"Blade" (2011) TV series 2011-

Seasons:

1 | unknown

Release Date:

1 July 2011 (Japan)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

Erik Brooks was half-man, half-vampire after his mother Carol was attacked by a vampire named Deacon Frost...

Plot Keywords:

Anime | Based On Comic | Based On Comic Book | Marvel Comics

Cast

Kim Mai Guest	...	Makoto / ... (12 episodes, 2011)
Harold Perrineau	...	Blade / ... (12 episodes, 2011)
JB Blanc	...	Deacon Frost (10 episodes, 2011)
Steve Blum	...	Kikyo Mikage / ... (5 episodes, 2011)

Series Directed by
Mitsuyuki Masuhara		(12 episodes, 2011)
Migmi		(3 episodes, 2011)
Chie Yamashiro		(3 episodes, 2011)
Hironobu Aoyagi		(2 episodes, 2011)
Tomoya Tanaka		(2 episodes, 2011)

Series Writing credits
Gene Colan		(12 episodes, 2011)
Warren Ellis		(12 episodes, 2011)
Marv Wolfman		(12 episodes, 2011)
Dai Fujita		(7 episodes, 2011)
Kenta Fukasaku		(5 episodes, 2011)

Series Produced by
Jamie Simone	....	reversion producer (12 episodes, 2011)
Megan Thomas Bradner	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Dan Buckley	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Scott Dolph	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
Alan Fine	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Fuminori Hara	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Cort Lane	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Stan Lee	....	co-executive producer (unknown episodes)
Jeph Loeb	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Taro Morishima	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Makoto Moriwaki	....	assistant producer (unknown episodes)
Simon Phillips	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Eric S. Rollman	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Ken'ichi Sakurai	....	animation producer (unknown episodes)
Masao Takiyama	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Harrison Wilcox	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Tetsuya Takahashi		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Yuuki Kawashita		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Kashiko Kimura		(unknown episodes)
Mariko Tsukatsune		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Katsushi Aoki		(unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rintaro	....	associate director (12 episodes, 2011)
Chie Yamashiro	....	assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Yoshinori Horikawa	....	color designer (unknown episodes)
Hidetoshi Kaneko	....	art setting (unknown episodes)
Yoshiaki Kawajiri	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)
Mitsuyuki Masuhara	....	storyboard artist (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Geneva Ip	....	post-production coordinator (12 episodes, 2011)
James Lafferty	....	post-production coordinator (12 episodes, 2011)
Shizuo Kurahashi	....	sound effects (unknown episodes)
Toshihiko Nakajima	....	sound director (unknown episodes)
Yasunori Ogata	....	sound effects assistant (unknown episodes)
Akihiko Oono	....	sound mixing engineer: 5.1 channel (unknown episodes)
Kyouko Shimamura	....	sound production desk (unknown episodes)

Series Animation Department
Cindy H. Yamauchi	....	character designer (12 episodes, 2011)

Series Music Department
Naoyuki Horimukai	....	music producer (unknown episodes)
Reiji Kitazato	....	music producer (unknown episodes)
Takahashi Kouichirou	....	music producer (unknown episodes)
Shogo Ohnishi	....	music producer (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Masao Maruyama	....	planning (12 episodes, 2011)
Mary Elizabeth McGlynn	....	voice director (9 episodes, 2011)
Jamie Simone	....	voice director (3 episodes, 2011)

Production Companies

• Mad House
• Marvel Comics
• Marvel Studios
• Sony Pictures Entertainment

Distributors

• Animax (2011) (Japan) (TV)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

Japanese | English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby (Dolby 5.1)

Company:

Mad House

Best animated series of Blade ever.

When I first heard about this new series, I had no idea that it was also part of a an ongoing project of anime produced by Marvel based on X-Men and Iron Man. So out of the three of them, I chose Blade because I'm a huge fan of the character; having first seen him in the stellar "Spider-Man: The Animated Series" and then on the big screen with the equally impressive first "Blade" film.

I didn't know what to think. I thought it going to be a lazy cash-in on a once-obscure superhero, but it turned out to be much more than I expected. It's got all the great elements of the films and comics, and then some. What I like more about this series is that, unlike the films, the writers actually take the time to explore Blade's past. Blade is much more developed in this series; something even the films, save for the first two, the third film failed to do. In this series, Blade comes across as a tortured and much more sympathetic hero, making him a much more rounded character. And the supporting cast is equally impressive, especially the spunky, street-wise Makoto, who really grew on me as things went on. She and Blade are like kindred spirits; both have lost a loved on in the past, but push forward for the greater good which makes them heroes.

But no superhero epic would be complete without villains and this one's got a lot of bite(no pun intended)with a vast assortment of baddies for our heroes to encounter, including the big bad boy himself, Deacon Frost. Needless to say, the Deacon Frost in this series, is equally brutal and sadistically evil as his film and comic book counterpart at the same time. But surprisingly, his back-story makes him a sympathetic character as well, despite his evil nature. But Frost has bigger and nastier plans for humanity and it's up to Blade, Makoto, and several allies(including some surprises that will make fans giddy with excitement)to stop him at all costs.

What follows is a deliciously delightful dessert of action, suspense, thriller and horror with a side of dark humor, thrown in for good measure. The action scenes are really impressive, but my only complaint is that it's a little too tame in places, making it seem "PG-13" like despite the fact that Blade is a gruesome and bloody superhero. At least in Blood+(another equally impressive series)the vampire slaying is shown very vividly. Blade on the other hand, plays it safe; presumably to reach a wider audience. I like my vampire slaying shown in full force, not in quick-cut motion, which may turn some people off. Also, the techniques that Blade shows off when killing his enemies, becomes a little repetitive after a while, but it's the well-written stories and plot that makes up for it.

While not as bloody as the films and other vampire-slaying epics like Blood+, Marvel Anime: Blade, is a worthy addition to fans of the character. This series has won over any skepticism I had before viewing this series, and I enjoyed the ride. Great characters, great stories, great art, simply great series. A second and third viewing is not out of the question.