My Vampire Heart

Just got my hands on a copy of the VIZ translation of the fourth Vampire Knight volume! Always a great excuse to go back and re-read the chapters again in book format... and of course to buy a copy and support my favorite manga series. :D Actually, I usually buy two books and give one away to a friend I'm trying to coax into liking manga, but mostly it's to, you know, show my support. *snickers* yes, I am a total weirdo.

Anyway, a couple of interesting little things snagged my attention that I hadn’t noticed the first time through. Like at the dance when Kaname's upset after watching first Yuki leave and then Zero go after her (knowing full well, I'm sure, what was going on and the danger Yuki was walking into and yet forced to wait, play his game and trust that Zero wouldn't let Shizuka harm her) – I somehow missed that he'd (without touching it) fractured the glass windows he was standing next to and that's how Ichijo knew he was upset and had lost his temper. LOL I like what Kaname said to Ichijo there "I want someone to tie me down... so I don't do anything rash." It gives a little glimpse that I hadn't caught before of how hard it must be for him to play his game and wait out his moves when he's having to take chances, especially with those he cares about.

I really liked the way they translated the last couple panels, with Kaname and Shizuka. It makes a difference in how you view what's happening and some of the translations I've read actually give an entirely different slant to that exchange. It's very rare, LOL but for once I definitely prefer VIZ's translation on this. Somehow Kaname's admission "I'm just like you. I'll do anything... for the sake of the one I love..." just makes him killing her all the more bittersweet. It underscores that it really wasn't something he wanted to do, as well as why he was doing it. Dunno, I just liked that.

Okay, enough rehash. On to something NEW... I ADORED the little bonus story in the back of the manga! *starts giggling and can't stop* it was HILLARIOUS. Poor Aido... he's so devoted to Kaname and Kaname has way too much fun teasing him. Of course... no doubt all that exuberant admiration is downright embarrassing to the pureblood occasionally... ;)

There's a totally sweet picture of Ichijo and Shiki at the beginning of the little story:

Awww... is that not just too cute?! Tell me those two don't look right together... :D

Well, I hope this is okay to do, but I actually scanned the bonus story in and cleaned it up and all. I don't know if it's been released everywhere yet, so if it's not in your area you can Download the Vol.4 Bonus Story here.

Although I strongly recommend that you go buy the manga volume ASAP if it is available where you are. It's my personal crusade to make sure that VK makes lots of money so they keep giving us more VK related stuff like novels and anime and have enough incentive to eventually translate all of the aforementioned into English... *ehm... realizes that she was starting to go off like the Chairman* okay, sorry, enough with the public service announcement.

Where was I? Oh yes, the bonus story!

SPOILERS AHEAD!
Don't read any further if you don't want to hear about stuff that happens in the bonus story!

I loved when Kaname tore down the posters because seeing his own face all over was 'freaking him out' LOL and he's all like: 'oh hey, we're having an election? I vote for Ichijo'. *chuckles* It was just very... Kaname somehow.

OMG... and Aido, darling... did you seriously just sit there and think that Kaname's posters were eye candy? *falls down giggling* not having just a bit of a man-crush are we? Well bless you honey for saying what the rest of us were thinking. ;D

And the last panel, the 'after' story... *can't yet get up off the ground from the random delighted fits of giggles* with Ruka all 'disgused' trying to buy some of the unused posters off of Aido. Heheheh you go girl, I don't blame you one bit! I'd take a poster of Kaname anytime... hey, Aido, wait up, you got another one of those?!...

Labels: aido, hino matsuri, ichijo x shiki, kaname, ruka, shizuka, takuma ichijo, vampire knight bonus story, vampire knight volume 4, vampire knight volume 4 bonus story, vk vol 4 bonus

Posted by Blackened Wing on Thursday, April 10, 2008 at 12:58 PM | Permalink