Call of the Night (2019)
[よふかしのうた]
Volume 1
Author/Artist: Kotoyama
Publisher: Shounen Sunday Comics
Synopsis:
An insomniac dropout encounters a vampiress and wants to become a vampire himself, but for that to happen, the two of them have to fall in love.
Story/Characters:
If you've read my reviews of Kotoyama's previous series, Dagashi Kashi, you'll know how much I loved that, so when I saw that he had a new series coming out, I snapped up this volume at the first opportunity. I actually had no idea what the story was going to be about. I certainly wasn't expecting vampires. Our male lead Kou Yamori starts out rudderless and disconnected, a literal chuuni, which I have to figure was a deliberate choice to play into the fantastical scenario. You have an interesting premise with two people who are socially stunted given the challenge of falling in love with each other. You would think Nazuna would be presented as the savvy elder, but she's honestly not much better off than Kou. By the end of the volume, we're introduced to a prospective rival in the form of Kou's childhood friend Akira, who sets up the choice between the worlds of light and darkness. I look forward to seeing this developed further.
Art:
Kou and Nazuna bear some resemblance to Dagashi Kashi's Kokonotsu and Hotaru, but in contrast to the more voluptuous Hotaru, Nazuna is rather striking for having such a skinny and slight figure, which is emphasized by how little coverage her default outfit has. We get some great panels where Nazuna is showing off her powers and really plays up the lure of the world of the night.
Other:
We get an afterword from the author at the end.
Conclusion:
My love of the author's previous series means that I come to the table with a lot of goodwill, but I think that even if you strictly judge this volume on its own merits, it effectively hooks you as the reader, establishing the characters and leaving you wanting more. I'm quite satisfied with what I got and am eagerly awaiting the next volume. Add this one to the collection.
Rating:
Own It