Manga Review | Smoky Nectar by Akira Minazuki

Title: Smoky Nectar



Mitsuru has been friends with Annaka (nicknamed Anna) since they were in preschool, and though their lives have gone in entirely different directions, they remain close. Anna has become a successful real estate agent, while Mitsuru is often in the trenches as a field journalist, reporting on various local news. Mitsuru is currently on a story that leans toward the . Still, he’s determined to find the truth, whether based on reality or something harkening back to human imagination. A local woman was recently found dead, her blood completely clotted, and with two suspicious bite marks on her neck. The killer is called “The Biter,” a rumored vampire.

Mitsuru is actively seeking the killer, and as usual, he reaches out to Anna, who has a multitude of connections, looking for some information. Anna doesn’t have much and spends most of the time insisting that Mitsuru stop inserting himself into such a dangerous scenario. What Mitsuru keeps to himself is that Anna is suspected of being “The Biter,” and while he is looking for additional information from Anna, he’s also hoping that he’ll be able to prove Anna’s innocence. Anna is his closest friend, and Mitsuru wants nothing more than to protect him the only way he can. But if Anna is “The Biter,” what would that mean for their relationship?

More importantly, is Mitsuru safe?

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Manhwa Review | The Pain in My Neck by Face Park

Title: The Pain in My Neck



Kim Sumin has not been feeling well. He’s sick constantly, to the point that he can barely leave his apartment, and has been forced to take a leave of absence from work to heal. He goes to the hospital and gets a battery of tests to solve the problem, only to be told there’s nothing wrong with him. But his pain is very much real and debilitating. With no hope in sight, Sumin is unsure how to live a fulfilling life.

On his way back to his apartment, he catches sight of his neighbor, seemingly making out with another person in broad daylight. Sumin is initially grossed out until his neighbor looks his way, revealing they aren’t kissing. Instead, his neighbor, Lee Luhan, is a vampire, and he is feeding. Sumin knows he should run away, but he’s too stunned to do anything, and with his secret revealed, Luhan doesn’t feel like he has to hold himself back anymore.

He can smell that Sumin is full of bad blood, which is causing his illness. All Luhan has to do is suck it out, and Sumin will be healed. Will Sumin be willing to give himself over to a vampire, or will he just bear with the pain?

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Manga Review | Sweet Blood by Nene Shakeda

Title: Sweet Blood



In a world dominated by , human rights and freedoms have been severely limited. Humans and vampires are segregated, with very few select humans given passes to travel through and in vampire areas without being accompanied by a vampire. Jinosuke is one of those few humans. He’s a potter whose work is impeded by the deteriorating relationship between humans and vampires. Unfortunately, his most recent job has just been canceled due to his sponsor pulling out.

Frustrated and unemployed, Jinosuke travels through a vampire district, aimless and trying to determine his next course of . Even with a pass, it’s not easy going through the streets of vampire districts, as all vampires have silver hair, and humans don’t. So, Jinosuke is constantly being watched and talked about. He’s hardly bothered by the attention until he ends up in a sparsely populated area. There, he is ambushed, confined, and then sold in a human auction for vampires. This is very illegal, but as the product being sold, Jinosuke has no choice but to go along with the process.

In the end, Jinosuke is purchased by a youthful-looking vampire named Noi, a human anthropologist. Thankfully, Noi doesn’t want to force Jinosuke into being food but would like to make a trade. In exchange for his blood and knowledge of humans, Jinosuke can continue to work and live under Noi’s protection. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than the alternative, so Jinosuke accepts. What Jinosuke doesn’t expect is for the feeding to feel so good. As they share more time (and fluids) with one another, Jinosuke begins to suspect it wasn’t a coincidence that Noi was the one to purchase him.

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Manhwa Review | I’m Yours, Blood and Soul by GyaGa

Title: I'm Yours, Blood and Soul



Deok Bokhee is a vampire. At least once a week, if not more, he goes out to the clubs on the hunt for his next meal. He ends up with an impressive catch that leads to a steamy moment in the bathroom, then evolves to an even steamier time in a hotel room. The two are very compatible, which makes this meal all the more delectable. Bokhee is just about to take a bite of his prey when, out of nowhere, the man he’s in bed with sprouts little black wings. As it turns out, the man he thought was a human is a demon, also on the hunt for a meal.

Kim Mariam is that demon. While the sex was great, the prey wasn’t what he expected. Thankfully, are just as edible as humans, if not more so, since vampires are immortal and have multiple souls inside them, thanks to their own hunger, often causing the death of others. So, Mariam isn’t all that put off, but Bokhee seems to be beyond disgusted. After Bokhee goes off to shower, Mariam takes a moment to rifle through Bokhee’s belongings, discovering an unusual bottle among his things. Thirsty and not worried about what’s in the bottle since he’s immortal, he gulps it down.

Unfortunately, that was a bottle of Bokhee’s 500-year-old vampire blood, and whoever drinks it creates a link with Bokhee that will make it so Bokhee can only drink from that person. Bokhee is beyond upset, as the only way to break the link is for one of them to die. As a demon, Mariam will never die, and Bokhee is not interested in dying. So these two are now forced together, and while Bokhee desperately wants out of this contract, Mariam seems all too happy to be linked to the resistant vampire. All while they are struggling to deal with this new connection, there is a serial killer whose murders resemble a vampire killing, and that puts Bokhee in the crosshairs of the police.

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Manhua Review | Offering My Neck To You by Yun Zhong

Title: Offering My Neck To You



Yanchen has been living an odd life for the last decade. It’s already strange enough that he is a vampire, but he’s also raising a child that he never should have. After killing a werewolf, he discovered the werewolf he killed had a half-werewolf child. Feeling immense guilt for his actions, he takes in the child named Luoan. Werewolves and are natural enemies, and having a half-werewolf around is even more dangerous since their blood has unique properties that empower vampires. Regardless, Yanchen does everything he can to raise Luoan to be an upstanding and strong young man.

Things are a bit complicated. Because Yanchen is immortal, his appearance never changes. To protect his family, they have to move every three to four years to avoid suspicion, but as Luoan gets older and older, it’s harder and harder for Yanchen to be able to play his guardian. Things come to a head when the new school Luoan moves to happens to also have other werewolves attending, and they recognize Luoan as one of their own immediately. While Luoan wants to learn more about himself and where he came from, he doesn’t want to be separated from Yanchen.

But Yanchen, seeing Luoan among his kind, wonders if it wouldn’t be better for the half-werewolf to be with them. While Yanchen and Luoan struggle to come to terms with their family foundation weakening, a deadly threat lurks in the darkness. Half-werewolves are ideal for vampires, and with more eyes on Luoan, it’s only a matter of time before the other vampires come out to get a taste of that power. Can Yanchen protect Luoan? Or will he have to give up Luoan to ensure his safety, even if it means living life alone once more?

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Manhwa Review | The Unquenchable Mr. Kim by MORAK

Title: The Unquenchable Mr. Kim



Doyun is trying to stay alive and keep his job. Unfortunately, that’s harder for him since he isn’t your average human. Doyun is actually a half-vampire. Because of his odd disposition, Doyun cannot consume human blood. Thankfully, don’t have to only drink blood, but it’s not any easier to get. Vampires can also subsist on essence, which they can get from humans by having sex with them.

Doyun hasn’t had a partner in a while, so he’s pretty worn out. Food or coffee isn’t enough to keep him moving along. So, to make his life a bit easier, he’s planning to find a sex friend. In his tired stupor, he intends to let his guardian know but accidentally messages his boss instead. Fully prepared to get fired, Doyun goes to see his boss and tries to explain the unfortunate mishap.

To his surprise, though, chief Gangwoo isn’t mad at all. Actually, he’s very interested in Doyun’s hunt for a partner. So, he offers himself up to take the role. Needing to get essence and happy not to lose his job, Doyun is willing to give the chief a try. Unfortunately, things don’t work out as well as Doyun hopes. As it turns out, his constitution is worsening, and essence is no longer enough. Will Doyun be able to find a new way to feed? Or is he doomed to die an agonizing death?

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Manhwa Review | Dine With a Vampire by PANGIN

Title: Dine With a Vampire



Sooin spends every day living in utter hell. He lives in a world stuck between guilt and rage, love and vengeance, and complacency and revenge. The best he can do on a day-to-day basis is to try not to anger his roommate, Sungha. Why Sungha? Because Sungha spends every day torturing and beating Sooin because Sooin fell in love with him. Sooin could leave, but his guilt won’t allow him to, as he feels his love for Sungha has turned him into a monster. So he endures Sungha’s cruelty, but not without hoping that someday he can escape.

Then, while at work, Sooin meets another kind of monster. He runs into the owner of the restaurant he works at, Chi-hwan, because of a cut on Sooin’s finger. It turns out that Chi-hwan is a vampire, but not just any vampire. Instead, he is a vampire that can’t drink human blood and must subsist off the hearts of his fellow vampire brethren. But for some reason, he is drawn to Sooin’s blood, and when he gets a taste of it, he finds it perfectly palatable when human blood hasn’t been for so long.

Desperate to ensure Sooin stays alive and well so he can partake in his blood, Chi-hwan makes him an offer Sooin can’t refuse. Chi-hwan will kill for Sooin, including Sungha. All Sooin has to do is give him blood.

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Manga Review | Rosario+Vampire by Akihisa Ikeda

Title: Rosario+Vampire



Tsukune Aono is as average as they come. However, as average as he is, his poor grades make it, so he cannot attend any of the local high schools. Thankfully, though, he receives an acceptance from the mysterious school aptly named Yokai Academy. On the surface, it seems to be an oddly decorated school campus. However, Tsukune quickly realizes that he should have never come to this school because it is not for average humans like him. Instead, it is a school specifically for creatures like , werewolves, succubi, and ghouls – all creatures that seem to have an ingrained hatred for humans.

Thankfully, though, as Tsukune comes to terms with his risky predicament, he meets vampire Moka. Not only is she cute, but she is sweet, too, and she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Tsukune’s blood. However, much like Yokai Academy, not everything is as it seems. When Tsukune removes the rosary around Moka’s neck, she transforms from her bubbly pink-haired, green-eyed self to a silver-hair, red eyes badass with the ability to kick ass as a full-blooded vampire. Tsukune should not like Moka, but even with her split personality and her want to suck him dry, he can’t help but be drawn to her and resolves to stay at Yokai Academy to stay by Moka’s side.

Of course, this scenario couldn’t be that simple. Moka isn’t the only one drawn to Tsukune, romantically or otherwise. All manner of things that go bump in the night ends up being drawn to Tsukune, and he must somehow survive each encounter with Moka at his side.

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Manhwa Review | Bloody Sweet by Lee Narae

Title: Bloody Sweet



Shin Naerim’s life isn’t going so great. She’s being bullied at school because her mother is a moodang (Korean shaman), and her only solace is online, where she writes web novels and keeps up with a blog. Though she is bright and cheery online, she cannot even speak in real life because it would only entice the bullies further. So instead, she spends her days silently taking every comment and nickname (“wig,” being the main one, short for “witch girl”), waiting for her life to finally be over so she can move on with her life.

Unfortunately, there is still more high school life to contend with, and next on the docket for Naerim is an overnight school field trip. As if it isn’t enough for her to deal with the name-calling and abuse during the school day, now she has to do it overnight. Even more unfortunate is that there is an abandoned church nearby where they are staying. It is the perfect backdrop for more bullying of the “witch girl.”

However, these school girls don’t know that just because a place is abandoned doesn’t mean it is empty. While forcing Naerim through the abandoned church, they encounter a closed wardrobe with talismans on the outside of it. They make Naerim open it to reveal a man hidden inside – presumably a dead man as he falls out of the wardrobe on top of Naerim without a word. Of course, everyone is shocked and runs off, leaving Naerim alone in the church with the dead body. As luck would have it, though, it isn’t a dead body but a vampire, and he finds Naerim delicious.

After taking a few licks of Naerim’s wounds, she kicks him off of her and takes off back to where the class is staying, but even as she escapes the church, she finds that a red thread now trails out from her wound, seemingly to nowhere and she is the only one who can see it. However, it’s not clear what the thread is until the man appears on the balcony of the place Naerim is staying. She realizes that the man, named Vlad Fetechou, is a vampire and because he drank Naerim’s blood, a witch, he has now become her servant with a collar and red string that ties them together. If Fetechou drinks enough of Naerim’s blood, he will eventually become human, and their pact as servant and master will be broken, but will Naerim survive long enough to help Fetechou? Does she even want him to become human in the first place?

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Manhwa Review | The Sweetest Man by Haejin

Title: The Sweetest Man



Minhoon and Hyungwoo have been best friends for 15 years. Minhoon has always been inexplicably drawn to Hyungwoo, but Hyungwoo has always had a wall up that Minhoon has never been able to cross. Yet, for some reason, Minhoon is desperate to do just that. One evening, after heavy drinking, Hyungwoo is in no state to take care of himself, and as he has always done, Minhoon makes it a point to take him and let him sleep at his house. What neither of them expects, though, is Hyungwoo to suddenly attack Minhoon, biting him on the lips in a sudden kiss.

At this point, Hyungwoo is forced to admit to Minhoon that he is actually a vampire, and due to the bite, Hyungwoo is now a kin – a partial vampire created as an immortal food source for their creator. A dark world is soon opened to Minhoon, one that is full of violence and danger, primarily because of Hyungwoo’s father, the head vampire, who wants to take control of Minhoon so he can then control his runaway son Hyungwoo.

While Minhoon is struggling to come to terms with his new immortality, the threat of the surrounding , and his daily life, he must also contend with something he has had to figure out for the last 15 years: what are his feelings for Hyungwoo?

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