Netflix’s Vampire in The Garden reaches those who seek elements to connect to. If you’re a bedecked anime fan who has swam the rivers of anime land far into the territories of 200 and over, you must have gotten used to the monster hunter trope. Be it the astonishing Titans from Shingeki No Kyojin, Demons in Claymore, or Zombies from Kabaneri of The Iron Fortress. Vampire in The Garden brings in that element, but with a change.
Monsters and vampires in anime, let alone all of fiction, are no rarity. What accompanies the gore action in Netflix’s Vampire in The Garden, is a series of well-detailed visuals by the usually renowned god of animations – WIT studio. But, how exactly is the series? Should you watch it? Stay with us as we Review Vampire in The Garden SPOILER-FREE.
Reviewing Vampire in The Garden
The Initial Impression
The Initial Impression- For the age-hardy anime fan who for all his life has relied on TV telecasted anime, the era of streaming services may wipe him imbalanced. Of course, one can go ahead with the taunts that such an otaku is actually an anime boomer. But I for one, am one.
- It is still difficult for me to think that an anime distributed by Netflix that never aired on TV will be of any value. Such anime are usually listed as Original Net Animation (ONA). We veterans who have yet to catch up to technology usually check the banner under a series along with its rating before deciding whether to watch it or not.
- The ONA really put me off at first because there aren’t many Netflix original anime that I have dived into anyways.
At first, I didn’t really know what to expect, but one could guess that it was a fantasy story. Of course not in the lines of Isekai or medieval joy, but one with a grim tone. It overwhelmed me in this segment. How? well-
How Does Vampire in The Garden’s Plot Fair?
What’s the Plot Tho?
Humanity lost to vampires in the great war. A small city-state is all that remains of the human legacy. The city is protected by a massive wall of light that barricades them against the sun-hating monsters. The human leaders are desperate to regain control of the world, despite having lost. The city by no means is ideal, discrimination is an all-time high. Momo, confined within the walls (reminds me of someone?) dreams of peace with Vampires.
On the other side, we have Vampire Queen Fine. Having loved a human in her past, she decides to desert the battlefield. She has decided to give up fighting against humanity. Both Fine and Momo meet each other and resolve to find Eden. Eden is the manifestation of harmony between all.
Haha Fine is NOT FINE 😃
Vampire in the Garden hit me like a truck pic.twitter.com/cnDeb1Cf4q— тora (@torachani) September 3, 2022
- The plot isn’t out of the world, but it’s totally out from a heart, and one that bleeds. The entire series would keep you at the edge of your emotions. It would invade the secrecy of the things you think you care about and then leave you numb. It is not for the faintest of heart. The series is, to some extent, depressing.
- The story propels you in a way that makes you care. I was prepared for it to be emotional, but it turned in some aspects downright saddening. Yet it is not a sadness that breaks you, but one that connects you. It moves to your deepest, most subconscious emotional masochistic tendencies, and hurts you just where you like it. (Love the way it hurts.)
Does it Utilise its Philosophy Well?
Samurai Champloo (for the classic action/adventure with smooth animations) is one of my top 3 of all time (rest in peace Nujabes 🙏), and Vampire in the Garden (for a romeo & juliet theme) is a recent favorite! pic.twitter.com/WUrT7JoGdp
— Rheneria 😎🎸 レニリア | Vtuber: Debut TBA (@rheneria) August 25, 2022
- The show goes on to a decent degree to show the plight of those prisoned by hatred. Both humanity and vampires hate each other. They have always been each other’s arch-nemesis. And obviously, Vampires always won. They drove humans into their last corner, a fortified city.
- The last stand of humanity is by no means ideal. And as seen throughout reality, whenever confined to the depths of limitations humanity always shows the worst.
- The series does not shade the plot in black and white. The line of morality in which to determine who is good and who is bad is not set in stone. For example, Vampires are not always villains, despite what the humans make them be.
- Plots like these have always focused on the same. Attack on Titan is the greatest such example. The world is unusually complex and has little to spare for linear judgments of people’s characters. While some Vampires may be monstrous, living to their name, some are rather kind. Fine herself fell in love with a human in the past.
The Move of The Protagonists in Vampire in The Garden
The Drive of The Main Character Vampire in The Garden lives up to its name. You would rather be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war, right? Well Fine, the Vampire queen who once cherished a human is a Vampire in a war but is also a Vampire in the garden (hah!).
Get the f^ck up and take care the garden yourself, Fine 😔😭#vampireinthegarden #vampire_in_the_garden pic.twitter.com/GPCg3By29Q
— Mai Phượng (@kimchingonqua_5) September 3, 2022
Fine kind of looks like the love child of Hinata and Toneri Otutsuki. But that completely aside, what would hook you on the get-go is the same dynamic you may have found in shows like Attack on Titan and Code Geass. Although to be fair, this show is nowhere near the fire both these goliaths carried. Yet it isn’t bad.
What Carries Vampire in The Garden Is The Characters
In shows like these, what really hooks the audience is not only the world setting but the strength of the characters. For example, when you do something like One Piece, you need to build a good world. It is near impossible to carry a show only on the shoulder of the characters alone if the episode count goes over 100, let alone 1000.
But we are talking about a Netflix series that has a total run time of over 2 hours. If anything, Vampire In The Garden can be compared to a feature film of the same length. The majority of the show is unusually carried by the two protagonists.
https://twitter.com/wintcrbear/status/1565090117445885953
How Did The Voice Actors Do?
Megumi Han and Yuu Kobayashi did a phenomenal job in voicing the vampire queen and the impoverished human girl. One may know Yuu Kobayashi from Steins Gate, as she played Luka Urushibara. Both these actors are very versatile and are very apt in voicing their given characters. For example, when Momo shivers with anguish and screams that she wishes humans and vampires could coexist, you can really feel the emotion wave into you. For me, voice acting is absolutely crucial to determining whether the characters connect to me or not.
Conclusion
Vampire in The Garden is depressing. It carries you with the connection it builds between the main two protagonists, and the pasts they have shared. The world that is set for you is not explained in hellish detail, which would be improbable for a show of only 5 episodes. Yet the information never seems not enough. The story is more focused on the journey towards the Utopia called Eden and the harsh realities that ensue. Yet within the heart of those who dream of Eden, Eden truly lies. Numbering a show is rather abstract and subjective, but if you followed me til here; I rate it, 7.7/10.
RATING: 7.7/10
Go watch it and break your heart.
Also Read : Attack on Titan Wasn’t Meant To Be Published Until This Happened
That’s it then! make sure to share, and subscribe to our push notifications You can also follow us on Twitter @spieltimes for the latest PS5 restock and drop. Stay Safe and Happy Gaming!
