Series: Vampire Knight – Part 2: Episodes 5-8
Release date: 13th December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 80 mins
Director: Kiyoko Sayama
Starring: Daisuke Kishio, Mamoru Miyano, Yui Horie, Fumiko Orikasa, Hiroki Yasumoto
Genre: Anime
Studio: Manga
Format: DVD
Country: Japan
Veteran anime director Kiyoko Sayama is at the helm for Vampire Knight, the adaptation of Matsuri Hino’s long-running shōjo manga of the same name, which is being released on DVD in the UK in several volumes. Volume two of the first season comes hot all the heels of the first, which introduced viewers to Yuki Cross.
The series follows the lives of Yuki, Zero Kiryuu and Kaname Kuran, all students at Cross Academy. At the school, founded by Yuki’s father Kaien, the vampires of the Night Class live alongside the Day Class, whose human students are unaware of their colleagues’ supernatural origins. It is the job of Yuki and Zero to keep this secret and protect the humans from the vampires, lead by pure-blood Kaname, in attempt to keep a fragile peace between the species established at the school.
Episodes five to seven follow on from Yuki’s discovery of Zero’s true nature as a vampire, and the immediate aftermath, with Yuki being given a bracelet which will protect her from Zero’s passions. Meanwhile, Zero continues his internal struggle to control his vampire urges, something Kaname is keeping a close eye on, and a new teacher arrives at the school…
The fifth episode picks up the pace a bit from volume one, with another encounter with a level E, a dangerous vampire driven crazy by thirst for blood, in town which leads to Yuki and Zero getting an invitation to a gathering at the vampires’ Moon dormitory. Here Kaname gives Yuki a little history lesson on vampire/human relations, which hints at a complexly woven mythology involving the central characters, though little is revealed here.
The episode ends with a bang, a little bit of Zero’s hitherto unexplored history and the promise volume two will drive further into the roots of this tale. The pace slackens off after the opening episode of the volume, which is no surprise really as those with an interest in Vampire Knight are in for the long haul with this adaptation.
The narrative continues to rely heavily on internal dialogue and almost instantaneous flashbacks. Twice in episode five Yuki is thinking about events which have just happened, and the viewer is treated to a visual recap of the last two minutes of the episode.
It is bad writing which must rely on such techniques, and shows no faith whatsoever in the intelligence of the audience. Granted, Vampire Knight is intended for younger viewers, but the best fiction, for teenagers or otherwise, leaves at least a little bit to the imagination.
The frequency of these unnecessary soliloquies is such that it quickly becomes irritating especially when, with a little room for imagination, the potential of the subject matter is clear. Stories of love triangles, of vampires versus humans, and of coming of age and sexual awakening are as old as the hills, and the animation on display here would make an enjoyable vehicle for such a tale.
The design of the series ably sets a sumptuous gothic tone and utilises the traditional manga trappings well for the welcome, if too infrequent action. However, the achievements of the animation are quickly undermined by script to the great detriment of the volume.
Flashback is put to better use in episode seven, with the majority of the episode focusing on the past when Yuki and Zero were first adopted by Kaien. It would be made a lot better if it wasn’t for the mysterious subconscious-like voice over coming from Yuki – whose memories we are watching – which is spouting meaningless dramatic oxymora in an attempt to create atmosphere.
Volume two of Vampire Knight continues to lack subtly when it comes to telling these stories and creating atmosphere, and the main protagonists become annoying for the characteristics which are driven home like a blunt stake to the heart.
Yuki is constantly worrying, aloud, about Zero and Kaname and her feelings, and everyone else’s feeling, pausing only to chase after one of her boys or pine after the other, so that she comes across as irritatingly changeable and easily confused. Zero is troubled and moody due to personal tragedy and his internal struggle, but he lacks any sympathy because that is all the viewer ever gets from him. Kaname is at least a little ambiguous in his intentions towards Yuki, creepy blood-lust or genuine affection, but even that is draw with a clumsy hand when it is already fairly obvious without mention.
That vampirism is an age-old metaphor for lust and sex is certainly not been missed by Sayama, and the viewer would be hard pressed to miss it either after a couple of scenes in episodes six and seven in which Yuki offers her neck up for Zero, and recalls catching Kaname in the act with fellow vampire Ruka - not to mention the creepy way the vampires slip their tongues out towards unclothed napes.
The volume ends with an announcement the vampire who killed Zero’s parents is still alive, which will no doubt lead to more delving into the character’s interwoven histories - and maybe some confrontation in the present.
To tell a story in medias res in this way is nothing new and often the best way, Sayama would do well, however, to give the viewer credit and assume they will be able to follow the narrative without having every mystery and emotion spelled out in blood-red letters six foot high. This gothic romance in a boarding school has great potential in the anime form, but the script will need to improve considerably in volume three to really do it justice. GC
No comments:
Post a Comment