Vampire in the Garden: preview review of the new Netflix anime

Vampire in the Garden

Vampire in the Garden is a vampire story that deals with a delicate theme, with clear references to real life: peaceful coexistence between different individuals. Furthermore, the inner conflict between one's nature and the way one feels is another issue which, while having its roots in ancient times, is incredibly topical. Do not expect, therefore, from the 5 episodes that make up Vampire in the Garden, a sappy love story for its own sake: it is, in fact, a work much more complex than it may seem.

Vampire in the Garden: the similarity in diversity

Vampire in the Garden is a Japanese animation series produced by Netflix which has been made by some well-known names in the industry:

Character designer : Tetsuya Nishio (Naruto). Producer: Tetsuya Nakatake (Attack of the Giants - make your Attack of the Giants themed purchases here on Amazon) Animation studio: WIT Studio (Attack of the Giants, Vinland Saga, Bubble). Among the many themes that make Vampire in the Garden, as well as a dramatic and horror series, also a Bildungsroman there is precisely the growth of the two protagonists, the "hot blooded" Momo and the vampire Fine. Although, by their very nature, the two should be pushed to try to kill each other in self-defense (if you don't kill the enemy he'll kill you, it's the harsh law of war), strangely, this doesn't happen.

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Peaceful coexistence between humans and vampires therefore seems possible, but Fine and Momo also have something else in common, something that makes their relationship so solid: in addition to the desire for peaceful coexistence, the girls also share another, very important trait: they are both fed up with this absurd and bloody war against point of running away from their world. In fact, it is Momo herself who tells Fine: “Then you are like me! ".

After their fortuitous meeting, they then decide to embark on an absurd undertaking: to look for an elusive place, of which both have admired a painted representation, in which vampires and humans live together in peace. This is because, in their world, vampires and humans can only try to kill each other. From this point of view, there is no safe place for them: vampires constantly try to kill Momo, while humans want Fine's head. Yet all they want is to live together, in peace, without bothering anyone.


So why don't they leave them free to do so? Simply, because this hypothesis is considered impossible by both sides: the humans think that Fine is trying to gain Momo's trust to lure her into a trap, and the vampires are also skeptical of Momo, so, when in doubt, they think it is better to get rid of her once and for all. And, why not, of all humanity. But are vampires really all monsters? And are humans all really good?

Monster

Vampire in the Garden manages to convey very well the message of works of fiction that deal with the same themes, namely prejudices, fear of the unknown and the different and their dramatic consequences: if humans and vampires sought a meeting point, millions of lives could be saved. But this hypothesis is considered unrealizable by both factions, each suspicious of the other, so a vampire and a "hot blood" could never be friends: humans think that Fine wants to curry favor with Momo and then feed on her, while vampires fear that Momo's presence may distract Fine from his duties.


From this point of view, on closer inspection, "hot blood" and vampires are diametrically opposed: the former, with a more pleasant appearance, hide a monstrous nature, while the latter, with a monstrous appearance, hide a more pleasant nature . It is a literary topos that has now become a classic whose underlying message is that nothing good is ever born from prejudices. This topos also includes, consequently, the discovery that the good ones are also a little bad and vice versa, thus providing a profound and diverse world view.

From the point of view of visual rendering, the same notes that you also find in our review of Bubble, since the animation studio that created both works is the same, WIT Studio: the attention to detail is visible, for example, in the way snow is represented, but it is much lower when we look at objects or individuals placed at a certain distance. The animations are quite fluid, but the use of static or semi-static frames to represent dynamic scenes such as, for example, a dance, is cloying, and almost seems like a gimmick to not animate certain scenes.

Ultimately, therefore, Vampire in the Garden turned out to be a pleasant surprise: with a smooth and exciting narrative, this short animated series (which could also be a miniseries and end with these 5 episodes) represents all the drama of the war, the pain of anyone who takes part in it and the profound discomfort that Fine and Momo feel, both considered too strange by their respective factions and who, in turn, can no longer bear to live in a world where "a worse end awaits them. of death ".



Dramatic, cruel, merciless, soaked in blood, but also incredibly joyful, sweet, delicate, Vampire in the Garden is a series to watch in one breath, that of course he will be able to move you and satisfy even your thirst for blood and action. Vampire in the Garden will be available for exclusive viewing on Netflix starting May 16.