A Vampire in the Bathhouse completely charmed me from start to finish. It’s a cozy, funny, and surprisingly sweet take on the supernatural slice-of-life genre. Luka, our fancy, high-maintenance vampire, just wants a break from his exhausting life. His escape leads him to the Mangetsu no Yu bathhouse, where Sakura and his family welcome him—chaotic vampire quirks and all.
The cast is instantly loveable. Luka is dramatic in the best way, Sakura is that perfect mix of level-headed and flustered, and Ume and Pequeno? Absolute scene-stealers. The found-family element was my favorite part—seeing Luka slowly go from an aloof outsider to someone who genuinely treasures the humans around him was so satisfying.

The artwork is beautiful—Luka’s lavish outfits are pure eye candy—and the bathhouse settings are so immersive you can almost feel the steam. The humor hits all the right cozy manga beats: summer festivals, ridiculous misunderstandings, and plenty of bathhouse mayhem.

If you’re looking for a low-stakes, big-hearted supernatural manga to curl up with, this one is a delight. My only complaint? I wish there were more volumes already!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for this ARC

'Vampire in the Bathhouse' is a slice of life, heartwarming manga. There is an element of BL possibility.

Nice easy read, looking forward to volume 2

I love them, your honor! Umenosuke steals the show every time and he's adorable. And, Pequeno being his little buddy. They're the cutest duo! I like how Luka managed to get the younger brother to warm up to him when he took over the cooking for Umenosuke's field trip. Chante popping up out of nowhere was comical, which reminded me of Luka in the first few pages. Let's just say that all of the characters played their part well and had their own quirks, making them intriguing individuals. Even Yomi had a solid character development, or maybe he's just that mature and sensible. Definitely enjoyed this one as a quick and refreshing read. Sakura, if you don't want Luka, I'd happily swap places with you :D

Pretty cute manga about A Vampire who stumbles upon a Bathhouse, decides to stay there for "research purposes" and turns the owners family basically upside down
I'm curious about the next volume

Cute, heartwarming stories involving an inquisitive vampire who wants to experience the human world and a tired bathhouse manager. Perfect for a light read, but definitely lacking depth on matters that are not supposed to be glossed over like consent and power imbalance.

"A Vampire in the Bathhouse" succeeds because it knows exactly what it wants to be: a gentle, funny story about finding comfort in unexpected places. It's the literary equivalent of a warm bath after a long day—unpretentious, soothing, and surprisingly satisfying.

The premise, while charming, is quite simple, and readers expecting complex supernatural lore or intense romantic development might find it slight. However, this simplicity is arguably the manga's strength rather than a weakness.

This manga will particularly appeal to readers who enjoy slice-of-life stories, gentle supernatural elements, and narratives that prioritize character interaction over plot complexity. It's a perfect palate cleanser between more intense series and a reminder that sometimes the best stories are about small moments of human (or vampire) connection.

Recommended for: Fans of cozy supernatural stories, slice-of-life manga enthusiasts, and anyone seeking a quick, feel-good read with beautiful artwork and charming characters.

This was so unbelievably cute and sweet and I did not expect it at all!! Honestly I thought this manga would be very heavily focused on the main romantic relationship to the point it would be sexualised. However that was not the case. Ultimately this manga is about a found family and the community around the bathhouse. It’s about finding comfort and safety and purpose in the small moments of life. The younger sibling really stole the show in the best way and I loved the little family dynamic that was happening. I would HIGHLY recommend this manga to literally everyone!

Adorable, adorable, adorable. Every character was so likeable and engaging that it's left me wishing this wasn't just a one-shot. Even so, the mangaka was able to do so much in the short span of this manga. I'm looking forward to more works from Niko Izuki, if they are as precious as this one was.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this before publication in exchange for an honest review. :)

This review is based on an ARC.

I loved the witty banter in this book and fell in love with the characters. I wanted a bit more heart from a few characters in their development, but overall, the characters were believable and fleshed out. I think it is witty and clever and a refreshing take on vampires. I had a good time reading it and wanted more to binge.

A cute slice-of-life one-shot manga.

Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Very funny premise. I loved all the characters and cannot wait to see more of this series. Hopefully more of the other supernatural show up!

I didn't like this book and dnf'd it. It just wasn't for me. The main character was atrocious and the story was a mess.

This was such a fun and cute read. All the characters were interesting, even the side ones. The younger brother, Ume, was my favorite. The beginning did info-dump a little with awkward dialogue, but I think it was the common amount for manga.

A fun quick read. It was goofy and light hearted I really enjoyed it.

Thank you Net Galley for an ARC

I loved the humor and lighthearted atmosphere. I also enjoy the romance that is added to this series. I enjoyed all the twists and turns along with the unexpected appearances...IYKYK

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for this arc!

5/5 stars!

Ok this was so funny! And cute! And sweet!! How was this a one shot?! That should be a crime. I need more Sakura and Luka!!! This was so good!

I can tell that the first chapter was probably the one-shot that the author mentioned in their author note. I felt that it jumped around a lot, so I got a bit confused about what was going on. I wish that the author had made the series a little bit longer, as I think that it would give more time to establish the bonds between Sakura and Luka and give more backstory between the one-sided feud between Luka and Yomi. Making the story longer would also allow for the author to delve more into the sense of community that makes the Full Moon Baths the establishment that it is, and also give some closure as to how Sakura brought that with him to Yomi's baths in the demon realm. Other than that, it was a cute cozy fantasy and I really liked the friendship between Umenosuke and Pequeño. It was so wholesome!

Hot vampires need R&R, too.

Luka Edelmont Finsternis is the portrait of a vampire. He’s regal, good-looking, and everyone likes him. But he’s exhausted. So to change up his routine, he finds the cure to all of his problems in a bathhouse.

Overall thoughts:

This romcom about a hot vampires who wants to chill and ends up getting more than he bargained for is absolutely hilarious. The story, while not a BL has some elements. It has a bit of suggestive dialogue, fanservice, and great chemistry between the characters.

Who is A Vampire in the Bathhouse for?

If you’re looking for a hilarious romantic comedy and want to read about some vampire shenanigans, you’ll likely enjoy this!

Really enjoyed this, fun and interesting premise. It's been a bit since I have dipped into manga and this was a good one to do so. I only wish I had a better screen to read it on to see all the detail of the art. Would definitely recommend.

I enjoyed this book but I found the lore of vampires a bit confusing; are they demons? Why can they only drink from one blood pact partner? That doesn’t sound very logical but it worked for the bonding trope of the story, I guess!

Overall the story was very wholesome and sweet but I think it was a bit TOO sweet for me. I understand why others have enjoyed it though.