Dance with Devils
Similar to Vampire Knight’s main character and focus, Dance with the Devils tells the interesting tale of Ritsuka Tachibana, a seemingly typical high school girl.
After an odd student council meeting, Ritsuka returns home one day to find her house was broken into and her family injured.
It isn’t long before she is dragged into the middle of a secret ongoing war waging between the devils and vampires that make up her school.
Each side in this conflict sees her as being the key to finding a powerful grimoire capable of granting the owners the advantage.
Dance with the Devils’ similar supernatural premise will certainly be alluring to Vampire Knight fans. Just be sure to keep in mind that this anime is a bit more mature, featuring plenty of blood and other adult themes.
Ouran High School Host Club
Like any private school, Ouran Academy is full of plenty of promising, and pompous, wealthy students looking to rise through the ranks of popularity and live up to their family name.
While students jockey for position throughout the school via academics, everyone wants to be apart of the Ouran Host Club, an enormously popular and influential club located in Music Room #3 of the High School building.
After an expensive and destructive accident involving a vase, Haruhi Fujioka finds himself as one of the newest members of this club, wondering what he got himself into all the while.
While Ouran High School Host Club may not focus on the fantastical elements of things, it is essential viewing for those who enjoy the difficulties that come with social issues like societal standing, privilege, and a handful of other things high school kids have to learn and deal with.
Fruits Basket
After a series of traumatic events plague her family life, high school student Tohru Honda finds an unlikely home with one of her popular classmates, Yuki Soma.
The day Tohru moves in, she is attacked by an orange-haired teenager that crashes through the roof of her bedroom.
In an attempt to stop the attacker, who turns out to be Yuki’s aggressive cousin, Kyo, she hugs him.
Unexpectedly, Kyo transforms into an orange cat in front of her. It isn’t long before it is revealed that the Soma family suffers from a unique curse.
Each family member is possessed by the 12 animals that make up the Chinese zodiac. Every time they are weak, under stress, embarrassed, or when hugged by someone of the opposite sex, the family turns into their zodiac animal.
While the premise sounds quirky, Fruits Basket’s overall message of acceptance and positivity amidst aggression and tragedy is an important one that every shōjo fan should experience at least once.
Black Butler
Butlers are all too common in Victorian England, as the rich and wealthy hire them to be in charge of the household duties that no longer fit someone of their status and stature.
While Count Ciel Phantomhive is no different, he also uses his servant, Sebastian, to serve more sinister services.
Sebastian is a demon bound by a contract with the young count. This arrangement means that the butler loyally serves and fight for him in return for his soul, protecting him from the other demons, secrets, and horrors that make up their world.
The look and feel of Black Butler is very reminiscent of Vampire Knight, as each contains similar animation styles, dark tones, and heartfelt plots.
The main difference between the two is that one is about demons and the other is about vampires.
Blood+
Aside from the fact that Saya Otonashi lives as an anemic amnesiac, she lives a relatively normal life.
Growing up with her adopted family near the US Kadena Air Base, she attends school and does her best to get by.
One day that all changes though, as Saya is attacked by a Chiropteran: a hematophagous bat-like creature that lives by feeding on human blood.
When the monster tries to drink her blood, it actually crystallizes and shatters.
Soon after, Saya realizes that her blood is deadly to the creatures, and that she may be the only one who can save the world from this menace.
Blood+ hits on a lot of the same core elements of Vampire Knight, but also contains a lot of unique and satisfying elements.
Alongside exploring her mysterious past, it’s fun to explore the various places Saya travels, including Japan, Vietnam, Russia, France, and the U.S.
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