S4 E42 - Old School Anime Deep Dive: Vampire Hunter D, Pt.2

Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of Geeky Sexual and Intellectual. I am your host Q and we are working on part two of our anime deep dive of the old school anime Vampire Hunter D. If you haven't gone back and watched it since I recorded part one, you should. You should definitely go back and watch that right now. So part two, we're about to get into it now. We are talking about La Armica and Doris and the doctor and they're trying to get Doris off to the count. Okay, so where we left off, let's see, the last place we left off, La Armica was trying to quote unquote save Doris from Dr. Farron. So let's get into it. La Armica confronts Dr. Farron, he starts simpering, oh, Lady Armica, I'm doing my part to living. Dolores, why I always want to call her Dolores, Doris to your father, probably expecting a pat on the head or something. La Armica looking at him like with pure disgust, basically says, how dare you think you, a lowly turned vampire could even turn this girl or share in my father's prize. She is offended by the mere idea of a peasant vampire wanting a taste and then she kills Dr. Farron. On the spot, just like that. I'm telling you, she runs him through and rips out his heart. Now, the movie shows a swift strike and the doctor is done. La Armica might not like Doris, but she has even less love for traitors or lesser creatures because, you know, we say she is supremacist. In her twisted way, she might have been protecting her dad's quote unquote property or just asserting her pure blood superiority. Either way. Bye bye. Bye bye, Dr. Evil. Now, Doris is standing there probably thinking out of the frying pan into the damn fire because now she's alone with La Armica, who literally tried to kill her the night before out of spite. But surprise, La Armica doesn't kill Doris. Instead, she tells Doris to leave, to get as far away as she can so that Count Lee can't catch her. This is interesting. La Armica actually tries to spare Doris. Basically saying, girl, go. I don't want you marrying my father. Save yourself. It's almost a grudging act of mercy or maybe just self-interest. If Doris flees, dad can't marry her and embrace the noble family. Either way, for the first time, we see a tiny flicker of decency or at least an internal conflict in La Armica. Doris is stunned and probably not keen to stick around anyway. But before she can. respond, we get yet another twist. An intense white light floods the area and La Armica suddenly screams in pain and collapses, convulsing on the ground. What in the world? Enter Greco. Yes, that snake Greco is back and he's got a new toy. He found and stole a special candle that Ray was supposed to use. This isn't just any candle. It's the fabled time bewitching. Incense, which emits a light that weakens anyone with vampire blood. Essentially a vampire paralyzing device. Greco had overheard some of Count Lee's plans earlier and snatched the real magic candle for himself. Crafted little opportunist. So Greco appears out of nowhere with the candle lit and La Armica is on the ground, helpless from its effects. Doris being partway to turning. Also feels weak from the light, so she's down as well. Greco, ever the charmer, smirks and is basically like "See Doris, I saved you. Now I'll go use the candle on Count Lee for you, provided you agree to marry me. Oh, I don't like him." I'm not even joking. This fool still thinks he can blackmail her into being his wife. Talk about not reading the damn room. Even while reeling, he's basically like "Ugh, how do I know?" Now La Armica, who hates humans but is currently a shiny candle lit mess on the floor, starts taunting Greco. She probably calls him a filthy human or mocks his ambitions. Greco, being prideful, gets mad and decides he's going to kill La Armica since she's helpless. He raises his gun or dagger to strike her. And Doris bless herself. He throws herself over La Armica to shield her. Can you believe that? Doris protects the very vampire who was ready to kill her yesterday. It's a brief moment, but it shows Doris' true character. Passionate and brave, even towards someone who really hasn't earned it. Doris might be remembering that La Armica just told her to run. Maybe that counts as a good deed in Doris' eyes, or maybe she just can't watch someone get murdered in cold blood right in front of her. Either way, it's a powerful little moment. And right on cue, Dee and Dan arrive on the scene. Dee must have climbed out of those catacombs in record time with left hand's help. Little Dan, with his trusty rifle, immediately takes a shot at Greco, hitting the candle out of his hand and knocking Greco off balance. Whew, go Dan, cause Greco stumbles and falls over the cliffside by the farm. Dee, presumably meets his end down in the ravine. The magical light goes out, thank goodness, because Doris and La Armica can move again. Dee just stands there like the cool hero he is, probably giving a nod of approval to Dan for his courage. With the villains momentarily gone, Dee surprisingly lets La Armica go free. This is significant. He shows mercy to the Count's daughter. La Armica is confused by this. She even wonders why. Why a hunter like Dee, who kills vampires, would spare her. Dee doesn't give her a straight answer, but he hints that he knows what her noble ancestors would want. This noble ancestor being Count Dracula himself, yes, THE Count Dracula, who in this universe is basically THE progenitor of the nobility, and spoiler, Dee's own father. More on that in a bit. Well, that line sells over La Armica's history. I'm not going to go into his head for now, but it shows us, viewers, something. Dee has a code. He doesn't kill indiscriminately. If a vampire isn't an active threat or chooses a better path, he can show mercy. Also, lowkey, Dee might feel a kinship with La Armica because guess what? They both have human mothers. We find that out very soon. But at this point, La Armica is just like, "Why didn't he kill me? What did he mean by what my noble ancestors would want?" This is planting seeds for her big revelation. After all this chaos, Dee and Doris finally get a moment of calm back at the farm that evening. Doris is safe for now, but she's been through an emotional wrangler. And by this point, it's clear as the day is long. Doris has called feelings for Dee. Can we blame her? He literally risked everything to protect her. He's strong, but kind in his silent way. And did I mention, "Foine!"? Doris normally, so tough, starts acting a bit shy and hopeful around Dee. We get a tender scene. Doris cleans up and changes out of her torn clothes into a simple, pretty dress. She finds Dee outside, maybe standing guard by the fence or just staring at the moon, brooding as he does. Doris thanks him. He says, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Doris says, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. "Dee is moved. You can tell. But he's also weary. He gently tells her that it just won't work. He's a self-immortal and haunted by his nature. But Doris isn't giving up. She steps closer and embraces Dee, trying to persuade him to consider a life together. And for a split second, Dee's cool facade cracks. He actually holds her, and you can see it in his eyes, at least I imagine, that he wants to reciprocate. But then, oh then, the trouble with being a half vampire strikes, as Doris presses against him. Her neck is right under his nose, and her scent and the warmth of her blood awaken Dee's vampire urges. His eyes glow red, fangs start to show. He suddenly bares his fangs and almost, almost bites her then and there. But Dee catches himself just in time. He wrenches himself away, practically throwing her off, and turns aside, shaking with effort, of restraining himself. It's a powerful moment. Dee's biggest enemy is him. isn't just Count Lee, it's also the bloodlust in his own veins. Doris is startled and scared, and Dee is ashamed. He basically shouts, go inside now to get her away before he loses control. Doris runs off in tears. Y'all, my heart broke for the both of them. She felt rejected and may be terrified seeing his vampiric side, and Dee is furious at himself. You can see how much Dee keeps inside. He won't allow himself happiness or love because he's terrified of hurting people or giving into his dark side. For an anime full of monsters, this emotional scene hits hard. Doris finally understands Dee's inner struggle a bit more, I think. After Doris leaves, Dee's left hand pipes up again with some snarky commentary, teasing Dee for refusing the quote-unquote pretty lady's advances. It's half comedic, half tragic, because left hand basically says, man, you're really gonna pretend you don't want to bite her and also maybe love her. You're no fun. Dee just ignores it, but we the audience know, Dee cares for Doris, but he can't allow himself that luxury. We don't get long to breathe though, because guess who's not dead after all? Graco. That wretch survived Dan's bullet and the fall, banged up but alive, and he is crawling back, full of spite. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, he's not gonna last much longer. Ray Gensai finds him on the road. Graco tries to bluff or beg, but Ray isn't having it. Ray straight up kills Graco and takes back the time bewitching Incendio. So Graco's gone for good. Good riddance. Now Ray has the real weapon and one final chance to redeem himself in his master's eyes by taking out Dee. It's now the dead of night again, presumably the night before Doris is supposed to become Count Lee's bride. Ray storms up to the laying farm for the final showdown with Dee. He lights the candle and his magic light floods the area, paralyzing Dee mid-step. Remember, any vampire blood in you and this incense will freeze you up. And Dee, being a Dampir, is vulnerable. He goes stiff, struggling but unable to fight back. Ray is practically giddy. He's got Dee exactly where he wants him. To rub it in, Ray then takes a big wooden stake, classic vampire killer style, and drives it straight through Dee's heart. No joke, y'all. He nails Dee, to the ground like a butterfly pinned to a board. And as a final touch of cruelty, Ray chops off Dee's left hand. Yep, cuts that symbiotic hand clean off in retaliation for Dee cutting off his hand earlier. It's a brutal, shocking moment. Dee appears completely, utterly defeated. Watching this, you're like, no, this can't be happening, but it is. Our hero is down. With Dee seemingly dead, Ray grabs doors, and Dan too, since the kid refuses to leave his sister, and hauls them back to the Castle Lee as prizes. He's thinking he'll present doors to the Count, and maybe now, Count Lee will reward him by finally granting him eternal life. Ray's been craving that vampire upgrade, girl. See, that's been Ray's goal all along. He wants immortality and status, and he threw in his lot with Lee, hoping to be elevated to full noble. But let me tell you, working for a vampire lord is a terrible retirement plan. Inside the castle, Count Lee is preparing for the wedding ceremony. Yeah, he's still on that wedding kick. He's got a whole dark matrimony set up ready, a grand hall, eerie organ music maybe, and Doris in a trance. Doris is now in an elegant, if somber, bridal gown, walking like a sleepwalker towards the altar where Lee awaits. The imagery here is super gothic. Candles everywhere, grotesque gurgle statues as witnesses, Doris with a vacant stare, Lee looming in his aristocratic stare. It's like the darkest nightmare wedding you could imagine. Poor Doris is hypnotized and moments away from being forced into this unholy union. Dan, her best friend, wants to go to the castle, but Doris doesn't. Dan, her little brother, has been thrown into a dungeon cell, but that kid is resourceful. He picks the locks or finds a way out because he will not abandon his sister. Meanwhile, there's serious drama between Lyarmica and her father. Lyarmica confronts Count Lee, begging him not to go through with this wedding. She argues that marrying a human is beneath him and will taint her noble bloodline. She's even suggesting Doris might be a threat somehow. Grasping at straws, but she is desperate. Count Lee, in the most patronizing tone, basically tells Lyarmica, "Calm yourself, child. Marrying a human once every few centuries is no big deal. In fact, your own mother was human." Record scratched. Lyarmica is like, "What?" This is news to her. Yup, her beloved, late mother, the Countess, was apparently human before Lee turned her. This absolutely rocks Lyarmica's world. Everything she prided herself on, her pure-blood lineage, was a lie. Outraged and heartbroken, Lyarmica actually attacks her own father in fury. But Count Lee is far too powerful. He just waves a hand and magically puts Lyarmica to sleep, suspending her in some kind of stasis. He basically says, "You're getting hysterical. Go to your room," in vampire terms. And also, Lyarmica, ironically, the one person who might have helped stop the wedding, is just taken out of the game. Now, while that dysfunctional family showdown is happening, Ray goes to the Count, all proud of himself, expecting a hero's welcome. He presents Doris, and is like, "I did everything you asked, Master. I even killed the Hunter D. Count Ly just looks at Ray with disdain. See, Lee never really respected Ray. He was just a useful pawn. Lee basically tells him, "You're lucky to still be alive after all your failures. As for making you a vampire, ha, maybe in 50 or 60 years I'll consider it." In other words, nope, not happening, and get out of my face. Ouch. Ray is furious, but hides it for the moment, and Lee turns away to proceed with his wedding. You can bet Ray is plotting something now, after that humiliation. Okay, now here's one of my favorite creepy cool sequences. Back at the farm, where D's lifeless body lays pinned, we see his severed left hand crawling around by itself in the dirt. Remember, Ray chopped it off. This little sucker is not about to let his hoes die without a fight. The left hand, with his ugly little face, drags itself across the ground, back to D's staked body. It climbs up and reattaches itself to D's wrist stub, and like a puzzle piece, clicking back in. Then it tries to pull out the wooden stake from D's chest, but it's not strong enough alone. So what does it do? It eats some dirt and sucks it out. It sucks in some air, like a vacuum, gulping down huge amounts of earth and wind. Now, if you're new to VHD, this is wild. The left hand can literally devour elemental things, earth, air, fire, etc., to gain energy. It's gross and weird, and I love it. After slurping a bunch of soil and a big gust of wind, the symbiont gets a power boost. Just then, a vile, mist-like monster, some random castle creature, floats by, sensing D's fresh body. It's basically a living cloud of poisonous vapor creeping towards D to dissolve him. The left hand sees it and is like, "Oh, no you don't." With its new strength, the hand finally yanks the stake out of D's heart. D's eyes shoot open, and in the nick of time, he swings up and slashes the mist monster to bits, just as it envelopes him. D is alive, y'all. Well, undead alive. The stake would have finished a normal vampire or human, but D's mixed heritage and his handy helper saved him. Cue the triumphant music, because the hunter is back on his feet and ready for round two. And not a moment too soon, over at the castle, Count Lee's twisty, twisted wedding ceremony is reaching its climax. Doris is in a trance, walking with Lee down the aisle, towards a grotesque altar, Lee is moments away from sealing the deal, biting her and turning her into his vampire bride forever. Little Dan, who escaped his cell, makes one last heroic attempt. He rushes in and attacks Count Lee mid-ceremony. Bless his heart, he basically goes at the Count with a knife or just his fist, but Lee is ancient and telekinetic. With barely a flick of his wrist, he throws Dan back with an invisible force. Dan goes flying and tumbles into the dark chasm that opened in the floor of the throne room. I remember gasping here, thinking Dan might actually die. He's literally hanging over the abyss, when unexpectedly, Ray, yes Ray, catches him and pulls him up to safety, saving Dan from a fatal fall. Why would Ray save the kid? Possibly even Ray has a plan to save the kid. Dan is in a state of shock. Dan is in a shred of honor and a soft spot for kids. Or maybe he wants to be the one to kill Lee's guest himself. Hard to say, but it's a tiny glimmer of goodness in Ray just before his end. Now, fueled by rage and desperation, Ray decides to take his shot at betraying Count Lee outright. He pulls out the time-bewitching incense, the magic candle, and attempts to use it on the Count. If it could paralyze Dee, maybe it'll weaken the big bad Lee too, right? Smart plan, except Lee is so old and powerful that he basically sneers at this trick. The Count shatters the candle with his mind before it can even affect him. Then he uses his formidable psychic powers to lift Ray into the air like a rag doll and, in a gruesome display, makes Ray's head literally explode. That's the end of poor Ray. Ray is taken by his master and killed in a blink of an eye. It's a quick but memorable death that cements Count Lee as a truly fearsome villain. He's not just sitting on his throne waiting to be stabbed. He's actively wiping out threats left and right, showing everyone who's the boss. And just as Count Lee is about to finally bite doors and complete the ceremony, BAM! Dee bursts in dramatically, likely by smashing through a stained glass window. Because, of course, it's a raggedy castle. Our hero has arrived. A bit battered, but back in action. Without missing a beat, Dee hurls a dagger straight into Count Lee's eye. Yup, right in the eye. This might be the first time in ages the Count has been genuinely hurt by anyone. Lee howls in pain and fury. Doris, still under his spell, collapses momentarily as the hold on her falters. And the showdown begins. Now we get the ultimate showdown. Dee versus Count Magnus Lee. The vampire hunter versus the ancient vampire. And whew, the animators went off. Swords clashing, dark magic crackles, the whole castle trembles. Dee slashes at Lee with all his might, but the Count has telekinetic shields that deflect the blows. Lee retaliates by hurling psychic energy throwing Dee across the room with invisible force. There's a bit where Dee is flung into a pillar and the stone cracks from the impact. The Count even levitates Dee's own sword at one point and tries to impale him with it. It's clearly an uphill battle for Dee. This is the strongest enemy he's ever faced. At one harrowing moment, Count Lee catches Dee in a psychic stronghold and lifts him off the ground. Then starts maneuvering Dee's own sword toward Dee's heart. Dee is straining, muscles trembling, and he can't break free. Doris, semi-conscious, and Dan, watching from the sidelines after climbing back up, are horrified. Everything seems lost. Dee is practically savoring the kill, about to finish Dee off. But then, something shifts inside of Dee. Perhaps it's the power of his ancient lineage or the thought of Doris. Perhaps it's the power of his ancient lineage or the thought of Doris and Dan, but Dee's eyes blaze with determination. In a last surge, he unleashes an overwhelming force. Waves of energy radiate out from him, breaking Lee's psychic grip. It's like an explosion of pure willpower. Or maybe Daddy Dracula's genes kicking in. This part is so cool, the whole screen flashes, and for a moment, you see an image of the legendary Dracula behind Dee. At least, I always imagined it. Dee is tapping into his hidden potential, and nothing is going to stop him now. Freed from Lee's hold, Dee drops back down to the ground, grabs his sword, and launches himself at the Count in an all-or-nothing strike. The Count tries to block with his powers, even catches the blade with his bare hands when Dee drives it towards him. For a second, there at a standstill, Lee holding the sword, D. pushing with every ounce of strength. And then, with a fierce cry, D. pushes the blade through. He stabs Count Lee in the heart. The sword goes straight through the Count and pins him to the wall behind. A look of shock crosses Lee's face. The ancient vampire lord has been mortally wounded by the damn peer. Count Lee lets out a final, furious gasp. Mortally wounded, he still tries to take his enemies with him. With his dying power, he commands Doris, who is still under the remnants of his thrall, to attack Dee. Doris's eyes glaze over blood-red. She picks up a fallen weapon, moving like a puppet to stab Dee from behind. Our poor Dee is exhausted and injured from the fight. He might not be able to dodge in time. It's a tense moment. Will Doris unknowingly kill her savior? But then, Dan and La Armica step in to save the day. See, when Dee struck Lee's heart, the spell holding La Armica was broken. So she wakes up from her suspended animation. Dan, who had been watching in horror, rushes to his sister. As Doris is about to strike, Dan jumps in front of Dee and grabs Doris, yelling her name. That snaps Doris out of the trance just in time. She drops the weapon, horrified. At what she almost did. Meanwhile, Count Lee slumps, his strength fading. In his final moments, he looks at Dee properly for the first time and notices something familiar. Perhaps behind Dee, a painting of the sacred ancestor, Dracula, is on the wall, or maybe he senses the blood. With his last breath, Count Lee chokes out, Dracula is your father. Dee stands silent. Maybe gives a tiny, confirming nod. And then Count Magnus Lee, the great vampire lord, crumbles to dust and ashes. He's gone for good, and with him, the tyranny over that frontier land. Now the danger is gone, but one loose thread remains. La Armica. She stands amidst the ruins of the throne room, looking around at the destruction and her father's remains. All her pride, her noble family legacy. It's literally falling apart around her. The castle is starting to self-destruct, as these evil layers tend to do when the master dies. Stones crumbling and the earth quaking, Dee, ever compassionate, even after all she's done, encourages La Armica to leave and live on. He basically says, your father's gone. You have a chance now to start anew, to live as a human, maybe. He's offering her mercy and a way out of it. But La Armica refuses. With tears in her eyes and a voice full of sorrow and pride, she says the house of Lee ends here. She can't stand the thought of living as a human, nor living with the shame of her family's fall. So she chooses to stay behind as the castle collapses, effectively choosing death. It's a tragic end for her. She was a victim of her own pride and upbringing. In her last moments, I like to think she finally understood a bit of what being human meant. But she just couldn't accept it. Dee doesn't force her, he just nods sadly and respects her choice. Then he grabs Doris's hand, and along with Dan, they run out of the castle as it caves in. They escape across a bridge just as the entire castle league crumbles and sinks into the earth, destroyed forever. The nightmare is truly over. We transition to morning, the storm clouds have cleared, and the sunlight is breaking over the land. In the final scene, the sky is clear and blue. Probably the first clear morning Doris and Dan have seen in a long time, without dread hanging over them. With Count Lee dead, the curse on Doris is lifted, the Bites influence is gone, and she won't turn into a vampire now. We see Doris and Dan back at their farm. safe and sound. Doris is out of her bridal gown and back in her normal clothes, maybe even bandaging Dee's wounds or offering him thanks. There's this sense of relief and a new beginning. But it's also a goodbye. Dee, as always, is a wanderer. Once the job is done, he doesn't stick around. He's already got his gear packed, his cyber horse ready to go. Doris, who's clearly fallen for him, asks him to stay once again. She says something like, You could have a home here with us. Dan chimes in, saying, Big Brother Dee, please don't go. It's so heart-wrenching. Dee cares for them. You know he does. But he shakes his head. He knows he can't settle down. For their sake as much as his own. So he gently declines. Doris understands, though it hurts. Before he leaves, Doris, now free of the vampiric infection and fully recovered, a smile of gratitude, gives Dee a final hug. Or at least a very warm goodbye. Little Dan salutes or waves. Dee, a man of few words, simply tips his hat. And then he rides off. As he does, Doris and Dan run to the hill to watch him go. Calling out their thanks and well wishes. And in a rare moment, Dee turns back and gives them a smile. Oh, my goodness. That smile. It's small, but after all the gloom and stoicism, it speaks volumes. It's like Dee is silently saying, You'll be okay now. I'm glad. Then he turns and rides off into the morning light. Ooh, y'all. That was a ride. Ooh, that last scene he gave me every single time. Because I was like, oh, he could have had a life. He could have had a life. But he didn't want to eat him up either. So he had to keep on pushing. So, again, if you listened and you haven't yet, go ahead and watch it. The Vampire Hunter Dee. I thank you, but you should literally go back and watch it. I tried to do it play-by-play, scene-by-scene, which was a lot of freaking hard work. But I hope I did it justice. So, again, share this with your friends, your family, other anime lovers, a couple of your friends, your family that haven't watched any old-school anime. I'm telling you, you've got to go back to the roots. Because they just don't animate like that no more. They just don't storytell like that no more. So, again, I want to thank you for allowing me to ramble and yap. And if you stay to the end, I want to thank you. You're a special type of human. And I'll be trying to do more of these in the future. I also want to do a deep dive on the Vampire Hunter Dee. What is it? Love? What is it? Bloodlust. That's what it's called. So, stick around for that. I don't know when I'll be doing that. But I do want to do that one because that movie was also amazing. An amazing addition to the franchise. So, again, thank you for sticking through and stopping by. Like always, I just want you to stay geeky, stay sexual, and stay intellectual. I'll see y'all next time.