Vampire Knight, Vol. 11 [Paperback]

I adore this series, and if you haven't, go watch the anime, while slightly different it's still amazing to watch my favorite characters come to life.

Unlike the last volume we get a little more of a story, though there isn't much action in the way of violence or fighting. This story takes place over the course of a year. In the beginning we see Kaname escort Yuki to their childhood home, and explaining how tainted his hands have become over the years, killing and winning the freedom to protect Yuki at all costs. The senate is gone and while most of the younger generation support Kaname's takeover not all vampires are sure that still having a pureblood reigning over them is a good thing. The story flashes to a year forward with Yuki still secluded at the Kuran residence and unable to fully satisfy her thirst. You see for purebloods the thirst can only be satisfied by the one you love. While Kaname is good with only Yuki's blood, half of Yuki's heart belongs to Zero still and so only half her thirst is quenched.

I really wish we could have seen more interaction between Yuki and Kaname, I adore him and though I like Zero, I was a Kaname fan from the first volume. Zero is rising in the Hunter's ranks, though his blood lust isn't under complete control. The school is still open, but most of the students had their memories erased and the Night Class no longer is there. The volume ends with the beginning of a Soiree, something to show that both the hunters and the vampires can be amiable, but how many of the vampires will show up to support Kaname? And what about Zero's promise to kill Yuki the next time he sees her? I can't wait for the next volume, and don't quote me (it's been a year) but I'm pretty sure that this isn't in the anime, I hope that they have a third season to continue with it, but I just remember watching Kaname and Yuki going off together while Yuki makes the promise that she'll run forever from Zero to ensure he has something to live for. Volume 12 isn't shown yet on Amazon but any details would be welcome!

This volume of Vampire Knight examines the fallout of the battle for Cross Academy on those who were affected.

Yuki is now sequestered by Kaname for her safety, sustained by the biological bliss induced by his presence when he can be with her and some earnest attempts at comfort by Aido. Although it's pretty obvious that Aido feels that she's gotten a raw deal and sympathizes with her - something that his facial expressions have previously suggested and he now actually backs up with some covert attempted actions - one thing he's already shown he's not going to do is openly defy Kaname, and Yuki is going to have to ultimately deal with her relationship with her fiance-brother on her own.

Meanwhile, Zero - still heartbroken over Ichiru's fate and Yuki's turning - begins to deteriorate without access to Yuki's blood, Yori is endangered by her status as the neophyte Vampire Queen's best friend, and Shiki and Rima's fear intensifies as Ichijo - brave, warm, steadfast Ichijo - fails to return to them...

This volume is all about divided loyalties, from Yuki's headlining relationships with Kaname and Zero, to Aido showing signs of being torn by his attempt to balance his Kaname-worship with his now undeniable friendship with Yuki, and finally Shiki's conflicting desires to support his Kuran cousins and find his best friend - not helped by Rima's fury at Kaname for not calling out the Marines to find Ichijo.

Obviously a bridge volume, but a very good one which in hindsight will probably prove to set the stage for the rest of the series.

I would probably rate this closer to 2.5 stars if I could. I have enjoyed Vampire Knight for the past 3 years and have found it a compulsive read, even though the quality is somewhat erratic. The character styles have been steadily becoming prettier in a style I enjoy, but the art overall is lacking in the depth of detail the earlier volumes had and the creative angles that made the art interesting, looking a lot more mainstream these days.

Volume 11 includes chapters 49 to 53, chapter 49 continues from chapter 47, leaving chapter 48 as a bit of a filler chapter that doesn't quite fit in because it seems to lack in purpose and impact, a pity.

Chapter 49 introduces the new arc by skipping over a year, during which, flashbacks show, Yuuki refused to learn to use her fangs and has pretty much been starving most of the time while stuck inside for a whole year, Kaname has been working in the shadows gathering support for his rule and Zero and the hunters have been cleaning up after the chaos created by the destruction of the council. Kaname finally brings that in by signing a treaty with the hunters, but their relations don't seem to be as nice as they used to be, while Zero is included as the potential new president of the hunters, Yuuki is left out in the cold instead worrying about dresses and how to present herself at the party.

Yuuki falls flat in this volume, the concerns that once made her so interesting, with her hidden past, have all been revealed and she's left to dealing with more vacuous issues, such as the possibility of being in love with two men and her desires to support Kaname no matter what he does, she contributes pretty much nothing to the story but a bit of angst. There was a lot that could have been explored, such as the fears that kept her inside for a year, dealing with her parents and the reality of her past, angst over not seeing her friends and family for a year, all the changes, but any of that was just lip service and her plot boiled down to boy troubles while not really making any real decisions.

Yuuki's character is exemplar of this chapter, much of it seems to be about waiting for something to happen, waiting for a plot, though its intended to be a introduction to the new arc, not much comes of it, the drama is all built up to the reunion of Zero and Yuuki rather than any real drama and with very little comedy, this volume doesn't offer that much entertainment. Overall, volume 11 really lacks much impact.