12 Best Anime Based On Vampires

Pankaj Sharma
Jun 29, 2023
6 min read

Updated: Aug 8

Vampires are popular in Japanese anime, portrayed as dark antiheroes or likable characters. Anime fans can't get enough of these fanged creatures, and there are plenty of vampire-themed series to explore.

From powerful villains to relatable high school students, vampires offer diverse stories and interpretations. With their supernatural allure and iconic fangs, they continue to captivate audiences in the world of anime. So, here are the 12 best anime shows based on vampires.

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12/12 Rosario + Vampire

In Rosario + Vampire, a teenager named Tsukune Aono has a hard time getting into an excellent high school because of his bad grades. But then he finds Youkai Academy, a school that seems normal on the outside. However, it's actually filled with all kinds of monsters pretending to be human.

One of the main characters is Rosario, who looks like an average girl but is actually a vampire. Tsukune has to hide the fact that he's human from the school staff because if they find out, they'll follow the school rules and punish him and maybe even execute him. So Tsukune does his best to keep his secret safe while navigating through the challenges of Youkai Academy.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Rosario + Vampire	January 2008	6.73	Gonzo	Crunchyroll

11/12 Vampire Knight

Vampire Knight is a popular shojo anime that revolves around Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu, who serve as prefects at a unique academy that admits vampire students at night. Their responsibility is to protect the daytime students and maintain the academy's reputation.

However, as they go deeper into their roles, they discover unexpected connections between themselves and the vampire students. This romance series, while receiving mixed reviews for its love triangle, remains well-known for its dramatic storyline and romantic elements.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Vampire Knight	April 2008	6.84	Studio Deen	Crunchyroll

10/12 Noblesse

Noblesse characters sitting around a table

Noblesse follows a powerful vampire named Rai who wakes up in modern-day Korea after sleeping for 820 years. He doesn’t know anything about today’s world, so his loyal servant, Frankenstein, helps him by enrolling him in high school. There, Rai slowly gets used to normal life and becomes friends with some kind-hearted students.

But their calm life doesn’t last long. A secret group shows up, trying to use supernatural powers for their own gain. Rai, though quiet and calm, steps in to protect his friends. The anime mixes exciting battles with funny and heartwarming moments, especially when Rai tries to understand modern things like smartphones or school life. Unlike most vampires, Rai doesn’t want to control others. Instead, he fights to keep peace between humans and nobles.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Noblesse	October 2020	6.90	Production I.G.	Crunchyroll

9/12 Dance In The Vampire Bund

In the anime adaptation of Dance In The Vampire Bund, MinaTepes, the vampire Princess-Ruler, creates an island sanctuary called The Bund for vampires to live in peace. Mina strives for harmony between humans and vampires when their existence is revealed.

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However, she faces opposition from prejudiced humans and extremist vampires. Mina must defend The Bund and fight for justice in her attempt at a peaceful coexistence in a world filled with conflicts.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Dance in the Vampire Bund	January 2010	6.96	Shaft	Crunchyroll

8/12 Strike The Blood

The series is about a high school student named Kojou Akatsuki who becomes a vampire after a strange event. He's actually a powerful being known as the Fourth Primogenitor. To prevent him from taking over the world, a secret group sends an apprentice to keep an eye on him and potentially kill him.

However, Kojou and the apprentice end up teaming up to fight against the supernatural creatures on Itogami Island. Adventure, friendship, discovering — you name it, and you will find it in this extraordinary vampire series.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Strike The Blood	October 2013	7.01	SILVER LINK.	Crunchyroll

7/12 Blood Lad

Blood Lad centers around a powerful vampire named Staz Charlie. He's not like other vampires because he doesn't crave blood. Instead, he loves reading manga and playing video games. However, one day, Staz meets a human girl named Fuyumi Yanagi who accidentally ends up in his Demon World.

They feel a strong connection, but something terrible happens. Fuyumi is killed and becomes a ghost. Determined to bring her back to life, Staz, along with a magician and a half-wolf friend, sets off on a journey across the Demon World to find a way to make Fuyumi human again.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Blood Lad	February 2006	7.10	Madhouse	Crunchyroll

6/12 Trinity Blood

In this 24-episode anime, we follow Abel Nightroad, a unique vampire known as a Crusnik. Trinity Blood is set in a world divided into two factions, the Vatican and the New Human Empire, engaged in a Cold War.

Abel fights alongside the Vatican, opposing the manipulative Rosenkreuz Orden, who seeks to exploit the conflict for their own gain. The anime explores the struggle for coexistence between humans and vampires, blending political intrigue with supernatural warfare.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Trinity Blood	April 2005	7.28	Gonzo	Crunchyroll

5/12 Seraph Of The End

After a deadly disease wipes out adults, vampires take control and demand the blood of children in exchange for their care. Yuichiro Hyakuya — the main character of the series —and his friends suffer under vampire rule until they plan an escape.

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But Hyakuya is the sole survivor, fueling his desire for revenge against the vampires. Seraph Of The End impresses with its action-packed fight scenes in humanity's last refuge, where Hyakuya and others train to combat the vampire threat.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Seraph Of The End	April 2015	7.48	Wit Studio	Crunchyroll

4/12 Blood+

It is a story set in Okinawa, Japan, in 2005, with Saya Otonashi as the main character. She is a regular schoolgirl living with her adopted family. Saya is, however, attacked by a creature called a Chiropteran that feeds on human blood.

Saya discovers that her blood is toxic to these creatures, making her the only one who can defeat them. Now, with her friends by her side, Saya sets out to destroy all the Chiropterans and uncover the secrets of her own past. Together, they fight to protect humanity from these dangerous monsters.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Blood+	October 2005	7.60	Production I.G	Netflix

3/12 Shiki

Shiki is about a quiet Japanese village where strange things start happening after some new people move in. One by one, villagers begin to die mysteriously. As the story goes on, it’s revealed that the dead are coming back to life, but not as normal people, rather, as shiki, vampire-like creatures who need to drink human blood to survive.

What makes Shiki stand out is how it shows both sides of the story. It doesn’t just paint the humans as good and the Shiki as evil. Instead, it shows how fear, pain, and the need to survive can make anyone do terrible things. The humans become cruel out of fear, and the Shiki just want to live, even if it means hurting others. By the end, you're left wondering who the real monsters are.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Shiki	July 2010	7.72	Daume	Crunchyroll

2/12 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

It is a special sequel to the animated movie Vampire Hunter D (1985) that fans adore. It tells the story of D, a unique character who is part vampire and part human. D's job is to hunt down creatures of the night and get paid for it.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is even more exciting than the first movie. It has a complex plot with forbidden love and other hunters chasing after D's target. The animation is stunning, and there's lots of action. If you're into animated vampire movies, you'll love Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.

Anime	Release Year	MAL Rating	Animation Studio	Watch On
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust	April 2001	7.96	Madhouse	Prime Video

1/12 Hellsing Ultimate

It is an anime series that closely follows the original Hellsing manga. It's considered one of the best vampire anime because it has everything you want in a vampire show. It follows Alucard, a vampire hunter who loves his job and is incredibly skilled at it. The catch, he himself is a vampire.

He fights against other vampire-hunting organizations and faces brutal and violent challenges. The show is visually stunning and captures Alucard's confidence as he battles enemies.