(my first review! Yay!)
~Story~
The "story" of Karin isn't exactly anything special.
In fact, this type of story of forbidden love is common in manga.
What makes it "good", or I should say, "sets it apart from other manga" is the fact that it doesn't take itself seriously.
Sure, there are serious moments, but the comedy always manages to shine through. There's never a dull moment in Karin, and you'll always be wanting to read more.
~Art~
The first volume's character designs are vastly different from the latter volumes.
That's not a bad thing, but the earlier volumes seemed to have more individuality in the artwork, such as the thick lines, a heavy usage of black, and the varied facial expressions.
The latter volumes seem to change to thinner lines, more usage of screen tone, and a much, much heavier use of filters.
One of the things that really annoyed me was how the artwork seemed getting consecutively worse around volume 11 or so. Not sure if the author was rushing on the drawings because of deadlines, but it's very noticeable.
~Character~
Karin is what made vampires interesting to me again. Never in any other manga will you read about a daywalker vampire that is unable to suck blood and only injects blood.
Another great thing about the two main characters in Karin is that they don't act like the typical shonen romcom couple. Usually, couples in shonen romcom get embarrassed because they're thrown into crazy sexual situations involving panty shots, groping, and what have you.
These scenes rarely happen in Karin (and really don't ever happen again after volume 4). Instead, the two characters are embarrassed just from being around each other.
This sense of awkwardness of neither of the two ever have been in a relationship before in addition to both being extremely naive and inexperienced makes for a much more realistic portrayal of a teenage relationship, one you won't see in most manga, and most especially not in shonen.
~Enjoyment~
Karin will definitely entertain anyone who's into vampires, romance, or comedy.
For those wanting something serious and thought-provoking, look elsewhere.
A good read for anyone, regardless of age or gender because of the universal themes.
~Overall~
Great manga. One of the better romcom shonen out there.
One of the few you'll want to reread over and over and will leave you wanting for more after you've finished it.
