Houston-based anime distributor Section23 Films and Sentai Filmworks have officially announced the Blu-ray release of director Toyoo Ashida and writer Yasushi Hirano's
Vampire Hunter D (1985), a landmark film in the history of Japanese animation. The feature anime has been remastered in high-definition from the original elements and includes upgraded audio tracks and a new English dub. Street date is August 25th.
(Discotek Media has also revealed plans to release the film's 2000 sequel,
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, on Blu-ray later this year, with a preliminary release date of June 23rd. Details have yet to be revealed. We'll share more news as it becomes available.)
The first in a series of films adapted from the light novels of the legendary Hideyuki Kikuchi,
Vampire Hunter D (1985) depicts a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland where pain and suffering run rampant, where vampires and their prey roam the earth.
Synopsis: For 10,000 years, Count Magnus Lee has walked the night, sustained by an unholy thirst for blood and an unending lust for human women. But when he tastes the sweet nectar running through Doris Lang's veins, the Count knows he has found more than his next meal: this is the woman he intends to claim as his next vampire bride. As the daughter of a werewolf hunter, however, Doris Lang is less than willing to step into the thrall of evil. And if she is unable to defend herself from the Count's nightmarish powers, she is fortunate enough to have found someone who can: the Vampire Hunter known as D. But D is no ordinary man, and signing up for his protection may carry a price of its own.
Toyoo Ashida, known for his work in
Fist of the North Star, directed, with a screenplay provided by Yasushi Hirano. Yoshitaka Amano, known best for his hand in creating other iconic characters from series such as
Gatchaman and
Casshan, as well as creating concept art for the
Final Fantasy video game series, handled character design for the film, and acclaimed pop artist Tetsuya Komuro was responsible for the soundtrack. Animation production was provided by Ashi Productions.
The Blu-ray release of
Vampire Hunter D is presented in 1080p with Japanese and English DTS-HD Master Audio lossless tracks and English subtitles.