002 4 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 .
057 4 This is the sequel to the original release back in 1984 , This time D is out to save a young woman kidnapped by the vampire meir link . The animation is as good as anything I have ever seen in anime . It ranks up there with Ghost In The Shell or anything else of this caliber . The music this time around is astoundingly good , it really made the movie and the plot is also very interesting . D is drawn to look very sharp in this movie , the detail in his face is exceptional , very smooth and fluid . Most anime is drawn to give good facial expression to bring across emotion , but D is about the best I have ever seen ( this time around ) . For any anime fan , this is an absolute must have for your collection .
065 4 I won't go into the storyline of this movie because that has already been sufficiently described . I wanted to comment on the animation and the plot . . . both of which , I thought , were excellent .
I would have given the animation much more than five stars if I could , as it is some of the finest and most flowing I have seen in a very long time . As a piece of eye-candy , Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust will not disappoint . I was enthralled right from the beginning . And straight through to the end , every attention has been paid to making the action as smooth as silk and the characters as beautiful as they get . The movie is enhanced by a truly spellbinding and , in some places , creepy soundtrack , making it an all-around captivating experience for the senses .
Now , very little is perfect in this world , and this movie does have its faults . For example , the plot feels a little shallow in some places if you stop to think about it , and some characters are introduced much too quickly with little explanation to their background . But then again , it wouldn't be anime if they explained everything , would it ? The character styling is also very , very typical of anime , but I personally found this to be an appealing quality . . . the character styles are embellished to an amazing degree that is not seen in other animes such as Escaflowne or even Ghost in the Shell .
Overall , this is an excellent movie , and a surprisingly long one as well . Don't think too hard about the plot . . . instead , sit back and let it wash over you . I would highly recommend seeing it at least once . . . a vast improvement over the old Vampire Hunter D and a worthy addition to any anime library . Not suitable for young viewers - definitely for mature audiences due to graphic depictions of violence .
117 4 I've recently started watching anime and yes I have all the essential anime's from Ghost in the Shell , Akira , Ninja Scroll , Jin-Roh et cetera but Bloodlust is my fav out of those . I'm not a huge vampire freak either . I'm was takin by surprise by how well this flick was done . I could go on to explain this movie but bottom line - just buy it . you will not be sorry . Great addition to any collection .
122 4 I realy liked this movie and its this show that got me into anime.The reason I liked this movie is becouse of the depthful plot and the drop dead gorgouse action scenes.The reason why it is rated R is becouse it has
alot of gore ( but not nearly as much as the original ) , it has some foul language but nothing you would'nt hear in PG - 13 movie ' . It has no nudity ( the original has 2 brief nude scenes ) . If you like action I would also recomend AKIRA , Cowboy bebop the series and movie , Samourai X , Ghosts in the shell , and Outlaw star .
011 4 More of a modern-day Sergio Leone style western than a vampire fantasy , Vampire Hunter D-Bloodlust is a brooding , sprawling and visually lush tale of a half vampire bounty hunter named D hired to recover a beautiful young woman kidnapped by the vampire Lord Mire and taken to his castle stronghold . Astride his horse with a trusty and sarcastic monster living in his palm , the eternally haunted D , along with a rag tag bunch of rival bounty hunters traverse the kind of fantasy landscape that only seems to exist in anime lore . Samurai , wild west , medieval and gothic motifs swirl in and around one another and suspension of disbelief is stretched to the breaking point . But surrender to it and director Yoshiaki Kawajira puts on a dazzling show . D himself is gorgeously realized both animated and character wise . He effectively broods over his immortaility , as damned as the vampires he hunts . During the show-stopping action scenes , his black cape billows dramatically in the wind as he swoops down on any unfortunate demon , witch or vampire that stand between him and his quarry . With D as his focal point , Yoshisaki stages bloody and brilliantly choreographed action scenes , none better the the battles involving demonic body guards hired to protect Mire as he speeds toward his castle . In an innovative twist , the demons are able to travel at swift speeds through shadows and foliage , the camera chasing them up and down trees , buildings and bridges . Yoshisaki almosts drops the ball during the climax inside the castle when ancient spirits employ all manner of elaborate illusions to confound D and his rivals hunters and the whole sequence just about becomes too convoluted for its own good . But even then , the bold and thrillingly detailed animation are more than enough to enthrall and Bloodlust proves itself a visually rich and visceral treat .
006 4 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 .
013 4 With a compelling storyline , gorgeous artwork and animation , and the best musical score I've ever heard for an anime ; Vamprie Hunter D : Bloodlust is a must have for any true anime fan . Highly recomended !
032 4 I've always been a big fan of anime , and its somehow the allure of vampire'y themes that make such titles interesting . Many fail to live up to the hype , such as the original Vampire Hunter D in my opinion , but this one is just awesome . There's something about D's taciturn nature , and how Meier Link is evil , or is he ? Nothing profound in plot , but the action is fast-moving , and if you think hard enough , the usual philosophical themes in almost any anime is there . Excellent anime for the general public , if you don't mind the gore .
042 4 Of course the first Vampire Hunter D was made in the 80 ' s , but it was still great animation , anime always is . But , this one is much better , and the story is actually better too . A vampire love story . I'm not giving anymore away .
047 4 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 ?
051 4 The animation is beautiful in this film , so good in fact that I'd recommend Bloodlust for that reason alone . After more than fifteen years since the original , Bloodlust was definately welcome . The one bad thing about it is the lack of action , and the little action that there is is abbreviated in some way . With exception of two scenes , there are no action sequences that go longer than three minutes . The film , though , isn't long and the story is good enough to carry it from action to action . Great for those of you who liked Hellsing or the original Vampire Hunter D .
066 4 I was half expecting a completely dark , victorian-type vampire fest when I rented this movie . The hero would be quiet and deadly , and the vampires would appear out of the darkness , with ensuing fight scenes and blood everywhere . But this movie was particularly surprising to me for it's variety of comic book type characters and its well done voice acting . There are certain dialogues and plot settings that give away the fact that Vampire Hunter D was a novel before it was a movie . But the creativeness of the characters and plot make the movie worthy of some praise . The characters were well animated and the plot did not end up an all out gore fest . And the sheer creativity that went into the characters and the world around them keep the movie interesting . I enjoy the fact that there is a mix of ancient gothic buildings and swords right along side rocket powered ships and automatic weapons . One minute the characters are passing through dark mountains , to ancient castles , then to what seems like a wild west saloon with sheriff included ! But the movie somehow makes each transition glide smoothly to create a diverse world for the characters to travel through . This was a pleasant surprise and change from the typical anime , and is a must see for moviegoers of all types .
076 4 From the acclaimed director of Ninja Scroll and Wicked City , comes an amazing blend of mind-blowing animation , top-notch supernatural action , and gripping storyline that keeps you immersed in the life of a vampire hunter . Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust combines the futuristic idea of high technology with the past ideas of gouls and goblins . Truly , a must have for anyone who loves anime .
085 4 This a must-see for any anime otaku fans out there . I loved the original Vampire Hunter D so I may be a little bit biased . I went to see this in the only theater showing around here and that was a 35 mile drive . It was well worth the time and money and I ended up seeing it again . The story was pretty simple , although there are more character interactions in this movie than in the original . The only thing that was a little annoying , although didn't hinder the film , was the hand . The attitude of the hand changed and it wasn't really the same . Other than that , D looked awesome as well as other characters . I hope this film may be nominated for best animated feature film because it definitely deserves it !
088 4 I'm sick and tired of everyone complaining that the anime was not in Japanese . It was NEVER meant to be in Japanese b / c there is only one version . Even the original is in English . The plot is excellent as it stays true to the original and the animation is second to none . Most will tell you that the original was better ; however , I disagree . The voices are pretty good , although not the best and the audio is very good . I recommend this to everyone of my anime customers . The action is excellent and I can't think of another anime movie that is more deserving to spend on than this one . In times when action anime movies are rare , Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust is a true gem to buy .
091 4 I bought this DVD without any prior knowlege of Vampire Hunter D . I never even saw the original Vampire Hunter D , but this movie is spectacular . The visual is just stunning . The movie would looked so much better if you could of watched it on the big screen . This movie contain nice action scenes , beautifully fluid animation , and a great story . Watching this movie , it seemed more like an American animation rather than Anime . It wasn't violent like Ninja Scroll , but it was just as good . Although this movie was drawned by a Japanese guy , the movie is an American production . So this movie contain no Japanese dialogue or English subtitle . It just in plain English dialogue , but the voice acting was well done . The Extras contain the usual things in most DVD , but more of it . I just wish it had some Japanese music . The music from the Japanese version trailer sounds great . Overall , VHD is a very entertaining movie . The end made me wanting more . I wish there was more information about D's background .
096 4 Hunter-D is an extremely cool hero in his role as vampire hunter . This is animation at its finest . The plot is so creative . Very enjoyable and thoughtful film . At times , I forget I am viewing an animation picture due to the intriguing nature of the dialogue and artistic beauty of the images . If you have not seen this film , you are missing out on arguably the best aninamation film ever created .
105 4 Vampire Hunter D : BloodLust is one of the best anime movies that I have ever seen . It has a great story , lots of action , and beautiful animation . If you loved the first Vampire Hunter D , then BloodLust is the anime for you .
110 4 Though brilliant and original in it's art , the first Vampire Hunter D was over , and I was still waiting for it to begin , rather . But in this movie there was some character development lacking in the first . It was not bloody at all , to my mind , and I go to exteme lengths to avoid stepping on an ant . The only fault was perhaps that the romantic vampire lover subplot was kind of sappy and over-used , but Vampire D was even more cool and enigmatic than before . The whole vampire thing has been flogged to death by popular culture , but if it's done well it's still good . They obviously spent more time thinking about it this time . I can't wait for VH3 ! You gotta love the possessed talking hand . . . Also , the dvd lacked any extras like subtitles , for the hard of hearing , or alternate languages , but now I'm just whining . ; ) P.S . The sword-lazer gun mix makes it a good gift for lovers of history or science fiction . . .
114 4 This movie is a good example of the best of anime , complete with some of the flaws common to anime . The animation reflects a facet of the peak of cell-drawn animation . It may not be the most fluid animation , but - - for anime - - it is relatively dynamic . The art of the background scenes the character designs and even the character animation is quite beautiful . The soundtrack is excellent and could easily stand toe-to-toe with the soundtrack of any lavishly produced Hollywood blockbuster . Of course , there are a few minor problems with the plot , some of the storyline developments seem a bit unlikely , and some of the dialogue is unintentionally hilarious . These problems are not quite as obvious in this movie as in many other anime movies , however . I found this movie extremely enjoyable . I would suggest watching the original Vampire Hunter D as well . It's not as good as Bloodlust , but is still a rather enjoyable movie and a good example of earlier anime .
133 4 When I was younger I saw the first Vampire Hunter D on TV . I loved it , action , a great plot and awesome art . When I heard of Bloodlust , I just bought it off the shelf and watched it . I must say that I think that this movie is even better than the first one . The art is better and so is the atmosphere . In my opinion , Bloodlust has definitely surpasses the original . I was impressed . I definitely recommend the DVD , the extras are cool . Many other reviewers were disappointed that Bloodlust was dubbed . Actually , Bloodlust was only done in english as the making of feature explains . It was jointly created by Japanese and US studios . The Japanese responsible for the art and story , while the US studio was responsible for the music and dialog . Bloodlust is only done in english ! I whole heartedly recommend this to older anime fans . It's a great movie .
137 4 It is not often that a sequel is something that truly justifies being related to the original work . Bloodlust takes the mythology created in D and adds to it without spoiling any of the mystery . We still wonder as to D's true motivations . Is he really a hero ? Or has his seemingly obvious hatred for vampires and their kin driven him to destroy those with whom his natural inclinations surely lay . D rarely uses the true power that is contained within him . It seems as if he haates even being able to tap into the vast power that is his birthright as Dracula's son . The characters and the world created in the D universe are truly amazing . While set in the same universe , Bloodlust is suffienciently differentiated from the original by a faster pacing and a more revealing storyline . As the characters journey through D's world the viewers learn much more about the complex world which has evolved in that dark future . The production values of the movie capture the original spirit of Vampire Hunter D and can only give rise to a greater appreciation of the moral struggle that must be taking place with D . How can a being like that not go through most of the day without feeling that he has no place in the world that he is helping to create . All in all I can highly recommend Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust . I have tried to avoid plot details in this review so as not to spoil the viewing experience for anyone who has not seen this treasure yet .
138 4 Some people seem to think that this is a remake of the original Vampire Hunter D . It is not , this movie has a new story with the same burdened hero . The animation is very different and much more like the newer styles than the original VHD . The story does seem to hold its own and there are still some great fight scenes . I think I might still like the original a little better , but I was not at all disappointed by this movie . If you liked the first one and the animation style of newer movies like Spriggan , then you will enjoy this movie . keep the faith , dEx
025 4 I saw this movie a while back in a theater and I thought it was great . Despite what some people think it is not the same story as the first Vampire Hunter D . . . nor is it an actual sequel . It is simply a new story with D . The story is really good , the animation is superb and though the original language recorded is English I would have still liked it if they put the the Japanese track on the dvd that was also recorded . Not to say that the voice acting was bad , but I guess I'm just more used to watching D speak Japanese . The voices are actually pretty good and it's some of the best english voice acting I've heard in a while . It is violent , but not as bloody as the first so you don't have to worry about gore to much if you're squeemish . Well worth the price in my opinion and if you're an anime fan then you have no doubt seen the original and if you liked that you will love this . If you've never see the original then this is still a great movie to own .
028 4 I don't give it 5 stars . . i give it freaking 10 . I absolutely love this movie and it shocked the hell out of me . I though it was going to be a regular vampire killing vampires movie and you know , nothing much but blood and fights which seemed fine by me . But then I watched the movie and of course it has blood and fights ( oh so good ! ) but there is also the complexity of D and the other characters . . they're all so interesting in their own way , that just made me care about the plot within the movie much more . THE ENDING ROCKS ! ! ! I abso freaking lutely loved the ending . . . just watch it and you'll know what I mean . . dammit i wanted to hug himm lol
053 4 vampire hunter d-bloodlust is a wonderful movie.it's got violence , true love , adventure , and an awesome mysterious main character.this movie will totally rock your world.it's different than most anime ; there's no cutsie characters , and it's definitely not a comedy ( that's for sure ! ) . i would actually have given this movie 4 1 / 2 stars but it wouldn't let me ! the only reason i wouldn't have given it five stars is because i wish that we could've gotten to know the main character a bit better ( not that it's not great having him be a handsome mystery ! ) . it was also a bit harsh on my sensitive sensibilities toward the end.so if you're as sensitive as i am BEWARE !
i would definitely give this animation a ten.it's different but wonderfully dark .
i do hope you get this ! i know you'll enjoy it !
075 4 I'm pretty sure you've already read the editorial reviews , therefore , you know the plot . I'm also pretty sure that you've heard of the pyramids . But until you see it , you'll never know . If you've never seen an anime film before or are already used to them , get this movie . You won't be disappointed . Blade is a nice vampire , but D is a million times better . This movie , along with countless anime movies , is a classic . If you're video store doesn't have it's own anime section . . . . demand one immediately . An absolutely , unbelievably good film / movie .
094 4 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 .
129 4 i loved this amine , though i was sort of mad when i figured out that there is another one that comes before it . the way its animated , the story , the characters they are all nicely done . all i can say is that this is one of the best anime that you could add to your collection if you like anime enough to own them .
039 4 Vampire Hunter D Bloodlist has got to be one of my favorite anime movies of all the time . The animation is beautiful , the soundtrack is awesome , the voice acting is terrific , the characters and story are original and most important of all . . . This anime sets the bar for vampire animations . Bloodlust blows the first movie out of the water with ease . D gets more fleshed out in this movie . The real shame here is that there are so many novels for Vampire Hunter D ( this movie is based off of the 3rd novel ) and so few movies for them .
024 4 This futuristic apocalypse with gothic undercurrents is even better than the original ( that's saying something ) . The charcters are complex , the plot intriguing and the visuals stunning . Highly recommended for any anime collection .
063 4 Anyone who says the original was better has to watch it over and then tell me the better of the two . The new movie has a better story , better art , better character designs , and leaves you with a feeling of satisfaction . No reason for me to write any more .
111 4 Way better than the first . The quality of animation is incredible as is the action . The characters are very cool as well . This movie has gotten me and a few of my friends interested in watching anime but none seem to compare with this movie .
058 4 It's managed to have everything crammed together , and it works well ! There's a bunch of armed-to-the-teeth high tech vampire hunters , a mysterious wandering warrior , a doomed love story , lots of gore and plenty of vampire killing action , altogether in one package , pretty entertaining and much superior than the original , of course . I'd recommend you go rent it but it's not worth buying , imho .
037 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
This is a must have for anime collectors .
The animation looks great even for an older film .
This full length film is meant for the mid-teen to older crowd , for animated violence and gore .
038 4 This is a must have for anime collectors .
The animation looks great even for an older film .
This full length film is meant for the mid-teen to older crowd , for animated violence and gore .
048 4 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 !
069 4 This has everything the first movie had plus more . This is the same great characterization but with awesome animation . This has awesome music and a totally kickass opening . Probably the best opener to any Anime movie I've ever seen ! BUY THIS BUY THIS BUY THIS ! !
092 4 I've been watching anime for years . Mostly movies , and not so much the TV shows . I have to tell you , I haven't seen anime like this since Ninja Scroll . I rate much of my anime into catagories , and as far as action AND writing , this movie ranks up there ( if it's not the BEST I've seen ) . I'll have to watch it a few more times before I make my final decision . A buddy of mine ( who is also a big anime watcher ) held off on his smoke break till the movie was over .
I really do feel that you may like this movie even better then Ninja Scroll , unless you liked Ninja Scroll just because it involved samurai ( spelling ? ) . BELIEVE me , not knocking Ninja Scroll , but it's nice to watch something come close to one of my favorite animes of all time . Honestly , there was only one line in this movie that I didn't like , and it was near the end . . . and it also appears in the Top 10 Scenes list ( only god knows why ) . The dubbing is awesome , although I'll have to give the subtitles a try ( it DOES have subtitles . . . I think ) .
Just do yourself a favor and see it . I really didn't think they make quality anime anymore .
116 4 i really thought this is one hell of a movie i only bought it because i read a few reviews on here and thought i'll chance it but it's awesome im gonna collect more anime : - ) they are well great films : - )
120 4 A few words just to say that this movie is absolutely great .
The images you'll see will blow your mind . . . and the inital sequence ( when Maier Link steals the girl ) will take your breath away . . . NO DOUBT ! ! .
If you are a Vampire fan . . . BUY IT NOW .
If you are not , make yourself a favour and check it out .
124 4 Yes it is Awesome , in the traditional sense of the word . The animation is very well done , but the thing that really caught me off guard was the enthralling story . It wasn't your run of the mill hack and slash . In short , at the end of the movie I shed a tear . I definetly recommend this for fans of anime . . . but most importantly , anyone who loves great movie making .
068 4 Wow ! This anime was a pleasure to watch from the get-go . It is dark and gothic and beautifully animated . It deals with the vampire theme but in a different kind of way . . . . It is like a tragic romantic operetta . Very stylish and the voice acting was good . Good audio direction and nice art direction as well . Worthwhile to see with a loved one at your side . : )
132 4 Worth getting just because D is so freaking awesome . Throw in a great story , great characters , and great voice acting , you have a must buy . I give it 6 / 5 stars .
Bloodlust is the sequel to the 1985 cult-classic anime . With more modern techniques in animation , VHD : B is a movie everyone has to see and experience with their own eyes . The monsters are sinister and the fight scenes are action-packed . The DVD has great special features including trailers and a behind the scenes feature . It's a great buy . . . . so why not buy it ?
082 4 My mind is blown ! I just watched Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust and it is just amazing . Forget it being better than the original , forget it being the best anime I've ever seen , this sucker is one of the best movies I've ever seen . Buy it now ! Absolutely amazing .
118 4 This movie will have you wanting more Vampire Hunter D videos , unfortunately there is only one more . If you love action , adventure , and a little bit of drama , this movie is truly for you . I definitely won't recommend any person under 10 to watch this , but it is a movie everyone should see .
Bloodlust once again takes us to the adventures of a lone hunter named D . Once again , this lone warrior rides for the cause of the righteous , wielding his sword along with his parasitic hand to hunt and destroy those who prey on the weak . Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri , this sequel showcases better graphics , more fluid animation and occurs in a more advanced timeline . This sequel may not have a more intricate storyline than the original , but no one can deny that Vampire Hunter D is insanely cool and entertaining . ( the only complaint I have about this dvd by Urban vision is the lack of the original Japanese language track )
In a post apocalyptic future , vampires rule the night but their number is slowly dwindling . D ( voiced by Andrew Philpot ) is a Dunpeal , a half human-half vampire who hunts vampires and protects the weak . When D is hired to rescue a young woman , Charlotte ( Wendee Lee ) from the clutches of a vampire named Meier Link ( voiced by John Rafter Lee ) - - his instructions are very straight-forward , find her at any cost . However , D is faced with some competition with the Markus brothers , a family of vampire hunters who has been hired for the same purpose . D must intercept Meier before he can reach the castle of Carmila ( Julia Fletcher ) . He must go through the forces of the Barbaroy in a race against time . D is alone and has not allegiance , save for the parasite who lives in his hand ( voiced by Mike McShane ) ; for he is despised by the very vampires he has sworn to hunt and hated by humans for his bloodline .
Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust ` s main strength will have to be its gorgeous graphics and the enthralling world director Kawajiri had created . This post apocalyptic world is very enchanting in a very ominous and creepy manner . The architecture is an odd blend of creepy gothic style and almost high-tech designs . The costumes are given the same treatment , the band of hunters led by Borgoff ( Matt Mckenzie ) uses almost advanced weaponry with their tanks , knives and crossbows ; but also has an ancient touch with a VERY big hammer that doubles as a wooden stake . The characters and villains are also very intriguing . Grove ( Jack Fletcher ) is one hunter who looks very sickly but can utilize his life-force to kill his opponents . Meier's band is also as intriguing as the rest , there's a lycan who has two faces , a woman who can change and control her limbs and one who can move around the shadows . Meier looks like a reject from one of those European vampire flicks - - handsome , seductive and scary . Charlotte gives his character some balance , looking the way she does .
Certain elements also give us a hint of this world's way of life . The Barbaroy is a band of misfits and ghouls who also have their way of living - - acting as a sort of mercenaries . There's a cemetery with vampire undead who look more like zombies than seductive blood suckers . The small town with a small human population has the rules of an olden western town , a sheriff is the main enforcer and there's a blacksmith who can still do this trade for a living . The set designs and characters all have that very ancient gothic feel that blends mysticism and technology .
The animation is quite impressive although I did notice a very minimal use of CGI , much of it are traditional cell animation . The action sequences are full of cool posturing , gore and a lot of blood - - limbs are hacked off , heads are sliced in half and there is even a touch of magic in the fights as D confronted Carmila . The music and sound effects are also superb that gives the film a lot of atmosphere and style . The action is reminiscent of the original , and gives us a sense of nostalgia .
The film's story is rather simple and quite frankly , offers very little in the way of twists and turns . The romance between Meier and Charlotte may offer some surprises midway in the film , but this was somewhat overshadowed with the presence of the Markus band . Aside from Leila , ( voiced by Pamela Segall ) none of them proved essential elements to its story and felt more like minor plot devices to make the movie longer by inducing more action and thrills . It does succeed , but I rather hoped for a more fleshed out D , and his alienation and isolation more delved into . The fact that he is an individual rejected by both sides , but he chooses to protect humans needed to be further developed . His interactions with his parasite ( funny that this parasite is abundant with knowledge and only helps him because if D dies , he dies too ) , allowed for some minor emotion and subtle humor . The film's final scene may be a little too short , and should have shown more emotion than the fact that D is immortal .
Despite some faults , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is a significant addition in the long list of anime legends . The film is a great movie with all the action with graphics such a leap forward from its predecessor , the problem is that the film has many perfunctory elements in the slow moments . The original film is superior is many ways but at least this sequel proved a great addition to the franchise . I wish there were more character development with D's left hand and its powers . Still , this anime film is highly recommended - - it is solid and entertaining enough to ignore its faults . For a half-human , half-vampire Dunpeal , this film isn't bad at all .
Highly Recommended ! [ 4 Stars ]
001 4 Vampire Hunter D ( from the Kikuchi Manga ) is one of anime s 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 it s a true pleasure to watch on anyone s 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 businessman s 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 D s 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 wasn t any Japanese track on this DVD . Guess what folks ? The movie was originally recorded , and lip-synced , IN ENGLISH . That s right , ENGLISH . So do your homework , fanboys ! Really !
Even if you aren t an anime fan , at least give Bloodlust a try ; with such a great video and sound transfer , and a great movie to boot , it s hard not to rave about it .
003 4 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 .
005 4 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
007 4 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 .
009 4 The isolation and loneliness of being the result of a union between a vampire king and a human woman - - a being called a Dunpeal , someone who can never belong to either side . Strong , powerful and able to resist sunlight for a period of time . The sequel to the 1985 anime hit , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust once again takes us to the adventures of a lone hunter named D . Once again , this lone warrior rides for the cause of the righteous , wielding his sword along with his parasitic hand to hunt and destroy those who prey on the weak . Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri , this sequel showcases better graphics , more fluid animation and occurs in a more advanced timeline . This sequel may not have a more intricate storyline than the original , but no one can deny that Vampire Hunter D is insanely cool and entertaining . ( the only complaint I have about this dvd by Urban vision is the lack of the original Japanese language track )
In a post apocalyptic future , vampires rule the night but their number is slowly dwindling . D ( voiced by Andrew Philpot ) is a Dunpeal , a half human-half vampire who hunts vampires and protects the weak . When D is hired to rescue a young woman , Charlotte ( Wendee Lee ) from the clutches of a vampire named Meier Link ( voiced by John Rafter Lee ) - - his instructions are very straight-forward , find her at any cost . However , D is faced with some competition with the Markus brothers , a family of vampire hunters who has been hired for the same purpose . D must intercept Meier before he can reach the castle of Carmila ( Julia Fletcher ) . He must go through the forces of the Barbaroy in a race against time . D is alone and has not allegiance , save for the parasite who lives in his hand ( voiced by Mike McShane ) ; for he is despised by the very vampires he has sworn to hunt and hated by humans for his bloodline .
Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust ` s main strength will have to be its gorgeous graphics and the enthralling world director Kawajiri had created . This post apocalyptic world is very enchanting in a very ominous and creepy manner . The architecture is an odd blend of creepy gothic style and almost high-tech designs . The costumes are given the same treatment , the band of hunters led by Borgoff ( Matt Mckenzie ) uses almost advanced weaponry with their tanks , knives and crossbows ; but also has an ancient touch with a VERY big hammer that doubles as a wooden stake . The characters and villains are also very intriguing . Grove ( Jack Fletcher ) is one hunter who looks very sickly but can utilize his life-force to kill his opponents . Meier's band is also as intriguing as the rest , there's a lycan who has two faces , a woman who can change and control her limbs and one who can move around the shadows . Meier looks like a reject from one of those European vampire flicks - - handsome , seductive and scary . Charlotte gives his character some balance , looking the way she does .
Certain elements also give us a hint of this world's way of life . The Barbaroy is a band of misfits and ghouls who also have their way of living - - acting as a sort of mercenaries . There's a cemetery with vampire undead who look more like zombies than seductive blood suckers . The small town with a small human population has the rules of an olden western town , a sheriff is the main enforcer and there's a blacksmith who can still do this trade for a living . The set designs and characters all have that very ancient gothic feel that blends mysticism and technology .
The animation is quite impressive although I did notice a very minimal use of CGI , much of it are traditional cell animation . The action sequences are full of cool posturing , gore and a lot of blood - - limbs are hacked off , heads are sliced in half and there is even a touch of magic in the fights as D confronted Carmila . The music and sound effects are also superb that gives the film a lot of atmosphere and style . The action is reminiscent of the original , and gives us a sense of nostalgia .
The film's story is rather simple and quite frankly , offers very little in the way of twists and turns . The romance between Meier and Charlotte may offer some surprises midway in the film , but this was somewhat overshadowed with the presence of the Markus band . Aside from Leila , ( voiced by Pamela Segall ) none of them proved essential elements to its story and felt more like minor plot devices to make the movie longer by inducing more action and thrills . It does succeed , but I rather hoped for a more fleshed out D , and his alienation and isolation more delved into . The fact that he is an individual rejected by both sides , but he chooses to protect humans needed to be further developed . His interactions with his parasite ( funny that this parasite is abundant with knowledge and only helps him because if D dies , he dies too ) , allowed for some minor emotion and subtle humor . The film's final scene may be a little too short , and should have shown more emotion than the fact that D is immortal .
Despite some faults , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is a significant addition in the long list of anime legends . The film is a great movie with all the action with graphics such a leap forward from its predecessor , the problem is that the film has many perfunctory elements in the slow moments . The original film is superior is many ways but at least this sequel proved a great addition to the franchise . I wish there were more character development with D's left hand and its powers . Still , this anime film is highly recommended - - it is solid and entertaining enough to ignore its faults . For a half-human , half-vampire Dunpeal , this film isn't bad at all .
Highly Recommended ! [ 4 Stars ]
010 4 Wow . This is what great anime is all about . Great story , memorable characters , exciting scenes , beautiful animation , and mind-blow imagination . Finally , I am starting to see anime with visuals that beat Akira on a regular basis . I couldn't believe they could maintain such a high level of detail consistantly throughout the movie , but they did . Characters , effects , clothing , locations - every shot is a feast for the eyes .
This movie captures that wonderful sequel feeling , in which everything is increased , the bad guys are stronger , the action faster , and the heroes make grand entrances . The story here is much different from the first film : set in some undetermined holocaustic future , the half-human , half-vampire D is now hunting a vampire on the run , who is traveling in a cool gothic stagecoach with a team of strange demons protecting it during daylight hours . A competing team of vampire hunters is also in pursuit , a strange group of human freaks who travel inside a huge tank and share some touching family tenderness . The chase leads them into all kinds of trouble , different towns and cities with allegences that vary greatly , and enemies show up when you never expect them .
The characters in this film are some of my favorite in ANY movie . They are the great strength of this film , and in fact the plot is really just a series of character studies strung together via the rather weak chase tie-in . Each person is visually and personally distinct , and they add enough to the picture that it wouldn't be as good without even the minor characters . The best sub-plot is the romance between the vampire and his captured hostage , and we never really know if she wants to leave her captor or not , or whether D will leave the lovers in peace .
Voice acting is outstanding . I was disappointed that a literal english translation subtitles , ala Princess Monanoke , were not included , but this is a minor complaint . The extras on this dvd are rather sparce , just a making-of documentary of OK quality . However , this is the norm for most anime DVDs , so I'm not complaining .
012 4 If you love anime , and even if you don't , this movie has to be the best anime I've EVER seen . I love anime , to put it simply . The characters are so amazing and have definite personalities . D's hand is the best while adding a bit of comedy to the overall greatness of the movie making it even better . There are amazing scenes between Charlotte and Meier . And it is a wonderful romance even though that's not one of the main subjects ^ _ - ! The ending could not be any better . There's no way that really anyone could not like this movie in my opinion anyway . Overall this movie is the best anime you'll ever see .
- Mokuren ^ _ -
015 4 A much better movie than its predecessor , Vampire Hunter D .
The backgrounds are beautifully done and the character animation is more fluid . The storyline flows better as well .
016 4 Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust is visually more stunning than the original Vampire Hunter D . The story too is far more impressive than the original . Both seem to be unrelated outside of the fact that the star of both shows is D , the parasite in his hand and his horse ( to some extent ) . There have been many other excellent reviews about the show itself and thus this review will focus on some of the quirks of the DVD .
The first and major quirk is with the sound of the actually movie . There are times that the dialogue / conversation is way lower than the background sounds . Which means that at times you may find yourself raising the volume to hear the characters speak and then rushing to lower it again as the background sounds kick in , especially concerning explosions and screams . As pointed out in another review this may have been done for effect or to set the mood . It does however take a little away from the overall experience of the movie .
Which leads into the second quirk . Unlike other anime DVDs there are no language options . This DVD has only English audio , no Japanese audio and no subtitles . The sound quirk may not have been such an issue if subtitles were available to compensate for the volume .
Other than these two quirks the DVD has the standard fare of extras such as trailers and a behind-the-scenes featurette .
By all means do not let these quirks prevent you from getting this DVD . This anime is an excellent addition to any collection or a great introduction to the world of anime .
018 4 The original cult classic , Vampire Hunter D ( 1985 ) , is up there with the likes of Ninja Scroll , Akira and Ghost in a Shell . Bloodlust ( 2000 ) is the new look 21st century Manga and is the main presentation for their next generation look .
The cult reputation of the original story , which featured sexual elements as well as horrific violence , has been sacrificed and toned down to produce a picture for a larger audience . Vampire Hunter D is still action packed , and heads do get parted , but it is not as visceral as the 80s bag of guts .
Essentially this is Manga's platform for its new style . Bloodlust looks almost as good as a completely CGI generated movie ( such as the new Appleseed remake ) . While computers have been used to enhance the artwork , producing 3D special effects , it still essentially feels like Manga .
The story revolves around the alledged kidnapping of a woman by a vampire . D is hired to bring her back and meets up with a team of vampire hunters along the way . There is a thrilling bridge sequence followed by the castle of illusions assault on all your senses ending .
As long as you go into this knowing that its more mainstream than the cult classic then you will not be disappointed . It is one of the best looking Manga around and the artwork is near faultless .
020 4 I vaguely remember seeing Vampire Hunter D many years ago , and , probably , if left to my own devices , I would not have watched Bloodlust . The first Vampire hunter D came out so long ago that I had completely forgotten about it . Friends of mine raved about it , so I decided to give it a try . The plot kept me interested and the characters were intriguing ( that is not to say I like all the characters , but I think they fit their roles in the movie . ) The animation and character design is nothing short of superb . In fact , the animation quality almost makes buying the dvd worth it , despite the fact that the sound quality is enough to drive a sane man crazy . The voice acting was quite good , and chances are anime and cartoon fans will recognize several voices from well known series ' ( Cowboy bebop , Tenchi , Samurai Jack , even the Final Fantasy X game )
A few warnings about this film :
This is a very dark movie . Younger children probably wouldn't be able to handle this film . If you are a parent , I recommend watching it yourself first , then deciding if you think your child is mature enough to handle it .
People new to anime might not want to start with this film . Some elements of this movie are not explained . It would probably be easier if you watched the original Vampire Hunter D first , so that you are familiar with certain quirks .
From what I understand , this movie was animated in Japan , but all sound was developed in the U.S . I do not mean that the movie was dubbed , I mean that the movie is targeted at English-speaking audiences , and hence would not have a Japanese-speaking track . If that is the only reason you buy DVDs , then you are just as well off with the VHS .
021 4 A sequel that's actually better than the original , how many times does that happen ?
Well , this is one of those times . VHD : Bloodlust not only has all the components that made the original VHD good , the storyline is much more mature . The original was mainly about good ( humans . . . and D of course ) vs . evil ( vampires and other unsavory creepies of the night ) , even though there was some nice stuff about stratification of the social order , etc , buried neatly away for those - - like myself - - who have a lot of time to think too much about movies . VHD : Bloodlust also has all that , but it also has a lot of moral ambiguity within the storyline . Throughout the movie , you are constantly wondering where the real evil is , until you near the end and find out the real baddie of the movie . Meier Link and Charlotte as the star-crossed lovers defying moral convention in order to stay together are really a great comment on the idea that some good can be found in everyone , and the part where they finally escape the insidious clutches of the Earth's strictly black-and-white / good-and-evil dichotomy on their trip to the stars still touches me every time I see it . This movie also gives some good insights into D , who has to be one of the most interestingly-designed heroes in anime .
The animation is absolutely beautiful : so detailed and intricate , fluidly meshed with CGI that you can hardly tell the difference . The musical score is so memorable that I might need to hunt down a cd for it ; it is just so nice to listen to . This is one of the few movies that I actually WANT to sit through the whole behind the scenes : making of stuff .
All-in-all , I seriously recommend this movie for anyone who loves vampire tales , even if you've never seen an anime before or have tried to avoid the entire genre altogether . This movie is a gorgeous display of what animation can truly be like , and anyone can enjoy it , even those with a horror for dubbing . But then , the 70 - odd 4 and 5 star reviews ahead of mine ought to be enough to prove that this movie is a must-see !
022 4 Wow ! I'd have to say this is just about the best anime I have seen ( comparing with the greats - - Akira , Ninja Scroll , Ghost in the Shell , etc . ) . Although this is anime , it has a much more fluid look than the jerky too-cheap-to-draw-a-few-more-frames look of its competitors . The colors are vibrant ( when appropriate ) , the artwork is mesmerizing ( you can even see craters on the moon ) , and the story , the directing , is captivating . It's rated R because of the gory fight scenes ( parts is parts ) . There is thankfully no human nudity or bad language , so apart from the bodies getting sliced and diced there's nothing objectionable .
The DVD picture quality is superb , especially when viewed on a big screen . However , what really brings this movie alive is the 5.1 sound mix , which really pulls you into the action . We're talking Hollywood-blockbuster-quality sound , not the usual stereo mix with cheesy sound effects .
If you like horror and / or anime , this is for you . It reminded me at times of some of the old Hammer horror films , and at other times of some of the old Heavy Metal magazines . A visual and aural feast !
Well , don't just sit there , go ahead and order the thing ! And make sure your couch has seat belts !
023 4 I am a great fan of the genre and I owe it in part to the original Vampire Hunter D . I have to say ( the producer has a gun to my head as we speak ) that this not only leaves D cold ( what a stretch , it sets the bench mark higher for the next generation of writers . An enthralling story , masterful aninmation , exquisite voice acting , what a world . It is the perfection of fusion , Horror and Sci_fi not only living together but sharing the rent and grocery bills happily . Even opting to rent a good movie when its their turn .
Talk about the subtleties , talk about the duplicities , talk about whatever theme makes you feel intellectual about a good movie that you understand on some primal level-this will leave you speechless . it is wonderful ! ! ! !
026 4 Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust is a definite anime classic ! It boasts outstanding animation , exciting action scenes as well as a solid plot of a dramatic story and very interesting characters .
D , a famous Dunpeal or Dhampir a half-human , half-vampire bounty hunter , is hired to rescue a woman named Charlotte abducted by the vampire Meier Link . Also after the same bounty are the Markus Brothers , Borgoff , Kyle , Nolt & Grove as well as Leila , a young woman with a deep hatred for vampires . Along the way , they encounter the mysterious and menacing Barbarois and ends in a final showdown at Carmilla's castle
The dvd also includes the featurette of the making of the movie , theatrical Trailers , TV spots , Urban Vision trailers and Fans ' Favorite Picks .
This dvd should be in every anime fan's collection !
029 4 The rate system only goes up to five , but it deserves so many more stars .
The story is simply breath taking , the detail and quality of the animation is superv . The sound and voice acting is also of A + quality , the dark and misterious D is without a doubt one , if not THE most incredible anime character ever created .
From the opening scene to the action packed ending you will not want to miss a moment of it . The whole story about the vampire race is so depresing and well told , its simply amazing .
Complemented excellently by the sad love story . Dont wait another minute and deny yourself the pleasure of watching this excelent piece of anime .
033 4 I'm only a casual fan of anime . Almost every anime movie I've seen shares the same annoying cliches : minimal character development , long sequences of self-righteous expository dialogue , the old freeze-frame-over-a-moving-background image during the fight scenes , etcetera . This movie has those same flaws , but it also has a great deal to recommend it .
The story itself involves D , a stoic half-vampire who hunts other vampires ( stop me if you've heard this before ) in a post-apocalypse future . Except that this guy has a talking parasite in his hand that acts as his partner / foil , and in the future depicted here , vampires are a dying breed . During the opening scene , a human woman is abducted by the great vampire Meier , and her family hires D to find her .
This is where the movie gets unique . D's pretty much a cold fish , but the supposed bad-guy Meier is actually in love with the human woman , and his love is reciprocated . The only villanous quality I can see in the guy is that he's a vampire . He leads D and a group of rival hunters on a long and picaresque chase through a bleak future , which is half gothic ruin and half dead urban sprawl . D's travels are just as often depicted around decaying radio telescopes and highway overpasses as they are in cathedrals and forests . More of D's past ( which isn't a whole lot ) is revealed along the way , and his interactions with Leila , one of the rival hunters , help flesh out her character well .
Leila may be the closest thing this movie has to a moral center . After all , Meier's love for his human consort is believable , and it's hard to peg him as a villian , while D comes across as blindly obsessive . This really isn't a good-and-evil thing , and the moral ambiguity adds a great deal to the story . Leila has the usual reasons for being a vampire hunter , but it's her moral struggle toward the end that gives her character real depth . Luckily , she and D don't fall into a romance ( which would have been predictable but all wrong ) , but they do develop a sort of friendship , which makes the ending sequence more poignant . Yes , this is an anime movie with a coherent ending .
There are fight scenes-lots of ' em , and they're pretty bloody , but they're well-choreographed , and the animation is great . The backgrounds are unique , and for the most part , the character drawings are masterfully done . The DVD does a great job of keeping everything clear and well-contrasted-not an easy thing in a movie with this much brown in its pallette .
All in all , it's not the most original movie I've seen , nor is it the most original anime , but this is a good , solid film that rewards repeated viewings .
036 4 VAMPIRE HUNTER D
BLOODLUST
The Vampire Hunter D films have always been some of my favorite animes ever ; there is no doubt about it I am a huge fan of these stories . I have bought all of the books and such and while I have not read them yet rest assured I will and will most likely review those as well . But that aside I have loved this series since well before it was a series [ the films I mean , I know the books are a series ] . The first one just blew me away the first time I had the pleasure of viewing it so you know the second this was released I went straight out and bought it . Like I thought I enjoyed this one just as much as the first film , I don't know what it is but I just love this series .
D is back and this time he is hired to go after a vampire by the name of Meier Link , who has kidnapped the daughter of a wealthy man who has hired all the help he can get to get her back . So D id off and running [ or riding , what ever ] to catch up with them and get her back to her family . Little does he know that another group of hunters are already on Link's trail and do not appreciate D , it makes sense since he is the competition . This group is a bunch of guys and one girl called the Marcus brothers , a interesting bunch but none have any thing on D . even if that wasn't bad enough Link has a group of nasties of his own like Benge who can travel threw shadows , Caroline who is just as evil , and Machira the werewolf [ real interesting guy here ] . And if that wasn't enough there is also a place were Link will be protected by the world's rejects the Barbarois . Add the bloody Countess Carmila and you have a big test for D .
This is fun follow up to the classic first film and in my eyes is just as good , I love both no matter what any one else thinks . Like I said about the first animation has played a big factor for a lot of people but to me the better production values fit the romance story of this one , because that is really what this film is . The first film was about the evil of this world while this one is about the beauty that could be , a vampire and human in love . I like that the first film is mainly about D were as this one seems more like an ensemble piece . I mean sure it can get a little over done but hey I look at it like the more characters there are the bigger the body count , that just may be me though .
I also like that while brief there is a little e history to D in this one , when the old man remembers being rescued by D as a child . Perhaps that will be in a later film And if so that sounds like it could be a good tale , it might be one of the books that I have , I really need to read them . As for D you all know that he is insanely cool and mysterious and not one for talking that much . Meier Link is a cool enough looking vampire but he is one of those old school looking vampires , he can get vicious over his girl though . His girl Charlotte Elbourne is totally in love with his vampiric self and even wants him to bite her , crazy . They plan to fly away to the stars to a place were their love won't be forbidden .
The brothers Marcus are an intriguing bunch with one being the tough guy leader , one the hot shot , another wielding a huge weapon and one that while deathly ill can take an interesting course of action [ check it out ] . Then of course there is the female Leila who kinda plays [ but not really , does that make sense ] as the love interest to D even after various run ins with him , love the ending . Then we have the villains of the film like the Barbarois who are a bunch of crazy looking fellows who have vowed to help Link . And then of course there is Link's personal guard like Benge , Caroline , and of course our werewolf friend Machira . Still when it all comes down to it none of these characters are the bad guys , at least in a way because each is doing what they are doing for a noble cause [ at least in their eyes ] . It is the Bloody Countess Carmila who is the real evil of this film , see for yourself .
I recommend this film to any and all in fact you don't even have to watch the first one [ even though you should ] to enjoy this one . They both make for good stand alones but I recommend you buy both . This is an excellent anime and worth every penny .
040 4 It has a few flaws , but Vampire Hunter D is so fantastic it's style beats the flaws .
The flaws are thus ;
1 . The sound goes from too quiet to too loud too often . This is intentional , but not good .
2 . They talk about money in Japanese terms . Imagine if Americans talked about money if a penny was the standard unit of currency ? The high amounts they talk bespeak ; Well it's post nuke so they all can loot open banks , but why bother ?
3 . They use the term Dunpeal for D , which is a mistranslation of Vampyrr and / or Dhampire . Not everyone bones up on vampire lore , but the latter two terms are intuitive to an English speaker who's seen even one vampire movie .
4 . Just a minor note , but the Sheriff Leila Flirts with has far more importance in the book , relating to both her treatment by her brothers and the ending .
Now , this movie differs from the book a lot , but I think they did an overall great job with this adaptation . Benge , the Clouphobia inducing shadowmancer , is far more deadly and scary in the movie . He also uses a technique not used in the book , but in it's prequel Raiser of Gales .
The Marcus Brothers are portrayed as being slightly more than brutal thugs , flattering from what they behaved like in the book . Then again , if they'd animated their mistreatment of Leila , well it would have probably launched a talk of a crackdown like the infamous movie theater showing of Urotsukidoji . . .
Of course what really steals the show is the love of Meir Link with the woman he's kidnapped and D's hateful pursuit of them , being motivated far more than by money . I'd have added Carmilla in the movie in my complaints , except it sets the scene for a much more gothic / romantic ending . Also , vastly improved are the Barbaroi and Grove's powers . ( one of the Marcus brothers )
On fictions that have Monster is a monster hunters I go Come ON , why ? but D is such a fiction that pulls off an innovation , now wretchedly cliche genre . I'd encourage both the films and to read the novels .
041 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Of course the first Vampire Hunter D was made in the 80 ' s , but it was still great animation , anime always is . But , this one is much better , and the story is actually better too . A vampire love story . I'm not giving anymore away .
043 4 Fifteen years after the first movie , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust shows that the craft of anime has made technical improvements . This film looks good , but still doesn't reach such heights visually as greats such as Akira or Spirited Away .
The world of Vampire Hunter D is unique and Bloodlust takes you there , from vast deserts and the Wild West , to verdant forests , to massive gothic structures . Bloodlust also serves up its share of freaky creatures , and D is , as ever , cooler than cool . All in all , Bloodlust should satisfy fans of the old movie , and win over some new ones .
Sure this movie was primarily intended to be an English-language film , but since it was a joint production with Japanese staff , and D is , essentially , a product of Japanese creators , I would have liked Japanese language options . And while there may be a good reason for it having been left off , I was also hoping the credits would feature the theme song by Do As Infinity that fans in Japan would be familiar with .
Still , those are minor complaints of the it-would've-been-nice-if sort . It's a good film and the DVD brings it to you . The rest is peripheral .
044 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust - is what an anime horror , action , adventure , vampire story should be . A twisted future , with swords and guns , ruins and rockets , vampires and things that go bump in the night . The setting is an Earth in the far future . The very far future , an Earth that is just starting to recover from the past , where vampires are starting to die out . The focus of the story is a vampire who has fallen in love with a human . Now they wish to escape from everything that hounds them - the changing Earth , the girl's family , hunters . Great artwork , good character design , good flow to the story - everything you could want in a movie . Even a cool twist at the end . The English caste voices are supplied by such greats as Wendee Lee , Debi Derryberry , Dwight Schultz , Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Michael McShane . There seems to be no Japanese sound track . In fact , it seems there may never have been one .
The disc has a few extras , such as a Behind-The-Scenes featurette , trailers and storyboard to feature comparison . But the treasure of the disc is the anime , so get it new or used . Great for anime lovers or vampire lovers .
045 4 Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust - is what an anime horror , action , adventure , vampire story should be . A twisted future , with swords and guns , ruins and rockets , vampires and things that go bump in the night . The setting is an Earth in the far future . The very far future , an Earth that is just starting to recover from the past , where vampires are starting to die out . The focus of the story is a vampire who has fallen in love with a human . Now they wish to escape from everything that hounds them - the changing Earth , the girl's family , hunters . Great artwork , good character design , good flow to the story - everything you could want in a movie . Even a cool twist at the end . The English caste voices are supplied by such greats as Wendee Lee , Debi Derryberry , Dwight Schultz , Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Michael McShane . There seems to be no Japanese sound track . In fact , it seems there may never have been one .
The disc has a few extras , such as a Behind-The-Scenes featurette , trailers and storyboard to feature comparison . But the treasure of the disc is the anime , so get it new or used . Great for anime lovers or vampire lovers .
049 4 My title says it all . If you liked the first movie , ( heck , even if you hated the first movie ) or have no idea what or who Vampire Hunter D is . . . you should buy this ! To watch the first movie is nothing compared to this masterpiece of a anime film .
I recommend this to anyone and everyone . You can't get any better than this people . Really . Also , read the book Vampire Hunter D : Demon Deathchase . It's what the movie is based off of .
Ok , time for plot breakdown : Charlotte , a rich man's daughter has been * abducted * ( So we think ) by a mighty vampire named Meyer . D is hired by the man to retrive his daughter ( dead or alive . ) while the man also hired a group of renegade hunters to search for her too . D and the group meet from time to time and there is a spark of softness between Leila and D ( I won't tell when )
Anyhow , I dont wanna spoil a SUPURB anime for ya by telling the WHOLE plot but I will say the ending is so sweet . * sigh * Unless I didn't already say this , BUY IT ! I promise you won't regret it . ( And if you DO its oviously because you never watched it , silly ! )
055 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Following in the footsteps of such invincible characters as Vash The Stampede ( Trigun ) and Alucard ( Hellsing ) , comes D , a dunpeal ( half vampire ) bounty hunter . This is the second installment chronicling the adventures of D ( the first being the original Vampire Hunter D ) . D is a killer of few words and even fewer friends , though he is not without a sense of honor and goodness . Initially , the plot is relatively mundane ; Charlotte , your typical damsel in distress , is abducted by a powerful aristocratic vampire named Meyer . D is commissioned by Charlotte's family to bring back Charlotte , either dead or alive . At this point , this anime distinguishes itself from the pack when this seemingly predictable plot churns out a few signficant surprises that keeps the story running at a smooth , enthralling clip . As to what makes the movie so smooth and engrossing can be directly attributed to Vampire hunter D : Bloodlust's superb animation . I cannot reiterate enough how beautifully Bloodlust plays out on DVD . Bloodlust's rich deep colors and sharp angles are reminiscient of Batman : The Animated Series . This being a full-feature movie , each cell of animation is meticulously drawn out . Such attention to detail brings to life the story's dark , supernatural setting in addition to highlighting the realistically drawn style of the characters ( no cartoony , big heads here ) . Overall , the story won't lull you into a preliminary coma , while the great action and animation are sure to impress . Be sure to watch the ending , as it is my favorite part in the entire movie . It serves to reinforce the existence of D as something timeless and more than merely mortal . People come and go , kingdoms rise and fall , but D will always be there , brooding and silent as usual .
061 4 Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust , is the sequel to the original Vampire Hunter D . The difference this time around is that it is about a human ( Charolette ) , who runs away with her Vampire lover ( Meier Link ) , yet is pursued by the infamous D .
The story takes places many years from now when the vampires have shadowed our world , and people cower in fear of them . The Animè begins well with Meier whisking away Charolette leading the watcher to believe that she has been kidnapped .
Throughout the Animè you will be suprised and amazed at the powers and abilities of all the characters whom you meet . My favourite being Grove , whom can manifest his spirit form and control it to create alot of devestation !
The soundtrack is beautiful too , completely orchestrated and dark , fitting the theme of the movie nicely .
So if ever you are looking for a suspensefull Animè movie that will amaze and suprise you , don't hesitate to get out and buy Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust . Released by Madman . The free trailers for other DVDs is simply amazing ! ^ _ ^
062 4 let my start by saying that this is one of movies that everyone has to see , the movie was compared to ninja scroll more than once and with some justification . Again a fighter with unusual skills has to face evil in all of its forms .
the story line is interesting and well made , there isn't a singel moment along the film in which one may feel bored and thats what makes this movie so good !
the movie has some problems that cannot be ignored , the most disturbing one is that you don't really get to know the hero , how he thinks and all the interesting things relating to such unique character , he is always in distance .
if you have any doubts about buying this movie , i say it as clear as i can : it is worth the money .
if you won't expect too much , you won't be disappointed .
i hope this was useful .
067 4 I've been watching anime ever since I was a teenager and since a lot of is filled with a lot of explicit smut and tends to run on a thin , confusing plot , I must say I am so relieved to finally find a vampire anime that is this good ! It's action packed , heavily violent at times , but it's completely safe to watch in front of your parents and won't make you feel like a pervert afterward . Anyway . . . onto the review . . .
The story begins with D ( The Hunter ) heading out to meet the remaining members of the Elbourne family ( sister Charlotte has been abducted by a notoriously wicked vampire who later attacks the search party sent to rescue her ) . Saddened by their loss , the family pays D $20 million to bring her back alive - - or see to it that her death is without suffering if she is changed into one of the Creatures of the Night . The reward money pits D against the Markus brothers , a vampire hunting clan who brandishes snide remarks along with the stunning weapons they carry . My personal favorite Markus is Borgoff - - he's buff , hip , and has the neatest set of wrist crossbows I've ever laid eyes on ( anime or not ! ) The creators of this film really worked hard to create a cast of characters that was similiar yet different from the original ! The journeys of D and the Markus Brothers eventually lead them to the city of the Barbarois - - a place filled with freaks , demons , and other monstrosities . The Vampire Meier Link has chosen to hide both himself and his young mistress here .
The fight sequences are excellent and D's parasite even has a bite to his personality ( thanks to the voice talents of Mike McShane ) . I highly recommend this to fans of the original Vampire Hunter D , although I believe it's better than the first .
072 4 A more complex and interesting plot , combined with a larger and more interesting cast , puts Bloodlust a level above the original Vampire Hunter D movie .
Bloodlust is in English , but it isn't , as some reviewers seem to think , dubbed . The first Vampire Hunter D movie was much more popular in the USA then it was in Japan , and the sequal was written in English so that Americans ( now the target audience ) could understand it ( it was later released in Japan with Japanese subtitles . I don't know whether it was ever dubbed ) .
No matter what anyone else says , the animation and DVD quality were both fine .
074 4 First off , I love this movie , I saw it in theater when it came out . The charectors are rich , the animation is perfect , and the whole movie is so gothic it will amaze you .
The dvd however , will put anger in your heart . The volume is so messed up that you have to reach over and adjust it every scene or so . The problem is the ambient is WAY to loud , and the talking is quiet . I know it seems trite , but the volume just messed up the dvd . go get the vhs-preferably subtitled .
077 4 As one of the first anime films I have seen , the original Vampire Hunter D is a classic . I knew that this was a perfect candidate for a sequel , and when that day came I was amidst some of the firsts to go and view this sequel . Now , I know that the general rules of sequels is that they cannot be better than the first , well that was one of the best things about Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust it broke all the rules .
The story does not borrow from the first film or has anything to do with it except for the character and setting being the same . In the extremely distant future , vampires and other creatures of the night prowl the world terrorizing the humans that would see them dead . In this world there is D , an extremely capable vampire hunter who is a dunpeal , half-human and half-vampire . He is asked to bring back a human girl who has been kidnapped by the vampire Meier Link back to her family , but he isn't alone . Competing against him are the Markus Brothers , a family of bounty hunters out for the same money .
The story is executed in a fashionable way to attract even the hard-pressed of viewers . Basically , the best way to describe it is a techno gothic western . The characters are well fleshed out , even D , who remains stoic throughout the whole film , is filled with the angst , hatred , and heroic fortitude that can be felt by watching him
Now , as you all have heard by now , the animation is completely breath taking . There is no moment in the film where you can't appreciate the finely tuned skills of Madhouse ( Ninja Scroll , Trigun , and recently Metropolis ) . The sound and voice acting is just as good . Kawajiri-san ( director of Wicked City , Ninja Scroll , and X : The TV Series ) wrote the film's script in English because let's face it , the film is more Western than Eastern . However , the American voice actors do a good job as their respected characters . Finally , the music , what's there to be said ? It's such a beautiful ambiance that only helps to amplify the whole experience of this film .
Now , the only flaw I find in this film is how some people find the idea of a vampire hunter passe by now , thanks to Buffy and Blade . However , Buffy applies mostly to teenagers who enjoy style . And Blade is much too techno to be considered in the same field as D , despite them both having the dunpeal aspect . D is a much more honest attempt at the vampire hunter because of how it executes it's ideas . Unlike Blade's and Buffy's modern look , D harkens back to times of old mixing in with new ideas . Thus , making the film more original than most vampire movies in it's little Akira Kurisowa / John Ford style ways .
VHD : Bloodlust is less of a movie and more of an experience for otakus and non-otakus alike . I suggest this movie to everyone . If you like vampires , anime , westerns , sci-fi , or not , this is worth seeing . In a time when computers are trying to rule everything in film , it's nice to see one film that stands out above the rest . You'll be happy to sink your teeth into this one .
- RW
078 4 Its interesting to me that although the movie's title character is D the movie doesn't spend as much time with him as it does with the Markis Bros and Leelu ( not sure I spelled that right ) . But what time we do get with D and Left hand , his parasitic side kick , is quality time indeed . Unlike the last movie ( made sometime in the 80s ) we actually get some true insight into the character , and a little of his origins are finally revealed as well . We also get emotionally attached to the character and grow to understand why he is so distant , he doesn't age , and he knows that because of what he is he will always be alone . Lonliness seemed to be a theme that ran deep in this story . This is simply the best anime that I have seen in a long time . The lip synch is perhaps the most accurate , but this was done with the American audience in mind , and the level of detail the characters featured was simply amazing . This movie's artistry has yet to be outdone , and noone has ever done such detailed anime before that I am aware of . Additionally the animation in and of itself lacked the traditional japanese low framerate and jerky animation , the animation was smooth and fluid .
Sadly the extra features section of this disk biffed it badly . The making of featurett is boring , and the sound during this feature takes a nose dive in several places . The side by side storyboard-final film comparisions are always nice , but for me making of featurettes are what can make or break the DVD extras , and the making of featurette was horrid . Once again , like the first , this one is worth buying for the film alone , as it is truely a beautiful movie that stays very true to the lost Dhampir ( Dunpeal ) mythology . If Blade were only half this good . . .
079 4 I just have to say that this is absolutely one of the best anime-movies I have ever seen ! The storyline is brilliant , and the graphics is really outstanding . If you are a fan of anime , I strongly advise you to add this masterpiece of film to your collection .
D has been hired to track down Meier Link , a powerful vampire who has abducted a human woman . D's orders are strict - find Charlotte , at any cost . But he gets some competition . The Markus brothers are also hired for the same bounty . D must intercept Meier and conquer hostile forces in a deadly race against time .
080 4 This DVD is one of the best I've seen in a while . The animation was great and very realistic.The storyline was very intricate and had a lot of twists and turns . I didn't expect it to end the way it did but there is no doubt that there is action in this and it starts right at the beginning .
The only thing I didn't like was the sound . It varied a lot , like the sound effects were so loud that it killed the dialoge every now and then but the animation totally made up for that . The sound wasn't too bad for the most part though , and even then , Vampire Hunter D is amazing . This is a must buy .
089 4 Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is a follow-up to the mid - 80 ' s Vampire Hunter D . In Bloodlust we see , D , the half-human half-vampire doing what he does best - - hunting vampires of course !
I will stop a moment to recommend that you watch Bloodlust on a mid-range quality DVD player or better . The artwork , while breathtaking tends to be too dark on older DVD players and everyday DVD players to really appreciate . Pick up an entry-level Onkyo or Denon or something of similar quality at the very least and no , Pioneer doesn't count .
Okay , back to the review .
Bloodlust is another Vampire Hunter D that manages to accomplish the Sci-Fi Horror Genre with ease . I personally felt the story is better this time , and the direction is also better . Though , it is bloody , and violent , it does the setting well and fits with the story . The plot , is pretty much exactly as summed up in Solomon's review , so I won't bore you with it here . However there are a couple of points where Solomon's general dis-interest in anime shows . The Confusing Illusions he speaks of aren't at all confusing and yield some nice plot twists at the end . In addition Solomon misses the point the artwork and the style of this particular anime when he says The very limited drawn animation clashes visually with the more fluid computer-generated imagery - - D's cape billows dramatically , but his expression rarely changes . D is stoic as they come . His expression isn't supposed to change . That's part of the charm . I highly recommend this anime , which is without a doubt a much better adaptation ( as Solomon wrongly puts it - - it is a continuation ) of the originial Vampire Hunter D .
093 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust [ VHS ] ( VHS Tape )
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 .
095 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Hunter-D is an extremely cool hero in his role as vampire hunter . This is animation at its finest . The plot is so creative . Very enjoyable and thoughtful film . At times , I forget I am viewing an animation picture due to the intriguing nature of the dialogue and artistic beauty of the images . If you have not seen this film , you are missing out on arguably the best aninamation film ever created .
097 4 I picked this up because I'm a horror fan - and was very pleased . It's actually a sequel , but can stand alone .
Our hero , D , is a half-human son of the Big Bat himself who hunts dad's kind accompanied by a possessed , sentient left hand ( yes , you read that right ! ) . His latest mission - rescue Charlotte Elbourne , the daughter of a billionaire , from the vampire Meier Link .
For extra insurance , Elbourne has also hired a tight-knit family of vampire hunters named the Markus brothers - Borgoff , the head of the family ; Kyle , the clan jokemeister ; Nolt , the brawn of the operation and Grove , a frail but strong-willed young invalid who can launch a ridiculously powerful attack from the astral plane - but only briefly and in the most dire straits , as the resulting effects on his health are horrible ( flatlining semi-regularly is NOT a good thing . . . )
Also working with the Markus ' is the story's heroine - Leila , a tough-acting young huntress with a soft side that she generally only shows openly to Grove ( whether he's her best friend or actually in love with her is subject to your speculation ) . It's Leila who meets D and finds that he's actually quite a good sort . The twist comes when D discovers that Charlotte doesn't actually want to be rescued . . .
From there , matters become more desperate as all parties converge on the castle of Carmilla the Bloody Countess - the most notorious vampiress who ever existed . Chaos and the climax ensue .
The artwork is a gorgeous feast - the only complaint might be that some of D's horseback scenes are slightly stilted ( less than a minute combined ) . The resolution of the Meier-Charlotte subplot is a bit over the top , but other than that the story's fantastic . Finally , the characters are fascinating . Everything isn't black and white - Meier sometimes seems such a decent sort that you wish everyone would just leave him alone , and ALL the brothers enjoy what they do a bit too much . In the end , you care about what happens to everyone . It's D who's always the moral compass , always intent upon doing the right thing and even taking time to have a frank discussion with Charlotte to make sure she understands what she's really getting into or try to urge Leila , in his taciturn way , not to live by choice the hard life that he himself is trapped in .
As D hasn't had a family reunion with daddy dearest , one would imagine there has to be at least one more entry in the series . I'll be there .
098 4 I have to start by saying Bloodlust was NOT as good as the orriginal . On it's own it's a great movie , as a sequal it's just ok . The story is good enough , the art is awsome , but there's a few points that bring the movie down :
One , the character Leila is EXTREEMLY anoying and gets way too much screen time which brings the whole movie down . She is essentially the reason I give bloodlust 4 rather than 5 stars .
Two , the Markus bro's die out way to early in the movie and only get one realy good fight ( the opening scene )
Three , the fight scene between D and the werewolf is a copout , it looks like the producers decided they didn't have enough time and cut the scene . What a scew .
The atmosphere throughout the movie is great , but after seeing it I felt cheated of the usual action scenes that accompany similar animes .
102 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
This one is no where near as good as the first one , but it's not bad ! However , stylistically , it's TOTAL eye-candy . The movie is beyond beautiful .
106 4 With some fantastically elegant animation and great adaptation of the original Novel , Vampire Hunter D : Demon Deathchase ( which is a must-read for those who love the movie ) , this tells the tale of a Noble and the young girl who loves him and their attempt to flee the world they're living in , and the great dhampir hunter D , who is hired to follow . Meier Link is the name of the elegant Noble to takes the beautiful Charlotte to flee in this almost Romeo and Juliet style film .
However ! For those who get drawn into movies really well , this one is a tearjerker , and I highly reccomend a box of tissues ! For die-hard Vampire Hunter D fans and for newcomers alike , this movie is sure to please one and all !
107 4 Theres been a lot of anime films i wanted to watch , and unfortunatly they never seem to keep my interest , even ones that are suppost to be real good , and i watch it , and its just boring .
Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust , kept me attentive . From the great animation , and decent performances from the voice actors , i was impressed by how it all unfolded . Though i have yet to see the the first film ( the orginal strangly enough bored me and i couldnt watch it for long , but after seeing this i'll watch the first one )
This was made by the man that brought us Ninja Scroll , and i cant think of anyone more appropriate to helm such a story as this . His style and direction suits a vampire tale so well i think . From the gothic atmosphere to the bloody and violent moments , Yoshiaki Kawajiri does a fine job .
The main character , D , isnt annoying , thank God , he has a stoic way about him and some personality . The only thing about him that is at all irritating is probubly the parasitic friend he has on the palm of his hand , who helps him out and situations and cracks cheesy one liners , but thats easily over looked , becouse he isnt all that dumb .
The enemies in the film are interesting , they all have their own special powers ( reminiscent of Ninja Scrolls eight devils ) but they are not as impressive or likable ) . And the competition D has with finding a kidnapped girl , a band of mercenaries , they are hunters that kill vampires and collect money , being payed to find a girl that Baron Meier Link swept away in the night . Those guys are alright , and the leader of the group , Bargoff , is a pretty decent voice actor .
Out of all the villians though , the Baron is puts on the best performance in voice acting and how his character was done . Though i wish i saw more of the Camilla character , who appears now and then , behind the scenes of things .
This film is kinda straight forward , theres not much intrigue , not much twists , but theres enough adventure and action and fine animation . The animation is some of the best ive seen in modern anime films . I just love the style . Lots of rich elaborate detail and exquisite art , especially when we entering the castle where the girl is held captive . From stairways , to melting candles . . . . and bats lol .
The remember the music was pretty good . Like your in a haunted grave yard , or haunted castle . If your at fimilar with the castelvania games , sometimes it reminds you of that type of music . Its inspired and sets a very urgent and creepy mood to the film .
One little thing to point out here , is that the girl that was kidnapped , Charlotte , is voiced by Wendee Lee , who had also voiced the ninja girl in Ninja Scroll , so it was nice to hear her in this , she has a strong experienced voice and does a good job .
All in all the movie was good , i found little fault in it , and it kept me involved in the story all the way though . It might even end up becoming a regular movie ill watch for the Halloween season , joining Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow , Anne Rices Interview With The Vampire , among others , as a halloween tradition .
So ya , i enjoyed this movie , it felt like Castlevania , it was pretty cool . Id like to see more quality work from Yoshiaki Kawajiri .
Definatly worth watching on Halloween !
108 4 I had never encountered Vampire Hunter D before watching this movie and I found myself enthralled by the sophisticated animation . The plot kept reminding me of the spaghetti westerns that my father used to love .
Somewhere in a future dystrophic world , a rich rancher's daughter was kidnapped by a vampire . An iconic figure in black is summoned to either rescue her , or if she has been turned , kill her . But there is also a second party of people competing for the reward , a group of siblings who are traveling in an armored vehicle .
Between bursts of extreme violence and action shots that remind me of high quality video game moves , the viewer learns a little bit about the stranger D , who either ages very slowly or not at all , and has to struggle against a craving for blood . The chatty parasite attached to his hand actually provides comic relief and some of the back ground information .
This is highly recommended as both animation and plot .
109 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Though brilliant and original in it's art , the first Vampire Hunter D was over , and I was still waiting for it to begin , rather . But in this movie there was some character development lacking in the first . It was not bloody at all , to my mind , and I go to exteme lengths to avoid stepping on an ant . The only fault was perhaps that the romantic vampire lover subplot was kind of sappy and over-used , but Vampire D was even more cool and enigmatic than before . The whole vampire thing has been flogged to death by popular culture , but if it's done well it's still good . They obviously spent more time thinking about it this time . I can't wait for VH3 ! You gotta love the possessed talking hand . . . Also , the dvd lacked any extras like subtitles , for the hard of hearing , or alternate languages , but now I'm just whining . ; ) P.S . The sword-lazer gun mix makes it a good gift for lovers of history or science fiction . . .
112 4 With his postapocalyptic world and medieval cowboy look , Vampire Hunter D is undeniably one of the coolest vampire-slaying antiheroes out there .
And the cool fact gets ramped up in Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust , which is loosely based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's third novel about this half-vampire hunter . This one is a dark amalgam of loneliness , tragic romance , spectacularly gory action scenes , and some glorious post - Ghost in the Shell animation . Not to mention a wonderfully horrible villain .
The vampire Meier Link has abducted a wealthy young girl named Charlotte , and her desperate family hires D to bring her back - - or kill her if she has been turned into a vampire .
But D has competition , as the rough'n'ready Marcus Brothers ( and hard-bitten sister Leila ) have also been hired to catch Link . But when D catches up to Link , he finds that apparently the vampire and the girl are in love - - and Link has his own trio of lethal mutant bodyguards , who do their best to decimate the Marcus Brothers ' numbers . And he unwittingly earns the anger of Leila , who is annoyed that a hated dhampir saved her backside .
But even knowing the facts - - and threatened by the Mutant Barbarois - - D won't give up . He and Leila follow the lovers to Castle Chaythe , an enormous fortress ruled by an ancient vampire named Carmilla . But in this castle of shadows , blood and nightmares , D's true power begins to shine when Carmilla attempts to destroy him . . . but what of those around him ?
The two Vampire Hunter D movies were made fifteen years apart , so don't expect Bloodlust to resemble the first movie . This one is sort of Ghost in the Shell with a bizarre sci-fi vampire / gothic twist , and a somewhat bleaker storyline - - although nowhere near as dark as the original book .
In fact , it cranks the gothic grandeur up to the max - - dark crosses , enormous gilded palaces , dark pillared halls , sweeping capes , blood-soaked dreams and somnolent music . Even the scenes in a futuristic Western town ( complete with yokel sheriff ) , airborne mantas and a startlingly green forest with a ruined palace can't stifle the darker dimensions of this story .
The plot of Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust unfolds rather slowly , with different motives being unveiled as the story goes on . But along the way , Yoshiaki Kawajiri peppers the story with kinetic , blood-soaked fight scenes ( with iron capes , killer vines , astral projection and a giant wolf-face on a guy's stomach ) , building up slowly to the gruesome battle with Carmilla . Her final duel with D is stomach-turning , much like her red barbell hair .
But it's not all action and zombie attacks - - Kawajiri sprinkles in some dark humor ( My NOSE ! ) and some poignant scenes for the tragic lovers , like Meier's daytime attempt to rescue Charlotte .
D himself gets fleshed out nicely in here , despite being a dhampir of few words - - we get to see his loneliness , discrimination , his mommy issues , and his fondness for small children . And despite all his powerful fight scenes , we get to see his more vulnerable moments as well . Even if he does look a bit silly buried up to his neck as he carries on a conversation .
Since he rarely talks , most of the conversation comes from Left Hand , who provides sporadic comic relief ( You're not really bad . You just dress bad ) and insights into D's mind . And Leila is a pretty brilliant female lead - - tough , rough , hard-bitten , but still able to reluctantly befriend D when she realizes that they're not that different .
Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is a dark portrait of postapocalyptic horror , done with beautiful animation and lots of blood'n'crosses . Definitely a must-see .
121 4 D is looking very fine , and still dignified and regal . The colours and animation are brilliant , superb . The characters are all very interesting , three-dimensional .
I especially loved the ending , with the Bloody Countess ( Countess Bathory I presume ? ) . What a beautiful sight her castle is . I loved everything about the film , actually , from beginning to end .
I do not know why others claimed that this anime is too violent and bloody . To be honest , the first Vampire Hunter D was much more bloody and disgusting in certain scenes . The violence in this one was much more implied in various ways , and the only real violence is seen in the beheading and killing of the zombies in the first few minutes of the film , otherwise , it isn't as violent as any other normal Hollywood film !
Dam-peal ) , he has been hired to return a wealthy family's daughter , Charlotte , to them , from the clutches of the vampire Meier Link , but he's also got some competition , the Marcus Brothers . Eventually , D finds out that this same woman is actually in love with Link , and they're trying to escape into space by way of a rocketship owned by Carmilla , a ruthless tyrant vampiress . It's a very good story once you hear all of it , but in general , this is one of my favorite movies , and if you like vampires , werewolves , gouls , or anything pertaining to such previous subjects , this is a movie you'll want to see . This movie does have blood / death and is not necessarily suited for a younger audience .
027 4 Ah , yes , Vampire Hunter D-Bloodlust . This is an excellent movie to watch , and it's one you'll want to watch multiple times just because it's so good looking ! Done in 1993 , this is one of the best-drawn / animated movies I think I'll ever see in my entire life ! The basic plot is that Vampire Hunter D is the son of dracula and a human mother , called in the movie a Damphir ( pronounced : Dam-peal ) , he has been hired to return a wealthy family's daughter , Charlotte , to them , from the clutches of the vampire Meier Link , but he's also got some competition , the Marcus Brothers . Eventually , D finds out that this same woman is actually in love with Link , and they're trying to escape into space by way of a rocketship owned by Carmilla , a ruthless tyrant vampiress . It's a very good story once you hear all of it , but in general , this is one of my favorite movies , and if you like vampires , werewolves , gouls , or anything pertaining to such previous subjects , this is a movie you'll want to see . This movie does have blood / death and is not necessarily suited for a younger audience .
while his D is quite similar in appearance to the magnificent illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano found in the novels , the other characters are not dissimilar to those seen in other Kawajiri films . In particular , Borgoff Marcus bears more than a passing resemblance to Himuro Gemma of Ninja Scroll . The elaborateness of the characters almost equals that of their surroundings .
Bloodlust is unique among anime in that its original language track was English ( the Japanese-language track was actually recorded third , after a Cantonese-language version ! ) . The quality of the vocal performances are very mixed . Andrew Philpot's D is comparable to Kaneto Shiozawa's voicing of the 1985 film : subdued , with an undercurrent of intensity . It's praiseworthy , though it really doesn't compare to the authoritative baritone that Michael McConnohie used to reinforce D's commanding presence in the first movie . Michael McShane provides the sentient parasite of D's left hand with a nervous swagger that compliments the character's comic relief . Most of the other voice actors are certainly competent . In fact , John Rafter Lee voices Meier Link with an imperial menace that's subtly impressive . But much of the dialogue sounds rushed and clumsy , which may have more to do with the difficulties common to English translations than the failings of the performers . It's often difficult to translate , paraphrase and speak an English phrase properly in the same amount of time as a Japanese equivalent , something that longtime viewers of English-dubbed anime or jidaigeki are well aware of . Put simply : for common speech , English is usually the more verbose and Japanese the more efficient of the two languages .
While Bloodlust is surely as attractive and exciting as could be expected , it isn't as fun as I expected it to be . The moral ambiguity of the film is refreshing . There is only one protagonist and one antagonist , and the integrity of the other characters is not easily delineated . The film's conclusion is aptly sober , and surely not to all tastes . Technically , this feature is as fine a technical accomplishment as any that Kawajiri's produced and as downcast as many of his other movies . While I came away from this satisfied , it's ultimately one of the more depressing fantasies that I've seen in a while .
As DVDs come , this one is just fine . The picture is rendered with excellent clarity , thankfully presented in 1.85 : 1 . I'm not a videophile , so I can't reliably comment on the peculiar merits of this disc's imaging , but it looks great to me . However , the sound mix is definitely lacking . Dialogue is sometimes almost inaudible in contrast to the louder score and ( excellent ) sound effects , something that often frustrates me about Dolby 5.1 mixes . The menus and introduction are as attractive as the film requires .
The included featurette is better than most in that it's watchable ; its most interesting portions consist of commentary on the film's story and production by Kawajiri and Minowa . Another feature compares rough storyboards to their corresponding finished scenes , which is of mild interest . The least of the extra materials is a Top Ten compilation of favorite scenes resulting from an online vote ; if you didn't participate in this exercise years ago , I can't imagine that this would interest you .
Several trailers and TV spots for the film are also included . The Korean theatrical trailer is the best edited and most effective of the lot ; oddly , it features English-language narration accompanied by Hangul subtitles in lieu of Korean-language narration ! Trailers for numerous other Urban Vision releases are included for perusal ; those who have seen the trailers for
Golgo 13
and Wicked City before on Streamline Pictures VHS releases will note that Urban Vision acquired the rights to both the features and the defunct company's advertisement materials !
004 4 I've seen a lot of reviews that complain that Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust does not have literal English translations , so I thought I'd let everyone know : The original language version of Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is English . For its theatrical run in Japan , the widespread release was in English with Japanese subtitles . In Korea , the film was shown in English with Korean subtitles .
( Straight from the official website , folks . )
008 4 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 .
014 4 Based on
the third novel of Hideyuki Kikuchi's popular series
, this film evokes the milieu of its source material with greater accuracy than
Toyoo Ashida's 1985 adaptation
of the first novel . Herein , the titular character is commissioned by an affluent family to eliminate a powerful vampire , and to return a young woman who he's kidnapped . D's activities are complicated by a society of monsters hired by his prey for protection and a group of bounty hunters with whom he's competing for the same objective .
I never had an opportunity to see this in the theater upon its initial release . I assumed that the result would be an adaptation of Kikuchi's work colored by the rapid , severe action sequences and brisk pace typical of other Yoshiaki Kawajiri features like
Wicked City
and
Ninja Scroll
. My guess was accurate only in regard to the former element ; while the violence of this movie is as stylized and impressive in its execution as that of Kawajiri's other directorial efforts , this is surely as measured as it was in print , a story that develops slowly and for good reason .
The visuals of this film cannot be faulted . CGI is implemented seamlessly with cel animation to great effect . But the finest accomplishments of this movie's production are an array of magnificent backgrounds that depict vivid pastoral settings of numerous environments and extraordinary , sprawling interiors in which Gothic and Victorian design are rendered with impossibly ornate detail . I've seen a lot of animated features , and this is probably the most beautiful among them . Character designer Yutaka Minowa must be credited for his efforts : while his D is quite similar in appearance to the magnificent illustrations by Yoshitaka Amano found in the novels , the other characters are not dissimilar to those seen in other Kawajiri films . In particular , Borgoff Marcus bears more than a passing resemblance to Himuro Gemma of Ninja Scroll . The elaborateness of the characters almost equals that of their surroundings .
Bloodlust is unique among anime in that its original language track was English ( the Japanese-language track was actually recorded third , after a Cantonese-language version ! ) . The quality of the vocal performances are very mixed . Andrew Philpot's D is comparable to Kaneto Shiozawa's voicing of the 1985 film : subdued , with an undercurrent of intensity . It's praiseworthy , though it really doesn't compare to the authoritative baritone that Michael McConnohie used to reinforce D's commanding presence in the first movie . Michael McShane provides the sentient parasite of D's left hand with a nervous swagger that compliments the character's comic relief . Most of the other voice actors are certainly competent . In fact , John Rafter Lee voices Meier Link with an imperial menace that's subtly impressive . But much of the dialogue sounds rushed and clumsy , which may have more to do with the difficulties common to English translations than the failings of the performers . It's often difficult to translate , paraphrase and speak an English phrase properly in the same amount of time as a Japanese equivalent , something that longtime viewers of English-dubbed anime or jidaigeki are well aware of . Put simply : for common speech , English is usually the more verbose and Japanese the more efficient of the two languages .
While Bloodlust is surely as attractive and exciting as could be expected , it isn't as fun as I expected it to be . The moral ambiguity of the film is refreshing . There is only one protagonist and one antagonist , and the integrity of the other characters is not easily delineated . The film's conclusion is aptly sober , and surely not to all tastes . Technically , this feature is as fine a technical accomplishment as any that Kawajiri's produced and as downcast as many of his other movies . While I came away from this satisfied , it's ultimately one of the more depressing fantasies that I've seen in a while .
As DVDs come , this one is just fine . The picture is rendered with excellent clarity , thankfully presented in 1.85 : 1 . I'm not a videophile , so I can't reliably comment on the peculiar merits of this disc's imaging , but it looks great to me . However , the sound mix is definitely lacking . Dialogue is sometimes almost inaudible in contrast to the louder score and ( excellent ) sound effects , something that often frustrates me about Dolby 5.1 mixes . The menus and introduction are as attractive as the film requires .
The included featurette is better than most in that it's watchable ; its most interesting portions consist of commentary on the film's story and production by Kawajiri and Minowa . Another feature compares rough storyboards to their corresponding finished scenes , which is of mild interest . The least of the extra materials is a Top Ten compilation of favorite scenes resulting from an online vote ; if you didn't participate in this exercise years ago , I can't imagine that this would interest you .
Several trailers and TV spots for the film are also included . The Korean theatrical trailer is the best edited and most effective of the lot ; oddly , it features English-language narration accompanied by Hangul subtitles in lieu of Korean-language narration ! Trailers for numerous other Urban Vision releases are included for perusal ; those who have seen the trailers for
Golgo 13
and Wicked City before on Streamline Pictures VHS releases will note that Urban Vision acquired the rights to both the features and the defunct company's advertisement materials !
017 4 I can say without I doubt that Bloodlust is absolutely the greatest piece of animated cinema I've ever seen . Every single detail is painstakingly thought out , from the boldest contrasts of light and shadow to the tiniest cracks in stone . In my opinion , this movie isn't just another slice of authentic Japanese anime : it is an epic dessert for the senses . Even though Bloodlust is technically the SECOND movie about Vampire Hunter D , it's grand visual scale easily stands on its own . The movie's story is constructed in such a manner that the Dunpeal Hunter is properly introduced to audiences for the very first time . And even though Bloodlust is mainly a part of the horror / action genre , the film's twisting plotline carefully juxtaposes elements of Science Fiction , Romance , and even American Westerns .
Set in the 22nd century , D is paid $20 million to rescue a young woman named Charlotte , who was snatched from her bedroom one night by a powerful vampire aristocrat named Meier Link . Dunpeal is a half-human , half-vampire who chose to resist his hunger for blood , and to dedicate his eternal life to killing all pure vampires ( all the while dodging relentless persecution by the human race ) . Calm , silent and stolid , D is willing to travel to the ends of the earth to fulfill his duty ; his presence is that of a compassionate yet terrifying knight on a black horse . Meanwhile , the Markus Brothers ( a team of heavily armed Bounty Hunters ) are competiting against D for the same exact prize . Among them is Leila , a strong and vengeful woman who dedicates her life to assasinating bloodsuckers ( after her parents were tragically murdered by vampires years ago ) . Later on , it's learned that Meier Link and Charlotte are actually in love with one another , and that the two are unknowing pawns in an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Carmilla , the Bloody Countess .
What really makes Bloodlust stand out is its ability to breathe new life to the now exhausted cliches of all Vampire films . Despite being set in the distant future , numerous characters and elements are drawn from ancient folklore : Dunpeal himself is believed to be the only son of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Mina . The Markus Brothers ' advanced weapons include silver arrows , pinwheel blades that accurately decapitate zombies , and a gigantic wooden stake mounted on the end of a hammer . Even the wickedly vain Carmilla was heavily inspired by Elizabeth Bethory , a real 17th century Countess who butchered 600 young girls and bathed in their blood to preserve her youthful complexion . Best of all , this particular film is designed to make viewers ask themselves some questions : Who are the real monsters ? Are the vampires to blame because of their voracious appetite for people's blood ? Or what about the human race for its willingness to kill what it doesn't understand ?
030 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
I cannot say why . It is , after all , animated . There are few animated full-length films on my best - 100 list . Nevertheless , Vampire Hunter D is on my of-all-movies , top - 10 list .
I am not knowledgeable enough to rate the animation . Maybe the most important thing is it is not evident after the first few viewing minutes ; the movie just becomes an engrossing story . Animation only comes to mind afterwards ; when something is obviously better done through animation than special effects ( somewhat as black and white goes away after a few minutes of Young Frankenstein or Casablanca and comes to mind only when you think back on the film and realize color would not have been an asset ) .
Bloodlust has fabulous characters and a story complex enough and good enough to draw you in completely . It is much better than the first film .
031 4 I cannot say why . It is , after all , animated . There are few animated full-length films on my best - 100 list . Nevertheless , Vampire Hunter D is on my of-all-movies , top - 10 list .
I am not knowledgeable enough to rate the animation . Maybe the most important thing is it is not evident after the first few viewing minutes ; the movie just becomes an engrossing story . Animation only comes to mind afterwards ; when something is obviously better done through animation than special effects ( somewhat as black and white goes away after a few minutes of Young Frankenstein or Casablanca and comes to mind only when you think back on the film and realize color would not have been an asset ) .
Bloodlust has fabulous characters and a story complex enough and good enough to draw you in completely . It is much better than the first film .
035 4 D returns in this action packed follow up to the original . One thing you will immediately notice , is the clean animation . There is a great mix of C.G . and hand drawn cells . The story of D and his life is a sad one . Wandering through time seeing those around him die and fade away , as he remains unchanged and fighting for those that hire him . Just the thought of D lets you know he has an extensive past with many dark adventures .
Leila , a young bounty hunter , is after the same thing D is after - a young girl stolen by a vampire . Little do they know the problems that this girl causes . There is true love blossoming between the girl and the vampire , and that is among the most interesting turns of the plot . She wants to stay with him .
Like I said , the action is awesome . One of my favorite's is when one of Leila's companion's uses an arm bow , slinging hundreds of arrows up into the air , then fall from the sky in a rain . Totally cool . You can see how far animation has come since the original , not that the original looked bad , just a tad dated . Also it was welcoming to have widescreen , which the original is not . Also the action is a little more discernable . You can easily tell who gets killed , and why . In the first it was a bit shakey in that area .
Also , a much changed and more quirky . Funny stuff . Bloodlust is a great follow up to the original . Enjoy !
050 4 Like the title of my review says WOW . I had seen clips of this in a making of the animatrix doc . and thought Hmm interesting . I was blown away . I watch alot of films . . . ALOT . . . but this was new , fresh and exciting . You are propelled through the story , not carried not pulled or pushed , PROPELLED . It chops most of the vampire stories i've seen or read into nothingness . This film was so amazing i immediately went out and got the original . And i was let down beyond imagination . BUT this was animated , acted ( in both languages ) and scripted out of pure fairy-dusted genius . I kid you not . I gave up a large amount of the animated film world because it all seemed the same and all seemed so childish . . . with some notable exceptions . . . but this was amazing . i pity the fact that there are people who won't see it because its an animation , that's how good it is . No matter what you like , what you watch or even if you ever watch animation , WATCH THIS it is money incredibly well spent ! !
052 4 . . . . . . . . . . a more incredible team to bring the latest Vampire Hunter D story to life ?
Our wandering vampire hunting bad * * * has been hired very reluctantly by a local aristocatic family to rescue a woman kidnapped by an ancient vampire named Meier Link . But D has some competition in this particular mission . The Markus Brothers , a team of vampire hunters with advanced technology hope to beat D to the prize . But after a brief encounter with Meier Link , D begins to suspect that the realtionship between Link and his abductee might not be what everyone assumes . Very dramatic with an outstanding orchestrated soundtrack , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is a worthy follow-up to the 80 ' s classic . And believe me , fans of the original were the most difficult to please .
Some people have complained that this DVD doesn't contain the Japanese track . It should be noted that there is no Japanese track . Since the film takes place in Europe , the film was originally dubbed in English using some of the top American talent . Which is why the dubbing is far superior than most other Englich-dubbed anime .
I know I'm a parasite , but I've always been a helpful parasite haven't I , D ? . . . . . . HA
054 4 I'm not a huge anime expert or anything , but I own a fair set of movies and series dvds .
I like Bloodlust . It's a standard-length movie , lasting only a few hours , but it's easy to get into . It's got decent music and nice artwork . The characters are really interesting , but I won't reveal anything since the movie is so short .
Overall , it may or may not be worth your money . This the only English release anime dvd that I own , mostly because it costs a lot less for the Japanese version from places like animetoysonline.com . I like it and consider it worthwhile , because the english cast is pretty good and the dubbing is very well done . It never looks like a godzilla movie .
056 4 Following in the footsteps of such invincible characters as Vash The Stampede ( Trigun ) and Alucard ( Hellsing ) , comes D , a dunpeal ( half vampire ) bounty hunter . This is the second installment chronicling the adventures of D ( the first being the original Vampire Hunter D ) . D is a killer of few words and even fewer friends , though he is not without a sense of honor and goodness . Initially , the plot is relatively mundane ; Charlotte , your typical damsel in distress , is abducted by a powerful aristocratic vampire named Meyer . D is commissioned by Charlotte's family to bring back Charlotte , either dead or alive . At this point , this anime distinguishes itself from the pack when this seemingly predictable plot churns out a few signficant surprises that keeps the story running at a smooth , enthralling clip . As to what makes the movie so smooth and engrossing can be directly attributed to Vampire hunter D : Bloodlust's superb animation . I cannot reiterate enough how beautifully Bloodlust plays out on DVD . Bloodlust's rich deep colors and sharp angles are reminiscient of Batman : The Animated Series . This being a full-feature movie , each cell of animation is meticulously drawn out . Such attention to detail brings to life the story's dark , supernatural setting in addition to highlighting the realistically drawn style of the characters ( no cartoony , big heads here ) . Overall , the story won't lull you into a preliminary coma , while the great action and animation are sure to impress . Be sure to watch the ending , as it is my favorite part in the entire movie . It serves to reinforce the existence of D as something timeless and more than merely mortal . People come and go , kingdoms rise and fall , but D will always be there , brooding and silent as usual .
060 4 I loved this anime , it was spectacular - cheers to those who made it . The story is great and does not follow the regular vampire-cliche that I had expected . The soundtrack , characters and visuals were all incredible also . D is a half human / half vamp vampire hunter with a somewhat ambiguous past who agrees to track down another vampire who kidnapped a girl in exchange for 20million dollars . . . . . phew ! In a slight twist though , the same people who have paid D to track the girl have also hired another small group of hunters for the same task . As the story unfolds , we see how both D and the other group of hunters track down the enemy - but what are this enemies intentions ? There was never a dull moment in this flick and it left me wanting to watch it a second time . I can't say much more besides I'm glad people are still making anime which have a good collection of everything rather then excelling in one area . Buy this movie if you are a fan of action oriented anime movies ( eg ninja , akira , ghost . . etc ) . Thoroughly enjoyable . If I do have any gripes , I would say there needed to be a few more intense fight scenes . I have only watched the english dubbed version ( not sure if there is any other ) . . and another thing that annoyed me somewhat was the voice actor for the female hunter - I wish they had chosen someone else ! If not for her annoying voice , I would give it a 5 .
064 4 I have seen all of the Vampire Hunter D movies and anime as of date and I have to say that I enjoyed this one the most .
It weaves a tale around our Hero D , a Vampire and his human lover , and a group of Vampire hunters .
You learn more about D and his heritage along with some of the past kind acts that he has done .
You also see an interesting glimpse into a Vampires life . . One who does everything in his power to keep his mortal lover just that . . Mortal . .
Then there is the wonderfull combat scenes and the scene with . . ohhh . . I think I need to stop there so I do not give that away . .
In the end though I only gave it a 4 rating because of the whole ending . . I think they should have waited and made another movie or three . . But , then again . . You watch and make your own decision .
071 4 My friend ( who absolutely loves anime ) told me about this movie a couple of months ago . So , I went to a store and bought it . I finally watched it today . It made me a little queasy and gave me a headache at some points but it was a good movie , none the less . There wasn't much violence but there was a lot of gore , mild language ( PG - 13 language ) and very brief nudity , compare to other anime . This was a movie that is suitable for ages 14 + due to the gory violence . I liked this movie , because of the strong characters and great storyline . My favorite character was D's hand . Bloodlust is rated R for violence / gore by the MPAA .
081 4 This film was absolutely awesome .
As always with Yoshiaki Kawajiri ( the director of Wicked City , Ninja Scroll , and all three episodes of Cyber City Oedo ) the art work is simply beautifal and the story has all the harrowing traits of a tragedy as it portrays the eternal vampires that are tired of their never ending existance and the ultimate lonliness of their existance . Action is plenty in this film and the story line is much like that of the PS1 game only with film quality and substance , the visuals also in the film are breath taking and you are instantly taken into the lonely world of Vampire Hunter D .
In brief the story surronds Meir Link an age-old vampire that has fallen in love with a young woman and after he takes her from her father Vampire Hunter D and the Marcus Brothers are hired to rescue her despite her own love for the Vampire . The opening of the film is truely gothic and instantly takes the audience into the dark and morbide world where demons and mutant alike sliver through it like the stretching dimmness of twlight .
This was a brilliant film and I would recommend it to any one that loved Manga . It differs alot to the 1980 ' film but this is mainly due to the difference in animation . Kawajiri's work is dark and forboding as much as it is lonely and beautifal .
Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust deserves Ten-out-of-ten and it is a gfilm that can take much viewing and still deliver a great expieriance .
084 4 Every aspect of this movie bleeds excellence . WELL almsot all aspects . As far as action , art , animation , character design , and voice acting go , Bloodlust is perfection . The story however is a litle light on explanations in some parts , meaning that sumtimes you kinda have to assume you know whats going on . But this only happens wit hsmall things in the story , nothing major is really left to interpretation . Now on to why you should run out and steal or otherwise buy this film immediately .
First off the characters are amazing . THe art designs for each character is truly spot on , they all look awesome rippling with muscle and toting huge . . . weapons . Second the Action . There are so many cool fight scenes in this movie i drool just thinking about them . Sword fights , gun fights , Huge razor wings , werewolfs , melting dood's , dood's on unicycles . HELL , BUY THIS FILM FOR GROVE ALONE . Suffice it to say he is the spirit of one of the Vampire Hunters , but he is so righteous . . . Third . THe story , altho the core story is pretty simplistic all the little side things that happen and the way everything unfolds are remeniscent of an old western movie . Very awesome . Fourth . THe animation in this film is absolutely stunning . Very smooth and clean , no weird anime stuff ( ie huge tear drops , or floating bodies with gaping mouths etc . ) It's unlike anything i've ever seen . WEll , i guess it kinda reminds me of that old AEON FLUX show on mtv , only much smoother . FIFth . the music is heavy mean sounding classical , it fits the movie perfectly . If you arent convinced to at least rent this film by now please pick up your tv and hurl it out some nearby window , for you are unworhty to ever watcha anythign again if this movie doesn't get you hyped . ON to the disc .
Picture quality , very clear , very clean , Anamorphic so you know it rockz . SOUND . The sound effects sometimes are louder than the dialogue and if you have the movie turned up loud it gets ear bursting when groups of bats fly by or swords clash . Nothing too bad , it'll just take a few minutes to get the sound set to the right level for both . EXTRAS A making of featurette that is mildly interesting , nothing really great . Mostly about the American voice acting . Trailers and tv spots , if you've seen the movie this is jsut a slight amusement . Pretty standard fare there . A selection of the 10 best scenes as voted for by fans . Kinda interesting . Thier 10 was my #1 favorite . Storyboard to film comparison . If you like seeing the animation process this ones for you guyz . And thats about it .
An all around amazing movie , very stylish , action packed and amazingly fun to watch . Belongs right up there with Akira , and princess Mononoke . A true work of art .
086 4 Loved the anime , Bloodlust is fantastic . Every single frame of animation is top notch and the voice acting is very good for an english dub . While the movie is great the review should include whether this DVD is good or not as well . The DVD includes an anamorphic transfer for the best picture and a 5.1 surround set with great music and sound effects . Voices are clear and the music is mainly background classical flavors . The extras are minimal which is why I gave this DVD a 4 instead of a 5 .
Breakdown :
Movie = 5
Music = 4
Quality Animation = 5
5.1 Surround = 5
DVD Xtras = 4
087 4 Ok I just have to say this . My and my friend , we watched this movie with the sound off . And you know what ? It was still very enjoyable . This movie is all about the art . The story is merely an excuse to have a dark , very badass anti-hero walk around acting like a badass in a visually interesting and pleasing environment . I didn't know until after I rented this movie that it only comes dubbed in English , and it really threw me off . I HATE dudding . . . which is why I had the sound off . The dubbing on this is about as good as can be expected , although of lesser quality than Princess MOnonoke or Akira . The dialogue is terrible and a bit confusing at times , and the plot . . . well the plot is basic and not terribly important . Rent this movie if you want to look at something pretty and nicely animated .
090 4 I must admit , I didn't expect this movie to be that great . I am a fan of the original , but I know that it isn't the most well done animation piece .
However , within the first five minutes of Bloodlust , I started falling in love . By the end , I knew that I had to go out and buy my own copy . I absolutely adore this movie .
The story is multi-layed and complex . There are no definitive good and bad guys . I was rooting for all the characters , even though I knew that , in the end , things couldn't possibly work out for everyone . . .
Absolutely amazing animation and music complement the enthralling story and supperb voice-acting . There are scenes in this movie that are absolutely gripping - - you'll want to watch them over and over .
If there is one anime movie that is worth buying , Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is surely it .
099 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
It's an awesome movie . If you like anime , or just animation in general you'll enjoy this movie . Its an awesome movie and an instant cult classic .
104 4 This review is from :
Vampire Hunter D - Bloodlust ( DVD )
Vampire Hunter D : BloodLust is one of the best anime movies that I have ever seen . It has a great story , lots of action , and beautiful animation . If you loved the first Vampire Hunter D , then BloodLust is the anime for you .
119 4 I bought this on e-bay just a couple days ago .
I was so excited when I got it , I was shaking !
Then I watched it about 6 times .
Its SO awesome .
The Anime is good for being so old ,
the characters are very cool .
123 4 The original Vampire Hunter became a cult classic back in the early 1980 ' s , thanks to a dark ambiance , a very cool hero , and a strong content of sex and violence . The sequel , Bloodlust , is even better . Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri ( from the excellent Ninja Scroll ) sacrifices the sexual side of the first movie in favor of more violence , therefore losing a little bit of D's struggle to resist his vampire impulses , but that doesn't keep him from showing many weird creatures that will fight him on the way to rescue a girl , who has been kidnapped by a vampire called Meier Link . Now , the story is much more complicated than that , and by following them , D will find out about something that may change the conflict between vampires and humans forever .
The best thing about this movie is , by far , the visuals . If you ever read the original novels , then you'll recognize the style of the illustrations right here on the movie . The characters are stylized , exaggerated , and the scenarios ( specially when it comes to the vampire's castle ) are made of a very detailed gothic style , which is common when it comes to the Japanese portrayal of vampires ( video-games fans who have played Castlevania know exactly what I'm talking about ) . Also , unlike most cases , I really recommend the English dub in this movie , the best I've heard so far .
No remarkable extra features , but Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is sure to satisfy anime fans . Comparisons to the original are inevitable , but even then the movie comes out victorious . A sure hit .
125 4 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 .
- Rirath_com
126 4 I was very happy to finally get Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust . When I got to my friend's house we immediately popped it into the DVD player , and I was shocked to find that it didn't have the original Japanese language format with English subtitles .
I admit that the English wasn't as bad as some dubbing I have heard , but it was rather disappointing . And because of the case the DVD comes in there is no indication that it dosen't have the Japanese . Of course my friend told me that the original Vampire Hunter D DVD doesn't have the original Japanese format either .
Other than that Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust is absolutely extrordinary . The animation is completely breath-taking . If it weren't for the fact that it didn't have the Japanese format I would have given it 5 stars .
127 4 I liked this anime alot.moth the story and animation is nice .
The half human-vamire continues walking , he enters a town that had many vampire hunters , here a woman has fell in love with a vampire count and they all try to free her and clean the place of the rest of demons .
Its a horror anime so its not watchable always but its truly a classic .
134 4 First , I just want to make a comment on the issue of there is no Japanese audio , only English ( if this hasn't been cleared up , yet ) . There isn't any Japanese audio because there never was any . It was originally done in English .
The reason I only give it 4 out of 5 is because the faces in this movie are so expressionless . Sure , they do show facial emotions at time , but not nearly as much as they should . with that out of the way , I'll get to the good . The animation is great . Very high quality , and nice frame count . None of that 12 frames , stretched over 24 / s stuff . The art quality is really nice , too . It stays away from the cliche round head , big eyes ( well , except for the women ) , little nose , cheap-o art direction that alot of anime has . It's a nice visual break . The story is great , because is manages to have alot happen in the 1.5 hours run time , without giving you the feeling of being rushed ( but , as mentioned by others , the wolfman fight is non-existant ) .
Anyways , that's the end of my review . Hope you found it helpful .
Oh , I also don't like how they kept using the animation of D doing a vertical slash in the air , against a black background again and again .
135 4 I have not much to tell you . This anime is perfect by all means .
The best dark scenario combined with one of my greatest heroes and perfect anime graphics and design.I will tell only one thing , i have rent it by a video club and when i see it i ordered it from amazon instantly ! ! ! ! It's an anime you must see .
