Saya, the main character, has no recollection of her past and lives with her adoptive family. Her daily life appears ordinary, except for her unusually large appetite. One day, she encounters a man named Hagi in a park, who reveals he has been searching for her for a long time. This meeting drastically alters her seemingly normal existence.
A high school student named Saya struggles with amnesia, unable to recall anything from her former life. A striking young man named Hagi appears, and there's something oddly familiar about him. It turns out that Saya is more than just human; she has an ancient and enigmatic history. She is destined to hunt and destroy monstrous creatures known as Chiropterans.
Blood+ was published in English by Dark Horse from February 6, 2008, to February 11, 2009. A digital version was also made available by the same publisher from January 25, 2012, to April 11, 2012.
Personally, I preferred the anime because it felt like the manga didn't allocate sufficient "screen time" to each character. For instance, most of Diva's chevaliers were only mentioned briefly in one or two volumes. Nonetheless, it was a compelling story that I truly enjoyed.
Despite being a manga adaptation of the anime, the story follows similar beats but is drastically different. This isn't a bad thing at all since it makes the manga its own enjoyable entity if you already love the original anime.
Being only 5 volumes long, some events from the anime were either changed or omitted in the manga. Some events got replaced with manga-exclusive ones, and some characters were removed or substituted. So, while the manga is somewhat the same as the anime, it's also quite different.
The story is really good, and the art is amazing. Some of the changes might suit you better if you didn't like how certain things unfolded in the anime's storyline. I will admit that since I read the physical volumes, the translation was a bit off, and there were even some spelling mistakes. It's not too bad, but if such issues bother you, just read the manga online.
Despite the translation errors and misspellings, this manga is a really good read! I would even recommend it to people who find the 50-episode anime intimidating.
If you're already a Blood+ fan, I highly recommend this manga, especially if you want more content from the story. If you've never experienced Blood+ and don't want to watch all 50 episodes of the anime, then this manga is a good substitute.
Putting aside the anime and focusing solely on the manga, I can confidently say that this is an excellent manga, and here's why.
The story is fantastic; the more you read, the more captivating it becomes. However, I haven't come across any major plot twists (though I haven't watched the anime yet). The artwork is superb! Every illustration is a pleasure to look at. In my opinion, the characters could have been better developed. There is somewhat of a lack in their representation. As for enjoyment, I found it very satisfying to spend my time with this manga.
In the end, you'll find yourself finishing the last chapter and feeling disappointed that the story has ended. It's absolutely worth reading!
This is my top pick among the manga adaptations of Blood+. It shares similarities with the anime series but also diverges significantly in several aspects. There are some noticeable differences that set it apart.
One element I particularly enjoy in the manga, which isn't as prominent in the anime, is the comedy. Additionally, Haji displays much more emotion in the manga, which I find absolutely adorable!
I must confess, I prefer little Charles over Karl; he's an intriguing and fantastic character. I wish Charles had been featured in the show instead of Karl!
In summary, this manga is excellent, and you should definitely give it a read, especially if you're a fan of Blood+!