To help celebrate the 40th anniversary of the popular Japanese vampire series, Vampire Hunter D, Arcadia Pod has teamed up with Fanatical to bring everyone a full week packed with deals, giveaways, and reviews specifically for anyone that reads this humble little blog. That’s seven days of content (assuming I don’t get too busy at my day job) for you all to sink your teeth into! My history with the franchise goes back to pretty much 30 years ago. I wrote a pretty good “origin story” on one of my previous reviews, so here it is again:

“As a youngster. I recall the exact moment that I fell in love with anime. Granted, I had unknowingly been watching it for years (Voltron, Robotech etc.) but didn’t realize those were imported properties. The Science Fiction Channel (before it became SyFy) had a block on Saturday mornings/afternoons where it played things like Fatal Fury, Goku: The Midnight Eye, Iria, and even this strange vampire film I fell in love with called Vampire Hunter D. I was immediately a fan of the film – crazy monsters, cool fight scenes, strange things like talking hands, and enough blood that I was sure I was breaking some kind of unwritten rule by even watching it at my age.”

For those that have absolutely no idea what I’m rambling about, pull up a chair. The Vampire Hunter D franchise is a popular series of Japanese novels, videogames, comics, manga, and anime that has gained a significant following since its inception. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world where vampires and other supernatural creatures roam the earth, and humanity struggles to survive. The franchise primarily revolves around the adventures of its titular character, a Dhampir (half human / half nobility) vampire hunter that simply calls himself “D.”

“12,090 A.D. It is a dark time for the world. Humanity is just crawling out from under three hundred years of domination by the race of vampires known as the Nobility. The war against the vampires has taken its toll; cities lie in ruin, the countryside is fragmented into small villages and fiefdoms that still struggle against nightly raids by the fallen vampires-and the remnants of their genetically manufactured demons and werewolves. Every village wants a Hunter-one of the warriors who have pledged their laser guns and their swords to the eradication of the Nobility. But some Hunters are better than others, and some bring their own kind of danger with them…”

Description from volume one of the novel series

The franchise began with the release of the first novel, Vampire Hunter D, written by Hideyuki Kikuchi and illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. It was published in 1983 and quickly became a hit, captivating readers with its unique blend of horror, science fiction, and fantasy elements. The success of the novel led to the adaptation of Vampire Hunter D into an animated film in 1985. Directed by Toyoo Ashida and produced by the animation studio Ashi Productions, the film gained international recognition for its stunning visuals and atmospheric storytelling. This was the era of anime being marketed as some kind of dark subversive underground form of entertainment, and you couldn’t find much that fit the mold more than that film.

1985’s Vampire Hunter D helped popularize the franchise outside of Japan and became a cult classic among western anime enthusiasts. Following the success of the film, more novels and manga adaptations were released, expanding the world and mythology of the Vampire Hunter D universe. Hideyuki Kikuchi has continued to write the novels since 1983, and according to Wikipedia, “over 35 novels have been published in the main series, with some novels comprising as many as four volumes; including the supplemental volume, Dark Nocturne, over 50 individual volumes have been published.”

In 2000, another animated film titled Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust was released. Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri and produced by Madhouse studio, the film garnered critical acclaim for its detailed animation and intricate storytelling. The film was once again a huge hit in the West, solidifying the franchise’s popularity and introducing it to a new generation of fans. Recently, there have been plans for a 3D animated project (that I hope Covid-19 did not kill), as It’s prime time for a revival of this franchise.

To keep up with my Vampire Hunter D content I have posted, click HERE

I have been slowly reading through the somewhat intimidating list of available novels released in English. With only four out of fifty under my belt so far, I have a long way to go, but that’s where Fanatical comes in. Fanatical is a storefront for all sorts of cool stuff, but they usually specialize in bundles of videogames sold at a hefty discount. They are stepping up their non-gaming portfolio as we speak, and their newest offering is exactly what I need to keep up with this franchise!

For the absolutely insane price of just $15, you can purchase 30 eBook volumes of the Vampire Hunter D novel series, a whopping $215 dollars OFF the MSRP. For the cost of only two books at cover price, you can enjoy almost 30 years of everyone’s favorite vampire hunter kicking ass and taking names. The two films I spoke about above are volumes one and three of these novels, imagine all the crazy stuff that happens in 28 more stories! If you don’t want 30 books, you can dip your toe in and sample the franchise for as little as $1 with three tiers offering more and more books.

About this Bundle

Vampire Hunter D Book Bundle

The enduring appeal of the underworld Vampire Hunter remains a mainstay of the undead genre and now with a huge range of literature, supported films, manga comics as well as the many ongoing Vampire related games, interest in the saga of the original Dark Lord has never been stronger.

Our new Vampire Hunter D Book Bundle featuring the incredible talents of acclaimed author Hideyuki Kikuchi contains 29 all new-to-Fanatical titles wonderfully bringing to life, the amazing tale and epic world of the “Dhampir” known as D; a human-vampire hybrid occupying a post-apocalyptic world terrified by the elegant but cruel vampires known as Nobles. A world where his half breed status has obvious advantages but means that he ultimately belongs to neither faction.

Vampire Hunter D Volume 1 sets the initial scene and, through a series of gripping volumes, beautifully illustrated by the genius craft of Yoshitaka Amano, follows the epic journey set out by the original author and brought to you by the publishing masters over at Dark Horse Comics. 

All books are supplied in EPUB format. 

Click HERE to see the sale.

And that’s not all, Click HERE is saving a few more bucks is up your alley!