“After a grisly murder takes place at a local high school, the victim is found to have had contact with a vampire pretending to be Baroque. With the faculty blocking attempts to investigate, Isuzu and Baroque go undercover as teacher and student to infifiltrate the school…but they didn't anticipate the fake Baroque showing as much interest in Isuzu as the real one! Caught in a tug-of-war between two vampires, can Isuzu maintain his cover story and catch the murderer?!” (Yen Press)
Chisaki Kanai's “My Dear, Curse Casting Vampiress” has been in an intriguing directory since its inaugural volume. Giving the impression of a horror/action title in volume one, it transitioned to a romance with a kawaii emphasis in the second. The third takes another deviation, presenting a murder/mystery at a school with an espionage element. The latest release still has aspects of all that came before it, but it is odd to have a series that does not seem to cement a single story or direction within the first three volumes.
However, what would often be a point of contention works in favor of my “My Dear, Curse Casting Vampiress” as the series manages to stay engaging despite lacking a consistent vibe. Each volume builds off some of the lore from the last, and while the tone shifts, it never loses the key components that initially made the writing and characters entertaining.
There is, admittedly, a slight ‘throw-away' element to the story of volume 3, with its closure not adding much context to the more significant fight of man against vampires. Still, even then, Chisaki Kanai adds elements that will feel important later on, with the notable arrival of Lapis, another pro-human vampire who is instantly at odds with Baroque. Lapis's desire to feed off Isuzu also works to keep the romantic elements at the front of the story, as Baroque's obsession with Isuzu manifests humorously throughout the volume when made jealous.
One downside to the story of volume 3 is that the visuals suffer, with the school-bound story not giving Chisaki Kanai a chance to show their ability. The art style seems slightly generic when taken outside the context of action and fashion that pops up in the other books, as school uniforms and closed-in environments set a drastically different pace and aesthetic. Still, some aspects of the art remain favorable, with Kanai's visual comedic timing staying spot on.
“My Dear, Curse-Casting Vampiress” exists in a peculiar space, with its lack of a definitive tone making for an entertaining read but also often selling short the abilities of the mangaka as each entry touts different strengths while showing potential shortcomings. Moreover, the book feels more approachable as a casual read meant to entertain instead of a work that readers will want to draw more out of. Still, each volume manages to engage and build upon the last, making it a welcome addition to the reading rotation for a bit of escapism with horror, romance, and mystery elements.
