Nyanpire the Animation is a short anime that aired on the channel "Kids Station" for the Summer 2011 season. It is notable for being GONZO's first production since Shangri-La and Saki from the Spring 2009 season. This anime originated as dōjinshi manga by yukiusa called "The Gothic World of Nyanpire" which is still running in Japan.
The story follows a cat who was about to die, but a vampire gave it some of its blood, making the cat immortal. However, Nyanpire must now live life in the home of a girl called Misaki as a vampire, and like all vampires, Nyanpire needs to drink blood.
Tropes:
- Affably Evil: While Nyatenshi is not an outright villain, he's the closest character to be an outright antagonist. Especially during scenes where Nyatenshi and Katsuo are together. Especially noticeable in episode 11 where he steals Katuso's lollipop.
- Animated Adaptation: Based on an ongoing manga "The Gothic World of Nyanpire" that started in 2009.
- Awesome McCoolname: Masamunya called himself "The One-Eyes Dragon,Masamunya" in his debut episode.
- Badass Adorable: Even though Masamunya isn't very good at being a samurai. He does have moments where he can actually be threatening since he's always carrying a sharp sword in his hand.
- Bedsheet Ghost: Chachamaru's Halloween costume for the Halloween episode.
◊ - Bland-Name Product: A few "Anyazon" boxes are seen in episode 10 complete with a cat smile and a tongue.
- Butt-Monkey: I think we can safely say that Masamunya is this.
- Buxom Beauty Standard: While we haven't seen the bust area of any female characters yet, Nyanpire is a strong believer of this◊.
- Catchphrase: "Give meow blood!" for Nyanpire.
- Character Tics: Nyatenshi is mostly seen making a smug expression along with putting his right hand near his mouth.◊ This is mostly seen in the original manga and merchandise of the series.
- Cherubic Choir: Heard when Nyatenshi tells Nyanpire that he's an angel in episode 3.
- Couch Gag: In later episodes starting at episode 7, different narrators would narrate Nyanpire's backstory. Including Nyanpire's friends.
- Chachamaru for episode 8
- Masamunya for episode 9
- Nyatenshi for episode 10
- Creepy Crosses: Nyanpire has a yellow cross on his stomach that he got once he was turned into an actual vampire.
- Cute Kitten: Despite Nyanpire being part-vampire, this kitten is still absolutely adorable. The same goes for Chachamaru, Masamunya, and Nyatenshi.
- Cute Little Fangs: Nyanpire, he can't be a vampire without them.
- The Cutie: Nyanpire and Chachamaru.◊ Especially Chachamaru!◊
- Dark Is Not Evil: Nyanpire is a vampire and a black cat. Unlike classical vampires, he's much more friendly and not evil.
- Deadpan Snarker: Nyatenshi depending on the episode.
- Dissonant Serenity: While the majority of characters in the series are very optimistic and are always seen smiling. (Except for Katsuo). Nyatenshi is always seen smiling and never get's upset unlike his friends. Probably since he's an angel, and doesn't care about getting into much trouble.
- Emergency Transformation: In the introduction, the narrator explains that Nyanpire was turned into a vampire cat because a passing vampire took pity on the dying kitty.
- Everything's Better with Samurai: Masamunya, even though it appears he's not as good as he thinks he is.
- Evil Wears Black: Nyanpire is a black cat, and the vampire who converted him wears a black cloak.
- Explicit Content: In-Universe During Nyatenshi's play, when Masamunya and Nyanpire (As Nyatenshi and a female cat) are falling in love during "Nyatenshi's Flashback" about why he got banished from heaven. The curtain's have a text reading "18 Adult Content".
- Eyepatch of Power: Masamunya is never seen without wearing his eyepatch.
- The Faceless: Misaki, Nyanpire and Chachamaru's owner.
- Fallen Angel: Nyatenshi, he got kicked out of heaven for bad behavior.
- Festival Episode: Episode 8
- Flashback: Nyatenshi reveals a tragic past in which he was banished from Heaven for falling in love with a cat engaged to someone else.
- Goth: The series is popular with girls who are fond of the goth genre. Helps that the manga is called "The Gothic World of Nyanpire".
- Gag Series: Both the Anime and Manga would mainly focus on the humor instead of taking itself seriously.
- Giving Up the Ghost: Masamunya does this in the end of episode 3, when Nyanpire tells him that he's full from the blood that he sucked from Nyatenshi.◊
- Good Wings, Evil Wings: Nyanpire has bat wings as a vampire, while Nyatenshi's are feathered, but black to represent him being a fallen angel.◊
- Gratuitous English: Despite Nyampire saying "kyuuketsugi" in the series, it's always "vampire" in the opening.
- Halloween Episode: Episode 11
- Heartbeat Soundtrack: Heard in episode 8, where Masamunya is aiming a gun to earn a prize until Nyatenshi scares him.
- Imagine Spot: Masamunya has a short one in the beginning of episode 6 when he sees a wedding and starts fantasizing about marrying Nyanpire◊.
- Incoming Ham: When Nyanpire first meet Masamunya, he tries hard to sound threatening. But the moment get's ruined. Once Nyanpire said that he looked cool. Masamunya, feeling offended by the compliment, starts charging towards him, only to trip and fall to the hard ground. Which ends him up with a bloody nose and a few cuts around his body.
- Irony: Ever since Nyanpire first became a vampire, he has a permanent yellow cross on his stomach. Vampires can be held at bay or physically damaged by the religious symbol of a Christian cross and is one of their weaknesses. Vampires are also weak to sunlight, while Nyanpire is immune to getting burned during the day.
- Jerkass: Nyatenshi can be viewed as this when ever he's around Katuso.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Nyatenshi has his moments.
- Keet: Nyanpire get's excited very easily and is very optimistic.
- Leitmotif: Nyatenshi's theme has uses saxophone and a bit of jazz. This is mostly heard when ever Nyatenshi would show up unexpectedly.
- Love at First Sight: After Nyanpire licks the cuts on Masamunya's body, the latter develops a sudden crush on him, to the extent of being unable to logically comprehend the ensuing discussion.Masamunya: What's your favorite Food?Nyanpire: Blood.Masamunya: Blood? That's really nice!
- Love Flowers: Nyanpire sees these around Masamunya when he bleeds in Episode 2. They are reused in Nyatenshi's play.
- Love Triangle: Masamunya has a crush on Nyanpire. When Nyatenshi and Nyanpire first meet in episode 3, Masamunya freaks out and ends up jealous once Nyanpire and Nyatenshi held hands Nyatenshi even started flirting with Nyanpire when he let him suck his "Holy Blood".◊ However Nyanpire is very unaware of it.
- Medium Blending: The ending is live-action with Nyanpire playing on the credits in time to the music. In the final episode, the rest of Nyanpire's friends would join in.
- No Antagonist: Since the anime only has 4 main characters. Nyatenshi is the closest to being an actual antagonist. While Nyatenshi is mostly clam and is one of the first friends Nyanpire makes. In some episodes, he is constantly seen chasing Katsuo over a sardine. Sometimes Masamunya might be annoyed or mad when ever Nyatenshi would show up. But that depends on the situation for each episode. He even steals Katsuo's ice cream in episode 8 and steals his lollipop in episode 11.
- No Mouth: Chachamaru is sometimes seen without a mouth in some merchandise.
- Nervous Wreck: Poor Katsuo, he is always being chased by Nyatenshi.
- Ominous Pipe Organ: Shake in fear for the Nyanpire is now born!
- Opening Narration: "Once Upon a Time, there was a poor abandoned kitty..."
- Our Angels Are Different: Nyatenshi
- Our Vampires Are Different: Nyanpire. Vampires have never been this adorable before.
- Parody: The entire series is parodying Dracula and other classic vampire horror movies.
- Perpetual Smiler: Nyatenshi is always seen smiling, even when he steals stuff from Katsuo.
- Please Keep Your Hat On: In the end of episode 11, the cat that Nyanpire and friends see that is dressed up during Trick or Treating is revealed to be Masamunya without his hat on.◊ Judging by his reaction, it's a good reason why he never takes his Samurai helmet off.
- The Pollyanna: The entire main cast, especially Nyanpire who loves singing about ketchup,garlic,blood and eating.
- Precision F-Strike: In episode 3, Masamunya silently says bastard to himself when he's sees Nyanpire sucking Nyatenshi's blood.
- Saying Sound Effects Out Loud: Mostly from Nyanpire
- Sexophone: Used as Nyatenshi's theme.
- Shout-Out: This image of Nyanpire awakening from a coffin.◊ Which is a homage to the 1958 horror film◊ Horror of Dracula.
- Sick Episode: Episode 10 until Nyatenshi shows up and reminds Nyanpire that he's immortal and a vampire cat.
- Slice of Life: Both the anime and manga are about a vampire cat who lives with an owner, and would sometimes get into antics with hilarious results.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Masamunya called himself "The One-Eyes Dragon,Masamunya" in his debut episode. But when he starts charging after Nyanpire he trips which clearly means that he's not your typical Samurai. He also barely uses his sword, except using it for decoration or trying to be threatening.
- Smoking Is Cool: Nyatenshi is seen holding a cigarette in one concept art for him.◊ Which might also be present in the manga series. In the actual anime, it was replaced with dango.◊
- Smug Snake: Nyatenshi shows up randomly in some episodes simply to mock his "friends" expressionlessly◊. Like in episode 10, where Nyanpire is ill and Chachamaru and Masamunya are trying to make him feel better. Nyatenshi shows up and tells Masamunya that Nyanpire looks ridiculous, and reminds their patient that he is immortal.
- Squee: Nyanpire playing with the yarn ball in episode 9◊ and any scene featuring Chachamaru.◊
- Stationary Wings: Every time Nyatenshi is seen flying or floating, his wings never move.
- Strawberry Shorthand: Nyanpire really loves strawberries since they remind him of blood.
- Stylistic Suck: The entire play Nyatenshi sets up in episode 4.
- Those Two Guys: Vlady and Vampy.
- Trademark Favorite Food: Nyanpire's favorite food is a strawberry.
- Troll: Nyatenshi is like this in general, especially when he's around Masamunya. Doesn't help that he's fond of keeping a smug expression on his face.
- Tsundere: Masamunya appears to be a male cat example of a type B tsundere.
- Unreliable Narrator: In episode 4, Nyatenshi decides to set up a play on how he got banished from heaven. Nyanpire is playing the role of Nyatenshi, while Masamunya is playing the role of the female cat. Nyatenshi is narrating the whole play by reading the script that he wrote and would also be playing the character's voices by pitching his voice up for voicing the female cat. He even screams when he got banished from heaven. After the play is over, he reveals that it was all a lie.◊
- Unsettling Gender-Reveal: Poor Masamunya has one dropped Nyanpire seconds after developing a crush on him.
- Vegetarian Vampire: Nyampire eats strawberries and drinks ketchup.
- Wings Do Nothing: After Nyanpire became a vampire, he obtained fangs, a yellow cross, and wings. However Nyanpire never actually flies in the series. While Nyatenshi himself can fly, but that's because, he's an (fallen) angel.
- Wise Beyond Their Years: Chachamaru can take care of himself and does not require an Onii-chan.
