Netflix's beloved animated series Castlevania recently concluded its fourth and final season, with a spin-off series recently announced. In the indeterminate period between the two series, fans craving more gory animated vampire action could look to the past to delve into an underrated classic of the genre.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust was released in 2000, the second anime film inspired by the massively popular book series which has also sired a video game and an upcoming animated series. Despite releasing over two decades ago, the film totally holds up and deserves a greater fan base as the novels continue to be adapted.

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The Vampire Hunter: D series began in 1983, written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano of Final Fantasy fame. Both Kikuchi and Amano have remained on the project for all 29 of the released books, which have continued releasing up to last year. The novels are set in the distant future, in a nightmarish post-apocalyptic wasteland. The story follows D, a half vampire-half human hybrid, who hunts vampires for hire. D is a stone-faced mercenary, among the strongest living beings in the story's universe. He rides a cybernetic horse, wields a massive longsword, and maintains the beauty of a young man despite being alive for millennia. His only consistent companion is a sapient homunculus, bonded symbiotically to his left hand, which grants him a number of magical powers. D is one of the coolest and most powerful characters in the history of serialized fiction, and his many exploits captivate readers, so it was only a matter of time before D graced the big screen.

The first film adaptation of Vampire Hunter: D was released in 1985, two years after the first novel's release. At 80 minutes, it just barely meets the length qualifications for a feature film, and its theatrical run was brief. The film aired on a number of American TV stations during the '90s, contributing to the anime film's fan base abroad. The plot is adapted from the first novel, in which D is entreated to destroy a vampire lord by a woman who has recently been bitten. The film cements the franchise's dark tone, gory action, and fantastical powers, though it is often criticized, even by the series author, for its cheapness. The film is one of the earliest examples of anime film making its way to the United States and is fondly remembered by many fans, but it inspired a sequel that would go on to define the concepts the progenitor played with.

Over a decade after the release of the first film, fan outcry and Kikuchi's displeasure with the prior film led Madhouse to begin producing a sequel. Yoshiaki Kawajiri stepped up to direct, having recently directed the legendary anime film Ninja Scroll. The plot is a somewhat direct adaptation of a single novel, in this case the third book, entitled Demon Deathchase. This sequel was entitled Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, and it released in Japan in 2000 and America in 2001. Like its predecessor, it had a tragically brief theatrical run, only appearing in six American theaters and a handful of festivals and conventions. Its home video releases came in waves with licensing disputes. The film was praised by critics and beloved by fans, but the difficulty of actually seeing the film has left it in a space of mild obscurity.

The plot of the film centers around a young woman who disappears at the hands of a powerful and beautiful vampire nobleman. Her brother hires the Marcus Brothers, a band of vampire hunters with a variety of talents and mystical powers, while her father makes the smart choice; he hires D. The target, Meier Link is, like many of the series' vampires, an imposing yet charming monster. The Marcus Brothers and D find themselves in competition, racing each other to reach and eliminate their target first, facing a trio of mutants hired to defend the vampire lord. The story unfolds as D and the Marcus clan hunt the rogue vampire, discovering along the way that the job was not as it first appeared and a greater threat looms in the shadows.

Vampire hunter D Bloodlust

The action is visceral, the gore is significant, many of the characters have bizarre supernatural abilities which are a creative joy to watch. The Marcus Brothers are immensely enjoyable; a group of antagonists who are not explicitly evil, who are also dedicated to slaying vampires, they provide a fascinating narrative foil to D. The setting is as beautiful as ever, Kawajiri has a definite grasp on Amano's brilliant sense of haunting yet epic imagery. The film has a very straightforward appeal, thrilling horror-action conducted between immediately identifiable characters in a beautifully realized setting. Fans were spellbound, the film is much better remembered than its predecessor and many viewers found themselves drawn into the larger canon by the film. Despite the quality of the film, there are still vast swaths of anime fans who have not seen this early entry in the world of anime for Americans.

A gory action-horror anime about characters wielding supernatural powers and medieval weaponry to hunt powerful vampires and the legions of nightmares that serve them draws a clear comparison to Castlevania. The biggest wedge between the two works is a consequence of runtime, Castlevania has a deeper story and much more lore than Bloodlust, which is very austere in its use of dialogue. Inspiration was likely drawn from the film when adapting the beloved video game franchise, in fact the games themselves have made the odd direct reference to the novels.

Series mainstay Alucard, for example, is a strikingly similar character to D. Both are half-vampire children who wield longswords and magical powers to oppose the creatures of the night which sired them. They even rather look alike, their long hair, regal attire and flawless faces match interestingly. Fans of the series should consider seeking out Vampire Hunter: D in all of its forms, but Bloodlust is the perfect starting point, and perhaps the standout hit.

Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust is a masterpiece of late 90s anime, blending action, horror and romance in a gorgeous setting that will delight fans and newcomers alike. The film is available on Blu-ray and fans should seek it out to sate their longing for more Castlevania, or just to make this classic a little less underrated.

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