Combining vampires and the grinding Victorian gears of steampunk, The Case Study of Vanitas is another title in the glamorous subgenre of supernatural and ornate Gothic horror anime. Starting out as a manga published in Square Enix's Monthly Gangan Joker, Vanitas has gone on to spook up an even bigger fanbase with its 2021 anime.
Both the anime and especially the manga are pretty easy to get a hold of. Although the story may star bloodsucking vampires, much more characteristic of the series is its art style and glistening visuals. Before the anime comes back in 2022, here's how to catch up with both versions of The Case Study of Vanitas.
The Plot of The Case Study of Vanitas
The series gets its name from the Book of Vanitas, a tome within the series used to heal vampires as well as its wielder. The two main characters are Vanitas and Noé Archiviste, the former of whom is a human who heals vampires and the latter being a vampire himself. Together, they aim to heal other vampires of their affliction, keeping them from succumbing to their more predatory urges.
Unfortunately, this quest and the power of the Book of Vanitas are despised by the Vampires of the Red Moon, who instead embrace their evil, violent ways. The book also has some ties to the original Vanitas, who was himself a vampire. All the while, another faction exists in the shadows that may be the reason behind the curse of vampirism.
Where to Read the Case Study of Vanitas Manga
The original manga for The Case Study of Vanitas was created by Jun Mochizuki, beginning its run in Monthly Gangan Joker in 2015. Running since then, the series has amassed nine collected volumes. With its fantasy horror themes and beautiful shojo-esque art style, the series is somewhat in line with Mochizuki's previous manga work, Pandora Hearts. Sadly, the series did briefly take a production break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but by November 2020, it was back up and running.
While the franchise has gotten its most mainstream attention from the anime, the manga series has been localized in the West by Yen Press since 2016. In terms of purchasing the volumes digitally or physically, pretty much anywhere that has manga will carry The Case Study of Vanitas. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Walmart and Right Stuf Anime allow customers to buy the physical copies in-store or online, while digital versions can be bought and read through Comixology and Kindle.
Where to Watch the Case Study of Vanitas Anime
March 2021 saw the announcement of the then-upcoming anime adaptation of The Case Study of Vanitas. The series is produced by well-known and illustrious anime studio Bones, who are most known for working on franchises such as My Hero Academia, Fullmetal Alchemist, Wolf's Rain and Space Dandy. The series' first season was split in half, with the first section airing from July until September 2021. The second half begins in the middle of January 2022, meaning it's now just around the corner.
Funimation licensed and dubbed the series outside of Asia, with the Southeast Asian release being handled by Plus Media Networks Asia. The entirety of the series so far can be streamed through both Funimation as well as the Hulu streaming service. Individual episodes and the season as a whole can be purchased for streaming through Amazon Prime Video, but this is the original Japanese version and does not contain English subtitles. It's definitely different from many vampire anime, so those wanting some style in their supernatural stories should sink their teeth into The Case Study of Vanitas.
