This new anime is a commentary on parenthood and work-life balance

Delico Nursery is a new slice-of-life mystery comedy-drama currently streaming on Crunchyroll, following noble and esteemed vampire Dali Delico as he navigates one of the scariest terrains ever known: fatherhood. And he drags his colleagues along for the ride of their blood-sucking lives as he forces them to embrace the challenge of parenting their own children rather than passing that responsibility off to their minions.




The anime's plot setup and character introductions outline the family-centric themes that will be touched upon, which are already beginning to be explored starting in episode 2. All of the fathers, including Dali himself, must navigate the troubles and wonders of raising children while trying to get to the bottom of a terrible mystery that has been forced upon them by the Vlad Agency, creating a show that explores the challenges of parenthood and trying to maintain a harmonious work-life balance.


Dali Delico's Challenge

Dalí Makes Sure He Doesn't Face Fatherhood Alone


Delico Nursery begins with the death of the main character's wife, Frida Delico. With her dying breath, she asks Dali to take care of their children and give them all the love he has. This is a promise he intends to keep fully, but in doing so, Dali begins to neglect his duties as an investigator in the Vlad Agency. With a series of highly disturbing murders apparently committed in the name of “True of Vamp” (abbreviated to TRUMP), Dali is chosen to lead the investigation team for his esteem and skill.


However, convinced that his job will only hinder him in his attempt to honor his wife's dying wish, Dalí refuses. This leads Gerhard Fra to berate him for thinking that raising children is above his position as head of a noble house. When that argument falls on deaf ears, Gerhard finally tells Dalí that he has always thought highly of him and that the “Dalí he knows” would be able to carry both the responsibility of his job and his duty to his children without a problem. Dalí, touched by Gerhard's feelings and intrigued by the challenge, accepts the deal… with some conditions.

Since the other aristocratic members of the investigation team (Gerhard Fra, Henrique Lorca, and Dino Classico) are fathers themselves, Dalí sets the conditions under which they must forgo the use of nannies and raise their own children, while also balancing their obligations to the murder investigation, just as they were asked to. With their pride and the investigation at stake, everyone agrees. And so the Delico estate becomes the new headquarters for the murder investigation, and all four fathers must report to the estate daily with their children in tow. The problem? Since the personal care of noble offspring is commonly left to servants, none of the aforementioned fathers have any real idea how to raise their own children.


Every Delico nursery father has his own difficulties

The dynamics with their children have problems

Dali Delico seems to have more control over his children's care than his peers; however, not by much, as he too is still very inexperienced in navigating the unpredictable terrain that is fatherhood. It often takes him hours to calm the crying of his baby, Ul, while his eldest, three-year-old Raphael, begins to feel neglected in the shadow of all the attention his little brother needs. However, Dali never seems to lose his temper and insists that he takes every single responsibility when it comes to his children on his own, much to his detriment later on.


Gerhard Fra is a brash and proud man, which leads him to be a cold father with high expectations for his young son, Angelico. The fact that Angelico speaks softly and is prone to tears only adds to Gerhard's anguish, as he often expects his three-year-old to be completely independent and “adequately bear” the burden of their family name, when the poor child can barely go to the bathroom on his own and only seeks his father's affection.

Dino Classico, while a rather proud man, neglects his son Theodore. Theodore admires his father and tries to maintain a standard of self-sufficiency, which causes him to be hesitant to play with other children or ask for his father's attention, which he desires more than anything. However, Dino mistakenly perceives Theodore's hesitation and silence as independence and thus regards him with little concern.


Henrique Lorca may be the second most balanced father of the group after Dali Delico, as he seems to regard his twin daughters, Elena and Lucia, with warmth and affection. He still has his issues due to his former dependence on nannies, but his relationship with his girls is one of mutual adoration and affection. They demand attention, and Henrique shows no qualms about entertaining them with games or interrupting his dinner to read them a story. And, unlike the other fathers, he still seems to have his wife by his side, so he doesn't bear the burden of raising his children alone.

Dalí and his League of Vampire Fathers have lessons to learn

Every family dynamic in the Delico nursery conveys a unique message


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Dalí is extremely devoted to the promise he made to his wife, so much so that (not surprisingly) he ends up working too much. While taking care of his young son, he faints, almost hurting both himself and the child. This shows that a person, especially a parent, has limits (both physical and mental) that must be respected. Despite the many responsibilities they train themselves to juggle, parents are not machines. They must take care of themselves and their children, because it would be to the detriment of both the child and the parent if they ran on exhaust fumes.


Gerhard's story with his son highlights that a child cannot and does not want to adapt to the conveniences and whims of a parent; a parent must adapt their expectations and approach to the child. Gerhard expects Angelico to have the independence and awareness of a grown man, but Angelico, who is only three years old, is needy, confused and sensitive. However, by the end of episode 2, Gerhard himself is already beginning to see the absurdity of the expectations he imposes on his son, which already indicates growth.

Dino's situation with Theodore may ultimately be a lesson in communication, as father and son share an incredible loneliness but are distant from each other; Theodore craves the attention of an absent father, and Dino has resigned himself to a single life after being abandoned by several wives. Dino's growth as a father may also touch on the fact that trouble isn't always loud and visible; there's cause for concern if a child consistently opts for silence, and Theodore's loneliness has gotten to the point where he seems to imagine his stuffed animals talking to him, teasing him for needs that go unnoticed by his father.


The lesson that Henrique and his twins will present is difficult to determine so soon, as his relationship with his daughters does not appear to present any conflict so far. However, there is potential conflict with his wife. There is a clear distance between Henrique and Kate, and this is shown in a literal sense when they are supposedly dining together, yet the two are eating at opposite ends of a very long table. So Henrique's story could perhaps illustrate how tension in a marriage could potentially affect children.

Delico Nursery Illustrates the Reality of Working Parents

Dalí and his friends have a long road ahead of them

Dali Delico watches over his children in the Delico nursery


While the mystery plot is what drives the challenge of imposing child-rearing on a group of inexperienced aristocratic fathers, it’s more of a backdrop that adds some spooky pizzazz to the slice-of-life premise of navigating the challenges of being a working parent. Every family dynamic presented in the series so far offers an opportunity to explore the many trials and tribulations that come with raising children while working.

There is a Japanese term known as “Karoshi”, which refers to death caused by overwork or work-related stress, and it has been a social epidemic in Japan since the 1980s. The problem has spread globally and is certainly a risk to employed parents everywhere. There is not a working parent to this day who does not complain of exhaustion, whether from their job or from caring for their young ones. As stated above, Dali himself is a prime example of a parent who suffers the consequences of being over-committed.


One of the main reasons why parents work is to provide food, clothing and shelter. However, as seen in the dynamics of families in Delico NurseryRaising a child involves much more than being a provider of necessities. Children need affection, consideration, and understanding. Vampire fathers in anime have a lot of growth ahead of them to become the caring, present, and patient parents their children will need, while also unraveling a mystery that will affect the fate of their entire race.

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