Vampire Hunter D

The Japanese anime version of Bram Stoker's original story, which mixes several motifs and plot elements, won me over especially thanks to its vampire theme and its truly spectacular audiovisual execution, which deserves admiration. It struck me as a mix Dracula (the most prominent motifs: the relationship between vampire and human and the Van Helsing-like protagonist) and post-apocalyptic sci-fi (some similarities to Mad Max come to mind: the occasional appearance of the landscape and the chase between hunters and "monsters"). I liked the imagination of the creators, who brought a beautiful spectacle to the screen, and I must also not forget the pleasant and unforgettable soundtrack. In short, a solidly made and unconventionally conceived Japanese animation film that , although it didn't get me as much as such Spirited Away or Castle in the Sky, is still a very good film. (21.08.2016)

When you immerse yourself in the comic series about Sandman, created by Neil Gaiman, you gradually discover a fascinating world of artificially created myths. These myths often draw on familiar legends, folklore, and religious concepts, but together they form a unique, original, and intellectually profound alternative world that tempts you to explore further. In contrast, Vampire Hunter represents several stereotypical motifs used in the fantasy genres, woven into an effective but shallow mixture. The traditional artistic approach typical of manga and anime never appealed to me personally, but at least it had style. Here, the style was replaced by the search for inspiration in foreign models, as if Kawajiri already anticipated creating a "universal" film product similar to a hamburger. Judging by the reactions on FilmBooster, he succeeded in doing so. However, I was not drawn to this strange mishmash of genres with an unoriginal plot set in a dysfunctional world. Overall impression: 20% for the artwork. In some places - yes, I am referring primarily to the scene of the spaceship taking off - the film no longer flirts with kitsch, but rather represents its embodiment. (05.11.2013)

For those who have not yet had the pleasure with Dunpeal, take the best from Blade, Van Helsing, Dracula, and the Curse of the Brothers Grimm, throw it into an animated form and amplify it to the second power. Perhaps you will get a rough idea of ​​this animated gem. Expressing the deepest feelings in moments of life-threatening danger has never been so sincere. (27.06.2006)

That Asian films are overrated here is something I’ve known for a long time. That animated films also get excessive ratings is no surprise, either. What did unpleasantly surprise me, though, was the effect of both these forces combined. It was the worst 103 minutes I’ve experienced with “red horror”. The two stars are only because I’ve suppressed my purely subjective opinion about the film. (03.06.2009)

A breathtaking visual spectacle, with room for a very impressive plot that looks at vampires from a rather unconventional point of view. The vision of the distant future is combined with the subtly decadent "snobs" that vampires have been for most of their cinematic life, and the resulting combination is so original in terms of art and story that the resulting contrast is more than digestible and acceptable to both fans of modern "Blade techno-style" and proponents of the more classic Dracula alike. The psychological backdrop is also very solidly sketched and D, the protagonist, is a creature (the combination of human and vampire is hard to pin down) that we feel for. We pity his fate while rooting for him in the delightfully arranged action scenes, or simply feeling a certain amount of relief brought on by his left palm, on which a chatty "face" parasitizes. Vampire Hunter D is flawless filmmaking in all aspects and I can't fault it at all. Perhaps only the typical flashing color "whirlwind" that more or less every anime ends was never my thing, but even in this case I'm willing to forgive it. (22.03.2006)