Alright, you may notice by my e-mail address that I'm a fan of the 1983 animated classic Vampire Hunter D.

If you know what it is then you're already aware that a quasi-sequal, so to speak, has been in production for a long time and is nearing release. If you don't know... Vampire Hunter D was an animated film made in Japan that was incredibly popular both there an in America about a post-apocalyptic setting where vampires rule over humans and yaada yaada. It was actually based on a book, which spawned a series of books, and a new film - Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust is based on another book in the series.

Anyhow, One of the voice actors who will be in the English version (hits selected American theatres Aug. 24th) is John Rafter Lee of Aeon Flux fame. I will look around to see just exactly which part he voices in the new film. Also, if he is one of the voice actors, maybe other Aeon alumni will be in there someplace?

I will have to see it when it comes out on DVD, as "selected theatres" means Hollywood, New York City, and other locations no place near me.

-- Attrox (attrox@vampirehunter.com), August 05, 2001

Answers

Oh yeah - if you aren't an Aeon super-fan, hehe, you might not know who John Rafter Lee is! He played none other then Trevor Goodchild.

I say that there may be other Aeon alumni in the new VHD movie because whenever John is cast it seems like it is the work of casting director Jack Fletcher (Aeon Flux, Spawn Cartoon, and others). In the Spawn cartoon Fletcher cast both John Rafter Lee and Aeon's voice actress Denise Poirer.

If Denise was in there I think we would've heard of it by now, but you can always hope.

Oh yeah, if you go to the movie looking for exactly Trevor's voice, you may be a bit dissapointed. For Aeon Flux John Rafter Lee used a bit of an accent to enhance the role, I have no idea if he uses his real voice or some other sort of accent in VHD.

-- Attrox (attrox@vampirehunter.com), August 05, 2001.

I keep forgetting things in my posts! John Rafter Lee plays 'Meier Link' in the new Vampire Hunter D : Bloodlust movie. Meier Link is the super-bad-guy vampire... oooohhhhh

There are pictures of him all over the internet, but I'll link to some... (theses are all from www.altvampures.net <----- visit this site!)

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/d2008.jpg http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/d2001.jpg http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/gall31.jpg

Then go check out the official website for the movie - with a trailer! http://www.vampirehunterdbloodlust.com/

-- Attrox (attrox@vampirehunter.com), August 05, 2001.

WOW

I just watched the trailor (I have watched it before many times, as it has been out for months and months) and the narration MUST be none other then John Rafter Lee (Trevor Goodchild). He sounds slightly different, but you can tell he uses a bit of the same accent for the same reasons he did in Aeon Flux as Trevor. An english accent will make anybody sound a bit "snooty" to an American audience. That is why he had it in Aeon, and as Vampire Royalty, I can see why he uses it in the new VHD movie.

-- Attrox (attrox@vampirehunter.com), August 05, 2001.

I saw this last year - good movie! Uneven, but good. Not only do you get John Lee, but some of the art style appears to have been "inspired" by Chung's work. Nice to hear it's getting a release (I'll probably see it again, otaku that I am).

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), August 06, 2001.

Attrox, I really hope you get to see the new "Vampire Hunter D" in a theatre, because it's probably one of the last examples of hand- painted cel animation we're likely to see produced by a major studio (Madhouse). The movie was completed at least two years ago and was sitting on the shelf while the distributors were figuring out what to do with it. I've seen it several times now, and will probably catch it again when it plays in L.A. I've long been a fan of Yoshiaki Kawajiri's films, and this one is definitely his best feature-length animation yet. His best film, for me, is still the "Running Man" segment from "Manie-Manie" (Neo Tokyo). It was shown in a cut version on the second season of LTV. John Lee is excellent in his part, as are most of the voice actors in the cast. By now, Jack Fletcher has assembled a very good ensemble of regulars, and a few in the VHD cast also worked on Aeon Flux. Others include Jack's sister, Julia Fletcher, John Demita, and Matt McKenzie. Jack also did the voice casting and direction for the Final Fantasy movie as well as Disney's dubs of Miyazaki's films. Because of the incredible level of detail in the characters in VHD, they achieve a startling illusion of reality in spite of not being fully animated most of the time. I'm afraid this will be lost on the small screen. And any simililarities between the character styling in Kawajiri's work and my own should be seen as signs of his influence on my work and not the other way around. Yutaka Minowa, the character designer on the new VHD movie did do some key animation on later episodes of "Alexander", and it was fascinating for me to see his interpretation of my designs.

Also, be sure not to miss Madhouse's production of "Metropolis", their foray into blending 2D with CG elements. Again, a film that must only be seen on the big screen. You'd think they're trying to exploit the limitations of video resolution to get audiences out into the theatres.

And coming next year... "A--------x". More on that later, though.

-- Peter Chung (neo830holy@orgio.net), August 06, 2001.

well come on now. that's just cruel.

-- selfishgiant (selfishgiant@hotmail.com), August 06, 2001.

Hey Peter, you like the Running Man too? That's one of my all time favorites from Liquid TV, right behind Aeon. And I think the segment "One Less Ant" is #3 on my list.

-- ChaosKnight (chaosknight@charter.net), August 07, 2001.

Just got back from Barrier Island in New Jersey where I was on vacation for a few days but I sure missed this place, the best on the net if you ask me. So exciting to read the newest from everyone, and best of all from Peter Chung! So Madhouse did Metropolis. My fav movie, I'll be on the lookout for that one for sure. BTW; its amazing what hints of more A-----x can do for my soul, dreams do come true. To Marilyn Monroe, who said her success was due to the fact that she dreamt harder than all the other Hollywood wannabe's, well we dream even harder here!!!

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), August 09, 2001.

what an interesting concept. dreaming hard. how do you measure dreaming?

-- William (stateofflux@yahoo.com), August 10, 2001.

Sorry to be a bit off topic, but I agree with Barb. This is one of my fave places on the net. Another forum to check out if you're at all interested is at comingsoon.net. It's a huge forum dedicated to every film, television, & acting style as well as the actors who play the roles, the books on which some things are based... A really great animation forum is there, with entirely too few Aeon loyalists I might add. Anyway, check it out.

-- pixi (pixiness@yahoo.com), August 10, 2001.

Attrox, thanks for the sites, saw the beautiful artwork of Vampire Hunter D. It must be something with John Lee's voice behind the art. He's got that drama with a touch on the dark side purr. Can you imagine Interview with a Vampire using animation and him. Rowf!

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), August 11, 2001.

Found this on Animenation.com and thought it might interest you guys...

Special Guests attending the US Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust Theatrical Premiere Those attending the August 24th US theatrical premiere of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust at the Egyptian Theatre are in for a treat. Director Yoshiaki Kawajiri and animation director/character designer Yutaka Minowa will be attending! They are taking some time out of their busy schedules to fly to Los Angeles to attend the premiere and meet the fans! The composer Marco D'Ambrosio will also be attending, as well as many members of the vocal cast including John DiMaggio and John Rafter Lee!

-- Jack (eashtonusa@netscape.net), August 12, 2001.

I'm there.

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), August 13, 2001.

Oooo0000oooo you lucky dog.

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), August 13, 2001.

I knew you would say that ^_^

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), August 13, 2001.

And guess what else I'll be seeing this week! (hint: starts with an m & ends with s)

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), August 13, 2001.

I guess when you write the forum over 600 times you get a little predictable...even so you didn't catch my sugar cube ploy. Anyhow, what time is Vampire D and what theatre? Turns out I have that day off! BTW; when do you go to see Mongoloid's?

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), August 14, 2001.

It's gonna be the Egyptian, 7 PM, located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd. Mongo's playing there Friday. Barb, I hope you can make it to the VHD screening - a bit of a commute, but well worth it!

(They also had "Osmosis Jones" as part of their animation program, but I think I can miss that one)

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), August 14, 2001.

does anyone know where I can get the Running Man? I'd like to buy it/download it. PLEASE HELP!!!

stevana

-- Stevana (walk1nbeauty@aol.com), December 25, 2001.

Not when you obviously haven't the presence of mind to recognize the video store you have just stumbled into, my dear, is in fact a BBS of discussion rendered online as text you see - in other words, you had better repair post haste to where ever you think you might have originated before the obliviousness you evince should overwhelm you or even render you at once a null and fictive anomaly...(WOOOOOOOO WOOOOOOOOOOOOO.........)

-- dangerboy (artian@earthlink.net), December 25, 2001.

Metropolis hits the theatres on January 25th. But, will Fritz Lang like it? http://www.spe.sony.com/cthv/metropolis/flash/main2.html

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), December 26, 2001.

The animated Metropolis and the Fritz Lang classic are two completely different movies. They had a feature on it in the last issue of Animerica (Barb, that's your cue).

-- Logo (Vosepherus@aol.com), December 26, 2001.

(digs through bookshelf) Hey, I have that issue! Just in case Barb wants to save some money...

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), December 26, 2001.

Yes I would like to *pant *pant...save...(falls over gasping from price of ink cartridges for printer...)

-- Barb e. (Suesuebeo9@cs.com), December 26, 2001.

There's a spiffy Rin Taro interview, but I don't know if it's kosher to post here? What with the mag being so new and all.

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), December 27, 2001.

Actually everyone should run out and buy it. But if you can't then get back to me!

-- Inukko (nadisrec@worldnet.att.net), December 27, 2001.