The basic idea dates back to 1976, when Sommer-Bodenburg wrote short stories about the adventures of the little vampire and a human boy, finally collecting them and forming the series' plot from them.

After becoming involved in the world of vampires, he goes to great lengths to assist both his new friends, Rüdiger and Anna, and their family (who are not fully aware of Anton's friendship with Rüdiger) against potential dangers, including his own parents and especially Geiermeier.At the end of the series, Anton's parents have separated and found new partners, making him feel left out and consider Anna's invitation to become a vampire himself.

In the first edition of the final volume, titled Die Frage aller Fragen (The Question of All Questions), Anton decides to join his best friends as a vampire; in the 2024 re-edition, Dein Freund für immer (Your Friend Forever), he declines the offer but still preserves his friendship with Anna and Rüdiger.

Anna and Anton develop a crush on each other, but their respective natures as human and vampire pose an impenetrable barrier for a more serious relationship.

Although he occasionally threatens and intimidates Anton, he is generally on good terms with him and keeps his and his siblings' friendship with the human confidential from the adult von Schlottersteins.

Initially they do not believe that Anton's new friends (Rüdiger and Anna) are vampires, although they find the latter's mode of dress rather peculiar.

However, after an incident in which Anna was inadvertently photographed but did not appear in the picture, they both begin to take the matter a bit more seriously, even if they still do not fully believe in the existence of vampires.

After encountering Uncle Theodor by chance and killing him, Geiermeier has been waging his private war with the vampires ever since, a conflict in which Anton often has to interfere for the benefit of his friends.

His anti-vampire habits include garlic as part of his regular diet, and an armament of wooden stakes carried on his nighttime patrols.

Unlike Geiermeier, Schnuppermaul is somewhat dimwitted, less obsessive and has an extreme cleanliness quirk, making him a comic relief figure contrasting his partner and employer.

He woos Aunt Dorothee and tries to win the trust of the Schlotterstein children, but his masquerade is exposed thanks to Anton's efforts.

Klara suffers from a gentically inherited skin condition which renders her severely sensitive, especially to sunlight; her mother had the same sickness and died from it.

Upon Anna's invitation, Anton spends part of his summer holidays with the Brunners while he considers which course his life shall take after his parents' separation.