Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Alternate Title: バンパイアハンターD
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction, Supernatural
Creator: Hideyuki Kikuchi
Director: Toshiaki Kawajiri, Jack Fletcher
Produced: CBS Sony Group Inc. MOVIC, Madhouse Studios, Urban Vision
Distributor: Madman Entertainment Pty. Ltd., Optimum Releasing
Release Dates: Japan: 4/17/2001, USA: 9/21/2001, 2/12/2002
Related Anime: Vampire Hunter D (novel manga: ongoing), Vampire Hunter D (movie: 1985)
Language: Japanese (with English subtitles), English
MPAA Rating: R
Age Rating: Mature
Advisory: Contains adult situations and extreme graphic violence, blood and gore.
Running time: 105 minutes
Status: DVDs available.
Set in the distant future, vampires ruled over human-occupied lands with their mutant minions. But gradually their power over mankind is lost, and the raise of hunters has the vampires on the verge of extinction. One such hunter, the mysterious outcast named D, has been hired by a wealthy family to rescue their lovely daughter from the clutches of a charismatic vampire. A group of bounty hunters are also hired by the family to aid in the recovery, or kill her if she has been turned into one of the undead.
This movie was adapted from the classic vampire novels by gothic romanticism author Hideyuki Kikuchi (which I failed to mention in my review for the first Vampire Hunter D movie). It’s a series I’m very much fond of, and for those who are interested, the events that take place in this anime come from the third novel, Demon Deathchase. My description makes the storyline sound too simple, but it’s actually very imaginative. The trials the characters have to go though in order to reach their gold are so bizarre and amazing that it’s hard not to be riveted. The characters are also filled with such complexity that it makes the film even more interesting.
Unlike the first Vampire Hunter D film, the animation in Bloodlust is absolutely beautiful. Everything from the lush outdoors scenes to the dark gothic architecture and barren landscapes are all rendered in rich detail. The character designs, done by Yoshitaka Amano, are stunningly stylish. I was very impressed with the whole look of the anime.
I was not impressed with the Japanese soundtrack, however. No surprise there, since I’m not a huge fan of Japanese voice actors anyway. But my biggest problem with it was that the voices actors used sounded so similar to me, that unless the character was shown speaking, I would not have been able to distinguish who was talking.
I did enjoy the English soundtrack much more than I did in the first film. There was still some bland and unenthusiastic voice acting there, but for the most part I thought it was done well.
In conclusion, this is an extraordinarily memorable film. Filled with gothic romance, vampires, monsters, magic, and sci-fi western influences, it can be enjoyed by a wide assortment of viewers as well as the usual fans of the genre. The drawback is that it’s rated R, and for good reason. Not recommended for young children or people who have a problem with extreme violence, blood or gore.
Stray’s overall rating for Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust: 9/10
