Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut

Irina: The Vampire Cosmonaut is a TV anime adaptation of the light novel series by Keisuke Makino, produced by Arvo Animation and directed by Akitoshi Yokoyama, who also serves as series composer. Set against the backdrop of a Cold War-era space race, the story follows Irina Luminesk, a vampire girl chosen as a secret test subject for spaceflight, and her trainer Lev Leps as they chase an impossible dream beyond the stars. Blending sci-fi ambition with supernatural romance and rich dramatic tension, this series delivers a uniquely compelling narrative that transcends genre boundaries.

In an alternate history, a devastating global war has left the world split between two rival superpowers: the eastern Union of Zirnitra Republics and the western United Kingdom of Arnak. With the battlefield now shifted to the stars, the Union launches the ambitious Mechtat Program in 1960, determined to pioneer manned spaceflight. At the heart of this initiative lies Laika 44, a classified city shrouded in secrecy, where astronaut candidates train under intense competition and engineers push the boundaries of technology. Among those candidates is Lev Leps, a backup cosmonaut who finds himself assigned an extraordinary new partner — Irina Luminesk, a vampire. Under a covert initiative known as Operation Nosferatu, Irina is enlisted as a test subject to study how her unique non-human physiology responds to the extreme conditions of space. Lev is tasked with guiding her through cosmonaut training. Despite their vastly different backgrounds and natures, both Lev and Irina share a quiet, personal longing to reach the cosmos — a dream that binds them together in this isolated corner of the world.