Manga Review: Trinity Blood Vol. 1 by Sunao Yoshida with art by Kiyo Kyujyo

I’m a huge fan of anything having to do with vampires. Yes, I know, it’s a disease, like a book or caffeine addiction.  All three just seem to go hand in hand, so it works out well. Since I'm obsessed with vampires, Trinity Blood seemed a natural to read; it seems to be everywhere I look recently.  

I haven’t watched the anime series yet, though I did break down and buy the box set at Christmas, and I have yet to read the novels written by the late Suano Yoshida. I decided to start with the manga, with character design by Thores Shibamoto, art by Kiyo Kyujyo, and story by Sunao Yoshida. It seemed as good a place as any when there is so much to chose from! 

In a not so distant future the world has suffered an Armageddon and a second moon hangs in the sky. Vampires and humans are locked in a war that started with the rise of the second moon. The Vatican is doing everything they can in the war against the vampires and that includes sending special agents out to fight the good fight. One of these agents is Abel Nightroad.  

Abel Nightroad at first appears to be a sweet tempered clumsy priest sent to investigate the city of Istavan, which has become overrun with vampires. At the local church, Abel is introduced for a second time to Esther, a young nun he met earlier dressed in men’s clothes on the train platform. When Esther asks him to keep it a secret from her Mother Superior he agrees — with the bribe of food.  

When the church is attacked by vampires, Abel learns that Lord Gyula, the vampire in control of Istavan, has a plan to erase the curse of the Vatican from the face of the planet forever. With the help and hindrance of a full cast of characters, Abel is eventually able to overcome the threat. Along the way we learn the coolest thing about the series; Abel Nightroad is not just a clumsy priest but also Crusnik, a vampire that feeds on the blood of other vampires.  

I love the idea of mixing vampires and the Catholic Church; it works perfectly for the series and provides a lot of depth to the characters. Trinity Blood is rated 16+ and has some mild violence and gore, though everything is action based. The story pulls you in and quickly moves forward, and I can’t wait to read the second volume. I also want to finally open the box set and sit down for some quality time with my TV and Trinity Blood.

Article Author: Katie Trattner

Ms. Trattner works for a non-profit agency where she is thankful for any internet time she can squeeze into her day. In her free time she reads one of the thousands of books stacked in her tiny apartment.

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