Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie Review

A horror anime classic receives a stunning steelbook edition.

Vampire Hunter D is often regarded as one of the most promiment horror anime productions of all time. The feature-film became an introduction to anime for many Western audiences and was first dubbed in English by Streamline Pictures. The gothic undertones and animation make it a must-watch anime for fans of supernatural genre fare. Executive produced by Toshihiko Sato (Ultra Maniac, Space Warrior Baldios) and Eiichi Takahashi (Grave of the Fireflies, The Garden of Words), the animated horror is essential viewing for anime fans.

The young adventurer Doris Lang (Michie Tomizawa) is walking the grounds outside when she finds herself being bit by a nefarious vampire: the vile vampire overlord Count Lee (Seizo Kato). Before long, the night turns to horror. Will Doris transform into a vampire herself? The clock is ticking as stakes are raised.

It is up to the slick badass half-vampire/half-human D (Kaneto Shiozawa) to be a hero. Working against the vampires for the local community, D decides to take-out Count Lee before Doris transforms (and thus break the spell of vampire transformation before it is too late for her too). Will Doris be able to stay human? What will happen to Doris's younger brother, Dan (Keiko Toda)? Will D find his own salvation?

The action scenes are intense and make the film a breeze to experience. The director intended to make the film an entertaining experience for audiences and the results were effective: in the same vein as a classic action-horror hybrid like Blade (with a similar storyline in certain respects). The action pulls viewers in to the story and universe. The film walks a nice line between gothic-horror and action filmmaking.

Vampires. Steelbooks. What's not to like?

The animation is one of the most compelling elements of the production. Featuring art direction by Satoshi Matsudaira (Project A-Ko 3: Cinderella Rhapsody, Mirmo zibang!), the animators excelled while bringing the fantasy undertones to life. There is a real sense of cohesion to the artistry in the filmmaking. The Gothic nature of the animation helps set the stage for the entire production and it doesn't let viewers down. The character designs, background artwork, and environmental animation manages to form a remarkable whole.

The music score composed by Tetsuya Komuro (Heaven and Earth, City Hunter) adds to the haunting landscape of the filmmaking. The music is eerie when needed and manages to burst forth into action territory on call. There is something remarkable about how the score pulls viewers into the world. Haunting.

The screenplay by Yasushi Hirano (Dragon Ball, Dirty Pair) is one of the highlights of Vampire Hunter D. The storytelling is cohesive and well-written (without ever feeling overly convoluted). Based on the Vampire Hunter D novel by Hideyuki Kikuchi (Wicked City, Darkside Blues), the screenplay for the film manages to keep the storytelling engaging and entertaining from beginning to end. The story's characters have real moments to shine while the horror elements are never forgotten.

Director Toyoo Ashida (Fist of the North Star, Yatterman) managed to create a unique horror anime gem. At the time Vampire Hunter D was first released, audiences in North America were generally unfamiliar with horror anime. Now there are so many more options to choose from. Even so, I feel Vampire Hunter D holds up as a genre classic. It also stands as one of the pioneering examples of anime becoming mainstream in America. An anime horror classic that deserves to be seen.

Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from distributor Sentai Filmworks, Vampire Hunter D has received a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. This is a impressive Blu-ray presentation that will leave fans of the film feeling enormously satisfied. The production was digitally remastered for the release. The colors are well-reproduced and have some "pop" while still retaining an organic quality.

The horror element of the filmmaking is well reproduced with the encode managing to present the style appropriately. While there are some signs of print dirt and debris, the scan is generally solid and fits the bill. There are no distracting or egregious compression artifacts to report (not even during the fast-paced action scenes). Vampire Hunter D received a solid presentation. While there might be some minor imperfections, these elements are not distracting from the experience.

Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release has received two separate lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 with English subtitles (non-removable). Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The track sounds superb and detailed. The music score is handled well. There are scenes with great ambiance too. There are no egregious issues to report with regards to pops, clicks, hiss, and other audible distractions.

Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Vampire Hunter D special edition features collectible steelbook packaging. The release was beautifully designed and the art work for the steelbook design was effectively realized. Both a true marvel to look and (and to feel in hand), the steelbook packaging adds to the release. The interior artwork is also impressive (as is the full-color disc art).

Vampire Hunter D Japanese Trailer (HD, 1:30)

The Blu-ray release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other anime releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Grave of the Fireflies (HD, 1:47), The Big O (HD, 1:13), Gatchaman (HD, 1:38), and Legend of the Galactic Heroes (HD, 1:32).

Vampire Hunter D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There is something exciting about Vampire Hunter D: the horror anime classic manages to blend together multiple genres and it creates a compellingly unique Gothic vision. The animation is stellar. It demonstrates the immense talent of the animators involved in the project. The storyline is quite compelling as well. The Blu-ray release features a strong video presentation and a stunning steelbook. Enthusiasts would do well to add the release to their collections. Highly recommended.