Anime: Night Walker: Mayonaka no Tantei

[br][br]I like both detective & vampire stories so combining them works out rather nicely. Of course it'd be very rare for it to be a perfect 50-50 mix. This one is more detective than vampire. Though Shido doesn't solve murders so much as he commits murder to prevent murder. Along the way we learn a little about human vices and get to enjoy the interaction of the 3 main characters whom have a slight triangle going on. Each episode involves at least one case and/or the personal matters of a main character. Thankfully Nightwalker is not an incomplete story but it does leave a door open for future expansion. The finale has action but is not an action packed affair so much as it is an emotional packed affair that is quite befitting the series and which changes the dynamics of the triangle. It was a good place to leave off at if the story couldn't be continued for real world reasons.
[br]Characterization[br]The major characters all know each other when the show starts. In this case that is good. I find that that makes a difference based upon the genre of the story. Detective shows should have some mystery to them so having all the major characters familiar with each other at the beginning and the audience getting to know them through flashbacks and the like during relevant cases helps add to the intrigue. Boy do they ever do a good job with those on an emotional level. Each of the main characters has a personal tragedy that has led them to where they are and each is explored in wonderful detail.
[br]Characters[br]I'd probably spoil the story's characterization to describe the individual characters. So I'll just say that they are like those characters in Buffy & Angel - real, normal people caught up in extraordinary situations who handle themselves in a believably realistic fashion. The major characters are steeped in tragedy and yet they keep a low key optimism about themselves such that they don't sink into utter despair as many would in their place.
[br]Art[br]The art work is of my favorite type - simplified realism; mostly realistic, colorful, and not overly complex nor overly simplistic. Basically the most common styles used from the mid 80s to the mid 90s and which are still in use today.
[br]Audio[br]I had no problem with the audio. It did what it is supposed to do - convey information through sound waves. It is good that way. If it helps any, I went out of my way to get the OST for the full length versions of the credit songs. They convey the same feelings I got from the anime.
[br]Rewatchability[br]This should be good for two viewings at least. If you rewatch this anime after a year or so when it's been long enough to forget the fine detail yet remember the major events. It should be a completely different experience that way. Beyond that I can't say for certain at this point but it'd probably only be worth the 2 viewings.

I am a huge fan of vampires and vampire animes and movies, but it was a struggle and a chore to watch every episode of Nightwalker for me.

The animation was barely functional and for an anime created in 2000 seemed well behind the times.

The sound usually doesn't fit and is truthfully kind of an annoyance it is so out of place in some parts.

The characters are boring and annoying. Especially the main character Shido who exhibits no growth or depth, and comes off as both whiney and ditzy. His assistant and his little bat-creature familiar are both useless and serve no purpose to the plot except as background noise to provide Shido and his cutesy-schoolgirl intern Riho people to talk to. Speaking of Riho, she is the only semi-interesting character of the bunch, with the only real depth of any of them, but even she fails to evoke much emotion or concern for her person.

The story was a complete bore, and besides the fact that the whole "blood-sword" thing is cheesy and made me cringe everytime I saw it, Shido as a vampire wasn't really interesting.

This anime has little value or rewatchability, I would never purchase it or even rent it.