DARKSTALKERS

a.k.a. Night Warriors, a.k.a. Vampire Savior, a.k.a. Vampire Hunters, a.k.a. Yawn



Review by: Craig "Knife-Edge Hand" Norris

Length: 4 episode OAV
Genre: Action, fighting
Watched: 1-4, dubbed

Fighting-game-to-anime conversions are traditionally recipes for disaster. The simple fact of the matter is that you can't translate a genre of game that is painfully thin in the plot department into an anime and expect it to be entertaining. Well, Darkstalkers tried, and to its credit wound up being more successful than a lot of anime based on fighting games, but considering its company, that doesn't say much.

Plot synopsis: The energy-being Pyron has come to Earth in order to conquer it, and eventually every other region of the universe. The only problem is, he has to deal with the Darkstalkers, a group of elite fighters from different dimensions and different walks of life. These fighters, once outcasts, are now mankind's only hope for survival.

Artwork: The artwork, while nothing cutting-edge, is pretty good. At the very least it is a tremendous step up from the game graphics, so everyone can delight in their favorite character(s) looking a lot less pixellated. The dark visual ambience created suits the show well, and the scenery is competently arranged and rendered. I had a few problems with some of the character designs (most notably Demitri and Donovan), but that's more the original game designers' fault than the OAV's art director.

Music: It does enough to accompany the action well, but not enough to stand on its own. Having never played the game, I don't know whether or not some of the game music was remixed and used in the OAV. It would be kind of interesting if it was. However, since the only real positive thing I can say about the soundtrack is mere speculation, there is no way I would consider this a great soundtrack by any means.

Characters: One thing that struck me about Darkstalkers was that the OAV actually tried to develop some of the characters, and didn't merely use them as vessels for flashy fight scenes. Yes, some of the characters, such as Raptor and John Talbain, are relegated to brief cameos, while still others have line-free appearances so brief that you'll miss them if you blink. It seems that only the more universally popular characters were highlighted. The OAV principally follows Donovan, a half-human, half-vampire who is resentful of his own existence and has dedicated his life to destroying evil. In the same vein as D, he is self-hating and feels he has no place in the world and works to destroy the evil of the world that has tainted his blood. He meets a young, spooky-looking girl named Anita who also possesses dark powers, and the two become traveling companions. Demitri is a lord of a noble house in the demon world, and seeks to regain the throne by defeating Morrigan, a member of the house that usurped his position. Demitri's only ambition is power, and he is so overly muscular that his head appears to be the size of a walnut. Morrigan, rightful ruler of the house of Aensland, is a succubus who forfeited her right to rule in order to freely pursue her own interests. She seeks self-gratification and only does things that she believes will be interesting. Lin Lin and Lei Lei are sisters that received unearthly powers from an ancient ritual they initiated to avenge the death of their mother. Lin Lin is the more serious of the two, and keeps her more headstrong sister in line. Lei Lei has a carefree spirit and is much more eager for confrontation. Felicia is a catgirl who has found the adoration she seeks by becoming a pop star. She believes that people are good at heart, and will someday come to accept the Darkstalkers. As far as characters go they are not very deep, but at least we get to know something about them before they start trying to beat the piss out of themselves and others.

Plot: As I said, it's hard to translate some of the most plotless games into anime, simply because there's not that much content. Most of the characters have their own arcs in the OAV, some of which had little or nothing to do with one another. The last episode makes an attempt to tie them all together, but it still came off as very sloppily done. Really, the weak plot was just an excuse to have all the popular characters from the game drawn anime style and move around without the need for a controller. Yes, there is a plot, and this fighting-game-turned-anime should be lauded for having one at all, but it's still not that great.

CHICKS!: What this anime lacks in plot it makes up for in sex appeal. This OAV, along with the game that came before it, has some legendary chicks to be drooled over. The universal favorite is Morrigan, the sultry succubus who can spark more arousal with one swivel of her hips than a whole gym full of bloomer-clad schoolgirls. Sure, she has bat wings sticking out the side of her head, but who can refrain from ogling that extra low-cut blouse and those skintight leggings? The only drawback I can see with her is that she is a soul-sucking demon, and if you have intercourse with her you will die. But it's pretty much a guarantee that you'll die happy, so it's not that bad, I guess. Lei Lei, despite her demon form, has retained the personality of her human self, so she seems like less of an elitist demon than Morrigan. She sports a traditional Chinese dress with an audacious cut down the front, showcasing impressive cleavage. Her status as a Chinese vampire has left her with blue skin, but since I already find blue hair to be a turn-on, this is the next logical step, right? Just watch out when she hugs you; those claws definitely look like they could hurt. Lin Lin is much more conservatively dressed and considerably more morose than her sister, but she certainly proves that good looks run in the family. My personal favorite (if you haven't already guessed) is Felicia, for reasons that are clear to anyone who knows me at all. Her hands and feet are much more paw-like than most other catgirls, but all the better to hug you with, I say. She is optimistic, noble and kind. And naked. All the time. Yes, all the "good spots" are covered by fur, but there is little else left to the imagination. She is the ideal catgirl: human enough to be sexy, and feline enough to be cute and snuggly. And did I mention she's naked?

Overall: As anime goes, this is not horrible. Still, I firmly believe that a fighting game should stay on the console and out of the video stores. There's just too little to work with to expect any great degree of success. On the plus side, it does work independently of the game, so even someone like me who never played it was able to understand it well. If you want to see a fighting game that was moderately successful in its transfer to anime, I recommend this title. However, those with discerning tastes will find it noticeably flawed.

IN A NUTSHELL:
+ Some character development
+ Some semblance of a plot
+ Morrigan. Felicia. Droooool...
- Sloppy plot organization
- Some game characters swept under the rug
- It's okay, but...
Rating: 5.5/10



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