Vampire Hunter D

One of the things I have learned to appreciate in my ongoing exploration of Japanese Anime is it's willingness to tell a reasonably adult, well-thought-out and plotted story. Vampire Hunter D is the best example of such storytelling that I have seen in any recent fantasy piece (animated and non).

The one thing I appreciated about this film was that no one in it is a cardboard cutout. Evil is not portrayed as monolithic (if anything, it's shown as just amorality cubed) nor all humans automatically "good guys". Just like in the real world, everybody wants something. Doris wants revenge on a personal level and safety for her village on a community one. Count Lee wants to marry a bride to pass the time. His daughter wants this marriage to be stopped. The Count's time-twisting underling wants to go beyond his current station as loyal henchman. Doris' suitor wants her all to himself. D wants...well, what does D want?

Of all the characters in this story, D is the most enigmatic. If movies do indeed have a Tarot deck, as Stephen King suggests in "Danse Macabre", then D falls under the Eternal Loner (which also applies to such cinema protagonists as Eastwood's Man with No Name in the Sergio Leone spaghetti westerns and Lee Marvin's Walker in "Point Blank"). A half-human, half-vampiric descendent of the legendary Count Dracula himself, he is a man of two worlds, yet not truly a part of either. In one, he is barely tolerated out of necessity. In the other, he is hated for his chosen profession. His terse dialogue makes Eastwood look as talkative as Groucho Marx. By personal choice, he has cut himself off from all emotional ties to the people around him who, I'm fairly sure, will die long before he will (consider the comment regarding Doris' confession of love: "I know.").

The big question regarding D is why? Why does he do what he does? I'm not sure that he actually killed his father, as his conversation with Count Lee's daughter would seem to disprove. Perhaps his father saw how the vampires were changing the world and not for the better. Perhaps he instilled in his son the need to always protect those who are weaker than he from the many predators that this world had to offer (as a nobleman who felt a genuine, if patriarchial, concern for his people, it is not impossible that this would be so). One thing is certain: he does not kill his chosen prey for the common reasons that other men do: money, power, prestige, or even love. Maybe he kills to make the world a better place. Who can truly say? Maybe the new movie on the way will provide some answers.

I first saw this anime on the USA channel when I was 13 and it introduced me to the world of anime. Every since that fateful day I have been watching anime; and I still find this film to be one of the best anime films I've ever seen. So what does the film have. An awesome gothic tale, a kick butt main character, who is cool and taciturn yet surprisingly sensitive. Even if you don't like Japanese animation you may like this movie, it being in the same vein as Blade and John Carpenter's Vampires. The film is dark, violent, and ultra-hip, I suggest it to anyone who wants to get into Japanese animation. A+

By the same director of 'Fist Of The North Star', 'Vampire Hunter D' is in much the same mould as 'Fist' - post-apocalyptic setting, brooding heroes, exploding heads and plenty of gore to boot! I personally love this anime, the story, characters, music and even animation (albeit a bit rough and 80's) all combine together well to make this an anime to watch again and again. Another parallel with 'Fist' is the amazing amount of cheesy one-liners - they keep me and my friends 'occupied' for hours! (I was once told of mutant that could twist space around him, and now it seems I have met him! - a good example!)

Vampire Hunter D(1985)

Review: I have seen this a number of times. This has aged well. I remember on the original VHS copy on the back saying, The First Animated Movie For Adults! Indeed.

Vampire Hunter D is a classic in it's own regard. The story is straightforward and effective. A village girl has been bitten be Count Magnus Lee and now hires The Dunpeal to take care of him. This movie has the old feel of the modern vampire lore like crosses work as well as garlic. This also takes place in the very distant future.

Here are the basics: The animation: Subpar. Not bad, but could be better, but this is 1985, so I can definitely give them a break. It's still not that bad.

The Voice acting: Pretty good with the exception of Doris' little brother sounding way to much like a girl. I always hated that. Otherwise fine.

The Characters: All not fully developed, but that was not meant to be, but there is some development and it works. Just enough character. Does not suffer from over crowdedness.

The Last Word: The good olé days. This is how the anime genre got it's grand start. Takes me back. This has aged well.

In the 13 years before Wesley Snipes would pick up a sword and proceed to slice and dice the undead that frequented blood-soaked raves in 1998's ultra-cool "Blade," the eponymous character "D" of "Vampire Hunter D" was slicing up vampires and other horrors on the Japanese countryside.

"Vampire Hunter D" is certainly one of the better Anime' flicks to be released during the 1980s, when most Japanese animation films were either relentless bloodbaths, borderline pornography, or both. "D" fits in with the eldest category: it's not short of graphic violence and gore, and there's some explicit nudity to boot.

As a fan of Anime', I know that Japanese animation is not all that welcome in American mainstream cinema because of the stigmas that are attached to it. Because "Vampire Hunter D" was released amidst a blossoming season of bloody, sexy Anime' films, it has earned a small cult following in America.

It is sort of slow in the beginning, but gets going once D makes his appearance, riding into town on a cyborg horse and wrapped in a long black cape. His eyes are partially obscured by his over-sized brim hat. He's hired by a local girl to exterminate the vampire that bit her and because she's been bitten, people have grown fearful of her since they believe that she is contaminated. So D goes to work, taking on the Count's legion of ghastly demons and other hideous creatures.

"Vampire Hunter D" is not the greatest Anime' ever made, but it was one of the first that I ever saw growing up. It's one of my personal favorite Anime' flicks and it definitely ranks within my top ten Japanese animation films.

8/10