22 Best Vampire Manga Books You Should Read

Tales of Horror and Romance, Plus Some Bloody Good Laughs

Young woman sitting on a couch reading manga in the daytime.

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Ever since Bram Stoker introduced the world to "Dracula," bloodthirsty immortals have been the subject of many novels, movies, and now, manga. From gothic romances and gory horror to suspenseful modern mysteries and goofy comedies, these shojo, shonen, and seinen manga offer the bats, blood, fangs, and drop-dead gorgeous creatures of the night that make vampire fans swoon.

01
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Vampire Knight

Vampire Knight Vol. 1 cover.

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  • Author, Artist: Matsuri Hino
  • Publisher: Shojo Beat Manga/VIZ Media

The Cross Academy offers an unusual curriculum for two very different types of students: day classes for humans and night classes for aristocratic vampires. As the adopted daughter of the headmaster, Yuki Cross is one of the few human students who know about the secret of the night school classmates.

As Yuki discovers long-standing blood ties, grudges, romances, and rivalries between the various vampire clans, she soon finds herself in a troubling love triangle that may cost her humanity.

02
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Hellsing

Hellsing comic book cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Kohta Hirano
  • Publisher: Dark Horse

When supernatural forces threaten Queen and country, the Royal Order of the Protestant Knights, a.k.a. the Hellsing Organization, are on the front line. Their secret weapon? Alucard, a powerful immortal and near-invincible vampire who can shoot, kill, and maim his enemies with cold-blooded efficiency.

As he fights the Catholic Church, the Nazis, and other vampires, Alucard takes no prisoners as he leaves a trail of carnage in his wake.

03
of 22

Rosario + Vampire

Rosario + Vampire Volume 1 by Akihisa Ikeda comic book cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Akihisa Ikeda
  • Publisher: Shonen Jump Advanced Manga/VIZ Media

Tsukune flunked all of his high school entrance exams, so he ends up at the only school that would accept him, Yokai Academy. The catch is that "Yokai" means "monster" and Yokai Academy is a high school for vampires, demons, and werewolves. Tsukune is the first and the only human student enrolled there.

But his luck looks like it's turning around when a pretty classmate falls for Tsukune almost immediately — mostly because Moka is a vampire and she thinks his blood is positively yummy. Moka's no pushover. When her cross, or rosario, is ripped from her choker, Moka's true power and fury are released.

04
of 22

Chibi Vampire

Chibi Vampire, Vol. 7 cover art.

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  • Author and Artist: Yuna Kagesaki
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

Karin is the misfit in a family of vampires. While her suave older brother seduces and feeds on the blood of pretty girls, Karin is a vampire in reverse: she gives back blood to anyone she bites. The other odd twist? Karin's transfusions give luck and vitality to her "victims." Once a month, Karin has blood to spare. If she doesn't find a victim to give blood to, it gushes out of her nose...which gets pretty embarrassing.

When her classmate Kenta sees her "donate" blood to a drunk businessman one night, he immediately jumps to the wrong conclusion. This only gets more complicated when Karin finds herself strangely attracted to Kenta.

05
of 22

Cirque du Freak

Cirque du Freak Volume by Darren Shan cover art.

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  • Author: Darren Shan
  • Artist: Takahiro Arai
  • Publisher: Yen Press

Darren and Steve are best friends who share a fascination with monsters. Then a visit to an unusual circus and an encounter with a mysterious vampire forces them to make heart-wrenching choices that change their lives in strange and frightening ways.

This manga adaptation of Darren Shan's bestselling supernatural novels was originally published in Japan in "Shonen Sunday" magazine by Shogakukan. 

06
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Twilight, The Graphic Novel

Twilight: The Graphic Novel Vol. 1 cover art.

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  • Author: Stephenie Meyer
  • Artist: Young Kim
  • Publisher: Yen Press

This story of a human girl who falls in love with a handsome classmate who just happens to be a vampire has sold millions of books and movie tickets all over the world. Now Korean manhwa artist Young Kim has brought the tale of Bella and Edward to life as a graphic novel, filled with dark drama, romance and yes, sparkles.

07
of 22

Trinity Blood

Trinity Blood cover art.

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  • Author: Sunao Yoshida
  • Artist: Kiyo Kyujo
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

When Earth's population grew too great for one planet to manage, humans attempted to colonize Mars. What this event set in motion was the rise of two super-races of vampires and an apocalyptic war between humans and the undead that continues even 900 years later.

On one side is are the Methuselah, a breed of blood-sucking, super strong alien vampires. On the other side is the Vatican and its secret weapon Abel Nightroad, an immortal Crusnik who feeds upon the blood of the Methuselah. As both forces clash, political intrigue combines with sci-fi and fantasy for an epic tale with Byzantine twists and turns.

08
of 22

Vampire Hunter D

Vampire Hunter D cover art.

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  • Author: Hideyuki Kikuchi
  • Artist: Saiko Takaki
  • Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing

In a world ravaged by a long-ago armageddon, vampires are aristocrats, scientists, and the rulers of the world. While humans are re-emerging as a force to be reckoned with in this grim world and the rule of the vampires is on the wane, their thirst for human blood remains.

In this bleak, corrupt world is D, a half-vampire, half-human dhampir who belongs to neither world. He has the unique combination of strength, magical power, smarts and elegant, bewitching beauty that make him the ultimate vampire hunter.

09
of 22

Blood+

Blood+ Vol. 2 cover art.

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  • Author: Asuka Katsura, Production I.G./Aniplex
  • Artist: Asuka Katura
  • Publisher: Dark Horse Manga

Saya Otonashi seems like an ordinary high school girl. She's athletic, she tends to oversleep, and she has a healthy appetite. She's got lots of friends and an adoptive family who adore her. But Saya can't remember her life beyond a year or two back.

And there's a good reason for that. Saya is near-immortal and she has a special gift: her blood can kill chiropterans, a fierce breed of bat-like creatures that feed off human blood. Both the Japanese and U.S. government are very interested in her talents.

10
of 22

Millennium Snow

Millennium Snow Vol. 1 and 2 cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Bisco Hattori
  • Publisher: Shojo Beat Manga/VIZ Media

From the creator of "Ouran High School Host Club" comes an unusual romance between a human girl and a reluctant vampire.

Chiyuki Matsuoka was born with a weak heart, and her doctors say she doesn't have much longer to live. Touya is an 18-year-old vampire who hates blood. By refusing to feed upon or partner with a human, Touya is doomed to die as well. But if Touya and Chiyuki exchange blood, both could live for another thousand years. Can a young girl who's dying teach an immortal boy the value and joy of living?

11
of 22

Bloody Kiss

Bloody Kiss cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Kazuko Furumiya
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

Kiyo is a poor but hard-working high school student who inherits a grand but decrepit mansion from her grandmother, along with two roommates who just happen to be vampires. To make things even more complicated, one of them is determined to make her his bride.

Kuroboshi is a sensitive soul who'd rather wilt than suck blood without his girlfriend's permission. But that's where the similarity ends, as "Bloody Kiss" is more like a goofy comedy than a sweeping romance.

12
of 22

The Reformed

The Reformed cover art.

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  • Author: Christopher Hart
  • Artist: Anzu
  • Publisher: Del Rey Manga

Giancarlo is a handsome and rich recluse who captivates anyone he meets. But this mysterious nobleman lives in a modern metropolis with his age-old secret: he's a vampire and immortality is his, as long as he continues to feed on human blood.

But when Giancarlo meets Jenny, his heart is stirred, and he tries to reform his vampire ways. This won't be easy when a series of gruesome murders is terrorizing the city, and a detective is convinced that Giancarlo is the prime suspect.

13
of 22

Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives

Vampire Kisses cover art.

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  • Author: Ellen Schrieber
  • Artist: rem
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

With her black hair, dark makeup, skull accessories, and blacker than black clothing, Raven is your garden-variety high school goth girl. Her classmates at Dullsville High tease her, but little can get Raven down now that she's found her dream guy: Alexander Sterling, a handsome and sensitive guy who just happens to be a vampire.

Other than their purely nocturnal social life, Raven and Alexander's romance seems to be going well — until Alexander's half-human, half-vampire cousin Claude comes to town and brings a pack of troublemakers to stir things up.

14
of 22

Vassalord

Vassalord Volume 2 cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Nanae Chrono
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

Meet Johnny Rayflo, a handsome, devil-may-care vampire with just-got-out-of-bed hair and sly bedroom eyes. He's rich, he lives in a big house, and he's got a staff of robot maids who serve and protect him. When cybernetic vampire hunter Charley Chrishunds visits, he unleashes an arsenal of swords and explosives upon the Rayflo household. At the end of the bloody melee, Charley is impaled with a dozen swords, but the two still kiss and make up — or more accurately, make out.

15
of 22

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness

Castlevania: Curse of Darkness companion guide book cover.

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  • Author, Artist: Kou Sasakura
  • Based on the video game from TokyoPop

Inspired by the Castlevania video game series from Konami, "Castlevania: Curse of Darkness" centers around Lord Dracula, a war between humanity and an army of demons, and the evil undead led by the vampire lord of Romania.

16
of 22

Canon

Canon Vol. 3 cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Chika Shiomi
  • Publisher: CMX Manga

From the creator of "Yurara" and "Night of the Beasts" comes another tale of shojo-flavored horror and suspense with a touch of romance.

The only survivor of a brutal vampire attack that claimed her entire high school class, Canon herself is now a vampire. With Fuui, a talking vampire crow at her side, Canon is sworn to the cause of vengeance as she seeks Rodd, the Lord of the Vampires, and the source of her immortal powers.

17
of 22

Model

Model Vol. 7 cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Lee So-Young
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

Jae is an aspiring artist from Korea studying her craft in Europe. When her roommate brings home a strange man who she met at a bar, then leaves him with Jae to sleep off his drunkenness, Jae just shrugs it off as one of those things that happens when you're young, carefree, and far from home. As he sleeps, she can't help but be fascinated by his otherworldly looks and starts sketching, using her new guest as her model/muse.

But this bewitchingly beautiful man is more than just a random hottie from a bar. Michael is a vampire. One bite leads to another, and before Jae knows it, she's in deep with this mysterious man and his equally mysterious past.

18
of 22

Red Angel

Red Angel Vol. 1 cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Makoto Tateno
  • Publisher: Digital Manga Publishing

From the creator of the yaoi manga classic "Yellow" comes a gothic tale of two mysterious siblings who are much more than they seem.

Raven-haired Mika is much too impossibly beautiful and elegant to be just another high school girl. Her brother Eru is homebound but is as ethereally eye-catching. To the casual observer, the siblings could pass for angels who have come down from heaven. But this traveling twosome never stays in one place for long for a reason. As immortals who crave human blood, they must hunt and feed in secret, then move when humans suspect their true identities and their ultimate secret.

19
of 22

Lament of the Lamb

Lament of the Lamb Volume 1 by Kei Toume.

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  • Author and Artist: Kei Toume
  • Publisher: TokyoPop

Since the death of his mother, Kazuna has been living the normal life of a high school student. But when his long-lost sister Chizuna reappears, Kazuna learns about a frightening family secret. He discovers that a disease has been passed down to him and his sister from his mother's side of the family. The two siblings are cursed with a blood disease that makes them crave human blood and flesh — making them, in effect, vampires.

20
of 22

The Record of a Fallen Vampire

Record of a Fallen Vampire Vol. 7 cover art.

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  • Author:​ Kyo Shirodaira
  • Artist: Yuri Kimura
  • Publisher: VIZ Media

In a time long past, Vampire King Akabara Rosered Strauss ruled over a kingdom of vampires that co-existed with humans. But when his vampire queen went on a madness-induced rampage, she was sealed away beneath a mystic seal. Since then, Strauss has searched the world in a seemingly endless quest to find his long-lost queen.

But his quest is quite a bit harder than it seems. To prevent Strauss from finding his queen and reawakening her, the forces opposing Strauss created an ever-reincarnating enemy: The Black Swan. This is a warrior woman who is reincarnated over and over again to battle the forlorn king.

21
of 22

COWA!

COWA! by Akira Toriyama cover art.

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  • Author, Artist: Akira Toriyama
  • Publisher: Shonen Jump Manga VIZ Media

From the creator of "Dragon Ball," "Dragon Ball Z," and "Dr. Slump" comes an appealing one-shot story about Paifu, a vampire/were-koala boy, his ghost pal Jose, and their life in a village filled with all sorts of suburban monsters, spooks, and demons.

When an epidemic of the Monster Flu hits their hometown, it's up to Paifu and Jose to recruit Mr. Maruyama, a retired wrestler to go on a road trip to get medicine to save their friends and families from this deadly disease.

22
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The Dark Hunters

The Dark Hunters Vol. 3 cover art.

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  • Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
  • Artist: Claudia Campos
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Based on the best-selling supernatural novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon, "The Dark Hunters" introduces manga readers to Kyrian. This is an immortal being who was once a general in ancient Macedonia but now prowls the night as a vampire hunter. Frightfully handsome Kryrian has lived, loved, and been betrayed before, but finds himself hopelessly attracted to Amanda Devereaux. She is an accountant who has the distinction of being the only "normal" member of a clan who dabbles in the supernatural.