This will be the only posting of the VHD FAQ to r.a.a. Subsequent updates (which will be numerous, and extensive, I'm sure) will be distributed by email request only. All comments are welcome. ----------------- ------===Frequently Asked Questions===------ from VAMPIRE HUNTER D This FAQ is neither comprehensive nor complete. It is an ongoing project by Michael Evans (cajun@imap1.asu.edu) to provide information about the film 'Vampire Hunter D' to anime fans in general and anime horror fans in particular. All suggestions and contributions will be welcomed, except for those concerning where I can shove this FAQ. Periodic updates (with improvements, hopefully) will be released every month, and will either be posted to rec.arts.anime or sent directly to those who request it. Additions and corrections can be sent to me at: cajun@imap1.asu.edu Table of Contents ----------------- What is "Vampire Hunter D?" Is there a "Vampire Hunter D" manga? Can you give me a quick character summary? Is D a vampire? Is D really the son of Count Dracula? Wait a minute! Was that Kei? What is the difference between the Streamline dub and the TBS version? Is there a soundtrack? What FTP sites carry Vampire Hunter D material? --- * What is "Vampire Hunter D?" Vampire Hunter D is an anime horror film based on the novels of Hideuki Kikuchi. It is the story of how a very old, very strong vampire attempts to take a village girl for himself. She hires a wandering vampire hunter to battle the vampire, who battles with the minions of the count while seeking out the implications of his own identity. At the same time, the count's daughter plots to keep her father from forming a liaison with the common village girl, and a determined suitor schemes to get the village girl for himself. * Is there a "Vampire Hunter D" manga? No. Unlike most anime, Vampire Hunter D is not based on a manga. The Vampire Hunter D character comes from a series of novels written by Hideuki Kikuchi. The character designs were done exclusively for the anime by Yoshitaka Amano, and were approved by Hideuki Kikuchi. * Can you give me a quick character summary? Certainly. Because they were based upon imagination rather than illustration, the characters are the driving force of "Vampire Hunter D," and must be understood to "get a feel" for the movie as a whole. -D- D is a wandering vampire hunter who seeks to atone for his own ancestry by fighting evil wherever he finds it. He seeks no payment for his actions. He dresses in a long cloak, a hat with a sweeping brim, and carries an extremely large sword. It is clear that he possesses the power of telekinesis, as well as a limited form of prescience. He is the hero of the tale. -Doris Rumm- Doris is the village girl of unsurpassed beauty whom the count chooses to take to himself. She bears the responsibility of taking care of her property as well as bringing up her brother, Dan, while fending of Greg's unwanted advances. She quickly falls in love with D. -Count Magnus Lee- Count Lee is a very, very old vampire. According to the village legend (as related by Doris to D), he is at least 5000 years old, nearer to 10,000, but certainly ancient. Later, the count casually mentions that he has lived for one million years. In any event, he is extremely powerful. To pass the boredom of the years, he takes human females as company, much to the chagrin of his daughter, Ramika. He is the villain of the story. -Ramika- Ramika is the daughter of the count and a member of the House of Lee. She is extremely proud of her nobility, and will go to any lengths to maintain the status of her noble house. She is at odds with her father over his relationships with common women, not knowing that her own mother was, in point of fact, of common birth. -Reiginsei- Reiginsei is a minion of the count who dreams of one day becoming a member of the noble house of Lee. He excels in personal combat, and has the ability to warp space around him. While he is in fact a minor nemesis of D throughout the film, certain scenes clearly show that he has a more sensitive side. -Dan Rumm- Dan is the younger brother of Doris. He worships D and is eager to be just like him, even to the point of copying his mannerisms. Unfortunately, his enthusiasm often leads to dangerous situations. -The Symbiot- The symbiot is the Anti-Jiminy Cricket. It is the symbiotic organism that resides in D's hand and continually chides and baits him about his heritage. The symbiot has a voracious appetite. It provides comic relief in an otherwise serious film. -Greg- Also translated as Greco, Greg is the son of the mayor and the most prominent (and he believes, most eligible) bachelor in the village. He wants Doris for himself, and is willing to commit any treachery to win her favors. -Dr. Peringo- Dr. Peringo is the village doctor and friend of Doris who helps to persuade the mayor to give D a chance to kill the count rather than simply lock up Doris. Despite his later unfortunate fate, Dr. Peringo is a good guy. Really. -The Lamia- The Lamia are also known as the Three Sisters, or the Snake Women of Midwich. They reside in the depths of the count's castle and feed on the life force of their captives. They are delighted to have D in their clutches until he shows his true strength. * Is D a vampire? No. D is a dhampire, which is the offspring of a vampire and a human, or as Ramika put it, "offspring of a human slut and a vampire's joke!" Thus D is truly neither vampire nor human, but a creature unto himself. * Is D really the son of Count Dracula? It certainly seems so, especially in the Streamline dub. When Ramika makes an offhand comment about Count Dracula, D admonishes her. The symbiot goads D by beginning to refer to his ancestry before D shuts him up. Finally, Count Lee notices the resemblance of D to the portrait of Count Dracula on the wall, and makes a direct reference to him as the son of the count. All these items lead to one conclusion: Vampire Hunter D's daddy was Count Dracula, the noblest of vampires. * Wait a minute! Was that Kei? Good eyes! Kei, from the Dirty Pair, and Kenshiro, from Hokuto no Ken, both make cameo appearances in the scene where Greg sees the carriage of the count's messenger arrive at the hotel. * What is the difference between the Streamline dub and the TBS broadcast version? To make Vampire Hunter D more appealing to the American audience, Turner Broadcasting System edited certain parts of the film that they, in their infinite wisdom, believed would be offensive. This included all forms of nudity, so the three sisters' hair strategically covered their breasts, the shower scene never appeared, and Doris' breast stayed where it was when Dr. Peringo grabbed the cross from her neck. Also removed were scenes of graphic violence, from the battle with the beast at the beginning to the death of Reiginsei at the end. The TBS version is extremely toned down, and is very nearly an insult to the spirit of horror which the film was meant to convey. For a more humorous treatment of the differences between the Streamline release and the version shown on TBS, please refer to Cathy Berg's excellent fanfic, "Who Censored Vampire Hunter D?" * Is there a soundtrack? Indeed there is. The CD is available through many mail- order distributors. Nikaku Animart (nikaku@netcom.com) and Books Nippan (nippan@netcom.com) both have it listed in their catalogs, which are available by email request. * What ftp sites carry Vampire Hunter D material? ftp.tcp.com (venice archive) /pub/anime-manga/sorted/VampireHunterD GIFs, JPGs, script ftp.sunet.se (mirror of venice) /pub/pictures/anime-manga/VampireHunterD GIFs, JPGs, script --- Reference Material: Vampire Hunter D dub (Streamline Pictures) based on the novels by Hideuki Kikuchi original script by Yasushi Hirano character design by Yoshitaka Amano directed by Toyoo Ashida Vampire Hunter D English script (located at venice archive) translated by Marianne Symanowicz edited by Richard Martin "Who Censored Vampire Hunter D?" fan fiction written by Cathy Berg -cajun@imap1.asu.edu ------------------------- cajun@imap1.asu.edu michael evans arizona state university -------------------------