Customer Reviews

Rosario+Vampire, Vol. 1 (v. 1)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Poor Tsukune. Not only has he flunked out of every high school entrance exam, but the only one that would take him is for monsters.

That's the big dilemma in the first volume of "Rosario + Vampire," a high-school/romantic/harem manga focused on the eccentric love story between a lovely vampire and an intensely mediocre teen boy. The stories have a certain element of repetition, but the cute romance and imaginative monsters keep it interesting to the end.

Tsukune is horrified by the sight of Yokai Academy -- until a gorgeous girl named Moka appears, and starts sucking on his neck. She's a vampire, whose "true form" (and her nasty other personality) are kept restrained by a "rosario" (read: rosary) on her throat. Only Tsukune can remove the cross.

Unfortunately Moka is the most normal person Tsukune meets -- Yokai Academy is a school to teach young monsters and demons how to pass for human. If they find out Tsukune's true nature, they'll kill him. And Moka's adoration of Tsukune quickly makes him enemies.

First he's attacked by the school bad boy, then stalked by a sultry succubus who hates Moka. Joining the school's new swim club turns into a disaster when it's revealed that Moka can't touch water -- and that the beautiful girls are actually killer mermaids. And when they join the newspaper club, Tsukune finds he has a new rival -- a werewolf who is all too happy to resort to blackmail.

The first volume of any manga series is a bit of a bumpy ride, since the author has to introduce the characters and the concept. Fortunately "Rosario + Vampire's" introduction is a pretty smooth ride -- once Akihisa Ikeda introduces Yokai Academy and Moka's cutthroat, silver-haired other self, the series is ready to go.

And Ikeda does an excellent job balancing out the slapsticky humor (Moka constantly nipping Tsukune's neck), fanservice, and the usual high school problems filtered through a fantastical lens. And it's got some brilliant action scenes whenever Moka's rosario is removed, with her kicking, punching and generally wiping the floor with the most intimidating monsters in the school.

The biggest problem is that the stories get a bit repetitive -- every problem is solved by Tsukune removing the cross, and Moka kicking someone's butt.

Tsukune is your average harem-comedy guy, in the "Love Hina" mold -- utterly mediocre, but good hearted enough that girls adore him even if they're way smarter and prettier. And in a funny pre-"Twilight" twist, Moka initially adores Tsukune for his tasty-smelling blood -- but as the story goes on, her affection for him starts to mature a bit.

The first volume of "Rosario + Vampire" suffers from some rather deja-vuey climaxes, but it's a fun light read -- and promises to get better.

Rosario + Vampire is an excellent mix of comedy, suspense, high school angst and just a touch of romance. I say just a touch because although love and friendship is the major theme running behind each story the two main characters can never get close enough to actually admit their love for each other as all the supporting cast of girls are also in love with Tskune.

The series has great artwork, suspenseful stories, comedy and a bevy of beautiful girls all after the main character who is the only human in a school full of monsters. All in all a great manga and a great addition to any collection.

My third favorite Shonen Jump romance! I love the fact that Tsukune is human, as it creates the proof that Moka really loves him despite her past. It's tender, intense, a little short, but funny in a cute kind of way... My favorite character is Kurumu. She is like Satsuki from Strawberry 100%. Her race is cool and matches her wily and devious nature almost perfectly. It's nice how she is loyal to him after he spares him. Though something tells me she won't like him when she finds out he is really a human boy...

Rosario + Vampire is a little on the ecchi side, but it is more romance and comedy than anything. A cool story in and out.

This manga has a real bite to it. After the first few pages I just wanted to sank my teeth in it and not let go. With a bit of comedy, drama, and action,this takes an average (human) guy "Tsukune Aono" highschool life to a totally new direction. At first when I saw this voulme(s)being featured and reviewed on a cover of a popular manga magazine I was a bit skeptical, but when I read the preview scene. I just knew this was one manga I had to no matter what. But hey, maybe its just me. Don't just take my word for it. Buy it yourself or better yet have a friend buy it borrow it and then if it's to your liking , buy and if it isn't well at least your friend bought it out of it his own pocket, right!(Uh, just joking, I think,heh heh heh,no really don't do it that would really be taking advantage of trust.Sorry I'm getting sidetracked here,anyway)! You could either believe in what I'm writing or don't,Frankly i don't care. But as for me I give Rosario+Vampire and its author a two thumbs up and a high recommendation.

the first time i heard of ROSARIO VAMPIRE was through a new issue of Shonen Jump i had subscribed to.i found it to be a very good read,so i decided to start buying the books here.the books read just like in a shonen jump comic book.because its originally a japanese comic the english version reads right to left and if you have trouble figuring out how to read it look inside on the back cover.there you will find a diagram that should help you out.you will find out in later books that not everyone can read these books,i mostly refer to younger readers cause it does contain graphic sexual based scenarios.altogether a book well worth taking time to buy and read!!!!

Tsukune is a C student who can be described as "a walking exposition on mediocrity." It doesn't look as if any high school will take him, but then he ends up getting enrolled at a place called Yokai because it's his last chance. The problem is that if things go badly for him at this school, he doesn't get detention. He might get eaten. He's going to a school with monsters and they don't all take kindly to humans.

But no one is supposed to know Tsukune is a human. He, in fact, didn't realize it was a monster school until he was actually there. He does make one friend: a vampire girl named Moka who is normally sweet-tempered. However, when she resorts to her vampire nature, watch out. It's lucky that Tsukune is on her good side, because she usually turns into a vampire to save him from some other monster he has no chance of defeating. She learns early on that Tsukune is a human and still accepts him as her friend, because he was the first human to accept her as a vampire.

And Tsukune, though his grades still aren't great (on the midterms, he comes in 128th, while very intelligent Moka is way up at the top), can't be considered average at a school filled with succubi, werewolves, and witches. Here, he's different. Suddenly, girls are paying more attention to him, and not just Moka. A succubus has her eyes on him, but while Moka wants friendship, the succubus wants to turn Tsukune into her slave! There are also plenty of guys interested in Moka, and Tsukune has to muster up his courage and let her know he'd like to be more than friends. Still, he can't help but worry she only really likes him because he lets her suck his blood on occasion.

Rosario + Vampire is very recognizable as what we'd call a "fanservice series." It's full of sexy girls, suggestive poses, ribald humor, and things of that nature. Some manga are nothing but fanservice, and thankfully Rosario + Vampire is not one of those. Yes, it has quite a bit of fanservice (which readers will probably enjoy or roll their eyes at--or something in the middle). However, it also has a plot and interesting characters. This series is aimed at teenagers (specifically, it's rated "Older Teen") and ought to be popular, perhaps even enticing reluctant readers.

-- Danica Davidson

I've been a manga reader for a while now and never have I encountered a manga like this. Usually my taste is more towards horror and dark manga that tends to be very serious and least of all comical. I found this in the bookstore as I was trying to find a new series to read and although I was skeptic at first I gave in and fell in love!

I love the story of how this kid ends up in a school for monsters and although it has a lot of serious moments I can't help but laugh overall especially when Moka wants to drink his blood. So funny. I don't know what else to say about this manga except it's a pretty funny series and I enjoy reading it. I think anyone who like vampires like I do this is a good choice for a read.

Here's another Shonen Jump title that breaks the "Shonen Jump steryoptype."
A poor (not financially), average guy named Tsukune ends up transfering to a school which is through a tunnel...however, this school isn't for ordinary people...
it's for, well, non-humans (monsters).
Tsukune, who is the main character in this story, ends up meeting a cheerful, adorable girl with pink hair and wears a rosario around her neck. Her name's Moka Akashiya.
Later on through the first volume, we meet two/three more characters in the book.

This, though, may NOT appeal to some because, as you can tell where this is going, "Rosario+Vampire" IS harem.

As of now, I have volumes 1 through 3 and after watching the anime version...the manga wins, hands down. It's sad since the anime "R+V" seem to have lost one or two brain cells along the way. (Sorry for being harsh on that, but it's the truth)

Even after all of this, I liked the first volume and since it was a hit in Japan, it may be like that here in the USA when the (not so interesting) anime counterpart (sadly) comes sometime in late 2010 or early 2011.

Great English Translation by Kaori Inoue

Great English adaptation By Gerard Jones.

The only complaint for those Big japan comic collectors is VIZ usually does away with the honorifics which they have done here.

Despite that the manga is a fun shounen action manga with romantic comedy and monsters.

The hero has a beavy of beauty's vying for his attention But Moka is the only girl he has his heart set on. Though the others are trouble makers.

Moka is a vampire who has super powers when her Rosario is taken off and likes to suck Tsukune's blood.

Part of Viz's "Shonen Jump Advanced" series collecting popular, action-packed manga (Japanese comic) stories, volume one of Rosario + Vampire is the brainchild of unabashed monster fan Akihisa Ikeda, and it shows! Ordinary fifteen-year-old boy Tsukune Aono is average at everything, exceptional at nothing, and his straight C grades combined with horrible test performance have denied him the chance to continue his schooling. In a stroke of "luck", he comes across the one high school that will take students without rigorous examinations; it's Yokai Academy, where every student is a monster in human disguise, studying how to peacefully blend into the human world! The first Yokai Academy student Tsukune meets it the beautiful and friendly vampire Moka, who finds his human blood simply irresistible. Moka is usually gentle and charming, but only because her full vampire powers are held in check by the rosario around her throat; when it's removed, the terrifying alternate personality of her vampire self emerges! Survival is a haphazard endeavor at best for Tsukune, as he must evade the machinations of his monstrous classmates - the beastly boys are jealous of his close relationship with the attractive Moka, while some of the fiendish girls want him for themselves. Moka's ruthless vampire personality has the power to defend Tsukune in (im)mortal combat, but at what price? More humor than horror, Rosario + Vampire is a howling good read cover to cover, enthusiastically recommended for monster fans everywhere. Rosario + Vampire is unflipped (it's read right-to-left, just as it was originally drawn), and rated T+ for older teen due to violence and the occasional panty shot.