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Is Call of the Night Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read

By Next Panel Editorial2 min read
Call of the Night cover - Next Panel review

Quick Answer

Yes, if you're after mood and chemistry. Call of the Night nails the cool, melancholy feeling of the city at night and has a charming central duo. Just know the plot gets uneven later and the ending splits people.

Quick Verdict

MangaMinor SpoilersCompleted
7.7out of 10

“Stylish and atmospheric, this vampire romance nails the freedom and melancholy of the night and rides a charming central duo — even if the plot gets uneven later.”

Best for: Readers who want a stylish, atmospheric supernatural romance with a cool, nocturnal mood.

Not for: Readers who want a tight plot, fast action, or a conventional romance.

Type
Manga
Genres
Romance, Supernatural
Status
Completed
This review
Minor Spoilers
Author
Kotoyama
Publisher
VIZ Media
Platform
VIZ Media
Quick facts
FormatManga (shōnen), 203 chapters, 20 volumes
Run2019–2024 · completed
Community scoreAniList 8.1 · MAL 8.2 · MangaUpdates 7.7
ContentSuggestive content
Where to readVIZ — official

Overview

Call of the Night is a stylish supernatural romance about the seductive freedom of the night. Ko Yamori is a middle schooler who's stopped going to school and can't sleep, so he starts wandering the city after dark, where he meets Nazuna, a playful, mischievous vampire. She offers to turn him into a vampire too, but there's a catch: he first has to genuinely fall in love with her. So Ko throws himself into learning to love the night, and maybe Nazuna, in a moody, funny, offbeat coming-of-age from Kotoyama. It's complete, so the whole story is there to read.

What it does well

The atmosphere is the star. Call of the Night captures the freedom and melancholy of being out in the city at night better than almost anything, and Kotoyama's stylish, distinctive art and strong sense of mood make every late-night wander feel cool and a little magical. It has a vibe most series would kill for.

The central dynamic carries the rest. Ko and Nazuna's relationship is charming and witty, built on fun banter and an offbeat, push-and-pull romance that never feels generic. Nazuna in particular is a great character, teasing and confident but with her own loneliness underneath.

It's also genuinely thoughtful. Underneath the cool exterior, it has real things to say about youth, belonging, and the appeal of opting out of a daytime world you don't fit into. When it leans into that, the mood and the meaning reinforce each other beautifully.

Where it falls short

The plot is the weaker element. As the vampire lore expands and more characters and love-rivals enter, the story gets uneven, and some later arcs feel less essential than the pure atmosphere and the central duo that made the early chapters so good.

The core premise, fall in love to become a vampire, can also spin its wheels, circling the same will-they-won't-they question for a while. And the ending divided readers, landing well for some and underwhelming others. It's a series you read more for mood and chemistry than for a tight, building plot.

Verdict

Call of the Night is a stylish, atmospheric, charming supernatural romance, and an easy recommendation if you want mood, vibe, and a great central pairing. Go in for the nocturnal atmosphere and the Ko-and-Nazuna dynamic rather than a tight plot, and it's a genuinely cool, distinctive read. If you want fast action or a conventional, plot-driven story, it may feel slight, but for a moody late-night romance, few things capture the feeling this well, and it's complete.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Strengths

  • It captures the freedom and melancholy of the night beautifully, with stylish, distinctive art and a strong sense of mood.
  • The central dynamic between Ko and Nazuna is charming and witty, full of fun banter and an offbeat romance.
  • It has a genuinely cool, confident vibe, and it's thoughtful about youth, belonging, and not fitting in.
  • It's distinctive — there's not much else that feels quite like it.

Weaknesses

  • The vampire lore and plot expand unevenly, and some later arcs and love-rivals are weaker than the atmosphere around them.
  • The 'fall in love to become a vampire' premise can spin its wheels.
  • The ending divided some readers.

Similar Titles

  • The Summer Hikaru Died

    Another moody supernatural manga about a strange, charged bond with something not human.

  • Mieruko-chan

    Another stylish supernatural manga with a strong mood, though horror-comedy rather than romance.

  • Dandadan

    Another offbeat supernatural series mixing romance and the paranormal with style.

Where to Read Officially

PlatformFormatPricingRegion notesLink
VIZ MediaPrint & digital volumesFree + PaidRegion availability variesOpen

Prefer to watch? There's an anime

Call of the Night: see where to stream it legally, plus episode guides and trailers, on Watchanimee.

Where to watch

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it a romance or horror?

Romance, mostly. There are vampires and a supernatural world, but the tone is a moody, funny coming-of-age romance rather than horror.

Is it finished?

Yes, the manga is complete at around 20 volumes, so you can read the whole story.

What's the appeal?

Mood and chemistry. It nails the feeling of being out in the city at night, and the offbeat dynamic between Ko and Nazuna is the heart of it.

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