Babanba Banban Vampire (ババンババンバンバンパイア) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromasa Okujima. It began serialization in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Champion in October 2021. An anime television series adaptation produced by Gaina aired from January to March 2025, and a live-action film adaptation opened in Japanese theaters in July 2025.
Plot
Ranmaru Mori, a 450-year-old vampire, lives and works at a long-established public bathhouse called Koi-no-Yu. Years earlier, when he was severely injured while being hunted by vampire hunters, his life was saved by a young boy named Rihito, the son of the bathhouse owners. Since then, Ranmaru has remained at the bathhouse as a live-in worker, secretly planning to one day drink Rihito's blood, which he believes will be at its best when Rihito becomes an 18-year-old virgin.
To preserve the "perfect" conditions for this plan, Ranmaru carefully watches over Rihito's life and tries to prevent him from getting into romantic or sexual relationships. However, when Rihito enters high school and falls in love with a classmate named Aoi, Ranmaru begins interfering in his daily life in order to stop their relationship from progressing. While trying to sabotage Rihito's chances at romance, Ranmaru must also hide his identity as a vampire and deal with other supernatural threats.
Characters
Media
Manga
Written and illustrated by Hiromasa Okujima, Baban Baban Ban Vampire began serialization in Akita Shoten's manga magazine Bessatsu Shōnen Champion on October 12, 2021.[4] The series' chapters have been compiled into thirteen volumes as of April 2026.
In March 2026, Dark Horse Comics announced that they had licensed the series for English publication, with the first volume set to release in November later in the year.[5]
Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced on Garlic Day on February 29, 2024.[19] It is produced by Gaina and directed and written by Itsuro Kawasaki, with assistant direction by Takahiro Tamano, characters designed by Yukiko Ban, and music composed by Jun Ichikawa. The series aired from January 11 to March 29, 2025, on the brand new IMAnimation programming block on TV Asahi and its affiliates.[20] The opening theme song is "Bloody Liar", performed by Blue Encount,[21] while the ending theme song is "Ne-Chu-Show", performed by Botchi Boromaru.[22] Netflix streams the series globally.[23]
Episodes
Episodes
Live-action film
A live-action film adaptation was also announced on Garlic Day on February 29, 2024. It is produced by Shochiku and TV Asahi, directed by Shinji Hamasaki and written by Yūko Matsuda. It was originally set to premiere in Japanese theaters on February 14, 2025,[19][28] but was later delayed due to "various circumstances" related to Ranmaru's actor, Ryo Yoshizawa, and his 2024 trespassing incident.[29] The film opened on July 4, 2025.[30]
The film was also selected at the 24th New York Asian Film Festival, which was held from July 11 to July 27, 2025, for its North American Premiere.[31]
External links
References
- Alex Mateo. Baban Baban Ban Vampire TV Anime Unveils 1st Promo Video, Key Visual, 2 Cast Members Anime News Network, October 9, 2024, retrieved October 9, 2024^
- Anita Tai. Live-Action Baban Baban Ban Vampire Film Adds 3 Cast Members Anime News Network, November 11, 2024, retrieved November 11, 2024^
- Crystalyn Hodgkins. Baban Baban Ban Vampire Anime Casts Yūichi Nakamura Anime News Network, December 9, 2024, retrieved December 9, 2024^
- Rafael Antonio Pineda. Hiromasa Okujima, Kentarō Satō, Shingo Honda Each Launch New Manga in Bessatsu Shōnen Champion Anime News Network, August 14, 2021, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- Alex Mateo. Dark Horse Licenses Suicide Island, Babanba Banban Vampire, Asobi Asobase, Forget-Me-Not Manga Anime News Network, March 30, 2026, retrieved April 2, 2026^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229735 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229743 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229751 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/425322976X Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229778 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229786 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229794 Akita Shoten, retrieved February 8, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253229808 Akita Shoten, retrieved August 21, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253294944 Akita Shoten, retrieved December 15, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253294952 Akita Shoten, retrieved December 15, 2024^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253294960 Akita Shoten, retrieved May 16, 2025^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253008879 Akita Shoten, retrieved November 1, 2025^
- https://www.akitashoten.co.jp/comics/4253012809 Akita Shoten, retrieved March 16, 2026^
- Joanna Cayanan. Hiromasa Okujima's Baban Baban Ban Vampire Manga Gets Live-Action Film, TV Anime Adaptations in 2025 Anime News Network, February 29, 2024, retrieved February 29, 2024^
- Joanna Cayanan. Baban Baban Ban Vampire TV Anime Reveals Cast, Staff, Teaser Video, Visual, January 2025 Debut Anime News Network, June 24, 2024, retrieved June 24, 2024^
- Joanna Cayanan. Baban Baban Ban Vampire Anime's 2nd Video Unveils Blue Encount Opening Song Anime News Network, December 15, 2024, retrieved December 15, 2024^
- Joanna Cayanan. Baban Baban Ban Vampire Anime Reveals Ending Song in New Video Anime News Network, June 24, 2024, retrieved January 8, 2025^
- Alex Mateo. Baban Baban Ban Vampire TV Anime Unveils Additional Cast, Visual, January 11 Premiere Anime News Network, November 25, 2024, retrieved November 25, 2024^
- Terebi Anime『Baban Baban Ban Vampire』 bababa-anime.com, retrieved January 11, 2025^
- Watch Babanba Banban Vampire Netflix, retrieved January 11, 2025^
- Terebi Anime『Baban Baban Ban Vampire』 sakamotodays.jp, retrieved January 11, 2025^
- https://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/pr/contents/20250308_10248.html TV Asahi, retrieved March 9, 2024^
- https://natalie.mu/comic/news/595223 Comic Natalie, Natasha, Inc., October 15, 2024, retrieved October 14, 2024^
- Joanna Cayanan. Live-Action Baban Baban Ban Vampire Film Delayed Due to 'Circumstances' Anime News Network, January 14, 2025, retrieved January 16, 2025^
- Anita Tai. Live-Action Baban Baban Ban Vampire Film Rescheduled to July 4 Anime News Network, March 29, 2025, retrieved March 29, 2025^
- NYAFF and FLC Announce First Highlights of the 2025 New York Asian Film Festival, July 11–27 Film at Lincoln Center, 11 June 2025, retrieved 14 June 2025^