Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (2000)

When a girl is abducted by a vampire, a legendary bounty hunter is hired to bring her back.

Director:

Yoshiaki Kawajiri

Writers:

Yoshiaki Kawajiri (screenplay), Hideyuki Kikuchi (novel),

Stars:

Hideyuki Tanaka, Ichirô Nagai, Kôichi Yamadera

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hideyuki Tanaka	...	D (voice)
Ichirô Nagai	...	Left Hand (voice)
Kôichi Yamadera	...	Meier Link (voice)
Megumi Hayashibara	...	Leila (voice)
Emi Shinohara	...	Charlotte Elbourne (voice)
Yûsaku Yara	...	Borgoff (voice)
Hôchû Ôtsuka	...	Kyle (voice)
Rintarou Nishi	...	Mashira (voice)
Keiji Fujiwara	...	Benge (voice)
Yôko Soumi	...	Caroline (voice)
Toshihiko Seki	...	Grove (voice)
Ryûzaburô Ôtomo	...	Nolt (voice)
Chikao Ôtsuka	...	Barbarois Elder (voice)
Takeshi Aono	...	Polk (voice)
Motomu Kiyokawa	...	John Elbourne (voice)

Storyline

It is many thousand years in the future. Vampires once ruled the night but have seen their numbers reduced by fearless bounty hunters. One such hunter is D, the halfbreed son of a human mother and vampire father. When a girl from a rich family is taken from her home by the vampire Meier Link, her father contracts both D and the Markus brothers (a rival group of hunters) to race to retrieve her. As the heroes fight their way through Meier's hired guards, they begin to suspect that the girl may have gone with him willingly.

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Plot Keywords:

vampire | bounty hunter | future | monster | blood | 

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Taglines:

When the Sun Sets... The Hunt Begins

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Genres:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Mystery | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence/gore

Details

Official Sites:

Urban Vision Entertainment

Country:

Japan USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

28 September 2001 (USA)

Also Known As:

Banpaia hantâ D

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$25,521 (USA) (21 September 2001)

Gross:

$25,521 (USA) (21 September 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BMG Funhouse, Goodhill Vision, Mad House

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The official trailer was done by Michael McConnohie, D's English voice-actor for Vampire Hunter D.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Title card: The distant future... vampires rule the night, but their numbers are dwindling. With huge bounties on their heads, a class of hunters has emerged: Bounty Hunters. One hunter is unlike the rest. He is a dunpeal: a half-human half-vampire. At war with himself, feared by all, tortured and alone, he is... Vampire Hunter D.

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Connections

References Dracula (1992)

User Reviews

Splendidly, decorated anime.

In the distant future it's the year 12,090 where vampires and the undead who caused terror through the night are falling at a rapid rate, because of a Dunpeal; half-human, half-vampire bounty hunter called D. On this quest he's hired for 20 millions dollars by a father of a young girl who was kidnapped by a powerful vampire who plans to take her with him to the stars. But D learns that his not the only one on their trail, as the man informs him that he also hired a group of vampire hunters know as the Mark Brothers. So now the two are in competition to who can get their hands the on the girl (dead or alive) before they get to their destination. But D also suspects that maybe the girl went by her own accord, which throws a spanner into the mix.

I used to always watch anime when I was a kid, but it kinda died off me when I got into my late teens. Well, that was until it picked up momentum again when I caught the brilliant 'Neo Genesis Evangelion' anime series a couple years ago. So, now I'm a on and off viewer, but I was glad that I was switched on for this particular one. Being a horror fan and reading the synopsis for the film I thought it sounded great and it was most definitely. But I also learned it was a sequel, which I was worried that I wouldn't have a clue what was going, but that's the not the case here with certain things about our protagonist being explained because they crop up into where the story is heading. It does feels kinda different, especially in the terms of violence by keeping it within the story's limits then going out fall ball with a pointless mess. The stimulating violence is done rather graciously with the easy-going pace suddenly moving like a speeding train when the action occurs. The animation is breath-taking, it's simply eye-candy with distinguishable details and sharp imagination that's pure film-craft at its best. The heavy blanket of Gothic atmosphere that's created breaths down on you with it's dark, grimy apocalyptic feel where there's a wonderful mix of ghoulish terror and sweet innocence. While, this anime has terrifically, garnished up visuals. The story was not to be forgotten, as it's a lyrically, thoughtful tale that's richly developed with an emotional pull that's truly enticing. You could call it a hybrid with a galore of ingredients worked into the story's structure; Horror, Medieval, Western, Fantasy and Sci-fi. These adventurous aspects truly made sure that there were plenty of nifty surprises and a range of highly spirited standoffs between foes with a kicking soundtrack to boot. The moralistic tale builds up an allegory you could say about racism and that of never trusting that of perception, but to look on the inside to find the person's true meaning. The smooth dialogue is quite meaningful and there's patches of dry humour sprinkled across it. The fruitful characters are well-rounded and they add their own little parts to the story. But the star here is the quietly spoken, but extremely deadly D; who's dressed up in his black overcoat and wide-brimmed hat that hides his face. He's not alone as his accompanied by his black horse and that of a talking parasite embedded in his hand.

A really compelling and exciting anime piece that delivers all the goods in a marvellous blend.