Watching 'Vampire Knight Guilty'

Vampire Knight Guilty is the second season of Vampire Knight that aired in the fall of 2008, the same year the first season aired. This season is also produced by studio Deen with the same individuals returning to continue the show. The season is made up of 13 episodes and picks up the narrative shortly after the events of the first season.

From a technical standpoint the show maintains the same level of polish as the first season. As a result, when streaming the show the same weaknesses appeared here as well. That being said, the narrative, characters, dialogue, and the mythology of the world was just as, if not better, than the first season.

One thing that is noticeable is that the events from the previous season actually had consequences to them, as opposed to simply being swept under the rug never to be brought up again. Within the first episode alone, the gravity of the situation dawns upon Zero and Yuki, and as a result we see just how powerful of a figure Kaname truly is—both in ability and status.

The tone of the show has become far more grim, leaning heavier into the Gothic as more and more of the humor is filtered out of the show. While the first season was focusing on Zero, this season zones in on Yuki and gives context as to why Kaname is so partial to her. As the lighter aspects of the show are filtered out, the more we get to see the far darker sides to the story. While the first season was not afraid to show blood, this season doubles down and shows copious amounts being spilled alongside plenty of death to accompany it.

Much of the positives that I had for the first season return in this season, however, there are some improvements as well. The second season made me have an interest in the three central characters of Zero, Yuki, and Kaname. Kaname more so than either of the other two as more of his motivations are revealed, as well as the lengths that he goes to in order to protect his loved ones. In fact, both Zero and Kaname started to become more interesting towards the end of the first season and each character has gone from strength to strength. Even Yuki has grown beyond the damsel in distress in many ways.

While there is an arc-like structure to the series as a whole, there is the very distinct feeling that we are continuing on with the story, rather than moving from arc to arc, as is the case with most Shonen anime. By the time we get to the end of the second season, while it served as a satisfying narrative, there is also the vague feeling that made it seem as if this was the prologue to a much bigger, grander narrative.

With the promise of a bigger villain in Kuran Rido, we get to see a villain with a great amount of personality and charisma to him. In addition, we get to see the various abilities of the night class come to the forefront as they fight this new threat. Each of their powers are interesting in their own right.

At this point, it should be clear that this is a show that should be enjoyed together with the first season. The first season built a lot of the character, while the narrative was paid off here. The technical shortcomings as a result of the show's age are clear when streaming, yet it improves on nearly every other department. If you are a fan of season one, there is a very good chance you will like season two. The show is available to watch on Netflix.