Call of the Night

PlaySteichen Jul 15, 2021

8

I'm not that much into vampire stuff but Call of the Night is pretty cool. I enjoy the characters design even if it is a bit special. I read the 62ch availaible now in one shot, and it hooked me, but that left me a "not enough" after taste. The story is good. Romance, even if it is a key point in the story that will keep you entertained between mysteries and character developpement, is really secondary. the vampire stuff isn't really close to classics and legend, so it is a mystery by itself. For some, the fact that the MC is only 14yo will maybe stop them, and it's kinda strange, he surely is one of the most mature character in the story. I can help myself to seeing him older.

NotreallyAisama Oct 16, 2021

9

Have you ever found yourself finding a different kind of calmness when the day turns dark, as the hustling roads turn quiet, the breeze of air that just makes you feel at ease? If yes, this is perfect for you  Ever since watching/reading Dagashi Kashi, I've been really fond Kotoyama's artstyle but the stories really weren't that exciting, not bad, but decent reads at best. But with "Call of the night/Yofukashi no uta", Kotoyama really outsdid himself by creating a character that many won't be able to relate to but for those who can, you feel at ease, you feel cozy while you keep scrolling down/flipping pages through every panel.  The vampire part of the story just feels like a subplot atleast for the volumes that have been translated, if you get hook to the story, it's not for that, but for the characters and their interactions through out the series. There hasn't been a single character that's just annoying for the sake of it, there is a lot of maturity in the interactions between the mc and other characters even if he is just potrayed as a highschooler. The main female lead is really charismatic and fun, her and mc's interactions are really wholesome and she tends to be unsure of her feelings so she tends to do everything on a wimp and it's really adorable about her during her moments with the mc  As for the art, they are as great as I've said mentioned previously, if you've seen Kotoyama's other works or just seen his works on twitter and such, you know how great of a artist he is and the manga has consistent great art and the character designs really potray the stories of the characters well

orpheusx9 Dec 20, 2021

8.7

TL;DR - Great for people who love a slow burn with interesting characters and commentary on humanity. This story is by the same mangaka who made Dagashi Kashi, so including the artwork, you'll find a lot of similarities. A confused young man trying to understand himself, a female lead who's whimsical and fairly detached, but slowly acknowledges her feelings and opens up over time. Lots of slice-of-life elements and philosophical musings about life interweaved throughout. Side characters play a more meaningful, perpetual role rather than being episodic. I'd say the biggest difference is that Call of the Night is a more mature offering - Kotoyama has gotten better at pacing his stories and weaving in the right situations and conflicts to drive character development. His art has also gotten cleaner. The premise is also a lot more interesting - there are vampires, but you're not subject to any nonsensical, fantasy world-building. These are not your typical vampires who can't be in the sunlight or are weak against garlic or silver stakes. Your characters are not fighting vampire lords or evil masterminds - they are fighting themselves and their sense of belonging. In this story, vampires are more symbolic of something deeper: freedom. Being comfortable with one's self. Doing and saying what you want instead of what others want. These are vampires who live in the modern world and face the modern world's problems in existential crisis. In this way, everyone is extremely relatable and endearing. There are a few fun character tropes here and there, but they don't overshadow genuine human bonding, self-reflection, and self-doubt. Depending on your life situation, you find a slice of yourself in each character you meet, and you hope for a bright future for them just as you hope for a bright future for yourself deep down. It's a slow burn, but not mind-numbingly slow like Dagashi Kashi was. The developing events happen at just the right time, almost as if you had gone an entire day without eating and finally bit into your favorite meal. It's satisfying and alleviating. I genuinely love this story and its characters - highly recommend it to others who are looking for something aimed at the older, more mature end of shounen and more meaningful in its pacing.