MANGA REVIEW | "Call of the Night" - Volume Thirteen
It’s weird calling Call of the Night exciting. What was once a laid-back lo-fi vampire rom-com has evolved into an adrenaline-pumping thrill fest. We can thank Ko Yagami and his recent half-vampire transformation for this, as his skills have certainly wowed even Nazuna. And in Volume Thirteen, many others get to see what sort of power he’s got stored in every punch.
Things kick off with the end of the fight between Ko and the mysterious female vampire. Named Susuki, she and Azami have been seeking out Kiku, who is currently feeding on Mahiru. The search for her at first seems complicated, but a little tidbit comes in at the nick of time, and it involves Mahiru and his mother. Meanwhile, Nazuna returns from being flung a mile away, only to find herself possibly homeless.
The aftermath of Ko and Susuki gives everyone a chance to get a breather of sorts. It’s greatly needed, especially after the damage Ko delivered to the abandoned apartment complex Nazuna was using as her base. Plans are outlined, friendships are made, and even a love confession is uttered out of someone you’d least expect. Most important is some more vampire lore, where we find out why a bloodsucker can’t drink from a human they’re in love with. And it could spell a little trouble for Ko and Nazuna in the future.
Of course, things involving romance make Nazuna fluster, to the point where she can’t think straight. Thankfully, Azami calms Susuki down with the love stuff, and gets back to what’s important: finding Kiku. But as they’re coming up with a plan, Kiku brings Mahiru back to his home, where his mother still awaits for her dead son to return. What happens there is something of a mixed bag of emotions.
On one hand, Call of the Night handles the mother’s grief well, to the point where she can only think of her dead such. As such, this results in Mahiru being ignored for the rest of his life, a situation that leaves the guy angry. So when Kiku tries to snap the mother out her funk by spitting truth nuggets left and right, one should be cheering on the vampire girl for her actions. So why does it still feel like she did a horrible thing?
Perhaps it’s the trauma aspect that makes Kiku’s treatment of Mahiru’s mother slightly wrong. Although the mother is in the wrong for ignoring her son, there are times when feelings & emotions cannot be controlled. And to be awaken from such terrible feelings takes time and the right wording. Kiku got the timing part right, but how she sticks it to Mahiru’s mother was nowhere near what should be said. It’s a bad moment, but a good one plot-wise, as the mom awakens from her funk to realize how she’s been a bad parent to Mahiru.
But it’s far too late to change Kiku’s mind. The chase commences, and Kiku and Nazuna have some one-on-one time, with the former containing a box that causes some trouble for the latter. It’s when Ko literally punches his way in when things once again get turned up, as powers both positive and negative result in a fight that’s a beaut for the eyes. As the clock winds down towards sunrise, the vampire and halfling duke it out with a sprinkling of human eyes to witness.
Volume Thirteen of Call of the Night ends with some new questions. What is Nazuna’s weakness? Where is she going to live? Just how pissed off is Ko’s mom over how much school he’s missed? One hopes that these will be answered next time around. Until then, the latest volume of Call of the Night showcases everything that’s made Kotoyama’s story great in one fulfilling package!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
