The DRC is a little hard to read due to the way it's digitised (faded line work and watermarks which are large and occasionally darker than the art) so I did wait until after release to render an opinion. This is one of the better retellings/reimagining's of a seminal work of horror and absolutely work a purchase.

Thanks NetGalley and Viz Media for this arc!

4.5/5 stars

I really enjoyed this Dracula retelling! The opening chapter was so creepy and unsettling, I was hooked from the very beginning. The art in this is fantastic, very gothic and dramatic. Some of the characters facial expressions are a little iffy, but that's ok lol. And sometimes I'm a little confused as to what's going on, but that's also ok. I'm very intrigued as to how the rest of this will go, and I can't wait to read more!

Imagine Dracula done graphically in the style of Yoshitaka Amano whipped up with some Berserk flair, you've got #DRCL flair. This is the most stylistically beautiful manga I have ever laid my eyes on. The second I finished the ARC of this I went and pre-ordered a physical copy of the hardback so I could go back and look at the immaculate paneling, flow, and textures the author was able to pull off. I'm so excited to see where the story goes!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a detailed manga filled with chilling illustrations. I loved how unsettling it was at times, and how it played an interesting retelling of Dracula. However, the details at the time were overwhelming, and it was difficult to follow certain narratives in the story. I also review books and their "talkability" as a librarian, and I think that I would struggle to hype this one up.

Also, as a side note, the watermark made it really difficult to read the packed text bubbles. This isn't anything on the book itself, but I wish it could have not had that.

I'm still really happy I got to check this out, I just don't think it was for me or for the audience that I have in mind!

Thanks to NetGalley and Viz Media for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

So. This is basically a reimagining of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" that takes place at a boarding school. I was so excited to read this because the cover art is gorgeous. Shinichi Sakamoto's art is stunning and the detail is just so beautiful. That said...the way that Viz Media watermarks their graphic novels really takes away from the art. I understand why they do the watermark the way that they do, but my god, it really messes with the reading experience, About 99% of the pages were difficult to read, even on my larger iPad, because of the watermark. On top of that, the actual file sent out as the netgalley seems to be really low quality because so many panels are so faint and blurry that it really hurts and strains the eyes. And this is just my issues with the art. I haven't even started in on the storytelling issues.

Sakamoto's storytelling is incredibly jarring and difficult to follow. Because we're not following Jonathan Harker's perspective but multiple different characters, the storytelling is very jumbled and disorganized. I am not sure if this is an issue with the translation but it's just so messy. The characters and the narrative just feels so incomplete, like there is a sense that Sakamoto is picking and choosing what to include in the story but what they're choosing is just a mess.

Super disappointed. The two star rating is purely for the gorgeous art. At least, what I could make out. Viz Media has seriously got to come up with a better way to protect their netgalleys because the hideous and intrusive watermark really messes with the reading experience.

#DRCL has incredibly pretty and detailed artwork that is sure to please fans of the horror genre. I was impressed by how unsettling the eye monster and carnivorous plants were and the character designs were appealing. The inking style favors a more illustrative, realistic style and while I think that you’d be able to see the artwork in its full glory in print, reading it digitally on my phone was likely was a disservice to all the labor that went into the images: some of the lighter inkwork was ‘eaten’ by the white of the page. However, the dynamic drawings of the Demeter at sea and the gothic architecture are gorgeous.

Plot-wise, I feel like the story only works well if you’re familiar with the source text. As a standalone, the action starts a little abruptly. It’s been ages since I read Dracula, and part of me feels like I might be missing out on important story elements because I don’t recall the details of what happened in the original. Besides the artwork, the manga’s biggest strength is that the characters are promising. I like the idea of the friendship between the four main leads and Mina’s character being a wrestling-proficient tomboy is an interesting twist. If the manga continues to flesh out the characters’ relationships with one another though fun or interesting interactions, I could see volume 2 being worth a read. People who liked the Public School arc of Black Butler by Yana Toboso might be into this story!

This wasn’t my favorite manga of all time, but it wasn’t bad either. If you are very passionate about gothic literature, it would be worth a try.

Thanks to NetGalley and VizMedia for the ARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was really excited to read this. The cover art looks amazing, I've heard lots about it, and I was able to secure an ARC. But once I started reading it, I felt intrigued but also confused and bored. Somehow. I'm not sure if it was the fact that I was reading it digitally via Netgalley's app but the art was so faint in some places and the watermark completely covered up the art at times. Again, not sure if that's how the actual art will look, but it was so incredibly distracting that I couldn't focus on much else. Also, the story felt so off and jarring. I had no idea what was happening and though certain parts kept me going, I arrived at the end feeling like there were still 40 pages needed. Overall, I wouldn't recommend reading this, but the art was interesting enough to accrue two stars.

2/5 stars overall
.5/5 stars for story
2.5/ stars for art (though parts were hard to see)

A twist of the original Dracula. This manga sets the tone for the beginning of a new interpretation. I found it a little confusing to follow. What with Luke and Lucy being one in the same? I guess. Not sure if id keep reading.

Thank you to Netgalley and VIZ Media for the advance copy of "#DRCL midnight children, Vol. 1" by Shin'ichi Sakamoto. This manga is an interesting twist upon the original Dracula novel by Bram Stoker. I enjoyed the references to the source material, the same characters younger, and their tendency to record their supernatural experiences through writing or phonograph recordings. The illustrations are gorgeous and horrifying. A beautiful horror start to finish. I enjoyed reading the volume, but did find its surreal storytelling hard to follow at times. I'd recommend this book to an experienced horror and manga reader.

**Disclaimer: I recieved a free eARC of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this opportunity.  I liked the idea of this, but it didn't really live up to my expectations.  I thought the art was really beautiful, but the storyline wasn't really my favourite.  I think I just wanted more development to some of the parts.

I didn't have high hopes for this book, considering how many Dracula adaptations exist, but I was blown away by how fantastic this was. The art is absolutely beautiful and just drips with gothic charm, and the interpretations of the text while sticking to the spirit of the source text were thoughtful and added to the whole experience. I will only accept the headcanon of Lucy being trans from now on.

Creepy story with some really good characters. I definitely enjoy the plot and the artstyle of the manga.

Always lovely to read more from Shinichi Sakamoto! I've been looking forward to reading this series since I finished his other series and it hasn't let me down. Wonderful, beautiful art as always.

#DRCL: Midnight Children Vol. 1 by Shin'ichi Sakamoto delivers an engrossing blend of dark fantasy and childhood innocence. A retelling of Bram Stoker's classic Gothic horror Dracula, this manga reminded me a great deal of Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child's Relic. The focus lies with a group of university students, with Mina being the only female in this all-male school.

Sakamoto's detailed artwork and his masterful play with dark tones nearly make up for the odd take on the story for me. Very different, yet quintessentially Dracula. I find giant eyes unacceptable in my life, due to eye trauma. I also have to say, the nekkid lady on the ceiling gives off a creepy, distinctly Japanese vibe. While not my cuppa, Sakamoto's #DRCL: Midnight Children Vol. 1 serves as an engaging beginning to a fascinating retelling of a true classic in the horror genre.

***Many thanks to Netgalley & Viz Media for providing an egalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is an amazingly new horror manga with everything that I love! Illustrations that creep you out, characters that make you unsettled, and vampires. Lots and lots of vampires. I cannot wait to read the other books and purchase this for my collection.

If you'd love a Dracula retelling that feels like a modern, diverse YA novel, #DRCL Midnight Children will give you everything you need.

So far, the manga has covered Count Dracula's mysterious arrival to England by boat, the beginning of Lucy's infection, and the reaction of those who care about her.

Despite covering these key plot points, #DRCL Midnight Children is different enough that it avoids being predictable.

If you weren't a fan of Dracula's gender politics, or if you always shipped Mina and Lucy, you might love what #DRCL Midnight Children does with both their characters.

Mina is an active and smart girl trying to make her mark in the world while struggling with the trauma of losing loved ones to the plague.

The character that is based on Lucy remains an enigma. By day, they present as a boy named Luke. At night, they appear to Mina as a girl named Lucy.

As a very surreal manga with several mind-bending panels, #DRCL Midnight Children doesn't explain if Lucy is trans, non-binary, or intersex, or if a literal transformation occurs.

Either way, this is a decidedly queer take — in a retelling of source material that lends itself well to LGBTQ+ interpretations — which will be very interesting to explore if done well.

The art is unique and quite different from shounen or shoujo gothic-style manga that simply beautifies everything.

I'm keen to read more!

The artwork of this manga is beautiful. It quickly drew me in but I was very confused at times about what was going on in the story. It seemed to jump around a lot and switch characters with blinding speed. I would like to try out the next volume to see if the story starts to come together, but for now, this was just ok.

Net Galley arc review
Nice art and character designs, with a potential for an interesting plot. With Dracula being one of the most retold stories in public domain, you kind of know what to expect from these stories. I was hopeful that the school setting would create an new atmosphere for the story.

The first part of the story focused on Demeter and a plant-based Dracula creature. I wasn't sure the significance of the moss and plants, it didn't feel very vampire-like until much later in the book. The author should have focused more on fleshing out the school portion of the plot, and perhaps they will in future volumes. I still don't quite know what the title refers to. Midnight Children seems to reflect the occult group briefly mentioned. I hope this is also explained further.

A beautiful retelling of Bram Stoker's Dracula centered around Mina. Lucy is trans/gender conforming (not made clear or maybe I missed it in this volume) but still close to Arthur. Making the characters into students/young adults adds to their vulnerability as the monster arrives. The art is absolutely beautiful and can become very terrifying. The story can be a bit confusing for those not familiar with the story and can be a bit underwhelming, but it provides a good introduction for future volumes.

Dracula is one of my favorite books. I love that intense feeling of how that story flowed and how the Count slowly slid into our lives. Nothing finer than a blood-sucking gentleman who wants all of your attention and that delicious sweetness flowing through your veins.

To have someone turn such an adored classic into a manga takes a lot of spirit. Bravo. You know that you are going to be judged a little harsher than others. I was all in for this twist of a classic and it was ok. The art sometimes got overwhelming but the story was decent. The entire time I was reading this it made me think of the one quote from Dracula. “Children of the night. What music they make!”

DRCL Midnight Children was worth the read and leaves you excited to read the next installment.