Manga Review: Vampire Knight, Vol. 12 [Paperback]

I've finished "Vampire Knight Vol. 12" by Matsuri Hino.

Product Description

Reads R to L (Japanese Style), for audiences T+

About the AuthorMatsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her title Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in LaLa DX magazine. Hino was a manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to become one. With the success of her popular series Captive Hearts and MeruPuri, Hino has established herself as a major player in the world of shojo manga. Vampire Knight is currently serialized in LaLa and Shojo Beat magazines.

Product Details
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: VIZ Media LLC; Original edition (June 7, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1421539381
ISBN-13: 978-1421539386


My Review (Spoiler Ahead):

I like this cover of Kaname with the white sakura leaves in his palm.  It really looks like he is clasping Yuki's face in his hand at the same time.

We open the manga with Kaname and Yuki where he tells her Zero will be there.  He asks her would he cause any problems.  She replies no he won't not while on duty.

Then we arrive at the Soiree with Yuki looking around when she spot Zero.  They are staring at each other but don't say anything.  Zero has this pained look on is face and Yuki looks worried.  She turns away and hangs her head down.

Sayori "Yori" Wakaba (Yuki's human best friend) is walking through the crowd of vampires and hunters looking for Yuki.  She encounters Sara Shirabuki who says she will show her to the hosts of the Soiree.  She grabs her hand when you see someone grabs Sara's arm, it's Zero!  Yuki is hurrying among the guests and she reaches everyone's sides and she puts her hand on Zero's arm and says, "please let her go, she's an important guest!"  Zero replies, "don't touch me!"  Yuki says, "I will once you let her go!"

Sara found Takuma unconscious and now keeps him as servant so she can inside information on what Kaname is up too!  She certainly treats him like a servant and I don't know how he can put up with it.  He decides to stay by her side for some unknown reason(s).  He pretends to be her brother at the school she is scouting out.  She tells Takuma she wants to be "Queen" and that is why she killed her lover and made a hunter kill herself after she was bitten.

We also see Rima and Shiki on a photoshoot.  They run into Takuma and are surprised to see he's still alive.  They believe he's mad about the fight last year.  They are wondering why he didn't come back to see them and to visit Kaname and Yuki.

Kaito and Zero are on patrol at the school that Sarah and Takuma are visiting.  Zero senses something and runs toward the threat.  He confronts Sarah and she threatens him.  She senses that he has pureblood in his veins.

We also meet a new character Isaya Shoutou a pureblood vampire that is a long-time friend of Kaien Cross.  He's the first vampire that Yuki makes her offer of being a grim reaper.  He's without any family since his wife sacrificed herself to turn their offspring human and being long since dead.  He missed the vampire ball because he was still in his 50 year slumber and he questions Yuki's wisdom on her mission but remains impressed by her and reflects how similar she is to her adoptive father Kaien.

At the end of the manga Kaname is sitting in a tomb and is surrounded by the ghost of Rido!  Rido is taunting him and saying" how long are you going to continue to treat her like a kindly older brother?" Kaname replies, "then you shouldn't have sacrificed their son with the same name as me!  You shouldn't have wakened me as the Progenitor!" Rido isn't quite dead he's in a phantasmal "fragment" of consciousness attached to Kaname, who can only been seen and heard by Kaname.

Hmm it looks like Kaname is as blood-thirsty as Rido!  The question is will he continue to treat Yuki kindly as his father Haruka did Juri or will he treat her like Rido would?

I can't wait until Vol. 13 comes on Oct 4th!

Thanks Maylene from Simon and Schuster Canada for sending me this manga to review, greatly appreciated!

5/5