For decades, Vampire Hunter D has long been thought of as one of the biggest anime movies of all time. Following the original release of the first movie in the 1980s, the only instance that saw D make a comeback to the anime world was with Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust in the year 2000. Twenty-six years later, there have been no updates regarding when we can expect the son of Dracula to return to the screen, but D is planning a comeback this year nonetheless. Prepare to enter the post-apocalyptic, vampire-infested world of the vampire hunter, which is looking to sink its teeth into 2026.
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At this year’s WonderCon, Unified Pictures announced that it would be creating a twenty-issue-long comic book series focusing on Vampire Hunter D. Specifically, the new comic is billed at an adaptation of the original novel series from creators Hideyuki Kikuchi and Yoshitaka Amano. While the original novels did create the stories for the original anime film and its follow-up in 2000, there have been quite a few stories that have yet to be brought to life in a similar fashion. Writer Brandon Easton (Iyanu) and artist Ryan Benjamin (Captain America, Batman) are helming the project, and a preview page was released by Unified to give fans a look at D’s big comeback that you can see below.
Vampire Hunter D Will Rise From The Grave
Vampire Hunter D first arrived as a novel in the titular entry that hit the stands in 1983. Two years later, the original anime adaptation arrived, with the supernatural film recently celebrating its fortieth anniversary. What makes the lack of new anime adaptations so disheartening is that the novel series has continued to release new entries for decades following its premiere in the 80s, with the current tally at over fifty books released. While there have been rumors in the past regarding D receiving a new anime adaptation, nothing has ever been confirmed, and Bloodlust was the last time we saw the son of Dracula hit the screen.
Ever since the release of Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust, the vampire slayer has returned, thanks to various forms of media outside of the anime films. Manga, audio dramas, video games, and more have helped further cement D as one of anime’s most popular vampire hunters. With the supernatural side of anime continuing to skyrocket in popularity thanks to entries like Dandadan and Jujutsu Kaisen, Dracula’s son eventually returning should never be written off. Even decades following the release of the first and only two movies in the anime franchise, D’s history remains a pivotal part of the anime scene.
North American comics are leaning further into the world of anime and manga these days, with the East and the West even seeing crossovers take place as a result. The Avengers have fought Attack on Titan’s Titans and Deadpool has teamed up with My Hero Academia’s All Might, for example. Needless to say, anything could happen in the future as manga continues to spread its influence in America and around the world.
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Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
