Baban Baban Ban Vampire – Movie Review & Film Summary

Ranmaru Mori is a 450-year-old vampire. Ten years ago, he was badly injured and nearly died in broad daylight. A young boy came to his rescue. The five-year-old Rihito Tatsuno helped this stranger and welcomed him into his home. Since then, Mori has lived with Rihito and his family. He was given a cleaning job at their bathhouse. Mori works at night, rests during the day, and keeps a low-key routine.

Mori has told Rihito's family that he's a vampire. However, they think he's joking and play along with his supernatural persona. Over the years, Mori has grown close to Rihito, who treats him like a trusted friend. Rihito recently turned fifteen and is starting high school this year. Mori gives him comforting advice. Despite their bond, Mori feels an increasing urge to drink Rihito's precious blood. He plans to wait until Rihito turns eighteen before making his move.

Mori looks forward to drinking Rihito's blood. Before doing so, he wants to keep the teenager in perfect physical condition for the next three years. In Mori's view, that means absolute purity. Mori believes having sex might ruin the body, so he fixates on Rihito's virginity. Mori wants to ensure there isn't any possibility that Rihito might have sex.

Rihito begins his first day of school and meets Aoi, a kind student who lends him a pink handkerchief. He's instantly smitten and tells Mori about his crush. Even though the two barely know each other, Mori becomes worried. He senses Rihito's feelings could grow stronger. Fearing temptation, Mori decides to interfere. He wants to put an end to Rihito and Aoi's budding connection.

Baban Baban Ban Vampire comes with two adaptations. I watched the anime series first and then the live-action film right after. Honestly, I'm glad I chose this order. The movie would've confused me without the anime's context. While both remakes follow the same storyline, the film feels like a condensed version. Considering the series is twice as long, it has more time to explore each plot and develop the character arcs. And it's funnier too. If I compare them, the Baban Baban Ban vampire movie feels less enjoyable.

With that said, I still appreciate the movie's creativity. The story revolves around vampires and other supernatural oddities that could be hard to translate into a live-action remake. The talented filmmaker finds a way to make everything look cinematic. Sleek camerawork, elegant special effects, and gorgeous styling help bring the story's immersion together. The movie also introduces the cast through a musical montage, a clever idea that quickly explains their backstories. Each character's entrance feels memorable because it's accompanied by a song with funny lyrics. "No Rihito, no life!" is still stuck in my head.

Baban Baban Ban Vampire cuts some content from the original story. Unfortunately, it sacrifices a bit of the comedy. The anime (inspired by the manga) shows the hilarious character interactions, even if they aren't significant to the plot. This playfulness is absent from the movie. The series also has more time to develop each scene and deliver the punchlines smoothly. Yet, the film rushes a lot. It only has a few seconds to tell a joke before jumping to another moment. While Baban Baban Ban Vampire still has a sense of humour, the urgent pace makes the film less funny.

Baban Baban Ban Vampire has problematic tropes that may bother viewers. Mori, the vampire lead, fixates on a teenager's virginity. He claims abstinence will keep Rihito's blood pure for drinking purposes. Yet, many jokes and comments about the "virgin boy" sound suggestive, almost implying that he has perverted thoughts. At times, it feels like Mori might be grooming the 15-year-old Rihito. The anime is worse and shows Mori getting aroused. Thankfully, the movie doesn't include any icky vampire boners, but Mori's relationship with Rihito still feels predatory.

In a funny coincidence, Rihito's actor (Rihito Tatsuno) shares the same name as his character. Indeed, the role feels made for him. He gives a charming performance, capturing his character's bright optimism. His co-star (Ryo Yoshizawa) does a fine job as the lead and can portray all of Mori's funny quirks. He also has a suave presence in the serious scenes. In the story, Mori was once in love with a man, but their romance ended in tragedy. As the movie shows a relationship montage, those few seconds of affection come and go. Sadly, the BL content has no substance.

Baban Baban Ban Vampire ends with an exciting finale, where Mori fights another vampire in a brutal battle. I had already seen this scene in the anime, but I was impressed by how the movie adapted the material. Filming a supernatural fight in live action can be tricky, yet the filmmaker makes it work. The result is an epic conclusion that looks great on screen. Overall, the Baban Baban Ban Vampire movie is an alright adaptation. I appreciate the effort that went into the production. However, it misses the humour and depth that made the anime more enjoyable for me.