'Moonlight'

(CREDIT: to the creator)

RANK: 4 out of 5 <- I miss 2007... *sniffles*

Vampire month seems to be more on reviews than actual rants. Maybe I'll do one right after this one. So, onto Moonlight.

This show is the very reason I have disliked CBS for the past three years. All thanks to them, they didn't pay their writers well enough to prevent the writer's strike that put this great show in its premature grave. I know that it's silly to be angry at a company for cancelling a show that can be valued subjectively. Because a wise man once said that "to carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee", wasting time by not getting over what has happened is pointless. Well, thankfully I am not allergic to a foolish bee that commited suicide because he doesn't like my negative feelings.

Let me miss the depressingly nostalgic, good old days of watching Ghost Whisperer and Moonlight on Friday nights. *sigh*

Despite the glory I give it, Moonlight was a flawed show. The first few episodes for the most part had weak plots and the dialogue was "meh". But I still watched them because I saw the potential that it had to tell a great story with a unique and interesting vampire mythology. The show doesn't start off painfully slow, especially when Mick for the most part is smooth and charismatic, unlike one vampire from another show that has the social skills of a toddler...

Speaking of which, now that I have dived into the Buffyverse, I can now say that Moonlight has ripped off of Angel in countless ways. Main character has a thing for blondes? Check. Issues with the ex? Check. Vampire trying to help people to make their eternities less boring? Check. Private investigator? Check. Tall, dark, brooding, and handsome? Double check. Not knowing how to deal with a vampire/human romance? Triple check. Getting food from hospitals and IV bags rather than humans? Quadruple check. Refusing to drink blood from the human lover? - Okay, you get the idea.

And I think David Greenwalt was a part of the staff at one point in the show's creation...

HOWEVER. Unlike Angel, which brings demon elements from the Buffyverse, Moonlight is heavily vampire-oriented. Almost every case Mick picks up has something to do with his kind, and though he islotaes himself from the "way of life," he still has plenty of contacts (his wealthy friend and mentor Josef, computer hacker Logan, autopsy worker Guillermo, etc.) In that sense, the show has a more professional and mature air to it, allowing one to skip some of the awkward beginnings and dive right into making the characters interesting.

And have no fear, Beth Turner is NOT much of a Mary-Sue human love interest. If only the show wasn't cancelled, Mick and Beth's relationship might have been one of the best vampire/human romances; there is no "destiny" crap; just two people who work together when their jobs allow it and happen to become friends and then fall in love. No bullshit attached. XD

The show overall: cool vampire mythology, decent special effects, fun characters (*JcOoSuEgFh!*), and an overall plot that had so much potential. Because the show feels a bit incomplete, especially after the introduction of the lawyer guy at the end, I give Moonlight a solid 4. But I would still recommend checking it out.

RIP, great series. Unlike some people - my parents - I have stuck with you from the beginning to the end. You will be dearly missed. :'(

"Suck the Blood Right of my Heart..."

The Vampire Diaries. Twilight. True Blood. Vampire Academy. Vampire Knight. Moonlight. House of Night.Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. Underworld. Tales of Vladimir Todd. Dracula. Nosferatu. And many more tales that I failed to come up with in... my brain hurts...

Thankfully in the past several months the whole vampire trend in the media seemes to have calmed down to reasonable levels. However, the trend is still seen as destructive to the dignity of the entire vampire concept.

There are loads of times when being a vampire fan embarrasses me; even blogging for a whole month on nothing but vampires scares me. (Thus, I thank my viewers who still stick around when all hell broke loose.) Out of all the posts on the subject, every single piece of media portrays them as dark, attractive, mysterious, and sexual creatures of the night. Wasn't it only a few centuries ago when vampires were unfeeling, heartless, horrible servants of the devil?

Though I can't remember specifically, vampires fascinated me long before Twilight. Brief mentions of such creatures in Harry Potter? Mentions of Dracula? Sights of vampire costumes? Mini history lessons about Halloween monsters? Debates of superiority between vampires and warewolves? Playing with dolls with my friends and imagining they had supernatural powers? Whatever sparked my interest (though I'm sure the Count from Sesame Street didn't start it,) I knew the basic, semi-universally accepted characteristics of these creatures: repelling from holy water, the sun, and garlic; drinking blood from the living; roaming around at night; having pale skin, fangs, and dark hair; and dying from a stake to the heart.

Because I grew up knowing this, these tend to be the limits of my standards and

I never seemed to mind the various interpretations of these monsters. Though the vampire mythology of Buffy is far different then that of Vampire Academy, I still relish both interpretations for the sake of an enjoyable story.

But I obviously will join in the traditionalist bandwagon in the crusade against the sparkling ones. Thank you, Stephanie Meyer.

To further prove how much of a sucker (pardon the awful pun) I am for them, I have always wanted to write my own vampire story. Maybe it wouldn't bring dignity to the mortally bleeding horse, but at least it isn't beyond dead completely. But for now, I continue to research, watch movies and TV shows, read books, surf the web (who says that anymore?), and use my noggin to create something - if cliched - that won't suck to the point of people puking out their organs.

Regardless, the process is moving very slowly, but having sources and saving them never hurts.

In the meantime, I still have to dive into several books that people have asked me to read, specifically Dracula, Interview with the Vampire, and The Historian. Well, I'll get there in the next three years or so at the rate I'm moving. Hopefully I can get something, somewhere one of these days: just as long as my blood doesn't run dry.

Since I didn't update as much as I wanted to, I will wrap up this month with maybe two more posts: one on a basic summary of the origin of some vampire legends and a review of something else. Look out for them, or dance for joy that the topic will get stabbed in the heart and sealed into a hell dimension for a very loooong time.

... ... ... maybe I should really stop watching Buffy. At least the title came from a HIM lyric... *sigh* Making references with no feedback is great for my ego. I have no life... *sniff*

'Queen of the Damned'

(CREDIT: to owners. obviously.)

Rank: 2.8 out of 5 <- unfortunately mindless entertainment

There's nothing wrong with mindless entertainment (hell, I liked Eagle Eye and Live Free or Die Hard just for the intense car chases and guns!) Such films are needed to make us relax as well as to not overanalyze or expect much from any aspect of the story; we save that for films like Inception or The Sixth Sense. However, we don't need films that insult our intelligence or leave us numb towards suffering onscreen. Thankfully Queen of the Damned does the former, but it does the latter in some cases.

To start things off, I have never read any of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles. I have never even seen the movie adaptation of the well-known Interview with the Vampire. By now, dear viewers, you should have turned off your internet server and planned to never return to my blog again for typing such blasphemy. "A self-proclaimed vampire fan has never read Anne Rice? What is wrong with her?! How dare she!!"

And yes: I dared. And I digressed. :P

Despite not reading into this universe, I have at least heard of the series as well as the two movies based on them (be thankful that I am somewhat cultured.) I especially heard of Queen of the Damned, partially because I heard "System" by Linkin Park's Chester Bennington on Pandora. I was rather curious and I looked up the movie's soundtrack on Wikipedia, where Marilyn Manson, Disturbed, Godhead, Papa Roach, and Kidneytheives contributed songs. Months later, a Youtube user I follow made a very direct, but detailed review of the film. Though she did warn that Queen of the Damned was "in the middle" I checked it out anyway.

And she was right.

This film can be compared to a child taking a visual exam. The doctor says to read line 5 as best as the child can; he decides to read line 6 very efficiently instead. Though he did a very good job at reading words far smaller than planned, he failed to meet to the basic standard the doctor placed. Queen of the Damned does this by telling the story of Lestat instead of Akasha, the character who has the movie named after. And I know that the Vampire Chronicles mostly focuses on him, but Lestat gets far more screen time and well-written development than any other character. By the time the movie ended, I was shocked this wasn't called Lestat's Damned Adventure or something... It is especially confusing when many believe that Akasha would be touched upon much more.

Everything except Lestat was average or poor at best. Akasha was more of a force than a character; Jesse was only a love interest for everyone who likes human/vampire romances; Marius is portrayed completely wrong (I have done my research: Magnus was the one who sired Lestat;) Maharet was a waste of 20 undeveloped minutes; and everyone else was forgettable beyond belief. The plot wasn't too horrible, but with bad characters to begin with, one cannot expect much. As for special effects... I can't complain, especially after seeing far worse (sorry Buffy!)

Only see this movie for a time when you want some mindless entertainment, because despite its strong flaws, Queen of the Damned is not awful. This not quite bad but not quite great film earns a 2.8: enjoyable mediocrity. Such a thing can exist.

But I must ask, why would someone butcher some of the major plot points of a well-loved book series? Something I won't ever understand or tolerate I guess...

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Part 2

Double review of Buffy Season 5 and Angel Season 1! :P

(CREDIT: to Joss Whedon... the creator)

Rank: 2.5 out of 5 <- dear God in heaven...

Remember when I said that seasons 2 and 3 were my favorites because they made the characters lovable? Well... many have came close to going out via the guillotine. To be honest, I don't completely know why I disliked this season. It couldn't have been Angel: I watched his spin-off along with this so I'm not detoxing... Cordelia? Nah, she's in Angel and is treated better... Oz? Giles? Xander? Anya? Hmm... how about those four? Though not much could have been said about the plot of season 3, at least there was one enemy to care about. This time around, by the time Riley and Buffy are a couple, all care for anything went "bye bye."

Characters were deprived beyond belief. Giles was ignored 80% of the time; Xander felt more useless than he might actually be; and Anya was worse off in the development department then Angel was in season 1. And as interested as I am in Tara, I still couldn't help but mourn the fact that Oz left the gang for good, leaving me with three quarters of a season to suffer through. Minus these guys, I could only find comfort and amusement from Spike and Willow. That's it.

More complaints flying in at the horizon. Although Riley is sweet, nice, and a good guy, I can't help but find him to be annoying. I'm not saying this because I find Angel and Spike to be better because of their "conditions," but they had something interesting to offer, wether its humor, usefulness, or their own identities. Despite being in the military, Riley is the normal guy Buffy wanted... a nervous, passive, uninteresting dork. You have no idea how happily amused I was when the testosterone fight over Buffy happened in "The Yoko Factor."

Maybe it's because I lack the boyfriend-girlfriend relationship experience, but Buffy was so emotionally and physically clingy to Riley that Buffy and Angel looked coldly heartless and distant. What a world...

Once I get past my tears over the characters, I cared less about the entire plot, which was a total waste of potential. Having no invested interest in characters often equates to having no concern for conflict. The Initiative attempted but failed at being a "conspiring" project under the government; the "monsters of the week" were lame; and Adam was an interesting villain (compared to the Mayor) with poor initial set up.

A lot of complaining? Yep. This was a boring season. OBVIOUSLY.

But there were some decent episodes like "Hush" (the Gentlemen are freaky!), "Fear, Itself," "The Yoko Factor," "Restless," and "Who Are You." "Pangs" could have introduced a better monster of the week, but I can't complain if there was a crossover with Angel. *sigh* I think I am detoxing...

On one hand, I can't say this season is horrible since it was still watchable enough for me to stay with the show. However, it's disappointing when one skips two episodes because he/she has no patience for the slow pacing. So I'll just leave this at a 2.5.

(CREDIT: created by Joss Whedon and David Greenwalt)

RANK: 4.3 out of 5 <- awkward, but hilarious

Those three words sum this up pretty accurately.

Seriously, what better way to start the first episode than this: a 247 year old vampire is at a bar (oh boy...), fairly drunk and bummed about his failed relationship with Buffy (*pinches bridge of nose*), stops a bunch of vampires from feeding on two women, and storms off in a gloom back to his apartment. (*cringes at the awkwardness*) A half-demon with prophetic vision named Doyle follows him and tells the vampire to get his act together and take advantage of his abilities by helping people. The obnoxious whiney gi - I meant Cordelia-

is also in Los Angeles and teams up with Angel and Doyle by forming their own private investigation agency.

Might I add that the first two episodes are pretty painful to sit through? All three of these guys are so socially awkward that even a wallflower would be thankful for planting her roots in deep. On one hand, a new series needs to find its sense of direction, so strange scripting and the like are understandable; even in the story, each character has their own insecurities and socializing isn't their specialties. But as far as first impressions go, the first two episodes dampened my hopes for Angel. And then Spike appears in episode 3. His priceless entrance saved me from discarding the show, which does get better soon after. (SPOILER!) Things improved so much that Doyle's death in "Hero" made me cry. (I hate you Joss Whedon!! T-T)

As mentioned in the above review, Angel surpassed Buffy overall. The new characters, such as Linsey and Gunn, were fascinating, and old, Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley, developed from their previously restrained selves from the main show into complex identities. Because of this, the plot and conflict held interest so tightly that I would often play two episodes in a row instead of playing this and Buffy simultaneously. There are loads of pop culture references thanks to Cordy, but the humor was executed really well, reminding me of the first three Buffy seasons.

My favorite episodes? "Rm w/a Vu" and "I've Got You Under my Skin" since I'm a sucker for exorcisms... "Sense and Sensitivity" with the epidemic caused by the talking stick (a long and hilarious story)... "The Prodigal" and "Eternity" for Angelus (ah, good times)... and "Sanctuary" for Angel's way of saying "This is my show, Buffy, and I don't need your help!"

Just don't get me started on "I Will Remember You." I am still shaking in anger and sadness from it.

Without a doubt, Angel gets a 4.3 for helping me stay sane from the boring main show. But if only the beginning started off a bit less rocky, I could have given this season a 4.8.

So imagine that. A spinoff was more enjoyable than the main show. Let's see what Season 5 and Season 2 bring...

'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' Part 1

Well, here I am, a 90's child, and I never, ever watched this series... until almost a month ago.

For those who read my entry on the reboot plans, one can safely assume that I have become a big fan rather quickly. As of now, I have just started Season 5 of Buffy and Season 2 of Angel. Because I don't want to make individual posts for each separate season I finish, I will review a few in one, just so you aren't overwhelmed by the number of Buffy posts. :)

And as usual, credit to the owners.

Season 1

Rank: 4 out of 5

Hands down, this is probably the corniest season when it comes to special effects; anyone can see that the small budget flashed bright on the empty backroad at midnight. But for what is was, these 12 episodes handled every necessary element to telling a story very well. The first few episodes failed to disappoint despite the art of slowly introducing the universe so the viewer can invest time and give a crap. Getting into Buffy was fun for me because of the things I don't see often in entertainment: witty dialogue, compelling characters, and great dry, tongue-in-cheek humor. (Do you realize how seriously underrated dry humor is? Even my friends don't get it... -_-)

Pros? The main monsters in each episode are all interesting and not what I'd ever expect. Sadly, the badass monsters start to fade away by season 3. *sniff* But fortunately, the overall pacing and storytelling were very well executed, which continues throughout. I have fallen for more plot twists in the first two seasons of this show than any other. And might I add that Xander is hilarious, Willow is awesome, Giles is cool, and Angel is awkwardly cute? XD

Cons? Every character developed in fairly small, but reasonable steps... except Angel. Once episode seven played, I had almost had no idea how two episodes ago he and Buffy were "eh" and then magnets happened to pull them together in one scene. Then by episode 12, Giles mentions how "poetic" it was that a "vampire [is] in love with a Slayer." *snickers* Okay, show. If you call undeveloped and unexplained romantic magnetism happening in such a short time without showing any sure connection between them... go ahead and continue that "poetic" stuff. Gimme a barf bag.

Fortunately, that didn't take away the fact that this season was very impressive; furthermore, the vampire mythology was very interesting.

Season 2

Rank: 5 out of 5

Yeeeeeeeeeaaah... just to get it out of the way.... I'm a Buffy/Angel fangirl. XD

I can't remember there being a boring episode in this season. Some things were annoying (Cordelia is definitely NOT an exception,) but many new characters made things a load of fun. Without a doubt, Spike is easily one of the most impressive; his humor never fails to make my lungs sore, and his overall being steals the spotlight in every shot, every scene, every episode. Drusilla is insane, but dangerous and beautiful in a way I can't really explain. Like Spike, she stands out in her own way.

But the character I loved the most? Angel.

Sure, in the first half of the season, he develops, but still at an underwhelming rate: for crying out loud, he practically has a one-track mind. But once his curse breaks? Oh man, there were times when he out-Spiked Spike. Angelus was the guy I loved to hate as he tortured Buffy and her friends (I still am shocked over that scene in "Passion" when he speaks to Joyce, even though I saw it coming.) But the very scene I loved the most? In "Becoming Part 1" he tries to awaken a monster... and fails. He's not a guy to piss off, and it didn't help that Spike predictably had something to say.

This season was a hell of a roller coaster ride for everyone. By the end of season 2, the characters really grew into interesting and real people (or demons in some cases.) The monsters were still creative for the most part. But the Big Bads (aka the biggest villians) were easily the most enjoyable compared to the others from the first four seasons.

Only drawback? Things got a bit too melodramatic at times. Well, blame a blonde and her 245 year old vampire boyfriend. But man, those were fun times...

Season 3

Rank: 4.8 out of 5

Probably my second favorite, Season 3 relied a lot more on conflict between characters, developing them into being far more three-dimensional. The drama is finally taken in a more serious fashion as previous relationships matured (like Buffy and Angel no longer clinging to each other every two seconds...) There were so many episodes dedicated to certain characters that the Big Bad sat at the back of the shelf, collecting dust until one of the main characters betrays everyone.Because of the excessive emphasis on the cast, the villains barely satisfy. Even the Master from Season 1 had better screen time than the Mayor. Otherwise, nothing new and exciting turned the world upside down: it's just Buffy and the gang finishing senior year of high school.

Pros? Again, the plot runs slowly, but characters shine bright here. Xander gets his own episode, "The Zeppo," while it mocks the cliches in the series (everyone arguing about the apocalypse and who should be the sacrifice was a scream.) Oz grows to be such a likable member of the gang that he becomes the only rope of sanity to go through part of Season 4 (my hopes were too high.) Faith, the new Slayer, is... well, a bitch; at least Cordelia is tolerable, but still useless. Spike makes a hilariously brief appearance.

But for what plot there was, by the time we get to "The Prom" the gang's changing relationships are depressing, but enjoyable. Hand down, by "Graduation, Part 2," if you bonded with any characters at all, this episode gets emotional.

And of course, the season could have been better with character development if the Mayor and Mr. Trick were better established. But at least Faith is interesting despite my dislike for her.

OVERALL:

In general, the show constantly makes fun of the cliches in horror films, especially when the usual plot devices come along (EX: bad guys talking while torturing someone; taunting in battle; holding someone hostage; etc.) Humor, drama, horror, vampires that don't stray too far from what's commonly accepted... so why not? From these seasons combined, I'll give Buffy the Vampire Slayer a 4.5 out of 5.

Onto reviewing Season 4... *groans*

The 'Twilight' Series

Being Vampire Month, you all saw this coming...

(CREDIT: why would I make such a series?!?!)

Rank: 0.01 out of 5 <- no words can describe my despair...

The very thing I fear in life is any kind of extremist. And I hate to turn into such a person if I say that this series is a piece of crap that should have never been blown up in epic proportions and that must be avoided by all who are vampire enthusiasts.

To be honest, every living person in this universe has already stated why this series is of awful quality as a "saga" or any piece of literature. In a way it is pointless to regurgitate the same excuses over and over again as to why this whole concept fills my heart with blood clots and my head with aches. But I will say that this series embarrasses me to death about liking vampires. It's so bad that even I fear that all the human-vampire romances I like are all just as shallow and stupid as Bella and Edward's! I even cry about it when watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer...

But it wasn't like this at first. I used to really like Twilight, or at least the first book. Sure, there are loads of bad things about it (Bella's Mary Sue Syndrome, Edward's perfection, the "vampires'" traits, the weak attempt of adding bad guys at the end, etc.) but the amount of awfulness isn't terribly overwhelming. There was something small in that book that kept telling me to read it, or maybe it's my subconscious reminding me that maybe I can find a guy whom I can love so much. Being a teenage girl with such thoughts is such a fun experience; no wonder we go through losing weight, looking pretty, and dressing nice just to find the perfect guy. "Bella gets a guy with no problem?! WHAT ABOUT ME??"

Regardless, the first book was readable... and had one great comment Bella made that my friends and I cite all the time: "Stupid, shiny Volvo owner."

Though I really liked the series back then, I remember almost nothing about New Moon and Eclipse. The former dragged on very slowly, especially with Bella being more pessimistic and depressive than I have ever been, and the latter overwhelmed me by its length and lack of action. Furthermore, the characters were never worth remembering, those in Vampire Knight were crafted in finest quality in comparison.

So what yanked me away from the series and discard it forever? Breaking Dawn.

Reading Jacob's point of view really showed me how ridiculously silly Bella dealt with her love for Edward as well as her pregnancy (another longwinded debate I refuse to comment on.) Without him, I would not have seen how annoying the storyline was getting. But what finally made me wish the series ill will was quite simple: Alice had a vision that the Volturi were coming. The whole "OMG! We're going to die!" melodrama forced me to close the book and never pick it up again. That's right: I could sit through the awful sex, the grotesque birth, the absurd concept behind Renesmee even existing, and Bella's stupidly unrealistic high hopes for a good pregnancy that only a delusional person could have. But that vision scene KILLED ME.

But the best part of this whole fad is the fact that it's considered a "saga" (JRR Tolkien must be weeping in his grave...) and is [or was] on every cashier, every store window, every "alternative scene" store, every item imaginable from candy to graphic novels... and EVEN THIS!

THIS. IS. AN. ASSAULT. AGAINST. LITERATURE.

I have never seen such absurd marketing in my short life, and I hope I never see such extreme measures ever again for the next ten years. At least things have quieted down since New Moon: it seemed odd that the fangirls didn't go batcrazy when Eclipse came out.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this series receives a grade far lower than Linkin Park's pathetic A Thousand Suns, which compared to this needs a 3. If only that Volvo quote never existed, I would without hesitation give this series a solid 0 in all fields: plot, characters, originality, research, and vampire interpretation.

Now if you'll excuse me, I will enter my insecurity corner where I will continue to be embarrassed of the fate of human-vampire romances. Weeping and listening to some doom metal might be a good idea...

'Vampire Knight'

(CREDIT: created by Matsuri Hino.)

Rank: 2 out of 5 <-- average

Basic Overview:

Yuki Cross remebers her earliest memory of being attacked by a vampire and saved by another named Kaname Kuran. Ten years later, Yuki and a vampire hunter named Zero attend Cross Academy as guardians protecting the "Day Class" human students from the "Night Class" vampire students. The story follows Yuki having suspicions about Kaname, helping Zero deal with his turning into a vampire, recovering her lost memories, and dealing with vampire society.

After a while, I have come to realize that this story is Vampire Academy without traveling, controversy, sex, and any form of humor. Reading Vampire Knight is the equivilent of taking a class and realizing over time that you are unable to absorb anymore reasonable information without wanting out. The course might be interesting, but you have hit the point when the information has exhausted you.

The overall storytelling strikes as one of the biggest unavoidable flaws of Vampire Knight. I brought this up with a friend on Pandora a few months back, and he said that though he liked the artwork (he especially liked the rose design - see to the left), he found the plot to be very overdramatic and cheesy. On one hand I agree with him; however, this is not my biggest concern. Maybe it has to do with the "women liking cheesy drama and romance" stereotype box that I fit in every now and then. Hey, I'm not ashamed.

I find that this series indulges too much in being too vague and one-dimensional. Though far better than one particular "vampire" interpretation, these vampires are still lame. We get it: they are gorgeous, they sleep in the day, they crave the blood of their lovers, and they have proper manners. Some characteristics that are never brought into question are how they react to sunlight, how long do they live on average, and why the hell are they so human? Sure, I enjoy the vampires with guilty consciousnesses in other stories (*cAoNuGgEhLs* *cMoIuCgKh*), but Vampire Knight doesn't bring up the fact that most vampires... KILL HUMANS. Having cunning, evil vampires haunt and terrorize the most royal of their people doesn't quite satisfy. Even in a human world, that whole concept is esseintailly boring in its basic form.

Want vampires terrorizing society? Once again, Vampire Academy has it, and does it better.

Not to mention that chess references and symbolism are splattered all over the story. If only I knew how to play would I understand what is going on with the story 75% of the time. Damn that cursed exposition (which plagues the "plot" by the way)!

As for people... either they were major and important from day one, or they are one-dimensional and forgettable. No character stands out in a unique way, except maybe Zero, the most stubbornly unbreakable and indifferent character I have ever seen. He makes all hard-skinned bad boys look like cry babies. Yuki fits one of the several typical shojo heroine types: enthusiastic, thoughtful, curious, big-eyed, selfless, always hungry, not very school-oriented, etc. etc. But until a certain point, she was pretty enjoyable for what she was. No freaking out like Tohru (Fruits Basket) and not a crybaby like Mikan (Gakuen Alice.) And for Kaname... about that guy... He is the Edward Cullen that finally had the balls to come out and say "I have emotional issues and I express it by being possessive and treating Yuki like a child."

Until this series is done, I am still for Yuki and Zero being a pair because at least they had a real relationship as opposed to Yuki and Kaname's... I probably shouldn't spoil anything.

But one might wonder why I didn't rate this any lower: the series started off cliched, but decent. The anime had more humerous moments than the manga, but character interaction stimulated a few chuckles, especially when Akatsuki and Hanabusa are around. Yuki and Zero's growing friendship marks as a definite highlight. But once Yuki gets her memories back, the storyline gets annoying and I start to care less about everyone (except Zero. ^_^) The "plot" flows rather awkwardly because it often fails at introducing and fleshing out secondary characters. Sometimes in order to enjoy a story, the characters must be likable when they face conflict.

So overall, I give Vampire Knight a 2.0: there are might be three decent characters with interesting pasts, but a better sense of direction and less vagueness might have made it a 3.0.

I am still yet to figure out why I still keep an eye on this series. Maybe I invest too much energy and hope into certain relationships between characters...

(REEDIT: Sept. 10, 2011)

Fangirl's Asylum Overthrown by Vampires

Let's see how many viewers I will lose just from looking at this post.

As previously mentioned, I wanted to dedicate a few posts to something I'm addicted to other than the awesome group of five awesome Finnish men who make the most awesome music on the face of this earth. And did I say that HIM is awesome? XD


This day marks the start of Vampire Month on my blog. I will make a few brief posts on the origins of these dark creatures, rants about current interpretations and popularity, and reviews about anything vampire-related. Need I be anymore obvious? But some of you can relieve your fears; I might not have done all of my homework (like reading or watching Dracula,) but hopefully the more traditional vampire fans won't attack me.

All the uninterested are free to browse through other posts and read more enjoyable forms of insanity. Just don't run into any creepy people with fangs. (Though those with the fake fangs are more dangerous...) :P