Blood: The Last Vampire (2000)

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Despite a climax that fails to deliver the goods, this fifty minute anime saga has plenty to recommend to both Japanese animation and horror fans.

Saya (voiced by Yuki Kudo) is a young vampire who hunts down creatures that are called demons but are in fact mutated blood suckers. They appear normal until injured or killed, when they turn into some pretty freaky monsters. The setting is Japan in the late 1960's. Saya slays a seemingly innocent man on a subway car in the opening minutes, and requests a new sword from her boss David (voiced by Joe Romersa). There have been a series of vampire murders in the area, disguised as suicides. Saya is assigned to Yokota Air Base, a U.S. military installation, as a Japanese schoolgirl sent to observe the American classrooms. Decked out in her uniform, she is the vision of innocence. Sharon (voiced by Rebecca Forstadt) and anemic Linda try to befriend her, as does the school nurse (voiced by Saemi Nakamura). The rest of the film is nonstop action.

"Blood: The Last Vampire" is different than most anime out there. While the story does not wait for the viewer to catch up to it, the animation is fantastic. The director seamlessly mixes computer imaging and regular animation with 3D CGI, giving the film a whole new look that is constantly amazing. Yorihiro Ike's musical score is also excellent, leaving plenty of room for the sound effects without overwhelming them. Since the film takes place on an American base, there is plenty of English dialogue. The Japanese bits are subtitled. The film does let the viewer down at the climax. After some incredible action set pieces in the subway, the nurse's office, and a locked burning garage, the chase down the base's tarmac seems slow by comparison and a little easy. There is plenty of room for a sequel, with the film makers teasing the audience about the then current Vietnam war.

With plenty of gore, language, and an animated girl in a school uniform kicking some major monster butt, "Blood: The Last Vampire" is not the worst thing you could watch. Followed by a live action version.

Stats:
(2000) 48 min. (* * * *) out of five stars
-Directed by Hiroyuki Kitakubo
-Screenplay by Kenji Kamiyama, Concept by Mamoru Oshii
-Cast: Yuki Kudo, Joe Romersa, Rebecca Forstadt, Saemi Nakamura, Stuart Robinson, Akira Koieyama, Tom Fahn, Fitz Houston, Steve Blum, Mitsuo Senda, Paul Carr, Chuck Campbell, Fumiko Osaka, Kaori Koyama
(Not Rated)