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File:Tvtropesvampireknight 3396.png

(from left) Zero, Yuuki and Kaname


Cquote1

 "The bloody academy of fate, do not run away from this destiny."

Cquote2


The story begins with a young girl waking up in the middle of a snowstorm. Seconds later she is attacked by a rather scary vampire, and then saved by another, Kaname Kuran. She is brought to Cross Academy and is adopted by its headmaster, Kaien Cross, and is given the name Yuuki Cross. Ten years later she is the prefect of Cross Academy, a school divided into two classes: The Day and Night Class. While the Day Class are normal humans, the Night Class are actually Vampires, who take classes at Night and are known for being absolutely gorgeous. This also leads to a large number of Day Class girls to have crushes on them. Yuuki and Zero are prefects, but their actual job is to protect the secret that the Night Class is full of Vampires.

The anime has been licensed by Viz Media and the manga is still currently running in both Japan and the U.S.

Has a character sheet.

Tropes used in Vampire Knight include:
  • Academy of Adventure
  • Achey Scars: There's an "achey bite wound", for Zero.
  • Action Duo: Yuuki and Zero sometimes take on this role, especially at the battle against Rido.
  • Action Girl: Yuuki becomes this to some degree after Kaname transforms her back into a vampire, and after The Reveal.
  • After the End: It's easy to miss the fact that the series is set in the far future, after the apocalypse, long enough after for things to have been rebuilt to about the same level. In a recent flashback, Juri tells a story of her adolescence to the young Yuuki; we've heard before that she was about three thousand years old, and the architecture and setting appears to be roughly modern day Japan, certainly within the last 30 years or so.
    • It's more likely that the setting of time everything takes place in is fictional. During another flashback where Juri reveals her first pregnancy, the setting here appears to be set around more ancient times again, with a horse carriage and old fashioned clothes. We don't know how long after the "Umbrella" bonus Juri and Haruka had their first child, and as most of the story centers around the Cross Academy school, Kuran's mansion and the Hunter Association's headquarters, we know very little about how the rest of the world looks like in terms of what era it is.
  • Age Cut
  • Alice Allusion: "Alice" is mentioned in the Ending Theme "Still Doll."
  • Almost Kiss: Between Yuuki and Zero in the end of Chapter 24.
Cquote1

 Zero (in inner monologue): Yeah... I... I want these gentle hands... and this kind smile... even though I should not want such a thing.

Cquote2
  • Alpha Bitch: Sara may count.
  • Ambiguously Evil: Kaname. Specially concerning recent events.
  • Ambiguously Gay: Aidou and Ichijou. Their affections for Kaname just crosses the line between platonic and romantic a tiny bit sometimes...
  • Animal Eye Spy: Four characters in all uses this: Kaname with bats, Shizuka as Maria with a crow, Maria with an owl, and Sara with spiders.
  • Animal Motifs: Kaname transforms parts of himself into bats and an occasional wolf (all dark/gothic symbolizing animals), Yuuki is often shown with a plushed rabbit in covers (her Zodiac animal and personality according to it) and portrayed with butterfly wings (gentleness, arguably re/birth), while Zero's loyal and self sacrificing personality very much reminds of his Zodiac, the Dog, along with having a white horse to compliment his debatable role as the Knight.
    • Sara frequently uses spiders as her spies, and is once even seen transforming her entire body into a big pile of the creatures. It's nothing new that spiders are usually associated with bad omens when used in such a manner.
  • Anti-Hero: Zero. Kaname counts as well, at least before he Jumped Off the Slippery Slope.
  • Anti-Villain: Kaname turns into a mixture of Type II and Type III.
  • Aristocrats Are Evil: Played straight with Ichijou's grandfather, averted with the rest of the main aristocrats cast (Aidou, Ichijou, Kain etc).
  • Arranged Marriage: All pureblood marriages seem to be this.
  • Art Evolution: You'll notice the progress in quality of the art as the series progresses.
  • Asskicking Equals Authority: According to Yagari Touga in chapter 52, the president of the Hunter Association is chosen solely for his ability to suppress the hunters. Zero having become the strongest hunter is therefore chosen as Kaien Cross' successor.
  • Awful Truth: Zero doesn't take the revelation of Yuuki having been a pureblood vampire all along rather well. He does get over it, though.
  • Badass: Touga Yagari. At least his introduction. Zero, Kaname and, to an extent, Yuuki, count as well.
  • Badass Longcoat: Worn by Rido at his battle against Yuuki and Zero. Kaname likes to wear these too.
  • Bastard Boyfriend: Kaname is close to the Conflicted type.
  • Batman Gambit: Kaname is a frequent user of this trope, specially concerning Zero during the first arc.
  • Beast and Beauty: Possibly, as vampires are metaphorically beasts. The trope can apply for both Zero/Yuuki and Kaname/Yuuki, though probably a bit more for Zero/Yuuki as Zero have more of a crude exterior, next to his level E threat (in particular during the first arc.)
  • Berserk Button: Do not badmouth Zero in front of Yuuki, unless you want her to go all Artemis crazy on you.
  • Best Served Cold: Zero gets his revenge on Shizuka four years after the murder of his family. Granted, he isn't the one to kill her in the end, but he got to shoot her several times with his Bloody Rose gun, enough to enable her death shortly afterwards by Kaname.
  • Betty and Veronica: Kaname vs. Zero.
  • Big Bad: Once Rido Kuran comes into the picture, it's clear that Shizuka Hio was only a Disc One Final Boss by comparison.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Zero with Ichiru. Unfortunately, Ichiru does not appreciate this. Cue his Despair Event Horizon.
    • Kaname with Yuuki.
  • Big Brother Worship: Yuuki with Kaname. Even though he's technically not her brother, they were raised as siblings and she refers to him as "oniisama" (big brother) during the second arc.
    • Also, Ichiru with Zero. Despite his inferiority complex and rather disturbing acts, he genuinly loved Zero.
  • Bishonen: Every single male character, with the sole exception of Yagari.
  • Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Sara. Shizuka too, while being in Maria's body. Subverted at the end as it turns out Shizuka was never really evil.
    • Rido could count as the male version when he's taken over Shiki's body.
  • Black and Gray Morality
  • Black Blood: In the anime. The manga actually has red blood in the colored pages.
  • Blondes Are Evil: Sara.
  • Bloody Murder: Shiki is able to throw his blood around rather like a whip.
  • Bodyguard Crush: Well, yes. Zero is used as Yuuki's "shield" by Kaname, and he falls for her, so...
  • Boomerang Bigot: Zero Kiryu is a vampire hunter who hates vampires despite being an ex-human vampire himself (or more likely, because of it).
  • Break the Cutie: This happened with Zero. Same can be said for Ichijou as well ever since Sara got into his life.
  • Bridal Carry
  • Brooding Boy, Gentle Girl: Zero and Yuuki.
  • Brother-Sister Incest: Yuuki and Kaname. And their parents, Juri and Haruka. Seems to be the done thing in pureblooded vampire families. Or are they?
  • Byronic Hero: Kaname fits this to a T.
  • Cain and Abel: Subverted with Zero and Ichiru. Though Ichiru did grow significantly twisted in his acts and went against Zero, he didn't become a villain, and was revealed in the end to genuinely have loved Zero all along, ultimately giving his life to him in a very touching last moment.
  • Cannot Spit It Out: Any interaction between Yuuki and Zero in the second arc may count to this. It's bad, in other words.
  • Cast Full of Pretty Boys: Though, to be fair, pretty much the entire cast is good-looking, girls included.
  • Catapult Nightmare: Zero awakes like this after having a nightmare about killing Yuuki.
  • Cerebus Syndrome
  • Chains of Love
  • Character Development: Most visible with Zero who becomes more tolerant towards vampires as the series progresses.
  • Chess Motifs: Used often throughout the series. Kaname is usually seen as the The Chessmaster.
  • Childhood Friend Romance: Yuuki and Zero.
  • Childhood Marriage Promise: Slightly averted with Yuuki and Kaname, where their lineage expects a Kuran born son and daughter to marry each other upon reaching adult age, as is custom to most pureblood lineages.
  • Child Soldiers: Vampire hunters begin training already as children.
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Sort of. Shindo, the braided day class girl that had a crush on Zero had her share or appearances, but disappeared from the story after the turn of arcs.
  • Cliff Hanger
  • Compelling Voice: This is a stated power of all pureblood vampires, although it seems the verbal component may be unnecessary.
  • Cool Guns: Zero's version of the Desert Eagle that eventually can be transformed into rose vines at his whim certainly counts.
  • Cool Teacher: Toga Yagari and Kaien Cross
  • Crazy Jealous Guy: Kaname, to an extent. His main dislike for Zero seem to stem from jealousy alone, and he really wouldn't mind killing him.
    • Done even more straight with a recent bonus, where he's threatening to kill a random day class student who plans on giving Yuuki a love letter. Arguably averted as it's Played for Laughs.
    • Averted with Zero as his reasons for hating Kaname have more to do with him being a pureblood, and having been used/abused by him rather than being jealous.
    • Rido definitely counts.
    • Aidou shows traces of this over the affection Kaname has for Yuuki.
  • Creepy Child: Maria, especially when possessed by Shizuka. She even has a scary theme song to match. Child-Zero had his moments too.
  • Creepy Cool Crosses
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Somewhat easy to see coming. Cross is a complete clown who proved himself a very badass vampire hunter in chapter 45.
  • Cryptic Conversation: many of these throughout the series, usually involving Kaname.
  • Curse: Apparently, when a vampire huntress becomes pregnant with twins, a curse will leave one of the fetuses to devour the other, naming it the "twin curse". So far, Zero and Ichiru are said to be the only case in which this didn't happen, due to Zero having been "softhearted before he was even born."
  • Cursed with Awesome: Zero becomes this after having devoured pureblood's blood several times and what remains of Ichiru's life, making him the most powerful vampire hunter living and enabling him to merge with his Bloody Rose gun, creating controllable and deadly rose vines. The vines however, will proceed to drink his blood in an apparent painful manner in turn.
  • Cute but Psycho: Shizuka as Maria.
  • Cycle of Revenge: Zero hates vampires because Hiou Shizuka, a pureblood, killed his vampire hunter parents AND turned him into a vampire. He hates them so much that he vows to kill her and every other pureblood vampire, even Yuuki once it's revealed that she herself is one. He also has no issue offing himself once the deed gets done. Later we find out Hiou Shizuka killed his parents because they killed someone very precious to her — only because this person's name was put on the "assassination list" for some malevolent reason, despite the fact he wasn't a Level E. It could have gotten worse had everyone continued to believe he killed Shizuka which, if not for Kaname, would have brought down the vengeance of the vampire senate on Zero.
  • Dances and Balls
  • Dark and Troubled Past: Zero and Kaname both. Zero witnessed his parents murdered at the hands of a pureblood as a 13-year old, next to being bit and transformed by the same pureblood and seeing his twin brother smiling at the scene. Kaname is an ancestor of vampires who had been alive thousands of years ago along with an unnamed pureblood woman who ended up sacrificing herself for the creation of the vampire hunters and furnace, leaving Kaname to lead the battle between purebloods and the misery of being alone, after which he decided to enter his slumber that was later interrupted by Rido.
  • Dark Is Not Evil: The whole premise.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Kaname, usually at the expense of Zero.
  • Death Glare: A lot of characters will give you this, though Kaname and Zero especially.
  • Dhampyr: The vampire hunters are these; it's widely theorised that the ancestors of the hunters actually ate a vampire and that this has been passed down through their genes. As of chapter 63, it is shown that it was actually a pureblood vampire who fed the hunters ancestors her own blood to give them the abilities to fight off the other vampires.
  • Died in Your Arms Tonight: Shizuka dies in Ichiru's arms.
    • Later Ichiru dies in Zero's.
    • While not directly "in his arms", Kaname is caressing the pureblood woman from his past when she dies.
  • Does Not Like Shoes: Shizuka always goes around barefoot.
  • Doting Parent: Although a foster parent, Kaien Cross is pretty adorable as one.
  • Dramatic Wind
  • Eastern Zodiac: Hino modeled the three main characters after theirs: Yuuki = Rabbit, Kaname = Tiger and Zero = Dog.
  • Eccentric Mentor: Chairman Kaien Cross. Spends most of his onscreen time as a comic relief, providing humour and generally looking like an idiot, and is also revealed to be a former vampire hunter, even more experienced that Touga Yagari, who is ranked Number One Vampire hunter.
  • Elaborate University High: Cross Academy
  • Emotionless Girl: Seiren and Rima.
  • Even the Girls Want Her: If dealing with her Male Harem wasn't already hard enough Yuki has to deal with Les Yay from Shizuka.
  • Even the Guys Want Him: Kaname. If one looks closely enough, there's a guy in line to give him chocolates in the Valentine's Day chapter.
    • Did the troper forget about Aidou?
  • Evil-Detecting Dog: Well, there are vampire detecting horses.
  • Evil Twin: Averted with Ichiru.
  • Evil Uncle: Rido
    • Can also fall under Evil Is Sexy. It doesn't help that his shirt is completely unbuttoned half the time.
  • Expository Hairstyle Change: Yuuki.
  • Fainting
  • Fangs Are Evil: Both played straight and averted.
  • Fate Worse Than Death: Being turned into a vampire was this for Zero. Though he gradually learns to live with it.
  • Fan Girl: The Day Class seems to be filled with fangirls who like the night class.
    • The series itself also has a really large amount of fangirls, but that's a given with shoujo.
  • Flash Back
  • Flower Motifs: Especially when it comes to the kanji used for the Night Class names.
  • Force Feeding: A version of this in chapter 30 where Kaname makes Zero drink his blood, with the explanation that it will delay his fall to a level E (while to Kaname's gain; enable Zero to continue working as Yuuki's "shield" and gain power to fight Rido). Zero reluctantly gives in to it, and by the look on his face while he drinks, it's not hard to tell it was the last thing he wanted to do.
  • Forceful Kiss: Kaname gives Yuuki one upon turning her back to a vampire.
  • Foreshadowing
  • Foot Focus
  • Friendly Neighborhood Vampires: The night class, with particular emphasis on Takuma Ichijou.
  • Furo Scene: With Yuuki in chapter 27.
  • Generation Xerox: The Zero/Yuuki/Kaname love triangle greatly resembles the Kaien/Juri/Haruka love triangle.
  • Girl with Psycho Weapon: Yuuki makes her own psycho weapon shortly after The Reveal.
  • Good Is Not Nice: Zero is this to some extent.
  • Grand Theft Me: Senri Shiki is hijacked by Rido Kuran.
    • Also Shizuka Hiou, the vampire who killed Zero's family, does this to Maria Kurenai. Said vampire is also Rido's fiance...
  • Green-Eyed Epiphany: Averted. Yuuki is already somewhat aware of her feelings for Zero when she's bothered by seeing him with Maria in chapter 73.
  • Half-Human Hybrid: Technically all the vampires (other then purebloods of course) are this.
  • Happily Adopted: Yuuki, for the most parts.
  • Happily Married: Juri and Haruka.
  • Hate at First Sight: Zero and Kaname have despised each other from the moment they first met.
  • Hates Being Touched: Zero to a degree. In the beginning, the only one he doesn't mind touching him is (eventually) Yuuki. Otherwise he'd rather avoid physical contact, even from Yuuki, after The Reveal.
  • Held Gaze: Some between Yuuki and Zero.
  • Homage: A big part of, if not the entire story seems to be based upon knight tales, what with the whole "Kings, queens/princesses and knights" theme (along with the title), highly different social status/positions in society and lineage, plus the frequent use of and reference to chess games and pieces (mainly by Kaname). It makes even more sense if one looks at the dynamics of Yuuki and Zero's relationship throughout the story, where Yuuki is the "princess" while Zero is both her and arguably the serie's "knight".
  • Horror Hunger: The tragic state of level E's that ultimately leads to their death sentences, as it causes them to attack and feed on any human avaliable. This is the main cause of Zero's struggle in the first arc, though thanks to Yuuki and their "forbidden acts", he manages to avoid it.
  • Horsing Around: The horse Lily in an early chapter goes on a brief rampage apparently due to sensing vampires.
  • Hot Dad: Yagari Touga, Zero's shishou and father figure. (Also uncannily resembles Cross Marian from D.Gray-Man.)
    • Haruka Kuran as well.
      • Although he's only an adoptive dad, Kaien Cross is pretty hot himself, once he stops clowning around, undoes the silly pigtails and un-chibifies his face.
  • Hot Mom: Juri Kuran.
    • Although her face is only briefly shown, it's not hard to tell that Zero and Ichiru's mother was a beauty too.
  • Hunter of His Own Kind: Zero, obviously.
  • I Am Who?: Yuuki is the pureblood vampire Kuran Yuuki.
  • Identity Amnesia
  • If I Can't Have You: The main drive behind Rido's insanity and acts.
  • I Let Gwen Stacy Die: Kaname with the pureblood woman from his past.
  • Ill Girl: Maria Kurenai is said to be this. Also, Ichiru was a very rare male example as a child, due to Zero stealing much of his life force while they were in their mother's womb.
  • Immortality: Purebloods have this. They're not impossible to kill, however.
  • Improbable Aiming Skills: Zero is able to split a paper with a target in two by shooting a straight line across it.
  • Incoming Ham: Chairman Cross' introduction.
  • Indirect Kiss: Debatable, but an easy to miss one as early as chapter 2; Yuuki feeds her homemade chocolate to Zero, then as an additional page at the end of the chapter she's licking the same finger she fed him with.
  • Insecure Love Interest: Zero.
    • Ichiru and Kain could count too.
  • Interrupted Suicide: Zero is stopped by Yuuki from using "Bloody Rose" (his anti-vampire gun) at himself shortly after becoming a full fledged vampire. Though it can be debated whether he was really going to pull the trigger or if he was just "playing with the thought."
  • Interspecies Friendship: Zero and Yuuki in the first arc, being a human and a vampire, though taken even further when their relationship ambiguously transgresses into...
  • Interspecies Romance: Yuuki and Kaname (human and pureblood vampire) in the first arc, Yuuki and Zero (pureblood vampire and level D vampire/vampire hunter) in the second.
    • Also, Shizuka and her level D vampire lover, possibly an intentional close mirror situation to later Yuuki and Zero.
    • Shizuka and Ichiru as well. Though Shizuka apparently didn't return his feelings, they were still shown to share a close and rather touching bond.
  • Intimate Healing: The emotional version between Zero and Yuuki.
  • Irony: Zero's vampire hunter family is killed by a pureblood vampire, next to turning Zero to a vampire himself and making his brother betray him, all in one night. This causes him to hate vampires, purebloods especially. It's then revealed that Yuuki whom he lives with for four years afterwards, who helps healing his heart and who he falls in love with, is a pureblood vampire.
    • Zero just can't catch a break. The first woman he had a crush on was his school's nurse. She turned out to be a level E vampire.
    • Not only Zero. Both of the rare vampire hunter twins ended up falling in love with a pureblood vampire.
  • It Got Worse: Kaname's actions ever since leaving Yuuki in chapter 67.
  • I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Kaname and Zero both about Yuuki, though Zero a bit more obviously as he several times in the first arc mentiones how he only wants Yuuki to smile "from the bottom of her heart". Even after The Reveal that alienates him, his main reason for separating with Yuuki is apparently because he believes she doesn't need him and will be happy with Kaname.
  • Japanese Vampires: Implicitly justified by Our Vampires Are Different.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Zero. Cold, hateful and short-tempered, but never puts himself first and never demanding anything for his services. Yuuki even calls him out on how nice he is.
  • Jigsaw Puzzle Plot
  • Kubrick Stare: Zero has a few of these.
  • Lady and Knight: Yuuki and Zero implied (especially in the second arc), representing The Bright Lady and The White Knight respectively.
    • Shizuka and Ichiru ironically fits The Dark Lady and The Black Knight in turn.
  • Lap Pillow: Seen at the end of chapter 56 between Yuuki and Kaname.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: In several forms.
  • Lesbian Vampire: Sara Shirabuki. She could possibly be bisexual, but considering her so far all-female harem. . .
  • Living Emotional Crutch: Yuuki to Zero in the first arc.
Cquote1

 Zero: "Because you were there, Yuuki, I might have been able to live on...".

Cquote2
    • Easy to miss, but Yuuki is essentially telling Zero he's the same to her in chapter 34.
  • Longing Look
  • Love At First Sight: It's implied that this was the case for Kaname upon seeing baby Yuuki for the first time. You decide whether this is cute or creepy.
  • Love Hurts: Poor Zero. And Shizuka and Rido, who both apparently went crazy and turned villains because of this trope (Shizuka when her lover was killed and Rido when his love for Juri turned out unrequited.)
    • Kaname no doubt was hurt a great deal upon losing the hooded pureblood woman from his past.
    • Don't forget Kain, who's always been hopelessly in love with Ruka. There's still no signs of her returning his feelings.
    • This would count for Yuuki too. As long as she can't resolve whatever feelings it is she has for Zero, she'll continue to feel "unworthy" for Kaname. Kaname is not too happy by the bond she and Zero shares either.
    • Heck, is there any important character this trope doesn't apply to? There's also Ichiru who fell in love with Shizuka, who while dying in his arms explains how she could never return his feelings, apparently in fear of hurting him like she did with her late level D vampire lover.
  • Love Makes You Crazy: Murdering your love interests' child and terrorizing a school (among other things) simply because your love was unrequited certainly counts.
  • Love Makes You Evil: Played straight with Shizuka and Rido.
    • Arguably, Kaname's actions and methods sometimes transgresses him into this territory.
  • Love Martyr: Yuuki slowly but surely becomes this to Kaname.
  • Love Triangle: Zero, Yuuki and Kaname. Yuuki's mother Juri was also in one with her brothers Haruka and Rido. Rido was a sore loser.
    • Haruka, Juri and Kaien
  • Luminescent Blush
  • Mama Bear: Juri Kuran, who is implied to have done some very painful things to herself, all of which were part of her idea of saving her daughter by turning her human; apparently, turning a vampire human kills the vampire casting the spell. Ironically, far from saving said daughter from life as what she was born, the spell malfunctioned and almost destroyed Yuuki's sanity once she tried to remember her past. Kaname had to turn her back to save her.
  • Martyr Without a Cause: It seems like Yuuki's only way to help others is through some form of self-sacrifice.
  • May-December Romance: The extreme version of it. Yuuki and Kaname are close to 10, 000 years apart.
    • Slightly averted in the sense that their physical appearances show themselves to be close in age however. (Thank God?)
  • Mayfly-December Romance: Though they've yet to be canonized, this would count for Yuuki and Zero in the second arc.
  • Mercy Kill: Killing level E's (ex-humans gone crazy from hunger) is technically this. Made clear from Zero's first time hunting one (not counting the novel), to which the level E expresses relief upon being captured, in the words of "... but now I don't have to kill anymore...".
  • Mind Rape: Kaname does mild forms of this on Zero on several occasions, though the worst is probably in chapter 30:
Cquote1

  Kaname (while Zero is drinking from him): "You're supposed to hate vampires more than anyone, yet you need blood more than any other vampire. I think you're the most vampire like of us all."

Cquote2
  • Mismatched Eyes: Rido has a creepy pair.
  • Mood Whiplash: Kaien musing about his hilarious past involving his first meeting with Juri and Haruka is very sweet... until the end of the chapter, where Kaien explains in inner monologue that the reason that began his love/obsession for photography was after his shocked realization that Juri and Haruka — two precious people to Kaien — died without leaving behind a single photograph of themselves. It can double as a bit of a Tear Jerker.
  • Muggle Foster Parents: Considering that Yuuki was a pureblood Vampire all this time, Chairman Cross definitely counts. Unlike most, however, he is still alive to this chapter.
    • Averted however, as Kaien isn't an ordinary human.
  • Murder the Hypotenuse: Although their hatred of each other doesn't have that much to do with the Love Triangle, Zero and Kaname really wouldn't mind killing the other. Possibly subverted in that the reason they don't seems to be BECAUSE of the Love Triangle more than anything.
  • My Hero Zero: Obviously.
  • Mysterious Past: Yuuki, until The Reveal. May also apply to Kaname.
  • Nice Girl: For all her two-timing and indecisiveness, Yuuki is definitely this.
  • No Sense of Personal Space: Maria (while being possessed by Shizuka) loved doing this with Yuuki.
  • Not So Different: Zero and Kaname, whether they like it or not. They're both stoic Perpetually Frowning Bishonen vampires with Dark and Troubled Pasts whose hatred for each other is largely fueled by their love for the same girl.
  • Older Than They Look: Well, duh. It's a vampire story.
    • There's also a non-vampire example with Kaien Cross, who in one chapter is revealed to be 300 years old. Till now the only stated reason for this is that he has more vampire genes than the average vampire hunter has, though some fans are hoping for a more thorough explanation.
  • One Head Taller: It seems that about every male character is significantly taller than Yuuki.
    • Yuuki's just really short. Only five feet tall, to be exact.
  • Opposites Attract: Arguably, Zero and Yuuki.
  • Our Ghosts Are Different: It's a very friendly ghost/spirit image of Ichiru that appears to Zero in chapter 59. Cue a very touching moment (with some Ho Yay included).
  • Our Vampires Are Different: Very much so. Japanese Vampires.
    • Vampires are mutated humans rather than undead creatures from humans.
    • There are different types of vampires ranked by a pyramid. On top are the "pureblood" vampires with not a single drop of human blood in their veins. They're considered the "kings and queens" of vampires, are the most powerful and most desired ones, and can live forever if they're not killed (which is also extremely hard to do.) They're also the only type that can transform humans into vampires.
    • Beneath them are the "noble" vampires, ranked from "level B" to "level C", born vampires who also possess longevity and impressive powers, but not to the extent a pureblood vampire does.
    • Then there are the ex-humans, who fall into into either one of two categories; if the ex-human fails to recieve the blood of the pureblood who bit him/her, the ex-human will eventually fall into "level E(End)", a state of Horror Hungerthat causes him/her to attack humans indiscriminetly and left with no other fate but to be executed by vampire hunters. If the ex-human recieves blood from the pureblood offender however, he/she will become a "level D", the safe state of an ex-human vampire.
    • Sunlight weakens and lightly hurts the vampires, but not to a dangerous level.
    • They do not lack mirror reflections.
    • They sleep in regular beds. Purebloods in slumber sleep in tombs rather than coffins.
    • Blood drinking does satisfy, but full satisfaction only comes by drinking from someone the vampire loves. Could count as Does This Remind You of Anything?
    • Memories and feelings can be seen/felt through blood drinking.
    • Purebloods can transform other purebloods or lower vampire types into humans, killing themselves in the process. It's not guaranteed that the transformation will remain permanent however.
    • Apparently, purebloods are also the only vampires who can transform themselves, or part of themselves, into animals. Some noble vampires (like Maria) are capable of using Animal Eye Spy however.
    • When a human is bitten/transformed by a pureblood, that pureblood will become the ex-human's "master", being able to control the ex-human like a puppet with the sole control of his/her voice. The "servant" will also be unable to kill his/her master. Later we also learn that even purebloods can become each other's masters if one is awakened by another from slumber.
    • The most desirable blood to a vampire is also ranked by a pyramid. On top is the blood of purebloods, second is a beloved's blood, third is the blood of children, and fourth the blood of grown humans.
    • Noble vampires' powers (of the ones we've seen) differs between one another. Shiki can control blood outside his body like a whip, Aidou controls ice and Kain controls fire.
    • Purebloods can lose limbs, have their heart torn out and apparently even get decapitated without dying. The only way they'll be killed is by self-sacrifice or a combination of having their heart torn out or pierced while being badly wounded by an anti-vampire weapon.
    • Purebloods become diamond/glass shards when they die, all other vampire types becomes dust/sand.
  • Parental Abandonment: This is apparently the case with Yuuki's parents, until The Reveal where we learn that her parents, Juri and Haruka Kuran, died protecting her from Rido. Kaname, her foster brother, brought her to Kaien Cross.
  • Peek-a-Bangs
  • Perpetual Frowner: Zero and Kaname.
  • Pervert Dad: The Chairman...
  • Precocious Crush: Yuuki had this with Kaname until she became about the same physical age as him (hey, they're vampires). Not that Kaname minded. Revealed later why.
  • Psychic Powers: A common pureblood ability.
  • Purple Eyes: Zero.
  • Really 700 Years Old: Try really 10,000 years old.
  • Red Eyes, Take Warning: With exceptions, the vampires' eyes turn red when they're hungry.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: Yuuki is red and Zero is blue.
  • Reforged Into a Minion: Ichijou becomes this when Sara takes him under her wing.
  • Relationship Upgrade: Yuuki and Kaname becomes a couple at the end of the first arc.
  • Replacement Goldfish: After noticing Yuuki's resemblence to her mother Juuri, Yuuki's uncle Rido (who was in love with Juuri) changed his plans from devouring Yuuki to keeping her as a substitute for Juuri. Doubles as No Yay.
    • Also, played with in Chapter 64 when Yuuki asks this to Kaname after learning of Kaname's attachment to a woman when he was the Ancestor of the Kurans.
    • Maria seems to want to do this to Zero because Ichiru is inside him.
  • Rescue Romance: The beginning to Yuuki and Kaname's relationship though it's later revealed that they already knew each other.
  • Retired Badass: Kaien.
  • Romantic False Lead: Maria seems to have been brought back in for this purpose considering recent events.
  • Romanticized Abuse
  • Secret Keepers: The few Day Class students who allowed to keep their memories of the Rido attack intact and not have it erased include Yori, the president of the Day Class's girls' dorm, and the president of the Day Class's boys' dorm.
  • Security Cling: Yuuki sometimes does this with Zero.
  • Selective Obliviousness: Zero have yet to admit of still loving Yuuki, even though the signs are very much there.
  • Sexless Marriage: A debate would lead to if this was the case for Juri and Haruka, seeing as they waited about 3,000 years before having children. Of course, they could have been using contraceptive methods, but even then you're not 100% safe, specially not when that much time passes; accidents would occur. Then again, it's fiction.
  • Sickeningly Sweethearts: Haruka and Juri, but they make it look adorable. That is, if you forget about the, er... squicky-ness of it.
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 Juri: Haruka!!

Haruka: Juri!!

Juri: Come heeere!! Where had you goneDai-Guard (talk)?!

Haruka: Nowhere, you just ran off ahead and I was catching up.

Juri: KYA

Haruka: KYA

Kaien (in inner monologue): [watches Haruka and Juri] By the time I had noticed... There was an unexpectedly pink world spreading near my gloomy corner where I clung to dreams filled with darkness...

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  • She Cleans Up Nicely: Yuuki upon arriving at the ball in chapter 17. Good job keeping that poker face, Zero.
  • Ship Sinking: Yuuki and Kaname's relationship seems to have headed in this direction for a while, though it becomes especially apparent when Yuuki recently cuts off her hair that Kaname cherished (and in japanese culture means a break up), next to saying she's "relieved herself of the heavy burden", arguably referring to their relationship.
  • Ship Tease: Kaname and Ruka.
    • Zero and Maria, most notably in recent chapters where Maria even canonly states an interest in Zero to Yuuki. It seems to be more of a case of Replacement Goldfish (Zero replacing Ichiru to her) than a genuine crush though.
  • Shoujo
  • Shower of Angst: Zero in the anime. Though it's only for a few quick seconds.
  • Sibling Rivalry: Zero and Ichiru, though entirely on Ichiru's part.
  • Simple Staff: Yuuki's weapon until after The Reveal is a collapsible bo, the Artemis Rod, which she keeps hidden strapped to her thigh under her skirt. Since the skirt's pretty short, albeit flared and pleated, it's hard to tell how it doesn't show all the time. The Rod is powerful against vampires, with an arcing, electric-like energy.
  • Sinister Scythe: Yuuki's weapon, later on. the Artemis Rod, transformed into a scythe by Yuuki.
  • Sleep Cute
  • Snow Means Death: The setting at Zero's family tragedy.
  • Stalking Is Love: Kaname's methods of keeping an eye on his beloved Yuuki transgress a little into this territory.
  • Subtext: Not everyone agrees that Yuuki might have feelings for Zero.
  • Talking to the Dead: While not doing any talking himself, Zero is listening to a spirit/ghost of Ichiru in chapter 59.
  • Tall, Dark and Handsome: Kaname.
  • Tears of Remorse: Some by Yuuki, along with Tender Tears.
  • Teen Genius: Zero. He either skips classes or sleeps through them, and yet has excellent grades. According to the fanbook this is because he only needs to hear things once to understand it.
  • Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Zero and Kaname in the first arc.
  • The Beautiful Elite: The vampires. Later, possible deconstructed with characters that, despite everything, still suffer and hide their pain under this.
  • The Chessmaster: Kaname.
  • The Dog Bites Back: Zero has a moment of this when he rips off Kaname's hand in chapter 46. Extra points for his animal motif being a dog.
  • The Dragon: Ichiru to Shizuka.
  • The Gwen Stacy: Fuuka to Aidou, the woman from the Ancestor's past to Kaname.
  • The Ingenue: Yuuki to a degree.
  • Theme Twin Naming: Zero and Ichiru (ichi meaning one).
  • The Only One Allowed to Defeat You: A very bittersweet moment between Yuuki and Zero in Chapter 46.
Cquote1

 Zero: Go, Yuuki... Go be next to... the man who can spend eternity with you. ... But the next time we meet... I will kill you, Yuuki...

Yuuki: Well then, in that case... I will keep running away from you, Zero. So that you will have a reason to live... by still having enemies to go after...

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  • The Reveal: Yuuki is a pureblood vampire.
    • Kaname was the main cause behind Zero's tragedy, not Rido.
  • The Stoic: Zero.
  • Time Skip: It skips a year shortly after Rido's defeat and Yuuki and Zero's separation.
  • Title Drop
  • Together Umbrella: Haruka and Juri.
  • Tomato in the Mirror: Yuuki
  • Took a Level In Badass: Yuuki becoming an Action Girl post-transforming back into a vampire, and subverted with Kaien, who was badass before, and demonstrated it in later chapters. Zero too, when arriving at the battle with Rido.
  • Troubled but Cute: Zero.
  • Troubling Unchildlike Behaviour: Slightly averted with Zero.
  • Tsundere: Zero and Juri.
  • Twincest: Zero and Ichiru receive quite a share of Bro Yay.
  • Two Guys and a Girl
  • The Unfavorite: Ichiru believes he is this to his parents after overhearing a conversation they had comparing him to Zero. This prompted many of his actions later on.
  • Unrequited Love: The whole reason Rido went mad in the first place, when Juri chose Haruka over him.
    • There's also Kain/Ruka, Ruka/Kaname and Ichiru/Shizuka.
    • In the main Love Triangle, however, this is completely averted.
  • Unrequited Love Switcheroo: Arguably this applies to recent events, since Yuuki figured her feelings for Zero were stronger than what she initially thought and is eager to rebuild a relationship with him, all the while she's convinced he no longer loves her to which she's shown expressing sadness over on several occasions.
  • Uptown Girl: Yuuki becomes this to Zero. She's a pureblood princess, he's a level D vampire...
  • UST: Not so much Kaname and Yuuki since Yuuki has always been quite open about her feelings for him (the same goes for Kaname), but there is a lot of this between Yuuki and Zero, especially given recent events.
  • Utopia Justifies the Means: What is debated to be Kaname's reasoning for his recent actions.
  • Vampires Are Rich
  • Vampire Hunter: Zero and Yagari.
  • Van Helsing Hate Crimes
  • Villainous Incest: Rido. He had a frightening obsession with his sister Juri. Then again, Juri did end up marrying their other brother, and they are not villains in the least.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Yuuki and Zero in the first arc.
  • Warm Bloodbags Are Everywhere: Averted as upon learning that Zero is a vampire, Yuuki willingly lets him drink from her on several occasions during the first arc in order to keep him from becoming a level E.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: Kaname.
  • We Used to Be Friends: Yuuki and Zero in the second arc.
  • Wham! Line:
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 Yuuki: He is my... older brother...

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