Blade
“The Anime Adaptation You’ve Never Heard About”
There are two types of people on Earth. People who know what this title is and people who don't. Now, what I'm trying to say here is that if you recognize the title, there's nothing left for me to say. The early 2010s saw the glorified Marvel universe getting into the anime industry, with four projects coming in hot in rapid succession. I see what you did there; something had to land, right? Too bad nothing did!
Among the 4, Wolverine was the best one. Of course, everyone holds a similar opinion. But Blade is the one that has gotten lost in history, and trust me, that's for the best. With the recent revival of the franchise, thanks to Arkane Studios bringing out that video game teaser, the series is back in the bigger picture, and people worldwide are trying to get to know this character. The best way to get to know the man, Eric Brooks, is not to watch this anime in the first place because you will despise this Marvel franchise if you do.
Blade, an anime series demonstrating how Marvel is not serious about some of its projects, comes straight out of 2011, when Justin Bieber was king of pop, persuading all the girls that he would never leave them. Even though the song is from 2012, we are good because that is when the DVD and Blu-ray were released.
Tales of revenge going up against each other
The thirst for revenge is the only thing that grows as time passes. Yes, that is true. But when a hero and a villain clash, one must be the victim, correct? Not in this particular case. Blade, our protagonist, and Deacon Frost, our antagonist, are opposed in that they are both good and evil; they are acting solely for vengeance. The only difference was that Blade did nothing wrong to the guy.
The show opens with Blade on a tour of Asia, where he encounters our favorite character—a Wolverine—whom no one saw coming.
But the encounter is brief, and the anime doesn't make the two pair up and form the new Teen Titans or something. Blade goes from place to place, hunting vampires, while Deacon Frost attempts to extract that human/vampire hybrid blood that flows inside him.
Here's where things make no sense. Ordinarily, an antagonist would go full force and get done with the main character ASAP. But you see, Deacon Frost sends all these creatures after Blade, knowing full well that they're going to vanish after a mere touch of his sword, and even when the man corners him, he lets Blade go in a second.
I don't know where this is going, but okay? The only unexpected thing is how a significant character dies, and with her being a total baddie, you can't help but feel sorry—not for Blade, that is.
Staying true to the roots
The creators of this series do not make it do a backflip and become Spiderman out of nowhere, which allows fans of the series to compare it to previous adaptations based on the series. One significant difference is that Eric Brooks, Blade himself, is from England, as mentioned in the comics.
A great thing this series delivers is diving into the backstory of Blade, making you feel more connected to the character and filling the holes left behind by the other forms of media he's featured in.
Trust me when I say this: no other character in this anime matters other than Blade, and that's not me being a fanboy by any means. Every other episode features someone new, given that he's a nomad and constantly on the move to hunt some more vampires. But despite getting to know all these different faces, only Makoto, a fellow vampire hunter, is essential for the story.
Animation taking us back
Many of you didn't start watching anime in the 2010s, but Madhouse was the symbol of great animation back in the day. It still is since it's given birth to the hit of the century, One Punch Man, without breaking a sweat. Madhouse, the studio behind this Blade adaptation, makes nostalgia fill the atmosphere and take you back to the good old days when anime wasn't about transforming into spiders and vending machines and exploring dungeons for the rest of your lives.
The animation style made me fall in love with the show, even when everything else tried its hardest to brush me off during the entire run. The animation feels old, sure. It's almost 13 years old at this point. But trust me, the animation would be the least of your concerns, most likely being the only thing that you'll like from this adaptation.
Putting that aside, let's talk about the action. It's Marvel with an anime title that's pretty befitting for the nature of the show, giving you an idea about what this title will be about. Well, expect none of that since the action is downright hideous. I don't know why they completely withdrew from putting up a single good fight, given that some of the scenes where Blade is not fighting make you look forward to watching him swing that blade like there's no tomorrow.
But all the show delivers are some lousy frames stuck in place, making it look like our blinks and breaths are making the show go from pause to play and so on. That's a shame since even half of what was spent on the animation could take the action to the next level, and given that this is a show that is made to deliver some great action, it's what ends up killing the show in its tracks.
What is this sound?
As manly as he appears, Minagawa Junko, who provided the voice for Echizen Ryoma from Prince of Tennis, our favorite athlete from childhood, also voices this version of Blade. I'm sure I caught you by surprise, too!
Another thing that breathes life into an action anime is the soundtrack, which fits the whole theme of the show, either making or breaking some of the most critical moments that give life to an anime. While Madhouse is home to superb OST’s, with ‘To Give a Marionette Life’ my favorite, Blade goes down an entirely different route. To some, this music selection might feel like the best fit for the show, while for others, it might be the most out-of-place tunes they have ever heard in their entire lives.
I'll let you decide for yourself by giving you an example. Remember Parasyte? The godly anime that has seemingly gotten more underrated as the years went by? Try to recall what its soundtrack was all about. Sure, we have emotional masterpieces like “Next to You” from Ken Arai, but don't you remember dubstep and rock music pumping up some of the most intense fights in the series? Well, Blade goes down the same route! So, if that's your thing, try this title. I've known people who listen to the soundtrack repeatedly, so nothing's set in stone when it comes to that!
Marvel's attempt at anime could've gone way better if they had been a little more thoughtful about their projects. While the likes of Wolverine have stood the test of time and are still brought up occasionally, others, like Blade, have kicked the bucket for good.
Blade could've done way better. The anime was starting to make us more familiar with Eric Brooks, and seeing Madhouse bring the best out of this title was just incredible. But the lousy animation, the still frames, and the bland characters kill the whole thing, with the action sequences being the last nail in the coffin.
Now, if you're a Blade fan or can't sleep after seeing that teaser from last year, try the show. You might like it. But if you're not a fan of Marvel or anime on that part, then please don't introduce yourself to this title to hate the medium altogether.
I'll give it a 6/10, and that's all for the animation because it reminded me of old times, and you'll say the same once you're done with this title. As for the question of whether I'd like to see more of these Marvel-fueled anime adaptation projects in the future, the answer is clearly no.
I do not want them to butcher some of my favorite series, and I doubt someone will wake up one day and announce a new 'phase' with a slew of Marvel anime scheduled from now until the end of next year. Yeah, the chances of that happening are slim, aren't they?
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