<p>YaY! Vampires! And it almost ends there. The story wasn't terrible, but some of the transitions between scenes left me flipping back a few pages to double-check if I missed something... like 3 or 4 pages. Volume one just sort of concluded, and if you notice, volume 2 features the newer Juné Manga banner, so consider how long it took for volume 2 to be released. In the meantime, you either wait uncomfortably for the continuation because, while it could have been a cliffhanger, it felt more like it ended mid-sentence; or you end up forgetting it even exists. I fell into the latter category.<br /><br />It has its sexy parts, but it leans more towards being a light, trippy, guro manga than your typical BL. I was more impressed by the bits of vampire mythology that appeared than by the story itself. Some were quite intriguing. Again, it isn't bad; there's a solid foundation, but the humor... The funny moments were like cold cubes of cheddar on an omelette—standing out awkwardly—instead of shredded Pepper Jack melted into the omelette—a pinch of spice that flowed with everything else. Additionally, the emotional rhythm was a bit off; rather than being oooh-so-unpredictable, it was more like, "wait, what just happened... I don't get it."<br /><br />I don't think it would hurt to spend an hour or so on it, because, if nothing else, especially in the 2nd volume, the art is worth gazing at. Aside from the would-be-uke, the character designs are fantastic, and the backgrounds and environments can be somewhat chilling at times. I wonder if Kusumoto had the idea for a seinen or guro manga but, due to certain circumstances, was asked to make it BL.</p>
Hiroki Kusumoto embarked on creating a vampire story, and that's precisely what she has achieved. The narrative places greater emphasis on the vampire elements rather than the boy's love aspects, and I commend her for this choice. It would have been effortless for Kusumoto to transform this into a plotless, basic yaoi story with vampires merely added as a gimmick. However, due to the presence of a coherent plot, Lou appears somewhat superfluous, or perhaps more accurately, he functions more as a plot device than a fully realized character.
The artwork boasts its own unique style and is exceptional. Kusumoto evidently possesses a talent for infusing every single line with energy. The action sequences are skillfully rendered, exhibiting a strong sense of movement and perspective. Her illustrations are deeply atmospheric, almost leaping off the page. This contributes to Vampire’s Portrait genuinely feeling like a vampire tale. While I wouldn't describe this as an entirely original story, it stands as a respectable vampire narrative. Given the challenge of innovating within the vampire genre, I believe Kusumoto successfully injects enough flair to make it distinctly her own.
For a more in-depth review, visit: http://nikkimanga.com/vampires-portrait-volume-1-review/
David's whole character development of almost 2000 chapters is basically destroyed by this ungrateful act of robbery. He is no different from arrogant rich kid like Anders and Archimedes anymore. (bullying the weak) Lost interest in this book for now. Thank you author for all the hard work.
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The artwork boasts its own unique style and is exceptional. Kusumoto evidently possesses a talent for infusing every single line with energy. The action sequences are skillfully rendered, exhibiting a strong sense of movement and perspective. Her illustrations are deeply atmospheric, almost leaping off the page. This contributes to Vampire’s Portrait genuinely feeling like a vampire tale. While I wouldn't describe this as an entirely original story, it stands as a respectable vampire narrative. Given the challenge of innovating within the vampire genre, I believe Kusumoto successfully injects enough flair to make it distinctly her own.
For a more in-depth review, visit: http://nikkimanga.com/vampires-portrait-volume-1-review/