Vampire Hunter D (Dubbed) (DVD)

...original release back in 1985, Vampire Hunter D has gained something of a cult-following amongst anime fans the world over. 2000 saw a belated (and somewhat unexpected) sequel by the name of Bloodlust, together with a PlayStation game to tie-in with its release, though after all this time, it is the original that is generally still held in the highest regard.

The cult-status it has managed to achieve is justified, and it’s easy to ...
.../> Directed by Toyoo Ashida, Vampire Hunter D (VHD) is an action/horror anime set in an undisclosed time in the ‘distant future’ (though more likely the eighties given some of the clothing) and the opening scenes depict a spirited young lady by the name of Doris Rumm as she stalks through the night, rifle in hand. It isn’t long before she spots a strange creature prowling around, opting to blow its guts all over the show shortly after it kills her ... more

In the many years since its original release back in 1985, Vampire Hunter D has gained something of a cult-following amongst anime fans the world over. 2000 saw a belated (and somewhat unexpected) sequel by the name of Bloodlust, together with a PlayStation game to tie-in with its release, though after all this time, it is the original that is generally still held in the highest regard.

The cult-status it has managed to achieve is justified, and it’s easy to see why it has become so popular in the animation world. It doesn’t possess the cleverest of plots, nor is it by any means the prettiest or most-technical of animes (even when compared to its original competition) – its success lies in its ability to achieve exactly what it sets out to do; provide an easy-to-follow storyline that is carried along by a supreme central character and a barrage of neat, exciting and enjoyable action scenes.

Directed by Toyoo Ashida, Vampire Hunter D (VHD) is an action/horror anime set in an undisclosed time in the ‘distant future’ (though more likely the eighties given some of the clothing) and the opening scenes depict a spirited young lady by the name of Doris Rumm as she stalks through the night, rifle in hand. It isn’t long before she spots a strange creature prowling around, opting to blow its guts all over the show shortly after it kills her trusty horse Luke. All the commotion however seems to have caught the attentions of the landowner, one Count Magnus Lee; a super-powerful vampire rumoured to be over ten-thousand years-old. He doesn’t take kindly to trespassers, and decides to bite the hapless Doris.

Doris needs help, and fairly briskly at that. It is thought that within a matter of days the Count will wish to capture her and force her into becoming his wife. Doris’s hopes are slim; the only way to prevent herself from becoming a vampire is for the Count to be killed – no mean feat as a vampire of his age is considered to be nigh-on invincible. Enlisting the help of the D, the mysterious vampire hunter, is a step in the right direction however…

D carries a vicious-looking sword, rides a cyborg-horse and wears a rather dashing black-cape. He doesn’t do a lot of talking, but like the film itself, proves more than adequately that actions speak louder than words. Teaming up with Doris and her younger brother Dan, D embarks on a gruelling and dangerous mission to slay the Count ‘n’ save the girl.

So no prizes for originality then in terms of the storyline, but VHD excels in several other areas, such as in its characters. The vampire hunter himself is without doubt the pick of the bunch, managing to highlight many of the films more positive aspects in his own behaviour – early on it becomes clear that he’d much rather partake in a good old-fashioned swordfight than get caught up in anything so trivial as a conversation; he is extremely cool and commands a real screen-presence. His flashes of wisdom, emotion and humour (courtesy of his hilarious talking-hand) provide the viewer with something to go on as to his personality, whilst his unknown past and possible links to Dracula himself means that D retains a genuine air of mystery too.

Doris Rumm plays a solid secondary role to D as the damsel-in-distress, and though not harbouring the same on-screen aura as the male lead, fits in to the proceedings just as well, as do much of the townsfolk and the often outrageously-camp villains. What’s great is that Vampire Hunter D seems to work convincingly as an action film as well as an animation; for once, the English-dub is a match for its Japanese counterpart, and it goes without saying that the action sequences are easier to follow without subtitles. The translation from the original language into English seems to have been pulled off smoothly too, as there are few real changes of note been the two variations.

With what would appear to have been a fairly limited budget, VHD once again plays to its strengths in the form of its battle scenes. D’s conflicts are innovative, vivid and eye-catching; the use of streaking lines and flashing frames of colour were, in its time, a pioneering form of suggesting movement and power in a clever and deceptive fashion (a technique later used to good effect in 1995’s Ninja Scroll, as well as in countless other films). Apart from this, they are also highly-absorbing and, above all else, enjoyable to watch.

On a less positive note, VHD is visually a rather low-fi affair and decidedly rough when compared to the competition it faced at the time of its release. Many of the animations are highly-suspect; wind effects represented by rapid-moving black lines, as well as a generally low number of frames are primarily to blame here. That said, the environments are suitably dark (if a little discoloured at times), and the main characters look very nice indeed.

The soundtrack gets things back on track. Though unoriginal, the familiarly-haunting jingles that seem to dominate all vampire-orientated flicks pop up to accompany views of the Count’s menacing castle against the backdrop of the night sky. A little clichéd perhaps, but actually very effective at creating atmosphere.

Carrying a 15 certificate, Vampire Hunter D is primarily aimed at a more mature audience, though but for a couple of slightly visceral segments, I would heartily recommend it to action fans of all ages – certainly anyone above the age of twelve or thirteen should find something to enjoy anyway. It doesn’t break any new ground either in terms of its aesthetic appeal or in its storyline however, and so is unlikely to convert those of you who still feel animation works best in family films.

Overall, Vampire Hunter D proves a highly enjoyable and gripping hour-and-a-half’s worth of action-anime. Unlikely to wow either those looking for a pretty animation or a storyline of great substance, it also isn’t likely to impress the unconverted (all of the above should look to Princess Mononoke). There are certainly better animations out there, but VHD is ultimately a success due to its brilliant lead character, impressive swordfights and cult-classic feel – well worth sinking your teeth into.
 

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