Mirza Aaqib Beg
Wit Studio’s ‘Vampire in the Garden’ is a dark fantasy anime that centers upon a post-apocalyptic world torn apart by the endless war between vampires and humans. After being pushed on the verge of extinction and with their backs against the wall, humanity also finds ways to hunt their arch-rivals. The brutal struggle for survival that ensues between the two factions also leads to disillusionment with the ultimate goals of the war on both sides. A young girl named Momo dreams of the peaceful coexistence with vampires- a desire shared by Fiine, the vampire queen as well.
When the two unlikely strangers cross paths, they both take the leap of faith and embrace one another in the pursuit of the imaginary Heaven that promises harmony. After its global Netflix release, the show became an instant hit with the anime fandom; who would probably wonder whether it is inspired by manga or not? In case you have the same question, then we have got you covered.
Is Vampire in the Garden Based on a Manga?
No, ‘Vampire in the Garden’ is not based on a manga. The show is an original net animation written and directed (with Hiroyuki Tanaka as an assistant) by Ryoutarou Makihara. With the emergence of over-the-top media services like Netflix and Funimation, original animation has slowly gained ground, while shows based on mangas and light novels have managed to remain just as relevant as they were in the past. However, original anime is not necessarily a new concept and has been around for decades.
Another popular vampire anime from the early 21st century, titled ‘Legend of Duo,’ was based purely on the original scripts written by Daisuke Ishibashi and Inoue Toshiki. Interestingly, the show also dealt with similar supernatural and fantasy themes and introduced viewers to a world torn apart by a conflict between humans and vampires. When a mysterious virus wreaked havoc on the world, humanity was pushed on the verge of extinction while vampires managed to survive after finding a cure but keeping it a secret from the human race.
As the cycle of death seemed endless, a vampire named Duo shared the cure with humanity saving it from going into extinction. Unfortunately, his compassionate actions did not go well with his own kind, and he inadvertently invited the wrath of the powerful vampire Zieg- who vowed to make Duo pay for his transgressions. Shows like ‘Legend of Duo’ provide sufficient proof that original anime has not only been around for quite some time now, but they are common enough that we can look back and find examples where the central premise shares a lot of similarities with ‘Vampire in the Garden.’
However, now that we have established that, it is also essential to appreciate the peculiarities of ‘Vampire in the Garden’ that make it a unique work. While ‘Legend of Duo’ and other vampire anime do share similarities with the show, almost none of them imagines a world where prospects of peace have led to the friendship of a vampire and a human who have put their lives on the line to find a place where both races can coexist in harmony.
There are shows like ‘Trinity Blood’ and ‘Legend of Duo,’ in which someone from vampires or humans has pushed for the idea of peace, but ultimately in both cases, they have primarily worked with their own kind or went against their people. Furthermore, the concept of Paradise, where people coexist peacefully despite the ongoing war in a conflicted fictional world, is a rare one. Shows like ‘Wolf’s Rain’ does have a somewhat similar concept, but it’s not entirely the same.
The confluence of these original and unique ideas makes ‘Vampire in the Garden’ an unforgettable show. Since Hiroyuki Tanaka has come up with the storylines himself and has not taken inspiration from anywhere else, we can confidently reiterate the fact that ‘Vampire in the Garden’ is not based on a manga or any other work in popular culture, which makes it an original anime.
Read More: Vampire in the Garden Season 2: Renewed or Canceled?
