After a great war, humankind has been pushed to the brink by vampires. Now they live in pockets that each find their own way to survive. In a small city-state guarded by a large military and a wall of light that protects them from vampire attacks, Momo dreams of exploring a more peaceful means of coexistence with vampires after developing a love of music, something from vampire culture. On the other side of the battlefield, vampire queen Fine still morns her dead human lover and seeks to die. When they cross paths, together they start a journey for “Eden,” a peaceful place told about in whispers where humans and vampires live peacefully side by side.
This short little series is packed with emotion, and that just makes you wish it was even longer. If you are looking for more anime recommendations like Vampire in the Garden, then head on down below.
Anime Like Vampire in The Garden
For Fans of Vampires
Devils’ Line
In this world, vampires, or devils as they are often called, live among humans. The majority of humanity isn’t aware of them as they do not differ much from normal humans. A vampire does not even need to drink human blood, but once they taste it or sometimes even just see it, they experience such lust and pleasure that they are driven crazy with desire. Anzai, a half-vampire, is part of a secret sub-section of the police force that deals with these rogue vampires that transform and go on a rampage. One day, he saves college student Tsukasa from a vampire and their fates become intertwined.
While Devils’ Line is a vampire story in a modern world, it does paint a vampires need for blood akin to an addict’s need for drugs. You also see this presented in Vampire in the Garden. Furthermore, Devils’ Line also explores vampires cohabiting with humans in society, and displays the struggles of that.
Mars Red
In 1923, a rise in an illegal artificial blood trade in Tokyo has seen a dramatic rise of vampires in the city. To combat this, Special Forces Unit 16, also known as Code Zero, was established to hunt down these vampires. Colonel Yoshinobu Maeda has been placed in charge of the unit, tasked with disrupting the artificial blood trade and dispatching of the vampires that are causing havoc. To help him, the unit is staffed with vampires that have fallen under the government thumb.
Alongside being vampire stories, both of these series are highly militarized vampire stories. Except in Mars Red, some vampires have been forced to hunt their own kind under a human commander who doubts the need to necessarily hunt vampires.
Seraph of The End
After a mysterious virus killed every human over 13 years old, the vampires rose up with a promise to protect the survivors. The only thing they asked in return is donations of blood. For Yuuichirou and Mikaela, they have grown tired of being livestock and pose a daring escape plan. It ultimately fails with only Yuuichirou left alive. However, after joining up with a mercenary company, he swears vengeance on the vampires, no matter the cost.
In both series, the humans have been pushed back from their domination of the world by vampires. From their small holdout cities, they form a military force to strike back. Seraph of the End is more action-oriented as the main character seeks to kill all vampires, but finds that his friend is now one. This puts them at odds in a very similar way to Seraph of the End where you can tell that the feelings are there, but they are on two different sides. Unfortunately, cohabitation is not the message of Seraph of the End.
Devilman Crybaby
Akira has always been a little weak and blends into the background, so when his childhood friend asks for help uncovering devils, he agrees. The pair head to Sabbath where many gather for debauchery and to be possessed by devils. When the devils begin to wreck havoc in their new living hosts, Akira agrees to merge bodies with a devil in order to save his friend. Though he now has a voracious devil inside him, he still has the heart of a crybaby.
While Devilman is about demons and not vampires, it merits mentioning because, like Vampire in the Garden, there is a strong emphasis on trying to encourage cohabitation in the world between demons and humans. Of course, you will find that it simply isn’t possible in either of these series. Also, while not about two girls, Devilman Crybaby also has its very own homoerotic relationship between the two male leads in a way.
For Fans of Melancholic Journeys
Wolf’s Rain
In a dying world, there is a legend: When the world ends, the path to paradise will open, but only wolves can find the way. Long thought extinct, wolves live among humans with the the ability to shape-shift into human forms. In Freeze City, several wolves find themselves drawn by a mysterious scent that they believe is the start of their path to paradise.
Both series are about characters who are traveling towards this idyllic place that no one has actually seen. The journey is hard and the stories told on it are often sad. Essentially Wolf’s Rain is the same sort of journey, it just goes on much longer.
Girls’ Last Tour
With all civilization dead, only Chito and Yuuri remain. Together they decide to hop on their motorbike and wander aimlessly looking for their next meal and fuel. Despite a bleak existence, they remain each other’s light in this dead world.
Both series are just two girls on a trip. An often sad and terrible trip through a world that is very close to dead. Girls’ Last Tour is a slow burn with little action. It is mostly just two girls having conversations and occasionally having nice moments in an empty world.
Made in Abyss
The Abyss is an enormous cave system and the only unexplored place in the world. No one knows how deep it goes, but generations of bold adventurers have descended into it. In the town at the edge of The Abyss, an orphan named Rico dreams of raiding, as her mother did before her. One day while exploring the murky depths, she meets a boy, who turns out to be a robot, kicking off the start of her epic adventure.
While Vampire in the Garden traverses a dystopian world, Made in Abyss traverses the various ecosystems in what is essentially a giant hole. In Made in Abyss, the further you go, the worse things get. The worlds both have magnificent beauty, but are inhabited by just terrible people and creatures. They also both have a strong emphasis on companionship on the difficult journey.
For Fans of Girl’s Love Subtext
Otherside Picnic
After accidentally entering, Sorao finds herself in the desolate, and as she discovers, dangerous Otherworld. As she ponders whether to just die or not, she is saved by a girl named Toriko who is looking for her friend, Satsuki, who she believes is somewhere in this world. After meeting, a friendship and partnership springs up as they explore the new reality before them.
While Otherside Picnic is more adventures in another land and wandering around when compared to Vampire in the Garden that has a vague destination, what it has most in common is the character relationship. While neither show makes them an official couple, the feelings are displayed clearly and just never really acknowledged, frustratingly so.
Izetta – The Last Witch
After invading a neighboring country, Germania thrust Europe into war. Now they turn their eyes on a small nation of Elystadt, a campaign bolstered quickly by capturing the Elystadt princess named Ortfiné “Fine” Fredericka von Eylstadt. While transporting her, Izetta, the last living witch, who was also being transported, breaks loose and Fine recognizes her from her own childhood. These reunited friends now have a chance of turning the tides of war against the imperialist giant bearing down on their country.
Aside from both having main characters named Fine, these series are both about worlds at war. However, Izetta is more your standard World War II-type affair, only differing in that there is one witch to bring the power of magic to bear. While Vampire in the Garden is pretty straightforward with things, Izetta does keep its girl’s love to strong subtext.
El Cazador de la Bruja
Bounty hunter Nadie has her next target – an amnesiac and wanted suspect for murder, Ellis. However, even though she apprehends her, instead of taking her in, Nadie ends up protecting her as they travel south looking for a way to unlock her memories.
Both series follows two girls that initially dislike each other as they go on a journey to find a mysterious and possibly mythical place. Along the way, they are under constant pursuit by various forces that wish to recapture them. As things go on, you also see their personal relationship deepen.
Do you have more anime recommendations like Vampire in the Garden? Let fans know in the comments section below.
