Vampire Hunter DNo matter the time or the place, monsters lurk within the darkness, to prey upon the innocent. But in these dark times, a hero rises who can vanquish the enemy by skill as well as understanding his quarry. D is a vampire hunter, called by the young woman, Doris, to slay the wicked and ancient vampire lord, Count Magnus Lee, who has infected her with vampirism and will soon claim her as his bride. D is compelled to rid this dark, warped world of the scourge of vampires, not only because of his trade, but because he harbors an even darker secret: he is one of them, at least in part, a half-blood known as a "dhampir".
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Vampire Hunter D was adapted from a series of Japanese novellas of gothic horror, romance, and adventure set more than ten thousand years into the future, following an apocalyptic nuclear war, which has cast the world back centuries of progress, in addition to the proliferation of monsters and mutants. There is also evidence of this in the mutilated environment, littered with the ruins of ancient cities lying in dust, although some futuristic technology yet remains, like laser rifles and cyborg horses. The title at the beginning of the film says as much about this far-off future, as does D's sentient left hand as they traverse some ancient catacombs beneath Lee's castle, although the twin moons in the sky here suggest something more; perhaps it is a world not quite like ours, or that the presence of demons like Magnus Lee has forever altered the very nature of reality. Even mutants like the assassin Rei Ginsei possess abilities to warp time and space around them, as does the "Time-Bewitching Incense" by virtue of its name and debilitating effects on vampires, suggesting the fabric of existence is more fragile than one might expect. Certain consistencies with the vampire mythos remain, such as their aversion to the crucifix and the fanged marks they leave upon the neck, as it is with Doris. But the vampires of Vampire Hunter D not only are superior in strength and abilities, but they act as the nobility of this world, with humanity their serfs in their feudal realm. Count Magnus Lee "takes" Doris in a fashion recalling primae noctis (or "first night") rights of feudal lords, although his "deflowering" of her is initially his "kiss" upon her neck; his interests to take her as his bride will follow the "sanguine moon" which the vampires consider cursed. In essence, D is something of a liberator for humanity, not just against the terror of their supernatural oppressors, but the shackles imposed by the tyranny of the vampiric gentry.
Vampire Hunter D is already possessed of several genre-specific characteristics, but its story is similar to a Western. D literally rides into town to take up a commission of righteousness, but with a seemingly indifferent attitude. He is a skilled, yet silent, specialist--one who operates not only by a code of honor, but distances himself from those who are drawn to him, either to prevent them from attached to him or vice versa. He is an avenger of the downtrodden, whose true motivation is to see justice done unto those who terrorize the meek and bully the defenseless. Were D modeled to resemble Clint Eastwood, it might not surprise me; but D is decidedly unique in design, his character drawn by the hands of master artist, Yoshitaka Amano, who also illustrated the source material, as well as the "Final Fantasy" series of video games. Amano's design gives Vampire Hunter D a fantastic appearance, not wholly futuristic, and not entirely a realm in the dark ages, but a melting pot of styles that become its own identity, artistic in its abstractions. Consider moments like D's long fall into the caverns beneath the castle, or his supernatural leap to enter the fortress, moments which defy logic. It is a poetic representation of the gothic horror at the soul of the film. D is a warrior, but he resembles a phantom, a shadow flickering upon reality. His character no doubt served as the basis for countless lithe, pale, and aloof vampire hunters to follow in gothic fiction, and the variety of mutants and ghastly monsters are truly grisly and grotesque in comparison. The bloody action and other mature content also cemented Vampire Hunter D as an early entry in the flood of "Japanimation", animated films intended for adults and marketed as such. Returning to the connection between Vampire Hunter D and video games, the "Castlevania" series of video games was released a year after the film, and the series has shared similarities with it since. The popularity of one of the most acclaimed entries in the franchise, "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night", could also be partly credited to the enigmatic protagonist, Alucard, the son of Dracula and himself a dhampir, who is strikingly similar to D in more ways than one. Additionally, Doris sports a whip as her weapon of choice against creatures of the night, historically the preferred weapon of the Castlevania series' vampire killing characters.
What makes D such an engaging character for one who is so reserved and, at first glance, potentially unfriendly, is that perceptions of him prove to often be incorrect, reinforcing the old adage that you can't judge a book by its cover. D may violently slaughter horrible creatures with his master blade, but he is not so cold as to ignore Doris' brother, Dan, when he is crying over the discovery that his sister is doomed by the kiss of the Count, so callously called out by the mayor's son, Greco, upon Doris' rebuff of his advances. Although it is his commission, D braves Lee's castle not once but twice to save Doris, encountering all manner of bizarre and deadly mutants in the process, repeatedly wounded and risking his life to do so. After one encounter saving Doris, she offers her blood to him in a scene which is also charged with sensuality--recalling the inherent connection in vampirism between sex and death, also embodied in D by virtue of being a dhampir--and he struggles to contain his conflicting passions. D's encounters with Lee's daughter, Lamika, reveals that she is obsessed by the purity of her blood, and is firmly entrenched in the mindset that the vampires are superior creatures, predators to hold sway over the chattel that is humanity, which D refutes, citing that her "sacred ancestor" didn't believe that. The ancestor revered by the vampires is Dracula, who while never explicitly discussed in the film, is treated as a kind of unholy messiah, one whom the vampires use as a justification for their depravity. In this, D also serves as a kind of prophet, preaching a new kind of gospel, one in which the iniquity between vampires and humanity must be cut down for the world to revitalize, even if it necessitates driving a stake through the heart of the old guard.
Recommended for: Fans of a landmark anime from the 1980s, full of action, suspense, horror, romance, and much more. It is a gorgeous--if gruesome--film with highly creative designs and haunting music, and one which helped popularize anime in the West.
Vampire Hunter D is already possessed of several genre-specific characteristics, but its story is similar to a Western. D literally rides into town to take up a commission of righteousness, but with a seemingly indifferent attitude. He is a skilled, yet silent, specialist--one who operates not only by a code of honor, but distances himself from those who are drawn to him, either to prevent them from attached to him or vice versa. He is an avenger of the downtrodden, whose true motivation is to see justice done unto those who terrorize the meek and bully the defenseless. Were D modeled to resemble Clint Eastwood, it might not surprise me; but D is decidedly unique in design, his character drawn by the hands of master artist, Yoshitaka Amano, who also illustrated the source material, as well as the "Final Fantasy" series of video games. Amano's design gives Vampire Hunter D a fantastic appearance, not wholly futuristic, and not entirely a realm in the dark ages, but a melting pot of styles that become its own identity, artistic in its abstractions. Consider moments like D's long fall into the caverns beneath the castle, or his supernatural leap to enter the fortress, moments which defy logic. It is a poetic representation of the gothic horror at the soul of the film. D is a warrior, but he resembles a phantom, a shadow flickering upon reality. His character no doubt served as the basis for countless lithe, pale, and aloof vampire hunters to follow in gothic fiction, and the variety of mutants and ghastly monsters are truly grisly and grotesque in comparison. The bloody action and other mature content also cemented Vampire Hunter D as an early entry in the flood of "Japanimation", animated films intended for adults and marketed as such. Returning to the connection between Vampire Hunter D and video games, the "Castlevania" series of video games was released a year after the film, and the series has shared similarities with it since. The popularity of one of the most acclaimed entries in the franchise, "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night", could also be partly credited to the enigmatic protagonist, Alucard, the son of Dracula and himself a dhampir, who is strikingly similar to D in more ways than one. Additionally, Doris sports a whip as her weapon of choice against creatures of the night, historically the preferred weapon of the Castlevania series' vampire killing characters.
What makes D such an engaging character for one who is so reserved and, at first glance, potentially unfriendly, is that perceptions of him prove to often be incorrect, reinforcing the old adage that you can't judge a book by its cover. D may violently slaughter horrible creatures with his master blade, but he is not so cold as to ignore Doris' brother, Dan, when he is crying over the discovery that his sister is doomed by the kiss of the Count, so callously called out by the mayor's son, Greco, upon Doris' rebuff of his advances. Although it is his commission, D braves Lee's castle not once but twice to save Doris, encountering all manner of bizarre and deadly mutants in the process, repeatedly wounded and risking his life to do so. After one encounter saving Doris, she offers her blood to him in a scene which is also charged with sensuality--recalling the inherent connection in vampirism between sex and death, also embodied in D by virtue of being a dhampir--and he struggles to contain his conflicting passions. D's encounters with Lee's daughter, Lamika, reveals that she is obsessed by the purity of her blood, and is firmly entrenched in the mindset that the vampires are superior creatures, predators to hold sway over the chattel that is humanity, which D refutes, citing that her "sacred ancestor" didn't believe that. The ancestor revered by the vampires is Dracula, who while never explicitly discussed in the film, is treated as a kind of unholy messiah, one whom the vampires use as a justification for their depravity. In this, D also serves as a kind of prophet, preaching a new kind of gospel, one in which the iniquity between vampires and humanity must be cut down for the world to revitalize, even if it necessitates driving a stake through the heart of the old guard.
Recommended for: Fans of a landmark anime from the 1980s, full of action, suspense, horror, romance, and much more. It is a gorgeous--if gruesome--film with highly creative designs and haunting music, and one which helped popularize anime in the West.