I wasn't able to download the Netgalley copy but I was able to get a copy of the manga through my library and was able to read it. I thought Call of the Night was just all right.

The ages of the protagonist bothered me a little while reading this but honestly, other than this it's a pretty solid manga with an interesting story. I'm curious so I'll be picking up volume 2 and seeing where the story goes.

Call of the Night by Kotoyama is a spin-on-its-head vampire story, in which antisocial teen Ko tries to prove that he’s worthy of becoming a vampire. Nazuna, a vampire who originally tried to seduce him, finds herself unintentionally becoming his friend. While the gender roles in this one look like they’re headed toward some pretty typical shonen fare (where all the fem-presenting characters are interested in pursuing the one nerdy male star), even in the first volume it introduces some questions about what makes life valuable—and whether giving that up to become a vampire is ultimately worth what you’d lose. Those are big questions for a light-hearted vampire comedy, and it’ll be fun to see how the series handles them beyond the first volume.

Manga author Kotoyama has quite the sweet tooth when it comes to their creations. Their previous work, "Dagashi Kashi", relished on showcasing the best candy Japan had to offer, in ways that were both funny and informative. Now that Kokonotsu, Hotaru, and Saya’s story has come to an end, it’s time for Kotoyama to find another source of sweetness. "Call of the Night", their latest series, finds said sweetness in one’s DNA.

Ko Yamori is an insomniac. His struggle has left him skipping school, with nary a friend there to offer their assistance with his troubles. On a late night out, he runs into a strange girl named Nazuna, who promises that she has a solution to his sleeping troubles. At her place, Nazuna reveals her true self: she’s a vampire, who just so happens to find Ko’s blood the tastiest she’s ever had!

When Ko finds out what she’s doing, the two strike a deal. Nazuna will savor his blood to satisfy her cravings; Ko will attempt to fall in love with her so he can be turned into a vampire. The plan doesn’t go over too well with Nazuna at first, who doesn’t want to be tied down to a single person her entire (after)life. However, as the two get to know each other, a certain spark can be felt both by Ko and Nazuna.

There’s a chemistry between Ko and Nazuna that feels strong right off the bat. How they interact with one another even on their first meeting shows that they’ve built some level of trust, even if it’s more on the rebellious side. It’s when Nazuna’s vampiric tendencies come into play when the emotions start running hot, at least from Ko’s perspective. Of course, his plan to be turned into a vampire is merely not for the sake of love; it’s for the ultimate escape.

Kotoyama does a great job focusing on Ko’s unhappier self. It’s clear that he suffers from depression, on top of his insomnia. While not at all suicidal, Ko is in a very deep funk that requires someone to come pull him out of. That person is Nazuna, who does seem to realize that she’s kind of rescued him from wallowing in the darkness alone. Now that she’s found him, that loneliness disappears from the wayside.

Things get a little complicated when childhood friend Akira comes around. Although Nazuna claims that she’s only interested in Ko’s blood, it’s apparent that she’s hiding some sort of feelings for him. Thankfully, it rarely gets too awkward for Ko and Nazuna (and Akira, for that matter), as the banter between the main characters leans much farther into comedy than it does drama. And that’s where some of "Call of the Night"’s best strengths lie.

It’s very funny seeing Nazuna treating bloodsucking as a form of “coitus” (her phrase, not mine!), with Ko freaking out every time she merely mentions the word. The way she blushes whenever Ko brings up the vampire love pact is evidence towards her real emotions, even if she tries to hide her feelings in a similar way as the titular character of "Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro". On top of that, her lack of knowledge in modern technology is evident by the massive cell phone she owns, which she never carries around because it weighs like a brick! But when it doesn’t want to be too silly, the humor comes off as pretty cute, especially when the two of them act friendly during the night.

From a visual perspective, "Call of the Night" is wonderfully detailed. The character designs are on-par with Kotoyama’s past works, with this great focus placed on their eyes. It gives the characters — especially Nazuna — this “another worldly” look, as if she’s unwittingly hypnotizing Ko into her bloodsucking bidding each time. (Of course, it’s the same look that Hotaru had in "Dagashi Kashi", as she often went into a massive spiel about her favorite sweets and the like!)

"Call of the Night" has some great potential, as Kotoyama has already shown their chops at mixing innuendo-filled comedy in the past. Both Ko and Nazuna are well-written characters, with Ko’s insomnia struggles demonstrated at a very relatable level. One hopes to see a lot more growth as the series progresses, as any story about vampires can find themselves in trouble of “been there, done that” syndrome. If Kotoyama can keep their ideas fresh, then "Call of the Night" will have no problem standing out in the fantasy comedy realm!

Romcom manga about a restless teen and the vampire girl who shows him the delights of the night. Ko Yamori's boredom with life has lead to insomnia. Fed up, one night he wanders out alone and discovers the intriguing dark side of the city. Even more intriguing is the sexy, mysterious Nazuna Nanakusa. When she lures him into an abandoned building, Ko discovers she is a vampire, one who can lull him into getting some sleep. Nazuna loves his blood and Ko thinks he would be happier if she turned him into a vampire too. To do that, true love must bloom between them, but will an old friend from Ko's daytime life get in the way. Fun, light read.

A New Way of Turning Into A Vampire In Call of the Night

Author: Kotoyama
Publisher: VIZ Media
Genres: Shonen, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Supernatural
Published: May 2021

It’s long past Halloween, but monsters and the supernatural don’t go out of fashion. Well, at least not in our book. I like reading series about monsters, fantasy, and other supernatural stuff all year round. Even though the theme is about supposedly scary creatures, I’ve read too much manga that I know that there is no such thing as an evil creature. In manga, a certain species is evil only if the author deemed it to be evil. That being said, I’ve come across an interesting series featuring the affair between a human and a vampire.

Contains Spoilers

Discussion Time

As I’ve mentioned above, Call of the Night tells the story of a human, Ko, and a vampire, Nanakusa. Ko has already stopped attending school after finding a bit of a slog. He has lost motivation to study and even continue his day-to-day tasks. In his bid to escape his monotonous routine, he wanders the town during the night. As he attempts to purchase beer, he meets a peculiar girl trying to stop. It turns out, however, that this girl is a vampire trying to feed off his blood. Catching her red hand-- err, teethed, she tells her about vampire lore. Now, he wants to become a vampire too.

Why You Should Read Call of the Night

1. Interesting Way To Become a Vampire

It’s common knowledge that vampires turn ordinary humans into vampires by sucking their blood dry. When they die, they regain a new life as a vampire. But in this series, Nanakusa, also known as Nazuna, explains that that’s not the case. In order to become a vampire, the human must first fall in love with the vampire. After meeting those criteria, the human then has to willingly give his blood for the vampire to drink. Only then will he be able to turn into one. Knowing that, Ko then does his best to fall in love with Nazuna, since giving his blood to her is already a normal deed.

2. The Beauty of the Night In All Its Glory

The author may have chosen the title due to Nazuna being a vampire. However, I can’t help finding how the series captures the beauty of the night interesting. Since Ko and Nazuna only meet during the lieu hours of the day, the streets are almost always empty. The only other people they meet are usually those piss drunk after a night of drinking. Other than that, the usually buzzing places turn dead silent. I find that tranquilizing, and it helps me focus on the characters more. It’s like Ko and Nazuna are dancing on a peaceful stage.

Why You Should Skip Call of the Night

1. Plotwise, It Becomes a Slog

When Ko lost his motivation to do anything productive, I kind of understood what he meant after reading the series. After a few chapters in, the plot and interaction between them get repetitive. The only hook, which is the new way of turning a human into a vampire, easily gets old as the story progresses. The only thing that re-spices it up is the appearance of a new character in the form of Ko’s childhood friend and schoolmate, however, it seems like Ko’s already dead set on being a vampire, so his decisions kind of become boring.

Final Thoughts

Call of the Night offers a fresh perspective on vampirism. It doesn’t put it in a bad light. However, there is a tendency for it to be repetitive and kind of a drag. I am in no way saying it’s a bad series, but just that it’s not my cup of tea. I can see others enjoying it, especially if they are fond of seeing fuzzy interactions between the male and female leads.

By: Christian Markle

Here we have Ko, a 14 year old boy who is clearly suffering from depression. Because of this, he's dropped out of school, which doesn't seem to phase his parents, and he suffers from insomnia, leading him to wander the streets at night. On one of these nights, he meets Nanakusa, a fun-loving vampire girl, who invites him back to the abandoned building she's squatting in. He apparently has super tasty blood that vampires like a lot, and she (of course) wants to feed. After spending some time hanging out with her, letting her feed from him, he decides he wants to be a vampire too, but Nanakusa isn't down with that- in order to turn him into a vampire, they have to fall in love first, and she's not having that. Later on in the story, Ko's one friend, a childhood friend named Akira shows up and tries to talk him into coming back to school, setting up a possible love triangle, or at least some sort of triangle. The story is a weird blend of philosophical discussion and gratuitous sexual references; I know I'm old, but can we keep the middle school kids away from horndogging for a bit please? Overall, though, it's a decent read, and the kind of off-kilter art fits the story well.

#CalloftheNightVol1 #NetGalley

This one is giving me judgement issues. Overall I like it. Ko likes the night. He feels alive. He meets a lovely/sexy vampire who wants to play. But she does not want to fall in love. Because if a vampire falls in love with a human, and the human falls in love with a vampire, she can turn that human into a vampire. Ko is lonely, and he wants to know what love is. However Nu (the vamp) absolutely does not want to fall in love. She just wants to feed, which is it’s own orgasmic experience. But Ko forgets he does have a friend, and is reminded later in the book which sets up a triangle. My entire problem with this book is that Ko is 14. This book seems too sexual for that age (but that may just be my age speaking). Plus the other thing that annoys me is the gratuitous crotch shots. That is all that is in the frame. The female vampire wither her legs spread (clothed) and some words that have nothing to do with the post. This annoys me. I think I will check out book 2 before deciding if I like the book as a whole.

I found this so cute and funny, which is perhaps strange for a vampire manga.
But I absolutely loved the vampire character, she was chaotic but funny and sweet also.
I'm curious to see what happens in future volumes.
Also really enjoyed the art style, it was clean and sharp without being overly simplistic.

This is a fun start to a new series, and I recommend this series as a great addition to any YA graphic novel collection! The listless feelings of the main character, and the embarrassment and confusion about relationships will really connect with teens (and even adults!).

It was an interesting manga. I definitely can see patrons picking this up and reading the series. It felt more directed for male patrons. There is a hint of romance but I did not connect to the characters yet. The art is very different enough to be interesting.

Thank you NetGalley and Viz Media for allowing me to review Call of the Night.

The fourteen-year-old protagonist has insomnia. He sneaks out and meets a vampire.

They form a bond as time goes by. He finds out how to become a vampire and wants it, but the vampire is disinclined to give him immortality.

The relationship is full of sexual innuendo from the vampire.

As the manga goes on, a complication arises with the new female character who is human.

The art wasn't pretty. It was gritty like the night it's supposed to represent. We don't see much of his home life. Most of the scenes are cityscapes or the vampire's home.

As a personal preference, it wasn't my cup of tea. As a librarian, I would probably get this for my older manga readers.

Yamori prefers the silences of the night and arounds around town when he meets Nanakusa. Now he wants to be a vampire but for that to happen he must fall in love with her and have her feed on him then he can become a vampire until then he'll just have to figure out how to love.

This is a unique and interesting book. Its been a while since I've read a book with vampires in it and this newest vampire take is pretty different from what's I've heard of which made this book all the more interesting since I'm also a sucker for romance. Yamori is young and awkward and doesn't know a thing about love while Nanakusa isn't interested in love or making Yamori into a vampire. Its just interesting seeing how everything played out I'm curious to see more of what happens next especially since an old friend has made an appearance. Things are going to get a bit more complicated and I look ward to getting ahold of the next book when it comes out.

Midnight strolls that lead to vampires.

Yamori is an insomniac who decides to go out at night to pass the time. On his first venture out, he meets Nanakusa, a vampire who likes to have a good time. On their adventure around town, Yamori discovers he enjoys being around Nanakusa and enjoys the silence of the night. Together, the two explore life at night and the life of a vampire.

This volume features eight chapters with each chapter being one night out! The transition between chapters is a continuous plot with minor adventures throughout the story. Little is revealed about Yamori and Nanakusa but more is slowly revealed in each chapter. The dynamic between the characters is interesting but slow at times. The romance is somewhat awkward with the middle schooler and the vampire, but nothing scandalous. The illustrations are good and reflective of the mood of the story. The shading captures the tone of the story. The dialogue between characters is insightful and brief.

An interesting story but not particularly exciting.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own*

This is such an interesting title and I like how the vampire lore works here. I do wish depression, anxiety, and stress were talked about more instead of ignored since he wants to be a vampire in order to not deal with it all. But, I chuckled while reading this and I'm interested to see where it will go.

Have you ever read something that had an excellent first chapter and then just kind of flat lined in terms of how it executed its story ideas afterwards? Not that it was completely bad, but it was kind of unsubtle about what it was trying to do and it trying to build some kind of conflict by the characters saying things at each other instead of having any sort of human conversation with each other? Yeah, that was Call of the Night for me. Every build up of conflict felt kind of wrong for me because it was superficial and awkward? Maybe that was the point? I’m very unsure.

Anyway, the premise of this manga is centered on the first adventure of a high schooler named Ko being unable to sleep and walking the streets. A very relatable thing considering that I suck at sleeping too. This time, he runs into the vampire named Nazuna who was very energetic, very in with the night crowd, and just having a good time. She, of course, decides that Ko is a target to suck his blood allowing him to sleep. (Would be open to this solution.) It’s one of those openings which is pretty exciting, a little horny but not too horny considering the nature of vampires, and you could see why Ko would be so interested in a beyond understanding being like Nazuna and want to be one.


I mentioned this before in my first paragraph, but it really feels like the manga hit the breaks afterwards. Nazuna is still very energetic and amazing, but she becomes a little too generic romance interest and becomes a little jealous when Ko ‘s friend from his past shows up here like she was called to do it. It’s very robotic in how it inserts conflict and then deals with it which is what i think a lot of romance anime or manga do instead of doing it organically. I would have liked to see the Nazuna and Ko relationship explored a bit more because there is some interesting things happening. How would a relationship with Nazuna happen, tells us more about what Ko has to do to turn into a vampire besides fall in love with her, and what about his family life? The manga doesn’t seem that interested in doing that right now.

I still had a decent time with this manga though. It was good. I love how the panels were drawn because they had some much energy and romance into them. Look at the panels above for instance? Can’t you feel something from how the top panel and bottom panel are drawn? A certain chemistry really does make it through the panels with the character designs and the facial expressions. I think that and the fact that the manga artist wants to make Nazuna as cool as possible in every moment got me through the manga. (Might have some other…reasons for that too, but you know….). So this manga was ok. Very decent and pretty fun to read, but just nothing natural or substantial.

I think this book is interesting with the relationship between the two main characters and the quest to some how become a vampire. I'm looking forward to seeing how this story continues. My only thing is that sometimes the story seemed to drag on a bit and cover the same conversations quite a few times.

There's something lurking beneath the surface of <i>Call of the Night</i>. What that is isn't clear yet, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the whole story is something of a metaphor for depression and introversion. Ko, the protagonist, had been doing all right in life until he hit fourteen, at which point his lack of interest in romance suddenly became stressful socially (right there with you, buddy), eventually leading to him developing insomnia. He began walking the night and not going to school, with his parents basically checked out of his life, but his perambulations aren't really helping with his problems.

Then he meets Nazuna.

Nazuna's a vampire, and she's nominally after Ko's super tasty blood, but once again, there's something else simmering beneath the surface. She has no interest in turning Ko into a vampire (which would require him to fall in love with her), but she does seem invested in his emotional well-being, something she's possibly unaware of. Are they friends? Something more? It's not clear, nor is it obvious if Ko's sudden proclamation that he wants to become a vampire is due to him actually wanting to be a vampire or to a need to prove that he CAN fall in love.

Whatever else it is, <i>Call of the Night</i> is not your typical vampire story - and that's a very good thing.

To be honest, it was impossible to read this fully because of the watermark. Usually it's not too big of a deal, but this was a struggle. I want to give this an honest review. What I could read seemed okay? Please adjust the watermark in the future to not be so disruptive!

The premise of Call of the Night seems cute enough, where the main characters are a 14 year old insomniac truant boy (Ko) and a vampire who looks like a teenage girl (Nanakusa). For reasons being saved up for a reveal in a later volume, Ko doesn't sleep or go to school, nor does he have adults making him accountable for his actions (ahh, fantasy), and while not ideal, he could definitely do a lot worse than striking up an undefined relationship with Nanakusa the vampire. It's cute enough as a standalone novel and hopefully more character development happens in the later volumes. (I received a free ARC of Call of the Night vol. 1 via Netgalley for my honest opinion.)