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Ahahahaha, this is an offbeat vampire-show that’s not meant for kids. It’s a wacky comedy about a vampire who loves drinking the blood of pure, virginal, 18-year-old boys.
Based on a manga series written and illustrated by Hiromasa Okujima, the anime adaptation of Baban Baban Ban Vampire (ババンババンバンバンパイア) is directed by Itsuro Kawasaki. The story follows Ranmaru Mori (voiced by Daisuke Namikawa), a 450-year-old vampire who works in a Japanese bathhouse, with his eyes on the owner’s teen son, Rihito Tatsuno (Yûsuke Kobayashi). Ranmaru cannot wait to sink his fangs into Rihito’s neck, but he must wait until the latter turns 18 – that’s his rule. Until then, he will have to fight off others who want to date Rihito.
Titled The Vampire of the Public Bathhouse, the first episode of Baban Baban Ban Vampire opens with a funny sequence of Ranmaru dancing to a track called Bad Vampy after tidying up the bathhouse. His moves, reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s iconic dance steps, are paired with music that feels like a playful variation of Smooth Criminal. It’s undoubtedly a subtle tribute to the pop icon, who, as many anime fans point out – looks like the inspiration for Muzan Kibutsuji, the popular vampire antagonist from Demon Slayer. Ranmaru’s dance is interrupted by the wide-eyed Rihito, who is excited about starting high-school.
Ranmaru the protagonist also serves as the primary narrator for the tale, revealing to the viewers how unlike other vampires who prefer to drink the blood of young virgin girls, he prefers ‘pure’ boys. Rihito is his ideal victim, who according to Ranmaru is an ‘unsullied soul’, with a ‘beautiful, un-corrupted body’. On the surface, the two are friends, Ranmaru is like an elder brother or guardian to Rihito, having worked for almost ten years at the same bathhouse, but nobody has a clue about Ranmaru’s real identity or evil intentions.
The animation looks a little dated, like it’s from the early 2000s, but it is engaging, and the character designs stay loyal to the manga. Episode one does a fun job of setting up the primary premise and principal characters of Baban Baban Ban Vampire. While Ranmaru is a laid-back, conniving vampire who hunts for other human prey at night, Rihito is a simple, sweet boy who falls in love on his very first day of high school. It’s not going to be an easy job for Ranmaru to ensure Rihito remains ‘innocent’ until he turns 18. There are only a few ways this story can possibly end, but it’s going to be entertaining to see how the journey to the end unfolds.
You can watch Baban Baban Ban Vampire on Netflix.
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