Television Review: Blood+
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What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this anime series is extremely
violent and often scary. Vampire-like monsters hunt men, women,
and children, killing them with their sharp teeth and
extra-long claws; blood also spurts out of decapitated victims'
throats. The young female protagonist masterfully wields a
sword, slashing both beasts and men, and many tense moments are
accentuated with spooky music. The protagonist and other young
female characters are also sexualized; wear ultra-short skirts;
and sometimes talk about not eating to avoid getting fat.
Families can talk about different styles of animation. What
characterizes an "anime" series? If you're familiar with anime,
what themes do you see repeated in different series? In
general, how is animation different in kids' shows and more
adult-oriented shows like this one? Why use animation to tell
grown-up stories in the first place? How does animation affect
the story being told?
The seemingly normal Saya (voiced by Kari Wahlgren) lives with a loving adoptive family, goes to school, competes in track and field events, and discusses politics with her friend. But a flashback to her previous life shows that she was once involved in a bloody massacre and wielded a sword against terrifying, vampire-like beasts called chiropterans. As her memory returns, young Saya faces her fate as savior of her family, friends, and countrymen.
The story is compelling, mysterious, and complex. But be forewarned: Though it's animated, BLOOD+ isn't for kids. Violent scenes go beyond a simple dead body or stabbing -- be prepared for dramatic, slow-motion beheadings and gallons of red blood spurting out of amputated limbs. And it's not just the bad guys who wreak havoc; in a flashback scene, Saya slashes her way through a group of people, and it's unclear what her motive is and whether she's only killing bad guys.
Anime is known for its sexual portrayals of young female characters, and while this isn't an X-rated series, Saya and other underage female characters also wear exaggeratedly short schoolgirl skirts, which sometimes pop up to reveal a glimpse of underwear. The girls' sexualized nature extends to other parts of the series, too -- in one scene, an older male kisses Saya by surprise, and possibly against her will, but the kiss then turns romantic.
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