7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
An anime tale of vampires set in 1966 at Yakota Air Force Base, an American military compound in Japan which has been invaded by a league of shape-shifting vampires known as Chiropterans. It's up to Saya, a grim woman of mysterious origin, and her magic sword to rid the base, and the planet, of these unwelcome and menacing monsters.
Starring: Yûki Kudô, Saemi Nakamura, Akira KoieyamaForeign | 100% |
Anime | 99% |
Supernatural | 15% |
Fantasy | 14% |
Horror | 13% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
You're lucky. I can't kill 'humans.'
Ghost in the Shell
might be a standard-bearer for the Anime genre, but as a film that's perhaps more accessible to
newcomers to the genre -- particularly those that hail from the West -- and for a myriad of reasons,
2000's Blood: The Last Vampire might fit the bill better than the aforementioned
action-oriented yet philosophically-profound classic. Short, to the point, presented natively in
English, and with a plot that's fun and not overly complex, Blood: The Last Vampire
features hallmark Anime style but in a package that's easier to absorb the first time through than
some its more famous -- yet decidedly more complex -- brethren.
'Prease go' buy this movie!
Blood: The Last Vampire debuts on Blu-ray with a strong 1080p. 1.85:1-framed transfer. Though it features that same bugaboo that plagued Ghost in the Shell -- moderate banding throughout -- it nevertheless looks quite nice, all things considered. As alluded to earlier, colors take on a slightly drab tone and look somewhat muted; whether background details in the school or Saya's red scarf, the color palette never sparkles, at least until the film's final minutes where it livens up considerably, featuring bright, cheerful visuals that play in stark contrast to the dark and bloody tone of the film prior. Fine detail is nicely reproduced, too; grime on the walls in the subway station in one early scene or smudges, dents, and dings on various surfaces as seen in several cityscapes are nicely rendered. Black levels, too, impress. All said, Blood: The Last Vampire isn't the sort of film that's going to sparkle and pop off the screen on Blu-ray, but as it is seen here, it looks very good in context.
Blood: The Last Vampire gushes on Blu-ray with a robust DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Loud, aggressive, and a lot of fun, this lossless soundtrack puts the sound system through its paces all through its condensed 48-minute runtime. The film's opening subway sequence sets a tone that remains throughout; the car shoots down the track and, seemingly, straight through the listening area. The rumbling and rattling is accompanied by an ominous piece of music that's accompanied by a hefty low end. The aggressive rear-channel presentation remains throughout; not only do action scenes shine, but quieter but no less important ambience -- for instance the noise of a bustling school hallway -- create a lifelike atmosphere in several scenes. Gunshots sound fantastic, too; bullets clank of metal surfaces and ricochet nicely in one scene with pinpoint accuracy. Likewise, a few explosions deliver the appropriately boomy low end. Dialogue reproduction is distortion-free throughout. Note that while there are no optional subtitles to turn on or off, various scenes of Japanese-language dialogue are accompanied by forced English subtitles.
Unfortunately, Blood: The Last Vampire contains only three extras. Making of 'Blood: The Last Vampire' (480p, 20:52) is a Japanese language feature (with forced English subtitles) that takes a rather choppy look behind the scenes of the making of the picture, featuring interviews with the crew that span various aspects that chronicle the work that went into creating the film. Also included is an "Alternate Digital Data Version" of the film and the Blood: The Last Vampire trailer (480p, 1:36).
Blood: The Last Vampire might not be Anime at its absolute best, but as an introductory piece to the genre, it's hard to find better. Simple, short, visually captivating, exciting, and lacking any needless side stories to muddle the plot, the film is the sort that's easy to digest and good for anytime viewing. This Blu-ray release from Starz subsidiary Manga Home Entertainment delivers superior video and audio presentations, but it sadly lacks a more comprehensive supplemental package. Regardless, longtime fans and newcomers alike will be hard-pressed to find the film looking or sounding any better, and on the strength of the film and its technical presentation, Blood: The Last Vampire earns a recommendation.
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