Dealin' Reel: Episode 9 - Vampire Knight

In honor of Halloween, I have decided it is high time I introduced everyone to another of my favorite manga \ anime.  I say this knowing that my last "Dealing Reel" was about anime... my apologies, as I didn't originally plan for this.  This will be done in a two-post Halloween "marathon".  The reasoning for this being that this anime contains quite a "thick" plot with many details, and can be difficult to follow.  As such, I will be including a sort of basic summary of the facts for any wishing to watch it.

I first came across Vampire Knight about a year and a half ago while Drew was gone on an underway.  It is seperated into two seasons, 13 episodes apiece.  The second of these is referred to as "Vampire Knight: Guilty".  The manga is authored by Matsuri Hino.  The series follows the story of Yuki Cross, a fifteen-year-old first-year student at Cross Academy.  Her adoptive father, Kaien Cross is the headmaster of the academy.

Yuki has no memory of her previous life as of 10 years prior to the beginning of the series.  When she was about five years old, a kind Pureblood vampire, Kaname Kuran, found her wandering in the snow.  She was being attacked by an evil vampire wishing to drink her dry; Kaname killed him on the spot, rescuing Yuki.  She has idolized Kaname ever since.  Kaname delivered Yuki to a human friend of his, Kaien Cross.  Kaien is a pacifist in search of a peaceful life between humans and vampires, and agrees to take Yuki in on payment of a debt owed to Kaname's parents.

Four years later, Kaien is made aware of a boy, Zero Kiryu, whose family was murdered by another evil vampire.  He takes the boy in, and Zero and Yuki become close friends.  Upon the founding of the Cross Academy, Yuki and Zero are appointed the school's Guardians.  Zero's family were vampire hunters, and it turns out that Zero has secrets from the night his family were killed.  And it seems those secrets may be somehow connected to Yuki's past. 

Kaien and Kaname work together to create a safe place for Yuki to live and survive.  Thus Cross Academy was built.  Kaname brings forth those who have agreed to join the Night Class.  Night Class students are all vampires, and due to their utmost respect for Purebloods, they will never willingly disobey Kaname.  The Day Class students are all human, and are kept seperate from the Night Class under the careful watch of the Guardians.  The job is difficult to manage due to the beauty the vampires posess causing a bit of a ruckus among the Day Class students.

Zero is not the only myserious character in this series.  Kaname has secrets from the past as well, however, his secrets are even darker... and more blood-soaked.  Kaname is just as enamored by Yuki as she is with him, and perhaps even moreso.  He takes it upon himself to protect her at every turn.  Upon being questioned regarding what exactly she is to him, Kaname evades the concerns of those surrounding him, though Kaien Cross may be in on it.

The story spins out as a tragic, yet attractive mystery.  The artistry is beautiful, and the relationships well built by the author.  Furthermore, Matsuri Hino shows a great deal of research into the attitudes of what a "vampire" might would be.  There are many comparisons to be made between the fiction of the series and the realities we live with today.  The background music is also quite lovely and inspiring.  I highly recommend watching this anime.