Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this. Luka came down into the baths with a vengeance. I love how innocent but sweet he is. When he made the lunch overnight I was so touched. I am concerned for Sakura at the end!

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☆ 5 stars
"𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘴” 🫧⋆。˚

Aaaaaah where do I even start with this review??
There was genuinely so much I loved about this book: the art style, the story line, the characters, it was just all so silly and fun!

Our vampire, Luka is the classic sassy and flirty comic relief character and I loved him so much there were so many moments where I was cackling to myself from how silly he was.
while our main character Sakura, is the loveable and exasperated character who’s just trying to mind his business and ends up getting tangled up in all this.
Also can’t forget the adorable Umenosuke (Sakura’s little brother), Yomi (who shows up towards the end for like five minutes but I still loved so much and wish we got to see more of lol) and the other side characters that helped this story come to life!

If you’re looking for a fun lighthearted and quick read then I highly recommend checking this book out as it’s currently available to read right away on NetGalley!

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I liked the character art, the designs. But secondly it was to long for me i just was starting to skim the rest of it to the end

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This was such a fun slice of life type of manga that is done in one book with multiple chapters! I really did love that dynamics within this as they had me laughing they might have been like a single man tear lol I’m all about found family and just the day today. This manga follows are vampire demon Lucas, who stumbles upon a bathhouse of the human world in the decide to stay on to continue to exploring the human. We definitely get some of the typical events like school sports and festival, which is always a vibe! If you’re looking for a fun quick slice of life read this is definitely for you!! 100% recommend this! It’s so darn cute one of my favorite that makes was between a little brother and the familiar🤭🤭🤭 well there’s some hints for romantic moments/tensions it’s not really explored or explicitly talked about! Would have loved to see more on this, but I still enjoyed it! Definitely a low steaks manga!!

So glad to be able to get this ARC through NetGalley and Kodansha Comics! Be on the lookout on April 29 for release day!

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Cute, funny story, but each chapter felt like a one shot. The description implies it’s complete, but it ends on a cliff hanger? And then the bonus chapter takes place months later so…not really clear on that. Fun quick read but no need to add it to your TBR

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This took me BACK. Back when I was about 14, I loved a bit of manga. I haven't read any in years, and this was such a fun trip down memory lane, revisiting an old style with a new story. This manga follows Luka, a vampire who decides to take a trip to the human world to relax, and Sakura, the eldest son of a family who runs the bathhouse where Luka ends up coming for some R&R. But when Luka bites Sakura, the two make a blood pact, and maybe that's not the only relationship between them...

So, first things first, Sakura is a trans man in my head, so jot that down. Obviously, with any vampire story, you know it's gonna have some homoerotic undertones (there's a long history of vampires being coded as queer, from Carmilla to Dracula) and this is no exception. Despite being advertised as an LGBTQ+ manga, I wouldn't say this is particularly explicitly shown, though it is heavily implied. However, I didn't mind that. My biggest complaint is that this is a standalone, and I desperately need more Luka and Sakura in my life! I can see this easily spanning another 3 or 4 volumes of campy, low-stakes adventures, and it's also one of those manga that I can see making a very fun little slice-of-life anime one day.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC!

I went into A Vampire in the Bathhouse expecting a fun vampire comedy, but I got so much more—found family, slice-of-life warmth, and laugh-out-loud moments that made this an instant favorite.

What I Loved:
Luka is the most dramatic, exhausted, and fancy vampire ever—his reactions to human life are priceless.
The bathhouse setting feels like a character in itself—so cozy and inviting.
The family dynamics are the heart of the story—Sakura’s little brother Ume and Luka’s familiar Pequeno? Adorable.
Genuinely funny moments—bathhouse chaos, vampire misunderstandings, and festival fun!
Beautiful art—the character designs are so expressive, and Luka’s outfits? Chef’s kiss.

The romance is subtle, leaning more toward wholesome friendships and found family, which I actually loved. It’s refreshing to see a story that focuses on characters bonding rather than forcing romance.

If you love lighthearted supernatural manga with a cozy vibe, this is an absolute delight. I’d love to see more from this world!

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I really enjoyed this one! I'm a huge vampire fan so this one was a must read. I loved it from start to finish.

This manga was hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud.
Luka is a vampire and he wants nothing more that to change up things in his life. When looking into the human world he gains curiosity into the full moon bath house were he takes refuge.
Sakura is the eldest son and works and takes care of the bath house while his parents are away. He's got a lot to handle. Luka shows up out of the blue and turns Sakura's whole world upside down.

Thank you Netgalley for having a copy of A Vampire in the Bathhouse available.

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A nice light slice-of-life with fantasy touches, very wacky and humorous. The beautiful art style helps too ✨.
I can recommend this to anyone who's feeling like something cosy, low-stakes and silly (in a good way)

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Perhaps I went into this with wrong expectations, but this manga ended up doing nothing for me. The drawings are pretty. But beyond that there was nothing remarkable. The characters weren’t that interesting and didn’t do very interesting things. The story felt empty. There was the occasional funny moment, but that’s basically it. Which is very unfortunate because the concept sounded very fun and I saw a lot of potential while reading, yet I was never drawn in.

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Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read a review copy!

I had a lot of fun with this. The art style is beautiful and I flew through it. Overall I got exactly what I was expecting out of this, which was a cute, lighthearted story with a large handful of absurdity and ridiculousness.

If you're looking to escape for a short while, I highly recommend this! 4.5/5 stars

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A huge thank you to NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Niko Izuki for providing me with an ARC of A Vampire in the Bathhouse in exchange for my honest review.

The Vampire in the Bathhouse is a slice-of-life comedy manga that introduces us to Luka Edelmondt Finsternis, a strikingly beautiful and regal vampire who ventures into the human world, specifically a traditional Japanese bathhouse. It’s here that he meets Sakura, the bathhouse owner's eldest son, sparking a curious and often amusing connection.

As a fan of slice-of-life manga, I had high hopes for this title, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the premise had promise, I found that the story lacked the depth and charm that I usually enjoy in this genre. The interactions between Luka and Sakura didn’t fully captivate me, and at times, the narrative felt a little flat, making it hard to get fully immersed in the world.

That said, I did appreciate the inclusion of LGBT themes within the story, which added a refreshing layer of representation. It’s always nice to see more diversity in manga, and A Vampire in the Bathhouse offers a glimpse into the relationship dynamics between its characters, which I found to be a positive aspect of the narrative.

In conclusion, while this manga may appeal to fans looking for light-hearted, comedic moments, it didn't quite resonate with me as much as I had hoped. However, it’s still a unique read with plenty of charm for those who enjoy more quirky, character-driven stories.

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Sakura has enough to handle between working at his family's bathhouse and taking care of his brother—he doesn't need a powerful and entitled (if good-natured) vampire added to the mix. But nobody asked what he needed...

I'm not one much for manga, but I can't resist something that promises this kind of silliness. The cover also brought to mind "Rubber Duckie Shifter Next Door", so in a way I guess I'm just doubling down on the weird.

The story is a bit madcap—Luka turns up and wreaks some unintentional havoc, and then when that havoc is pretty much played out a new villain is introduced. There were some things that I couldn't quite follow (e.g., Pequeño getting sick), and I'm not sure that the plot always made all that much sense, but considering that this started as a one-shot comic that seems to have grown somewhat of its own volition, that makes sense.

The art is super pretty—I did have to remind myself repeatedly that both Luka and Sakura are written as male characters, because Sakura is quite delicate and they're both, well, pretty, but I think the only problem there is my lack of experience with manga. I can't draw anything beyond a stick figure, but I wish I could draw Sakura...or Luka's hair.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

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I loved this story!! To start, you should be aware that this isn't really a BL or romance story. This is more about friendship and family and it's still incredible.

The art is amazing and the storyline is engaging and funny. There's a tiny demon called pequeño who's is everything! 🫶🏻

There's a ton of heartwarming scenes between Luka, Ume, Sakura and pequeño, but my favorite was the school competition. This is the perfect palate cleanser if you just want to have lighthearted fun. It made wish there was more to the story because they could do so much with it!

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Thank you for an early copy of this! I loved it so much. It's heartwarming, funny, and magical. I just read it in one sitting, and I can't wait for a sequel!

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Thank you netgalley & Kodansha Comics for the opportunity to read this arc.❤️

This manga starts with Luka the vampire who leaves the demon realm to visit a bathhouse in the human one. We follow his heartwarming adventures with Sakura and Umenosuke, 2 brothers who's family run the bathhouse. This book was fast-paced and it worked so well, I couldn't put it down until I was finished. I really enjoyed the art and imagery though, the cutesy characters, the food, the hot ass vampire (male nudity warning). It was all just a great time (oh & they bring up sex (just so yk i guess)). I loved that a big topic was the community around the bathhouse, and the care the community members take with one another. Also, I like the way the conflict was resolved(though I wish we saw more of it being resolved. I dont have any complaints save for I wish there were more chapters (I never wanted to leave the bathhouse ☹️). There are loveable side characters, tons of laughs, and a really hot vampire (or two). DEFINITELY A 5 STAR READ!

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I must admit that the cover of the book initially caught my attention and raised my hopes. I was drawn in by its appeal, anticipating a charming and heartwarming story centered around the concept of a found family. However, as I delved into the book, I found that the narrative didn't quite meet my expectations. For me, while the premise and characters had potential, the storyline itself lacked depth.

Thank you NetGallery for this ARC copy for my honest review.

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Utterly ridiculous and completely charming! A heartwarming manga with beautiful art and cheeky humor.

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This was so cute!! I loved all the characters and the art was beautiful. I do wish there was more romance since that’s part of the marketing, but still a very sweet manga. I will definitely check out more from the author!
Thank you for the arc !!
4 stars

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Charming wee story with whimsical artwork and a somewhat cheeky story.

When a vampire with a hangover learns of the rejuvenating powers of the full moon bath- house he arrives in the human world and turns Sakuras life upside-down.

This manga mixed found family with light hearted humour. Each story is delightful cute and low states.

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