Customer Reviews

Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust [VHS]

5 star:		(268)
4 star:		(77)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(18)

 

 

Vampire Hunter D (from the Kikuchi Manga) is one of animes most venerable titles. The original movie helped define what was to be expected of Japanese animation, and its influence was felt through titles like Akira and Princess Mononoke. So, when the sequel was announced, fans began to drool all over themselves in anticipation, and for good reason  everything is improved in this movie (actually the THIRD installment of the Manga), from the animation to the handling of the story, and its a true pleasure to watch on anyones home theater.

The main character, D, is a half-human, half-vampire whose dark legacy affords him near-supernatural qualities. He uses his abilities to fight evil, and is considered the best vampire hunter in the land. His next prey is Meier Link, a gentleman vampire who has kidnapped a rich businessmans daughter. His competition is the Markus brothers, a group of mortal vampire hunters who, together, equal D in power, cunning, and skill. With the help of his symbiotic Hand (a wisecracking mouth that gives D advice and offers comic relief), D sets off to find Link, only to discover that things are not what they seem.

The animation is top-notch, fluid and vibrant, and the painstaking detail on the backgrounds puts the viewer smack into Ds world. Crosses are everywhere, and each gothic spire serves as a reminder of the constant threat of vampires  and of the heroism of D and his kind. The DVD transfer leaves nothing out, coming off clean and sharp all through. The DD 5.1 soundtrack is amazingly aggressive  easily one of the best digital tracks available  and Bloodlust could serve as a decent demo disc to show off a new home theater system. The creators should be applauded for their efforts, as sound is just as important as backgrounds in animation, and no detail was spared.

Much has been made about the fact that there wasnt any Japanese track on this DVD. Guess what folks? The movie was originally recorded, and lip-synced, IN ENGLISH. Thats right, ENGLISH. So do your homework, fanboys! Really!

Even if you arent an anime fan, at least give Bloodlust a try; with such a great video and sound transfer, and a great movie to boot, its hard not to rave about it.

It all started when I bought the original Vampire Hunter D on DVD. I clicked on the special features, and low and behold, I have seen the light. It was the trailer for the "new" Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust movie. I fell in love with the trailer right away and watched it 24/7. Then I wanted to know more about Bloodlust so I went to the site.

I visited the site, and I was excited to see that they were gonna have a special advance screening of VHD: Bloodlust at UCLA. This was Halloween of 2000. The theatre was packed. It was filled with goths and anime fans. The atmosphere was energetic. The lights dims and the curtains open. After it ended, I couldn't wait to watch it again. I had to wait one more year to watch it again.

The date is August 24th of 2001. This would be my second viewing of Bloodlust. Again, I was blown away. Afterwards I got to meet director Yoshiaka. For those of you who doesn't know, he also directed "Ninja Scroll." Ok, enough babbling, let's talk about the movie.

It's not technically a sequal to the original Vampire Hunter D. It takes place in the really distant future, where vampires are dominant, but their population is dwindling. In this dark future, mutants and demons roam the lands, while the humans are fighting to just live. It stars D, our protagonist, half human and half vampire(aka a dunpeal),on a mission to rescue Charlotte from our antagonist, Meier Link, a vampire.

The story is interesting as you wonder who this mysterious D is as he races time to rescue the damsel before The Markus Brothers rescues her first for the bounty. Grove, a member of The Markus Brother, would have to be one of my favorite characters. His powers is really cool. By flatlining, he is able to control his spirit to do things his physical body can't. Meier Link is another interesting fellow, as you think what's his real motive. If he really loves Charlotte or is he planning something sinister.

The action in the movie is good. Not as violent or as gory as Ninja Scroll, but the cool factor is still high. And the animation is really high quality stuff. The only thing that annoyed me is one of the character's eyes. A little too big. Other than that, the animation and the dark atmosphere meshes in perfectly to give you a gloomy feeling.

I think this is the only Anime I know of that has english as the original language. So for those of you who are "purists", the english dub will be the only way to view this movie. The dub is good. It's not bad to the point where you get annoyed, but good enough.

In conclusion, story is good, action is good, animation is good, dub is good, overall a really good movie. I like this more than the original Vampire Hunter D movie. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. Unless you are a person who wants nudity in their anime, you will be disappointed.

My fascination with anime grew out of an old hobby of mine, painting miniature figures. One day I discovered a Japanese magazine, called 'Replicant,' and literally, a completely new world opened up to me. One of the first figures I saw in those pages was a sculpted rendering of Yoshitaka Amano's Vampire Hunter D images. The demonic beauty of that figure haunted me, even though I could only guess at what story was behind it. At that time, American access to anime was still largely undeveloped.

Now, of course, the opposite is true. There is no excuse for not seeing Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri's production of the novel written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and strikingly realized by Amano. For the film, For the film, Yutaka Minowa based his character designs on Amano's work, and, if anything, has gone one level better than the originals. Simply put, this film is visually stunning. The illustration is finely detailed and graceful, whether in repose or furious action. This is true for characters, artifacts and scenery. Often, while watching, the sense of dimensionality is so strong that you will find yourself looking twice to make sure that all this is still animation.

The plot is as complex as the artwork. Set in 12090 AD, the story is about D, who is a Dun Peal - a rare vampire human hybrid shunned by both races. In this future world, vampires, once the cruel lords of the Earth, are finally on the run. Few are left, and they are frequently hunted down for bounty. D is hired by a family to recover their daughter Charlotte, who has been kidnapped by Meier Link, one of the most deadly of the surviving vampires. Charlotte's family does not completely trust D, and have also hired the Markus Brothers for the same task. The story's main theme is the parallel chase after Meier Link, and the resulting competition between bounty hunters.

... In addition, he unexpectedly develops a strange bond with Leila, the beautiful and deadly distaff member of the Markus team. While love is not an emotion D allows himself, he and Leila learn to respect each other. They are the romantic balance to the relationship between Link and Charlotte. One couple loves impossibly, and the other finds love impossible.

Providing comic relief is Left Hand, D's companion. Yes, his left hand has somehow become part demon, and keeps up a steady stream of sarcasm, unwelcome advice, and complaint. As peculiar as this sounds, Kawajiri makes it work perfectly on film. I also have to compliment the invisible human cast, who provide the animations with voices and noises in a completely natural and compelling fashion. Nor should I fail to mention the musical score, which is the equal of 'Ghost in the Machine,' which only recently was my favorite animated film.

The DVD provides the obligatory trailers, an interesting comparison of the original storyboards to the final renderings, and a long, interesting behind the scenes segment. The latter is quite eye opening, giving me a much greater awareness of the complexities of animated film production. The film has an R rating, almost entirely due to violence, but is otherwise inoffensive. To some degree, I think the film deserves a more lenient rating. In any case, this is clearly a 'must see' if you are at all interested in the state of Japanese anime.

Anime has the power to tell exciting and involving stories in ways that live-action film cannot. "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" is a prime example of that, as it is a dark tale with exciting action and a great plot. Filled with haunting scenery and ghoulish characters, this Anime reveals an intense story with ease.

He's known only as "D;" a vampire hunter that is half-human and half-vampire. Forced to not have a life of his own, he has dedicated his existence to wiping out vampires for a price. When a woman is abducted by a well-known and vicious vampire one night, D is summoned by the family to bring her back--alive if possible, dead if transformed. As he begins the quest to get the girl back, he faces competition--a pack of thrill-seeking vampire hunters who are after the same "prize" that he is. And as the journey continues, a puzzling question plagues D's mind: Was the woman abducted, or did she go willingly? As the story unfolds, the more twists and intense action come about in this extremely dark and powerful Anime.

I found myself really enjoying this movie, as I really didn't know what to expect. The animation that's presented in this tale is really mesmerizing--giving us terrifying scenery and the tone of certain doom or uncertainty. I'm convinced that such a feature like this would not have been as effective had it been transformed into a live-action movie. The animation clearly sets the tone for the movie and makes it all work. I enjoyed the story, was intrigued with the characters (especially with "D"), and loved not knowing what to expect next.

The DVD has a few goodies to offer. The picture quality is really superb. I do have a minor complaint with the sound, and that is that the talking tends to be a bit quiet at times while everything else is very loud and present. While this might've been done on purpose for effect, I think they could've made the talking just a tad louder. A very minor gripe that doesn't take much away from the feature, I assure you. Extras included are trailers, a "behind the scenes" featurette, web links, and more.

"Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" is a great Anime that should be seen by anybody who is a fan of animated art. Be warned; it is violent and dark, but it is pretty mild compared to other Anime I have seen, such as "Akira" and "Ninja Scroll." This was a great journey into the darkness that I enjoyed taking.

Combined work of US and Japanese animators has spawned an excellent Movie. This movie is not connected to the orignal 1985 release except for the main charcter of course, and alittle moment in the end.

The story takes place in a distant future where now dying race of vampires is trying to survive the hunters who hunt them for huge bounties. D is a human/vampire hybrid. He doesn't belong to either world and is trying to rid the world of Vampires. For a fee of 20 million he sets out on a hunt to catch a vampire who kidnapped a daughter of a rich man. But this time he has competition, a team of the best human hunters are working on the same mission.

Original English language really makes this anime pleasant to watch, as opposed to horrible dubs that US likes to make. Character voices were well chosen.

Animation is par excellence. Beautiful backgrounds in high detail, very detailed character animation. Easily beats any disney animation on character detailing. Very well integrated musical scores really set the mood for this anime. And an interesting story seals the deal.

Are you still here? Go grab a ticket, you won't regret it.

When I was first getting into anime, I had heard of Vampire Hunter D. So, one day in the video store I rented it. And hated it. So when I heard of Bloodlust, I was less than enthusiastic to see it. Then one day my friends forced me to watch it. Boy, am I glad they did. Everything that I hated about the original was corrected. The animation was exellent, better than most other anime out there. Also, the story was superb, not being too straight forward and never getting dragged out or boring. The characters were wonderful, and the voice acting was great. One of the best parts of the movie was the music, which was wonderfully orchestrated and always fit the scene. Altogether, this is one of the best anime ever, in my personal top five. This is one that all anime fans should see. And don't worry if you haven't seen the first one, the two stories are not related. So, unless you really want to, don't bother with watching the original.

Years ago, the original Vampire Hunter D was one of the very first animes I had ever watched. Although a bit dated now, I still feel that it holds a special spot amoungst my favorites. I would definatly say that they did a good job of revamping (pardon my bad pun) a wonderfuly dark and gritty world filled with ghouls and monsters. Not to mention our dark hero with a serious history and lineage. Great animation, interesting monsters and characters, plus the same D that we all know and love, make for an awsome and entertaining visual experience. I would recommend this to anyone who loves Vampire slaying, and awsome animation.
On a side note, to all of those who would complain about the fact that the DVD only comes with an English audio track, the movie was made in Japan using ENGLISH voice actors with Japanese subtitles in theatres. The movie did not have Japanese voices originally. So please do not be detoured by some of the bad reviews certain individules would give based simply upon the fact that it does not have an available Japanese audio track with Japanese voice actors. There never was one, and there were never any...
Thank You

When the original "Vampire Hunter D" was released, it became an instant anime classic, placing the solitary, wandering Dunpeal (half-human, half-vampire) firmly in the annals of anime history. Now, several years later, "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" has been released. Neither a sequel nor a remake, "Bloodlust" features D in an all-new story with plenty of visual flair to go around. And thankfully, "Bloodlust" is good enough to become a cult classic itself.

The story revolves around the infamous half-breed D, who has recently been hired to retrieve a young woman who was kidnapped by a powerful vampire lord. With rival bounty hunters already having a head start, D sets out to save the young girl from the vampire lord's grasp. Little does he realize, however, is that the girl is in love with the vampire and went with him willingly. Add to the mix several powerful demons and climactic battle sequences, and "Bloodlust" becomes exactly what it was supposed to be.

Now, "Bloodlust" is hardly deep, but then again it was never meant to be. It's simply a hack-and-slasher flick set in a world where vampires and demons rule the night. On these terms, "Bloodlust" pulls out as a very satisfying movie. The movie rarely bogs down with deep, philosophical dialogue and the fighting scenes are very well played out. Not everyone will enjoy this kind of movie, but those who do will be more than content with what "Bloodlust" has to offer.

Visually, "Bloodlust" is bloody awesome (sorry, couldn't resist). Colors are dark and dreary, which perfectly amplifies the mood the movie creates. Movement is fluid and crisp, flowing smoothing from one frame to another; "Bloodlust" is a serious contender for the movie to show off how good anime can look. Character designs are absolutely stunning - the look of D of "Bloodlust" beats the look of D of the original movie, hands down - and everything else is richly detailed.

Audio-wise, anime fans may be disappointed to learn that the "Bloodlust" DVD doesn't come with a Japanese audio track; but then again, the original language of the film was meant to be English from day one. With that said, how does the film's English track hold out? The dub is thankfully above average, but it's certainly not the best. Our hero D, voiced by Andrew Philpot, speaks in a monotonous tone that enhances his character's isolation but may also make him slightly dull to some viewers. The true star of the English track is undoubtedly Michael McShane, who's witty lines are some of the best in the whole movie. Fan-favorite Wendee Lee gives a surprisingly average performance as Charlotte, the girl kidnapped by the vampire lord. Actually, most of the VAs, especially the rival vampire hunters, give performances that alternate from acceptable to asinine, something most likely due to some of the cheesy lines found in the script. Still, the dub overall is acceptable and shouldn't be too much of a hindrance for hardcore anime sub fans.

Overall, "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" is certainly a crowd-pleaser of an anime movie. While it may not suit everyone's tastes, it should undoubtedly satisfy those looking for a fresh spin on their favorite vampire hunter.

I'm usually not that big on "action" movies. I like a bit more plot, character development etc., than you average hollywood thrill-ride, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this film. It was surprisingly, much more than just a bunch of action sequences. It had a great plot and the animation was much more interesting (I imagined all blacks and greys and doom and gloom) and vibrant than I had hoped. Excellent. Definitely check this one out. Although it's a "vampire" story it is much more futuristic and imaginitive than what you might expect. Visually stunning. Great flick.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust. I really enjoyed the character of D from the original movie, so I had to see this prequel. The original movie was an interesting idea and story, but its implementation could have been better. I had a feeling that the prequel would be a tighter movie, but would the plot be compelling? Well, in my opinion they did a great job. As you'd expect, the movie is beautifully animated (Kawajiri also made Ninja Scroll, a personal favorite). The opening animation draws you in, the music is wonderfully moody and appropriate throughout. The action comes fast and hard and often, more so than the original. They did a nice job of breaking up the dark subject matter with some levity and human emotions. One criticism I will convey is that the movie doesn't try to adhere to popular vampire lore. This didn't bother me--I just accepted these vampires as they were conceived, but I've heard complaints from vampire purists that they've taken too many liberties with the traditional lore. Eh, maybe. Personally, the issues I had were few, but here they are: (1) Too many characters = too little development, and ultimately some characters kind of felt like throw-aways because you never really had any attachment to them thanks to their lack of lines and on-screen time. (2) It's really hard to feel like D is ever in danger. You know, it is a PREquel, but that aside, D sometimes comes across as Superman sans kryptonite-equivalent. But, to end on a positive note, I was never bored in the slightest. The movie flowed well, the story unfolds well, and everything made sense. Often, I find plots in anime to be too dense or to have a certain Japanese sensibility that isn't well-appreciated by westerners, but that wasn't the case with this relatively simple plot and the masterful way in which certain things are revealed. The movie ends thoughtfully, but it doesn't make you sit there with a puzzled look or make you engage in philosophical debate with your neighbor. So what? It wasn't Akira, and for that reason, it's probably a pretty good movie for people who haven't seen much anime. Fairly accessible if people don't get hung up on preconceived notions of vampires, and if they've had at least a brief synopsis on the original, and if they're willing to suspend their disbelief the requisite amount for appreciating most of the anime out there. I've always felt that you have to be open-minded to appreciate japanimation. Hopefully, I'm preaching to the converted.