» Yuki Cross is the female protagonist of Vampire Knight. The adopted daughter of the headmaster of Cross Academy, Yuki is a first year student and a member of the school's disciplinary committee, which means secretly acting as a Guardian for Cross Academy by monitoring and protecting the Day Class from the Night Class. She is generally a cheerful and comedic character, but has a fear of vampires that means she rarely leaves the Cross Academy grounds on her own [1]. She wields the Artemis Rod, the anti-vampire weapon which later transforms into a scythe.

When Yuki was about five years old, Rido Kuran attacked the Kuran family while seeking to take Yuki, whose existence had been hidden from the world as much as possible. To protect her daughter, Juri sacrificed herself to seal Yuki's vampire side and erased her daughter's memory; Yuki's first memory from that point on was of Kaname saving her from a vampire; she grew up harboring deep feelings for him. The two had a close relationship until she witnesses his vampire nature as he fed on a vampire classmate - as a human, Yuki believed that she had no chance of being with Kaname and began to distance herself out of fear, though maintained her attraction to him. After being adopted by Kaien Cross, Yuki has troubling recurring nightmares until Zero joins their household and she forms a strong attachment to him.

After Yuki discovers that Zero has awakened as a vampire and is struggling with his bloodlust, she allows him to secretly feed on her blood. In order to prevent Zero running away, Yuki promises to be his ally and that she will kill him if he becomes a level E vampire. When Shizuka Hio offers to save Zero at the price of Yuki's humanity, Yuki agrees, though is stopped by Zero.

Troubled by the gap in her memory, Yuki attempts to ask Kaname to reveal what he knows about her past. When he offers to provide her an answer if she becomes his lover, Yuki agrees, but ends up trying to remember her forgotten past on her own when Kaname does not give her an answer. Her recurring nightmares return and Kaname eventually bites Yuki to reawaken her true nature as a pureblood vampire and has her drink his blood to restore her complete memories. She is revealed to be Kaname's sister and intended fiancée. Returning to her vampire self, Yuki exhibits an uncontrolled return of her vampire powers and physical changes. She chooses to break off her friendship with Zero, aware of the new antagonism between them, and begins to sense Rido's dangerous revival. Though Kaname attempts to remove her from danger, she refuses to leave Cross Academy and convinces him to leave and continue his own mission while assuring him that she will return to him. Deciding to fight Rido, Yuki's Artemis Rod transforms as it tries to reject her vampire nature,and turns into a scythe.

Upon confronting Rido, Yuki nearly fall prey to his words, saved only by Zero interrupting in his own attempt to kill Rido. Though they are now enemies, Yuki reaffirms her vow to be Zero's ally. As Zero attempts to remove her from the fight, Yuki manages to score the killing blow on her uncle. However, Zero turns on her afterwards, still intending to kill her and all pureblood vampires. Before the battle, Zero is stunned to learn that while the human side of Yuki is gone, she has kept her sincere and unwavering eyes on him.

Voiced by: Yui Horie

» Zero Kiryu is one of the male protagonists of Vampire Knight. Yuki's close friend and the only other Cross Academy Guardian, Zero descends from a noted family of vampire hunters and was trained to be a Vampire Hunter by Toga Yagari. Zero carries an anti-vampire gun named "Bloody Rose," given to him by Kaien Cross. His powers include accelerated healing, vampire detection, ability to withstand pureblood compulsion and most recently the ability to manipulate vines within his body that are an extension of the Bloody Rose.

Four years ago, Zero was taken in by Kaien Cross as the sole survivor of a murderous attack on his family by Shizuka Hio. Zero was bitten during the attack and spent the last four years resisting turning into a vampire - the tattooed symbol on his neck helped suppress the vampire transformation. Due to the attack, Zero developed a deep hatred and distrust of vampires. He kept his vampire secret even from Yuki until bloodlust overwhelmed him and he bit her. Filled with self-loathing, Zero attempts to run away but is stopped by Yuki, who pledges to kill Zero should he fall to level E. To further ensure Zero's vampire nature remains controlled, the headmaster provides Yuki with a bracelet that reacts with Zero's tattoo and paralyzes him.[3] Despite these measures, Zero's body rejects the blood tablets used to sate a vampire's thirst and Yuki convinces Zero to continue drinking her blood.

While Zero harbours romantic feelings for Yuki, he supports her feelings for Kaname Kuran, in particular because Zero is gradually becoming a level E vampire. He is protective of Yuki, preventing her from trading her humanity to Shizuka Hio in exchange for curing his vampirism and swearing never to allow Yuki to become a vampire; knowing this, Kaname Kuran allows Zero to live because Zero would do anything to protect Yuki. However, with Shizuka's death, Zero is forced to drink the blood of a pureblood, Kaname, to delay becoming a level E vampire. Following Zero's discovery that Yuki is actually a pureblood vampire, Zero and Yuki severs their friendship, with Yuki revealing that her vampire side "ate" her other side.

Though Zero is able to maintain his sanity after drinking Kaname's blood, the Hunters Association arrange his arrest and lock him up. During this time, Kaname reveals that his purpose in strengthening Zero is in order for him to protect Yuki and defeat Rido Kuran. Soon afterward, Zero is shot by his twin brother and finally completes the Twin Hunter fragment after he is convinced to "eat" the dying Ichiru. With this act, as a twin vampire hunter of an excellent lineage who has become a vampire and carrying the blood of three purebloods (Yuki, Kaname and by proxy Shizuka[4]), Zero becomes one of the most powerful characters appearing in the series.

Interrupting the battle between Yuki and Rido, Zero declares his former friend his enemy, though they are able to work together and defeat Rido. Zero reveals his intention to kill all pureblood vampires including Yuki, but finds that he cannot bring himself to kill her. Because of his own lingering attachment to her and as someone who made him feel safe, he finds such an act cruel and reveals that he would not mind if Yuki killed him at that moment. However, when Kaname enters the scene, Zero does not hesitate to entangle him with the Bloody Rose, reasserting his desire to "exterminate all the purebloods."

Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano

» Sayori "Yori" Wakaba is Yuki's dorm-mate and best friend since junior high. Yori is a very perceptive girl who finds the aura of the Night Class to be scary. She is one of the few girls with no interest in the Night Class and not intimidated by Zero, frequently joining Yuki to tease him while maintaining that Yuki is the only one capable of dealing with him. Then Yori discovers that Yuki is a vampire during the attack on the school, but she accepts Yuki as she is and appears to be more worried over that fact that she would lose her best friend. Because of the recent events at Cross Academy, she is taken to a safe place by Aidou on Yuki's orders.

Voiced by: Kana Ueda

» Kaname Kuran is another male protagonist and is the pureblood vampire who saved Yuki from an attack by another vampire when she was five years old. He is the class president of the Night Class, both feared and respected by the other Night Class students. As a pureblood, he is capable of controlling lesser vampires, but chooses not to exercise his powers, thus earning the respect of other noble vampires. Kaname shares the Chairman's hopes for a peace between vampires and humans and worked with the Chairman to create the Night Class at Cross Academy. Despite Zero's distrust, Kaname's presence keeps the Night Class in check. Normally a stoic and authoritive individual, Kaname's kind and gentle attitude toward Yuki has puzzle his fellow vampires. He expresses discontent with Zero for biting Yuki and endangering her life. Kaname tells Zero that he only allows Zero's existence by Yuki's side to ensure her safety and is envious that he cannot protect her himself. He eventually reveals to Yuki that he loves her. [5]

As he kills Shizuka Hio, Kaname promises her that he will destroy the being that ruined the destiny of the purebloods and drinks her blood in order to gain power to protect Yuki, though he leaves some of her blood to save Zero. Kaname makes repeated offers to Yuki to allow her to remain by his side, including offering to make her a vampire and asking her to become his lover when she presses him for information concerning her forgotten past. He also convinces Zero to drink his blood to stave off insanity, slowing Zero's descent to a Level E vampire. Kaname eventually reveals that this act was one of many steps required to prepare and strengthen Zero so that he can kill Rido and free Kaname from Rido's curse.

As Rido's presence becomes increasingly apparent, Kaname bites Yuki in order to awaken her vampire nature and feeds her his blood to restore her memories as a Kuran and as his sister. He reveals to Takuma Ichijo that he is not Yuki's true brother, but the first king and founder of the Kuran family who had been revived by Rido Kuran. As such, Kaname is unable to kill Rido, his "master", and was only able to severely injure and incapacitate him when he tried to take Yuki from the Kuran family. As a child, Juri and Haruka Kuran raised Kaname as Yuki's brother, in place of the son that Rido took, and Yuki and Kaname planned to marry when they were children, following the example of Juri and Haruka who were also brother and sister and married.

When Rido is revived, Kaname plans to take Yuki away from Cross Academy, fearing for Yuki's life. Yuki's refusal to comply with his plan upsets him, but she kisses him to console him and convinces him to leave her and complete his mission. He goes to the Vampire Council and kills all the summoned members except Asato Ichijo.

Voiced by: Daisuke Kishio

» Takuma Ichijou is the vice-president of the Night Class. He is a noble-class vampire nearly as powerful as Kaname, whom he is close to and respects. With his cheerful and enthusiastic demeanor, Ichijo appears very un-vampire like, lacking the dark atmosphere that surrounds most vampires and making him appear more like a human. His favorite reading material is manga. Ichijou maintains a close friendship with Senri Shiki, whose great-uncle is also a member of the council, and is a good friend to Rima Touya.

Educated by a grandfather with high expectations for him, Ichijo is ordered by his grandfather to spy on Kaname while attending Cross Academy; he refuses out of loyalty for his friend and attempts to break away of his grandfather's intentions. When Senri Shiki is possessed by Rido Kuran, Ichijou is forced to go against Kaname in order to protect his friends. Once Shiki is freed from Rido's possession, Ichijo rejoins Kaname's side and stops Kaname from killing his grandfather, instead asking that he be the one to handle the issue. It is strongly hinted at that Takuma intended to end his life along with his grandfather, saying "Together, let us put an end to the Ichijo line." But it is revealed that he never got his wish, as he was discovered unconscious afterwards by Sara Shirabuki, one of the only known Pureblood vampires, who said that she always wanted "to have" Takuma, as though he were simply a doll or a toy. He is currently in the hands of Sara Shirabuki, whose agenda is not yet known.

Voiced by: Susumu Chiba

» Hanabusa Aido, nicknamed "Idol" by the Day Class girls, is known among the Night Class along with his cousin Akatsuki Kain to be "Kaname-sama's right hand". His fierce admiration for Kaname borders on zealousness and though extremely loyal to him, Aido has a tendency to overstep his boundaries, which results in Kaname punishing him if discovered. A noble-class vampire who can conjure and control ice, Aido often appears cheerful and friendly one moment, but vindicitive and cruel the next. A perceptive individual, he figures out Zero is a vampire, but he keeps this information to himself without any hidden agenda in mind.

Aido is not overly fond of Yuki and dislikes the attention that Kaname gives her. He is temporarily troubled when he witnesses Kaname's killing of a fellow pureblood and runs away from the Moon Dormitory and imposes himself on Yuki and Zero. Agreeing with Yuki's assertion that he would remain loyal to Kaname even if betrayed by Kaname, he returns to the vampire's side. Aido has difficulty adjusting himself to referring to Yuki in a formal manner following the revelation of her true nature when he is appointed as one of her protectors.

During Rido's attack on Cross Academy, Aido protects the Day Class, as ordered by Yuki.

Voiced by: Jun Fukuyama

» Akatsuki Kain is Aido's cousin and considered one of "Kaname-sama's right hands". While the Day Class girls have nicknamed him "Wild", Kain is actually mellower than Aido and his layback attitude and association with Aido frequently sees him getting into trouble, despite not being directly responsible.[6] He refers to Kaname as their "gang leader".[7].

Kain is incredibly perceptive and frequently sensitive to others' feelings, most particularly with Aido and Ruka's. While he initially suspects that Zero has killed Shizuka, he instantly realizes that was not what had transpired. Kain's ability as a vampire is the opposite of Aido's, the ability to conjure and control fire. Kain seems to have feelings for Ruka, often appearing at her side when she is feeling down about Kaname's unwillingness to accept her feelings.

During Rido's attack on Cross Academy, Kain and Ruka fight vampires attacking the Day Class.

Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe

» Ruka Souen is a female vampire popular with the Day Class students and one of those who are the most faithful and protective of Kaname. She is a childhood friend to Kaname, Ichijo, Aido, and Kain.

Ruka appears to dislike Yuki because Kaname loves her while Ruka's own strong feelings for him remain unreciprocated. It was expressed in a flashback that even before she met Kaname, she had always had feelings for him to the extent of wanting to give him her blood. However, the only time he ever drank her blood was to protect Yuki from his urge to bite her, and he has since politely refused to drink it. Ruka is upset when Kaname chooses Yuki to be his lover, but finally accepts her when she discovers that Yuki is Kaname's pureblood sister, even having Aido give Yuki a pair of shoes to wear. Recognizing the foolishness of her obsessive feelings for Kaname, Ruka shows that while she remains as decicated as ever to him, she is able to do so calmly and with a mature level-headed attitude.

During Rido's attack on Cross Academy, Ruka works with Kain to defend girls in the Day Class.

Voiced by: Junko Minagawa

» Senri Shiki is one of the youngest Night Class members and works as a model with Rima Touya. When the Night Class is given orders to hunt down a level E vampire, Shiki is usually the one seen out hunting the level E vampires. He is able to control and bend his blood at will.

Senri also cares for Rima and they seem to have quite a relationship. In one of the episodes he was at the Vampire ball and one vampire said that he was too skinny, when the conversation finished he turned around quite shocked to see that Rima was offering to feed him.

Shiki's father is Rido Kuran, making him Kaname and Yuki's cousin, and his mother's uncle is part of the council. His mother was also a former actress, making the Shiki family well known. As part of a plan to resurrect himself, Rido possesses his son's body, though for Shiki to reassert himself is easier than he lets on. During Rido's fight against Rima, Shiki is able to awaken within himself and attempt to regain control of his body.

After Rido's revival, Shiki regained consciousness and after recalling the events that had taken place, apologizes to an unconscious Rima for letting Rido use his body and embraces her. He protects Rima from a servant of Rido and, as she regains consciousness, carries Rima away from the Moon Dormitory before it collapses. As Shiki escapes, he sees his father one last time before Rido's death.

Voiced by: Soichiro Hoshi

» Rima Touya is one of the youngest Night Class students and she works as a model alongside Senri Shiki. Her exact relationship with Shiki is unknown, though they are almost always seen together. She cares deeply for Shiki and possesses a personality similar to his. As a vampire, Rima possesses lightning or electricity related abilities[8].

After suspecting Shiki has changed upon his return to school, she confronts Rido and tells him to leave Shiki's body since she can tell that he is not Shiki. She is wounded by Rido, but is saved by Ichijo. While injured, she tries to convince Shiki to snap out of his state and calls him an idiot for letting Rido control him. Badly wounded, she is sent back to the Moon Dormitory by Ichijo. Protected by Shiki, she later awakens and they are forced to leave because of the building's collapse.

Voiced by: Eri Kitamura

» Seiren is a student of the Night Class, she is Kaname's unofficial bodyguard. She is usually the first to defend Kaname from anyone she regards as a threat. She barely refrains from killing Zero when he threatens Kaname with the Bloody Rose. Seiren also appears to serve Kaname in the capacity of a spy or informant.

Voiced by: Risa Mizuno

» Headmaster Kaien Cross is Yuki's adoptive father, who also took Zero into his home for several years. Headmaster Cross dreams of peace between humans and vampires, and established the Night Class to promote understanding between the two races. Cross is shown to have a habit of provoking Zero and is eccentric in some ways, but he has a serious side as well.

The headmaster is revealed to have several secrets, including that he was a former vampire hunter. He knew both of Kaname's parents, who founded the Cross Academy peace treaty before their deaths, and feels indebted to them, in particular Juri Kuran, who had spared his life sixteen years ago after he had attempted to take away her life, not knowing then that she was pregnant with Yuki. So, Cross has always known that Yuki was a pureblood vampire, but chose not to reveal it. It appears as though Cross and Juri Kuran once had a relationship similar to Yuki and Zero's[9], but in the end Juri chose Haruka. Even though Cross didn't end up with the woman he loved, he vowed to protect her two children, Yuki and Kaname [10].

During the defence of Cross Academy, Cross stands against the hunters from the Hunters Association, refusing to kill any vampires and intending only to protect the Night Class as they defend the Day Class, and asserts that he has no intention of allowing the hunters take Yuki. [11] His vampire hunter weapon appears to be some sort of sword [12], which he uses to kill the President of the Hunters Association who had turned corrupt from drinking Rido Kuran's blood [13].

Voiced by: Hozumi Goda

» Ichiru Kiryu is Zero's younger twin brother. When they were younger, they were both taught by Toga Yagari to become vampire hunters. Ichiru, however did not seem to share Zero's natural ability and was often ill. Zero and Ichiru were very close as children, although later Ichiru claims to have hated Zero after overhearing that his parents preferred Zero over himself.

Because Shizuka recognized Ichiru felt the same pain she did, she chose not to kill him and makes him her devoted and loyal servant instead. She lets Ichiru drink her blood to strengthen him and cure his chronic ill health, although she does not turn him into a vampire and he remains a human. With Shizuka's death, he attends Cross Academy as a Day Class student by the orders of Shiki's father, Rido Kuran, and Zero's permission. Ichiru's reasons for siding with Rido appear to involve Rido promising Ichiru that he will kill those who killed Shizuka Hio.

When Zero is arrested up by the Vampire Hunters Association, Ichiru visits him and appears to shoot him out of hatred. However, it is revealed that Ichiru was terribly wounded in an attempt to kill Rido, the one that Ichiru had actually been after because of his role in Shizuka's death. After he shoots his brother, Ichiru convinces Zero to actually eat his body whole so they can finally become one, as they were originally supposed to be. Ichiru states that he was happy that he was not dead in Zero's heart and when they hug, he says that he feels comfortable to be in his arms, recalling a time when the brothers slept in the same bed often and they were loved equally by their mother. After Ichiru's death, Zero appeared to grow vines, most likely from all of Shizuka Hio's blood that Ichiru has ingested.

Voiced by: Mamoru Miyano

» Toga Yagari is currently the top ranked vampire hunter, as well as the one who trained Zero to be a vampire hunter. He lost his right eye trying to save Zero long ago. He appears at Cross Academy serving for a short while as a Night Class substitute teacher of Ethics, and to decide whether Zero is considered dangerous or not.

Yagari is shocked to learn the Council of Ancients' decision for punish Zero the death of Shizuka Hio and later appears to arrest Zero for other charges.[15] Before leaving Zero, he gives him the Bloody Rose.[16] Yagari subsequently joins the Chairman to protect Cross Academy from the Hunters Association.

Voiced by: Hiroki Yasumoto

» Shizuka Hio is the pureblood vampire who bit Zero; even her fellow vampires are uneasy around her and refer to her as the "Madly Blooming Princess". A manservant whom she loved (a former human vampire, falsely classified by the Hunter's Association as Level E) was assigned to be killed by a Kiryu vampire hunter. Enraged and vengeful, she attacked the Kiryu family, killed Zero and Ichiru's parents, turned Zero into a vampire, and took Zero's twin, Ichiru, in as a devoted servant. She was originally Rido Kuran's fiancée, but they never married due to his disappearance and finally her death.

Because Shizuka's blood can prevent Zero from falling to Level E, Yuki risks her life for Zero to be able to drink Shizuka's blood. However, to protect Yuki, Kaname kills Shizuka and drinks her blood, leaving only a small amount for Zero to drink. Unfortunately the blood is drunk by Ichiru, who arrived to find Shizuka first. Before dying, Shizuka warns Kaname that he will live in darkness and has summoned a sinister future for himself.

Voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa

» Maria Kurenai is a very distant relative of Shizuka Hio. She allows Shizuka to possess her body in exchange for being allowed to drink Shizuka's blood, which would strengthen her sickly body. Due to Shizuka's untimely death, this promise is never fulfilled. She seems to be fond of Ichiru, hugging Zero when she mistakes him for Ichiru, and asks Yuki to tell Zero that if he sees Ichiru, to tell him Maria wants to see him again. She returns to her family after Shizuka's death, and when she sends an owl out to search for Ichiru she witnesses Kaname's destruction of the Vampire Council, and proceeds to spread the news.

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara

» Asato Ichijou is Takuma's grandfather and a member of the Vampire Council. He wanted to become Kaname's guardian after the death of Kaname's parents, but Kaname did not accept. He allows Takuma to attend Cross Academy for the purpose of spying on Kaname. His age and demeanor brings fear to many vampires, though Aido and Ruka openly confront him when Asato implies his desire to drink Kaname's blood. Many people call him Ichiō-sama (First Elder).

» Sara Shirabuki is a beautiful pureblood vampire who first appears in a party held by the Aidou family, stating to Kaname that "We purebloods have to stick together". She is called on by vampire society to stop Kaname when it is assumed that he has gone mad after killing the Vampire Council, though in actuality he had done so in self-defence.[17] Sara stops Takuma Ichijou from killing his grandfather, and says to herself that he "will be useful in her plans against Kaname".

» Rido Kuran is a pureblood vampire, Shizuka Hio's former fiancé, Senri Shiki's father, and elder brother to Haruka and Juri Kuran. He is the main antagonist of the story. According to Asato Ichijo, he is the true head of the Kuran family. Ten years ago, seeking to take the Kuran princess, Yuki, Rido killed his brother, Haruka. Kaname attempted to kill Rido, but found he was unable to and a triumphant Rido revealed that as the one who resurrected Kaname, he is Kaname's master[18]. Instead Kaname reduced Rido to the state where he required another pureblood vampire's blood in order to revive fully.

Secretly aided by the Ancient Vampire Council and the Hunters' Association, Rido manipulates events from the shadows by transferring his soul to other bodies and taking control. Rido possesses eyes of two different colors (crimson and blue), and when his soul is transferred to a different body, that body has the same eyes. When Rido takes possession of Shiki's body, he goes to Cross Academy. After a brief confrontation with Kaname and later Rima, Kaname gives his blood to Rido's body in order to restore Rido to his original body.

Ichiru reveals that Rido is the one who added Shizuka's ex-human lover to the list of Level E vampires to be liquidated by the Hunter's Association and attempts to kill Rido as revenge for Shizuka, but instead is mortally wounded. Following his true body's revival, Rido's vampires sense his revival and begin to attack the school students in order to capture prey for Rido to feed on. Rido attempts to compel Aido to feed upon him, but is thwarted by his niece. Seeing Yuki's resemblance to her mother, Rido changes his original desire from eating Yuki (in order to gain power) to taking Yuki as his lover as a replacement for Juri[19], who he loved but never wanted him. Rido's life comes to an end when he is defeated by Yuki and Zero.

» Juri Kuran is Yuki's mother and a pureblood vampire who resembles an older version of Yuki. Juri was the wife of Haruka Kuran as well as his sister since it is common for pureblood vampires to marry their siblings. Ten years ago when Rido Kuran (her oldest sibling) appeared, she erased five years of Yuki's memories at the cost of her own life because she wanted Yuki to live a normal human life. Headmaster Kaien Cross states that he is indebted to her, and it is revealed that she spared him his life after he attempted to murder her when she was pregnant. [20] Her last wish was for Kaname to look after Yuki.

» Haruka Kuran is Yuki's father and a pureblood vampire. He is the brother and husband of Juri Kuran. It was stated that Haruka had been alive for nearly 3000 years and has known Juri for almost as long. He revealed that the Vampire Council was trying to use the status of pure blooded vampires and their powerful blood to serve itself. Before his death, he hugged Kaname and said that as a loving father, he did not want his child to enter the fight. He was killed by his older brother, Rido Kuran, in his attempt to stop Rido from killing Yuki ten years ago.