Summary
Vampire romance is a popular subgenre that swept the world in the 2000s and 2010s with titles likeThe Twilight Saga,The Vampire Diaries, andTrue Blood. It has been less popular in the 2020s, but it’s still a fan favorite among many.Vampire romance animeis slightly more niche, but it’s abundant enough in its production to keep audiences busy for a while.
While the live-action stories of vampires falling in love are fraught with clichés, many anime titles challenge this. With that being said, some of these tropes are welcomed by fans and hold a special place in the hearts of enthusiasts. So, manyvampire romance animeare a new interpretation of old stories and themes, with much of the content following the human x vampire outline provided by its predecessors.
Updated June 20, 2025 by Mark Sammut:TheWinter 2025 anime seasonis not especially interested in vampires, but the lineup has one show that fits the bill…kind of. Well, the show is not a vampire romance, although it does involve plenty of characters who want to start a love story with a vamp.
The rankings are based on the importance of the romance, not just the overall quality. Also, a vampire has to be involved in the romance for a show to qualify.
AWinter 2025 anime,Babanbabanban Vampirehas flown under the radar, which is hardly surprising considering it is a Netflix exclusive and part of the boys love genre. However, while technically BL, this series is primarily a comedy that just happens to involve a vampire who wants to take a bite of a human boy. Honestly, it would be a stretch to describe this as a romance, despite most of the conflict revolving around crushes and love interests.
A vampire who has a specific taste for age-appropriate virgins, Ranmaru is waiting for Rihito to turn 18; however, his perfect meal is threatening to slip away as the human has fallen in love with a girl his age. Ranmaru wants to make sure he keeps Rihito as far away from Aoi as possible, so he decides to interact with the latter. Consequently, Aoi ends up falling for Ranmaru, and she is not the only one who gets a thirst for the vampire.
As a romance,Babanbabanban Vampirecannot be recommended. As a dark comedy that goes to some bizarre places, this series has its moments.
Mito’s life is tough, and that is an understatement. With no support system or a place to call home, the teen girl’s future seems so bleak that she temporarily considers committing suicide. After changing her mind, Mito accidentally slips off a bridge, forcing Ruka – a vampire – to come to her rescue. This peculiar encounter sparks an unorthodox relationship between the two, with Ruka drinking Mito’s blood in exchange for bringing a touch of light and love to the latter’s life. As great as all that sounds, Ruka accidentally believes that Mito is a guy, a situation mostly stemming from her fashion sense rather than a desire to fool her new partner.
Despite featuring a key image that shows Mito surrounded by five guys,Vampire Dormitoryis not a reverse harem but a traditional romance. Mito and Ruka are firmly presented as the main couple, with the other characters supporting the leads (or providing some narrative tension). The only small exception is Ren, but even he is not a contender for the female lead’s affection. So far, the anime has not explored “vampire” culture all that much nor has it presented a unique twist on the general formula, beyond the idea that the taste of blood varies depending on the host’s mental and emotional state. Still, it is heartwarming to watch Mito’s gradual growth as she starts to believe that she has finally found a place that (mostly) accepts her. Ruka is mostly a decent male lead as well.
For fans of morally gray vampire romance,Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlustis an excellent option. It is a classic anime sequel film to the even more classic 1985 OVA,Vampire Hunter D.Bloodlustdetails the life of Charlotte Elbourne, who is suspected of being abducted by thevampire nobleman, Meier Link. Vampire hunter D is hired to bring back Charlotte, but will Charlotte go willingly after her bond with Meier grows strong?
This is a dark romance that emphasizes the complexity of human-vampire relationships. As awesome as Madhouse’s movie is, romance is not the focus, with action and even horror taking precedence. As such,Bloodlustcannot be recommended if someone is primarily craving a love story.
Sophie Twilight is an otaku vampire living in a mysterious house in the forest. Akari Amano is a girl who went looking for Sophie after hearing about her doll-like appearance. The two meet one night and immediately become friends, as Sophie helps Akari find her way when she’s lost in the woods.
Ms. Vampire Who Lives In My Neighborhoodis a debatable romance title, with many fans interpreting the core duo’s relationship as flirty and friendly rather than downright romantic. Others seethis story has obvious yuri subtext. Either way, this show merits a mention.
This anime adaptation of the popular visual novel series is an otome game-inspiredreverse haremthat follows Yuki Komori as she moves in with a group of brothers who all happen to be vampires. At first, the brothers are quite abusive to Yuki, taking her blood without her consent and being generally mean to her, but as time passes they see that she is a pure-hearted girl who is worthy of their protection.
This reverse harem vampire romance is steamy and brutal at times. Yuki has no other place to go, and the way the boys treat her in the beginning might be unsettling to some viewers. However, it is a classic of the genre for a reason, as it depicts a slightly harsher reality of the vampire(s) and human trope.
In a world where humans are subservient to vampires after losing a war between the species, Xiao Xing Du feels like the only one who loathes her position in the world. After watching her parents get murdered by vampires, she hates vampires and everyone who has accepted the current hierarchy. One day, when she is asked to deliver something to Luo Yi, he tries to take her blood.
Sweet Bite Marksis a donghua adaptation of the popular manhua by Rui Si and Yi Kai. At just 10 minutes per episode, the anime speeds through the story, giving the characters very little time to breathe. This undermines the core relationship quite a bit, as Luo Yi and Xiao Xing struggle somewhat to develop the chemistry required to fix what is a fairly unhealthy relationship. Still, the show can be entertaining.
Well,harems are romances too. TheRosario + Vampireanime is hard to recommend when the much-superior manga exists, but it can be a fun watch if treated like mindless fluff powered by fanservice. Long story short, Tsukune is a normal human who ends up attending a high school for monsters, where he gradually amasses a harem of girls who cover a spectrum of species. That said, his main partner is Moka, a vampire who shares almost nothing in common with traditional examples.
Rosario + Vampirenever really tries to be anything more than a low-stakes harem with throwaway action sequences and characters who are mostly just happy to exist. Moka and Tsukune’s relationship gets highlighted a bit more in the sequel season, although it remains fairly static.
Monogatariis arguably the best vampire anime of all time, although Nisio Isin’s story cannot be slotted into one theme. While exploring love and relationships, the anime is far from a romance, to the point that it cannot be recommended to fans of that genre.
However,Bakemonogatariis built on the dynamic between Koyomi and Hitagi, a relationship that starts with a threat of violence but steadily becomes wholesome and sweet (while still maintaining the show’s quirky writing style). Hitagi is absent for most of the seasons afterBakemonogatari, but her relationship with Koyomi is not forgotten or dismissed.
Karinis mostly just cute, which is far from the worst thing to be. Now, to the original author’s credit, the manga offers a pretty unique subversion of vampire lore. Rather than sucking blood, Karin overproduces it, forcing her to bite into “victims” to inject her blood into them. While a pretty straightforward reversal of standard practices, this twist is still fresh, and it is enhanced by nosebleeds to inject a stronger touch of manga charm.
Karin’s life becomes very complicated when Kenta shows up at her school, as his presence is enough to supercharge her blood production. The two characters slowly start to get closer, although their romance takes a very long time to reach its boil and hits a few road bumps like the introduction of a love triangle.
Novel premise aside,Karinis otherwise a pretty straightforward rom-com with a supernatural edge. It does not take all that many risks nor does it tell a story that requires 24 episodes. Still, it is decent.
Strike The Bloodis anatypical vampire romanceas its female lead is a strong human mage, and its male vampire lead is afraid to drink human blood. Kojo Akatsuki is alleged to be the 4th Progenitor, a powerful vampire that must be watched and potentially feared. However, he refuses to drink human blood, and thus, is weaker than his title sounds. Yukina Himeragi is an attack mage, tasked with the job of watching Kojo’s every move. Naturally, the two begin to rely on each other as they get closer.
This anime adaptation of the light novel series by Gakuto Mikumo is an action-packed romantic dramedy. It features a strong female lead and is an excellent choice for shonen fans looking for a vampire sci-fi storyline.
