h1 fontsize: 100px h2 fontsize: 100px p fontsize: 100pIntroductionhttps://www..com/watch?v=32UGD0fV45gt=63s borderradius: 8px To say I like Vampire Hunter D is like saying I like Futa in other words its O B V I O U S If you have a brain that is and let me tell you something Ive been eating the ass of Vampire Hunter D for nearly a goddam year borderradius: 8px Its been approximately I DID THE BIG BRAIN MATH 8 Months since I completed Vampire Hunter D 1985 7 Months since I completed BLOODLUST 2000 And 7 months since I first started indulging in the Light Novels This review marks the beginning of something that Ive been waiting to do for a long time ever since starting my journey with Vampire Hunter D and Im not stopping here I plan to do a total review of the original adaptation film in 1985 and complete it off by doing a comprehensive review on the Light Novels both one for a blanket review on the series as a whole and individual novels which I make posts on Im not doing the FRICKIN MANGA OKAY are you OUT OF YOUR MIND borderradius: 8px https://anilist.co/manga/33988/VampireHunterD/ you know how long it takes me to write these reviews with my perfectionist behavior and utter idiocy and temptations to just wack off in the corner of my cave borderradius: 8px Everything I cover here is in relation to the 2001 movie Bloodlust and any mention of any other previous VHD material will be done strictly as a means of drawing comparisons between differen h1 fontsize: 100px h2 fontsize: 100px p fontsize: 100px Minor Synopsishttps://www..com/watch?v=32UGD0fV45gt=63s borderradius: 8px VHD takes place In the year of 12090 AD the earth exists as a postnuclear holocaust world that used to be governed by Vampires that ruled over humans using occult science and technology humanity had forgotten about after they had destroyed themselves in mutually assured annihilation Though after an era of being ruled over an unknown shift within the Nobility saw to it that their race began to diminish with the humans gaining enough power to seize the capital from the once monolithic and timeless rulers of the night borderradius: 8px Among this period rose the job of the Hunters which propelled forward imbued with predatory skills ranging from the biologically enhanced bio warriors to mystical and extramundane sorcerers though one thing was certain which was the cold and cutthroat nature that attracted the fringed minded to a particular class of hunter The Vampire Hunter and among them one stood head and shoulders adept beyond the ephemeral and fallible humans a half human half vampire. a Dhampir simply known as D borderradius: 8px At war with himself feared by all tortured and alone he is VAMPIRE HUNTER D h1 fontsize: 100px h2 fontsize: 100px p fontsize: 100px Production and Precedenthttps://www..com/watch?v=32UGD0fV45gt=63s Previous Discography and How an aptly fit they were for D Before I gorge myself in rambling about this film I think its worthy to note Kawajiri and his timeline of credits preceding Bloodlust which each felt like pulsing increments that had paid headway into the culmination of this flourishing kinetic gothically lavished viscerally violent action epic chase Yoshiaki Kawajiris style To start this isnt Kawajiris first tackling of adapting author Hideyuki Kikuchis writing to the 2D plane with in fact multiple of Novels being turned in films like Wicked and Sin City But I believe its Kawajiris resonance with more Darker Animation that lead to a melding and resonance with VHD whose pulpy action and horror adventure attributes made it popular in the west borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px pursuing even a second through the mans storyboarding style shows off how potent Kawajiri is when framing different shots with a grandiloquent fashion whether its the appearance of his main hero or a character cocking and readying his aim with grim resolute borderradius: 8px Storyboards from Wicked City 1987 Fantasy/Scifi https://anilist.co/anime/1107/WickedCity/ or displaying creative environmental ordeals and fights that burn themselves into our retinas with the ingenuity of the aforementioned elements to test the mettle and adaptability of our characters https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/b6f7061997994011faee1beeb233ceab.mp4 Key Animation by Yoshiaki Kawajiri Ninja Scrolls https://anilist.co/anime/617/NinjaScroll/ Kawajiri brings the visual flair to match Kikuchis literary prose that dabbles in highly detailed verbose metaphors that illuminate flashes of spectacles and savage skirmishes borderradius: 8px The crescent blade flew from the hand of the man in black. While it wasnt clear what it was constructed of it wove through the trees speeding to the spot at which the giant glowered. It was an assault devoid of ceremony but steeped in murderous intent. There was a beautiful sound. A silver flash of light coursed back out between the trees. Behind the two men who yelped and jumped out of the way there was the sound of steel cleaving darkness. Excerpt From Demon Deathchase Hideyuki Kikuchi its due to this that gives the impression that Kawajiri is at home with Vampire Hunter D not simply trying to execute Kikuchis vision though from an interview the man holds no deep fervor for animation but understands Vampire Hunter D as a series and in some ways its the model mold for his talents borderradius: 8px and most importantly transferring the awe and glamour of D to the visual animated fronts Takeshi Koike and Movement Kawajiri wasnt the only one to be noted as such members like Takeshi Koikes contributions to such strong action and gorgeous movement can be well illustrated as every scene seems to be charged with even the most minor of momentum on the characters profiles lending to blistering visual exchanges and all of this seems to fall well in line with Koike as a man seemingly obsessed with the idea of motion that ripples the fabric or distorts the visages of the characters especially with one of his most prominent animated feature films Redline seemed to be quite hinged and predicated on such a founding philosophy https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/a3751d5dd2c520552ad4cac39777e080.mp4 Key Animation by Takeshi Koike Actually there can be several recognizable aspects between Redline and Bloodlust in terms of fluid action and the visual designs of the characters sporting distinct and lavish shadows that would be quite a challenge for any animator to try to track in movement but both films do quite an expert job Though in terms of aesthetic styles Redline leans far more into being a dapper comical raunch and pulpy greaser which matches step for step with its insane volatile daredevil race to the extreme plot line seemingly enhancing the extremes https://www.sakugabooru.com/data/fe2c1fae610958d5cf432feb1524ee39.mp4 https://anilist.co/anime/6675/Redline/ Key Animation by Takeshi Koike Whilst Bloodlust is more predisposed towards a gothic horror and pulpy action epic flick whilst still maintaining an uninhibited grimness that stems from the dark postholocaust setting it finds itself in combining elements of romanticized horror and westerns with a ruthless polarity that befits Vampire Hunter D as a series h1 fontsize: 100px h2 fontsize: 100px p fontsize: 100px Bloodlust and Beyond https://www..com/watch?v=32UGD0fV45gt=63s Story Elements of Bloodlust Vampire Hunter D 1985 and Bloodlust dialogue art design and tone in contrast to 1985 Bloodlust has a more active plot with 1985 being more in line with a Castlevania game I mean theres an entire segment of D making his way through various traps and enemies that range from mutants to even demons roaming the castle and even spectral nontangible enemies also helps that Vampire Hunter D helped sow the seeds for Konami with heavy omages to D and Alucard and D sharing a somewhat similar character setup up ethereal halfvampire beauties that are swordsman on a quest for Dracula or in Ds case The Sacred Ancestor and are descended from them or in Ds case HEAVILY IMPLIED not to mention the castle shot in the beginning of Castlevania and the Whip being signature references taken from the 1987 Vampire Hunter D movie borderradius: 8px the story having more exposition into the world of D wether its on the precedent history the people of the frontier have with the Vampire Nobility various details on the Nobility or even little bits of info that gleam into a longsince forgotten part of history when it comes to the lore of Vampire Hunter Ds dense world and history Bloodlust on the other hand takes a stance more focused on brevity at times that leans towards Kawajiris strengths of strong action sequences and dynamic shots that ooze cool in 1985 the dialogue had more patronizing dialogue that focused on explaining things to the audience and it was rapid fire at times and you can argue the importance of some bites of exposition in terms of narrative importance over others. Bloodlust on the other hand is more succinct and terse which can somewhat fit a more action centric and grim narrative where a lack of dialogue on what the characters are feeling over palpabley experiencing the waves of shock or mixed and unsure resolution make the experience more poignant borderradius: 8px this can really show in the contrast of action moments to moments accompanying a sense of silence or peace in a lulling manner that doesnt bear the hearts of the characters straight out but lets you gleam into them in a very human manner that some anime with more say what you feel dialogue doesnt. The Design of D borderradius: 8px D character design from Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust 1985 borderradius: 8px D character design from Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust 2000 when it comes to Ds design I have a bit of a gripe with 1985s design work for D which has a weird scifi 80s western cowboy design aesthetic with spandex and a flamboyant cape with a pointed outward collar at the base of the neck creates a bizarre and mismatched design borderradius: 8px besides all the clothing theres the primary issue I have which is that skin tone of D feels very displaced from what any sense of a hybrid halfvampire/dhampir though the first instance of the term originated from Balkans folklore though I digress even going from the official artwork and illustrations made by Yoshitaka Amano a big feature is his pale skin that evokes the color of moonlight borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px borderradius: 8px with Bloodlust I feel like they tried to balance the aesthetic precedent key features of Amanos artwork and meshed it with Yoshiaki Kawajiri and Yutaka Minowa who has worked on Ninja Scrolls which I previously referenced D in this version wears a skin tight black body suit that outlines the countors of his muscular frame which personally fits more in line with making D a more intimidating figure and Im personally more for this Kawajiris design take as it mixes a bit of a steely and grim tone borderradius: 8px h1 fontsize: 100px h2 fontsize: 100px p fontsize: 100pClosing Statementhttps://www..com/watch?v=32UGD0fV45gt=63s for brevitys sake and not to get too derivative with the review Im not sure what next Id want to review heres some of the things Im thinking about writing about and things I already have a framework for and are already writing Ive created a poll to decide on my next review herehttps://strawpoll.com/polls/7rnzGQzMdgO