During the 18th century in Eastern Europe, reportsof undead creaturesbegan to spread all over the continent, producing mass hysteria and fear. The vampire is highly regarded as one of the most iconic monsters to be presented in folklore and modern media. History has always depicted these creatures as bloodthirsty beasts that prowl the streets at night to feed off the blood of the living.
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This notion slightly changed, however, when the media began romanticizing the idea of vampires through works such as Bram Stroker or Ann Rice. The vampire was now seen as beautiful, alluring creatures by the audience, and anime took that idea to another level. This list will feature anime shows about vampires or simply ones that present them.
In the small isolated town of Sobota, a Doctor discovers that supernatural creatures are responsible for the deaths of many civilians after a strange family moves into their new castle. Shiki was first introduced as a light novel written by Fuyumi Ono before being reimagined as a Manga drawn by Ryu Fujisaki.
The story would finally be adapted into an anime released in 2010. Like other vampires, the Shiki possess many characteristics similar to their undead brothers. The Shiki appears human, but their eyes become pitch black with red pupils as their vampiric fangs also appear when hunting. In addition to being practically immortal, they are also shown to have incredible abilities such as super strength and speed. The vampires in this series are some of the most terrifying creatures fans have ever seen.
7Blood Blockade Battlefront
In Blood Blockade Battlefront, vampires are called blood beasts, one of the various monsters that inhabit the mysterious Alterworld. The Alterworld is an alternate dimension where the inhabitants range from all manner of strange creatures, from aliens to demons. The blood beast is one of the most aggressive specimens to cross into the human world and is usually the series' main antagonist.
These creatures come with the standard abilities that other vampires do, but some can convert their blood into weapons or turn humans into ghouls. The series has captivated many fans as its popularity grew despite having few seasons and production pushbacks.
6JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures
While not entirely focused on vampires, the main antagonist of this series, who makes it his mission to wipe out the Joestar bloodline, happens to be a vampire. Dio Brando has become the ultimate menace to the Joestar family despite being raised by them. This story begins after Dio is adopted into the family, where he meets his new stepbrother Jonathon Joestar, who would become the first of many to witness the vampire’s wrath.
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During the Phantom Blood arc, Dio becomes a vampire after using the blood of Jonathon’s father, George, with the stone mask during a failed assassination attempt. The vampire would grow more powerful throughout the ages as he mastered his new vampiric powers andhis new stand, which are the powers that individuals wield in the franchise.
5Vampire Hunter D
Vampire Hunter D is one of the most fascinating anime shows to feature vampires, as the series intertwines the genres of dark horror and science fiction. The series revolves around the vampire hunter D, a dhampir who traverses an apocalyptic world ravaged by nuclear warfare. The planet is swarming with all manner of creatures, from demons to aliens.
Surprisingly, the sci-fi aspect of the series is fitting, such as D’s cybernetic horse that is embedded with enchantments to protect it. The vampires are typical when compared to others portrayed, but these creatures aren’t above utilizing science and magic. In this world, science and magic are equally important. Another distinction is that the vampires in this anime can produce offspring, which is evident by the dhampir like D.
4The Case Study Of Vanitas
The vampire genre is already adored by fans worldwide, but when combined with the steampunk genre, the result is The Case Study Of Vanitas. While traveling through 19th-century Paris, a female vampire named Noe Archiviste stumbles upon a human doctor claiming he can help vampires.
The doctor in question, Vanitas, states that his grimoire can cure vampires of the malnomen disease, which cause them to become highly aggressive and give in to their bloodlust. Vampires in these series have powers that are based on what clan they originate from. For example, members of the Archiviste clan, such as Noe, can read other people’s memories by ingesting their blood.
3Call Of The Night
Dissatisfied with his dull high school life, young Ko Yamori begins sneaking out at night for a walk when he cannot sleep. During his walk, he stumbles upon a beautiful woman named Nazuna Nanakusa, who he later discovers is a vampire. While showing him the joys of nightlife, Nazuna convinces Ko that being a vampire would be excellent, to which he joyfully agrees. The only stipulation is that he must fall in love with her before becoming one of the “night walkers.”
Throughout the series, they begin to enjoy each other’s company, but unfortunately, new problems arise members of her species become involved in their affairs. Overall the series is amazingly well-written and simply fun to watch.
2Hellsing Ultimate
Vlad Dracul Tepes, the Romanian ruler of Wallachia during the 15th century, is amongst the most iconic historical figures to be portrayed as a vampire in modern media. He was dubbed the Impaler by his enemies as he was infamous for mounting the dead bodies of his foes on pikes.
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The Hellsing novels that depict the modern life of Dracula would later be turned into an anime before it would be remastered as Hellsing Ultimate in 2002 as part of an OVA series. Going by Alucard, Vlad works for a secret organization called Hellsing, where he hunts renegade monsters and vampires. This anime is great for fans of horror or action as Alucard is pitted against swarms of undead, members of the Catholic Church, and even the Nazi party itself.
1The Monogatari Series
Monogatari is debatably the most popular and longest franchise to feature vampires, as it has the highest ratings in addition to the multiple titles that tie the entire story together. Koyomi Araragi was a high school student who became the survivor of a vampire attack during spring break before helping others fend against various monsters and spirits.
The franchise was divided into multiple series and a prequel film depicting the relationship between Koyomi and the vampire that attacked him, Shinobu. A variety of characters appear in Monogatari to either help or hinder Koyomi, but overall this anime series is definitely worth marathoning.
