"Blood+" (2005) TV series 2005-2006

Director:

Junichi Fujisaku

Seasons:

1

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Drama | Horror

Plot:

A young girl named Saya combats vicious, shape-shifting demons in Okinawa, 2005.

Plot Keywords:

Creature | Vampire | Secret Organization | Katana Sword | Blood Drinking

Cast

Kari Wahlgren	...	Saya Otonashi (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Ben Diskin	...	Kai (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Crispin Freeman	...	Haji (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Olivia Hack	...	Irene / ... (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Dave Wittenberg	...	Solomon / ... (25 episodes, 2005-2006)
Steve Blum	...	Collins / ... (22 episodes, 2006)

Series Directed by
Michael Hack		(50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Akiko Honda		(6 episodes, 2005-2006)
Naomichi Yamato		(3 episodes, 2005-2006)
Kiyoko Sayama		(2 episodes, 2005-2006)
Naoyasu Hanyu		(2 episodes, 2006)
Shigeyasu Yamauchi		(2 episodes, 2006)
Junichi Fujisaku		(1 episode, 2006)

Series Writing credits
Joe D'Ambrosia		(50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Junichi Fujisaku		(50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Tom Teves		(50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Shotaro Suga		(12 episodes, 2005-2006)
Shigeru Morita		(10 episodes, 2005-2006)
Reiko Yoshida		(8 episodes, 2005-2006)
Kurasumi Sunayama		(8 episodes, 2006)
Yoshiki Sakurai		(3 episodes, 2005-2006)
Michiko Yokote		(3 episodes, 2006)

Series Produced by
Phil S. Crain	....	producer (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa	....	executive producer (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Hideo Katsumata	....	executive producer (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Mamoru Oshii	....	co-planner (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Mark Mancina		(50 episodes, 2005-2006)

Series Cinematography by
Hiroshi Tanaka		(unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Shigeru Morikawa	....	director: opening animation (13 episodes, 2005-2006)
Naoyoshi Shiotani	....	director: opening animation (13 episodes, 2006)
Jun Matsumoto	....	director: closing animation (12 episodes, 2006)
Kazuto Nakazawa	....	director: opening animation (12 episodes, 2006)

Series Art Department
Naoyoshi Shiotani	....	storyboard artist: opening animation (13 episodes, 2006)
Hitomu Kumoi	....	storyboard artist (4 episodes, 2006)
Kiyoko Sayama	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2005-2006)
Naoyasu Hanyu	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2006)
Tadahito Matsubayashi	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2006)
Naomichi Yamato	....	storyboard artist (3 episodes, 2006)
Takashi Sano	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2005-2006)
Akiko Honda	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2006)
Nanako Shimazaki	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2006)
Shigeyasu Yamauchi	....	storyboard artist (2 episodes, 2006)
Akiharu Ishii	....	director of concept design (unknown episodes)
Kazushige Kanehira	....	art design assistant: Kusanagi (unknown episodes)
Yumiko Katayama	....	color designer (unknown episodes)
Iho Narita	....	art design: Kusanagi (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
David W. Barr	....	adr recording engineer (50 episodes, 2005-2006)
Yoshikazu Iwanami	....	sound director (unknown episodes)
Daisuke Jinbo	....	sound effects (unknown episodes)
Akiko Noguchi	....	audio production assistant (unknown episodes)
Hanae Takagi	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Emi Takanashi	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Fumiaki Tanaka	....	assistant sound recordist (unknown episodes)
Minoru Yamada	....	sound producer (unknown episodes)
Satoshi Yano	....	sound recording engineer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Masahiro Murakami	....	special effects: opening animation (11 episodes, 2006)

Series Animation Department
Yoshimitsu Yamashita	....	key animator: opening animation / key animator (14 episodes, 2005-2006)
Akiharu Ishii	....	chief animation director (unknown episodes)
Kenji Teraoka	....	mechanical designer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Michael Hack	....	casting: English version (50 episodes, 2005-2006)

Series Music Department
Chuck Choi	....	music post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Nobuo Furukawa	....	musician: cello (unknown episodes)
Steve Kempster	....	score mixer (unknown episodes)
Kory Kruckenberg	....	scoring engineer (unknown episodes)
Robert Puff	....	music preparation (unknown episodes)
David Sabee	....	orchestra contractor (unknown episodes)
Hans Zimmer	....	music producer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Noriyuki Jinguji	....	title designer (unknown episodes)
Atsushi Matsumoto	....	chief unit director (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Aniplex (executive production)
• Mainichi Broadcasting System (MBS) (executive production)
• Production I.G.
• Studiopolis

Distributors

• AXN (2008) (Bulgaria) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Czech Republic) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Poland) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Romania) (TV)
• AXN (2008) (Slovakia) (TV)
• Adult Swim (2006) (USA) (TV)
• Animax Korea (2006) (South Korea) (TV)
• Animax (2006) (Japan) (TV)
• Cartoon Network (2006) (USA) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (volumes 1-3)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD) (volume 4)
• Sony Pictures Television (2007) (USA) (TV)
• Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) (2005-2006) (Japan) (TV)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Certification:

South Korea:18 (re-rating on appeal) | USA:TV-MA | Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:18 | USA:TV-14 (some episodes) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (VHS/DVD rating) | South Korea:15 (original rating) | Australia:MA

Company:

Aniplex

Trivia:

There is a basset hound in episode 17, which is director Mamoru Oshii's trademark. He is credited as co-planner.

Quotes:

Julia:Kai's a nice boy, isn't he?
David:In the battlefield, the nice guys always die first. I don't want to see it happen.
Julia:You sure have changed.
David:Changed?
Julia:Until recently, you were like an iron robot.
David:And now?
Julia:Now you're like an android or a cyborg.
David:I'm growing weaker by the day.
Julia:Really? I like you better this way.
David:In this business, weakness is a shortcoming.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in Anime: Drawing a Revolution (2007) (TV)

Not just another vampire anime

NOTE: I have seen the whole 50-episode series already, but not to worry, this is a NO-SPOILER review.

I used to watch a fair amount of anime, but over the past few years, my interest in it had been gradually waning, partly because of the decreasing number of good shows being produced, and partly because of lack of time due to my heavy workload.

However, this trend was reversed when I had the good fortune of coming across Blood+. I had never heard of it before, but the premise seemed interesting enough, though not particularly original or unique. I decided to give it a shot, expecting at least a decent and entertaining show but not much more than that.

But what I got was much, much more I had dared to hoped for. What starts out as a fairly conventional storyline gradually unravels, revealing a vastly more complex and intricate narrative tapestry. Its deliberate pacing may be misconstrued by some as being "slow", but as the story progresses, all the puzzle pieces that are uncovered early on start to fall into place, and things that once seemed insignificant or nonsensical begin to make sense.

As for the technical merits of this show, other people have already discussed its superb animation and hauntingly evocative soundtrack, so I won't go into too much detail on them. Suffice it to say that they complement the mood of the series exceptionally well.

However, what really won me over was the exceptional character development displayed here. Without giving too much away, I can say that these characters actually felt like real, living, breathing people and not just 2-D images on the TV screen. They change and evolve as time goes by, and after a particular event occurs, don't be surprised if you find yourself regarding certain characters in a totally different light.

To make a long story short, Blood+ is one of only a handful of shows that transcends the boundaries of its genre, and one of the best amines I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. In fact, it practically single-handedly revived my passion for anime and spurred me on to seek many other great shows, which I probably would not have bothered to watch otherwise. And that is probably the greatest compliment one can pay to any medium of entertainment.