vampire, like Kaname. She is a member of the Shirabuki family.

Drama CDs

• LaLa Kirameki Drama CD - bonus with the Sept. 2005 issue of LaLa Magazine
• Vampire Knight Midnight CD-Pack - a special mail order item of the bonus CD in drama CD form.

The Japanese and Spanish cast of drama CD compact disks is:

Japanese

• Yuki Cross - Yui Horie
• Kaname Kuran - Daisuke Kishio
• Zero Kiryu - Mamoru Miyano
• Hanabusa Aido - Jun Fukuyama
• Akatsuki Kain - Junichi Suwabe
• Takuma Ichijo - Susumu Chiba
• Senri Shiki - Soichiro Hoshi
• Headmaster Cross - Takehito Koyasu
• Sayori Wakaba - Kana Ueda
• Shizuka Hio - Keiko Sonoda

Spanish

• Yuki Cross - Ana Lobo
• Kaname Kuran - Ricardo Tejedo
• Zero Kiryu - Gabriel Ramos
• Hanabusa Aido - Edson Matus
• Akatsuki Kain - Gabriel Alfredo Basurto
• Takuma Ichijo - Mario Castañeda
• Senri Shiki - Enzo Fortuny
• Headmaster Cross - Oscar Flores
• Sayori Wakaba - Maru Guzmán
• Shizuka Hio Xóchitl Ugarte

External links

• Hakusensha Matsuri Hino interview
• Relax Relapse - a fansite dedicated to Vampire Knight
• Kuran Kaname net - a fansite dedicated to Kaname Kuran
• Vampire Knight Forums - a forum for Vampire Knight fans