Vampire Knight ep.10

June 22, 2008 | 12 Comments

Arrrgh. This whole catching up thing is starting to drive me insane. So close and yet so far. I am still 1 episode behind as usual and if I don't do the other one soon, I'll go back to be 2 episodes behind. Anyway, this episode shows another twist to Kaname's character and I personally think it's not doing a favor on him. I often wonder if the author intends on giving Kaname such a shifty personality or if it's actually unintended effects from wanting to make him look mysterious. If it's the later, I wonder if she realizes that he appears creepy and controlling at times? Maybe not because IIRC, Kaname's popularity is pretty high. At any rate, does anyone know if this is going to stay as 13 episodes series for the time being or if it'll continue on? I assume the first will happen until the series get another timeslot in another season.

Episode 10

Since it's near exam, the usual batch of fangirls who usually wait for the night class students are not around. Yuuki realizes that she too needs to study otherwise her mark will bring the class mark down. The problem is that the class with the lowest mark won't be able to attend the school dance party and has to work backstage. This means Yuuki will incur the wrath of the class Iinchou since he has specifically warned her that he'd like to go to the school dance. Despite her attempt to study, however, Yuuki can't concentrate and wonders why Zero hates Maria. While helping tutoring Yuuki, Zero tells her that the area in his neck that got bitten by Shizuka aches. He is angry because Shizuka ruined his relationship with his brother.

Kaname, however, already knows that there's more to Maria than meets the eye. He confronts her, asking why she changed her name and identity. He thinks she has a bad taste and just want to play. Maria scoffs at this and asks Kaname since when he becomes conscientious since he's the same as her. Meanwhile, Zero tells Yuuki that it's because she was there that he was able to live on. Yuuki who thinks that Zero behaves strangely ever since Maria came to the school. Because she wants to know the relationship between the two, she decides to follow the guy. Meanwhile, Zero has find Maria, who thinks that Zero is drawn to her due to their bond. Zero attempts to shoot the girl but finds himself unable to do so.

Maria explains that he can't kill her because she's the vampire who has given him a life as a vampire. As a servant, he can't possibly kill her. Despite this, Zero pushes her away and points his gun at her. Maria is impressed to see this, telling him that he's the first who makes an attempt to defy her. At the same time, Yuuki arrives in the mansion as well, in time to hear Zero recognizing Maria as Hiou Shizuka. Yuuki is shocked to hear this and hears Shizuka telling that Zero that this body she's using is not hers so she doesn't want Zero to be violent. As soon as she says this, her helper drops a katana from above which Shizuka uses to attack Zero. Zero, however, manages to block the attack with her gun. Yuuki herself is shocked to see this and tries to run to Zero but Kaname has covered up her mouth with his hand and stops her from leaving.

Much to Zero and Shizuka's surprise, Zero manages to fire a round of bullet into Maria's body. Shizuka realizes that she can't fight effectively in her borrowed body and needs a rest. She also suggests that Zero does the same since he's also injured by her katana slash. As Zero passed out, Shizuka's helper asks her if they're leaving him alive but Shizuka doesn't answer him, upsetting the guy in the process. Meanwhile, Kaname is seen wiping Yuuki's memory while saying that if Zero is going to die now, there's no point in letting him live in the beginning. Having said that, he can't lose Yuuki now. The next day, Yuuki finds herself waking up in her room, feeling that something is missing but she can't pinpoint what that this is supposed. Because Yuuki continues to space out throughout the day, Yori asks her to take a rest.

In the afternoon, however, Yuuki gets a visit from Kaname, who asks her to go to the dance party with him. As it turns out, however, Kaname is just there to check if Yuuki has really forgotten about Zero. When Ichijou asks him about this, Kaname tells him that sometimes forgetting is a form of happiness. Meanwhile, Yagari asks Cross why he let Maria to enroll in this school knowing who she really is. Cross claims because Kaname allows it and he has to trust their decision since vampires should deal with vampire world. Meanwhile, Yuuki is confronted by Maria, who thinks Yuuki is cruel since she has forgotten about someone even though that someone always thinks about her. Yuuki wonders if Maria is talking about Zero, causing the cat that she hugs to jumps out and scratches her hand before fleeing out of sight.

Thanks to her bleeding hand, Yuuki remembers the time when Zero holds her hand the night before and his subsequent fight with Maria. Because of this, she asks her what will happen to Zero. Maria tells her that for now he's okay but soon he'll turn into a Level E who won't hear whatever Yuuki says. Meanwhile Zero who's laying unconscious in a bedroom, remembers his past as a kid. Back then he found out that his twin brother, Ichiru, pretended to be sick so he didn't have to bid goodbye to their teacher. Ichiru felt that their teacher doesn't like him but he didn't care as long as Zero likes him. At that time, the two saw a woman appearing in the midst of a Sakura petals even though it was winter time. Ichiru wanted to approach the woman but Zero, who knows that she's a vampire, suggested that they better go home.

That night, Ichiru had a fever, causing Zero to be concerned about him. Zero wanted to go out to look for ice but Ichiru wants him to stay near him so their mother decided to look for the ice herself. While on the bed, Ichiru told Zero that since he has such a weak body that he can't possibly become a hunter. He also wanted to know if the vampire they met today will be killed by someone someday. Zero believed that if she's on the list then she'd definitely be killed. Later on, Ichiru for some reason decided to go outside so Zero decided to go look for him. As soon as he opened the door, however, he saw Shizuka, who grabbed him. In the end, the entire family except Ichiru got killed by Shizuka. In the present time, Zero wakes up in cold sweat and finds himself face to face with Ichiru, whom he thought was already dead.

Impression

I thought it was nice of Zero to help Yuuki studying so she can go to the dance party...and dance with Kaname. Sometimes I wonder if she doesn't realize that Zero likes her. I guess all of those protective act can fool anyone into thinking that he sees her as nothing more than his sister. Having said that, I don't know a guy who holds a girl's hand out of nowhere and hugs her from behind if he just sees her as a friend/sister, etc. This episode moves thing a bit in regards to their relationship. I think it's thanks to her feelings for Zero that she managed to regain her memory of him despite having been mind-wiped by Kaname. Speaking of the later, I'm kind of confused about him again.

I was starting to think that maybe he's just a possessive but a generally good guy. However, Shizuka seems to see him differently. I am sure she's a lot of things but I don't think being a liar is one of them. Moreover, what he did to Yuuki, regardless of the reason, was repulsive. It's true that he probably just want to keep her safe but he robbed her of her memory without her consent. I think it's not up to him what Yuuki should remember or not remember. She's old enough to make her choices and if he really wants to protect her, he should have done it in a way that does not involve taking away her choices and her memory. He could have confronted Shizuka right away and helped Zero, for example, even if he doesn't like him. If he had done this, I'm sure that Yuuki would have like him a lot more for sure.

I know a lot of people dislike Maria but I personally thought her character design is pretty good and was happy to know that she's just being possessed by Hiou Shizuka instead of being her new form. This means should the author decides to involve her in a new storyline, Maria can come back into the series again. Plus, her role as Hiou Shizuka was part of the reason why Yuuki regains her memory of Zero. While her intention wasn't exactly noble, at least she gives Yuuki a choice whether to come after Zero or to forget about him. Plus, she's not spiteful enough to tell Yuuki that Kaname is probably the one who mindwiped Yuuki. As for Ichiru, it's hard to believe that he has such a low self-esteem and feels disconnection from his family to the point that he was willing to work with their enemy to kill the rest of his family.

© memento 2003