Blade (anime)
The 12-episode X-Men anime has finally come to a close in Japan and taking its place is the vampire hunter, Blade. Most people probably know him best from the movie trilogy in which Wesley Snipes played the half-vampire, half-human known to all vampires as the 'Daywalker'.
This is the last planned Marvel comic book character to get an anime makeover, and it looks like they saved the best for last. Like the Wolverine anime, Blade's character undergoes a little Japanese reinterpretation, but doesn't stray too far from the original.
This is by far the darkest character of the Marvel titles that has undergone 'anime-fication' and is most perfectly suited for it since Japanese animation studios don't have an aversion to making their shows scary. Comic book fans can look forward to a lot of fast paced action mixed with strong gothic overtones. Like the live-action movies, Blade's character is portrayed as an unflinching dispatcher of vampires.
The show's portrayal of Blade's sword skills is fun to watch, with a scene that looks like it was inspired by Akira Kurosawa samurai movies. Not forgetting that it's an anime, when Blade does a fancy sword move, giant Japanese characters appear naming the sword technique. It's a stereotypical anime device but it's a welcomed touch that just gives Blade a little samurai machismo.
Keep an eye out for Blade on Animax or J2 in the near future.
