Review of Vampire Hunter D

We love anime, own many titles, and even sat all the way through Akira without taking a break. From Lensman to Unico to Magic Knight Rayearth, we watch, admiring the art, the writing and the cultural influences that prevail in Japanese film. Vampire Hunter D remains our favorite. It's bloody and violent, too much so for young children, but its powerful atmosphere and the air of mystery surrounding its hero are compelling. Into a grim village of hopelessness rides a dark man on a mechanical steed, where he is begged for help from a brave yet vulnerable girl named Doris. She cannot pay in money, but she . . . don't worry. This kind of hunter doesn't kill for money or sex, but because he wants to eradicate the stain of the bloodsuckers from the world. He hunts them down while being bound to them by his lineage. In true self-effacing Japanese fashion, D never reveals too much of himself to anyone, not even the viewer. The vampires themselves are considered aristocracy, much like the old landowners and nobility of the Medieval era; they possess power over human life yet have to be constantly vigilant against attacks from within and without. They are contemptuous of the people they victimize but need them desperately. In the village, fear and false bravado surround Doris and her younger brother, and treachery abounds. Even the most seemingly trustworthy person falls prey to head vampire Count Lee's seduction and promises of power, leading Doris to despair. Only D remains able to resist and fight; only he truly understands the mentality of the undead beings he's vowed to slay. The coloring, animation and music all deepen the surrealistic flavor of the movie; the dialog is curt and sometimes stilted, but it does carry the story forward. One especially powerful scene is when D has to fight not monsters or demons but the beast within himself when faced with almost irresistible temptation.

This is a great example of anime, still fresh and powerful almost two decades later.