[Content warnings: suggestive images and humor. Mild spoilers for A Vampire in the Bathhouse is a one-shot]
“Our enemies are within ourselves, and our battles rage within our souls” - said the bisexual vampire who invaded some poor human’s family bathhouse because he was hungover.
After a night of heavy drinking, the vampire Luka Edelmondt Finsternis wakes up exhausted and in need of an effective hangover remedy. So, he searches the “realm wide web” and reads about the rejuvenating powers of a bathhouse in the human realm called the Full Moon Baths. A little teleportation spell is all it takes, and Luka appears (naked, of course) in this bathhouse, much to the annoyance of its manager and eldest son of the owner, Sakura Amamitsutsuki. Very quickly, Sakura realizes Luka is not joking when he says he's a magical vampire because they make a blood pact in order for Luka to control his magic in the human realm. And some of the rules of this pact are REALLY stressing Sakura out.
Nevertheless, he gains something from this pact too: someone to fill in for a worker on paternity leave.
Luka loves it at the bathhouse, and he quickly fits right into the surrounding community. However, his fun vacation faces trouble when it is revealed Luka’s familiar, Pequeño, was actually sent to unknowingly spy on him by Yomi, Luka’s lifelong rival and biggest hater. After seeing yet another great success in Luka’s life, Yomi decides he wants to take the whole Full Moon Baths for his realm, the Kingdom of Night.
This doesn’t phase Luka because he knows exactly how to trick Yomi into spending time in the bathhouse and its surrounding area, something he knows will work in their favor. Thus, as Luka suspected, Yomi becomes enthralled with its community and the way humans form connections. Realizing he cannot simply take the bathhouse for himself, Yomi decides to build his realm’s own bathhouse and nourish the community to try to replicate what the humans have.
I had a good time reading this first volume; in a moment where the world feels filled to the brim with hatred, it’s nice to unwind with a light-hearted comedy that focuses on the importance of human connection and community building—with a sprinkle of suggestive gay jokes. The characters, mainly the vampires, look really good as well. Ultimately, I don’t have much to say about it. I’m not extremely intrigued plot-wise, but I am quite curious about the development of Luka and Sakura’s relationship, so this is something I might think to read when I wanna pass the time.
Kodansha released Volume 1 on April 29th, 2025.
Poppy Seeds: ●●●◐○ (3.5 out of 5)
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