Blade review: A unique story and visual appeal

"BLADE": The story of a man who fights vampires

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

Anime Original

■ Broadcast period

July 1, 2011 - September 16, 2011

■Broadcasting station

Animax

■Frequencies

half an hour

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 12

■Original Story

Marvel Comics

■ Director

Mitsuyuki Masuhara

■ Production

Animation Production: Madhouse

■Works

TM & © 2011 Marvel Entertainment, LLC and its subsidiaries. Animated series:

■ Story

Blade, a vampire hunter. He has acquired the abilities of a vampire without fearing the sunlight. Using his superhuman strength, senses, natural healing abilities, weapons and martial arts, he continues his journey of revenge against vampires that lurk in the darkness of the world, along with the silver knife left by his mother. In the midst of this, Blade, who visited Japan on a certain request, encounters Deacon Frost, the four-fanged vampire who attacked his mother. Frost defeats Blade with a single blow as if mocking the revenge-hungry Blade, and disappears. Blade begins to pursue Frost, dodging the attack of Makoto, a female hunter who was attacked by Frost and whose father, who was turned into a vampire by Blade, was killed by Blade. The battle between Blade and the mysterious vampire organization "Existence", which is made up of monster vampires called "subspecies" modified by Frost, is about to begin, set in various Asian countries.

■Explanation

This is the fourth animated superhero series created by Marvel Comics. Madhouse will be animating the story of a vampire, which is considered to be different even among the Marvel series. The series is written and scripted by Kenta Fukasaku, who is also the live-action film director of "Battle Royale II." Director Mitsuyuki Masuhara, who is well-known for his heartwarming works such as "Kobato" and "Cheese Sweet Home," will be venturing into new territory with a swordplay action film.

■Cast

Blade/Akio Otsuka, Makoto/Maaya Sakamoto, Deacon Frost/Tsutomu Isobe, Noah Van Helsing/Osamu Saka

■ Main staff

・Original work: Marvel Comics ・Director: Mitsuyuki Masuhara ・Story: Warren Ellis ・Series composition and script: Kenta Fukasaku ・Character design and chief animation director: Cindy H. Yamauchi
・Prop design: Yutaka Minowa ・Assistant director: Tomoe Yamashiro ・Art director: Katsushi Aoki ・Color design: Yoshinori Horikawa ・Director of photography: Yuki Kawashita ・Music: Tetsuya Takahashi ・Animation production: Madhouse ・Production and copyright: Superhero Anime Partners Sony Pictures Entertainment, Madhouse

■ Main Characters

Blade: A vampire hunter who fights to protect humans from the threat of vampires.
His real name is Eric Brooks.
His mother was bitten by a vampire shortly before his birth, making him half vampire and half human.
They are also known as "Day Walkers" because they are unaffected by exposure to sunlight, which is deadly to vampires, and have combat abilities and recovery powers far beyond those of ordinary people.However, they are overcome by the urge to drink blood, which can only be suppressed with a special serum.
All of his weapons are made of silver, and he mainly fights with a sword, but he also has stakes and shuriken. He has an unshakable belief that he is human, and he slashes mercilessly.
When he learns that the person who bit his mother was Deacon Frost, the leader of the vampire organization "Existence," he travels across Asia to destroy "Existence" and defeat Frost.
Makoto: A hot-blooded and courageous young Japanese female vampire hunter.
His father is also a hunter named Hayate.
His weapons are knuckledusters attached to both hands. He fights using all kinds of martial arts techniques and is agile.
After witnessing her father being turned into a vampire by Frost being slashed to death by Blade right in front of her, she now targets Blade with her pent up grief and anger.
However, he soon begins fighting alongside Blade, and the two build up a relationship of trust to the point where they call each other partners.
Deacon Frost
A vampire known as "The Man with Four Fangs" and "Founder of Existence."
In order to take control of the world, he needs Blade's blood to overcome his greatest weakness - his resistance to sunlight - and become the strongest vampire.
He was originally a human and an excellent scholar, but his life changed drastically when his only son was sacrificed to a vampire, and he chose to become a vampire himself.
He is a ruthless and ruthless person who will use any means to achieve his goals.
Noah Van Helsing & Razor: British vampire hunters.
Her family has been hunters for generations, so she has all the knowledge, methods, and equipment required to deal with vampires.
When he met the young Blade, he administered a serum to suppress his blood-sucking urges, and from then on raised Blade to be a full-fledged hunter.
He has a dog named Razor, and while he helps Blade in slaying vampires, he also supports Blade as a friend.

■Subtitle

Episode 1: Blade, the Man Episode 2: A Crazy World Episode 3: Vampire Hunter Episode 4: Boyhood Episode 5: The Shining Island Episode 6: The Magic Doctor Episode 7: Day Walker and the Mutant Episode 8: The Eternal Apocalypse Episode 9: The Bond Between Master and Student Episode 10: Into the Whirlpool of Lamentations

■ Theme songs and music

・OP
"Slashing Through The Night"
Composition: Tetsuya Takahashi, Shogo Onishi, Ending theme
"Between Darkness & Sanity"
Composer: Tetsuya Takahashi, Shogo Onishi

The appeal and evaluation of "BLADE"

"BLADE" is an animated series starring Blade, a popular character from Marvel Comics. This work, which aired in 2011, depicts the story of a man who fights vampires, and left a strong impression on viewers. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of this work.

The appeal of the story

The story of "BLADE" revolves around the revenge and battles of Blade, a vampire hunter. Blade's mother was killed by a vampire, and as a result, he became half vampire and half human. However, he is not afraid of the sunlight and continues his journey of revenge against vampires as a "Day Walker" who has acquired the abilities of a vampire. This setting gives viewers strong empathy and excitement.

The story is set in Japan and begins with Blade confronting Deacon Frost, the man who attacked his mother. Frost is the leader of a vampire organization called "Existence" and aims to use Blade's blood to become the most powerful vampire. This rivalry gives the story tension and thrills, and is an important element that draws the viewer in.

Additionally, the presence of his companions who support him is essential in Blade's battles. In particular, his relationship with a young female hunter named Makoto deepens as the story progresses, moving the viewer. Makoto's father was turned into a vampire and then killed by Blade, so at first he views Blade as an enemy. However, the story depicts the process in which he gradually comes to work alongside Blade and builds a relationship of trust. This human drama is not just about action, but also about depicting deep emotional movements, which adds to the work's appeal.

Character Appeal

Blade leaves a strong impression on viewers as a protagonist with strong convictions and fighting abilities. He has an unwavering belief that he is human, and his merciless attitude as he slays vampires is appealing. Although he has the abilities of a vampire, he is also portrayed struggling with his urge to drink blood, giving us a sense of his human weakness. This character's depth evokes sympathy in viewers.

Makoto is portrayed as a hot-blooded and courageous female hunter. Her father was turned into a vampire and killed by Blade, so at first she sees Blade as an enemy. However, the story depicts her gradually joining forces with Blade and building a relationship of trust. This growth and change moves the viewer.

Deacon Frost is portrayed as a ruthless vampire. He aims to use Blade's blood to become the most powerful vampire in order to take control of the world. His willingness to use any means necessary to achieve this goal leaves a strong impression on viewers. In addition, his past and motivations are depicted, making him a deeper character than just a villain.

Noah Van Helsing is an important character who supports Blade. He administered a serum to Blade that suppressed his blood-sucking urges and raised him to be a full-fledged hunter. This master-disciple relationship adds depth to the story. His dog, Razor, is also portrayed as an important figure who supports Blade in his battles.

The appeal of production

"BLADE" was produced by the famous anime production company Madhouse. Madhouse has produced many high-quality anime works, and their technical capabilities are fully demonstrated in this work. In particular, the depiction of the sword fighting action scenes is very realistic, leaving a strong impact on the viewer.

Director Masuhara Mitsuyuki is known for heartwarming works such as "Kobatto" and "Cheese Sweet Home," but in this work he ventured into new territory with sword fighting action. As a result, viewers were able to be surprised and impressed by the fresh results. In addition, series composition and scriptwriter Fukasaku Kenta is also known as a live-action film director such as "Battle Royale II," and his experience in creating a suspenseful storytelling has been highly praised.

Character designer and chief animation director Cindy H. Yamauchi created designs that brought out the individuality of the characters. Prop designer Yutaka Minowa realistically depicted Blade's weapons and the vampire designs, leaving a strong impression on viewers. Art director Katsushi Aoki pursued the beauty and realism of the backgrounds, enriching the worldview of the story. Color designer Yoshinori Horikawa skillfully expressed the atmosphere of the story through his use of color. Cinematographer Yuki Kawashita used camerawork to enhance the power of the action scenes. Musician Tetsuya Takahashi added excitement to the story with his suspenseful background music.

Ratings and Recommendations

"BLADE" left a strong impression on viewers as the story of a man who fights vampires. It gained many fans thanks to its appealing storyline, characters, and production. It was especially praised for the realism of the swordplay action scenes and the tense storytelling. Additionally, the relationship between Blade and Makoto and the deep character portrayal of Deacon Frost also impressed viewers.

This work is especially recommended for those who like vampires and action movies, as well as for fans of Marvel Comics and those interested in the character Blade. Furthermore, this work will satisfy those who want to enjoy a deep human drama and those who are looking for a high-quality animation work.

"BLADE" is a work that leaves a strong impression on viewers, and its appeal and reputation will continue to be talked about for a long time to come. Please take a look at the story of a man who fights vampires.