Vampire Hunter D | |
English Title | Vampire Hunter D |
Original title | Vampire Hunter "D" |
Japanese | 吸血鬼ハンター"D" (Kyūketsuki Hantā "D") |
Author | Hideyuki Kikuchi |
Illustrator | Yoshitaka Amano |
Translator | Kevin Leahy |
English Publication Data | |
Publication date | May 11, 2005 |
Published by | DH Press, DMP Books |
Pages | 268 |
ISBN | ISBN 1-59582-012-4 |
Japanese Publication Data | |
Publication date | 1983 |
Published by | Asahi Sonorama |
Publication Order | |
English | Volume 1 |
Japanese | Vampire Hunter 1 |
Preceded by none |
Followed by Raiser of Gales |
Vampire Hunter D is the first book in the book series of the same name.
Plot Summary.[]
In the distant future, the world has turned into an apocalyptic planet, ravaged in a nuclear of man's wars and madness. But from the wreckage a few humans manage to survive. A few humans... and something else, Vampires.
Doris Lang knew what her fate was when the vampire lord Count Magnus Lee bit her. An agonizing transformation into one of the undead, to be stalked by her fellow villagers or cursed to become the bride of the unholy creature and face an eternity of torment, driven by the thirst for human blood. There was only one chance, and as she watched him ride in from the distance she knew there was hope. Salvation... from a vampire hunter named D.
Magnus has his own problems; his beautiful daughter Larmica refuses to let a human into her family, and is all too willing to kill the bride before the wedding can take place. Enlisting the help of Garo, a werewolf retainer, she attempts to kill Doris, only to find D in her way.
Greco Rohman, son of the mayor, also wants Doris for himself. The same goes for the skilled figher Rei-Ginsei and his Fiend Corps. Both men are eager to eliminate D, as his skills and Doris' favor makes them see him as a threat. Doris knows she isn't the only one in trouble, her younger brother, Dan, is perceived as her weakness, and there are more than one person out there willing to use him as leverage against her.
Chapters[]
- CHAPTER 01: ACCURSED BRIDE
- CHAPTER 02: PEOPLE ON THE FRONTIER
- CHAPTER 03: THE VAMPIRE COUNT LEE
- CHAPTER 04: THE DEMONS’ WEAKNESS
- CHAPTER 05: SOARING SHRIKE-BLADES OF DEATH
- CHAPTER 06: THE BLOODY BATTLE—FIFTEEN SECONDS EACH
- CHAPTER 07: DEATH OF A VAMPIRE HUNTER
- CHAPTER 08: FLASHING STEEL CUTS THE CEREMONY SHORT
- POSTSCRIPT
Main Characters[]
- D
- Left Hand
- Sacred Ancestor
- Doris Lang (a farmer living on the outskirts of Ransylva)
- Dan Lang (son of a werewolf hunter, living in Ransylva. He is the younger brother of Doris Lang)
Antagonists[]
- Count Magnus Lee (greater noble and the administrator of frontier sector ten, also known as the Ransylva area)
- Larmica Lee (greater noble and daughter of Magnus Lee)
- The Fiend Corps (band of bandits, hired by Count Lee)
- Garou (a werewolf who is Count Magnus Lee's servant)
- The Midwich Medusas (demons that work for Count Magnus Lee)
Other Characters[]
- Mina The Fair (name of a woman that supposedly lived ten thousand years ago, in the Land of Angles)
- Sherrif Luke Dalton (charge of local law enforcement at Ransylva)
- Greco Rohman (son of the Mayor in Ransylva)
- Mayor Rohman (mayor of Ransylva)
- Dr. Sam Ferringo (physician and former arachni-man hunter living in Ransylva)
- O'Reilly (Greco Rohman's right hand man)
- Fu Lanchu (a man employed as a miller in the village of Ransylva)
- Kim (wife of Fu Lanchu)
- Whatley (old man who lives in the village of Ransylva)
- Price (resident of the village of Ransylva and one of the participants of the angry mob
- Harker Lane (a huntsman who lives two hours hard riding from Ransylva)
- Frontier Defense Force (FDF) (a group of law enforcers that patrol varous sectors of the Frontier)
- Anti-Gravity Air Corps (air based goverment force from the capital that strike with bombers)
- Revolutionary Army (human army organized by and protects the Revolutionary Government)
- Traveling Merchant
Bestiary[]
- Deadman's hand
- Dimension-ripping beast
- Mist Devils
- Night Cloud
- Lesser Dragon
- Kraken
- Ghoul
- Harpy
- Poison Moth Man
- Were-tiger
- Mer-creatures
- Zombie
Technology[]
Locations[]
- Northern Frontier Sector
- Frontier Sector Ten (noble run society it is considered the area in and around the Ransylva area including Ransylva Forest)
- Pedros (village)
- Ransylva (village)
- Ransylva Forest
- Count Lee's castle
- Devil's Quarry (an area about a mile and a quarter removed from Count Lee's castle)
- Land of Angels (home of Mina the Fair ten-thousand years ago)
Publication history[]
The novel was first publiced in Japan by Asahi Sonorama in January 1983 and was later translated by Kevin Leahy for DH Press (Dark Horse Press) in 2005. The English version was released on May 11, 2005.
The manga adaption of the novel by mangaka Saiko Takaki was released on November 14, 2007.
Cover Gallery[]
Illustrations[]
The novel was illustrated by the famous Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano.
Adaptations[]
- Vampire Hunter D (animated film, 1985)
- Audio Drama - ?
- Hideyuki Kikuchi's Vampire Hunter D: Volume 1 (graphic novel, 2007)
Trivia[]
- In Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, there is an item, Clown Shirt, that has a description that states: "Worn by the heroic Vampire Hunter Comesafter C", which is most likely a reference to Vampire Hunter D.