Vampire Hunter D

Starring:Kaneto Shiozawa, Michael McConnohie, Lara Cody, Karen Prell, SeizÃ´ KatÃ´, Edie Mirman, Shinya Ã”taki, Satoko Kifuji, Steve Bulen, Kazuko Yanaga, YÃ»saku Yara, Tom Wyner, Kazuyuki Sogabe, Kerrigan Mahan, Michie Tomizawa, Joyce Kurtz, Jeff Winkless, Keiko Toda, Steve Kramer, Kan Tokumaru
Director: Carl Macek, Toyoo Ashida
Studio: Urban Vision
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
D, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countryside of a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the all-powerful Count, a monstrous vampire lord, and his demonic minions from a castle that casts a long shadow over the countryside. The Count has claimed the human Doris (who wields a mean cutlass herself) as his bride. D becomes her protector and--when she's captured by the Count's shape-shifting minions--her savior. Designed in slashes and sharp, angular images and directed with abrupt explosions of lightning-fast action, Vampire Hunter D is violent and bloody in the mode of a samurai adventure. The sleek D is appropriately dark and quiet, cutting a mysterious figure, while the Count is a veritable demon of a vampire, a supernaturally powerful monster whose appetites know no bounds. The undercurrent of sexuality never spills over into the sadistic vein of so many "adults only" thrillers, but it is recommended for mature audiences.

Amazon.com

Based on a series of fantasy novels by Hideyuki Kikuchi, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a bloody anime adventure. Set in the distant future, the story focuses on D (voice by Andrew Philpot), the son of a vampire and a mortal who has dedicated his life to exterminating vampires. D is pursuing Charlotte (Wendee Lee), who has been carried off by vampire Meier Link (John Rafter Lee). The bounty-hunting Markus brothers and tough-talking Leila (Pamela Segall) are also on the trail. A long, violent chase brings them to the Castle of Carmila the Bloody Countess (Julia Fletcher), where the narrative founders in a series of confusing illusions that lead to an inconclusive ending. Bloodlust looks better in still images that evoke Yoshitaka Amano's intricate illustrations than it does in motion. The very limited drawn animation clashes visually with the more fluid computer-generated imagery--D's cape billows dramatically, but his expression rarely changes. Fans of such violent anime features as Sword for Truth and Ninja Resurrection will enjoy the no-holds-barred action sequences, but more squeamish viewers will be put off by the beheadings, impalements, disembowelments, etc. Vampire Hunter D, an earlier, more modest feature based on the same material, is a better adaptation. --Charles Solomon

Customer Reviews:

Boring and childish.......2007-05-14

I bought this dvd because people are raving how good it is,IT IS NOT, this Animated cartoon first starts off as maybe something good but it ends very fast to a childish transformer like cartoon with goofy cartoon characters of the future with antics like the Kimba cartoons or childish Saturday cartoons your kids would watch but you will dread, this is pure kids stuff only I hope to sell my copy soon on ebay.

Fantastic.......2007-05-13

If you are into anime and vampires than Bloodlust is a MUST HAVE. This is something you will want to watch over and over again. This is a movie you don't want to end.

*slight spoiler warning*

Unlike in other vampire movies, this one has a twist. The vampire that steals the girl actually loves her.

****

The action, the passion, the comedy. It is all there; Bloodlust has the whole package. You will not be disapointed.

If I had to criticise the movie it would be that there is no part two or that it is not twice as long. Seriously, this movie is that good.

I'll be buying another since I lost the last one I had.

A Dark Adventure Unfolds.......2007-04-28

This anime movie is really exciting with a very vivid plot and a dark sort of twist to the story. It is defiantly a dark romance. I have to say that the animation in the film is exceptionally well done and the scenery is absolutely haunting. It has a very gothic feel to it. The vampire hunter known only as 'D' is technically half-human and half-vampire. When a wealthy woman gets abducted by a vampire, D has to go try to bring her back alive without having been transformed into a vampire, of course dead if she has become one. The story is mainly about his journey to find the missing girl. But the one question is, did the girl go willingly with the vampire?

Passing Along Gift Recipients Comments.......2007-03-19

I gave this movie as a gift and the recipient, a big fan of Vampires but not always Anime really loved it. He couldn't say enough good things about it. So ... if you're into the vampire genre and want to add to the bredth of your Vamp collection ... this sounds like a worth while addition.

The most beautiful animation I have ever seen.......2007-03-13

This anime is one of my favourites. For starters, the animation is unbelievable, so many details, it looks it took forever to animate. And then there's the plot, original, interesting and constantly flowing, just what you'd expect a sci-fi/fantasy anime to be.

Two thumbs up!

Average customer rating:

Very Interesting
vampire hunter
Conceptually sound, lacking and predictable in execution.
You're a vampire hunter
Possibly the WORST quality in Anime!!!!

Vampire Hunter D
Starring: Kaneto Shiozawa , Michael McConnohie , Steve Bulen , Kazuko Yanaga , and Yûsaku Yara
Director: Carl Macek , and Toyoo Ashida
Manufacturer: Urban Vision
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Horror | Genres | DVD | Video

Animation | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Anime & Manga | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Animation | Genres | DVD | Video

Animation | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Genres | DVD | Video

( V ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust
Ninja Scroll
Ghost in the Shell
Akira (Special Edition)
Blood - The Last Vampire

ASIN: B00004Y7JH
Release Date: 2000-10-17

Amazon.com

D, a haunted half-human, half-vampire warrior, wanders the countryside of a feudalistic future, hunting his own kind while battling his own evil nature. Like a rogue samurai, the silent, solitary hero wanders into a small hamlet terrorized by the all-powerful Count, a monstrous vampire lord, and his demonic minions from a castle that casts a long shadow over the countryside. The Count has claimed the human Doris (who wields a mean cutlass herself) as his bride. D becomes her protector and--when she's captured by the Count's shape-shifting minions--her savior. Designed in slashes and sharp, angular images and directed with abrupt explosions of lightning-fast action, Vampire Hunter D is violent and bloody in the mode of a samurai adventure. The sleek D is appropriately dark and quiet, cutting a mysterious figure, while the Count is a veritable demon of a vampire, a supernaturally powerful monster whose appetites know no bounds. The undercurrent of sexuality never spills over into the sadistic vein of so many "adults only" thrillers, but it is recommended for mature audiences.

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting.......2007-07-02

I was a little hesitant at first, but I borrowed the movie from my brother, who probably almost owns every anime film that is out there. Anyway, I found it very interesting. I was well pleased with what I saw. What tripped my out was the talking hand!!! (freaky) I would recommend others to check it out!!!

vampire hunter.......2007-06-08

Not loving this very much. I bought it without looking at any reviews and wish I would have. It was a let down for me.

Conceptually sound, lacking and predictable in execution........2007-04-11

Based on a series of best-selling novels by Japanese Horror author Hideyuki Kikuchi, this 1985 direct-to-video animated feature has been a cult favorite among Anime fans. Set in a post-apocalyptic future where vampires and mutants have overrun a human world, VAMPIRE HUNTER D begins on a dark night with a deftly choreographed action scene. Here we see Doris Lang, a courageous werewolf hunter's daughter stalking her gardens in pursuit of a T-Rex like monster with sharp teeth and scarlet eyes. Chasing it into the forest on horseback, Doris finds herself face to face with an even more imposing threat--a hulking, shadowy vampire, who introduces himself as Count Magnus Lee (in a rather corny monologue which exists only in the English version). Naturally, the bloodthirsty aristocrat takes a drink from our heroine's jugular vein.

The following day, Doris encounters a lone figure on a cyborg horse--a vampire hunter known as D. Desperately, she hires him. The rest of the movie involves D doing everything in his power to slay the evil count to save Doris from an eternal life as a walking undead. Meanwhile, Doris must protect her impulsive little brother, Dan, and fend off the advances of an unwelcome suitor, the arrogant mayor's son Greco. Matters are further complicated when D also has to deal with Lamika, Count Lee's jealous daughter, and the ambitious Ray Ginsay, a deadly noble wanna-be who will do anything to earn his master's favor. During all this, Doris falls madly in love with D--but it turns out that her rescuer (surprise) is half-vampire himself. (This explains why his left hand has a creepy-looking face that can talk to its master or even suck up nasty creatures.)

The concept is sound, but this movie's execution may turn off viewers expecting a multi-faceted story and flashy visuals. The plot, while otherwise apt, borders too much on predictable; even a chilling sequence where Ray Ginsay paralyzes and (temporarily) murders D by way of using an essence-draining candle loses its impact because we already know that our hero will eventually prevail. The character designs were by Yoshitaka Amano, best known from the ever-popular FINAL FANTASY videogames, but his stylistic illustrations are sadly compromised by the simplistic and flat animation. The backgrounds, although dark and appropriately imaginative, lack detail and the cel count is very choppy. It is important to note, however, that all the animation defects are simply attributed to the fact that this was made in 1985, a time when Japanese Anime productions were mostly made on the cheap. Even still, it does leave a B-grade stench on the product.

This same B-movie quality also applies to the audio aspects of the picture. Although the sound effects are appropriately haunting and scary, at times they do sound cheesy, particularly the synthesizer sound effects when Count Lee sends rays from his eyes. The musical score from TM Network's Tetsuya Komuro is fittingly epic and sometimes spooky, although it is obviously driven by dated-sounding electronic instruments.

As far as vocal acting is concerned, the English dub, produced in 1992 by Carl Macek's Streamline Pictures, does not feature anything in the way of memorable or convincing vocals. With the exception of Edie Mirman as Lamika, who brings a sultry arrogance to her role and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Barbara Goodson as Doris (who is decent, but sometimes she comes across as bland) the rest of the performances range from dull (D sounds too much like a radio announcer) to lackluster (Dan, in particular, sounds more like a woman than a boy). Other factors which bring down the dub are the cheesy Transylvanian accents and the even more lame writing (in addition to that aforementioned monologue delivered by Count Lee, there are other groan-worthy lines, most of them uttered by D's left hand). This isn't to say that the Japanese version is any better. While D sounds less generic than his American counterpart, Doris, Dan, and Lamika all have shrill, irritating voices in the native language track which actually sound worse in many scenes than in the dub. In other words, neither language track is remarkable, nor easy to recommend over.

All these faults aside, VAMPIRE HUNTER D *is* a good story. In spite of its aforementioned predictability (some might argue this movie was tailor-made for Western audiences), VAMPIRE HUNTER D delves into some complex issues: D's inner struggle to resist his own instincts when Doris makes sexual advances on him and his inability to express his true compassion to others results from some very human emotions. It is also intriguing to discover that the villainous Count Lee's actions are motivated mostly by the desire for sport rather than malice. The action and fight sequences are also skillfully choreographed in the style of a samurai-slasher. Sadly, the routine execution does weigh down the movie's potential.

It's also important to note that this movie has its share of graphic violence--there are quite a bit of gory swordfights, resulting with stabbing, amputating, or slicing in half; toward the end where one character's head explodes. While all this may sound pretty extreme for squeamish viewers, the cheap production values actually make the violence less gruesome and more campy, making it easier to sit through than most bloodfests. There are also a few very inoffensive nude scenes. Even so, this is a movie best appreciated by an adult audience; parents should think twice before considering showing this to children.

VAMPIRE HUNTER D is a good film, but it's not what I would consider one of the all-time greats. For a more meaty and complex treatment of the story, Yoshiaki Kawajiri's BLOODLUST should be a more viable route.

You're a vampire hunter.......2007-02-03

"Vampire Hunter D" is a pretty deserving anime classic -- moody hero, gothic atmosphere, and buckets of blood.

While the animation is a bit dated, the solid direction and creepy story are more than enough to compensate. This dark, gloomy adaptation of Hideyuki Kikuchi's novels is a postapocalyptic cowboy/vampire story... with a twist. And boy, is it a twist.

Farm girl Doris is bitten by the ancient Count Lee (named after Christopher Lee), and is in danger of turning into a vampire herself. But fortunately she encounters D, a silent vampire hunter who agrees to protect her and her little brother from the Count and his underlings.

But Doris gets kidnapped despite D's efforts, and D sneaks into the castle and battles past mutants and snake-women to rescue Doris. But that isn't the end of the conflict -- Lee is determined to have Doris for his new wife, and D is just as determined to destroy the malign old vampire.

"Vampire Hunter D" looks a little dated to modern anime fans -- kind of smudgy and stiff (look at D's weird stabbing scene). Fortunately, the story more than makes up for this -- basically it's an old western, but with monsters, vampires, and cyborg horses.

The whole thing is very dark and shadowy, even in prim little towns, up until the final scenes when we finally see some sun. The storyline moves pretty slowly for awhile, but speeds up rapidly when Doris is abducted the second time, right up to the earthshattering finale.

It's also peppered with some solid fight scenes, as well as the gore: severed limbs, electric whips, exploding heads, flying organs and literal gushers of blood. While the tone is quite grim, some of the dialogue is pretty funny ("For the first time in one hundred years I haven't been bored once!"). Including everything said by Left Hand, the hilarious parasite in D's... left hand.

D himself is an enigma for most of the movie -- repressed, quiet, kind to kids, but with a hidden vampiric side that only turns up occasionally. It takes careful attention to figure out who this "dampeel" is. And while Doris could have been a bit tougher, she comes across very realistically as a young girl in a terrifying situation.

"Vampire Hunter D" is a postapocalyptic goth movie, with a likably taciturn hero,a timeless storyline, and a lot of graphic anime violence.

Possibly the WORST quality in Anime!!!!.......2006-08-14

I only gave it 2 stars because of the girl! (SHE IS SO HOT!) and maybe the concept is COOL but the rest was HORRENDOUS.

The graphics are smudgy, the animation is the WORST EVER, the action scenes were poorly choreographied, the sound is annoying and the camera shots were slow and poorly addapted!

Better buy the sequel witch is everything opposite to what I said.

Adios.