MANGA REVIEW | "Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite" - Volume Three
Sometimes tonal whiplash can be a good thing, as it catches the reader off guard. However, in some cases, it can make for some very awkward pacing. While the third volume of Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite is no doubt entertaining, something happens halfway through that causes a big speed bump in the narrative. Ironic, considering what happens!
But before we get to that, Hoshino has had a lot of trouble coming out to Kyuta as a vampire. A great moment arrives when the two win hot springs tickets, a perfect getaway to get a major thing off of one’s chest. Yet even with everything nicely set up, two things get in the way. The first is Hina and the rest of the vampires, including the super-powerful Fujimiya. It’s what Kyuta says during their trip that also hinders the chance: he’s happy to be with a “human” like Hoshino, away from the loudness of the bloodsuckers.
Poor guy can’t get a break, can he? Hoshino often has trouble speaking with his heart, and even in the best-case scenario, the guy just can’t do it. On one hand, I get that he now can’t tell Kyuta the truth, as it’ll damper his spirits. With that being said, one more vampire in Kyuta’s life isn’t going to make much of a difference, right?
Before any confession can be made, Fujimiya makes his move, attempting to sweep Hina off of her feet. She wants none of it, with the powerful vampire saying that he’ll hurt her friends if she doesn’t speak to him. Thankfully, Hina’s father does something that shows why you should not mess with anyone’s daughter, vampire or not! Not only are his actions great, they’re laugh-out-loud funny!
Which leads to the mood killer: Chapter 11. Hina is getting ready for a special event based on her favorite anime, and runs into Kyuta. Things seem good, until a truck comes in and runs them over! Panicking, the drivers throw Kyuta and Hina’s bodies in the back, and head to the mountains to bury them. Of course, Hina is still alive, whereas Kyuta is barely hanging in there.
Maybe it’s just me, but this chapter of Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite feels so damn unnecessary! The whole tone of the chapter is unsettling, and even the payoff in the end — while cool visually — does nothing to warrant feeling weirded out by the majority of the chapter. I’ll be blunt: this chapter sucked, and not in a vampiric sense! (Seriously, Julietta Suzuki, don’t pull this shit again!)
Fortunately, it all comes back with two cosplay-themed chapters. The first has Hina getting hyped for her first cosplaying event. Kyuta also finds himself feeling excited, as it’ll give him the chance to give his camera skills a whirl. However, it all comes crashing down when Kyuta is tricked into cosplaying alongside Hina, a nice twist compared to what happened in the previous chapter.
The portrayal of cosplay in Japan is done very well in the second half. As someone who has gone to Acosta events in Ikebukuro, they do a great job getting the vibe of everyone who is participating. While the event in the manga is private compared to the massively public Acosta, everyone acts with the same kind of energy: excitement, fun, and — above all — passion. This not only marks a big step for Hina and Kyuta’s relationship; it also gives Hina the chance to do something she hadn’t been able to do in the past: make friends and build social circles.
Hoshina’s hot spring and Hina’s cosplay chapters are a lot of fun in the third volume of Otaku Vampire’s Love Bite. They capture everything that has made this series a joy to read. However, Chapter 11 is a low point for the manga, as its tone fits nowhere with what Suzuki has written in the past. If you want to shock your readers, it has to be done in a way that still fits with the story. Running a truck over our two leads isn’t that!
FINAL GRADE:
Promotional consideration provided by Chantelle Sturt of VIZ Media.
