Trinity Blood Chapter 1up to Its Neck in Thrills

[wayshway]

Anime has of course had an intimate relationship with horror ever since the late 60s/early 70s when the likes of GeGeGe no Kitaro and Devilman debuted. The preference seems to be for bizarre creatures, so villains as ordinary as simple zombies haven’t gotten much attention. However vampires have proven a fairly popular subject, and have headlined a number of series over the years, most notably cult favorite Vampire Hunter D. I suspect that the elegant, aristocratic nature of vampires and their often tortured love lives appeal to Japanese audiences, and both are prominently on display in the thrilling 2005 series Trinity Blood.

I’m a big fan of the D films, which are creepy without being overly grotesque, dripping with atmosphere, and full of breathtaking action and art design. Being a modestly budgeted TV series Trinity can’t quite match the scares or atmosphere, and the action scenes, though well done, are limited. However the art design is superb, and the relentless political intrigue highly engrossing. Not unlike the Lord of the Rings, Trinity is a story of empires and alliances and double-crosses, with humanity’s survival hanging precariously in the balance.

The story begins far in the future when, following a devastating world war, a horde of vampires emerges to challenge humanity for control of the earth. The vampires, or Methuselahs as they prefer to be called, absorb a large section of the planet into their eastern empire, which is opposed by the forces of the free world led by the Vatican. Somewhere in between a mysterious criminal organization known as Rosen Kreuz Orden attempts to exploit the conflict for its own benefit, often employing the dreaded Fleurs de Mal terrorist group.


Goku couldn't shine my shoes.
In this universe the Vatican is a massively powerful political and military entity with legions of troops at its disposal. Among its most elite warriors is the humble but formidable priest Abel Nightroad, who bounces from one hot spot to another trying to keep the Methuselahs in check and the casualties down. He’s often partnered with the fearsomely lethal android Tres Iqus, who is much quicker to shoot than dwell on moral ambiguity. The Vatican is governed by the young and uncertain Pope Alessandro XVIII, who typically defers to his older siblings: the wise Cardinal Caterina Sforza and bloodthirsty Cardinal Francesco di Medici.

Chapter 1 begins with "Flight Night," in which a Fleurs de Mal Methuselah hijacks a passenger airship and threatens to crash it into the Vatican unless his murderous comrades are released from prison. Next in "Witch Hunt" Nightroad and Tres try to keep a powerful telepathic girl out of the Fleurs de Mal’s clutches, but clash when Tres decides a bullet is the most efficient solution.

The disc concludes with the epic two-part "Star of Sorrow," which sends Nightroad to the divided city of Istvan to keep the tenuous peace between its human and Methuselah populations. His mission is complicated when he strikes up a friendship with the young nun Esther Blanchett, who seeks revenge on the city’s Methuselah ruler Gyula for his brutal persecution of the church. Gyula himself has a score to settle over the murder of his charitable wife by Vatican accomplices.


I warned you I don't kiss on the first date.
A number of real world issues are touched on in Trinity, from "Flight Night"’s 9/11 inspired terrorist plot to the Cold War references in "Star of Sorrow." In the latter story Istvan stands in for Budapest, and Gyula’s excesses are a reminder of the political and religious oppression of the Soviet bloc. This episode also has something admirable to say about today’s struggle with terrorism, in that Nightroad urges both Esther and Gyula to abandon their quests for bloody vengeance in favor of helping build understanding between their peoples.

Trinity’s view of Christianity is generally but far from completely favorable. The church’s kindness is demonstrated by the adoption and loving care of the orphaned Esther, but its less tolerant aspects surface in the mil

[cp32]

I m hooked on this show. Abel Rocks! I love the animation in this . Everything so detailed and sleek. The story line sometimes can be it a confusing. If you miss an episode :P

I have vol 1 & 2 . I plan to get vol 3 & up.

It 's a beautiful peice of animation with seductive story lines

you get vol 3 before I do. Send it my way hon

[wayshway]

quote:Originally posted by SPOOKYFOXMULDER

wayshay I need this I didnt see it on your updated list

http://www.tv.com/trinity-blood/show/62916/summary.html

I just have the Japanese versions. I don't know how many discs it is yet. I'll let you know.

[cp32]

They released vol 4 ( english) This week I think.

[wayshway]

quote:Originally posted by cp32

They released vol 4 ( enlish) This week I think.

I think it's only 26 episodes.