Title: Vampire Knight
Author: Matsuri Hino
Publisher: Viz Media (Shojo Beat)
Volume: Volume 14 (ongoing), $9.99
Vintage: 2011 by Hakusensha, July 2012 by Viz Media
Genre: Vampires, romance, drama
As volume 14 opens, Yuki is still lost in Kaname’s memories. She watches as Kaname uses his own flesh and blood to run experiments designed to uncover a way to stop the unlimited regenerative powers of his kind. However, it is the woman in Kaname’s memories that makes the ultimate sacrifice, giving up her heart, flesh, and blood in order to create weapons that can kill vampires, and share her power with the first of the Hunters. While Yuki sleeps, Aido is interrogated at the Hunter head quarters in regards to Kaname’s plans. Sara Shirabuki is causing trouble again, turning many young girls into her vampire servants. The Hunters are concerned that Kaname is turning a blind eye to her actions, but Aido explains that she isn’t breaking any rules (the girls are fully consenting), nor is she a direct threat to Yuki, so Kaname probably doesn’t care. Which does not make the Hunters happy, since they signed a treaty with Kaname that would allow him to deal with the purebloods, and he’s letting Sara do whatever she wants. Ichijo is with her, of course, but there’s nothing he can do to reign her in. There’s really little he can do but watch. Even when he discovers what she’s really up to. Meanwhile, Yuki resolves to start afresh with Kaname. To stop thinking of him as her brother, or as her upperclassman, and just as Kaname. She wants to work hard to be his equal, and Kaname agrees that they should start over and live a new life side by side. Kaname has more business to attend to, however, after a cryptic warning from Lord Aido, Yuki feels strongly that something is wrong and heads off after him. She runs into the Hunter prisoner truck on its way to return Aido, and demands that her foster father take her to the Hanadagi family castle. Lord Aido heads there as well, and arrives just in time to see Sara Shirabuki attempt to kill and absorb pureblood Lord Hanadagi’s blood and powers. Hanadagi awakes, but Sara escapes, leaving Aido behind. Kaname arrives in the nick of time to save Aido, but Yuki, Aido (the younger), and Kaien Cross aren’t far behind. And they arrive just in time to watch Kaname do something inexplicably horrible. Kaname leaves them with more questions to be answered, and Cross is forced to take a distraught Yuki into custody.
Kaname, what the hell are you even doing. Because I seriously have no idea anymore, if I ever did. Is he trying to destroy the vampire race? Or maybe just the purebloods (which…would sort of destroy them anyway, I think)? I wish he would just…tell somebody. Or well, he probably has, Hino just isn’t showing it to her readers. There are characters who at least have a better idea of his plans (Kain and Ruka, for example). No one else seems to know, though I get the feeling Kaname told the elder Aido before he died. What’s worrying, of course, is the army Sara is building. I find it hard to believe that Kaname has no idea what’s going on. He did, after all, realize she would go after Hanadagi. Unless, of course, he’d planned on killing the pureblood himself and she just got there first. Well, not even Yuki can figure out what he’s up to. Which is troubling, especially as he just agreed to start anew with her and stay with her forever. And then he does the exact opposite without explanation. Not only that, but it gets Yuki into trouble with the Hunter Society. She and Kaname are put “on notice” essentially, and are listed as being dangerous. Usually that means the Hunters are allowed to take them down, but Yuki (somewhat) peacefully turned herself over to Cross. Not sure what that all will mean for Kaname, however. It would be nice if we, as the readers, had some inkling about what was going on, but I guess that’s just my natural impatience. Hino will reveal it all in her own time. In the meantime, expect more Zero agonizing over Yuki during her stay at the Hunter Society head quarters, and Sara is likely to make a move soon. A real move, using the power and assets she has been gathering in secret.
Kris
kristin@comicattack.net
@girlg33k_kris
Review copy provided by Viz Media.
