Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Directed by	Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Produced by	Taka Nagasawa Masao Maruyama Mataichiro Yamamoto
Written by	Yoshiaki Kawajiri
Starring	Andy Philpot Wendee Lee Mike McShane
Music by	Marco D'Ambrosio
Cinematography	Hitoshi Yamaguchi
Distributed by	Urban Vision
Release date(s)	August 25, 2000 (2000-08-25)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	Japan Hong Kong United States[1]
Language	English

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust (バンパイアハンターD, Banpaia hantâ D^?) is a 2000 anime film written and directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The film is based on Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D novels, D - Demon Deathchase.

The film began production in 1997 and was completed with the intention of being shown in American theaters. It was shown in six theaters across the United States and received generally positive reception from American critics.

Plot

Charlotte, a young woman, is abducted by Baron Meier Link, a vampire nobleman who is known not to harm humans needlessly. Charlotte's father hires D to find her and kill her humanely if she turns into a vampire. At the same time, her older brother also hires the notorious Marcus brothers for backup. The two parties (D and the Marcus brothers) race inexorably after Meier Link. However, Meier Link hires the Mutant Barbarois; a group of lethal mercenary body guards. They consist of Caroline, a shape shifter; Benge, a shadow manipulator; and Mashira, a werewolf.

As the story progresses, Meier Link's abduction turns out to be an escape by him and Charlotte, as they are lovers. Through the journey, D talks to Leila and tells her that she can have a life that someone like him could never have, the life of a normal human. They make a pact, if either one of them survives, the survivor can bring flowers to the other's grave. Near the end of the movie, Meier Link goes with Charlotte to the Castle of Chaythe, where Countess Carmilla, Meier Link's patron, waits for them. Carmilla, a ghost of a vampire who died long ago, reigned supreme within the Castle of Chaythe when vampires were all-powerful and unchallenged. However, her bloodlust was so strong that Count Dracula, D's father, killed her in disgust. After going to the Castle of Chaythe, D fights Carmilla's ghost, who plotted to kill Charlotte and return to life. D, along with Leila, let Meier Link leave for the City of the Night with Charlotte's body.

In the final scene of the movie, D arrives at Leila's funeral, watching from a distance. Leila's granddaughter greets him and invites him to stay with them for a while. D declines, saying that he simply came to "repay a favor to an old friend, who feared no one would mourn her death." He admitted he was glad she was wrong. The girl thanks him, and D replies by smiling gently at her, and leaves.

Production

Yoshitaka Amano created the design for the main character in Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.

The idea for a new Vampire Hunter D film came after there was a fan demand to make a follow-up to Vampire Hunter D (1985).^[2] Hideyuki Kikuchi was also in favor of this as he had often complained about the "cheapness" in the look of the original film.^[2] Plans for a new film started in 1997 by director Yoshiaki Kawajiri and production company Madhouse.^[2] Producer Mataichiro Yamamoto wanted to pick up the rights to Madhouse's Wicked City.^[3] During the discussion about Wicked City, Yamamoto heard about the new Vampire Hunter D film and wanted to not only get involved with video distribution, but in production and possible theatrical release in America.^[3]

The story of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is based on the third novel in Kikuchi's series D - Demon Deathchase.^[3] The main character's design is by artist Yoshitaka Amano.^[4] Amano's art style was matched for the rest of the characters in the film by animation director Yutaka Minowa.^[4] The animation for the film was created in the Madhouse Studios in Tokyo while the post-production work was done in California. The English soundtrack for the film was recorded in 1999 before the Japanese dialogue was finished.^[4] The film's title of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust was a last minute decision to disgtinguish it from the first film.^[5]

Release

To promote the film, a two-and-a-half minute long trailer was finished in 1998 and was shown at American anime fan conventions.^[4] A work-in-progress print was shown in 2000 at the Fantasia Film Festival in July in Montreal and at the New York Anime Film Festival in October 2000.^[4]

The completed version of the film was only released theatrically in an English-language version. On its Japanese theatrical release, it was subtitled in Japanese.^[5] It premiered in on September 23, 2001 in America where it played in 6 theaters. It grossed $25,521 in this run and $151,086 in total.^[5]

Reception

The film received generally favorable reviews from American critics, it received a rating 62 on the website Metacritic.^[6] The Chicago Reader gave a favorable review of the film, referring to it as a "gorgeously animated surrealist adventure".^[7] The New York Daily News referred to the film as "Beautiful, witty and provocative" and that it should "appeal to fans and non-fans alike".^[6] The San Francisco Chronicle praised the director Yoshiaki Kawajiri stating that he "has a gift for striking visuals" but also noted that "his story manages to be simultaneously thin and chaotic."^[8]

Notes

1. ^ Browning, 2010. p.26
2. ^ ^{a b c} Patten, 2004. p.342
3. ^ ^{a b c} Patten, 2004. p.343
4. ^ ^{a b c d e} Patten, 2004. p.344
5. ^ ^{a b c} Patten, 2004. p.341
6. ^ ^{a b} "Critic Reviews for Vampire Hunter D at Metacritic". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/movie/vampire-hunter-d/critic-reviews. Retrieved August 5, 2011. 
7. ^ Alspector, Lisa. "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust". Chicago Reader. http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/vampire-hunter-d-bloodlust/Film?oid=1054204. Retrieved August 5, 2011. 
8. ^ Guthmann, Edward (October 5, 2001). "FILM CLIPS". San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2001/10/05/DD52511.DTL&ao=3. Retrieved August 5, 2011. 

References

• Patten, Fred (2004). Watching Anime, Reading Manga: 25 Years of Essays and Reviews. Stone Bridge Press. ISBN 1880656922. 
• Browning, John Edgar; Picart, Caroline Joan; Stoker, Dacre; Holt, Ian (2010). Dracula in Visual Media: Film, Television, Comic Book and Electronic Game Appearances, 1921-2010. McFarland. ISBN 0786433655. 

External links

• Official Website at Archive.org
• Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust at the Internet Movie Database
• Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust at Metacritic