Vampire Hunter D: The appeal and reviews of dark fantasy

Vampire Hunter D: The appeal and reviews of dark fantasy

Vampire Hunter D - Movie Reviews and Details

overview

The 1985 anime film "Vampire Hunter D" was directed by Toyoo Ashida and was based on a novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi. The film is set on a future Earth and follows the exploits of D, a dhampir who is a hybrid of a vampire and a human. In its short 80 minutes, the film is packed with a grand story and fascinating characters.

story

■ Story

In the future, 12090 A.D., vampires known as aristocrats rule the Earth. Doris, a village girl whose blood was sucked by Count Li, hires vampire hunter D to kill the Count and lift the curse. He is a dhampir, a hybrid of vampire and human. Count Li tries to welcome Doris into his clan of vampires. His daughter Ramika opposes this, and there is also the handsome assassin Reiginsei. With so many different characters involved, what will be the outcome of this battle?

cast

■Cast

・D/Kento Shiozawa・D's Left Hand, Narration/Ichiro Nagai・Doris/Michie Tomizawa・Dan/Keiko Toda・Count/Seizo Kato・Ramika/Satoko Kito・Reiginsei/Kazuyasu Sogabe・Greco/Yusaku Yara・Felingo/Motomu Kiyokawa・Snake Woman/Kazuko Yanagi・Snake Woman/Yoshiko Sakakibara・Roman/Yasuo Muramatsu・Danton/Kan Tokumaru・O'Reilly/Kazumi Tanaka・Gimlet/Susumu Kotaki

Main Staff

■ Main staff

・Original story/Hideyuki Kikuchi・Produced by/Toshihiko Sato, Ashi Productions・Planning by/Shigeo Maruyama, Yutaka Takahashi・Director by/Toyo Ashida・Character concept by/Yoshitaka Amano・Character design by/Noriyasu Yamauchi & Indorigoya・Animation director by/Hiromi Matsushita・Art director by/Satoshi Matsudaira・Color setting by/Kiji Wakai・Sound director by/Noriyoshi Matsuura・Directors of photography by/Kazushi Torikoshi, Yukio Sugiyama・Editors by/Naoyuki Masaki, Kazuhiko Seki, Toshio Henmi, Kakesu Editing Office・Music by/Tetsuya Komuro・Producers by/Mitsuhisa Hida, Hiroshi Kato, Yukio Nagasaki・Cooperation by/Studio Live・Production by/Movic Co., Ltd., CBS Inc., Sony Group, EPIC Inc., Sony

Main Characters

■ Main Characters

・"D"/
No beautiful woman or demon can look away from those eyes. "D" has the charm of a non-human being, a dhampir. For the first time in a long time, he has been depicted as a full-fledged beautiful young man as an animation character. His appearance with the protector seems a little too rugged for "D", but he is still cool.
・Doris /
Doris, the heroine, fights with strength despite being targeted by vampires and scorned by villagers. She seems quiet in the setting book, but when she gets moving, she has a fierce charm.
・Dan
Dan, a boy, is told by "D" to protect his sister and learns that he must not show his tears. This is the only character design by director Toyoo Ashida, and it looks really good.
Count Lii/
An old vampire who was fascinated by the tainted blood of humans. He had the power to fight on equal terms with "D". However, he no longer had the pride of being an aristocrat, living only to survive.
・Lamica/
Lamika is a beautiful vampire. However, she has a secret: she is a dhampir, just like "D". However, she believed herself to be an aristocrat until the very end, and she died betting on that dust. Her sad expression is filled with a variety of emotions, making her troubling.
・Beautiful Silver Star/
He is a worthy rival of "D" who approaches with a strange voice. The paranoid charm of the original has faded, but his coolness is likely to split him with "D" in popularity among female fans. He dies moaning, "I want to be an aristocrat..." He is also a sad character.
・Greco/
The son of the village chief, he is a good-natured man who is plotting to get his hands on Doris somehow. Usually, these types of people are fat or showy, but this guy is showy.
・Feringo/
He was a very gentle-looking middle-aged doctor and a parent figure to Doris, but after he became a vampire, the way he approached her with his mouth drooling was really creepy.
・Snake Woman of Midwich/
These three vicious sisters were given this name because they massacred the villagers of Midwich. They use their hair to make their prey drunk with pleasure, and then absorb that pleasure themselves. Even "D" was almost addicted to their magic. They are creepy beauties.
・Danton
Doris is sympathetic to the Ransilva sheriff, who has a cross on his badge, but it doesn't work very well against vampires.
・O'Reilly/
He is a subordinate of Greco. However, he is just following the village chief's son, hoping that something good will come of it.
・Gimlet/
As written in the original work, he is drawn with a long, slender body reminiscent of a rocket. In terms of design, he gives the impression of being the largest monster in the work. He is not in the original work. The way he spreads his wings and leaps forward, crying like a monster bird, is almost like a nightmare, but he meets an unfortunate end at the hands of "D".

subtitle

■Subtitle

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Movie Review

Vampire Hunter D is an anime film released in 1985 that has gained many fans with its unique world view and charming characters. Below, we provide a detailed review of the film.

Story and setting

The film is set on Earth in the future, in the year 12090, and depicts a world ruled by vampires. This setting is an important element in drawing viewers in, and the presence of D, a dhampir - a half-vampire, half-human - adds depth to the story. D works as a vampire hunter, and is asked by Doris, a village girl, to defeat Count Li. This story is not just about action, but also depicts issues of humanity and ethics through D's inner world and relationships with other characters.

In particular, the character of D is very attractive, and his calmness, fighting ability, and suffering as a dhampir leave a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, the individuality of each character, such as Doris's strengths and weaknesses, Count Li's arrogance, and Ramika's conflict, enrich the story. Sub-characters such as Reiginsei and Midwitch's Snake Woman also add color to the story.

Visuals and animation

The visuals of "Vampire Hunter D" are very beautifully drawn, with character ideas by Yoshitaka Amano and character designs by Noriyasu Yamauchi & Indorigoya. In particular, the portrayal of D as a handsome young man is very impressive as an animated character. The designs of the vampires and monsters are also unique, making a visual impact.

The animation quality is also high, with smooth and realistic battle scenes and character movements. D's battle scenes are particularly impressive, and his appearance with his protective gear makes him look rugged yet cool. In addition, the unique visual expression, such as Midwitch's attack scene using the snake woman's hair, is stunning.

Music and Sound

Tetsuya Komuro's music is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the film. In particular, the background music that heightens the tension in the battle scenes and the melody that expresses D's sense of loneliness are impressive. In addition, the sound effects by sound director Noriyoshi Matsuura also enhance the viewer's immersion in the film. The voice expression that brings out the individuality of the characters, such as the voice of D's left hand and the eerie voice of Reiginsei, is also superb.

Director and staff

Director Toyoo Ashida has faithfully recreated the worldview of the original work while bringing out the film's unique charm. In particular, the storytelling centered on the character of D leaves a strong impression on the viewer. The visual expression by animation director Hiromi Matsushita and art director Satoshi Matsudaira also enhances the quality of the film. The color settings by Yoshiharu Wakai and the visual beauty by cinematographers Kazushi Torigoe and Yukio Sugiyama are also stunning.

Ratings and Recommendations

"Vampire Hunter D" is a work that brings together all elements of a high standard, including story, characters, visuals, and music. In particular, the scenes depicting the character of D and his battles leave a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, while dealing with the theme of vampires, it is also praised for depicting issues of humanity and ethics.

This movie is recommended not only for those who like fantasy elements such as vampires and dhampirs, but also for those who like action and drama. In particular, it is a must-see for those who are interested in animation works from the 1980s. Also, those who have read the original novel will be able to enjoy the story from a new perspective.

Additional Information

Vampire Hunter D has been loved by many fans since its release in 1985. The original novel was written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and has been developed as a series. The success of the film also led to the production of sequels and spin-off works. In particular, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, released in 2000, has been highly praised for its further evolved visuals and story.

The film has also received high praise overseas, especially in the U.S., where it enjoys a cult following. It has also been released on DVD with English dubbing and subtitles, and is enjoyed by fans around the world.

In addition, there are many related books and goods for enjoying the world of "Vampire Hunter D" on sale. In addition to the original novel, there are plenty of must-have items for fans, such as setting materials, character books, figures, and T-shirts. Through these items, you can understand and enjoy the world of D more deeply.

Conclusion

"Vampire Hunter D" is an anime movie released in 1985, and has gained many fans with its unique world view and attractive characters. All elements, such as the story, characters, visuals, and music, are of a high standard and leave a strong impression on the viewer. In particular, the scenes depicting the character of D and his battles leave a strong impression on the viewer. In addition, while dealing with the theme of vampires, it is also appreciated for depicting humanity and ethical issues. This movie is recommended not only for those who like fantasy elements such as vampires and dhampirs, but also for those who like action and drama. In particular, it is a must-see work for those who are interested in animation works from the 1980s. In addition, those who have read the original novel will be able to enjoy the story from a new perspective. "Vampire Hunter D" allows you to understand and enjoy the world of D more deeply not only through the movie, but also through the original novel, related books, and goods. Please experience this fascinating work.

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