Mito is a teenaged girl, dressed as a boy, living on the streets when she runs across Ruka, a vampire otaku who only likes 2D girls. He asks for her to be his thrall in exchange for a place to live and lots of love. And so starts another shoujo manga series. It's got the cross-dressing trope and the abandoned trope. Not to mention the romance and vampire romance tropes. It's pretty standard fare although the idea that the blood tastes better from a well-loved person is an interesting twist from what I've seen before. Also, there seem to be other potential love interests based on what's been offered so far. So I guess there's the love triangle trope too.

So far there's not a lot of depth to the characters but it is early days and I imagine it will delve a bit deeper with time. Overall, a cute little series for those who like their trope-y manga series in shoujo.

Overall, I give this 3 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha for giving me an advanced reader copy. I have provided this review voluntarily.

A vampire romance with boy love vibes, only it isn't a boy love manga.

Mito is out on the streets. No job, no money, and no place to stay. After being saved by a vampire named Ruka, Mito agrees to be his thrall. Ruka tells Mito that he's been looking for a boy like him for some time now because he won't feed from a woman. Which would be fine except Mito is a woman. She disguises herself as a boy to help her survive being homeless, and now she is too desperate to let him know that she's a girl.

This is an interesting one. It's got some serious boy love vibes but it's not actually a boy love manga. It seems to be making its way to a love triangle manga. I tell you manga and love triangles go hand in hand, and as long as they are done well, I love a good love triangle. The illustrations are gorgeous as well. I really enjoyed it. I will be continuing on with this comic as soon as I can get my hands on the next volume.

Some of the logic doesn't make sense though. So she puts on a wig and transforms into a hot guy? At the end of the manga, it shows that she has a pretty sizeable chest. So even wrapped, those breasts are going to show. Also at the beginning of the manga, she loses her job because she brings in too many women to the owners 'men's' place. Seems to me like most business owners would want to keep an employee that brings in so much business.

I would not recommend this to anyone under the age of 18 due to some nudity. Great for those who like vampire romance stories. This has that added bonus of boy love vibes, but I'm sure that will go away as soon as she is outed.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review this book. This does not in any way influence my honest opinion or review.

Vampire Dormitory can be filed under the following categories: manga, vampires, otaku, orphans, cross dressing, boarding schools, cafes, and love triangles. Volume 1 sets up these elements very nicely and even leaves a nice possible-reveal cliffhanger at the end. The first volume hovers around the PG rating and those concerned with content need to deal with the hot spring bathing culture of Japan, but as the relationships develop, the rating will likely get more restrictive.

(Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review)

"The world is full of people and not a single one wants me around"

Vampire Dormitory starts its story with Mito, who has been abandoned and lived her life as a boy on the street as a means to stay safe after graduating from middle school. She was then saved by Ruka, a vampire, who took her to reside in the boy's dorm after an indecisive effort to kill herself in exchange for becoming his vampire thrall.

Admittedly, this manga is not in my top tbr list but since Netgalley is open for a request, I thought why not. I can see the traditional murkier manga, complete with cross-dressing and reverse harem themes but make it with vampires. However, I find the plot pretty comical (not in a good way) and add the few corny dialogues, which were pretty cringy.

"Each and everyday I will love you to ripen your blood"

Nothing was going on with the manga honestly. The pace was a bit off and everything was with no substance. I was expecting a semi-serious plot but it was meh. The only time I enjoyed reading the manga was when Ren made an appearance.

And as usual, ending the manga in a cliffhanger always made me want to jump to the second book but I'm not sure of spending my money on the series since it didn't start with a good foot. I love the art though and I can see this becoming a light and fun anime if it is adapted, but not as reading materials (unless you're in for a silly plot).

It's no secret I love vampires, so I couldn't resist the opportunity to read the first volume in a new vampire manga. Vampire Dormitory's biggest selling point is the artwork, which is lovely. The story is predictable, sticking close to many well-established tropes, yet it's still enjoyable if you're happy to just sit back and let it flow. However, there were times when I had questions (e.g. why wear a wig when she could just cut her hair short?) and other times when I would have liked more information (e.g. what are the vampire 'rules' in this world, since daylight didn't seem to be an issue etc.). Perhaps I am just being impatient, though, and those questions will be answered in future volumes. Overall, I am giving this 3.5 stars. The story is probably a three, but the artwork gives it that extra boost, so I will round up to a four. I would read on to volume two if I get the opportunity, to see how the story will develop.

Big thanks to Kodansha Comics for the advanced copy via NetGalley. This review is being given honestly and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall 3.5 stars rounded up to 4

I've read from this author a lot when I was younger and I was really excited to they had another series in publication. The art was on point and the plot was pretty fun and cute. I had a lot of fun meeting out characters and watching the plot get set up in volume 1. Definitely looking forward to volume 2 as soon as possible!

Thank you to Kodansha and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Vampire Dormitory, Volume 1 by Ema Toyama is an adorable and exciting shojo manga that will appeal to vampire fans all over. The story revolves around, Mito, who has just been fired from her job at a restaurant. Her "handsome" face attracts a ton of female customers, and her boss doesn't feel bad at all because a face like hers will get her a new job anywhere. Unfortunately, her face also attracts the wrong kind of attention. While running away from a scary person, she stumbles across of cafe full of handsome waiters. Unbeknownst to her, all of them are vampires!

Overall, Vampire Dormitory, Volume 1 has all of the elements of a winning shojo manga! The beginning reminded me partly of Tokyo Mew Mew, partly of Ouran High School Host Club, and partly of Vampire Knight. A girl stumbling into a group of handsome boys, but what happens when all of them vampires? Will Mito survive the encounter? Will she become a vampire herself? And what is the key to her survival is pretending to be a boy? One highlight of this book is the beautiful art. I've read a few of the creator's previous works, and the artwork here is top-notch in comparison. Another highlight of this book is the dramatic storyline. I couldn't put this book down, because I was so excited to see what would happen next. If you're intrigued by the description, or if you're a fan of shojo manga, I highly recommend that you check out this book, which is available now!

2/5 Horny vampire manga but pretty art

Trigger warning for attempt unalive, slight blood, and sexually suggestive content in this manga. Slight spoilers (I didn't include anything that wasn't already mentioned in the synopsis but it is still a bit spoilery for those that don't like to know anything.)

First off, it should be noted that I am not a person that likes romance or sexual stuff for myself so I'm not really one for smutty books but sometimes I find them interesting so I don't mind reading them occasionally. This is definitely for lewd lovers and people who are into the whole cross-dressing troupe which I hate. I don't know why I hate it so much but I do even though I am gender fluid it just sparks anger in me lmao. I think it's probably because of the way they go about it because they always get into some sort of gay relationship but they're lying to their partner so that not very cool. The story was meh, it basically like most shoujos where a girl gets kicked out and has to end up living with a guy because they're in poverty. The art was pretty but it was really weird how she was flat-chested but then had boobs when she would be in a robe which is when you think she'd bind but I don't know lol. The other visual thing that bugged me is that she wears a wig the same hair color just to have shorter hair but she'd lived as a guy for a long time wouldn't she just cut it???

Overall, definitely for those who like lewd content and those who fetishize gay people so not for me (I'm not being homophobic I'm pan just in case it comes across wrong and I like lgbt romances but this is very much for a female audience). I wouldn't pick this up again or buy the next volume but if the publisher posts the next volumes I may pick them up just to review because it was a quick read like Kodansha books usually are and I'm a hoe for free manga lmao.

Disclaimer: I read this arc on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

NOTES WHILE READING:
-I only asked to review this because it's a quick read and from Kodansha so I don't know if I will like it since it's probably horny vampires lmao.
-TW for unalive oof
-Crossdressing troupe :| Also, why is she wearing a wig?? What??
-Don't understand where her boobs go if she isn't wearing a binder/bandages like in the one scene???
-AGAIN WHY DOES SHE WEAR A WIG TO HIDE HER HAIR JUST CUT IT
-This is so weird why

This was an enjoyable read, and I liked the supernatural touch in an otherwise ordinary shojo manga with plenty of clichés. The storyline lacked a bit of depth and contextualization (e.g., our MC didn't bat an eye when Roku revealed he was a vampire, so I didn't get how exactly vampires were seen in that world - a myth? Monsters? Supernatural beings living peacefully among humans?).
It was compelling nonetheless and, in the end, despite all its flaws, made me curious to know how it would develop moving on.

I received a copy of this manga through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Any time I read a book with a mythic creature I look for what new or interesting ideas the author brings to the table and Vampire Dormitory does not disappoint. The concept that a person's blood tastes better if they are well-loved is very intriguing, especially as Toyama adds the fated mates angle of a vampire being physically unable to turn their true love into a vampire. Often times in vampire romances, the conflict between the mortal and immortal comes down to a question of will they or won't they eventually be turned and this premise throughs that right out the window in book one. So far the only issue I have with this new take on vampire lore is the inherent heteronormativity of it all.

As for the plot of the story, it is a very basic shojo premise with a supernatural twist. A girl is cross-dressing for *reasons* and becomes the roommate to a hot guy. Romance and shenanigans ensue. So far what sets it apart, aside from the vampireness, is Ruka being an otaku. He isn't brooding, damaged, or refusing to feed off femmes for moral reasons. He is an obsessed fan boy too in love with his 2D waifus to betray them with a real girl. I kinda love it.

I've read Ema Toyama before with mixed results. I loved I am Here and Manga Dogs. The former for it's short and sweet nature. The latter for the self-referential humor. I did not care for Missions of Love because of incest and wholely unlikable characters with poor motivation. At this point only time will tell which this series will be.

This story line was so good I read it all in one sitting. The characters, the backstory, the gorgeous drawings made such a great introduction. I am hooked. I crave more.

I received a copy of this manga through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

It was a pretty classic smuttier manga with tropes of cross-dressing and reverse harem (with quite beautiful man specimens)…and…oh yes…vampires.🧛
I like reverse harems and cross-dressing girls in all-boys-school but I find the whole taking in an unloved person to “ripen their blood” amazingly toxic and creepy. It’s basically like grooming someone to take advantage of their vulnerability…and getting a quick burning love story out of it…Uhhh…🙄
Not to mention the mostly light-haired and big-eyed decisively white characters and all the gay-romance part of the book being actually cross-dressing straight love…Yeah, mangas are kinda problematic at times…But at least the boys were attractive, the art pretty and the smut was sort of hot! 😜
In its old lane it was an okay manga but times have changed and some things might need to start keeping up with that! 🙂