Blood+

author: Asuka Katsura
director: Junichi Fujisaku
composer: Hans Zimmer, Mark Mancina
review type: anime
status: completed
genre: Action, Supernatural, Shoujo
studio: Production I.G, Aniplex
original run: October 8, 2005 - September 23, 2006
episodes: 50
similiar to: Witch Hunter Robin, Blood the Last Vampire, Hellsing


Synopsis

Saya Otonashi lives a perfectly normal life. She had been adopted by a Vietnam war veteran; George Miyagusuku, and has two adopted brothers; Kai and Riku whom she loves dearly. However, there are noticable traits that are peculiar to Saya; she is an amnesiac and anemic. But her fate changed on the day she met a chiropteran; bat like creatures that live by feeding on human blood.

As she is caugh in a pinch, a mysterious man by the name of Hagi appears to defend her. He tries to ward off the chiropteran with all he has. It's during this tense moment that Hagi tells Saya of what she truly is and awakens her to what she truly is. The chiropteran is defeated. Hagi's real identity takes shape as he is her chevalier; her knight and guardian. She doesn't remember who Hagi is due to her problem with amnesia and begins to learn that her blood has the ability to destroy chiropterans.

Soon after, a man named David approaches Saya. He is a lead agent with a secret task force called the Red Shield; an organization dedicated to killing chiropterans around the world. He beckons Saya to join them in their fight against the chiropterans since she is the only one who could defeat them. Saya at first is reluctant to join them on their crusade. But soon agrees as she begins to embrace her identity. Since Hagi and David would also not cooperate with her in revealing who or what she really is, she begins a quest to find out exactly her true identity. Joining Red Shield would have more than just battling a few monsters for her as after each of her dealings with them, she becomes more aware of her dark past.

As Saya joins the Red Shield with Hagi, she discovers that there is a bigger picture to the plot. She begins to learn of a certain Diva; her evil twin and the world of the chiropterans. Realizing that her painful destiny would not only to destroy the chiropterans but Diva as well.



Rempit's Vrooming Comment

I hate to begin negatively, but I am compelled to do so for this. The first handicap to a series like this would be it's theme. It is so cliche. Vampires and monster slaying has been on our screens for decades. And you'd never want another Bram Stoker remake because there's too many out there, you'd just wish that if only vampires could be a real bad ass. But Blood+ survives the cliche and does a pretty good job in reeling you in. So that's a positive one over there.

The story and the plots at first would capture you. Each episode leaves you hanging. And with it's uncanny reputation of unpredictability, you'd just love it. Or at first love it. I began to realize that the deeper this series went, the more tragic, dark and grim it got. Which was totally OK. This is a show about the supernatural and it is fine dining to have a very grim and twisted plot. Some might even consider this a non-robotic version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. But sooner or later you'd might be thinking, alright so now whose going to die? And when a lot of people keep dying, it will wear off on you. And it will be no big deal.

The sad part of this anime would be that it portrayed Saya in a messianic complex. That ultimately her victories are painful and that she would not sit on a pile of gold and laugh at the spoils of an ultimate victory over a very tough opponent. Many people around her will be murdered and she is encouraged by the living few to continue. As she continues she puts on a savior of the world attitude which I do think is a little too much. Because at the end of the day you can just turn off your pc or tv and say well she'll survive and win it.

Another thing about the deaths. I mean it's awesome to be realistic. But it gets ridiculous when reality is exaggerated. As much as it is a dark episode and there has to be the case of people getting murdered brutally, again I'd think if you want tons of people to die than why not just develop Saya and forget about her contemporaries?

Character development is pretty good. She and her contemporaries were portrayed quite well. Each character being developed slowly, steadily in an unpredictable manner. The art is not bad as well, fight scenes were surprisingly good and at least Saya is much cooler than that annoying Shana from Shakugan no Shana ( I can't imagine they even had a second season for this). But she isn't as composed as Robin from Witch Hunter Robin.

So if you'd like vampires and twisted plots, than this would be the one for you. I thought it was on a mediocre scale overall and the ending really disappointed me. It was watching another rerun of Full Metal Alchemist (not the current Brotherhood installation).



Rempit Rates:

Storyline: 3/5
Character Development: 4/5
Art: 4/5
Originality: 3/5