Vampire romance is a popular subgenre of romance that swept the world in the 2000s and 2010s with titles like The Twilight Saga, The Vampire Diaries, and True Blood. It has been less popular in the 2020s, but it's still a fan favorite among many. Vampire romance anime is a slightly more niche subgenre for those looking for vampire romance, but it's abundant in its production.

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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 vampire romance enthusiasts. So, vampire romance animes are often a new interpretation of old stories and themes, with much of the content following the human x vampire outline provided by its predecessors.

Updated May 18, 2024 by Mark Sammut: Although too early to compare and contrast it with other series, the Spring 2024 season features one vampire romance anime that should be watched by anyone interested in the theme.

12 Vampire Dormitory (Spring 2024 Anime)

MyAnimeList: 6.17

Due to being an ongoing show that is only about halfway through its first-cour run, Vampire Dormitory cannot be officially ranked for now. Nevertheless, Studio Blanc's shojo adaptation warrants a mention since it is not only a rare modern vampire romance anime but also comes across as a prototypical example of the subgenre/theme.

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 Dormitory is 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.

11 Dance With The Devils

MyAnimeList: 6.26

When Ritsuka's mother is kidnapped, and she's attacked by men looking for a grimoire she's never heard of, she is saved by the student council president Rem. Unfortunately, Rem is looking for the same grimoire, and his intentions with Ritsuka are not as honest as they seem. That is, until he starts to care for her.

This reverse harem features the affection of devils, vampires, and exorcists, and is as epic as it is absurd. It features a strong musical element as well, and the Dance with Devils series was followed by an enjoyable movie called Fortuna.

10 Mignon

MyAnimeList: 7.89

Mignon is a short, original ONA that was first released on Vimeo in the summer of 2023. It is a modern-day BL, depicting the romance between an underground cage fighter, Mignon, and a doctor who is secretly stealing blood from unconscious boxers, Oh Young-one. At first, Dr. Oh is reluctant towards Mignon's feelings, but as time passes he warms up to the idea of sharing a life with him.

This is an 18+ title that features gore and sexually explicit content. That said, it’s a great pick for fans of BL and vampire romance fans alike. If fans want to skip the sexually explicit content, and just focus on the vampire-human romance, they can avoid the final episode.

9 Vampire Knight

MyAnimeList: 6.86

Vampire Knight is a classic shojo manga adaptation about Yuki, a human, her childhood friend Zero, and the vampire Kaname. This love triangle is a classic for a reason, as it depicts the budding romance between Yuki and Kaname, as well as the jealousy and loathing of vampires from Zero.

The story takes place at Cross Academy, a boarding school with a day class and a night class. The humans in the day class idolize the night classes, not knowing that the night class is filled with vampires. While the show has not aged especially well, it is still quite entertaining in a car-crash type of way. Yuki can be a bit too passive at times, but she works for this type of narrative.

8 Strike The Blood

MyAnimeList: 7.03 (Season 1)

Strike The Blood is an atypical vampire romance as 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.

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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.

7 Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

MyAnimeList: 7.93

For fans of morally gray vampire romance, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is an excellent option. It is a classic anime sequel film to the even more classic 1985 OVA, Vampire Hunter D. Bloodlust details the life of Charlotte Elbourne, who is suspected of being abducted by the vampire 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, Bloodlust cannot be recommended if someone is primarily craving a love story.

6 Ms. Vampire Who Lives In My Neighborhood

MyAnimeList: 7.09

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 Neighborhood is a debatable romance title with many fans interpreting the core duo's relationship as flirty and friendly rather than downright romantic. Others see this story has obvious yuri subtext. Either way, this show merits a mention.

5 Actually, I Am...

MyAnimeList: 6.84

When the class "leaky basket", Asahi Kuromine, decides to tell his crush about his feelings for her, he walks in on her at the wrong time and discovers that she is a vampire. Instead of being afraid of the winged vampire he sees before him, Asahi finds it cute and decides to keep Youko Shirgami's secret. Unfortunately, Asahi is easy to read, and bad at keeping secrets, so an assortment of hilarious situations arise out of his promise to keep Youko's true identity hidden.

Actually, I am... is a laugh-out-loud cute romantic comedy about supernatural beings secretly existing in everyday life, and one high schooler tasked with the job of keeping them a secret.

4 Diabolik Lovers

MyAnimeList: 5.19

This anime adaptation of the popular visual novel series is an otome game-inspired reverse harem that 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.

3 Sweet Bite Marks

MyAnimeList: 6.54

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. This enemies-to-lovers vampire romance ONA is sure to make fans swoon.

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2 Hakuoki

MyAnimeList: 7.36

During the Bakumatsu Period in Japan, Chizuru Yukimura is on a mission to find the whereabouts of her father who's gone missing. She disguises herself as a man and treks to Kyoto, only to be chased down by two ronin. The ronin are then killed by man-like beasts with fangs who are imperviousness to blades. Just when she thinks she's about to be killed by a demon, she is saved by a shinsengumi named Toshizo Hijikata.

Hakuoki is a romance action anime about vampire hunters. Although it may seem like a reverse harem, the romance is mainly between one of the shinsengumi and Chizuru. The show does a great job of balancing a plethora of different genres, offering genuine drama along with an engaging historical epic mixed with supernatural themes. Although not always taking center stage, romance develops naturally as the anime progresses.

1 Call Of The Night

MyAnimeList: 7.98

Based on a popular manga, Call of the Night has an almost dream-like feel, largely stemming from its nighttime setting. Suffering from insomnia, Ko spends his nights exploring the empty streets, a pastime that causes him to meet a mesmerizing woman named Nazuna. Enigmatic and free-spirited, she represents Ko's ideal, and that does not change when he learns she is a vampire. In fact, Ko asks Nazuna to turn him into a night-walker, a process that requires a human to fall in love with a vampire to work. Therefore, they set about accomplishing just that, all the while trying to keep their endeavor a secret from other vampires.

Call of the Night is a bizarre romance since Ko is actively trying to fall in love with Nazuna, but he is not quite sure what that emotion feels like. Nevertheless, the two characters have great chemistry, and they are both extremely likable. The anime also sets up an interesting world that will hopefully one day be explored further in a sequel season.

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