Much like modern vampire movies, the vampires in anime are often modernized with cool and classy outfits, able to blend in with their respective societies. But most of all, they’re charming and likable. Vampires can appear in any genre of anime, even if they mainly tend to feature in horror and dark fantasy series. That makes sense, of course, since vampire stories often involve blood, and blood comes from violence. Here are some of the best vampire characters we’ve seen in anime series and why they’re so memorable.
12. Staz Charlie Blood (Blood Lad)
Staz Charlie Blood is not your ordinary vampire character. Though he’s a powerful vampire who rules the Eastern District of the Demon World, he’s pretty much the same as normal humans like us. Instead of wanting more power and feasting on human blood, he indulges himself in manga, video games, and anime—you know, the typical otaku lifestyle. To prove he’s a diehard manga and anime fan, he even almost used the famous Kamehame Wave!
11. Adrian “Alucard” Tepes (Castlevania)
Adrian “Alucard” Tepes is the son of Dracula and a human mother, making him a dhampir (a vampire-human hybrid). Just like his father, Alucard grieves the death of his mother—but unlike his father, he vows to protect humanity against his father’s plan of evilness. While he inherited his father’s intellect and deadly battle prowess, he has the kindness that he inherited from his mother. That perfect blend of power and kindness is what earns him a spot on this list.
10. Arystar Krory III (D.Gray-man)
Arystar Krory III technically isn’t a vampire, but his parasitic-type Innocence makes him look and act like one, particularly in the presence of Akumas (which are artificial creatures made of human souls). His Innocence replaced his original set of teeth, taking the form of sharp fangs that are able to rip and bite through Akuma skin. On top of his powerful teeth, he also has enhanced physical strength and speed. What makes him even more vampire-like is that he can drink Akuma blood without suffering any bad effects, and he also has a blood manipulation ability called Bloody Krory that lets him manifest a winged mannequin that can drain blood without needing to bite.
9. Shalltear Bloodfallen (Overlord)
Shalltear is a true vampire and one of the Floor Guardians of the Great Tomb of Nazarick. She has a flirtatious personality, causing awkwardness between her and her peers like Albedo and Yuri Alpha. But on top of that, she’s a capable fighter and a loyal subject of Ainz Ooal Gown. As a vampire, she’s a bloodthirsty individual who gains greater power the more blood she has spilled with her Blood Frenzy, but she also loses control if there’s too much.
8. Cain Madhouse (To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts)
Cain Madhouse (real name Cain Withers) is the antagonist of To the Abandoned Sacred Beasts. He’s the one responsible for releasing the uncontrollable Incarnates and planning to take over the country. Cain is a Vampire Incarnate who possesses the power of immortality, meaning he can heal and regenerate broken, missing, or exploded body parts. The series also features Hank Henriette, his former friend who’s a Werewolf Incarnate and now his archnemesis.
7. Mikaela Hyakuya (Seraph of the End)
Born as Mikaela Shindo, Mikaela Kyakuya of Seraph of the End was turned into an incomplete vampire and could only achieve full vampire form if he drank human blood. Of course, he’s a noble vampire, so he refuses to take human blood, even to his own detriment.
6. D (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust)
Like Alucard of Castlevania, D is a dhampir who was born the son of a vampire and a human. He possesses the positive qualities of a vampire and almost none of their weaknesses, which is great because he’s a hunter of vampires, not humans!
5. Hagi (Blood+)
While the main vampire—or chiropteran, as they’re called in the series—in Blood+ is Saya Otonashi, we’re featuring her chevalier and love interest, Hagi. Aside from being loyal and dedicated to his Queen (Saya), he’s also introduced as a good musician. Like all other chiropterans in the series, he can transform into his deadly and bloodthirsty form, but he refuses to for the sake of Saya. He fights with daggers and the very case that holds his cello and Saya’s sword.
4. Dio Brando (Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure)
Dio Brando is the antagonist of Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, who was turned into a vampire using the powers of the Stone Mask. Aside from his violent behavior and supernatural abilities, he owns not just one but two Stands due to having Jonathan Joestar’s body for his own. With “The World” Stand, he can stop time for a few seconds, which is enough to deliver fatal blows to his opponents. No wonder he’s the most troublesome vampire in the entire series.
3. Abel Nightroad (Trinity Blood)
Whereas the aforementioned Adrian “Alucard” Tepes and D characters are dhampir, Abel Nightroad of Trinity Blood is a Crusnik (a character based on the krsnik, which is the mythical archnemesis of the vampire). Though he appears to be a “normal” person who’s clumsy and silly, he’s a vampire—not one who was infected or born as one, but turned into one using nanomachines called Crusnik Bacilli. Another thing that makes Abel so badass and different from other anime vampires is his craving for blood—not the blood of humans but the blood of other vampires. As a Crusnik, he has the power to create a death scythe from his blood and generate electricity.
2. Cadis Etrama Di Raizel (Noblesse)
The Nobles in the Noblesse anime series aren’t bloodsucking vampires, but they possess abilities and attributes similar to those of vampires: immortality, blood manipulation, supersonic movement, and enhanced strength. They resemble vampires, just without the thirst for blood. Raizel is the only known Noblesse—a title much higher than the Nobles—and thus possesses abilities greater than Nobles. He was asleep for 820 years before waking up, and now he needs to adapt to the new world that has evolved throughout the duration of his slumber. His calm but cold demeanor hides an overwhelming power inside that no other being can rival, whether another Noble or a modified human. Despite this, he’s seen to be caring toward human beings and often acts as the series’ comic relief due to his ignorance of technology.
1. Alucard (Hellsing Ultimate)
Alucard, the Ultimate Weapon of the Hellsing Organization, is the legendary Dracula himself. The way he’s drawn and animated perfectly fits the dark plot and storyline of Hellsing Ultimate. His sinister eyes and laugh mirror his sadistic side, and every gunfight he’s in ends up being awesome and badass. Although he’s a monster when it comes to his enemies, he also has a soft side for those close to him. On top of the gun he wields, he has a few other abilities up his sleeve, including blood manipulation and immortality. He also has the ability to turn a normal human into a vampire like him. Read next: The Best Anime Anti-Heroes of All Time, Ranked
