Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Vampire Hunter D is a legend in some aspects of the anime world. It was the first anime I saw as a child and it was a movie I never forgot. I borrowed the sequel from my friend and I was very happy with it. There isn't as much fighting as in the first one, but the story is deep and thick with great characters. Meijer Link, a vampire with noble intentions with a human girl, is the first decent vampire we see in the D movies. You root for him, yet D never loses in battle, so it's really tough watching them fight. We see again D's constant struggle with his self and the life that he leads. He's stuck between a human life and a vampire's life, never truly fitting into either. He meets a bounty hunter, Leyla, who finds something truly magnetic about D and his loneliness in that she has felt the same way in her life. It truly is a somber tale full of lively characters, a tremendous love story, and of course, D's usual blood spilling action. A great movie that I think most audiences will enjoy.

When VHD: Bloodlust came out, I wasn't too very interested. Having recently got the chance to watch the film though, I know now I should have been. VHD:B is top notch so far as dark anime goes. From the opening scene, watching the crosses twist and crumble as the dark carriage passes by, you know you're in for something good. VHD:B doesn't disappoint.

First off, D has been given a major upgrade. He looks more vampire like, he looks stronger and badder than ever before. The new art helps much, of course. D is hired to find a girl named Charlotte, dead or alive, who has been taken by a vampire from her home. Adding to the mix is a bounty team already has a head start on D, and each member of this team could well have his/her own anime. These are no second rate fill-ins, these folks are every bit as interesting as D. The vampire in question doesn't disappoint either, showing the full force of his powers from the very first scenes.

All in all, if you're looking for something darker and blood filled, watch this show. It looks dang good, the english voices are much better than you'd expect, and things just simply click. It's well worthy of the VHD name, and surpasses the original in nearly every way.

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Yoshiaki Kawajiri's style is so detailed, so precise, you just get the feeling that each frame of animation has been slaved over and perfected, making Vamp D Bloodlust the best showcase of his directorial style. Of course, the actual chara designs are by Yoshitaka Amano and here is perhaps the most accurate depiction of his unique style. The soundtrack also bears mentioning and is right up there with the Hollywood's best.

Story-wise, its an eclectic mixture of Gothic horror, Science fiction, Westerns and Samurai, apparently based on a novel I've never read. Its genre cannot be classified simply horror, and while there are plenty of great action scenes, the near-perfect pacing allows for quiet moments of conversation between the characters.

Its full of great moments, but the best is the climactic finale - absolutely unforgettable. A must-see, right up there with classics of anime such as Studio Ghibli's work...

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust may be called an animated version of Blade by some, but it is so much more. In this animated horror / adventure the Vampire Hunter (as Blade) is half human and half vampire, but that's about where the similarities end, for the film plays in the distant future and D is a hunter that prefers a good old fashioned sword to battle the evil of his time. The things that make this film great were the incredible music and cinematography along with a pretty good story. But that isn't all. The thing that struck me most, was that despite being a vampire / demon film, the creatures and weapons in it were rather original. Some things had just been given a bit of a work-over while other things were completely new to me. In all that one can see a lot of care was invested in the making of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust and I for one thought that the result was as good as the effort. I'd even be inclined to say that Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is in my top 3 of vampire films, right next to From Dusk 'till Dawn and Dracula (by Francis Ford Coppola).

8 out of 10

In the distant future it's the year 12,090 where vampires and the undead who caused terror through the night are falling at a rapid rate, because of a Dunpeal; half-human, half-vampire bounty hunter called D. On this quest he's hired for 20 millions dollars by a father of a young girl who was kidnapped by a powerful vampire who plans to take her with him to the stars. But D learns that his not the only one on their trail, as the man informs him that he also hired a group of vampire hunters know as the Mark Brothers. So now the two are in competition to who can get their hands the on the girl (dead or alive) before they get to their destination. But D also suspects that maybe the girl went by her own accord, which throws a spanner into the mix.

I used to always watch anime when I was a kid, but it kinda died off me when I got into my late teens. Well, that was until it picked up momentum again when I caught the brilliant 'Neo Genesis Evangelion' anime series a couple years ago. So, now I'm a on and off viewer, but I was glad that I was switched on for this particular one. Being a horror fan and reading the synopsis for the film I thought it sounded great and it was most definitely. But I also learned it was a sequel, which I was worried that I wouldn't have a clue what was going, but that's the not the case here with certain things about our protagonist being explained because they crop up into where the story is heading. It does feels kinda different, especially in the terms of violence by keeping it within the story's limits then going out fall ball with a pointless mess. The stimulating violence is done rather graciously with the easy-going pace suddenly moving like a speeding train when the action occurs. The animation is breath-taking, it's simply eye-candy with distinguishable details and sharp imagination that's pure film-craft at its best. The heavy blanket of Gothic atmosphere that's created breaths down on you with it's dark, grimy apocalyptic feel where there's a wonderful mix of ghoulish terror and sweet innocence. While, this anime has terrifically, garnished up visuals. The story was not to be forgotten, as it's a lyrically, thoughtful tale that's richly developed with an emotional pull that's truly enticing. You could call it a hybrid with a galore of ingredients worked into the story's structure; Horror, Medieval, Western, Fantasy and Sci-fi. These adventurous aspects truly made sure that there were plenty of nifty surprises and a range of highly spirited standoffs between foes with a kicking soundtrack to boot. The moralistic tale builds up an allegory you could say about racism and that of never trusting that of perception, but to look on the inside to find the person's true meaning. The smooth dialogue is quite meaningful and there's patches of dry humour sprinkled across it. The fruitful characters are well-rounded and they add their own little parts to the story. But the star here is the quietly spoken, but extremely deadly D; who's dressed up in his black overcoat and wide-brimmed hat that hides his face. He's not alone as his accompanied by his black horse and that of a talking parasite embedded in his hand.

A really compelling and exciting anime piece that delivers all the goods in a marvellous blend.