Reviews - Vampire Dormitory, Volume 1

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Vampire Dormitory, Volume 1 by Ema Tōyama

121 reviews for:

Ugh, not sure if it’s fair to rate this since a) the series isn’t finished b) I lowkey ragequit/DNF’d at chapter 18.

The whole thing feels really derivative even if you like the archetypes being utilized (which I do!). That paired with the eh artwork just makes it feel like a slog.

It’s really too bad because when it DOES bother to be original sometimes it’s charming. I like that Yamamoto’s blood just straight up tastes nasty at first, for example.

What charmed me into picking the series up is that the vampire love interest is a big ol’ otaku but that doesn’t really end up informing his character very much. It’s like he just occasionally switches into “oh yeah I’m into anime” mode for two panels and then he stops talking about it.

But the thing that got my goat, what really made me mad, was when a brand-new ridiculous magic plot point was dropped on our heads extremely late in the game. It was maddening both on a narrative and moral level.

This manga feels like it wants to bill itself as a soft fluffy alternative to things like, say, Vampire Knight, but then it has the characters act really stupid and cruel. If you’re going to have your characters do awful things, fine, but then don’t try to sell it to me as a gentle shoujo misunderstanding when they’re bad communicators to the point of being damaging. Ugh!

I hope I’m not being too harsh, it’s 3 AM and I’m grumpy.

queermagicedit's review

4.5

Okay listen, I’m not cool with underage romance stuff going on, but I’m also aware that it’s a thing. I’m just trying to convince myself this is high school instead of the MC being 13ish. (I knocked off 1/4 star for that, for transparency’s sake)

That said, idk why but I enjoyed the fuck out of this. I immediately grabbed the second volume and read it—and I don’t usually like vampires! I think it’s just because the FMC is hiding her gender. The only thing that would make it better is if it were just a shamelessly gay romance. I would love that.

The characters are fun, its obvious there are other plot threads going on, and there’s an underlying secret the MC is trying to hide from everyone else.

Rating: 4.5/5

jasminehope's review against another edition

4.25

funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

tashatarae's review against another edition

4.5

dark funny lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

jodiexmae's review

2.5

fast-paced

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

shelovestoread81's review

5.0

adventurous fast-paced

This was the first volume of the book. I like that the vampire doesn't know she is a she and not a he.

She is lost and needs someone to care for her and if the vampire does this her blood will taste better. Love makes her blood taste better.

One of the other guys in the dormitory knows that her "caretaker" is a vampire and realizes that she is a girl and not a guy right at the end of the story.

I can't wait to see how this story continues.