Blood+ is an adapted Japanese animated series inspired by the 2000 film Blood: the Last Vampire. Now, unlike the usual vampire tales of blood romance between two individuals, this anime centers around the quest of its protagonist in eradicating the world of its human-chiropteran hybrids created by an ambitious pharmaceutical company called Cinq Fleches Group.
The protagonist, Saya Otonashi, is living in Okinawa with her adopted family: her father, George Miyagusuku, and her two brothers: Kai and Riku. The series had started during the second year of her "awakening". Saya has spent a year studying in a local high school, under the watch of her current handler, David. She has never understood why she cannot remember anything from her past and why she is anemic. Everyday her brother, Kai, would always bring her to a private clinic for her daily dose of blood transfusion.
Then one day, she chanced upon a mysterious cello player performing on one of the streets in Okinawa. The sound of the cello triggers a memory of an abandoned 18th century tower, an old corridor filled with unusually bright blue flowers and a locked wooden door. Saya was then caught in the middle of attacks by horrible monsters with a penchant for blood. She was forced to fight one and she instinctively knew how to defeat them.
A series of events happened one after another, and she soon found herself traveling with her Chevalier, Haji, her handler, David, and some of the Red Shield members who were descendants of the man who first discovered her during the 1800s. They were on a quest to find Diva, the mother of all the chiropteran hybrids. Saya's journey takes her to Vietnam, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the United States. Along the way she meets all of Diva's Chevaliers who are divided whether they should destroy her or convince her to go to their side. After all, she is Diva's twin sister.
Saya is an unusual vampire. She and Diva are the most perfect example of the chiropteran species. They feed on blood, but they also eat human food, at least Saya does. They don't display any other powers except above average movement skills. They were born from a cocoon taken from their mother's preserved body. And as soon as they grew up in roughly the age of 15-16 years, they stopped aging. After a period of 2-3 years of awakening, they will go back again to sleeping for 30 years. Once their hibernation time draws near, they experience fainting spells, and slower regenerative ability.
The twin sisters are referred to as "Queens", the most powerful species that ever existed. Their kind is always born in pairs, and always as twin females. Their blood is most potent when they have not yet reproduced. And even though they were born from the same cocoon, their blood is a powerful poison to one another. Each has the capacity to destroy one another. Their Chevaliers sport the same unique blood characteristic. Diva's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Saya, while Saya's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Diva.
Another thing that distinguishes Diva from Saya is that, Diva has been indulged with a diet of human blood, hence she is a bit more powerful than her sister. Plus her unusually beautiful voice triggers the transformation of other contaminated humans into new chiropterans. Thus, Diva is the sole origin of the chiropteran monsters.
With one more year remaining before her next hibernation period, Saya is more determined to end Diva's rule. More lives are now at stake, now that the company behind the experimentation on chiropterans has now declared their goals have reached fruition. Will Saya make it in time?
Blood+ runs for 50 episodes. The animation is superb, thanks to the team who was also behind Patlabor, Blue Seed, Ghost in the Shell and Sakura Wars. Lots of blood, guns and sword fighting. Actions sequences are not recommended for children. So better not introduce this series to youngsters.
The protagonist, Saya Otonashi, is living in Okinawa with her adopted family: her father, George Miyagusuku, and her two brothers: Kai and Riku. The series had started during the second year of her "awakening". Saya has spent a year studying in a local high school, under the watch of her current handler, David. She has never understood why she cannot remember anything from her past and why she is anemic. Everyday her brother, Kai, would always bring her to a private clinic for her daily dose of blood transfusion.
Then one day, she chanced upon a mysterious cello player performing on one of the streets in Okinawa. The sound of the cello triggers a memory of an abandoned 18th century tower, an old corridor filled with unusually bright blue flowers and a locked wooden door. Saya was then caught in the middle of attacks by horrible monsters with a penchant for blood. She was forced to fight one and she instinctively knew how to defeat them.
A series of events happened one after another, and she soon found herself traveling with her Chevalier, Haji, her handler, David, and some of the Red Shield members who were descendants of the man who first discovered her during the 1800s. They were on a quest to find Diva, the mother of all the chiropteran hybrids. Saya's journey takes her to Vietnam, Russia, France, United Kingdom and the United States. Along the way she meets all of Diva's Chevaliers who are divided whether they should destroy her or convince her to go to their side. After all, she is Diva's twin sister.
Saya is an unusual vampire. She and Diva are the most perfect example of the chiropteran species. They feed on blood, but they also eat human food, at least Saya does. They don't display any other powers except above average movement skills. They were born from a cocoon taken from their mother's preserved body. And as soon as they grew up in roughly the age of 15-16 years, they stopped aging. After a period of 2-3 years of awakening, they will go back again to sleeping for 30 years. Once their hibernation time draws near, they experience fainting spells, and slower regenerative ability.
The twin sisters are referred to as "Queens", the most powerful species that ever existed. Their kind is always born in pairs, and always as twin females. Their blood is most potent when they have not yet reproduced. And even though they were born from the same cocoon, their blood is a powerful poison to one another. Each has the capacity to destroy one another. Their Chevaliers sport the same unique blood characteristic. Diva's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Saya, while Saya's chevaliers can directly reproduce with Diva.
Another thing that distinguishes Diva from Saya is that, Diva has been indulged with a diet of human blood, hence she is a bit more powerful than her sister. Plus her unusually beautiful voice triggers the transformation of other contaminated humans into new chiropterans. Thus, Diva is the sole origin of the chiropteran monsters.
With one more year remaining before her next hibernation period, Saya is more determined to end Diva's rule. More lives are now at stake, now that the company behind the experimentation on chiropterans has now declared their goals have reached fruition. Will Saya make it in time?
Blood+ runs for 50 episodes. The animation is superb, thanks to the team who was also behind Patlabor, Blue Seed, Ghost in the Shell and Sakura Wars. Lots of blood, guns and sword fighting. Actions sequences are not recommended for children. So better not introduce this series to youngsters.
I am watching it now and I am nearly at the half of the series. One of the best anime I have ever watched. Very interesting story and deep characters.
ReplyDeleteI just watched the anime and tonight I am going to watch the live movie which featuring many Asian movie stars and fashion models. The story is very good and my personal opinion is that it is much better than Blade and Twilight saga.
ReplyDeleteMovie adaptation was not bad at all. Actually there are few very similar animes and main characters carry the same name.
ReplyDeleteI like the anime, as well I like the movie. Anime is starting pretty slowly, but doesn't surrender watching just 2-3 episodes, after that is very engaging.
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