Mochizuki conceived Vanitas as a vampire character during a trip to France, but she changed her mind and made him human after talking with her editor.

The character was written to contrast with Noé's personality while his actions are meant to highlight the series' theme of identity due to how he heals vampires.

Critics gave Vanitas a positive reception as a result of his quirks and enigmatic identity; with good charactization and development, several writers noted he hides a past that traumatizes him.

The color of his vest stripes depended on the artist's mood and, while clarifying Vanitas is a human, she gave hands a claw-like appearance a result of the gloves he wears.

When checking the meaning, "Deceiving", she realized it refers to a type of subject in art in which people see skeletons, skulls, food and other symbols.

Because the character makes the audience feel kindness and melancholy, the actor consciously faced dubbing so he could show that as well.

Zeno Robinson voices Vanitas in the English dub, while Cherami Leigh plays the character's younger self.

[11] Robinson said it was difficult to play Vanitas as a result of finding the comical style with which the casting director often talked to him, something he had never done before.

When Vanitas chases Noé into the vampires' dimension, he again meets Jeanne and persuades her to drink his blood, believing she has problems with a curse.

[14] On a mission to Gévaudan to take down an apparent vampire, the cursed Beast, Vanitas is wounded by paladin Astolfo Granatum.

Jeanne forces Vanitas to nurse him, which allows the doctor to learn the beast is her childhood friend Chloé d'Apchier.

When Vanitas finds Mikhail, he tries to kill him but is opposed by Noé because his friend Dominique de Sade is being held hostage.

The Fandom Post praised his heroic personality,[21] while Manga News and El Palomitrón found his characterization good and comical.

[22][23] The Fandom Post found the early fight scenes of the series the most appealing parts because of Vanitas' unpredictability, especially when dealing with Jeanne.

[24][25] Bleeding Cool noted while Noé appears to have more respect from the cast, Vanitas prefers the idea of being a loner who is hated by society.

[27][28][23] Bleeding Cool said Vanitas' personality is one of the most-entertaining parts of the series because while he constantly smirking or laughing, it is obviously a facade behind which he hiding something from his past, comparing him with Fullmetal Alchemist protagonist Edward Elric and also enjoying his relationship with Noé.

[29] In another parallel with Fullmetal Alchemist, Comic Book Resources noticed Vanitas is seen disturbed for the first time in the narrative when failing to save a vampire from a curse in a similar pattern to Edward becoming shocked with the transformation of Nina Tucker and her dog into a chimera.

[24] The focus on romance between arcs was praised for its handling of Vanitas as a hilarious character, considering how poorly he reacts to his feelings towards Jeanne, making them a believable couple.

[41] Anime News Network stated the earring reflects Vanitas' mortality and short lifespan, which the reviewer inferred as the message the author wanted to portray.

[42][43] Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona noted that Vanitas stands out as a protagonist for the way he interacts with other female characters.