Monday, July 4, 2011

Manga Mondays (57): Vampire Knight vol. 12 - Matsuri Hino

Current Giveaway on Alison Can Read 

GIVEAWAY: Win a copy of Walk The Wild Road by Nigel Hinton

Vampire Knight vol. 12 - Matsuri Hino


Summary

Yuki and Zero lock eyes, but they turn away from each other. Yori wanders around the ballroom, and Sara Shirabuki finds and talks to her. She tries to lure Yori away, but is stopped by Zero, who grabs her wrist. Yuki squeezes through the throng to get to the fracas, and she convinces Zero to let go of Sara. Zero takes Yori away, while Sara asks Yuki if she wants to be her friend. Kaname arranges for Yuki to meet privately with Yori and Zero, but Zero declines. At the party, Sara Shirabuki's Pureblood fiance, Ouri, goes missing, as well as a vampire hunter. A scent of blood suddenly fills the air, and Yuki goes to investigate while Kain finds the remains of the dead Pureblood hidden underneath a tablecloth. Yuki finds Zero and Kaien investigating the body of the dead hunter, who committed suicide after becoming a vampire. (courtesy of Goodreads)

Review


*My comments about this volume have very little in common with the synopsis...

I went into Volume 12 after having been frustrated with the last several volumes. Vampire Knight became extremely complicated and rather weird, but I was too invested in the series to give up. I'm pleased to say that I am more interested in the series after reading Volume 12. It's still really complicated and I'm not following it completely, but I'm getting caught up in the drama.

It's been a year since Yuki and Zero last saw each other. In the outside world, everything is falling apart in the vampire and hunter society. Kaname and Zero have each become very powerful in their own groups. Yuki meanwhile is being held virtual prisoner in Kaname's home.

I started out this series very solidly in the Team Kaname camp. After this volume, I've made a complete switch to Team Zero. Kaname is horribly restrictive of Yuki and very patronizing. He makes Edward Cullen seem like an easygoing, devil-may-care boyfriend in comparison. It's hard for me to know whether he really cares and worries about Yuki, or if he's trying to hold her back for his own purposes.

Yuki thankfully is getting out of the Kaname-love-haze which she's had for most of her life. She's sick and tired of just sitting here. She no longer wants to be a hummingbird in a flock of hawks. She wants to sore with the best of them. And she does. She rebels against Kaname's restriction and goes out on her own trying to make a difference.

Zero plays a role in this volume, but he didn't catch as much of my attention as Yuki. I like how Zero holds his own among the other vampire hunters. While he's pledged to be Yuki's enemy, you can also tell that he trusts and cares for her - even if he won't admit it.

I read a few other manga in between Volume 11 and Volume 12. One of the reasons, I enjoyed Volume 12 as much as I did was realizing that the drawings are superior to a lot of the other manga out there. I love how Yuki is drawn. She is slight and delicate, yet with a look of determination. I especially love her long, straight hair. Both Zero and Kaname are strong - with sharp jaws and broad shoulders, but have a beauty to them as well, with hair falling into their eyes.

8 comments:

  1. Hi Allison,

    Thanks for sharing your great manga review!

    Glad to see Yuki has decided she wants to be in the action and not just do anything! Kaname is getting to restrictive for my taste!

    Also glad to see Zero holding his own against the other Hunters.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great review! I love this manga series and agree the artwork is amazing. And I am definitely a Zero fan.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I haven't read the manga but I've seen the anime and I was always Team Zero. I found Kaname sooooo creepy.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't read manga, but my sister in law does. She loves to read this. I will definitely tell her about your reviews.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Team Zero from the beginning. I actually stopped reading this series around this point because it got really weeeeeird. Almost creepy in a way I couldn't follow (and that's saying something coming from me. I don't shy away from weird manga) I even gave away what I had collected (up to six volumes) *facepalm*

    If Yuki actually grows a brain (I.E. not just sit there like a prisoner) then I am finishing this manga series.

    The manga artiest is very talented. I have seen some really beautiful artwork but hers does top the others. Especially in the shoujo category.

    Thank you for this review :) I'll pick up the series again.
    ♥ Trish

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love Vampire Knight so much! But I have to admit that I'm getting a bit frustrated with the series. I'm so annoyed by Yuki. Is it bad that I wish everything would get resolved already? Sometimes I think that mangakas drag their series too much (like Skip Beat). But I really do love this series. :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have seen the anime series a couple of times, but not read the manga. It stops after Yuuki and Zero last see each other, so I don't know what happens in this volume, but I agree that Kaname is an annoying romantic hero. I've always preferred Zero to him. Not to mention that Yuuki really does believe that Kaname is her older brother. That's just so creepy. Japanese culture is weird like that and very sexist.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi! I am a new follower. I love manga and I love Zero.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments. I appreciate every one! Thank you in advance.

This blog is now an award free zone. I just don't have time to pass on the awards as they deserve.