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Vampire Hunter D #1
Vampire Hunter D
12,090 A.D. It is a dark time for the world. Humanity is just crawling out from under three hundred years of domination by the race of vampires known as the Nobility. The war against the vampires has taken its toll; cities lie in ruin, the countryside is fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms that still struggle against nightly raids by the fallen vampires-and the remnants of their genetically manufactured demons and werewolves.
Every village wants a Hunter-one of the warriors who have pledged their laser guns and their swords to the eradication of the Nobility. But some Hunters are better than others, and some bring their own kind of danger with them...
From creator Hideyuki Kikuchi, one of Japan's leading horror authors with illustrations by renowned Japanese artist, Yoshitaka Amano, best known for his illustrations in Neil Gaiman's Sandman: The Dream Hunters and the Final Fantasy games.
Every village wants a Hunter-one of the warriors who have pledged their laser guns and their swords to the eradication of the Nobility. But some Hunters are better than others, and some bring their own kind of danger with them...
From creator Hideyuki Kikuchi, one of Japan's leading horror authors with illustrations by renowned Japanese artist, Yoshitaka Amano, best known for his illustrations in Neil Gaiman's Sandman: The Dream Hunters and the Final Fantasy games.
268 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 1983
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 583 reviews
July 11, 2008
Excellent book. Excellent translation.
I'm confused. Why is it that other reviewers think that 'something is lost in translation'? As a translator, I would consider that one of the biggest insults there is.
People, PROFESSIONAL tranlators are chosen for these jobs. They are persons who have worked for many, many, many years in the original language (Japanese in this case). Unless your Japanese is better than theirs', or you comprehend Japanese on par with them, how can you EVEN CONSIDER making such a statement!?
Have *I* read the original? YES. Do *I* comprehend Japanese? YES. And I am telling you, if you have any problems with the style, look no further than the original.
Do I think the original is lacking in anything? Most certainly not. They are both fine books. I enjoyed the Japaense original and the English translation.
Fantastic work about the far future in which vampires have given Earth its greatest technological advances after normal humans destroyed the world. Known as the Nobility, they are the rulers of a world that is dying with them. Inhabited by monsters and demons, the Earth is an amalgation of technology and medival settings. Similar to King's Gunslinger world in idea setting.
A fun read.
I'm confused. Why is it that other reviewers think that 'something is lost in translation'? As a translator, I would consider that one of the biggest insults there is.
People, PROFESSIONAL tranlators are chosen for these jobs. They are persons who have worked for many, many, many years in the original language (Japanese in this case). Unless your Japanese is better than theirs', or you comprehend Japanese on par with them, how can you EVEN CONSIDER making such a statement!?
Have *I* read the original? YES. Do *I* comprehend Japanese? YES. And I am telling you, if you have any problems with the style, look no further than the original.
Do I think the original is lacking in anything? Most certainly not. They are both fine books. I enjoyed the Japaense original and the English translation.
Fantastic work about the far future in which vampires have given Earth its greatest technological advances after normal humans destroyed the world. Known as the Nobility, they are the rulers of a world that is dying with them. Inhabited by monsters and demons, the Earth is an amalgation of technology and medival settings. Similar to King's Gunslinger world in idea setting.
A fun read.
June 20, 2022
I listened to the dramatized version of this and it was a very enjoyable listening experience. I was intrigued by the cover and the blurb and wasn't disappointed one bit. Definitely going to continue with the series, hopefully soon
September 18, 2022
After humanity nearly wiped itself out during a brutal nuclear war that ravaged the world, vampires rose up from their shadowy tombs to enslave the last of mankind. The year is 12,090 A.D. Humanity has led many uprisings against their vampire masters and are close to being on equal footing once more. In an apocalyptic wasteland where scientifically manufactured monsters, demons, aliens and all manner of horrifying creatures roam, neither human nor vampire is safe. A lone half-human vampire hunter named D journeys across the world, taking on deadly tasks for money while searching for the creator of his kind: Dracula.
Doris Lang has been bitten by Count Magnus Lee, marking her as a potential threat to her fellow villagers. For the sake of protecting her brother Dan, she hires D to kill the vampire lord before she turns into a monster. The task is far from simple. The Mayor of Ransylva has a nasty son that's obsessed with Doris. A sleazy crew of mercenaries seek to steal D's job of taking care of Magnus Lee, involved in a dark web of conspiracies and agendas that could spell the deaths of everyone involved. Lee and his psychotic daughter Larmica also have some nasty servants and tricks up their sleeves, they won't go down easily. Soon enough, an all out battle between bloodthirsty villagers and supernatural creatures of the night erupts into bloody madness, leaving the fate of Doris in the hands of many deadly adversaries.
This book is absolutely bonkers. It combines almost every genre of fiction that’s ever existed. It's pulpy vampire action with a badass, unstoppable protagonist against evil monsters. The descriptions of the setting are beautiful if a bit excessive, the descriptions of characters are vivid and elegant. The battle scenes are phenomenal, written in the style of action-packed, over the top light novels and dark fantasy anime films. The translations of the dialogue can feel pretty stilted and melodramatic at times, but it didn't feel too out of place with the ultra pulpy nature of the entire book.
Over-the-top violence and flashy action scenes, a blend of every monster in the history of fiction and folklore pulled from every culture imaginable. It's an insane mashup of dark fantasy, science fiction, dystopian horror, sword & sorcery, spaghetti western, detective mystery and gothic drama. Vampire Hunter D is pulp fiction in its purest form, an orgy of every hammer film production and cheesy 70’s fantasy and horror novel you can think of.
Each book chronicles D traveling to a new location to solve a mystery and take down a tyrant vampire lord terrorizing the locals. Each monster vanquished brings D closer to facing his arch nemesis. It’s very formulaic and that’s not such a bad thing. If you’ve read anything by Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock or Dresden Files, you’ll have some idea of what to expect. Travel to a new place, hunt some monsters, uncover long forgotten lore, solve mysteries, save pretty girls, big climactic battles between powerful warriors and bloodthirsty beasts. Rinse and repeat.
Doris Lang has been bitten by Count Magnus Lee, marking her as a potential threat to her fellow villagers. For the sake of protecting her brother Dan, she hires D to kill the vampire lord before she turns into a monster. The task is far from simple. The Mayor of Ransylva has a nasty son that's obsessed with Doris. A sleazy crew of mercenaries seek to steal D's job of taking care of Magnus Lee, involved in a dark web of conspiracies and agendas that could spell the deaths of everyone involved. Lee and his psychotic daughter Larmica also have some nasty servants and tricks up their sleeves, they won't go down easily. Soon enough, an all out battle between bloodthirsty villagers and supernatural creatures of the night erupts into bloody madness, leaving the fate of Doris in the hands of many deadly adversaries.
This book is absolutely bonkers. It combines almost every genre of fiction that’s ever existed. It's pulpy vampire action with a badass, unstoppable protagonist against evil monsters. The descriptions of the setting are beautiful if a bit excessive, the descriptions of characters are vivid and elegant. The battle scenes are phenomenal, written in the style of action-packed, over the top light novels and dark fantasy anime films. The translations of the dialogue can feel pretty stilted and melodramatic at times, but it didn't feel too out of place with the ultra pulpy nature of the entire book.
Over-the-top violence and flashy action scenes, a blend of every monster in the history of fiction and folklore pulled from every culture imaginable. It's an insane mashup of dark fantasy, science fiction, dystopian horror, sword & sorcery, spaghetti western, detective mystery and gothic drama. Vampire Hunter D is pulp fiction in its purest form, an orgy of every hammer film production and cheesy 70’s fantasy and horror novel you can think of.
Each book chronicles D traveling to a new location to solve a mystery and take down a tyrant vampire lord terrorizing the locals. Each monster vanquished brings D closer to facing his arch nemesis. It’s very formulaic and that’s not such a bad thing. If you’ve read anything by Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock or Dresden Files, you’ll have some idea of what to expect. Travel to a new place, hunt some monsters, uncover long forgotten lore, solve mysteries, save pretty girls, big climactic battles between powerful warriors and bloodthirsty beasts. Rinse and repeat.
January 17, 2008
I actually couldn't finish this book. The writing is just horrible. I really want to like it, the plot and setting are very interesting, and I loved the anime (both of them). The text reads very awkwardly, with over explained obvious details, or something explained one way only to read: "Actually, it was like this...". It reads like a series of breathless explanations of cheesy actions scenes written by a 12 year old that is too in love with his own hero.
September 6, 2022
DNF, 58%. Rated it because the storytelling quality is what it is, regardless of potentially interesting plot later on. I should note that the audiobook is pretty bad on its own, and may have affected the rating.
This review is mostly a rant, and you won't miss anything by skipping it entirely.
If I asked you to imagine a 1983 post-apocalyptic/sci-fi/fantasy book about a vampire hunter, you'd probably have the right idea even without knowing anything about this book in particular.
The part that makes the book interesting, in my opinion, is the setting: in 1999, humanity nearly went extinct by a nuclear war, and by the time humanity managed to re-establish a basic standard of living, the surviving humans (born after the war) had no knowledge of civilization and of how to make one. But it just so happens that vampires exist in this world (among pretty much every other fantasy creature), and being intelligent and immortal, there were many among them who were alive before the war and had relevant knowledge for establishing a civilization. Additionally, since the vampires are secretive and avoid sunlight, many of them kept their vast possessions (including technologies) in underground bunkers and remote locations, which survived the war.
And thus, vampires became the rulers of the world, keeping humanity in a technological level close to the middle ages. Thousands of years later (year 12,000) humans revolt, and several hundred years later there are barely any vampires left.
As far as worldbuilding goes, this is an interesting one. But the interesting part ends with the history. The world itself is not very unique, as there is no order or system to what can exist: there are vampires, werewolves, fairies, high-tech energy barriers, laser rifles, and magic, all of which make it into a bit of a mess. Especially considering how these elements are handled.
Then there's the story, which is very generic: a super-powerful half-human-half-vampire vampire-hunter goes on a quest to save a girl from a powerful vampire.
This book being dated is apparent from the very first chapter: the protagonist meets the girl previously mentioned, who attacks him because she thinks he means her harm. Once she realizes how strong he is, she immediately gets naked in order to try and confuse him (as one does in such situations); and of course we get a description of how perfectly beautiful she is, and soon learn she is seventeen and a virgin. Personally, I found the whole sequence pretty funny at the beginning. But the trend continued, with Doris (which the narrator sometimes refers to as 'the virgin' instead of her name, as if it's a nickname or the cornerstone of her identity) being sexually harassed and almost raped a few times, and (of course) without any real relevance to the plot.
Other female characters are treated similarly. For example, once the daughter of the vampire antagonist sees how powerful D is, she immediately falls in love with him.
Later, D meets a three headed Medusa. After they (each head is independent) see how powerful D is, they try to confuse him by rubbing his body with their hair in hopes of sexually arousing him, but he is so attractive that they get aroused instead and lose all rationality. I'm not making this up; this is actually in the book.
I find myself saying this every time I review this kind of book: I have no problem with hyper-competent male protagonists who win all their fights and get all the girls. But there's a way to write these stories without ending up with something a twelve year old might have written.
A plot anecdote: at one point a doctor shares a theory that vampires have genetically engineered humans to not be able to remember vampiric weaknesses, and in the very next scene the antagonist vampire confirms it: whenever a human gets proof of a vampire's weakness he forgets it immediately. They try thinking up solutions, without even considering WRITING THINGS DOWN as a way to remember them. Not saying it would have worked, because how the hell should I know, but not even a mention? But I'm demanding far too much from this book. There's also barely any time between setup and payoff: the doctor comes over, tells his "theory" about the engineered forgetfulness, and then the vampire comes and -- after being informed by the doctor that he knows vampires react badly to garlic -- informs the doctor that he will forget about it the moment he gets confirmation that it's true.
There are lots of descriptions of things in the world, from the magic to fantasy-biology to technology. Sadly, most of it is just word-salad. For example: we learn that an energy barrier works by emitting electromagnetic waves, but not why it being electromagnetic means it can prevent people from crossing it. And when the vampire tries to cross it, there's a description of "magnetic flames", which I guess can sound cool if you don't spend even a single thought on what the hell that might mean.
The book is filled with technologies, monsters and magic, and for some ungodly reason the author spends time describing how they work while not even trying to have it make any sense. It's extreme techno-babble + magic-babble, which I guess might be some sort of achievement (in case you're a glass-half-full kind of person).
Then there's the writing itself. The dialogue is very basic (the full-cast narration of the audiobook certainly did not help), the kind where people explain everything they do (for the sake of the reader). As for the power fantasy: I was actually looking for a simple, fun power fantasy where I could just turn my brain off and enjoy the ride, but this one had me laughing instead. We are told again and again how attractive D is and how powerful he is instead of being shown, and anything sexually related is done worse than I've seen in a long time, from the seventeen year old virgin with the perfect body (as per the narrator's description) who gets naked to confuse D and keeps getting almost-raped, to the vampire girl who falls in love with him 0.1 seconds after meeting him, to the Medusa who tries masturbating him but gets too aroused from how attractive he is and loses the ability to think. This stuff belongs in a parody.
SIDE NOTE / RECOMMENDATION: the movie "Vampire hunter D" from 2000 (also called "Vampire hunter D: bloodlust) is really good (not to be confused with an earlier movie with the same name). Definitely give it a watch is you can. It has a very straightforward story, but everything else -- direction, animation, action, character arcs, themes -- is excellent.
This review is mostly a rant, and you won't miss anything by skipping it entirely.
If I asked you to imagine a 1983 post-apocalyptic/sci-fi/fantasy book about a vampire hunter, you'd probably have the right idea even without knowing anything about this book in particular.
The part that makes the book interesting, in my opinion, is the setting: in 1999, humanity nearly went extinct by a nuclear war, and by the time humanity managed to re-establish a basic standard of living, the surviving humans (born after the war) had no knowledge of civilization and of how to make one. But it just so happens that vampires exist in this world (among pretty much every other fantasy creature), and being intelligent and immortal, there were many among them who were alive before the war and had relevant knowledge for establishing a civilization. Additionally, since the vampires are secretive and avoid sunlight, many of them kept their vast possessions (including technologies) in underground bunkers and remote locations, which survived the war.
And thus, vampires became the rulers of the world, keeping humanity in a technological level close to the middle ages. Thousands of years later (year 12,000) humans revolt, and several hundred years later there are barely any vampires left.
As far as worldbuilding goes, this is an interesting one. But the interesting part ends with the history. The world itself is not very unique, as there is no order or system to what can exist: there are vampires, werewolves, fairies, high-tech energy barriers, laser rifles, and magic, all of which make it into a bit of a mess. Especially considering how these elements are handled.
Then there's the story, which is very generic: a super-powerful half-human-half-vampire vampire-hunter goes on a quest to save a girl from a powerful vampire.
This book being dated is apparent from the very first chapter: the protagonist meets the girl previously mentioned, who attacks him because she thinks he means her harm. Once she realizes how strong he is, she immediately gets naked in order to try and confuse him (as one does in such situations); and of course we get a description of how perfectly beautiful she is, and soon learn she is seventeen and a virgin. Personally, I found the whole sequence pretty funny at the beginning. But the trend continued, with Doris (which the narrator sometimes refers to as 'the virgin' instead of her name, as if it's a nickname or the cornerstone of her identity) being sexually harassed and almost raped a few times, and (of course) without any real relevance to the plot.
Other female characters are treated similarly. For example, once the daughter of the vampire antagonist sees how powerful D is, she immediately falls in love with him.
Later, D meets a three headed Medusa. After they (each head is independent) see how powerful D is, they try to confuse him by rubbing his body with their hair in hopes of sexually arousing him, but he is so attractive that they get aroused instead and lose all rationality. I'm not making this up; this is actually in the book.
I find myself saying this every time I review this kind of book: I have no problem with hyper-competent male protagonists who win all their fights and get all the girls. But there's a way to write these stories without ending up with something a twelve year old might have written.
A plot anecdote: at one point a doctor shares a theory that vampires have genetically engineered humans to not be able to remember vampiric weaknesses, and in the very next scene the antagonist vampire confirms it: whenever a human gets proof of a vampire's weakness he forgets it immediately. They try thinking up solutions, without even considering WRITING THINGS DOWN as a way to remember them. Not saying it would have worked, because how the hell should I know, but not even a mention? But I'm demanding far too much from this book. There's also barely any time between setup and payoff: the doctor comes over, tells his "theory" about the engineered forgetfulness, and then the vampire comes and -- after being informed by the doctor that he knows vampires react badly to garlic -- informs the doctor that he will forget about it the moment he gets confirmation that it's true.
There are lots of descriptions of things in the world, from the magic to fantasy-biology to technology. Sadly, most of it is just word-salad. For example: we learn that an energy barrier works by emitting electromagnetic waves, but not why it being electromagnetic means it can prevent people from crossing it. And when the vampire tries to cross it, there's a description of "magnetic flames", which I guess can sound cool if you don't spend even a single thought on what the hell that might mean.
The book is filled with technologies, monsters and magic, and for some ungodly reason the author spends time describing how they work while not even trying to have it make any sense. It's extreme techno-babble + magic-babble, which I guess might be some sort of achievement (in case you're a glass-half-full kind of person).
Then there's the writing itself. The dialogue is very basic (the full-cast narration of the audiobook certainly did not help), the kind where people explain everything they do (for the sake of the reader). As for the power fantasy: I was actually looking for a simple, fun power fantasy where I could just turn my brain off and enjoy the ride, but this one had me laughing instead. We are told again and again how attractive D is and how powerful he is instead of being shown, and anything sexually related is done worse than I've seen in a long time, from the seventeen year old virgin with the perfect body (as per the narrator's description) who gets naked to confuse D and keeps getting almost-raped, to the vampire girl who falls in love with him 0.1 seconds after meeting him, to the Medusa who tries masturbating him but gets too aroused from how attractive he is and loses the ability to think. This stuff belongs in a parody.
SIDE NOTE / RECOMMENDATION: the movie "Vampire hunter D" from 2000 (also called "Vampire hunter D: bloodlust) is really good (not to be confused with an earlier movie with the same name). Definitely give it a watch is you can. It has a very straightforward story, but everything else -- direction, animation, action, character arcs, themes -- is excellent.
June 6, 2024
Such a fun ride. I can't wait to read the others. I'm glad I picked it up. D is just a badass dude who strikes fear and confusion into all of his enemies. This book kind of has it all: romance, horror, monsters, action, decapitation, mystery, and humor. My goodness, it was great. I loved it.
There it is and there you have it.
There it is and there you have it.
July 23, 2010
Are you asking yourself why this book end in my house? 
It's a funny story (short, I'll not bore you to death). I’m a manga/anime fanatic (nerd one since I love to go to manga/anime conventions and see cosplay judgements) and at the so far far far far away 90’s (I’m old, I know) I saw the anime “Vampire Hunter D 2000”( http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/revie...) and loved it. At the time the book was only in Japanese… so I wait… wait… wait a little more than, to my huge happiness, Dark Horse Books traduced to English. BUT my story isn’t finished yet… why I bought it?
The story is great (much better than the anime)…. the main male character, “D”, is the best vampire/dhampir I ever find (I can tell you exactly what he is or will spoil the story)… the main female character has her stupid moments, but most of the time she is strong and really kick some ass… the little brother of the main female character is really cute… D's demon hand is so funny that your will laugh... but, at last, the principal motive of why you should buy it is
....(trumpets moment)....
there are illustrations of Yoshitaka Amano in this book!!!!!!.
Ok, I know that this is a nerd thing to say but Amano is a genious. You may hate vampire story, hate the little sexist way “D” see the females (this book a little, but if you go on reading the others you will notice), hate sci-fi stories… but you can’t hate something done by Yoshitaka Amano. Believe me… the guy is a genious. I’m still buying this serie only to see the illustrations (I addmite that after 5 books the story became a little boring).
So….
Reading this book you will find: a wonderful story (in my modest opinion) genially illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano.
5 stars to Hideyuki Kikuchi
5000000000 stars to Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations
Have fun reading!
It's a funny story (short, I'll not bore you to death). I’m a manga/anime fanatic (nerd one since I love to go to manga/anime conventions and see cosplay judgements) and at the so far far far far away 90’s (I’m old, I know) I saw the anime “Vampire Hunter D 2000”( http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/revie...) and loved it. At the time the book was only in Japanese… so I wait… wait… wait a little more than, to my huge happiness, Dark Horse Books traduced to English. BUT my story isn’t finished yet… why I bought it?
The story is great (much better than the anime)…. the main male character, “D”, is the best vampire/dhampir I ever find (I can tell you exactly what he is or will spoil the story)… the main female character has her stupid moments, but most of the time she is strong and really kick some ass… the little brother of the main female character is really cute… D's demon hand is so funny that your will laugh... but, at last, the principal motive of why you should buy it is
....(trumpets moment).... there are illustrations of Yoshitaka Amano in this book!!!!!!.
Ok, I know that this is a nerd thing to say but Amano is a genious. You may hate vampire story, hate the little sexist way “D” see the females (this book a little, but if you go on reading the others you will notice), hate sci-fi stories… but you can’t hate something done by Yoshitaka Amano. Believe me… the guy is a genious. I’m still buying this serie only to see the illustrations (I addmite that after 5 books the story became a little boring).
So….
Reading this book you will find: a wonderful story (in my modest opinion) genially illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano.
5 stars to Hideyuki Kikuchi
5000000000 stars to Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations
Have fun reading!
November 6, 2022
I kept thinking of how my much younger self would have loved this series and would have easily have given this full five stars. Unfortunately for my rating this, i am older and that admirable wonder and imaginations have been degraded.
Nevertheless, this was still attentively enjoyed. I believe the translation was done well, conjured imaginations and scenes were understood. On the downside though i came across a few grammar issues...i.e. fur rather than far (i assume). That might be a print issue.
Overall, look forward to getting my hands on more in the series. I purchased the ebook but i feel the hardcopy will have greater graphics effect.
Nevertheless, this was still attentively enjoyed. I believe the translation was done well, conjured imaginations and scenes were understood. On the downside though i came across a few grammar issues...i.e. fur rather than far (i assume). That might be a print issue.
Overall, look forward to getting my hands on more in the series. I purchased the ebook but i feel the hardcopy will have greater graphics effect.
October 12, 2014
I love the post-apocalyptic dystopia setting of the VHD novels ... I think that D and his very sassy hand are intriguing characters, and the plots of the novels are interesting. It's a richly imagined dark fantasy/sci-fi world.
However, I do not like the narration style at all. It has this over-the-top pulp fiction kind of feel that is incredibly cheesy, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary! :)
I'm going to give the new manga a try. I really want to like the VHD stories, but after wincing my way through the narration in the first four, I've given up on the novels.
Two stars. (January 1 2006)
***SEVEN YEARS LATER***
(Really?! Have I had an account on GoodReads for so long?!)
I'm going to give it another go with more tolerance of a writing style that's very different from what I'm used to. I find that if I imagine it's being read aloud by some unknown narrator, it's less irritating to me. I'm reading it again because I'm about to watch the (first) movie again at a local anime night, and well, here goes ...
So I think that if you imagine that the story is being *told* to you by an unknown narrator, the narration works a lot better. I still don't consider it "well-written," but I do really enjoy the story and the world.
Three stars.
However, I do not like the narration style at all. It has this over-the-top pulp fiction kind of feel that is incredibly cheesy, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary! :)
I'm going to give the new manga a try. I really want to like the VHD stories, but after wincing my way through the narration in the first four, I've given up on the novels.
Two stars. (January 1 2006)
***SEVEN YEARS LATER***
(Really?! Have I had an account on GoodReads for so long?!)
I'm going to give it another go with more tolerance of a writing style that's very different from what I'm used to. I find that if I imagine it's being read aloud by some unknown narrator, it's less irritating to me. I'm reading it again because I'm about to watch the (first) movie again at a local anime night, and well, here goes ...
So I think that if you imagine that the story is being *told* to you by an unknown narrator, the narration works a lot better. I still don't consider it "well-written," but I do really enjoy the story and the world.
Three stars.
June 10, 2022
2.5 stars
I didn’t enjoy this book much. It features violence, lots of sexual assault, & imo hyper-sexualizes an underage girl (the MC) in an uncomfortable way. The story has some interesting subplots, but overall is not well constructed.
[What I liked:]
•The setting is rather interesting. It’s like a Western in a post-apocalyptic landscape, but with monsters & vampires running around. Pretty unique, at least as far as my reading experiences go.
•The way the MC’s manage to out maneuver some of their enemies is clever (though at other times, the way they get out of scrapes is improbable).
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•It’s very disturbing how heavily this story relies on sexual assault for plot/cheap drama. About every other chapter the MC, a 17-year-old girl, is almost r*ped, including one threatened/attempted gang r*pe. Why is this necessary?? It didn’t add anything to the story.
•Besides being stalked and assaulted by the count, Greco, & a band of outlaws, the MC spends the whole book dreading/anticipating paying her vampire hunter for his services with her body. It doesn’t matter that she’s attracted to him; she’s still underage, it still has shades of non-con to it, & I found it a creepy thing to emphasize.
•The writing style is not very fluid, & the scene progression tends to be choppy. It’s easy to tell this is a novelization of a graphic novel.
•The character development is lacking. The MC is a fierce, hyper-sexualized teen girl. D is *mysterious* & we only eventually learn a bit of his backstory. The villains are extremely villainous. That’s about the extent of the character work.
•The plot is pretty episodic, & therefore doesn’t hang together as well as it could if the subplots were more integrated with the main storyline.
CW: sexual assault, physical assault, murder, sexism
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
I didn’t enjoy this book much. It features violence, lots of sexual assault, & imo hyper-sexualizes an underage girl (the MC) in an uncomfortable way. The story has some interesting subplots, but overall is not well constructed.
[What I liked:]
•The setting is rather interesting. It’s like a Western in a post-apocalyptic landscape, but with monsters & vampires running around. Pretty unique, at least as far as my reading experiences go.
•The way the MC’s manage to out maneuver some of their enemies is clever (though at other times, the way they get out of scrapes is improbable).
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•It’s very disturbing how heavily this story relies on sexual assault for plot/cheap drama. About every other chapter the MC, a 17-year-old girl, is almost r*ped, including one threatened/attempted gang r*pe. Why is this necessary?? It didn’t add anything to the story.
•Besides being stalked and assaulted by the count, Greco, & a band of outlaws, the MC spends the whole book dreading/anticipating paying her vampire hunter for his services with her body. It doesn’t matter that she’s attracted to him; she’s still underage, it still has shades of non-con to it, & I found it a creepy thing to emphasize.
•The writing style is not very fluid, & the scene progression tends to be choppy. It’s easy to tell this is a novelization of a graphic novel.
•The character development is lacking. The MC is a fierce, hyper-sexualized teen girl. D is *mysterious* & we only eventually learn a bit of his backstory. The villains are extremely villainous. That’s about the extent of the character work.
•The plot is pretty episodic, & therefore doesn’t hang together as well as it could if the subplots were more integrated with the main storyline.
CW: sexual assault, physical assault, murder, sexism
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
October 16, 2025
Vampire Hunter D is the standard in my eyes for how to do a sci-fi Western setting, and then you fill it with vampires, werewolves, and ghoulies, and it's just the perfect smoothie blend of all my favorite things.
D is mysterious, enigmatic, sexual, and charming despite his aloofness. All the women lust for his androgynous beauty, and all the men wish they were him. He's among some of my favorite protagonists, alongside his fellow monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia. Geralt and D have a lot in common, especially their emotional complexity despite how little they ever speak. There's a tragic beauty to Vampire Hunter D: this is after all, set in a far future on Earth after an apocalypse has ravaged our planet. There's just nothing that scratches the fantasy/scifi itch quite like Vampire Hunter D.
Other books in the series I've read so far:
🦇Vampire Hunter D 4 Stars ☆☆☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales ☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 3: Demon Deathchase ☆☆☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 4: Tale of the Dead Town ☆☆☆☆
D is mysterious, enigmatic, sexual, and charming despite his aloofness. All the women lust for his androgynous beauty, and all the men wish they were him. He's among some of my favorite protagonists, alongside his fellow monster hunter, Geralt of Rivia. Geralt and D have a lot in common, especially their emotional complexity despite how little they ever speak. There's a tragic beauty to Vampire Hunter D: this is after all, set in a far future on Earth after an apocalypse has ravaged our planet. There's just nothing that scratches the fantasy/scifi itch quite like Vampire Hunter D.
Other books in the series I've read so far:
🦇Vampire Hunter D 4 Stars ☆☆☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 2: Raiser of Gales ☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 3: Demon Deathchase ☆☆☆☆
🦇Vampire Hunter D Volume 4: Tale of the Dead Town ☆☆☆☆
June 8, 2021
I've read this book a few times now, and each time it seems to get better. Saturation sets in. There are some really interesting plots and twists throughout the story. For instance, Time-bewitching incense, it turns day to night, and night to day, very effective when considering to use it against a vampire foe. It could also help a vampire access places during the day. It's interesting for a first novels premise to start 12,000 years into the future after man has destroyed itself from nuclear war, only to then succumb to a hibernating race of vampires that emerge on the scene years after, only to then fall into decline themselves and humans once again slowly start to reclaim the earth. Interesting indeed. I think this story is about 40 years old now and it still holds up. Although the english translation is a little off in places, you can still easily understand what was trying to be conveyed.
Regardless, if you like the idea of a Dhampir's, half human, half vampire off-spring hunter, then you should certainly give this a book a whirl. Its full of action and suspense, and in some parts comedic deliveries from outlandish explanations from the narrator. There is certainly some mysteries to explore in this title and for the series to run as long as it has, I can't imagine Hideyuki is running out of material anytime soon. Some of his earliest influences is that of Horror of Dracula with Christopher Lee. I sometimes wonder if that is where he got the name for the main antagonist in this first novel.
Regardless, if you like the idea of a Dhampir's, half human, half vampire off-spring hunter, then you should certainly give this a book a whirl. Its full of action and suspense, and in some parts comedic deliveries from outlandish explanations from the narrator. There is certainly some mysteries to explore in this title and for the series to run as long as it has, I can't imagine Hideyuki is running out of material anytime soon. Some of his earliest influences is that of Horror of Dracula with Christopher Lee. I sometimes wonder if that is where he got the name for the main antagonist in this first novel.
April 28, 2013
When this book came out I was bouncing off the walls. And I got it when it first came out and I love it! As being a fan of Vampire Hunter D I have loved all the books I have read so far.
Before I go on telling about the book. WOULD SOME OF THESE PEOPLE STOP BASHING THE TRANSLATION! My God, the translation fine as it is! There's nothing wrong with the translation and there's nothing wrong about how the book is made. Why do people go worrying about such stupid things??? The translator uses excellent grammar that I myself have to get a dictionary to understand some of these words.
The book is no where as detail as the movie. It is more detail and talks more about the world that D lives in than it does in the movie. And you finally get to learn what that thing is in D's left hand.
D meets a girl name Doris Lang, but she is different from the Doris Lang in the movie. D actually as character in the novels. He is not like the D in the movie he doesn't complain about himself being Vampire or that his world is utterly cover in darkness. He accepts who he is and is fine with it. He has a wicked sense of humor, his personality is that of Dracula or Alucard from Hellsing without the insane-ness. And you'll find out in the third book that he has no problems with some human marrying a vampire.
He meets Doris and her Brother Dan. He must stop Count Lee from turning Doris into a vampire. I am not going to go much into the story, don't want to spoil it at all for the other people. There's few more characters in this book than there was in the movie.
I first, I thought Doris was a very cool character, but later on she becomes weak and depends on D too much, which really annoyed me. D's left-hand is an enjoyable character and very funny. And you found out that D sometimes enjoys the company of his Left-Hand.
In this book and through out the other books, the main villain points out in a very sudtle way that D is the son of Dracula. By key words "You're . . . You can't be . . . It's you ... and ect. And in every Vampire Hunter D book I do not get bored when the author tells how hot D is all over again. :) I have a vivid imagination so I enjoy the details of his godly looks. :) As you read this book and other books you do get the feeling if his father isn't the one that sent his son to destroy these vampires and that his father is getting tired of these Nobles.
Read the book and see for yourself. :)
Before I go on telling about the book. WOULD SOME OF THESE PEOPLE STOP BASHING THE TRANSLATION! My God, the translation fine as it is! There's nothing wrong with the translation and there's nothing wrong about how the book is made. Why do people go worrying about such stupid things??? The translator uses excellent grammar that I myself have to get a dictionary to understand some of these words.
The book is no where as detail as the movie. It is more detail and talks more about the world that D lives in than it does in the movie. And you finally get to learn what that thing is in D's left hand.
D meets a girl name Doris Lang, but she is different from the Doris Lang in the movie. D actually as character in the novels. He is not like the D in the movie he doesn't complain about himself being Vampire or that his world is utterly cover in darkness. He accepts who he is and is fine with it. He has a wicked sense of humor, his personality is that of Dracula or Alucard from Hellsing without the insane-ness. And you'll find out in the third book that he has no problems with some human marrying a vampire.
He meets Doris and her Brother Dan. He must stop Count Lee from turning Doris into a vampire. I am not going to go much into the story, don't want to spoil it at all for the other people. There's few more characters in this book than there was in the movie.
I first, I thought Doris was a very cool character, but later on she becomes weak and depends on D too much, which really annoyed me. D's left-hand is an enjoyable character and very funny. And you found out that D sometimes enjoys the company of his Left-Hand.
In this book and through out the other books, the main villain points out in a very sudtle way that D is the son of Dracula. By key words "You're . . . You can't be . . . It's you ... and ect. And in every Vampire Hunter D book I do not get bored when the author tells how hot D is all over again. :) I have a vivid imagination so I enjoy the details of his godly looks. :) As you read this book and other books you do get the feeling if his father isn't the one that sent his son to destroy these vampires and that his father is getting tired of these Nobles.
Read the book and see for yourself. :)
July 6, 2016
I liked the cartoon movie, so I gave it over 50 pages & just couldn't stomach it any more. A lot of the problem was the horrible dialogue. This may have been due to poor translation, but I don't think that was all of it. Very stilted & unbelievable.
The setting was too far out, too. Humans fighting vampires 10,000 years into the future, a medieval world in many ways backed by super science. Unfortunately, the author tried to draw a direct line from our time to that one & I found his reasoning completely unbelievable.
The characters were paper cutouts, no more believable than the setting they were in. The fight scenes played pretty well on the screen, but the descriptions didn't grab me. There was too much ridiculous speed hampered by inept choreography.
All told, I just couldn't stay interested in the simple story line. Everything was overblown & poorly put together. I'm sorry that it turned out that way because I was looking forward to it, but I just can't handle such poor writing.
The setting was too far out, too. Humans fighting vampires 10,000 years into the future, a medieval world in many ways backed by super science. Unfortunately, the author tried to draw a direct line from our time to that one & I found his reasoning completely unbelievable.
The characters were paper cutouts, no more believable than the setting they were in. The fight scenes played pretty well on the screen, but the descriptions didn't grab me. There was too much ridiculous speed hampered by inept choreography.
All told, I just couldn't stay interested in the simple story line. Everything was overblown & poorly put together. I'm sorry that it turned out that way because I was looking forward to it, but I just can't handle such poor writing.
July 14, 2025
anime na papierze
spoko rozrywka, ale nie wyróżnia się. Taki przyjemny średniaczek
spoko rozrywka, ale nie wyróżnia się. Taki przyjemny średniaczek
October 17, 2023
great ideas, terrible read, much lost in translation, too many allusions to virginity, excellent anime.
October 9, 2025
Vampire Hunter D is a read for young men. Despite the mediocre translation, I enjoyed the creative monsters and the far-out world building. However, little can be done when the characters and the plot itself are too simplistic. I think even as a manga the story would not improve my rating, but I think I'll watch the movie. But, for now, I'm happily moving on to read other stories.
April 26, 2021
This was so good! Okay, it's a bit out of date with its sexism and depiction of women, BUT Doris is a badass.
Hear me out: cyborg horses, giant fruit, combat suits, steampunk wild west, vampires, vampire hunters, mutants, AND a mention of krakens!
Something about the writing is absolutely fantastic. There were many instances where the turn of phrase used by the author/translator really took my breath away. The world depicted in this book is infinitely interesting. I want to know about the millenia-long rule of vampires following the human apocalypse, and about how they then also began to decay. I want to know about the superhighways, monster manufacturing and DNA modification.
I haven't seen or read any other material in this franchise but I'm certainly going to hunt (heh) it down now!
Hear me out: cyborg horses, giant fruit, combat suits, steampunk wild west, vampires, vampire hunters, mutants, AND a mention of krakens!
Something about the writing is absolutely fantastic. There were many instances where the turn of phrase used by the author/translator really took my breath away. The world depicted in this book is infinitely interesting. I want to know about the millenia-long rule of vampires following the human apocalypse, and about how they then also began to decay. I want to know about the superhighways, monster manufacturing and DNA modification.
I haven't seen or read any other material in this franchise but I'm certainly going to hunt (heh) it down now!
November 20, 2007
This is the original IP for the Vampire Hunter D Anime. I feel guilty with my rating because I really wanted to like this book more. Positivly it had a solid background story and an ingaging plot, but negitivly something was compleatly turned backwards in the translation from the original Japanese. The narrator has a hidiously horrible habit of telling the reader either what to think or reminding them of things that are much to plainly obvious. It almost feels like the book is written for readers with the attention span of a pre-teen but I wouldn't let my 11 year old read it with the amount of gore, and foul language in it. Suprisingly some of the more risque scenes in the anime become only slighly suggestive in the book. The book has already answered a few questions about the Vampire Hunter D universe I have always been wondering about and it does give me enough to want more. All in all reading this book has been like hanginging out with a good friend that insesently clicks the back of a pin, I just ingored the bad parts and enjoyed what was behind the noise. Hesitantly I'll read the second book in the series.... but the writing MUST get better.
January 25, 2024
When I was younger, I loved this movie and the book is just as good!
"Kindly allow me to ask one thing— your name. D…is that D, as in Dracula?
"Kindly allow me to ask one thing— your name. D…is that D, as in Dracula?
December 15, 2021
Review of audiobook by GraphicAudio: https://www.graphicaudio.net/vampire-...
First off for those that are thinking about picking up this audiobook, if you watched either the original movie or Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust from 2003, do not, I repeat, DO NOT expect any of the voice actors from either of the two movies to be in this audiobook. Doing so otherwise, will only bring disappointment to anyone that were fans of the anime movies.
Now that I got that out of the way, it's very pleasing to see that GraphicAudio has been around long enough and has finally been able to not only bring out an influential vampire series to their portfolio, but to also be able to bring out official audiobooks to the novels themselves, something that has never been done before. If the sales of the first three books turn out successful, and I have no doubt that they will, I shall look forward to listening to every volume of Vampire Hunter D written by the legendary Hideyuki Kikuchi.
I will not comment on the quality of the story, because I do not want to bring out spoilers. I do however want to comment on the voices, because obviously the GraphicAudio team, led by Scott McCormick this time around, they have went into this series with the intent of not recreating the voices of Bloodlust. You can hear it especially in D's voice, in Bloodlust, his voice was pretty deep and low, whereas in this audiobook David Cui Cui's performance reminded me as a cross between Mark Hildreth (Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing) and Johnny Yong Bosch (Persona 4 and Power Rangers) and while it was something I did not expect, making those vocal comparisons made it a lot easier for me to handle.
For the rest of the voice cast, seeing that GraphicAudio had cut their teeth on other Western Titles, particularly with the works of William W. Johnstone and Jon Land (Caitlin Strong series), it was obvious that they were staying true to the vision that Kikuchi made for Vampire Hunter D, and that was a Sci-Fi Spaghetti Western Universe filled with horror. Personally I respect that approach and look forward to how the voices will be done in the future.
That being said, even if you never watched the movies, you'd be robbing yourself of trying out a great series with a very interesting character and universe. A series great enough to have influenced the creations of Castlevania, Hellsing, and The Kurtherian Gambit. Vampire Hunter D influenced all three of those creations, and you will not be disappointed in these novels.
First off for those that are thinking about picking up this audiobook, if you watched either the original movie or Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust from 2003, do not, I repeat, DO NOT expect any of the voice actors from either of the two movies to be in this audiobook. Doing so otherwise, will only bring disappointment to anyone that were fans of the anime movies.
Now that I got that out of the way, it's very pleasing to see that GraphicAudio has been around long enough and has finally been able to not only bring out an influential vampire series to their portfolio, but to also be able to bring out official audiobooks to the novels themselves, something that has never been done before. If the sales of the first three books turn out successful, and I have no doubt that they will, I shall look forward to listening to every volume of Vampire Hunter D written by the legendary Hideyuki Kikuchi.
I will not comment on the quality of the story, because I do not want to bring out spoilers. I do however want to comment on the voices, because obviously the GraphicAudio team, led by Scott McCormick this time around, they have went into this series with the intent of not recreating the voices of Bloodlust. You can hear it especially in D's voice, in Bloodlust, his voice was pretty deep and low, whereas in this audiobook David Cui Cui's performance reminded me as a cross between Mark Hildreth (Heero Yuy from Gundam Wing) and Johnny Yong Bosch (Persona 4 and Power Rangers) and while it was something I did not expect, making those vocal comparisons made it a lot easier for me to handle.
For the rest of the voice cast, seeing that GraphicAudio had cut their teeth on other Western Titles, particularly with the works of William W. Johnstone and Jon Land (Caitlin Strong series), it was obvious that they were staying true to the vision that Kikuchi made for Vampire Hunter D, and that was a Sci-Fi Spaghetti Western Universe filled with horror. Personally I respect that approach and look forward to how the voices will be done in the future.
That being said, even if you never watched the movies, you'd be robbing yourself of trying out a great series with a very interesting character and universe. A series great enough to have influenced the creations of Castlevania, Hellsing, and The Kurtherian Gambit. Vampire Hunter D influenced all three of those creations, and you will not be disappointed in these novels.
December 9, 2025
Vampire Hunter D is basically a crazy, dark fantasy fusion of the gothic horror you know and a post apocalyptic western. The main idea is set in the far future, where the world is barely recovering from the reign of the Nobility, who are powerful vampires. These ancient creatures were masters of science and sorcery, but their time is fading. The book follows a mysterious, taciturn man simply known as D. He is a Dhampir half human, half vampire, and one of the best hunters of the remaining Nobility. It is classic monster hunting, but with a deep, existential flair.
I am honestly surprised about how truly alien and terrifying the vampires are presented by Hideyuki Kikuchi. They are not just suave guys with fangs. The Nobility possess powers and technologies that are so far beyond human comprehension; they really feel like gods or demons playing with mortals. They use psychic powers, genetically engineered beasts, and weapons that seem to defy physics.
I felt a deep sadness for the fragile humans in the story, who seemed forever denied the technology and magic of the Nobility, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
I am honestly surprised about how truly alien and terrifying the vampires are presented by Hideyuki Kikuchi. They are not just suave guys with fangs. The Nobility possess powers and technologies that are so far beyond human comprehension; they really feel like gods or demons playing with mortals. They use psychic powers, genetically engineered beasts, and weapons that seem to defy physics.
I felt a deep sadness for the fragile humans in the story, who seemed forever denied the technology and magic of the Nobility, leaving them exposed and vulnerable.
Read
March 17, 2016Ја и јапански аутори се дефинитивно не слажемо, додуше узорак ми је само Мурками и то Рју тако да и није неки узорак.
Ужасни превод на енглески je за Дарк Хорс 2005 радио извесни Кевин Лихи. Не знам шта и како, али човек мисли да све што је под једном одредницом у лексикону синонима значи апсолутно исту ствар, ово није ни Гугл транслејт у 2016, спушта се понекад на ниво Јахуовог Бабелфиша из деведесетих.
Аутор обожава да покаже, каже, понови, па и коментарише оно што је већ показао и рекао и што брате видим, и иде ми ужасно на живце. Са друге стране, ово је изворно објављено 1983, и идејно је и даље јако и прилично свеже, чак иако је много ствари у међувремену постало милион пута виђена фора у анимеима. Ко је залудан, ил не тражи паметно, нек чита.
Ужасни превод на енглески je за Дарк Хорс 2005 радио извесни Кевин Лихи. Не знам шта и како, али човек мисли да све што је под једном одредницом у лексикону синонима значи апсолутно исту ствар, ово није ни Гугл транслејт у 2016, спушта се понекад на ниво Јахуовог Бабелфиша из деведесетих.
Аутор обожава да покаже, каже, понови, па и коментарише оно што је већ показао и рекао и што брате видим, и иде ми ужасно на живце. Са друге стране, ово је изворно објављено 1983, и идејно је и даље јако и прилично свеже, чак иако је много ствари у међувремену постало милион пута виђена фора у анимеима. Ко је залудан, ил не тражи паметно, нек чита.
October 29, 2022
A lot of fun
July 19, 2016
Vampire Hunter D is a classic in some respects. The books have spawned 2 animated movies based off of them, and the series itself was running 17 books at last count (in 2007.) It’s pretty well lauded for being inventive and fantastic and well-written.
The plot follows a young woman named Doris Lang who hires a Vampire Hunter named D to kill the vampire that bit her before she turns into one of them. D aims to protect Doris and her brother Dan from not only the vampire that bit her, but his daughter, the group of supernatural bandits that have come to town, and the townspeople themselves.
There are a lot of elements in this plot. You have Doris and Dan relying on D to fight and defeat Count Magnus Lee, the vampire that attacked Doris. The Count aims to turn Doris into a vampire so he can have her as his wife. The Count’s daughter, Laramica, on the other hand, is trying to prevent this union so she doesn’t sully the blood of the Lee clan. Meanwhile, a rather unique and vicious set of bandits have come to town and aim to take out D as well, with their leader attempting to become one of the vampires himself. Plus, once someone has been bitten and their village finds out, the village turns against them.
Even though there is a lot of plot to follow, Kikuchi does a good job of working in all into the story without loosing bits of it. He does it slowly, so you can follow what’s going on, but he doesn’t draw things out unnecessarily and has no problems killing off characters to de-complicate things. He also writes in a lot of action, so it makes sense when characters get killed and plot things happen, because they usually happen during an action sequence. He doesn’t shy away from putting his characters in peril and pulling them right out again.
The whole story also takes place in a rather vicious world. It is the future, sometime after the year 12,000. Before the turn of the century (1999) the world went to nuclear war. After the dust had settle and the radiation had waned and those who had survived came out again, they found out that vampires did exist and they had the knowledge to survive and also to rebuild society. They deemed themselves the Nobility and rebuilt society with many scientific and technological advances. They ruled over humanity with fear and power for a long time until the humans eventually rose up and conquered them. Now, much of the land is called the Frontier, with the biggest main city and house of government known as the Capital. Many of the Nobility’s experiments run wild and many villages are small and poor, fighting against these creatures on a daily basis while trying to make a living. Hunters arose to fight against some of these creatures, and they all have a specialty. Since the Nobility still exist, Vampire Hunters have arisen to destroy what is left of them.
So the world is cruel and harsh and a lot like the backwater villages of Africa or the untamed old American West. Much of the world is fight or flight and many people are very skilled enough to fight. There are all sorts of weird creatures and weapons and things that exist and are made to seem quite normal in this world. It makes it a sort of sci-fi/horror post-apocalyptic world. I think the only thing missing might be zombies.
It’s got a really good mythos for the vampires too. You have your usuals: a stake through the heart kills them and sunlight is their major damage point. They do fall into the death sleep at dawn. They can’t cross running water either. But some of the other mythos hold true that no one in the book besides D knows. Stuff like the cross and garlic do affect them, but they’ve done something to human genes so that any human who figures it out immediately forgets about it. It’s an inventive little thing. Also, they mention one of the Nobility’s inventions meant to counteract the daylight weakness. Time-Bewitching Incense changes day to night and allows the Nobility to be awake and at full power during the daylight hours. However, it can also change night to day and if humans use it, it can render a Noble powerless even at night.
The characters are also fleshed out really well. Even the minor ones.
You can tell from the beginning that the mayor’s son is going to be a sleezeball, and his actions prove it but they are far from typical. The bandits all have cool powers and even Laramica develops really well and doesn’t just stay as this bitchy stuck-up Noble. Too bad her and the count aren’t really more developed than that. He wants Doris for a bride and will stop at nothing for it. She hates Doris because she’s human. Simple as that really.
Rei-Gensi makes a good villain. He’s beautiful, but his evil counteracts that beauty. He’s also got this cool power where he can rip a hole in a dimension around his body and have the attack (like a stabbing sword) affect his opponent instead. He’s pure evil and it oozes around him, which makes you love to hate him.
Doris herself is pretty awesome. Despite being only like 18, she’s had to live as a grown-up for a long time. Her dad was once a werewolf hunter, so she knows a thing or two more about fighting than most. Especially with this whip that can split into like seven pieces that she can control individually. Her and her brother are great at not only making a living for themselves, but defending that living pretty strongly. And while she’s slowly falling for D, she doesn’t really let that turn her into a weak damsel in distress. She’s got a fighting spirit she keeps up until the end.
D himself is the epitome of perfection. Not only is he the absolute best fighter, he never loses and doesn’t miss a shot either, but he’s extremely handsome to boot. He’s cold and emotionless, but by his actions you can see that he really cares about the people he’s hired to help. Part of his draw is that he’s written in a way where we’re told he’s doing things blatantly out of character and it just builds to his character. We see the human in him even when he doesn’t want it shown. D is a dhampir. That is, he’s half-vampire and half-human. (It is highly hinted at that D’s father is the Sacred Ancestor of the Nobility: Dracula himself.) He’s hated on both sides for it. (Laramica calls him a traitor and the townspeople attempt to throw him out as well.) He leads a very alone, very cold life and yet he cares about complete strangers, helping out with things he has no business helping with. Yet his façade never changes.
D has one companion that rarely makes himself known, but serves as most of the humor throughout the book. There is a sentient being (the “countenanced carbuncle”) residing in D’s left hand. Referred to only as Left Hand, the being uses the four elements to perform a variety of supernatural abilities. He can put people to sleep, place wards on them, analyze enemies and other beings, determining medical conditions of people and he has a vast knowledge of the Nobility’s former culture. He even brings D back to life after a stake through the heart kills him (he also reattaches himself when the limb is severed.) Left Hand has his own mind and his own will, often saying things to antagonize and annoy D. But he also tends to speak a truth that D just doesn’t wish to acknowledge.
Final Thoughts: The book really does deserve its praise. Despite the fact that Kikuchi writes kinda flowery, he still does a good job of pulling you into the action and he describes it really well despite the words he chooses to use. The characters are well-written and the setting is a very realistic and well-thought out world. The plot is engaging, with many factions, without being too drawn-out or convoluted. 5/5 from me all the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2012
Vampire Hunter D-A Review
By J.S. Eaton
This is my review of the novel Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi. And yes, that is a Japanese author, and the novel was originally written in Japanese and translated into English.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s a great book, not terribly long, but well-written and quite entertaining.
Vampire Hunter D is a sci-fi/horror novel. Set in the year 12091, it’s a story in the far distant future. This allows the author a great deal of freedom in his scientific conceptualization, and he uses it to great effect. This novel is the first in a series of twenty-five books so far. At present, the first seventeen have been translated, and as a fan of the series I can only hope that all of them will be brought over eventually.
In this far distant future, vampires have ruled the earth for thousands of years, ever since a nuclear holocaust in the early twenty-first century laid humanity low and allowed the vampires to rise to social and military supremacy. Since that time, the vampires have ruled humanity in a kind of pseudo-feudal society. The vampires are even referred to often as The Nobility. At the time the stories begin, vampire society has begun a steady decline, for reasons that are only vaguely hinted at, at least in the early books. Humanity lives on the outskirts of the great vampire cities, in an area known as the Frontier. It is in this time and place that the novels start, with their hero, known only as D.
The story of this first book concerns a young woman named Doris Lang who’s been bitten by a vampire lord named Magnus Lee who lives near her village. The mysterious vampire hunter, D, makes his way into her village and she hires him to kill the vampire before she turns into a vampire herself.
This first novel is a great entry into this far distant future. The writing incorporates a number of different themes besides sci-fi, not the least of which is a heavy Old-West motif. The Frontier, where humanity lives, is often described in details that would make up a typical western American town from the eighteenth century. Saloons, the town sheriff, stables, the dusty dirt street, they’re all here in the novels. Kikuchi has combined them in the most interesting ways though, and it works well throughout.
The hero, D, is actually a half-vampire. He’s picked up the best of both worlds however, being relatively immune to sunlight, or any of the other weaknesses that vampires have here while maintaining the vampire’s strength and speed. A word about D is probably warranted at this point. The author goes to great lengths on numerous occasions to tell the reader how perfect D is, how every woman who sees him wants him, how strong he is and how he’s always cool and collected. D bests nearly everyone who battles him, even vampires. After a few of these references it becomes obvious that Kikuchi is really enamored of his literary creation. It’s not a bad thing, but after the third or fourth time we’re told about D’s striking good looks or his invincibility it can kind of wear.
The story itself is good. The antagonist, Magnus Lee, is a sordid old blood-sucker who’s been alive for thousands of years. Every so-often he takes himself a human bride, more as a plaything than a partner. Doris is eventually captured by the vampire, and D has to rescue her. Once that’s done he has to defend her form the vampire’s minions, not the least of which is Lamika, Magus Lee’s daughter. D defeats all these opponents with ease. There are subtle hints during the narrative that D owes his superior abilities to something aside from being half-vampire, but that’s never fully explained here.
The story is relatively short compared to most novels from western authors. Not having read any other Japanese authors I couldn’t say whether or not this is a normal length for novels from across the ocean. It’s an entertaining story nonetheless, and more than worth the five dollars I paid for a printed copy. I really look forward to reading the further adventures of this mysterious hunter named D. Kikuchi has made an interesting character and set him into a fascinating future.
See you in the Future
J.S. Eaton
By J.S. Eaton
This is my review of the novel Vampire Hunter D by Hideyuki Kikuchi. And yes, that is a Japanese author, and the novel was originally written in Japanese and translated into English.
BOTTOM LINE: It’s a great book, not terribly long, but well-written and quite entertaining.
Vampire Hunter D is a sci-fi/horror novel. Set in the year 12091, it’s a story in the far distant future. This allows the author a great deal of freedom in his scientific conceptualization, and he uses it to great effect. This novel is the first in a series of twenty-five books so far. At present, the first seventeen have been translated, and as a fan of the series I can only hope that all of them will be brought over eventually.
In this far distant future, vampires have ruled the earth for thousands of years, ever since a nuclear holocaust in the early twenty-first century laid humanity low and allowed the vampires to rise to social and military supremacy. Since that time, the vampires have ruled humanity in a kind of pseudo-feudal society. The vampires are even referred to often as The Nobility. At the time the stories begin, vampire society has begun a steady decline, for reasons that are only vaguely hinted at, at least in the early books. Humanity lives on the outskirts of the great vampire cities, in an area known as the Frontier. It is in this time and place that the novels start, with their hero, known only as D.
The story of this first book concerns a young woman named Doris Lang who’s been bitten by a vampire lord named Magnus Lee who lives near her village. The mysterious vampire hunter, D, makes his way into her village and she hires him to kill the vampire before she turns into a vampire herself.
This first novel is a great entry into this far distant future. The writing incorporates a number of different themes besides sci-fi, not the least of which is a heavy Old-West motif. The Frontier, where humanity lives, is often described in details that would make up a typical western American town from the eighteenth century. Saloons, the town sheriff, stables, the dusty dirt street, they’re all here in the novels. Kikuchi has combined them in the most interesting ways though, and it works well throughout.
The hero, D, is actually a half-vampire. He’s picked up the best of both worlds however, being relatively immune to sunlight, or any of the other weaknesses that vampires have here while maintaining the vampire’s strength and speed. A word about D is probably warranted at this point. The author goes to great lengths on numerous occasions to tell the reader how perfect D is, how every woman who sees him wants him, how strong he is and how he’s always cool and collected. D bests nearly everyone who battles him, even vampires. After a few of these references it becomes obvious that Kikuchi is really enamored of his literary creation. It’s not a bad thing, but after the third or fourth time we’re told about D’s striking good looks or his invincibility it can kind of wear.
The story itself is good. The antagonist, Magnus Lee, is a sordid old blood-sucker who’s been alive for thousands of years. Every so-often he takes himself a human bride, more as a plaything than a partner. Doris is eventually captured by the vampire, and D has to rescue her. Once that’s done he has to defend her form the vampire’s minions, not the least of which is Lamika, Magus Lee’s daughter. D defeats all these opponents with ease. There are subtle hints during the narrative that D owes his superior abilities to something aside from being half-vampire, but that’s never fully explained here.
The story is relatively short compared to most novels from western authors. Not having read any other Japanese authors I couldn’t say whether or not this is a normal length for novels from across the ocean. It’s an entertaining story nonetheless, and more than worth the five dollars I paid for a printed copy. I really look forward to reading the further adventures of this mysterious hunter named D. Kikuchi has made an interesting character and set him into a fascinating future.
See you in the Future
J.S. Eaton
August 6, 2023
This was a proper nostalgia kick for me, since I used to swallow these books as a teen. For every flaw of Kikuchi's, there was something that had me falling in love with the series all over again. It's common for people to claim poor translation, and I really can't comment on that, but there are times when the writing is so clunky it's downright hilarious; there are some things that a mistranslation can't excuse.
The appeal for me is largely in the combination of world-building, the unique character of D, and Kickuchi's endearing blend of multiple classic genres. The setting is just wonderful: a sort of post-post apocalypse. Initially, a nuclear war sets man back hundreds of years, at which point the vampires of legend rise out of the shadows and take advantage of a wounded world. They rule over the now archaic human civilisation as "Nobility" and, picking up where man has let off, develop a highly advanced technological society. Over the course of time, they reach out to the stars and colonise planets; there are wars with extra-terrestrials, mankind finds its spine and rebels, which eventually leads to an even more chaotic and broken world. The "Capital" is a remnant of this technological society that now remains clean of and protected from the Nobility, but everything outside of this is "the frontier", which functions much like the lawless West. Bloodthirsty nobles are presented as a dying aristocracy that get what they can take, but are prevented from regaining total control by the presence of skilled bounty/vampire hunters. D, the main character, is a half-breed and therefore an outcast to both Nobility and humanity. Nevertheless, he is one such skilled hunter who people will call on when convenient. Along with a left hand infected with a sentient parasite, D's cold demeanour and hinted origins make for a unique and mysterious protagonist.
This first book was never really a highlight for me in the series, and it looks like that's still the case. Regardless of the role which translation plays here, Kickuchi's prose comes across very, very bad in English. I don't remember it being quite this bad - I'm hoping it gets better. It's a bizarre mix of gothic atmosphere, flowery description, laughable dialogue and messy, chaotic action. It's sometimes effective, but more often childish, clunky and confusing. At its best, it can be accepted as fun, pulpy schlock, which sits right at home with its origins. Kikuchi wears his influences on his sleeve, dedicating the book to Terrence Fisher of Hammer Horror fame, and Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, notable in their roles as Dracula and Van Helsing, respectably. Shane, a quintessential Western, makes its presence known here also. The young boy in that is much like little Dan here, who idolises and looks up to D. Like the stranger, Shane, D waltzes into the lives of a family one day and acts as a mentor, protector, and even a farm hand. But he's only there for a season, and once he's saved the day, "off to the dusty trails" he goes.
Vampire Hunter D is pulpy because its influences are pulpy, but, if anything, it is elevated by its attempt to expand on its treading of cliches with big ideas and genre-blending. According to my memory, the stories do get better, and the world gets richer, but D remains as mysterious as ever. The book that started it all is an occasionally enjoyable - but mostly tolerable - foundation for a beautiful mess that would come after. I will be rereading the next book, but we'll see after that. My senses are still recovering from the assault.
The appeal for me is largely in the combination of world-building, the unique character of D, and Kickuchi's endearing blend of multiple classic genres. The setting is just wonderful: a sort of post-post apocalypse. Initially, a nuclear war sets man back hundreds of years, at which point the vampires of legend rise out of the shadows and take advantage of a wounded world. They rule over the now archaic human civilisation as "Nobility" and, picking up where man has let off, develop a highly advanced technological society. Over the course of time, they reach out to the stars and colonise planets; there are wars with extra-terrestrials, mankind finds its spine and rebels, which eventually leads to an even more chaotic and broken world. The "Capital" is a remnant of this technological society that now remains clean of and protected from the Nobility, but everything outside of this is "the frontier", which functions much like the lawless West. Bloodthirsty nobles are presented as a dying aristocracy that get what they can take, but are prevented from regaining total control by the presence of skilled bounty/vampire hunters. D, the main character, is a half-breed and therefore an outcast to both Nobility and humanity. Nevertheless, he is one such skilled hunter who people will call on when convenient. Along with a left hand infected with a sentient parasite, D's cold demeanour and hinted origins make for a unique and mysterious protagonist.
This first book was never really a highlight for me in the series, and it looks like that's still the case. Regardless of the role which translation plays here, Kickuchi's prose comes across very, very bad in English. I don't remember it being quite this bad - I'm hoping it gets better. It's a bizarre mix of gothic atmosphere, flowery description, laughable dialogue and messy, chaotic action. It's sometimes effective, but more often childish, clunky and confusing. At its best, it can be accepted as fun, pulpy schlock, which sits right at home with its origins. Kikuchi wears his influences on his sleeve, dedicating the book to Terrence Fisher of Hammer Horror fame, and Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing, notable in their roles as Dracula and Van Helsing, respectably. Shane, a quintessential Western, makes its presence known here also. The young boy in that is much like little Dan here, who idolises and looks up to D. Like the stranger, Shane, D waltzes into the lives of a family one day and acts as a mentor, protector, and even a farm hand. But he's only there for a season, and once he's saved the day, "off to the dusty trails" he goes.
Vampire Hunter D is pulpy because its influences are pulpy, but, if anything, it is elevated by its attempt to expand on its treading of cliches with big ideas and genre-blending. According to my memory, the stories do get better, and the world gets richer, but D remains as mysterious as ever. The book that started it all is an occasionally enjoyable - but mostly tolerable - foundation for a beautiful mess that would come after. I will be rereading the next book, but we'll see after that. My senses are still recovering from the assault.
February 22, 2023
This gets a wholehearted, Randy Jackson, “It’s a no for me, dog.” This is one of those things where if someone tells you the premise and you’re anything like a sci-fi or horror nerd you go, “Oh hell yes, that sounds amazing.” Here’s what I knew going in.
The premise is that it’s the post-apocalypse of another post-apocalypse. Humans killed each other in a nuclear war and in the aftermath, vampires took over. They called themselves the Nobility and they ruled the world for thousands of years. But they’ve also almost died out so now the world is just a scattered bunch of settlements that fend off vampires and these hunters are the most important people in the world.
Sounds crazy. It’s so boring, though. And terribly written. I mean just so bad. I finished it but whoa boy did I feel like quitting. So much of this book is people just saying the dumbest stuff, making the dumbest choices. The whole thing is telling rather than showing which makes for clunky writing. I know it’s translated but I don’t feel like the issues are due to the translation-it feels very much like it has to be almost a direct translation because of how specific it is. Could be wrong.
It’s pulpy and dumb and from what I can see a bit overrated in my opinion but I can see why people would like it.
The premise is that it’s the post-apocalypse of another post-apocalypse. Humans killed each other in a nuclear war and in the aftermath, vampires took over. They called themselves the Nobility and they ruled the world for thousands of years. But they’ve also almost died out so now the world is just a scattered bunch of settlements that fend off vampires and these hunters are the most important people in the world.
Sounds crazy. It’s so boring, though. And terribly written. I mean just so bad. I finished it but whoa boy did I feel like quitting. So much of this book is people just saying the dumbest stuff, making the dumbest choices. The whole thing is telling rather than showing which makes for clunky writing. I know it’s translated but I don’t feel like the issues are due to the translation-it feels very much like it has to be almost a direct translation because of how specific it is. Could be wrong.
It’s pulpy and dumb and from what I can see a bit overrated in my opinion but I can see why people would like it.
January 11, 2016
When I was a kid, perhaps too young to watch these sorts of films, I fell in love with the movie "Vampire Hunter D" when it used to air on The Science Fiction Channel (now called Syfy for some reason). This, along with Nosferatu and hammer films has made it basically impossible to take many "modern" vampire books or films seriously - especially ones featuring adolescent sparkly vampires. For the longest time, I knew that the film was based on a book series, but had no idea that there were dozens of volumes out there and that most of them were translated into English. The wait was well worth it, and this book was awesome. I love the pulp style that Hideyuki Kikuchi writes in, I see that some reviewers find it silly, but I read a lot of older science fiction, so this is right up my alley. If you love Vampire Hunter D, gothic horror, post-apocalyptic fiction, or weird sci-fi, I'd check this out. Can't wait to read more!
August 2, 2016
After watching the incredible film "Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust" and finding out it was based on a series of "Light Novels", I had to check them out somehow. Thank God there are translations for most of the books. Picking the first one and giving it a shot, I have to say that while good and enjoyable, it lacked something somehow.
Most of the prose is very simple and sometimes the choice of words gives away that this is a translation from a whole different language and culture. Descriptions are fairly weird and repetitive. I swear to GOD... if I have to read again that "D" is "Young" and "Beautiful" I will become a hunter of vampire hunters myself.
Nevertheless, the Gothic-Sci-Fi setting is really cool and "D" is a cool character in the "Man With No Name" sort of way. I will definitely keep reading and I hope someone does a new animated adaptation, it is the kind of world and story that works better on a visual level.
Most of the prose is very simple and sometimes the choice of words gives away that this is a translation from a whole different language and culture. Descriptions are fairly weird and repetitive. I swear to GOD... if I have to read again that "D" is "Young" and "Beautiful" I will become a hunter of vampire hunters myself.
Nevertheless, the Gothic-Sci-Fi setting is really cool and "D" is a cool character in the "Man With No Name" sort of way. I will definitely keep reading and I hope someone does a new animated adaptation, it is the kind of world and story that works better on a visual level.
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