Vampire Hunter D Turns 40

One of the best OVA films (Original Video Animation for short) that was released back in 1985 turns 40 and that OVA is Vampire Hunter D.

The OVA is based on the long running Sci-Fi horror dark fantasy novel series of the same name, more specificly the first novel. The novel series is created and written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and the illustration is done by the legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano, yes the same one of Final Fantasy fame. The first novel titled “Vampire Hunter D” was released in 1983 and two year later in 1985, Ashi Production with the help of Epic/Sony Records, CBS/Sony Group, and Movic, Vampire Hunter D hit the big screen on December 21, 1985.

The setting for the novels and OVA is in the year 12,090 AD in a post-nuclear holocaust, a half-human, half-vampire who goes by the name D is hired by a young woman to protect her from a very powerful vampire lord in the region they are in. The entire OVA film is a slow pace, dark, horror filled vibe to it and it was made for adults who love this type of films. In Japan the film was a hit with movie goers, in the US on the other hand the film was never shown in theaters at all and was only available on VHS. Many US animation critics at the time gave Vampire Hunter D a 2 out of five stars, but as time passed and it gain a cult following, the film went from 2 to 4 stars and while many will agree that it has aged over time, the animation and the setting is still worth the watch.

If you have some time this weekend, go find anyway you can to watch Vampire Hunter D and if you like it, I would recommend go read the novel series that is being currently being published with English translations, thanks to DH Books.