Quality and trashy vampire anime alike can be hard to come by, so it’s no wonder so many people still love to watch Vampire Knight. A thrilling tale of maintaining the balance between humans and vampires, the struggles of Yuki Cross and her friends is easy to lose yourself in. Once the final episode rolls however, the void left behind can be that much harder to fill. To that end, we’ve got you covered with 10 anime like Vampire Knight if you’re looking for something similar.
Seraph of the End
Though it might veer more toward Shonen than Vampire Knight did, Seraph of the End is still an engaging romp in a Vampire-filled world.
Following a deadly outbreak that triggers the end of the world, vampires rise up and enslave humanity, using them as farmable sources of blood in underground facilities. Yu, a young and hot-headed boy who successfully escapes one such farm, enlists in a vampire extermination unit in the Moon Demon Company and swears to exterminate them by any means necessary.
To this end, he takes a demon into his body to gain the power needed to face them on equal footing, granting him immense powers at the cost of his own mind and self control. This creates a race against time for not only himself, but for the people he cares about. If they can succeed and defeat the vampires before he is taken over, Yu can return to normal and live a happy life with everyone he loves; but, if they fail, he’ll pose a threat equal to or worse than the vampires.
Filled with plot twists aplenty and several complications brought on by attractions, this series is a blast to watch slowly or binge during a slow weekend thanks to its manageable 24 episode count. Plus, there’s still plenty of content that can be adapted should the series ever receive more seasons, making it a good series to have under your belt.
Case Study of Vanitas
If you wanted more hints of BL in your Vampire Knight, then The Case Study of Vanitas is a perfect solution.
Set against a rich mythology of a vampire society wherein a doctor aims to cure those that have been driven mad by their cravings for blood, there’s plenty of meat for more discerning fans to dig into. Twists are abound as the titular protagonist and his ally Noe Archiviste attempt to find a cure, and the machinations of vampire society could put Anne Rice to shame.
At the same time though, it isn’t afraid to get a little trashy via its main duo. Its main characters Noe and Vanitas have enough chemistry to spark a raging blaze of passion; so much so that many would mistake the show for an out-and-out BL drama instead of one that merely toes the line of racy content.
Either way, it’s a fantastic series and a great alternative if you’re looking for anime like Vampire Knight.
Trinity Blood
Did Vampire Knight leave you wishing it were just a tad darker? If so, Trinity Blood will scratch your itch perfectly.
Following the apocalyptic end of modern civilization, mankind splintered into two groups. One is the Methuselah, vampiric creatures strengthened by technological procedures. The other is the Terrans, remnants of humanity who have worked alongside the Roman Catholic Church to try and re-establish civilization following their near-destruction.
The two have warred for hundreds of years with little progress toward peace. This changes when Abel Nightroad, one of the original Methuselah, sides with the humans to shift the tides in their favor, balance out the bloodshed, and attempt to broker a peace between the two factions.
An intricate and political thriller as much as it is an action-packed fight-fest, Trinity Blood is an early example of how to do anime about vampires right. Limited though it may be at only 24 episodes, fans of gothic horror and counts of the night won’t be disappointed with this under-appreciated gem.
Call of the Night
If you love vampires but were left exhausted by Vampire Knight’s darker tones and themes, we’d readily suggest cleansing your palette with Call of the Night.
Centered around the unexpected meeting, friendship, and romance between a young boy named Ko and a vampire named Nazuna, the series doesn’t have an epic tale to share. Instead, it’s a subversive and chill look at how vampires would pas their time night after night. Some might try to find purpose through a night job. Others might wander in search of companions, while others still might waste their days away seeking some sort of pleasure.
It’s a series that doesn’t bombard you with heavy topics and themes, and is instead happy to welcome you into a more relaxed view of coexistence with bloodsuckers. And, at only 13 episodes, it’s one of the breezier anime like Vampire Knight that you could hope to add to your watch list.
D’Gray Man
Though not strictly a vampire anime, D’Gray Man nails many of the cornerstones of a Gothic aesthetic well enough to stand alongside any of the entries on this list.
Set in a world where the church wages an endless war with the Millennium Earl and his army of resurrected demons known as Akuma, a young boy named Allen Walker wields a holy power to exorcise them and return them to their peaceful rests. As time goes on though, it becomes clear Allen has a much larger role to play in the war’s completion, and may even be the only one who can bring about a lasting peace.
Filled to the brim with high stakes battles, dramatic story developments and lovable characters, this is a dark Shonen most anyone can find something to love in. However, it does come with the caveat that it’s not likely to end due to the author’s health complications. We’d highly recommend testing your mileage with the first season or two, and only moving onto its sequel series D’Gray Man Hallow if it really strikes a chord with you.
Servamp
While some might seek out other anime like Vampire Knight because they loved watching a trainwreck in motion, you might prefer something that has a bit more fun with its vampire aesthetic.
Enter Servamp, which centers around the odd couple Mahiru Shirota and the vampire Sleepy Ash. After accidentally creating a master servant contract with Ash, Mahiru is dragged into a war between the bloodsuckers who represent the Seven Deadly Sins and the forces led by their forgotten eighth family member Tsubaki.
What ensues is a series full of intense fight scenes, fiendish secrets, and oh so much vampire-fueled drama. Plus, with only 12 episodes to its name, you can knock it out with so little effort that even Ash would be proud.
Blood+
Leaning hard into the darker and gorier side of vampire anime, Blood+ is an underrated epic vampire tragedy if there ever was one.
The story follows the young girl Saya as her world is turned upside down by the emergence of Chiropteran, twisted monsters that feed on human flesh and warp their victims into new monsters. Able to slay them with an ancient Katana soaked in her own blood, she sets out to eliminate the scourge once and for all alongside a secret government task force eager to see this threat buried.
As is usually the case though, there’s more than meets the eye to Saya and her relationship with these blood-hungry beasts. Whether or not she can face the truth will come down to the relationships she forms along the way, and whether or not they’re strong enough to weather even the darkest of tragedies.
Though it may start out with the typical anime tropes, Blood+ quickly distinguishes itself with engrossing character arcs, a well fleshed out world, and meaningful battles. If you don’t mind settling in for a 50 episode run, this is easily one of the better anime like Vampire Knight you could hope to find.
Diabolic Lovers
There are a lot of ways we could describe Diabolic Lovers to you.
We could point out how it follows the trope of a young girl being whisked off into a dark and dangerous new environment to overcome. We could also shine a light on how it gives its protagonist Yui six quirky vampire partners to choose from, and that each has their own admirable and despicable traits.
Heck, we could even give up the ghost and say that its one of the trashiest series on this list, littered with cliches and saucy dilemmas that would make a fan fic writer blush.
At its core though, Diabolic Lovers is exactly what it sells itself as in its first episode: a trashy reverse harem that has plenty of intrigue, but doesn’t need to be taken too seriously. Take it for what it’s worth, and you’ll be more than satisfied by the time you watch both seasons and its OVA.
Blood Blockade Battlefront
In a similar vein as D’Gray Man, Blood Blockade Battlefront nails the aesthetic of a vampire-heavy series without being entirely centered around them.
In a world where the supernatural shares a fragile coexistence with humanity, the secret government organization Libra stands between utter annihilation and the usual morning commute. Armed with a vast array of blood-based powers from explosive blades to impenetrable walls of crystal, they stand against any and all manner of threats to ensure everyone can continue to enjoy their daily lives.
Despite these dire circumstances, the series juggles it brilliantly with light-hearted comedy, bouncing back and forth between reality warping duels of skill and a last minute run to the protagonists’ favorite burger joint. At 26 episodes, it’s a breezy experience too, perfectly scratching the itch left by even the most serious of vampire anime fare.
Rosario Vampire
Trashy, straight-forward, and dripping with early 2000s anime vibes, Rosario + Vampire is a low-stakes and enjoyable harem series like no other.
Desperate to secure a good future despite his horrid grades, Tsukune Aono enrolls at the prestigious Yokai Academy — a school for monsters that wish to learn how to blend into human society. Most of the students don’t take kindly to a human being there, but the vampire Moka Akashiya takes a liking to him and decides to keep him safe during their time at the academy. Romantic hijinks inevitably ensue, and the two make a myriad of quirky friendships with oddball monsters.
The series plays out about how you’d expect, but the characters are still made likeable enough that you can quickly lose yourself in a binge watch. We’d highly recommend checking this one out if you’re feeling down, or if you want to turn your brain off for a few hours.
What are some anime that helped you fill the Vampire Knight void? Mention them in the comments below, and check out our recommendation lists for some other anime such as Violet Evergarden and Ao Haru Ride.
Published: Aug 3, 2023 10:07 pm