I’m not a comic book guy and never read the comic, nor did I watch the movie, so I can only comment from an anime watcher’s point of view:
First of all, this is a good anime. It’s good not because of powerful emotions or particularly smart plots. As for the drama, it’s competently done without anything dragged out or overtly lacking. The overall feeling of the show is clean. There’s action, and there’s character interaction. It’s not nearly non-stop fights (like Wolverine), and it doesn’t talk too much without doing what’s at the core of this show. After all, this is a vampire action anime, and that’s what it delivers.
For people who read the American comic, you know more than I do. For people who are like me, you can simply find the background on wiki or ANN or MAL. So I won’t bother with that. I’m just going to give an honest opinion on this stuff.
I’m not a big fan of any anime with a male lead unless it’s harem. An anime about a muscle dude that kicks ass appeals to me even less. However, Blade is not just any other muscle guy that kicks ass. He is the definition of the line “always bet on black”. No, not the cheesiness and exploitation of color, but the fact that he always manages to find a way to win. However, compared with wolverine, I feel the show makes it so that Blade tend to just overpower his opponents at the last second. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the fluid animation (when it’s not still shots) shows that this man can battle, but I don’t see the finesse of a swordsman. I’m probably the minority here, but what I’m trying to say is that, because it’s mostly he goes out and cut down the monster group of the week, there is a sense of lacking in substance in the fighting department. I dunno, maybe I’m just picky (that’s what I do). After all, Madhouse animation equals top-notch quality, nearly flawless fights, right?
This show is certainly no Claymore. And it lags far behind Ninja Scroll. It probably doesn’t even hold up to the much-less known but awesome Kurozuka…or many other Madhouse fighting shows. It’s competent and good, but it doesn’t quite get there.
The reason I’m harping on the action because it’s an action anime.
But see, for what it is, it does a great job doing what it promises. It does give us the fight, the drama of Eric (Blade) having to deal with the evil within. The stuff about how he had to kill the most important person in his life, how he remains unconvinced of any possible salvation or saving graces, and all that. I get the feeling comic book fans would like this anime just fine. It’s another good Sunday morning cartoon except for the Japanese audience.
With Akio Ozuka, a good veteran male seiyuu with years of experience, as Blade, adding a likable female lead, played by the pure-voiced songstress Maaya Sakamoto (unfortunately she doesn’t sing in this show), an easily identifiable villain, some encounters with people affected by vampire events in different ways, and a cheesy but understandable cameo (I mean, Clamp does cameos and cross-overs all the time), you have a winsome formula. And that’s what the show is trying to do, really.
It’s just I want more from Madhouse.
Bottom line: it’s a summer blockbuster without real solid substance and it’s obvious that Madhouse is fulfilling its contract with Marvel and doing a great job at it. And sometimes, that’s all we ask for.
It’s just that this is a little bland.
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