Vampires have been an essential part of Gothic fiction and fantasy for many decades now, and this is true in Hollywood, the world of Japanese anime, and far more. All vampires are bloodsucking creatures of the night, but there is still room for some creativity in their depiction. Some vampires are much scarier than others.
Traditional vampires are ageless, arrogant beings who wield dark magic and prey on humans with impunity, while other anime vampires subvert this archetype entirely. Some vampires are actually cuddly and friendly beings, or at least fighting with the good guys instead of attacking them. Now the question is: which anime vampires stay true to this race's dark origins, and which of them are cartoony and cute instead?
10 SCARY ANIME VAMPIRE: Dracula Is A Vengeful Bloodsucker (Castlevania)
Author Bram Stoker helped create the mythos of vampires with his classic novel Dracula, and the world has been in love with these fictional bloodsuckers ever since. Dracula has appeared in many works of fiction, and that includes the hit Netflix animated series Castlevania.
This series, which is heavily anime-inspired, featured Dracula himself as the villain in the first two seasons. In particular, Dracula sought vengeance on all of humanity for the death of his wife, and he commanded an entire court of vampire generals and two human forge masters.
9 CUTE ANIME VAMPIRE: Staz D. Blood Is Actually A Nice Guy (Blood Lad)
The vampire Staz wants to maintain his reputation as a tough and cool guy in the underworld, but the reality is that he's a kind fellow who will do anything for a friend. Staz is also a huge otaku, being a fan of Japanese pop culture from anime and figurines to games and music.
Staz met Fuyumi, a Japanese girl who wandered into the underworld, and he soon became her protector and friend, even after Fuyumi died and became a spirit. Staz risked everything for her, and he inspired his allies to do the same. He hardly drank any blood at all during this time, in fact.
8 SCARY ANIME VAMPIRE: Evangeline A.K. McDowell Has A Terrifying Reputation (Mahou Sensei Negima!)
In some ways, Evangeline A.K. McDowell blurs the line between "scary vampire" and "cute vampire," but given her immense powers and cruel personality, it's easier to categorize her as a scary anime vampire. At times, though, she might look like a well-dressed and classy 10-year-old.
In reality, though, Evangeline is over 700 years old, and she has magical power and experience to match. She is haughty, self-centered, sadistic, and isn't afraid to prey on her own classmates to sate her thirst. She is also a strict and demanding magical teacher even in the best of times.
7 CUTE ANIME VAMPIRE: Redcurrant Inspires Writers (The Ancient Magus Bride)
In addition to traditional undead vampires, there are supernatural beings with strongly vampiric traits and tendencies, and that includes the Celtic spirit Redcurrant. She will seduce a human and drink their blood, but she will give them a gift in return: divine inspiration in the arts.
Redcurrant likes to inspire writers and poets this way, but this will also drain the person's life energy. Overall, Redcurrant means well and is a friendly creature, and she might even fall in love with her human "client" at times. Aside from the unfortunate life-drain aspect of her powers, she is sweet and harmless.
6 SCARY ANIME VAMPIRE: Dio Brando Has No Mercy (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Dio Brando is Jonathan Joestar's nemesis and Jotaro Kujo's worst enemy, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Dio's difficult upbringing makes him seem sympathetic at first, but he quickly proved that he had left his humanity far behind, even before donning the stone Aztec mask.
Dio had immense power during the Phantom Blood story arc, and he sought to destroy the entire Joestar bloodline out of spite. Then, in Stardust Crusaders, he wielded the impressive Stand called The World, and wreaked havoc until Jotaro finally slew him for good.
5 CUTE ANIME VAMPIRE: Shinobu Oshino Means No Harm (Bakemonogatari)
Shinobu Oshino is a bit like Evangeline from Negima!, having the appearance of a young girl while actually being centuries old. She used to be more brutal, but she eventually lost her memories and most of her powers. Now, Shinobu has no desire to seriously harm anyone and consumes blood responsibly.
Shinobu is also fond of donuts and resides not in a scary Gothic castle, but a school, a familiar setting for many anime fans. She can also connect with Araragi to share emotions and senses, something a scary vampire wouldn't bother doing at all.
4 SCARY ANIME VAMPIRE: Luminus Valentine Means Business (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime)
So far, Demon Lord Luminus Valentine hasn't seen fit to antagonize or conspire against Rimuru Tempest the hero. Still, she is not to be taken lightly, and Rimuru shouldn't lower his guard around her. She has formidable power and influence in this isekai world.
Valentine is also a cautious and aloof creature, and she didn't show her face until the last moment. Until then, she had Roy Valentine take her place in the council of Demon Lords, which totally fooled Rimuru. During that time, she posed as a humble servant in a maid outfit.
3 CUTE ANIME VAMPIRE: Yoko Shiragami Is A Lovely Half-Vampire (Actually, I Am...)
Some anime vampires are actually half-bloods, and that includes Yoko Shiragami, a dhampir girl in high school. She would rather not anyone know of her supernatural status, but one day, her classmate Asahi Kuromine saw her stretching out her bat-like wings. Now her secret's out.
Yoko felt no need to threaten or kill Asahi to protect her secret, though. In fact, she is a sweet and harmless half-vampire who has fun with her ordinary school life, and she is surprisingly dense for a vampiric creature. She means no harm at all.
2 SCARY ANIME VAMPIRE: Arystar Krory Is A Fierce Warrior (D.Gray-Man)
Also known as Alistair Crowley, this brutal vampire once terrorized an entire town and had an entire castle to himself. Exorcists Allen Walker and Ravi were assigned to investigate, and after a brief clash with Krory, they realized that Krory was not their true enemy. At least, he doesn't serve the Millennium Earl or the Noah family.
Krory switched sides and joined the Order, becoming its newest exorcist with Innocence powers of his own. He does have his cuddly side, but overall, his appearance and aggression in combat mark him as one of anime's scariest vampires.
1 CUTE ANIME VAMPIRE: Liz T. Blood Is Just A Kid (Blood Lad)
Staz Blood Isn't the only cuddly vampire character in Blood Lad. There's also his little sister Liz, and while she tries to look scary, she's actually more cute than horrifying. She looks up to her brothers for guidance and protection, and Fuyumi couldn't help but dote on her.
Liz likes stuffed animals and similar toys, and for the most part, she'd rather avoid a serious fight if at all possible. Then again, she did help Staz and his friends train, proving her worth in mock battle. She's little, but not completely defenseless.