Vampires (or the singular, “vampire”) aren’t really a genre in the literal sense of the term, but they do feature in a lot of artistic works, especially romantic anime. The world of anime is known for providing us with a lot of different narrative elements, so vampires can definitely be – and often are – a part of it. In this article, we are going to give you a list of the 15 best vampire romance anime series of all time.
1. Vampire Knight
Original Run: April 8, 2008 – December 30, 2008
Number of Episodes: 26
The oldest memory that Yûki keeps is that of a winter night, where she was attacked by a vampire… and rescued by another. Ten years later, Yūki, the adopted daughter of Cross Academy’s director, has grown up and become the academy’s guardian. She is in love with Kaname, her savior, who is the president of the Night Class (a class of young aristocratic vampires).
But also at his side, there is Zero, who fights not to become a Level E (completely dehumanized vampire), his childhood friend, whose family was decimated by a vampire. Since this tragedy, he has had a deep hatred for these mythical creatures.
Will the peace established by Director Cross between humans and vampires last? Aren’t vampires hiding something? In this world of mystery and magic, nothing is as it seems. What if the price of trust could be worse than the death of a loved one?
Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu, Crunchyroll, Funimation
2. Rosario + Vampire
Original Run: January 3, 2008 – December 24, 2008
Number of Episodes: 26
Tsukune Aono is an unremarkable young boy who unfortunately failed all the high school entrance exams. By pure chance, his father finds an advertisement for Yokai High School, the High School for Monsters.
It is there that he meets Moka Akashiya, an angelic-looking young girl who actually hides a split personality and very powerful vampire powers (S-class monsters). His powers are revealed when the rosary adorning his neck is torn off. Thanks to Moka’s powers, both will fight several monsters. Later, Tsukune and Moka will meet the succubus Kurumu Kurono and Yukari Sendo, a gifted little witch.
Where to watch: Hulu, Crunchyroll, Funimation
3. Actually, I Am…
Original Run: July 6, 2015 – September 28, 2015
Number of Episodes: 13
Asahi Kuromine, a high school student unable to keep secrets, surprises one of his classmates, Yoko Shiragami, by deploying a large pair of wings. He then learns that Yōko is a vampire and that her father threatens to change her establishment if her identity comes to light.
Since Youko is particularly distracted, she struggles to keep her secret, especially since Mikan, Asahi’s childhood friend, keeps insisting on finding out more about her. Asahi will later discover that other girls in her school also keep heavy secrets, which will make her task as a confidante was all the more difficult.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
4. Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
Original Run: July 8, 2019 – March 31, 2022
Number of Episodes: 25 + 4 OVAs
High school student Hajime Nagumo is bullied by his classmate for his relationship with the class idol, Kaori Shirasaki. When he and the rest of his class are transported to a fantasy world, all of his classmates gain powerful magical abilities, while Hajime only gains the ability to transmute solid materials, a common ability usually found in craftsmen and blacksmiths.
During a dungeon raid, one of his classmates betrays him and drops him to the bottom of the dungeon. He survives the fall and creates weapons to escape the dungeon and become stronger, managing to gain demonic abilities after killing all the monsters that come his way. On his journey, he meets the imprisoned vampire Yue, and is later joined by Shea, the Dragonoid Uncle, and others.
Where to watch: Hulu, Crunchyroll
5. Trinity Blood
Original Run: April 28, 2005 – October 6, 2005
Number of Volumes: 24
Five hundred years ago, Armageddon ravaged much of the Earth and changed its population. From then on, this event caused the arrival of the “Methuselah” (descendants of human colonists settled on Mars, contaminated by a virus, and nanotechnology giving them strength and longevity superior to the standard human), having landed during the Armageddon, generally called Vampires by the “Terrans” because of their similarities with them, and the appearance of the Cyborgs (minor class of machines) created from the Lost Technology (the current technology).
From there, the Methuselah opposed the Terrans (Humans) in order to establish their power over them. In order to maintain the fragile balance established between the Terrans and the Methuselahs, the Vatican has created an intervention team: the AX. This organization is made up of powerful priests and nuns who are trained in combat techniques.
Where to watch: Funimation
6. Is This a Zombie?
Original Run: January 11, 2011 – June 7, 2012
Number of Episodes: 22 + 3 OVA
Aikawa Ayumu is a normal high school student until the day he is murdered by a serial killer. He is then reborn as a zombie thanks to the necromancer Eucliwood Hellscythe. Aikawa then becomes his servant but inadvertently absorbs the powers of a “masō-shōjo” named Haruna and in turn, becomes a masō-shōjo.
The young man will then have to manage his schedule between his duties as a masō-shōjo, his studies, and the search for his assassin, with Eucliwood, Haruna, and a vampire ninja named Seraphim living with him.
Where to watch: Funimation
7. Blood Lad
Original Run: July 7, 2013 – September 8, 2013
Number of Volumes: 10 + OVA
Staz is not a vampire-like the others. Indeed, he does not feed on blood and rejects the fact of being a vampire. Staz is the leader of a territory that is part of the demon world. One day, a human named Fuyumi Yanagi accidentally lands in this mysterious world and meets Staz. Unfortunately, the young girl is devoured by a carnivorous plant and becomes a ghost. Staz, therefore, decides to resuscitate her by going on a quest where he will meet several rivals and enemies.
Where to watch: Hulu
8. Devils’ Line
Original Run: April 7, 2018 – June 23, 2018
Number of Volumes: 12 + OVA
When the student Tsukasa Taira goes home one evening with her fellow student Shota Akimura, they are pursued by a demon. There have always been murders of women suspected of being a demon in the city. But the stranger turns out to be investigator Yūki Anzai, who uses his demon-hunting skills as a half-demon.
Shota is arrested by him because he is a demon and he is suspected of the murder series. The rescued Tsukasa brings Anzai home. There he surprisingly attacks her, but thanks to his medication he is able to hold back.
Because Anzai has to keep his thirst for blood in check, like the other demons who want to live peacefully between people. Later, Tsukasa meets Anzai again and learns that some demons are able to live between humans thanks to drugs. From then on, her rescuer visits her again and again – to watch over her, as he says.
Where to watch: Hulu
9. Dance in the Vampire Bund
Original Run: January 7, 2010 – April 1, 2010
Number of Volumes: 12
The story revolves around Mina Țepeș, a princess ruling all vampires, and her “protector”, Akira. Like other vampires, Mina had been in hiding for years. Wishing to end centuries of isolation, Mina succeeds in obtaining permission to create a special district for vampires, the “Federation” (or the Bund), off the coast of Japan, by paying the national debt of the Japanese government.
Mina then reveals to the world the existence of vampires and her desire for the species to coexist. However, tensions are high between some fearful humans and some extremist vampires, which conflicts with Mina’s desire for peace with the human world.
Where to watch: Funimation
10. Vampire Princess Miyu
Original Run: October 6, 1997 – March 30, 1998
Number of Episodes: 26 + 4 OVAs
Miyu is a young vampire like no other. Unlike other vampires, she only bites people who want to and doesn’t fear daylight, holy water, or crosses. She is the descendant of a family that hunted the Shinma (or demons in the Manga version) (evil half-god half-demon creatures in the anime) in order to send them back to their world.
She is accompanied by Amour (or Larva in the manga), a Shinma (demon) sent to kill her who ultimately betrayed her own and is now her “servant” and protector.
Where to watch: N/A
11. Strike the Blood
Original Run: October 4, 2013 – March 28, 2014
Number of Volumes: 24 + 37 OVAs
Strike the Blood follows the story of Kojō Akatsuki, a vampire high school student, and Yukina Himeragi, a young swordsman shaman, living in Japan on the artificial island of Itogami, also nicknamed the Demon District. A treaty was drawn up there in order to establish peace between supernatural creatures and humans; supernatural creatures are forced to remain within the confines of the Demon Districts for experimental purposes.
Yukina Himeragi is sent to the island to monitor Kojō Akatsuki, suspected of being the 4th Primogenitor, the most powerful vampire, who could threaten the balance of this sacred treaty put in place thanks to the collaboration of the first three Primogenitors.
Where to watch: Crunchyroll
12. Super Lovers
Original Run: April 6, 2016 – March 16, 2017
Number of Volumes: 20
After a difficult family life and following the divorce of his parents, the young Haru Kaidou leaves to live in Canada with his mother before returning to Japan to his father who has rebuilt his life. He lives there with his father, his stepmother (whom he calls “mom”) and his half-brothers (twins). Later, at the request of his biological mother, he returns to Canada and discovers that she has adopted a young boy named Ren.
But the latter is a real savage who does not listen to anyone. Ren and Haru will spend the summer together before the latter returns to Japan. While returning from the airport Haru and his parents have an accident, Haru will remain in a coma for a month. When he wakes up he has no memory of the summer spent with Ren, of the death of his parents in the car accident or of his brothers then living with their maternal grandmother.
A few years later Haru became a host in a club to be able to pay for his brothers’ future studies, but Ren (who was actually adopted by the couple) comes to live with him. At first Haru is reluctant, as he doesn’t remember their summer together and he doesn’t feel up to it. Ren will eventually return to Canada and Haru will follow him. A year later they return to Japan and will live together with the other two brothers. Little by little, Haru, helped by his brothers and his friends, will try to educate Ren and perhaps help him form a real family.
Where to watch: N/A
13. Lunar Legend Tsukihime
Original Run: October 10, 2003 – December 26, 2003
Number of Episodes: 12
Shiki Tohno’s childhood was marred by a serious accident that left him weak and estranged from the rest of his family for years. He grew up with distant relatives. This drama gave him the strange gift of seeing the “lines of death” that make up everything and every living being.
But at the age of 16, Shiki is called back to the family home, on the death of his father, by his sister Akiha Tohno. The young girl lives alone with her two servants, Kohaku and Hisui. It doesn’t take long for him to discover that strange things are happening and that we seem to be hiding things from him.
One day when he is walking down a street, Shiki comes across a pretty young girl. Taken by a sudden impulse, he kills her with incredible savagery. Convinced of having dreamed, what is his surprise when he sees the girl he killed the day before waiting for him in front of his high school.
Where to watch: N/A
14. Karin
Original Run: November 4, 2005 – May 12, 2006
Number of Volumes: 24
The story centers on Karin Marker, the eldest daughter of a family of vampires settled in Japan. Karin has a characteristic that is surprising, to say the least, for a vampire: in addition to being a diurnambulist since she is insensitive to ultraviolet rays. Her organism, instead of needing human blood like its congeners, has a tendency to produce it, which results in nosebleeds as uncontrollable as they are abundant and this, in certain very specific situations.
Desiring to preserve their secret in order to continue to live like an ordinary young high school student, she will however meet a new classmate, Kenta Usui, a human who involuntarily stimulates her bleeding and begins to have suspicions about her true nature.
Where to watch: N/A
15. Vassalord
Original Run: March 15, 2013
Number of Episodes: 1 (OVA)
Charles J. Chrishunds (Charley) is a cybernetic vampire hunter who works for the Vatican, while his master Johnny Rayflo (also a vampire) lives the good life in pure playboy style. Charley (also known as “Cherry” or “Chris”) always tries to control his urges to drink blood from humans so he always drinks from his master.
While fighting crimes are related to vampires, Charley struggles to control his bloodlust, and Johnny (formerly known as Addie before becoming a vampire) delights in seducing his minion, while also caring for him. apart from dealing with the problems of his own past.
Where to watch: N/A
