3.5 ⭐️

Thank you netgally and kodansha comics for letting me read this in return for an honest review.

This is a very cute manga. The artwork is just so incredibly beautiful, everyone is so pretty haha. There isn’t much romance in this book yet. I have a feeling that that’ll probably come in later books. Right now it was mostly focused on friendship/found family.
The story did go very fast. Sakura just accepted that a vampire appeared in his bath house and bit him.

This manga was a lighthearted slice of life story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. All the characters were very fun to read about and the art design was very clear and beautiful. The story was heartwarming and humorous and I would love to read a sequel to see more of these character's misadventures.

The only issue I had with the manga was that I went in to this book thinking there was going to be a more cohesive or overarching plot line that walks connect each smaller chapter. I thought there might be some underlying conflict or at least when Yomi shows up, the issue with him taking the bathhouse and wanting to take Sakura with him, this would end up being more of a plot point, but it’s solved off page in between chapters.

Overall, if you’re looking for a quick lighthearted read about demon exploring the joys of human connection, this manga is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Before I begin, I would like to thank Niko Izuki for allowing me to read a Net Galley copy of their upcoming manga volume, A Vampire in the Bathhouse, which will be available on April 29th, 2025.

Luka Edelmont Finsternis is the perfect example of a vampire. He’s handsome, regal, often really hungover, tired, and frankly bored with his routine. Deciding to pivot, he looks into the human world and discovers a Japanese bathhouse that should get rid of his hangover and make him full of energy again. He goes to the Full Moon Bathhouse, and meets the bathhouse’s eldest son, Sakura. With the bathhouse not having enough employees and caring for his little brother, Sakura doesn’t have time for a fancy and eccentric vampire. But as time passes, the two might discover that the baths aren’t necessarily the only magic present, perhaps it’s about realizing what it’s like to make people your home.

I loved this manga. You have Luka, a handsome, earnest, powerful, kind, and charming vampire that’s used to partying a lot and decides to do something to fix having hangovers once and for all. You have Sakura, a hardworking, considerate, reserved, and lovely young man that is devoted to taking care of the bathhouse and spending time with his little brother. The banter between Luka and Sakura was hilarious, and Sakura’s brother was very cute and sweet. The food looked delicious, and the overall art was stunning. I loved how kind Luka was to Sakura’s brother from the very beginning, and how the vampire interacted with other demons (supernatural beings?) that appeared throughout the story. I liked learning about the different kinds of magic the demons possess, and I enjoyed seeing the characters interacting with each other and the world around them. Overall, if you like great banter, gorgeous art, wonderful found family dynamics and wholesome vibes, then I would highly recommend this manga. Here’s the link with more information: A Vampire in the Bathhouse: Izuki, Niko: 9798888774281: Amazon.com: Books

I picked up A Vampire in the Bathhouse intrigued by its quirky premise and charming cover art. The story follows Luka Edelmondt Finsternis, a vampire lord who mysteriously manifests in the real world and chooses Full Moon Baths—a quaint bathhouse—as his new haunt. There, he meets Sakura, the bathhouse owner's son, and within mere moments, Luka marks Sakura as his partner by sharing his blood. What unfolds next is a series of short, somewhat loosely connected stories revolving around their daily lives together, occasionally joined by Sakura’s adorably mischievous baby brother.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to love this manga, it fell flat for me. While I’m not a manga expert, I do have a fair share of experience with the genre, and I couldn’t help but feel that the narrative lacked cohesion and depth. The pacing felt uneven, and the plot was hard to follow at times. I went in expecting a lighthearted yet captivating romance - maybe even some playful tension or clever humor - but instead, it ended up feeling like a random assortment of scenes centered around “some guys hanging out at a bathhouse.”

Luka’s character in particular seemed to be written with the intent of being alluring or impressive, yet his charm didn’t quite land. I kept waiting for that spark - something that would make the characters pop and the story come alive - but it never quite arrived.

That said, there were still a few aspects I enjoyed. The illustrations were clean and appealing, especially when it came to the cute little demon/vampire creature who kept popping up alongside Sakura’s baby brother. Those moments added a hint of whimsy that thankfully were consistent throughout the volume.

Overall, while the manga had a unique setup and beautiful artwork, the execution left me feeling underwhelmed. I had high hopes based on the premise and cover, but sadly, it didn’t quite meet my expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with this reading opportunity!

Such a cute slice-of-life BL manga! I really enjoys it
The manga follows our vampire Luka who ventures to human world and discovers traditional japanese bath house. There, he met the eldest son of bathhouse owner Sakura. The manga follows the series of comedic yet heartwarming interactions between them.

I love Niko Izuki art! Luka is such a beauuuutifullll vampire, and he knows he’s beautiful haha. I really enjoys seeing all the food part of the manga as it does makes me hungry.

If you’re introducing yourself to BL genres and enjoys slice of life with fantasy element, i will recommend you to pick this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for granting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Just cheesy, goofy fun.

The art style is very pretty and easy to look at. I didn't really see much romance in this but overall, the story was cute. This felt like it needed something more and felt like something was missing. It did feel like there was supposed to be more to the series at some point.

A cute and I guess cozy manga about a vampire demon who takes up residence at a bath house and the antics he gets up to with the young man who works there and his little brother.

Initially I thought this was the translated version of Baban Baban Ban Vampire because how many stories can there be about a vampire in a bath house? At least 2, apparently. This wasn’t that, but it was good in its own way. Sakura, whose grandpa owns the bath house, takes care of his little brother and the daily operations of the bath house, as his parents work overseas. Luka, the demon vampire who also has magic, sees the bath house from the demon realm and grows interested and travels there. After biting Sakura to stabilize his mana, Luka and Sakura enter into a pact (unwittingly on Sakura’s part) and Luka starts freeloading with Sakura and his family.

I get some BL vibes (the pact between Sakura and Luka apparently also requires more physical connection, and yes that means what you think it does) but it’s still lightly grazing at this point so nothing explicit, and so far it seems more focused on showing heartwarming family moments and human connections with plenty of humor mixed in. I like the art style, though sometimes I confused Sakura and Luka. Pequeño (a little demon familiar) and Umenosuke (Sakura’s little brother) were so cute. Overall this was cute, but I’m just a little confused where this will be heading. More vibes than story, but nothing wrong with that.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute and fun read! I thought it was such an adorable story and I loved the artwork! I definitely picked this up because I loved the cover and I’m glad I did, would definitely recommend. Thank you so much NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC!

A hungover demonic vampire named Luka Edelmont Finsternis seeks refuge from his ailment in the human realm at the Full Moon Baths. Sakura Amamitsutsuki is shocked to find a completely naked man appear out of nowhere in the middle of his family’s business. Luka shows his magical prowess but depletes his magic in the process. He gains his magic back by drinking Sakura’s blood and making Sakura his Pact Partner. It is a wonderful romping slice of life manga, as Luka adapts to the human realm and its intricacies. It is worth the read.

#ThxNetGalley #NikoIzuki #AVampireintheBathhouse

*Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for early copy for review*

This is such a cute manga. I loved seeing our vampire, Luka, navigating the human world. Also other demons that showed up it was interesting how their powers differed. The art in this was also really good and I truly wished that this continued on.

There isn't any romance in this and it would have been nice if one had developed between Sakura and Luka.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha for the ARC.

Hungover and exhausted vampire discovers the healing powers of a Japanese bathhouse.

Luka (vampire) pays a visit to Full Moon Baths where he meets Sakura, the eldest son of the bathhouse's owners. He takes it upon himself to make a pact with Sakura to maintain his magic powers in the human realm, and decides to stay at the bathhouse and help out.

This is absolutely adorable. It's funny, it's really sweet at times, it's a little bit naughty at times, and it's really just a fun read. The relationships between the characters are really cute - Umenosuke, Sakura's much younger brother, and Pequeño a demon familiar, really stand out here. The art is lovely as well. Everyone is quite pretty.

I had no real expectations going into this, but I really enjoyed it. I'm actually a little sad that it's just one volume because I would love to see more of these guys.

If you're looking for a really cute, light read, I definitely recommend this.

Such a cute manga! The story is about a vampire that decides to visit a bathhouse in the human realm. The characters are very charming (my favorite duo was Umenosuke and Pequeño!). The art style was beautiful yet showed a lot of humor. A lovely slice of life fantasy read!

Thank you, NetGalley and Kodansha, for the ARC.

When I saw the cover of this book it cracked me up, it was cute and funny and I just had to pick it up and it didn’t disappoint.

This is a very cute and charming manga, following Luka Edelmondt Finsternis a very good-looking vampire who has woken up on the floor with a serious hangover, the cure the Full Moon Baths in the human world, just what he needs: a change of pace that will rejuvenate him, however, Sakura the bathhouse’s eldest son, has enough to worry about between being short staffed and looking after his younger brother, he doesn’t need a random vampire getting in the way.

If you’re looking for a light-hearted and amusing manga filled with vampires, friendship and shenanigans this book is for you.

Thank you so much for the ARC opportunity!!

This was such a sweet light hearted manga! The two characters were so enjoyable and I loved how they bickered back and forth with each other. The art style is also really gorgeous and we are treated with lots of eye candy ;)

Even though it's complete in one volume, I hope they end up continuing the series and what other silly shenanigans they get up to!

I was really drawn in by the artwork and the words "vampire" and "bathhouse" had me sold. This is a cute, fun, quick and entertaining read. I liked the dynamic between the characters but something felt a little incomplete in their connection.

I went in worried this world be boring or silly and came out loving it! I want to read a lot more from this creator and these characters. I recommend checking it out, it was so funny, thank you for the early copy!

Big thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for the ARC copy. This has not affected my review at all, which are my own thoughts.

What an wonderful time I had reading this manga. A Vampire in the Bathhouse introduces us two realms: the human and the demon one, from where Luka Finsternis is. A vampire with great magic, he's also hungover and exhausted, so when he hears about a miracle bathhouse, the Full Moon Bath, he decides to pay a visit to it and the human world. There, he meets Sakura and his little brother, Ume. And what follows is the most non-problematic, calm and sweet slices of life I've read, even though it is not my usual genre. But, I was advertised vampires and promised some good laughs, and I jump straight to the pool (or should i say, the bath).

I was looking for something relaxing, enjoyable and funny, and i knew I would find it in this manga. Crafting compelling relationships between all types of characters of all ages, Niko Izuki shows us the power of community through the bathhouse and commercial district. And, also, how important it is to have such bonds so everybody can thrive with support and love.

The developing relationship between Luka and Sakura is the focal point of the story, but also how Luka ends up being a pillar on Ume's care and rising alongside Sakura. The push and pull between the two adults is equal parts comical and equal parts seriousness, reaching a point of mutual trust with which they face any problem that comes their way. And Ume and Pequeño (Luka's familiar) were so cute together too!!
Every secondary character that got introduce both in the human and the demon realm were remarkable and so lovable.
All the characters were so well designed, too, being totally differentiable from each other. Which is always a point in favor of the mangaka/drawer, in my opinion.

My final point is that, A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a cozy, funny and heartwarming story about family and making new connections, creating a strong and supporting community. Came for the vampires, stayed for the emotional found family themes😉

Funny and cozy!🥰

A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a sweet, funny, and heartwarming manga that immediately won me over with its humor and beautiful art style.

The story follows a vampire/demon who sees a bathhouse on TV and decides to travel to the human world to experience it for himself. He ends up staying there, leading to plenty of amusing moments as he navigates a world that is new to him.

The beginning isn’t the most logical—why exactly does he decide to stay at the bathhouse, and why does Sakura react so casually?—but that didn’t really bother me since the manga doesn’t take itself too seriously. The pacing is fast, and the character dynamics are fun. I especially loved the adorable side characters, like Sakura’s little brother and the flying demon familiar.
There are plenty of moments that made me smile, as the differences between the demon and human worlds create some truly hilarious situations. Despite the lighthearted tone, the story even introduces a bit of tension in the second half, and the way the found family trope is explored really touched my heart.

If you're looking for a cozy, funny, and heartwarming read, this manga is definitely worth checking out!

This was absolutely adorable! The characters were so sweet and really added to the cozy atmosphere. I love a manga with low stakes even when they seem high i initially. I also loved that it’s seemingly quite a slow burn between the two male leads!