Owen’s Oldies: ‘Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust’
- Owen Glancy
- May 9
- 3 min read
By Owen Glancy Arts & Features Editor When discussing Japanese media here in the West, it’s nearly impossible not to bring up anime. Over the past decade, anime has gone from a niche subculture existing only in message boards and small book clubs to a massive piece of popular culture influencing audiences even in the West. That being said, many anime fans tend to stick to modern action shows like “My Hero Academia,” “Jujutsu Kaisen,” and “Demon Slayer.” While these are great shows, the fact that so many haven’t seen classics like “Fist of the North Star,” “Cowboy Bebop,” or “Mobile Suit Gundam” is a true tragedy. One of these many anime classics is the film “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust.” Right from the opening zoom out on the full moon, the film sucks you into its gothic sci-fi world. The architecture typical of classic vampire fiction complements the more futuristic character designs and synth-heavy soundtrack. The world of “Vampire Hunter D” is a rich and expansive one - its post-apocalyptic setting can feel typical but it’s populated with enough unique characters and creatures to distinguish it from its contemporaries. No matter how interesting the world is, it would feel empty if it were not inhabited by interesting characters. Thankfully, this movie has those in bulk. D, the titular vampire hunter, is a half-vampire with a talking hand that eats magic who goes around the world with a giant katana killing his fellow vampires. This is a weird movie that does not shy away from its anime stylings and Japanese heritage, but this strangeness is exactly what makes D and this film so interesting. There’s this feeling that persists throughout the film that D has begun to lose sight of why exactly he set out on this journey in the first place. Meier Link, the vampire D is out to kill in this film, is not evil as evidenced by his refusal to turn his human lover into a fellow vampire, yet D is determined to kill him all the same. While it is true Meier Link is an exception to the norm in his kindness, we still feel as if D mercilessly slaughtering what we know is a species nearing extinction is in many ways unjustified. However, D wins the audience over with his badass fights and suave demeanor. D is not the only protagonist of this film though, as Leila and her group of vampire hunters are competing with D in the hunt of Meier Link. Leila serves as a pseudo love interest to D. She mostly stands alone as a competent competitor who differs from the rest of her crew in her willingness to work with D rather than against him. While Leila’s crew doesn’t quite get the same screen time or development that she does, they all get at least one or two cool fight scenes or lines that make them just as memorable as D and Leila. “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust” is not a film that can claim even a small portion of the historical significance of something like “Rashomon” or “In the Mood for Love,” but it can most certainly claim a similar level of quality to these classic films. Whether you have never seen a single episode of anime, or if you’re on anime number 500, “Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust” is an absolute necessity and a more than worthwhile watch!
