The upcoming animated series “Vampire Hunter D: Resurrection” is probably one of my most anticipated titles. I grew up watching both Vampire Hunter D films and I’ve read several of the novels by creator Hideyuki Kikuchi. I even tried to play that one Playstation game, but let’s not talk about that, okay?
In a recent interview with Anime News Network, both Kikuchi and director Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, Wicked City) both spoke about the upcoming CG-animated series and what us fans can expect.
Firstly, I want to reiterate that I’ve personally spoken with Scott McLean of Unified Pictures, the team behind the project, and the way he described the CG aspect of the animation has put me at complete ease. That doesn’t mean that I may not be wrong when it’s released but as of now I’m feeling very okay with how things are going.
Okay, on to what Kikuchi and Kawajiri have said!
Firstly, Kikuchi has stated that, “…it is undecided,” if the series will use the existing stories as backdrops or if there will be all new stories written under his supervision.
When asked about the potential ending of the D story, he says that it all relies on D’s “sacred ancestor”, who he says, “…will come out someday.” And when that happens, fans should be ready. “…Expect that to be your warning that Vampire Hunter D is speeding toward an ending,” Kikuchi explains.
Meanwhile, Kawajiri addressed the concerns that fans have of this being a CGI-animated series, explaining, “…the progress the digital technology has broaden [sic] the possibilities of expression for anime industry. However, there are still a lot of things that we cannot express without the old analog methods. So, I feel that it is best to use a hybrid of the two: analog methods augmented by digital innovation.”
While Kikuchi isn’t sure if they’re going to use any material from the novels, Kawajiri has stated that he’d like to try “The Rose Princess” and “Mysterious Journey to the North Seas”.
Ultimately, Kawajiri wants to bring something new and fresh to the screen. “I want to create images beyond what you’ve already seen, what you might expect.“
