i had been hoping for a fun, silly read when i picked this up, and while the story definitely falls into the silly category, i unfortunately never managed to click with it. none of the characters ever felt like they were developed out more than what you'd learn in a brief interaction with them on the street, and while it was supposed to be a slice of life, it wasn't engaging enough to really hold my interest. taking over a week to finish a single volume of manga for me is unheard of, but there just wasn't anything that made me want to keep reading.

i'm assuming this was supposed to originally be a series, so i will say, i did appreciate that we got a (albeit rather rushed) epilogue. the art was beautiful too, there were some panels of Sakura and the bathhouse in particular that really caught my eye, but overall i appreciated the art the most.

Thank you so much for letting me read this manga. I liked this manga very much. It is very funny and cosy, just what I needed.

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is such a fun, cute read! Luka the vampire prince is both charming and awkward, and the bathhouse setting is the perfect backdrop for his little adventures. The art is warm and inviting, and the chemistry between Luka and Sakura is super sweet. It’s a light, feel-good manga with just the right amount of magic and humor. Perfect for a quick, cozy escape!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for providing me with an arc for review.

3.5. Light on the vampire shenanigans, but still a cute little story. It's very slice of life, for what it's billed as. But that's definitely my cup of tea.
In a surprising twist, Ume and Pequeno (a lil demon guy) are my faves.

if you are in need of a slice-of-life cozy found family that is just adorable and makes you feel happy, read this! luka is pretty vampire prince who wants to visit a bathhouse that happens to be run by sakura and his family. chaos obviously ensues, but seeing luka integrate with the town and sakura’s family was precious.

the art style is beautiful, niko izuki is so talented and makes both the most beautiful characters and the cutest (i would protect umenosuke and pequeño with my life).

✶ thank you netgalley and kodansha for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review ✶

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a heartwarming slice-of-life comedy about Luka, a hungover vampire in desperate need of a change of pace, who travels to the human realm to visit the Full Moon Baths. There he meets Sakura, the bathhouse’s no-nonsense eldest son, and declares him his pact partner. Chaos and hilarity ensue.

This is such a lovely, healing read. Through the eyes of Luka, we (re)discover the beauty of the human world—of hard work, genuine connections, and familial love. I love the dynamics between Luka and Sakura—Sakura keeps Luka grounded and from creating (too much) trouble, while Luka reminds Sakura of life’s whimsy and magic. This is not a BL manga, though the queer subtext is definitely there.

Visually, the manga is stunning. The character designs capture their essence perfectly—demons glitter with otherworldly charm, while humans feel grounded and real. A visual feast from start to finish!

Niko Izuki’s A Vampire in the Bathhouse sets up a quirky and promising premise: a hungover vampire from another realm stumbles into a human bathhouse and finds unexpected comfort—and maybe even love. Unfortunately, while the concept is fun and the art is appealing, the execution leaves much to be desired.

Underdeveloped Worldbuilding: The story introduces a magical realm, vampires, and demons, but offers no real rules or depth. Luka, the vampire, can walk in sunlight, needs blood for magic—but suffers no real consequences when he doesn’t get it. The demon world is vague and lacks stakes, making the arrival of other supernatural beings feel random rather than meaningful.

Flat Plot and Pacing: The manga feels like it was rushed or prematurely wrapped up. Plot threads are introduced and then abandoned, and the story ends without any real resolution—romantic, emotional, or narrative. It reads more like a pilot episode than a complete story.

Shallow Character Dynamics: Luka and Sakura have some cute moments, but their relationship never develops beyond surface-level teasing. There’s a hint of Boys’ Love, but no emotional payoff. Supporting characters, including magical creatures and even a demon king, are introduced with no real purpose or follow-through.

Tone Confusion: The manga can’t quite decide if it wants to be a romantic comedy, a supernatural slice-of-life, or a parody. As a result, it lacks emotional resonance and narrative focus.
The art style is clean and expressive, with some charming visual gags.
Luka’s elf-like ears that change size with his magic use are a fun and creative touch.
The bathhouse setting has potential as a cozy, magical space—but it’s never fully explored.

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a light, whimsical read that might appeal to fans of low-stakes supernatural comedy—but it ultimately feels like a missed opportunity. With more pages and deeper storytelling, it could have been something special. As it stands, it’s a forgettable dip rather than a satisfying soak.

Thank you to Kodansha Comics and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this manga. This reminds me of a lot of different manga and anime with the supernatural/paranormal person coming into the human realm and exploring it. The difference is that it involves a child and a potential male/male relationship, which is unique. And despite the cover, it is a lot more wholesome than I thought it would be. Overall, I think if you like a unique take on vampires, I recommend and would love to continue on. 4 out of 5 stars

This is cool, but where's the plot?

This is a wholesome slice of life about a vampire appearing in a bathhouse and adjusting to his new life. Except there isn't really an adjustment period. He just gets it and moves on with his life. The little ones, Ume and Pequeno, make this book and without them this would have been very boring.

I am very glad that I got to read this as an ARC. I loved the characters dynamic and it felt very cozy and easy to fall into. The community’s relationship with the main character made the story feel relatable and it was comforting to see how much everyone cared about each other. I thought Ume was super sweet and a great ‘familiar’, and his interactions with the younger brother was so cuteeee. I also really enjoyed the artwork, it was clear and very well drawn and made the bathhouse seem like a real place. I especially enjoyed the amount of detail that went into the layout of the bathhouse (which is included in the bonus section). I did however think some scenes did not fully flow together which then took me slightly out of the story. I really hope there will be another volume of this manga, if there is then I’ll be sure to buy it.

Rating: 3

My Thoughts:

Luka is a depressed pretty boy vampire who comes into the human realm to try out the healing powers of an onsen, the Full Moon Baths, now run by oldest son Sakura. Sakura cannot be bothered by Luka's lure because he has a brother and a bath house to take care. Luka makes Sakura his pact partner by sucking a bit of his blood, but in return, Luka must help to manage the bathhouse, which he does with relish. Luka brings in lots of customers with his allure, until another demon vampire comes to try and take the bathhouse and Sakura back with him.

It is a YA, but only in the creepy sexual innuendo way that Japanese manga are YA. They seem to have a different tolerance for even hinting at interspecies forced sex.

Like the original manga, these characters are both gender fluid and more European looking than Asian. It is a whole story and the younger brother and the little demon are precious, however, this may be a story that just ends here. I am not sure if this is an actual series, although there can be more adventures ahead.

From the Publisher:
Luka Edelmondt Finsternis is your picture-perfect vampire--he’s good looking, he’s regal... He’s also usually incredibly hungover and exhausted, and wants nothing more than a change of pace from his routine! When he takes a peek into the human world, he finds just the cure he’s looking for--a relaxing Japanese bathhouse that will surely cure him of his hangover and rejuvenate him from head to toe. To blow his fatigue out of the water, Luka pays a visit to Full Moon Baths where he meets the bathhouse’s eldest son, Sakura. But between the bathhouse being short staffed and taking care of his little brother, Sakura has enough to worry about without a bougie vampire being added to the mix!

Publication Information:
Author/Illustrator: Niko Izuki
Publisher: Kodansha Comics (April 29, 2025)
Paperback: 208 pages

2.5/5 rounded down

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a 1 volume manga that follows Luka, a vampire who looks for a change in his routine by peeking into the human world and finds himself visiting a bathhouse.

A simple premise with an ok execution. The pacing of this manga is quite slow and the plot seems to just drop off abruptly at the end. The pacing made it seem like there would be more volumes and whilst the ending completes the story it just happens so suddenly it did not quite feel so satisfying. Whilst it has its humorous moments the narrative lacked any depth.

The art style was appealing and added to the whimsy of the story. I just wished there was a bit more to it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

Unexpectedly, a warm feeling lingers after finishing the story. The warmth of a small, close-knit community where everyday life and its nuances are life lessons for the big and mighty of this world. When I first started the story, I expected comedy, but finishing it gave me a deeper sense of happiness that comedy alone cannot achieve.

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a hilarious treat. It is a standalone in a series. The main characters Luka, the vampire and Sakura, the young bathhouse owner are a mix of warm, hard working human meets a proud, luxurious vampire. Though I don't want to drop any spoilers, I will say this- none of the characters are your typical cold faced, or dumb acts. They both have a something you will love and enjoy in each of their narratives as the story develops over multiple chapters and episodes.

I would definitely keep an eye out for other Niko Izuki works.

This was a really cute read, thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read and review!

Firstly the artwork was really lovely, I liked the individual styles each character had and how expressive the artists made them. The panels were really nicely put together, the speech and text really easy to navigate and brought the story to life.

I really enjoyed the characters, they were all different and had their own quite distinct personalities which was nice. I did love the chemistry between them all as well, it felt quite flushed out and was easy to appreciate,

The story itself was cute and easy to follow along, though we did seemingly lose the vampire/magic element part way through so that lost a bit of a touch for me. I also think it left on a very odd note, as I actually thought it may have been a series (which would’ve been great) but after reading on realised it was a standalone. I definitely could’ve seen this progressing into more!

This was really cute! I enjoyed the art style and the overall story. I'm not sure how far this plot will go (as it kind of seemed like an ending there at the last page) but I did enjoy it. I'd look forward to more of this story from this author.

I'll admit, I picked this book up for it's cover - I am not immune to a lovely bishonen character and Vampire in the Bathhouse didn't disappoint. This wound up being a fun, quick read full of very nice art; I loved the look of each of the individual characters and the art quality never wavered. Luka looks especially good in every panel he's in but all of the other main characters look great as well, each with their own unique vibe. This is a cute, lighthearted story following a vampire, Luka, who winds up integrated into the life and workings of an onsen managed by Sakura and his family. Each chapter is an interconnected story following Luka and Sakura's time together though I do wish it was longer as the last chapter was a bit weak as an ending. I'd love a return to these characters in the future if the author were ever to write more.

A fun manga read! I liked Luka exploring the human world but really Yomi is my favorite. He’s hot. Anyway the artwork is amazing and the storyline is good.

A Vampire in the Bathhouse delivers a refreshing blend of supernatural comedy and heartwarming moments in one perfect volume. The story follows Luka, a dramatically hungover vampire seeking relaxation at a Japanese bathhouse run by overworked Sakura and his little brother. Their unlikely friendship develops amidst hilarious cultural misunderstandings and bathhouse hijinks that had me giggling throughout. The manga balances laugh-out-loud moments with genuine emotional connections, creating an extremely cute reading experience that never feels forced. The expressive art perfectly captures both steamy relaxation and comedic reactions. I'll definitely be continuing this charming series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the e-book copy!

I went into this book with very little expectations and left it wishing there was more. I liked the humor in this as well as the romantic undertones. Once you get past the awkwardness of the set-up, this story shifts to a slice of life story with a found family focus. Also the artwork was beautiful and enhanced the story. I definitely will look out for this author's work in the future.

4.5☆

Thank you to Kodansha and Net Galley for the e-ARC. A Vampire in the Bathhouse was a cute and funny read! I loved the art and character design through out. Everything about this from the concept to the characters is so charming and so silly at the same time.

I am obsessed with Luka and Sakura, and I loved their chemistry! For a one shot it feels like it has so much capability to continue and be expanded on (Which I wish it could have been). I would recommend reading if someone needs a pick me up or an easy read!