Nightwalker 2004 Horror Movie Review

I’m confused about so many reviews bad-mouthing english dubbing.  Since when was American English so horrible? I admit, some translations are terribly done, but overall, I prefer English dubbing.  Japanese is okay, but I don’t speak it, so some voices are too high pitched and too similar to other characters for me to distinguish.  If you like the voice actor for Kenshin (TV series) you’ll like the english dubbing, he does the voice of Shido the vampire detective.  It would have been better if they had the Japanese track as well, but they didn’t put it in for some reason.  If you want Japanese dubbing you will have to buy the two separate volumes.  This volume contains all 12 episodes.  The only dissatisfying thing about this series is that it ends too soon.  Its kind of like Outlaw Star where they say “SEE YOU SOON” but never do.  It makes you hopeful that there will be more, but there never is.  Still, they are still awesome in their own rights.  Shido is a 300 year old vampire. He started life as an aspiring HUMAN doctor of the 1700’s. In his “youth” he is much like any normal vampire; living in Transylvania, killing towns full of people, devouring his family, that sort of thing.  But then he comes to a realization and is tormented by his crimes.  He flees to a city where he takes up detective work.  He solves cases involving nightbreeds, demons who live in the darkness and have a taste for human flesh.  They also have a desire to live in the world of light and will take any body they can to do so.  Shido works with an urban fairy and a beautiful special agent (Ya Yoi) to solve the crimes.  His “secretary” is a young college girl (Riho) who has a crush on him.  She jumps to conclusions and it is hilarious to see how she reacts when she is jealous.  When Cain, the vampire who turned Shido into a vampire, comes to the city, he proclaims that the Golden Dawn is coming.  A time when all nightbreeds and vampires will be able to walk in the daylight.  He has also come to reclaim Shido.  There is some vampire homosexuality here.  Shido tries to fight against the coming Golden Dawn and to resist Cain’s hypnotic trots down memory lane, but in consequence Riho meets “an untimely end” (there is a surprise here).  There is no real conclusion, perhaps the lesson is that some things cannot be stopped.  The Golden Dawn has begun and in a way Shido has come to accept it.  What’s surprising is that in some cases you sympathsize with the nightbreeds.  This series is interesting in that it shows how even evil has some good qualities, and that you cannot always judge someone by societies established views.  The show ends on a slightly naughty scene, making it even better.  All in all this was a great show!  Most Japanese anime portrays vampires as the evil villanious element.  It’s refreshing to have them as the heroes and see things from their point of view.  The music score is also great.  I can’t get the intro song out of my head.  This collection is a steal for the number of episodes that you get.  Buy IT!