Vampire Hunter D

A Japanese horror/science film directed by Toyoo Ashida in 1985^[1]. The film was based on the famous novel written by Hideyuki Kikuchi.^[2]

Synopsis[]

The place and time is taken place in the distant future where technological weaponry and defense mechanisms are highly advanced. In this world, demons, mutants, and humans all share the planet and thrive for survival. The film starts off with a girl named Doris Lang, who was exterminating demons with her trusty fellow horse named Luke. Together, they fend off demons until one, which was presumably dead, was actually still alive and kills Luke. Doris was able to kill off the demon, but was later greeted by a werewolf. The werewolf was able to take off her rosary from her neck, leaving her vulnerable to the most terrifying of creatures to roam the land, vampires. Out of pure unluckiness, one of the noble vampires who have lived for over 5,000 years, Count Magnus Lee, caught wind of Doris and took a liking to her.

After being bitten by the Count, she stumbles across a traveling hunter, who we find out later to be named D. Doris tests his strength by attacking him, only to be left shocked by how unaffected her attempt was. She then begs D to catch this Count and kill him, providing meals and sex as payment. D accepts the offer and begins fortifying a shelter for her. Upon one of the nights, Lamika (the Count's daughter) and Rei (a servant of the vampire family) attacked the shelter to kill Doris. Lamika did not like having a human becoming her new stepmother and Rei was only following orders from her. Rei attacks D and was being overwhelmed by D's sheer power, but was able to catch him by surprise. Mutants also hold unique abilities or traits just like all the other demons and vampires. Rei has the ability to warp incoming attacks back to the victims, a form of spatial manipulation. D, being caught off guard, is wounded, but able to heal quickly because he's half-vampire and half-human. In ancient folklore, a vampire-human offspring would be called a Dhampir, but in the film, they use the term vampyr^[3]. People around the time call these half-breeds as vampyr. Both Lamika and Rei retreat after failing to assassinate Doris. After the Count caught wind of this, he was infuriated and grounded his daughter.

D, having the urge to stop the Count once and for all, begins his venture to the Count's castle. Many demons and mutants were slain in the process except for one. Three girls who were naked and playing a instrumental harp was met with D. The girls turned into giant snakes wrapping and trapping D from moving any further. Doris, having no more protection, was then caught by the servant Rei and brought to Count Magnus Lee. Upon arriving in front of the Count, he then shows how helpless D was to Doris and was also shocked on how long D is withstanding his life force being sucked away by the snake ladies. D, losing his patience, reverted to his vampire side and overpowered the creatures. He then proceeds to find Doris in one of the sleeping chambers just before Lamika was about to kill Doris. D was then able to escape the castle with Doris, leaving Rei to chase them.

Rei, afraid to face the Count on his failure in capturing Doris, is later greeted by two servants of the Count that give him a candle that once lit, the light from the flame and/or the scent of its incense will paralyze anyone with vampire blood in their veins. The candle, however, is later switched by the mayor's son after eavesdropping on the conversation between Rei and the servants. Having the fake candle used against D, Rei loses one of his arms. The mayor's son used the candle to stop Lamika from kidnapping Doris and was about to kill Lamika until Dan, Doris' younger brother, shot the son who was about to stake Doris as well for protecting Lamika. The mayor's son fell down the cliff and survives until he meets with Rei, who is angry at him for stealing the candle and kills him.

D, Doris, and Dan all return home after sparing Lamika's life. This sheds a new prospective for Lamika, as she has grown up not knowing how to spare someone's life. After returning back home safely, Rei did not quit on his duel with D. Armed with the real candle this time, Rei is able to win against D and capture Doris yet again. Presenting Doris to Count Magnus Lee, Rei expects a reward in return for his deed, but instead was laughed off and brushed aside by the Count. Angered by the treatment he received after going through so much work, he tries to use the candle on Count Magnus Lee, but to his surprise, it has no effect on Lee. Rei is then killed and the marriage between Doris and Count Magnus Lee proceeds.

The marriage was almost successful, as Count Magnus Lee was an inch away from biting into Doris's neck again, only to be interrupted by a dagger thrown into his eye by the vampyr D, who survived his battle with Rei. Count Magnus Lee was able to recover from such an attack very quickly and overwhelmed D with immense power. Moments before D was about to get his head cut off my his own sword due to the Count's power, D was able to break free from the control. Shocked by it, D was able to stab the Count's heart with his sword and end the fight. Just before dying, the Count glimpses at a picture hung in the room that displayed Count Dracula. He notices the resemblance between D and Count Dracula, coming to the conclusion that he is truly the son of Dracula. Doris is safely brought back home and D goes on his way.