Well, that was, for a lack of a better word, interesting!

For a first volume, Dra-Q vol 1 does a great job of setting up an interesting world and characters. It's an interesting take on the vampire genre, one that reminds me a bit of Chibi vampire (although I definitely prefer this lead character this far). Admittedly, I was taken aback by how rapidly things took off in the first chapter but by the end I was hooked. In fact, I found the volume to be waayyy too short (hint hunt. I need more).

It's very short!! It started with everything, and what could have been stretched to 4 or even 8 volumes with a well-told story of how they met, each person's story, introducing her family, etc., so that the reader became attached to the characters, they skipped it, made a summary and put it all in one.
The ending would have been good for a volume 4 for example, is a good plotwist.

The aesthetics of her family and the drawing are beautiful 😍

⊰ 2 stars

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley, Kodansha Comics and Chiyo for allowing me to read an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Vampires have five laws when they venture into the human world and the most important one is: don’t fall in love with a human. Amelie has broken every single one of them after meeting Pako.

This story was all over the place and felt very rushed to me. I would've preferred more world building and getting to know the characters before jumping in like it did now. Amelie and Pako fall in love within moments of meeting each other. Considering the fact that the romance seems to be the main plot (at least after reading the exempt) I would've loved to see more of them interacting, getting to know each other, falling in love, etc.

The artwork is very pretty and has good attention to detail, personally I could've gone without the explicit gore though.

There is definitely a lot of potential here with the world and the characters if they get the attention and development they need, but I wouldn't immediatly reach for a second volume

Chiyo's DRA-Q may be entrenched in old lore of werewolves, vampires, and the dangers of vampire/human romance, but there's nothing common run-of-the-mill about this manga. It kicks off with a bang, centering vampire girl Amelie and her crush on the human Pako. Within the first chapter, she's broken every rule of vampire/human interaction in quick succession, landing in Pako's life and declaring her love for him. But the tough high schooler believes our blood doesn't define us, and soon the pair are solidly in each other's lives. But lots of people have issues with that. Amelie's family, for instance. Pako's family, who are (understandably) fearful of vampires. And a classmate, who's also more than she seems.

The art of DRA-Q is absolutely stunning, and holds up its ambitious story admirably. Somehow simultaneously gory and sweet, it's a lighthearted horror/comedy mix that fills the gap left by CALL OF THE NIGHT. And with Volume 1's massive cliffhanger, this already strong title has nowhere to go but up!

Amelie Kurosaki is a high school girl and a vampire. She decides to pursue her crush, the Bad Boy Pako. In doing this, she breaks all five laws, and reveals her true nature to him. Can their love flourish?

The art was beautiful, and I loved the character designs, particularly for the Kurosaki family. However, I'm not about that werewolf / vampire romance. I know there was only a chapter left, but I felt like that was really shoved in there.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This manga follows Amelie who's secretly a vampire. She ends up falling in love with one of her human classmates who goes by Pako. As she's confessing her feelings for him, they end up getting attacked and Amelie's true nature is revealed to him. I really enjoyed this. I thought that the story was interesting and I liked the art style. I'm also interested to see where Amelie and Pako's relationship goes in the next volume, especially after the way this volume ended.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!


I am so confused 😕

This story was all over the place, and why did these two characters fall in love within 2 seconds of knowing eachother over like 2 pages?

I would’ve liked a little more about them meeting for the first time and have it played out infer than that, especially for a first volume.

Don’t think I’ll pick up the second for this one unfortunately

“Love’s love. What’s blood got to do with it?”
Amelie was born 160 years ago into the Kurosaki vampire family. As she came to the age where she was allowed to live in the human realm, she was given 5 laws concerning human relations to abide by. The first law is to never develop any romantic attachments. She soon realizes that she cannot accept the first law since she is hopelessly in love with Gou Haruki, a human. Will they be able to face their differences and be together or will their differences tear them apart?
I'm rooting for these two star-crossed lovers. I can't wait to read their love story further unfold!

#ThxNetGalley #Chiyo #Dra-Q

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Amelie, a vampire, just wants to blend in with the humans and she has five laws concerning human relations that she must follow in order to do so:

1. No romantic attachments (to prevent bloodlust)
2. No direct contact (to hide coolness of skin)
3. No physical exertion (to prevent wings from unfurling)
4. No crying (to prevent pupils from glowing red)
5. No smiling (to hide fangs)

The only problem is she's has feelings for her fellow student, Pako a delinquent, and after an incident after school results in both a confession and her identity being revealed how will life change for the two?

The overall premise of this comic was what initially made me want to read it and that fans of Dandadan and Call of the Night might like it. The beginning was was good with setting up the story and characters, but as this first volume progressed it felt that the pacing was quite fast and the story became a bit confusing. More concepts were introduced too without being full explained, but in future volumes they might be explained more.

Overall it was enjoyable, but confusing and I don't think I would continue reading this series.

A really fun time so far but I would have enjoyed it better with more of a build up. It's just moving to fast. The artwork is awesome!

I really like the story line and pacing of this volume! It's creepy within the art style with the gore but cute with the love story (even if it does seem a little inappropriate in some portions)
Overall, I think I'll really enjoy the entire series and it's going up with some of my other favorite Mangas!

Thanks netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read volume 1.

Art is so stunning BUT the storyline is rather all over the place and just very confusing…

"Five laws for the human realm
(Concerning human relations)

1: No Romanic Attachmemts (to prevent blood lust)
2: No direct contact (to hide coolness of skin)
3: No physical exertion (to prevent wings unfurling)
4: No crying (to prevent pupils from glowing red)
5: No smiling (to hide fangs) ..,"

Amelie is just your average high schooler who also happens to be a vampire, and this is her love story with the resident school delinquent Pako.

I really enjoyed the story concepts and ideas that went into Dra- Q 1. The story felt a bit choppy in places but it's still a really fun and easy going read with some great artwork to enjoy alongside.

I'm actually quite curious how the story will develop.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha for the copy of the e-book!

Dra-Q follows Amelie, a high schooler secretly a vampire, and Pako, the resident school delinquent. Amelie is not supposed to like Pako as it goes against the vampire rules but she can't help herself. After an incident, Pako learns Amelie's secret and surprises her when he is not turned off by her vampire nature. Will these two be able to stay together or will society rip them apart? I thought this reminded me of a lot of supernatural horror films I've seen and enjoyed. If you don't like body horror this may not work for you but I implore everyone to check it out if you like supernatural stories with a side of romance and comedy.

Dra- Q is a dark, bloody and brutal love story that portrays a vampire ignoring the five laws and falling in love with a human.

Amelie Kurosaki, a high schooler and a vampire who falls in love with a delinquent named Pako. But the events that transpired in between lead to breaking of all the laws. But they care about each other in a way that's comforting. However an unexpected twist occurs in the conclusion of this first volume that could potentially rip them apart.

This was an excellent start to the series. Amelia's eccentric family scene was amazing too. I am looking forward to reading the next installment. The storyline is punctuated with twists and turns that are unpredictable. The conclusion was jaw- dropping.

If you love gory, bloody and grisly illustrations and a peculiar love story then this manga is totally up your alley.

It was so promising and I liked the direction it was going, definitely immersed in the reading, until that "plot twist" so cliche and so overused. It killed all interest I had in this story.

I love the art work. Vampires and werewolves.... Never can go wrong !

But I am not sure if I will continue in this serie.

This darkly comic love story delivers a unique blend of supernatural romance and delinquent drama. Dra-Q 1 introduces us to Amelie Kurosaki, a high schooler who is a vampire. The emotional depth of the story is intriguing, but the pacing moves at breakneck speed, making it difficult for me to fully immerse in the characters’ backstories. While Amelie and Pako have undeniable chemistry, as screwed up as that may seem, Dra-Q 1 would have benefitted from more exploration of Amelie’s struggles as a vampire and Pako’s journey to becoming a delinquent. Their relationship is compelling, but the quick plot progression sometimes makes key moments feel too convenient rather than earned.

That said, I think Dra-Q 1 does not hold back on its visuals. The illustration style is bold and striking, capturing both the eerie elegance of Amelie’s vampire nature and the raw energy of Pako’s delinquent persona. The action sequences are dynamic, and the use of visual gore adds weight to the story’s darker themes. Every panel is meticulously crafted, immersing me in an intense and visually gripping experience.

Despite its flaws, Dra-Q 1 remains an enjoyable read with a strong foundation for future development. If the series slows down to dive deeper into its characters’ emotional and psychological struggles, it could become something truly special. For now, I think it earns a solid three stars: Good, but with room for more depth and refinement in future volumes.

Loved it from page one, the art is great, the story is quick-paced and unhinged. I need volume 2 immediately!

Review will be posted on Goodreads, Storygraph, and Fable.

"Dra-Q 1" is an extremely fast read. I consume manga/comics frequently, so I am used to reading these pretty quickly. However, the plot doesn't have to be so swift. Like, let me get used to the world a little. The art is nice. The scenes are brutal and violent. The romance is on turbo speed.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!