Trinity Blood...

In Trinity Blood, we follow the exploits of vampire hunter, Abel Nightroad...

Centuries ago, Armageddon cast darkness across the world. From that darkness, the vampires emerged. Now humans and vampires tremble on the brink of war, and Abel Nightroad, a Vatican priest and agent of AX, protects the fragile equilibrium between the two races. Neither human nor vampire, he is strong in his endeavors for the sake of the world, seeking a safe path for all.

Volume 1
Centuries ago, man's Armageddon birthed the vampires' wrath. As man and immortal clash, a reality-shattering threat looms. Hope resides solely in a new breed of hunter operating under the Vatican's authority. The true battle between holiness and evil has begun.

Volume 2
As the struggle for existence continues, members of the AX are hard-pressed to keep pace with the mounting catastrophes. But even in the midst of global strife, life continues undeterred. Abel Nightroad has brought a new member into the fold; much needed assistance at a time when resources grow thin.

The order ranges from the controversial and the criminal to those truly gifted, and diversity can prove a blessing in disguise, caught in a maelstrom of vampire politics and deranged science, the true enemy has yet to show its face...

Volume 3
The true enemy has risen at last, a shadow known by many names: the order of Rosen Kreuz, the Contra Mundi, the Enemy of the World... The new enemy has thrown both races into turmoil and the rift grows deep, for when the foe comes in friendly guise, allies will battle.

But there are those who endeavor to bridge the chasm between the Vatican and the Empire, between the humans and the vampires. When the great threat emerges, the enemy of my enemy is my friend... And Abel Nightroad seeks a safe path for all.

Volume 4
The object of the enemy is revealed: to sow the seeds of suspicion and unrest among the people of the world, to inflame the hatred and distrust between the two races.

As the order of Rosen Kreuz up the stakes, cooperation and goodwill between the Vatican and the empire grow imperative. Adept at intrigue and manipulation, insinuated deeply within both sides of the struggle, this new order leads all in deadly dance. For AX operative Abel Nightroad, when friend becomes foe, foe will become friend. But can one man save the world when so many seek to destroy it?

Volume 5
With their end goal in sight, the Vatican and the empire rush to solidify ties between their races. The order of Rosen Kreuz seeks to unravel their painstaking progress. Abel Nightroad and Sister Esther have ventured to the heart of the empire, only to find the enemy deeply entrenched.

As they risk all to break the endless cycle of hatred and violence, eyes turn toward the dawn of a new age. Success drives the adversary to desperate measures, but the empress has a few startling revelations of her own.

Volume 6
The Vatican falls victim to political unrest between humans and vampires in the city of Albion, and the Order of Rosen Kreuz seeks to fan the flames to encompass the world. Allies and enemies alike seek salvation. The meek must stand forth, and not even the dead are to be allowed their final rest. This is the beginning of a new age for the whole world...

According to Wikipedia, there are notable differences between the various incarnations of Trinity Blood in different media...

While the novels, manga, and anime series all cover the same basic story and feature many of the same characters, they do have some minor and major differences. Each has its own unique variation on the major story arcs, and in general the novels give the most detail concerning the political elements and background information on the stories. There are a few minor name changes and many details found in the novels are not given in the anime or manga.

The artwork also differs from all three versions, as the character designs were each created by different artists. There are similarities, however, as Shibamoto is responsible for the novel illustrations, while Kiyo Kujo based his work in the manga on Shibamoto's original designs. In the anime series, Dietrich von Lohengrin's cold, evil nature is reflected in his appearance, while in the manga he has a softer, bishonen design that is incongruous with his actual nature. Similarly, Endre is described as looking like a boy of around 10–12 years old, while in the anime he is given an adult appearance. In additions to variants in appearances, there are differences in personalities relationships between the versions, and there are some characters that are unique to each adaptation. Sister Noelle, whose death devastates Abel in the anime series and in the novels, does not exist in the manga series. Alternatively, the anime does not mention Tres' two "brothers".

Depending on the adaptation, some events occur at varying points in the story, while other events are unique to a single adaptation. The anime series' introductory-style episodes are based on the novel segments with the same names, but they are told in a different story. For example, in the novels, "From the Empire", the chapter in which Abel meets Asthe is the third chapter, following Flight Night and Witch Hunt, However, in the anime, From the Empire is the eleventh episode, coming after the Star of Sorrow arc and the Silent Noise incident. Conversely, the manga starts right with the Star of Sorrow arc and Abel meeting Esther and Dietrich. The Neumann brothers and their related story elements are found only in the novels. In the novels, it was Abel who interrupted the Cardinal's gathering, rather than Caterina or Leon, and the only people available to investigate the Silent Noise incident in Rome are Abel, Tres, and Leon.

Trinity Blood certainly lives up to its name -- it is drenched in buckets of blood and gore. We have the usual mutilations, severed limbs and blood spatter. Trinity Blood is paced a bit slower than I would like, but, there is more than enough bloodshed and death to keep things entertaining.

Trinity Blood has some of the same vampire smack down elements as Hellsing, but, there is also more of a political component between humans and vampires in Trinity Blood that has a tendency to weigh the series down. In addition, Abel Nightroad comes across more like Vash the Stampede from Trigun in that he tends to play the idiot savant, but, there is a lot more to him then meets the eye.

Overall, Trinity Blood was entertaining, but, a bit more slowly paced and bogged down with politics than I would have liked. There are no naughty bits, but, there are heaping quantities of blood and gore. I gave Trinity Blood a 3 out of 5.