Rosario + Vampire

Rosario + Vampire, sometimes referred to as Rosario to Vampire, is a 2008 Ecchi Fantasy Comedy anime series by Japanese anime studio Gonzo. While the studio’s anime production has slowed in recent years, that does not mean their creations and adaptations are worthless. As most people can imagine, the anime industry is ruthless. However, when this anime series premiered, the manga series was already completed in Japan, which gives any studio more than enough story to create a remarkable and memorable series. Can Rosario + Vampire create something that will please fans and newcomers without falling into the traps of all the previous ecchi series?
Yokai Academy is a seemingly ordinary boarding school, except its pupils are monsters learning to coexist with humans. All students attend in human form and take normal academic subjects, such as literature, gym, foreign language, and mathematics. However, one golden rule at Yokai Academy is that all humans found on the school grounds are to be executed immediately!

Tsukune Aono is an average teenager who cannot get into any high school because of his bad grades. His parents inadvertently enroll him into Yokai Academy as a last-ditch effort to secure his education. As Tsukune unknowingly enters this new world, he has a run-in with the most attractive girl on campus, Moka Akashiya. Deciding to stay in the perilous realm to further his relationship with Moka, he does not realize that beneath her beauty lies a menacing monster – a vampire.

When a potential viewer reads the synopsis of Rosario + Vampire, they will most likely conquer that this is a stereotypical Ecchi series. While some parts of that statement may be genuine, that could be said for most series in any respected genre. They may not understand that this series has a solid foundation for its story; it has Action, drama, romance, and fan service. While the Action elements are very light compared with other series like High School DxD, they did the job and most likely did the same for the viewers who are not looking to watch another high-fight action series.

Another positive within this anime was that this series did not try too much. It knew what type of story it wanted to convey and produce for its audience. Some fan service anime series tries to be way too much and miss that there is no plot other than boobs or ass. While Rosario + Vampire does not hide the fact that it is one of those series, they equally give the viewer different genres within its thirteen-episode season. Each episode is connected properly without jumping oceans trying to connect the pieces at the end of the season.

However, outside of these complemental elements, there are a plethora of negatives that, if each were stated in this review, they’d be able to fill an entire manga volume. For instance, the plot is very poorly written at best, and for people arguing that they are watching this not for the plot is redundant as the source material had a well-written storyline. They pieced together all the ecchi scenes from the Manga series and glued them together to form a makeshift anime series. Whether a viewer is watching this for the bouncing boobs or the plot, the former will potentially please them.

Another negative aspect is that from episode one to the second, there is no change in the relationship between Moka and Tsukune. Of course, other girls are added to this harem. But if viewers are hoping for a beautiful romance, please be warned that their feelings don’t change from episode two. While this may not be a negative to some viewers when viewers boil down the entire characters and are left with the facts, these are poorly written, and even the worst fan service anime series does a better job than Rosario + Vampire.

Though the biggest problem that Rosario + Vampire had within its story is that it used very little of the actual source material. When a series is practically completed, and they have so much material to form a magnificent story that was chosen not to be used, it gives the impression that this anime was a half-assed attempt. Please read the Manga if viewers want a better story than what they were given.

Outside of the terrible story, the art style was better than expected. Though a little outdated in some respects, it was overall a pleasant viewing. The color tones and animation styles were well-drawn. They practically looked identical to the source material; viewers who are not even fans of the manga would enjoy the similarities. When the action scenes are taking place, the art style sometimes lowers itself, but not as bad as one may think. It’s a shock that the art style within this series is so good compared to the story.

When it comes to Animation Production is something. While the animation was good and had smooth transitions, there were a lot of repeated animations throughout the series. However, along those same lines, the production quality is at the same level one would expect for Gonzo, enough to be decent but not good. Fans of the manga will agree that the production level and quality are indeed better than the source material, but when it comes to the genericism of Rosario + Vampire is not only one of its worst qualities. It is one of the most memorable.

No matter how good a series animation may be or even how terrible it may have been, the enjoyment in the characters can potentially save it for viewers. Tsukune Aono, an average teenager unable to get into the local high school thanks to his poor grades, enrolls at Yokai Academy. Throughout the series, he makes new friends and protects them without even a second thought. As in most harem-type anime series, his friends are mostly girls who fight over his attention. He is a decent student and a good friend to anyone needing help; whether they have done wrong to him or not, he will help whenever he can.

Moka Akashiya is the vampire title character. Her schoolmates highly regard her for her beauty and academic ability. She enjoys biting and drinking blood from Tsukune’s neck. Though Rosario is removed from her necklace, she undergoes a personality change and a physical transformation into a ruthless, arrogant, and skilled martial artist who easily beats opponents.

Kurumu Kurono is a busty succubus student who originally planned to enslave all the boys at the school with her kiss. When Moka’s popularity overshadowed her, she targeted her rival’s object of affection and did whatever she could to win.

Yukari Sendou is an eleven-year-old witch who’s a genius. With her witch hat and heart-shaped magic wand, she quickly becomes the series Lolita mascot for fans. She often gets bullied for good grades, which makes her retaliate by getting back at her bullies. Mizore Shirayuki is a snow fairy typically seen with a lollipop in her mouth. She is a bit of a loner but befriends Tsukune after she continues to read his newspaper articles.

The saddest part of the entire series is that the characters had so much potential to have depth beyond the surface, and Rosario + Vampire wastes each attempt. While viewers may enjoy the series for the simplistic storyline and monster of the week type episode structure, most will find it rather dull. When it comes to areas beyond those mentioned above, they are plentiful to say but are a mix between being way too long and not enough data in one’s brain to fathom to be a “what the hell did I just watch” type series.

Rosario + Vampire is one series that is a hit with young boys who are just entering puberty and cannot watch adult videos online. With the bouncing boobs and endless panty shots, nothing beyond those lines in any direction offers the viewer anything special. Don’t underestimate a good fan service type show, but this one can easily be missed without feeling the viewer missed out on anything special.