#vk analysis

During the original spanning of VK, Kaname originally paralleled Rido, in his obvious obsession and dark infatuation for Yuuki that was seen as a ‘twisted’ love.

The newly 'redeemed’ still bitterly laughing at this, Kaname is meant to parallel Kaien in the sense that his love for Juuri, which wasn’t returned romantically as he’d hoped, made him decide to raise Zero and Yuuki in honour of Juuri’s wish to raise her child in the sun. It was Juuri who made Kaien release his hatred of purebloods, much like Yuuki tried to do with Kaname when he decided to obliterate all purebloods.

It’s not a coincidence that Kaname is now walking in the shadow of Yuuki, who like Jurri, died after the death of lover Zero, and gave her life to turn Kaname human, and is now walking the world with Ren and Ai, who mirror Zero and Yuuki.

Juuri wanted to create a world where Yuuki could live happily in the sun. She tried to do this with Haruka, much like Yuuki and Zero decided in the previous chapters to create a world that would be safe for Ai to exist in.

In this way, Yuuki is following in Juuri’s footsteps with Zero at her side.

So for those confused about the parallel, Kaname is BOTH paralleled to Rido, and Kaien. Rido as a pureblood, Kaien as a human.

In both situations, Zero and Yuuki are paralleled to Haruka and Juuri.

Ai and Ren are now paralleled to the young Zero and Yuuki that Kaien raised.

Firstly, I can’t believe I’m doing another post on this. No matter how small it is. Secondly I want it very clear that I don’t believe we will get a full flesh resurrection of Yuuki and my reasoning for that is endless. But mostly it’s because I have to ask myself: ‘what’s the point?’. How would that, in any way, improve the plot? What purpose would it have?

Having said that, I understand how Kaname and Ai’s reaction to the possibility of resurrecting Yuuki could be perceived as foreshadowing, but Hino herself had Yuuki die to bring Kaname back to life for a reason. Hino had them separated for a reason. Hino had Yuuki narrate a chapter in past tense where she said, ‘a short while after I too came to erase my existence from this world’. She did all those things for a reason.

If Yuuki were to be resurrected in whatever form I doubt it would be so Kaname and Yuuki could be together. If they couldn’t make it work the first time, how could they possibly make it work the second? If the answer is because Zero is no longer alive, and thus Yuuki no longer craves his blood alone, then that kind of makes my point even more valid. Again, what is the point? What purpose does it have?

Moreover, there is no information to show just how Yuuki could be resurrected. All that remains of her is her heart yeah nice retcon that you added in there Hino.

I really love how no one has pointed out just how exactly Kaname would survive tearing out Yuuki’s heart from his chest and somehow magically trying to use pureblood blood that he doesn’t have anymore to recreate a body that she no longer has. Or how exactly he is meant to survive such an experience. Not even Hino could write that in a way that’s believable.

If she were to be resurrected the only plausible way I could see is for her to come back as his child - the child Kaname holds in his hands in the extra chapter ‘Life’. The child Yuuki wished for him to have. Except this time Hino may rectify their ‘mad love’ and recreate it through the familial love it was meant to be. It’s quite possible this dream of Yuuki’s is actually a premonition she had of her future, similarly to a Kaname’s gift and the way he saw Yuuki before her birth the first time. Again, there are many holes in that theory as well.

The most likely theory I can imagine happening is something similar to what happened with the Hooded Woman, in which she appears to Kaname as an ‘imprint’ and he tells her to 'move on’ as she has done enough. In both cases both Yuuki and the Hooded Woman sacrificed themselves for Kaname, but also live on as a fragment and nothing more. This would be another parallel. A parallel that Kaname himself has made when comparing the two.

The way I’d imagine it working out is that Kaname recovers his memories, while somehow remaining human. After realising that their love was flawed, the way Yuuki came to terms with it, he then somehow 'brings out’ Yuuki’s imprint from inside him and tells her that she too has 'done enough’ and that he will find his own happiness, in which she too will smile painfully like the Hooded Woman and leave him after completing her 'purgatory’. Thus Kaname starts a fresh with another woman and a child in his arms, soaking in the sunshine, leaving Yuuki to have the premonition she has in 'Life’ fulfilled. This to me seems like the most logical theory, and I am emphasising the word theory here.

But then again, I just feel like what is the point? It just seems to me that the whole point of Yume was that it wasn’t meant to be even though it was supposed to be. Zero and Yuuki weren’t supposed to be yet they were meant to be. That against all odds they somehow fell in love and couldn’t imagine being with any one else. Zero and Yuuki found love as humans. It’s no coincidence that Yuuki wishes for Kaname to ‘quench his thirst’ which we all know is Vampire for 'fall in love’, but this time as a human.

So again, I don’t really see how Yuuki’s resurrection would help the storyline, when Hino chose to keep Yume apart in the original serialisation for a reason. Unless it's Yuuki's imprint being removed once Kaname has moved on, I can't quite imagine what purpose a resurrection would have in the story.

Let me correct this, she didn’t slept with Kaname “just tohave a knock on her head and realize her feeling”. I believe she didn’t havethat intention, but that was the realization came after. It’s gonna take a longexplanation so please excuse me.

Ever since the awakening, Yuuki convinced herself that shewas the same as Kaname, a pureblood, and moreover his fiance. She alwaysthought that she loved Kaname for past 10 years, and she just decided to starteverything over with Kaname right before he start killing pureblood. In chapter52, she said to Kaname

“I would welcome anything you felt like doing to me”

I thought that sentence showed how Yuuki “gave up” her lifeto Kaname. She knew her heart split between Kaname and Zero, but she chose tostay with Kaname, she thought that was the right decision. I thought one of thereason was because she was a pureblood, she was a beast just like Kaname. Shewas a vampire, a creature which Zero hate. She built a thought that she lovesKaname, moreover with the promises they made in their childhood; she should bewith him; she tied herself to him and pushed away the thought about Zero. Shetried her best to be equal with Kaname, but she was being left behind, notknowing anything while she saw herself how Kaname “killed” Aidou’s father. Inchapter 87, she cleared up her relationship with Zero, said that she was belongto Kaname, to push away her thought again of being together with him and triedto put a mask perfectly to her heart. Too bad, her love was overflowing andleaked from the mask.

It was not about “would you slept with a guy who destroyyour loved one’s life?” but more like, she slept with a guy who was a preciousperson for her; she slept with a guy who she had ever tried gave her life to.The moment where Kaname left her when they just decided to start everythingover gave a big impact to her. Moreover, she kept the thought that she had donesins which can’t be atone (refference to chapter 52) , she was infatuated withher thought which clouded her feeling. She was always in confusion andconflicted love, and it got worse after the masquerade party when she finallyadmitted her feeling to Zero as love.

Yuuki : Why did you give up on the idea of living with me?

Kaname : My love isn’t…you don’t laugh from your heart

And thus they slept together. That moment, Yuuki had givenup her life and comitted to make Kaname human, and she could comitted it “fully”because she had erased Zero’s memories. Ever since she became a vampire, Irealize there was always one thing in Yuuki’s mind about Kaname, “I haven’tdone anything”. She felt that she have to do something for him, and make him ahuman was her answer.

Really, it wasn’t just about “Slept with a guy and forgetthe other one” nor “Slept with one of them so I will realize my true feeling”.It wasn’t that simple. When Kaname said “Ifyou don’t know where your heart belongs, I will show you Yuuki” I thoughtin that moment Yuuki trust him, she welcome what he felt doing like doing toher. If you ask my opinion if I were in Yuuki’s place, I might do the same. Notto have a knock and realize my feeling, but because I had decided to gave mylife to him although it means I have to say goodbye to my beloved. Relationshipbetween Yuuki, Zero, and Kaname was complicated

“There’s no way we can turn to what it was”

Excuse me but what do you mean about “feel guilty forKaname”? towards what kind of thing? Because she slept with Kaname? If that’swhat you meant then I don’t think she did. That time, she gave up her life, thoughtthat was the best decision. But Kaname knew Yuuki’s true feeling, to the levelhe hugged her and Zero both and said they should be together.

 “I’ve always been squinting my eyes at theradiance. That’s why I’ve come to understand….you two should be together. Iwant you two to be together”

If she didn’t feel guilty and undeserving, she wouldn’t ranaway when she figured out that she was pregnant (please check 1st specialchapter for refference). Yori-chan said it herself

“But I think…the real reason Yuuki went tolive with Souen senpai faraway isn’t that she didn’t want to endanger thepeople around her. It’s that she didn’t know how to face Zero-kun”

Hi Guys,

A lot of you requested this, and omg it took me months to do, but I have, somehow, manage to comb through my blog and collect them all here in this post. They range from those made prior to the ending to those made after. I guess you could say this is a master post of what I hope is all of them.

All Analysis can now be found under ‘VK analysis’ tag on my blog. All Vampire Knight Asks can now be found under the ‘Vampire Knight Asks’ tag on my blog.

Note: Not all asks that have asked me to break down VK have been added to this post as there were far too many too count. Because of this I ask that you please check the ‘Vampire Knight Asks’ tag.

A Detailed Analysis on Vampire Knight’s Volume Covers [x]

A (slightly) in depth analysis of VK’s ending [x]

The Birds Who Forgot Their Song (Chapter Analysis) (another analysis that never made the tag because my account was to young) [x]

The Knight and The King (my first analysis on VK lol before tumblr allowed my posts to tag hahaha) [x]

Yuuki illustration Analysis [x]

From disposable pawn to Vampire Knight: The story of Zero Kiryuu [x]

The Corrupt Black King and the Valiant White Knight: The Anti parallels between Kaname and Zero [x]

Yume Picture Analysis: a connection that exist for eternity and what that really means [x]

Finally Reaching the Preferred Direction - The meaning of the phrase [x]

Moving into Knighthood; The depths of Zero's character development [x]

Finding Happiness; The light at the end of a limited lifetime [x]

THE Vampire Knight [x]

Each others Light [x]

'Fated Butterfly Lovers', The Tragic Love Story of Zero and Yuuki [x]

If you want to hurry, go slow. A comparative analysis of the canon couples in Vampire Knight [x]

Yet another Comparative Analysis; Zero and Kaname anti parallels [x]

Recently added Analyses:

Zeki and Aidori Parallels [x]

The Depths of Kaname’s Manipulations in the Deep Dark Forest [x]

The Wait: Zeki’s Steady Progression [x]

Heaven, Hell and the Purgatory Between Life [x]

Defiant Lovers: Official Artwork Symbolism [x]

Heaven’s Grace Through White Snowfall [x]

The Black King and His Game of Chess; An Analysis on Vampire Knight And It’s Ending [x]

VK’s Tragic Love Story: The Reality [x] 

What if; A Yuuki Kuran {Attempted} Motivations Analysis [x]

Analytical Asks

Rose symbolism [x]

Character Breakdown of Kaname Kuran - it’s not really a breakdown I just list five reasons why I hate him in great depth but I had to add it haha [x]

Looking back on VK it’s interesting to consider the anti parallels present within the roles both Zero and Kaname play in Yuuki’s life.

In Arc One, Kaname and Yuuki are viewed as a relationship that is ‘forbidden’, because ‘there is a line that humans and vampires can’t cross’, and that her relationship with Zero, a perceived human falling into the state of a level E is considered more natural as they are considered to have originated from the same species. However it is Kaname whom Yuuki shows the most interest in through her adoration of the man who saved her life.

What’s interesting to note however is that this role completely reverses in Arc Two and Kaname and Yuuki’s pureblood ‘romance’ Not that you could really call it that but for the purpose of this post let’s just roll with it is considered the more natural and ‘expected thing’. Her relationship with Zero, however, as a hunter and a pureblood, becomes the forbidden relationship, with Yuuki showing more interest now in Zero.

These parallels are extended and highlighted through the two dance scenes in which Yuuki is dancing with Kaname, and then in arc two with Zero.

During the dance, Yuuki is showing complete adoration for Kaname at that point, but the closest they get is a hug, initiated by Kaname. This shows the stage they are at in this relationship and how it is founded on nothing but idolisation. What’s even more interesting is that throughout this scene Yuuki is constantly aware of Zero’s presence.

However, during the ball in Arc Two when Yuuki is dancing with Zero, Yuuki is completely unaware of Kaname’s presence as both she and Zero engage in a mutual kiss. At this point she is thinking of nothing more than her genuine love for Zero, making it clear to her that her feelings for him are real and not based on any forbidden fantasy or hero worship.

This underlines Yuuki’s emotional development as she realises that what she thought she wanted was not really what she needed, and what she’s always needed is exactly what she wants, shown through her mini confession to Zero prior to the removal of his memories.

In both scenarios and in the majority of both arcs Kaname is always emotionally unattainable and just out of Yuuki’s reach, be it in Arc one from the emotional distance they both placed on each other or Arc Two when Kaname abandons Yuuki or when they both confess that they can never truly make each other happy. Zero however is always by Yuuki’s side, and the one year that he is not is when Yuuki’s shown to be miserable, because even then Kaname is not there and is still unattainable even when they are supposedly ‘in love’.

This goes to show the difference between both relationships, with Yume being hollow and lacking depth and understanding, and Zeki’s filled with love, and intimate knowledge of each other.

As most of us know, when asked to give the love story behind Vampire Knight a theme, Hino chose: ‘if you want to hurry go slow.’

Throughout the manga, Hino has persistently shown that all successful canon couples have followed this theme, and in their own way, followed in the radiant footsteps of Zeki.

Starting with the second most popular pairing in Vampire Knight after Zeki, Shiki and Rima had a strong dynamic that was very similar to Zero and Yuuki. They were always by each other’s side, and, like Zero and Yuuki, were constantly followed by remarks from other characters that you wouldn’t see one without the other. Their love evolved from genuine fondness to a deep seated love that grew through time and persistence. Shiki’s ‘confession’ in front of Takuma just prior to the pureblood war, where he asked Rima to stay by his side was very similar to Yuuki’s when she asked Zero if she could stay by his side, to which Zero replied that he would be on the receiving end as well, meaning he’d beg grateful to have her by his side. Through taking their time and simply being by each others side, both couples found a love that helped them grow and feel supported.

Another popular partnership that draws links with Zeki is Kain and Ruka. Ruka, who, having been drawn to the pureblood Kaname like a moth to the flame, is very similar to Yuuki, who, too, was drawn into and lost in the pureblood aura that surrounded Kaname. Both Kain and Zero were aware of how their significant other felt about Kaname, but rather than persuade them to see the reality of their infatuation, chose to stand by their side and let them make their own choices. This is extremely pivotal as it shows what kind of relationships Hino is truly narrowing in on as being successful. Yuuki herself comments on how she knew Ruka would be fine as long as she had Kain (after having saved Zero from Kaname), this later foreshadows how, no matter how dark Yuuki’s world got as she waded in the depth of the deep dark forest, she would always be okay as long as she had Zero. Both men in this relationship chose to support their loved one rather than dominate them, letting them make the decision to love them on their own accord rather than forcing them. This is vital as it shows how taking it slow allowed their feelings to not only flourish but to become something so stable that it allowed the other to live on.

Moreover, looking at Huruka and Jurri, we know for a fact that Jurri was quite opposed to Haruka, having been shown in bonus chapters that she held no immediate romantic interested to him. However we also know that Hino makes very obvious parallels between Jurri and Huruka and Zeki. Therefore we know that through Haruka taking time to court Jurri, the two became a very loving couple that spent many years together. Another radiant parallel between them and Zeki are their parting words to each other at the Eve of their death. Haruka, just before facing Ridi, thanked Jurri for the happiness he had received from her during the years they had been together. These words were echoed by his daughter who thanked Zero for the happiness he had given her. Thus their slow love bore a fruitful love that was very much on par with Zeki’s. Their love may have been slow to start with, but it was one filled with happiness that allowed them to be a pillar of light during such dark times.

All these ships never said I love you to each other.

Conversely, while showing how these couples succeeded through taking their relationship slowly, Hino makes a clear distinction between them and Yume, who constantly rushed through their relationship until the end. Having been declared Kaname’s fiancé since birth, their relationship was never given time to grow strong roots that would create the foundation that would allow it to remain grounded outside their fantasy world. As a human, Yuuki had already established a strong infatuation for Kaname that was based on nothing but idolisation. Thus when Kaname made his confession and manipulated Yuuki into being his lover, he did not allow their relationship to truly grow past that stage of adoration. This was further hindered by Kaname, who, having grown impatient, murdered the vampire senate and forced a newly awakened Yuuki back to his side when it was by far the least safest option for her. This put enormous stress on their relationship because he was forced to assume extra duties that drew him away from the manor and further forced Yuuki into isolation. Because they rushed their relationship, Hino set Yume up to fail. Had Yume taken their time, their story may have ended up differently. But the reality is that they didn’t.

And Hino made them pay the price.

Zeki however grew very slowly. Having started as a boy who Yuuki wanted to cherish, to a friend always by her side and later an ally she’d sworn to protect, Zero later turned into an enemy she was destined to always run away from, before turning back into an ally and a complicated lover before finally committing herself to him. Their overall development is phenomenal, with each aspect of always being by each other’s side, being the light that let’s each other live on and bringing each other happiness, something mirrored within the other three successful couples of Vampire Knight.

Ironically the couple that were unevenly matched in regards to time due to Zero’s uneven lifespan lasted the longest. Even though they were given less time to work through their relationship with Zero’s lifespan unable to match Yuuki’s, they took their relationship the slowest. However the couple who seemly had all the time on the world, rushed their relationship and weren’t able to make it beyond a year.

Therefore having given Zeki time to blossom with the limited time they were given, Hino leaves us with the message that nothing good ever comes from rushing so just slow down and enjoy life and always take your time with love.

Oh, the feels I’m getting from the tag… They kill me!

While admittedly, I’m not much of a fan of the second arc of Vampire knight, after Val convinced me to re-read the series from the start, yet again, I came to a startling realisation.

In arc one, Hino focuses on Zero’s decent into becoming a vampire, while arc two focuses on Yuuki’s induction as a vampire, something she stipulated previously before Isn’t it awesome how she centres the story primarily on Zeki! ;) However what I noticed was that there is an even bigger parallel between the two arcs.

Arc one centres on Zero ‘falling to the very bottom’ as he struggles with his new identity as a vampire. The only light that helps him through this darkness and encourages him to keep on living is Yuuki. Arc two, on the other hand, focuses on Yuuki’s fall to the very bottom, with Zero this time acting as the light that pulls her out of the darkness that has engulfed her life.

I find it very interesting how, within both arcs, both Zero and Yuuki’s roles completely reverse, but further enforce the fact that without the other, neither of them would have found the will to live.

Hino enforces this in various scenes within arc one. Namely the time when Zero tells Yuuki that it doesn’t matter what she does to him, because she has the ‘right’ to be cruel to him because she is his ‘victim’ and how Yuuki, in her maddened state, tries to tell Zero that she desperately needs him, that she thought she would be fine as long as she was with Zero. These scenes are crucial in determining their relationship dynamic and sets up the circumstances for arc two.

Zero, despite the obstacles and hardships Yuuki enforces on him, such as the removal of his memories, or the other numerous things Yuuki shouldn’t have done, ultimately forgive her because as far as he was concerned she ‘has the right to be cruel’ to him.

While Yuuki, no matter how far she fell, would be okay as long as she had Zero. That without Zero in her life, she would be a complete mess, something mirrored during her time in the Kuran Manor and shown when she rebuilt her life with Zero after the mess of the last chapter.

Admittedly, the intended message of any story is left to the readers interpretation, although the author will do everything to persuade the reader towards a certain principle or moral.

Regardless of whatever take someone has on the story, there is a key theme that is so prevalent throughout the series of Vampire Knight that one would be foolish to neglect it in their interpretation, and that is the search for some form of happiness.

One way Hino sets of this theme is not only through quotes such as ‘smiling from the heart Gee, I wonder where my tumblr name come from but through the symbolism of the deep dark forest.

When dissecting the deep dark forest one can equate it to the darkness in ones life; the unhappiness that has befallen them. While in this forest, it’s almost impossible to find one’s self in the light. One might be stuck in an endless wandering through despair and loneliness until the end of time, such as Yuuki and Kaname, or one might just freeze the pain away and become frozen and numb, like Zero. The only way one escapes the deep dark forest is to grasp onto the light and find the courage to leave.

Now, from the start of the second Arc Kaname, upon realising that there was a deep dark forest in Yuuki’s heart, tried to soothe her in saying that together they would wander through it. However as the arc progressed it shows not only Zero suffering, but all three characters being burdened from the darkness suffocating their lives.

The ending of the first arc did not create happiness for any character, highlighting that welling in darkness and misery for all eternity doesn’t equate to happiness, unlike what Kaname had originally thought. That even with Kaname, Yuuki would never have been truly happy. In the end, for all three characters to find happiness, she had to be with Zero. This was pointed out by Kaname himself who stated that all along they had been the radiant light that would have freed each other from the deep dark forest, but having grown selfish he chose to separate that light and leave them both in darkness. Only with Zero would Yuuki have ever found happiness.

This is something Hino suggested strongly in the nuance ‘finally reaching the preferred direction’, when Yuuki and Zero found each other again. Therefore once he stepped out of the way and stopped trying everything to hinder their love, and impose himself to much on Yuuki did they both leave the deep dark forest together and find happiness. Yuuki stopped wandering through her guilt and sadness and Zero melted his frozen heart and pushed through the pain, and together they became a true beacon of happiness.

Now while the two of them had escaped, Kaname had frozen his feelings and become ‘frozen’ in the deep dark forest. Only after Zero’s death did Yuuki return and, through turning him into human, acts as the light that leads him onto the path of happiness. When looking at her last words ‘may your thirst be quenched’ and her desire to see him bask in the sun holding ‘a’ child in his hands, one can assume that her idea of happiness was finding someone you truly love, someone that you could build a family with and bask in the brilliance of the light with, like she had with Zero. Yuuki could never have made Kaname happy by being together, and so, like Kaname, she has to remove herself from his life in order for him to find happiness. This is one of Hino’s perfect parallels.

To sum it all up the deep dark forest affected all three characters in different ways, but only by stepping out of each other’s life were both Yuuki and Kaname able to find happiness. In this way, Hino wanted us to see how important it is to treasure the limited time we have and be happy, because only when you are given a short amount of time do you truly treasure the time you have. That is why Yuuki found happiness in Zero’s limited lifespan and Kaname found happiness in his limited time as human. With too much time on our hands it’s easy to fall into the darkness of the deep dark forest, a fate that all purebloods seemly endure. In this way it’s easy to lose sight of what makes you truly happy.