It's a shame really, because this series is actually quite unique, and something that I don't really remember seeing before on a wide spectrum, much less authors going out of their way to create something different rather than sticking to the run-of-the-mill stories that we see many too often these days. Really though, props to Keisuke Masano for being the one-in-a-million author to have a work that truly stands out in an intriguing fashion. And truth be told that Keisuke Masano actually did research on the whole Space Race topic of the conflict between the US and USSR, even going as far as to validate the point that mammals were used before sending humans into space, case in point: the US using monkeys and apes, while the USSR used dogs, specifically the first dog that was successfully deployed into space: Laika (that's where you understand why Laika exists in the title).
And that's where the story begins: the space race set in the same time period of the 1950s between the alternate US vs. USSR (United Kingdom of Arnack vs. the Republic of Zirnitra a.k.a UZSR) to see who can get their subjects to space first, and their spaceflight experiment dubbed the Nosferatu Project, lies with their trump card: a test subject in the form of the vampire N44, otherwise better known as Irina Luminesk. And in order for her to sustain the growth of trainings until she's of perfect use, the human candidates going after her will supervise that growth, and one young cosmonaut by the name of Lev Leps is assigned to be her handler from start to finish.
If you know anything out how the USSR a.k.a the Soviet Union operates back in this time period, it's that anything and everything goes in order to proclaim their superiority in any shape of form. And in this case, it's the usage of test subjects like Irina the vampire as their statement piece, and once they're done with them, their existence is wiped off the earth in favour of humans achieving their prosperity instead. It's definitely a cruel world to imagine how people were like living in the Soviet Union, much less if you're one of the military and/or candidate that witnessed the horrors of going all lengths to prove the possibility of making radical ideals. And Irina being a vampire, the popular legend that vampires prey on humans for their blood only solidifies those who abhor her presence, going as far as to have mitigating measures like cloves of garlic hanging around them to repel Irina's presence away from them. You can't really blame these people for having that claustrophobic mindset of a racist superstition in a time such as this, but harming Irina because of her vampiric roots is just going too far and being too harsh on her. And Lev overseeing her development for the Nosferatu Project is just like what a gentleman should be, protecting the girl from harm in whatever situations and circumstances.
If anything, watch this show for the character development, because it's really engrossing. The main vampire lead Irina is a really nice character if you can dismiss most of her intended shortcomings. More than being a test subject, she is undoubtedly human as well, that is if you attach Lev to her side and showcase all of her vulnerabilities and obscenely cute and sweet moments between each other. Irina's origin lies that her parents were both killed in the World War, and that she has always been fascinated by the moon (Tsuki), and from there on, volunteers for the (Nosferatu) project because like the mammal counterparts (Laika), she also has the dream of being the very first being to reach space, even before humans do, at the cost of her own life.
It's for this reason that her decision to enter the project comes at the price of being scoffed at by most of the military who deems her existence as a forlorn entity, and that's where Irina's dream would be substantiated by the young Lev Leps, who's a lieutenant in the UZSR's Air Force, whose dream is to fly as well. And oh look, the Nosferatu Project has a position for him to achieve his dream, and thereso sets the crossing of paths between vampire and human. Lev has a strong sense of justice and rebels against unreasonable things, which explains the irony of him protecting Irina when she is being forced to go on unsubstantiated training procedures that are deliberately set to push her limits to the breaking point. That same sense of justice is what is truly lacking in a lot of MCs in this day and age, and Lev really earns my thumbs up for standing up to the cruel amounts of abuse that she got, just because she is a vampire first and foremost.
The 3rd party is Anya Simonyan, Irina's right-hand girl who is a researcher at the Biomedical Research Institute, who specializes in studying the biology of vampires, such as with the case of Irina recording her data to the further implementation and uses of the research institute. I know I shouldn't call Anya a 3rd party, but being the winggirl would be the best description to fit her stance because more than checking up on her, she can understand Irina and is not afraid to treat her in a friendly manner. It's like she's a comedy character meant to splice in-between the growing relationship of Lev and Irina, and for that alone, I really greatly appreciate her inclusion to break the mold even for a fair bit.
I also know that I don't always try to pair ships in shows, but this is also yet another reason why this show is also quite good and deeply satisfying to watch. Watching both Lev and Irina be paired together from the start, there's lots of tulminous nervousness of how a vampire would react to a human that she has never seen before, only for the same baby steps to reconcile the mindset of the cooperation-turned-relationship between both vampire and human. Irina feels harsh from the get-go because of the preconceived microcosm legend that humans were the ones who burned vampires on the stake, and it largely affected how she would get along with someone like Lev, whom she didn't know would be an ally with or an enemy against her in the venture towards outer space. Thankfully, Lev's sense of justice keeps her afloat even at the worst of times, and seeing this relationship grow to expose Irina's vulnerable-but-sweet side of her to him is just an absolute delight. Examples like lemon soda (or seltzer) telling of the fact that she finds it salty, or that her constant pouts of jealousy that Lev isn't treating her like he should, Irina is just a sweet soul-satisfaction of a vampire girl that even Lev knows what triggers her innerd soul when it comes to love: blood-sucking, the equality of mere humans' tendency akin to kisses. Seriously though, Irina is a demi-human waifu worth protecting, and may the love between Lev and Irina last forever till eternity.
The other characters which are the higher-ups of generals and majors all are just plot devices to reinstate the importance of getting Irina up in space by hook or by crook, no second chances are given if it fails, because the love for the motherland is priority before self indulgences. There're too many to account for steam-rolling around the central characters, except for some like Lev's comrades also vying for the position to be the first cosmonaut in space, so less importance is weighed on them until the time they're needed for action.
This is Arvo Animation's second venture as a sole studio outside of the Bokutachi wa Benkyou ga Dekinai a.k.a We Never Learn series, and while Summer 2020's Monster Musume no Oisha-san just looked incredibly cheap and mediocre, Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu is the exact opposite with the same decent animation but gorgeous visuals to boot, especially for such an unique series like this one. The visuals may look dull as heck, but the artwork is just on a whole other level that reminds me of how the modern day Soviet Union a.k.a Russia would actually look like, especially with scenes that point towards the sky out of symbolism. Really though, respect for the amount of work put into this work that's full of originality. Sound design is really well done too for the most part with ALI PROJECT's OP that gives a Final Fantasy-esque sound vibe to it, and Chima's solemn but blissful ED that just nudges my heart from deep within.
When it call comes down to it, Keisuke Masano's Tsuki to Laika to Nosferatu is a work of art that unless and heavily recommended, it's the epitome of a blasphemy of a total unknown. You most likely won't even budge an eye to see what is this series all about, even more so that the light novel itself hasn't really been fan-translated yet (I've heard that an English translation will come soon, but don't get your hopes all too great) and the target audience really wearing thin. That said, of all the shows in the Fall season, I really, REALLY, have to recommend this show because it's a dark horse and a total breath of fresh air over the many iterations and imitations of genres rehashed before. Try it, you might like it.
