- Release Date: October 21, 2008
- Publisher: Sony
- Price: $21.99 on Amazon.com (Buy It
)
- Rating: Not Rated
- Run Time: 123 minutes
- Special Features: None
- Genre: Anime
I reviewed the second volume of this vampire anime series earlier this year and enjoyed it quite a bit despite a few small problems. Many of the same problems still exist in this third set of five episodes but anime fans will still want to pick it up.
“Blood+” is about a war between two major groups. The first group consists of monsters called “Chiropterans” who can change their appearances to look like humans. An organization called “Red Shield” tries to track down these monsters and destroy them. The lead character, Otonashi Saya, is one of these people fighting to stop the Chiropterans. She’s a high-school girl who unfortunately has no recollection of her life except for the past year. The story is pretty good and complex but not particularly original. There are plenty of anime programs about vampires out there but this one does compare favorably.
The show is very well-animated and some of the battles are amazing. Unfortunately, the DVD doesn’t make the most out of the series since it is presented in 1.33:1 full frame instead of anamorphic widescreen. It is still pretty good looking but you will notice some grain. Audio-wise, the show is dubbed in English and there are also subtitles available in English, French, and Korean. The dubbing is surprisingly pretty good. No extras are included which is a bit of a disappointment especially since the DVD sells for $21.99 (on Amazon.com) for just five episodes.
Anime fans will almost certainly like “Blood+.” However, I’m not sure if these volume releases are the best to buy if you already know you love the show. The box sets do contain some extras but are also quite expensive. Regardless of whether you prefer volumes or box sets, “Blood+” is definitely worth watching and is recommended for anime fans.
