Fortune Arterial: Akai Yakusoku

Okay, this is a cliche vampire romance anime, but it's MY cliche vampire romance anime. I've treasured it for over a decade now.

I came across it randomly - quite literally, as when I was twelve I would regularly smash the Random Anime button on Anime Season (RIP) and watch anything that caught my eye, which is how I discovered Fortune Arterial. I pressed play purely because I loved the art style, and then immediatly fell in love. The art, the music, the characters, the relationships - it all pulled me in. It's a story I've seen a thousand times, but it was one I ... welcomed, which is odd considering I'm much of a cliche romance fan. Perhaps it's because it wasn't afraid to get dark and bloody?

To be blunt, I don't know how many times I've rewatched Fortune Arterial, but it definitely exceeds 20. I'm 24 now, but it's still a comfort anime I go back to every now and again. I've watched hundreds of animes and there are definitely some I've regretted watching, but this is not one of them. It's not to everyone's tastes, but I would still gladly recommend it again and again.

It was an alright story.

The story progression was messed up, and the plot was all over the place.

Could have had this run for a few more episodes to bring the story together.

The MC especially Erika and Kouhei needed more substance and character development.
The theme was well picked up, on vampires and the school setting was great but depth in each character was major missing.

Introducing a rivalry for Sendou could have had maybe a better impact on the storyline.
...
In the end, the anime leave the viewers with mixed feelings, and sadly the anime did not get another season, now we know why.

A boy returns to an island to study, as fed up of being transferred around everywhere his family works, breaking up friendships,s and never really settling anywhere. After meeting some new friends and reacquainting with some older friends from about 7 years before, he gets pulled onto the student council after discovering vampires are part of the school and student council.

Despite being warned not to trust the brother our MC of course runs t his summons at the student council buildings before being given the choice of potentially losing all his memories or joining the school council.

The plots transparent sadly of the brother ... wanting a dependent for his sister, as he is comfortable drinking from victims and then erasing their memories. His sister however wants to remain as human as possible, with the impossible dream of just feeding of transplant blood.

As expected, she fights the urge, eventually feeds on the MC as was manipulated from the beginning, and then tries to avoid the MC after as the nearer she is to him, the worse the urge to a dysfunctional level she will drain him dry. Stil the brother tries to manipulate the situation to get the MC to give him life and shreds of humanity to be her dependent or feeding bitch/slave. With the MC, just continuing towards it, until Erika, goes home for the last penultimate episode in an attempt to stave of the urges.

It's a bit harem style as a few girls surround him, not the usual vampire tale and very transparent on the brother's motives from start, with underlying tips of romance which the MC denies is like with Erika, but is it just denial, is it just want as shown through the anime of someone just trying to please everyone. For me it fitted as a time filler, but not anything i would go back too