VAMPIRE KNIGHT

Plot

See also: List of Vampire Knight characters

Yuki Cross‘s earliest memory is of being attacked by a vampire and saved by Kaname Kuran, also a vampire. Ten years later, Yuki and the vampire hunter, Zero Kiryu are at Cross Academy as school guardians protecting the “Day Class” human students from the “Night Class” vampire students. The story follows Yuki’s discovery that her childhood friend, Zero has spent the last four years trying to fight his transformation into a vampire and he has finally succumbed. Yuki struggles to help Zero fight his bloodlust and to recover her own lost memories, while suspecting that Kaname knows more than he is saying.
When his uncle, Rido Kuran returns to kill Yuki, Kaname is forced to reveal her secret by biting Yuki and awakening her true nature as a pureblood vampire and returning her memories of being Yuki Kuran, his supposed younger sister. Rido is killed by Zero and Yuki while Kaname faces and destroys the Rido’s allies, the Vampire Council, revealing himself to be one of the original vampires and the founder of the Kuran clan. Yuki and Zero part as enemies after Zero reveals he intends to end everything, by killing all purebloods even her. Yuki leaves with Kaname and they return to the Kuran family home and the story restarts a year later with Yuki dealing with vampire society and new enemies, such as Sara Shirabuki.

Zero Kiryu
Zero Kiryu (錐生 零, Kiryū Zero^?) is unique being both a Vampire Hunter and a vampire. Yuki‘s close friend and the only other Cross Academy Guardian, he was trained to be a Vampire Hunter by Toga Yagari. Zero carries the anti-vampire gun called “Bloody Rose”. Zero lives with Kaien Cross and Yuki, after being bitten by a pureblood vampire who also murdered his family. Due to the attack, Zero developed a deep hatred and distrust of vampires, despite originally being a gentle character by nature. Matsuri Hino described Zero as exemplifying her justice side.^[2]
Zero is a 17 year old male. The first arc of the story is spent dealing with Zero trying to overcome his fall into the madness, helped by Yuki when she pledges to feed him her blood. Yuki continually oversteps boundaries in helping Zero and he ends up preventing her from trading her humanity to Shizuka Hio in exchange for preventing his fall to a Level E vampire. Zero swears never to allow Yuki to become a vampire and attempts to help her with her own issues. Zero clashes with Kaname Kuran, who only allows Zero to live because Zero protects Yuki and Zero is eventually forced to drink the blood of Kaname to delay becoming a level E vampire. Following the discovery of Yuki’s true nature as a pureblood vampire, Zero and Yuki severe their friendship. Perceived as dangerous, Zero is arrested by the Hunter Association and it is revealed that Kaname had been grooming Zero in order for him to defeat Rido Kuran. Zero is shot by his dying twin brother, forcing him to “eat” Ichiru to complete the Twin Hunter fragment. With this final act and carrying the blood of three purebloods,^[3] Zero becomes one of the most powerful characters appearing in the series. Zero and Yuki work together and defeat Rido, but Zero reveals his intention to end everything, to kill all pureblood vampires including Yuki. Zero hesitates to kill her, revealing he has been in love with her for a long time. The two part, as Yuki promises to run from Zero forever to give him a reason to live.
Following the one year timeskip, Zero has progressed from his dangerous state of mind, more concerned with maintaining peace between vampires and hunters,^[4] enough to find himself poised as the future president of the Hunter Association. Zero continues to hunt vampires and seeks the truth about the Hunter’s death at the party, but he is still dealing with issues regarding his loss of his humanity and intense vampire hunger. However, falling to level E is no longer a concern, as he is a level D, and his body no longer rejects blood tablets. When he meets up with an injured Yuki, Zero finds himself assisting her and even almost allowing her to bite him.
Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano (Japanese), Vic Mignogna (English)

Kaname Kuran
Kaname Kuran (玖蘭 枢, Kuran Kaname^?) is introduced as the pureblood vampire who loves Yuki and saved her from an attack by another vampire when she was five years old. Kaname is actually one of the most powerful characters in the series, revealed to be one of the original vampires and founder of the Kuran family, who was raised as Juri and Haruka‘s son after being re-awakened by Rido Kuran. During the first arc, Kaname spends his time working to protect Yuki, which includes killing Shizuka Hio and fostering Zero Kiryu‘s powers. The end of the arc culminates in his destruction of the Vampire Council, which attacked the school, fearing the return of the Kuran family as the rulers of Vampire Society. Kaname’s inexplicable attachment and gentleness to Yuki is finally explained when Kaname awakens her true nature as a pureblood vampire born to become his wife. Kaname is forced to do so with the return of his enemy and uncle, Rido. As Kaname is unable to kill his master, he approaches Zero to kill Rido and free him from Rido. The attachment to Rido persists beyond the vampire’s death and his remnant is later seen talking to Kaname, taunting him about his conflicting nature.
Following the timeskip, Kaname takes Yuki to their childhood home and solidifies his rule over the vampires and forges and new peace between the purebloods and the hunters. When Yuki reveals her attachment to Zero thinking rejection, Kaname instead impresses upon her his love, preferring to be killed rather than losing her. Kaname is haunted by the idea that he will one day lose Yuki by her sacrificing herself and he wavers between the desire to lock her up or allow her freedom.
Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio (Japanese), Ethan Murray (English)