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Title:  Red Angel Vol 1

Author:  Makoto Tateno

Publisher:  Junè

ISBN: 9781569707241

May Contain Spoilers

Whoa!  The third vampire book in three days! All three were very different in their approach to the subject matter, and each had a different tone to the story.  Chibi Vampire focuses more on relationships, Dance in the Vampire Bund was full of action and political intrigue, and Red Angel took a more leisurely stroll down Bloodsucker Lane.

Mika is a vampire, but she can only feed on those that she favors.  Taking the time to befriend her victims, she finds herself moving from place to place, probably because feeding on your friends doesn’t make you a very good neighbor.  Eru, her other form, carries secrets that she’s not even aware of, placing her in danger.  After meeting Kinsei, he hints at a forgotten past when they were always together.  Will she remember her past before it’s too late?

The beginning of Red Angel was fairly forgettable, but the story started to pick up steam as mysteries surrounding Eru, Mika’s other persona, were revealed.  Mika is a kinder, gentler vampire, and she doesn’t kill unnecessarily, preferring to leave her victims weakened, but alive.  Nurturing a friendship with them, she finds that friends make a better meal than random strangers.  She doesn’t even turn them into “associates,” her loyal servants.  I think it’s a wee little bit mean to befriend someone with the sole intention of feasting on their blood and then casting them aside like a banana peel, but who am I to judge?

Things started to get very interesting when bits of  Eru’s background were revealed.  From his days at a boys’ school where love goes hand in hand with betrayal, to his self-righteous indignation at Kinsei’s callous treatment of the woman who loves him,  the secret of his past has me intrigued.  With hints that he was once a much different being than current circumstances would dictate, one wonders what caused his fall from grace.

Makoto Tateno’s art is light and airy, giving Red Angel a dreamy feeling.  The illustrations occasionally take a darker stance, somewhat like sliding down into a nightmare.  Her male characters are especially attractive, with their wispy wings and delightfully tousled hair. 

Red Angel is a pleasant diversion, but it doesn’t linger long after reading the last page.  Still, it finished with a bunch of questions that beg to be answered.

Grade: C+

Rated for 16+

Review copy provided by Junè