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The Castlevania Dungeon Forums => General Castlevania Discussion => Classic Castlevania Threads => Topic started by: Crying Freeman on August 15, 2016, 07:32:35 PM

Title: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on August 15, 2016, 07:32:35 PM
-Doris' whip
-D is basically SOTN Alucard before SOTN Alucard
-Floor crumbling, leading to a water and skeleton filled catacomb
-Castle crumbling after head vampire's death
-D jumping into the castle via the drawbridge (Richter more acurately represents this scene as he's on horseback)
-D fights a giant Golem
-CV4's opening animation has a very similar music cue to VHD's opening (after Dracula flies away from his grave, and idk if I'm going too far with this lol)
-Huge variety of monsters in the Castle
-Lee's castle seems to have inspired Castlevania's look on certain box arts and game menus in the metroidvania era
-Premise: Action filled afair using an errie, western horror inspired asthetic, with a lone hero entering town to eliminate the threatening vampire and hordes of deadly, varried monsters

I'm sure a lot more. Castlevania really does feel like an unofficial VHD game series sometimes, ESPECIALLY in SOTN.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on August 15, 2016, 08:07:17 PM
Dracula's suggested power extent (we just never see that much of it in CV because "haha I whipped your face before you woke up all the way", outside of what the DCW implies).

Seriously. Dude's practically god in VHD.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: theplottwist on August 15, 2016, 08:44:11 PM
There's an interview where IGA outright confirms the Vampire Hunter D influence on Alucard, but denies it's influence early in the series (so that would include Doris). I don't remember precisely what interview he mentioned both of these informations, I'll look it up.

But I think there is more on this influence, specially on Dracula, as D9 said.

EDIT: Frikkin' found it.
(https://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimage.prntscr.com%2Fimage%2F767ad54acf8641eab0294e1e2f484b7d.png&hash=1255dc0394153ee24a22cbb42ca80449)

Now, IGA wasn't involved back then. They may have taken inspiration but we only have his word to follow, and I suppose he had access to inside information. So there's that.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: X on August 15, 2016, 11:31:23 PM
IGA cannot speak for the series prior to his involvement. So I'd take that interview with a grain of salt. But Vampire Hunter D wasn't the only thing to inspire the series. The Lupin III movie has a dead-ringer castle (and area) befitting CV III. Until recently I had no idea that that was the case. I was only familiar with Vampire Hunter D at the time.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on August 19, 2016, 05:49:21 PM
My thoughts as well, X. Iga's first involvement was Rondo if I remember correctly, and I doubt he spoke to a lot of the original cast. Cagliostro is also a huge inspiration, such as the Ancient Greek stage, the clock tower and the aqueduct as well as parts of the castle crumbling. I feel like both Cagliostro and the books or movie of VHD have had some influence on the devs of Castlevania early on.

I also forgot to mention the way Magnus Lee sits in his throne is exactly how Drac sits in his chair in Chronicles, but idk if that's me looking too far into it lol
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on August 19, 2016, 06:15:19 PM
I wouldn't count the visual adaptations of VHD material for that sort of thing. Sitting on a throne with crossed legs raising a glass isn't something new, after all.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on August 21, 2016, 09:29:08 PM
Yeah I think I'm just scavenging at this point lol
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: zangetsu468 on August 22, 2016, 02:56:47 AM
The biggest one in my mind Freeman has hit on the head, D minus his talking hand is very similar to Alucard. (If anyone has watched Amon Saga there's a character who looks very similar to D - though non vampiric - called Ecuna; the wandering poet and master swordsman. Alucard reminds me if a cross between D and Amon, who was also a beautiful man.)
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: TatteredSeraph on August 26, 2016, 12:52:47 PM
It's interesting to note as well that there are points where Amano pretty much depicts D as a blonde rather than having black hair, as he's described in the books.  This to me only heightens the comparisons between Alucard and D.

(https://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.akadot.com%2Fimages_osc%2F9781595821317.jpg&hash=914aeae572997d92475c3b9731e835a6)

(https://castlevaniadungeon.net/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hadleyseymore.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F11%2FAmano_DProfile.jpg&hash=174dc1bf96852f0119113aa2c160718d)

(https://freshcomics.s3.amazonaws.com/issue_covers/FEB150118.jpg)
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on September 07, 2016, 07:30:57 PM
The biggest one in my mind Freeman has hit on the head, D minus his talking hand is very similar to Alucard. (If anyone has watched Amon Saga there's a character who looks very similar to D - though non vampiric - called Ecuna; the wandering poet and master swordsman. Alucard reminds me if a cross between D and Amon, who was also a beautiful man.)

That and Sonia-Doris are the two main things. I doubt the whip was a coincidence, but who knows. Btw, Amon Saga looked pretty interesting, I'm looking to check it out
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: zangetsu468 on September 08, 2016, 12:20:06 AM
That and Sonia-Doris are the two main things. I doubt the whip was a coincidence, but who knows. Btw, Amon Saga looked pretty interesting, I'm looking to check it out

It's one of the more obscure titles I've collected over the years, but I haven't managed to see the original Japanese version. The dub is still decent for its time though and one of the supporting characters is voiced by the same actor who voiced mad bull.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on September 18, 2016, 05:37:35 PM
It's one of the more obscure titles I've collected over the years, but I haven't managed to see the original Japanese version. The dub is still decent for its time though and one of the supporting characters is voiced by the same actor who voiced mad bull.

Obscure shit is pretty much what I'm into lol, and Amon Saga fits the bill. Still haven't seen Mad Bull btw.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: zangetsu468 on September 19, 2016, 06:36:04 AM
Obscure shit is pretty much what I'm into lol, and Amon Saga fits the bill. Still haven't seen Mad Bull btw.

If you like that 90's darker, more Americanised anime then Mad Bull is definitely for you.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Crying Freeman on October 22, 2016, 05:46:28 PM
Nice, will take a look :)
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: zangetsu468 on October 22, 2016, 07:10:15 PM
I bet Doris was a virgin, Count Magnus Lee loves himself some Virgin Blood. :o
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: XombieMike on December 26, 2017, 10:31:44 AM
Great thread. I'm a huge fan of both D and CV. I love that Yoshitaka Amano is doing poster art for Bloodstained. To me it's a special tie between Castlevania's legacy and VHD.

That Amon Saga (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIx-Gqa3bCol) was worth a look. Thanks for the recommendation.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: gallandryal on March 22, 2018, 07:56:53 PM
D's storyline and background is exactly the same of Alucard's.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Guy Belmont on March 28, 2018, 07:54:21 AM
Also Doris Lang shares her last name with Curtis Lang, who also carry's a whip with him.

 And IGA is Wrong, as Toshiki Yamamura  came out and said  that he was pretty influenced by Hideyuki Kikuchi, soooo yeah
there's some more D in there.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: theplottwist on March 28, 2018, 12:29:06 PM
And IGA is Wrong, as Toshiki Yamamura  came out and said  that he was pretty influenced by Hideyuki Kikuchi, soooo yeah
there's some more D in there.

IGA never said there wasn't anymore influence. He said the original series (by which I, personally, understand that as meaning "the three first main games") were not inspired by D, but as products came out, some inspiration was had. He revealed Alucard, but it's pretty obvious there's more, such as the one you just mentioned in Bloodlines. It's possible that Sonia was inspired on Doris Lang too, for instance.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Guy Belmont on March 28, 2018, 12:33:42 PM
IGA never said there wasn't anymore influence. He said the original series (by which I, personally, understand that as meaning "the three first main games") were not inspired by D, but as products came out, some inspiration was had. He revealed Alucard, but it's pretty obvious there's more, such as the one you just mentioned in Bloodlines. It's possible that Sonia was inspired on Doris Lang too, for instance.

Ahh  I took the Original series too mean everything that used the old gameplay before SoTn. As  that was really the rebirth or new series of gameplay. But TBH its ones thing that we'll all never know.

and yeah sonia good one.
 







Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on May 11, 2018, 10:46:13 PM
D's storyline and background is exactly the same of Alucard's.

i am super late on this but this might be the single most incorrect statement i've seen on the boards in a long time
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: X on May 13, 2018, 05:12:41 PM
Quote
D's storyline and background is exactly the same of Alucard's.

That is a bit of a stretch. They are not exactly the same. Sure, both are Dhampyrs. Both had Dracula as their father and a human woman as their mother. And both feel strongly against the evil they partially represent. But that's.. kinda where the similarities end. I could be missing some other details since they escape me at the moment. And alucard's name -for obvious reasons- came from the movie 'Son of Dracula'.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on May 14, 2018, 01:22:07 AM
That is a bit of a stretch. They are not exactly the same. Sure, both are Dhampyrs. Both had Dracula as their father and a human woman as their mother. And both feel strongly against the evil they partially represent. But that's.. kinda where the similarities end.

there's a reason i didn't say any more than i did--we'd be here all day if you were to actually list the differences, but for clarity's sake here're a few

-dracula in vhd is a literal diety to the point of being a cosmic force of nature
-d's conception was not "dracula loved a human woman" but vhd's dracula wanting to ascend his species so he knocked up countless human women and killed the offspring over and over until they evolved into a being with practically none of the crippling vampiric weaknesses--that being was d
-d fights all vampires rather than simply having a feud with daddy and sleeping when daddy's on vacation like alucard
-d doesn't necessarily like going full vampire but unlike alucard he doesn't really have a problem letting it out when he needs to
-alucard's around 600 or so, d's over 10,000

so already, completely different origins and character motivations

now for abilities
-d is almost cosmic-god levels of OP like his father late in the novels, to the point of resisting being erased from reality via manipulation of akashic records and other reality-warping forces

...^this is all i need to bring up, really  :P
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: X on May 14, 2018, 09:43:26 AM
D9: Ouch! That's a whole lotta info I didn't know. I only ever saw both animated movies so I'm guessing all that info came from the books.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Aiddon on May 21, 2018, 11:44:44 PM
There's a decent argument to be made that if D was never written Castlevania (and a lot of vampire fiction in general) would never exist. The thing is, I literally can't find an earlier work of vampire fiction in Japanese media (heck, horror fiction in general wasn't very popular in 1980s Japan). The first novel was released in 1983 with the OVA in 1985. Castlevania released 1986. Furthermore, it's not just the character of D himself as even the early games took influence from the overall Gothic Horror genre Kikuchi wrote into the series. And that's before getting into the wackier, genre-mixing bits of science fiction and fantasy.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: theplottwist on May 22, 2018, 03:22:50 AM
There's a decent argument to be made that if D was never written Castlevania (and a lot of vampire fiction in general) would never exist. The thing is, I literally can't find an earlier work of vampire fiction in Japanese media (heck, horror fiction in general wasn't very popular in 1980s Japan). The first novel was released in 1983 with the OVA in 1985. Castlevania released 1986. Furthermore, it's not just the character of D himself as even the early games took influence from the overall Gothic Horror genre Kikuchi wrote into the series. And that's before getting into the wackier, genre-mixing bits of science fiction and fantasy.

IGA clarified that "the original series never took inspiration on D" (by that I'm assuming the three first main games). Although, of course, he was not part of the team that created Castlevania, I'm pretty sure he knows the development history behind it as a (former) Konami employee in charge of the franchise. He knows even who de facto created the series, but couldn't reveal this. He went on to say that later games did take inspiration on D, however.

That said, there's quite a bit of vampire media predating D in Japan. Here is the supposedly first Japanese vampire movie (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_Moth). Here's one later example (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Vampire_Doll) of vampire media predating D. Dracula's name  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_of_Dracula) was already a thing, and  this comical cartoon was quite a hit too (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Dracula). Not to mention actual vampire myths in Japan that are ancient.

There are Dracula novel translations into Japanese as far back as 1963, but the 1958 movie  played in Japanese theaters before that. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracula_(1958_film)#Home_media)
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on May 23, 2018, 10:34:51 AM
>hammer dracula

kikuchi himself cites this and particularly lee's dracula as a major inspiration source for writing VHD, just so it's out there
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Aiddon on May 24, 2018, 12:50:58 PM
kikuchi himself cites this and particularly lee's dracula as a major inspiration source for writing VHD, just so it's out there

That just comes with the territory. Hell, the most recent Blu-ray remaster of the original 1958 Hammer film used footage from a Japanese print to restore Dracula's death scene. But again, Dracula and the horror genre (as said by Kikuchi himself) was very niche in Japan in the eighties. It's why most Japanese horror media you find prior is a bunch of B-film junk. It's also why Kikuchi threw in a bunch of sci-fi, fantasy, and spaghetti western elements into the VHD series so it could sell. Kinda weird considering how lauded a lot of Japanese horror films are nowadays.

And anyway, the circumstances are just too coincidental. VHD was first written in 1983, the OVA came out in '85, then the first Castlevania was out in '86. Heck, CV even has the standard hodgepodge elements what with constant anachronisms regarding sci-fi and mythological elements. All they really was switch it to a medieval setting, strip out the Western parts, and make the protagonist a gender-swapped Doris Lang. At the very least VHD showed there was a rising interest in the kind of vampire ficition that had previously been extremely niche.
Title: Re: Vampire Hunter D's influence on the series
Post by: Dracula9 on May 26, 2018, 02:24:54 PM
yeah, kikuchi i think really contributed to that -- i wouldn't say he opened the door, but he definitely widened how far it was open