With its unique visuals, exciting story, and gallons of blood animated to perfection, Fantasia Festival 2024 feels like the perfect venue to unleash KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp to the world. The film is a visual feast that delivers a thrilling and deeply personal vampire tale. This compilation film, which combines the three Kizumonogatari movies released between 2016 and 2017, showcases the best of what anime can offer in terms of style, storytelling, and sheer artistic ambition.
The film follows high school student Koyomi Araragi as he encounters a dying vampire named Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade. In a moment of compassion (or perhaps recklessness), Koyomi offers his blood to save her, unwittingly becoming a vampire himself. What follows is a blood-soaked journey as Koyomi battles powerful vampire hunters to reclaim Kiss-Shot’s stolen limbs and regain his humanity.
From an opening that begins in medias res, with Koyomi, whom we have not yet met, walking into the sun, catching fire and crashing down a skyscraper, KIZUMONOGATARI grabs hold and doesn’t let go. The pace is non-stop, propelling the viewer through a narrative that combines ultra-violence with unexpected moments of humour and genuine sincerity. Director Akiyuki Shinbo and the team at Shaft Animation Studio have created a visual masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of the medium.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the film is its unique and potentially divisive visual style. Combining traditional 2D character animation with striking 3D backgrounds, KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp creates a surreal and often disturbing atmosphere. Bold colour choices and creative framing techniques further enhance the otherworldly feel.
The action sequences are particularly impressive, with fluid animation bringing the brutal vampire fights to life. Though it’s a feast for the eyes, the violence is never toned down. You’ll see plenty of blood, dismemberment, and gore as you work your way through the nearly 2.5-hour runtime, but don’t worry—it’s all drawn in striking detail.
Though absolutely stunning, KIZUMONOGATARI is more than just eye candy. At its heart, it is a coming-of-age story about a lonely teenager coming to terms with his place in the world. Koyomi’s journey from self-loathing to self-acceptance is compelling, even as he’s thrust into increasingly bizarre supernatural situations. His budding friendship with class president Tsubasa Hanekawa provides a touching counterpoint to the violence and gore, exploring themes of connection and what it means to be truly alive.
“The juxtaposition of beauty and brutality in KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp, along with the constant ping-ponging between horror and humour, creates a uniquely adolescent emotional landscape.”
If I make KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp sound like a film that avoids the usual anime trappings, don’t worry; this film doesn’t shy away from fan service or the occasional crude joke, which may put off some viewers. However, these elements, while sometimes jarring, feel true to the hormonal teenage perspective of our protagonist as he grapples with the madness he has stumbled into. The juxtaposition of beauty and brutality in KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp, along with the constant ping-ponging between horror and humour, creates a uniquely adolescent emotional landscape.
As a newcomer to the Monogatari franchise, KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp felt like a solid standalone experience, self-contained enough that I never felt lost. I want to know more about this universe and its characters, and I imagine longtime fans will appreciate how it enriches the broader mythology. The film provides crucial backstories for key characters and relationships, sheds new light on events from the main series, and does so with a style that most TV series simply cannot match.
The haunting score by Satoru Kosaki perfectly complements the on-screen action, heightening tension in fight scenes and underlining emotional moments. Sound design is equally impressive, with vampire transformations and limb-ripping violence given appropriately crunchy, squishy audio treatment.
At nearly two and a half hours, KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp is a substantial meal for anime fans. Yet, it rarely drags, maintaining a kinetic energy throughout. The film does an admirable job of condensing the original trilogy without losing the essence of what made those individual entries special.
“At nearly two and a half hours, KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp is a substantial meal for anime fans.”
This challenging, often provocative work won’t be for everyone. Its mixture of philosophical musings, dark humour, and extreme violence demands a certain openness from the viewer. This is not a film to introduce to your new friend who wants to know what anime is all about, but a film to ease them into once they understand just how powerful the medium can be. For those willing to take the plunge, KIZUMONOGATARI offers a richly rewarding experience that lingers long after the credits have rolled.
For fans of boundary-pushing anime or those simply looking for something bold and different, KIZUMONOGATARI: Koyomi Vamp is not to be missed. It’s a blood-soaked, visually stunning journey into the heart of what it means to be human (or vampire). Prepare for a blood-soaked journey into adulthood, as only anime can provide. This is a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.