is a 2017 Japanese nine-part horror

television miniseries In the United States, a miniseries or mini-series is a television show or series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. Many miniseries can also be referred to, and shown, as a television film. " Limited series" is ...

written and directed by

Sion Sono is a Japanese filmmaker, author, and poet. Best known on the Film festival, festival circuit for the film ''Love Exposure'' (2008), he has been called "the most subversive filmmaker working in Japanese cinema today", a "Stakhanovite movement, ...

. All episodes (episode 8 was split into two parts for streaming) were originally released on

Amazon Video Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...

on June 16, 2017. A special feature-length cut running 2 hours and 22 minutes was shown at various festivals, including the 2017

Chicago International Film Festival The Chicago International Film Festival is an annual film festival held every fall. Founded in 1964 by Michael Kutza, it is the longest-running competitive film festival in North America. Its logo is a stark, black and white close up of the comp ...

. The theme song "Tokyo Vampire Hotel" is performed by the Japanese

math rock Math rock is a style of Alternative rock, alternative and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush (band), Rush. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (including irregular stopping and starting), cou ...

band Tricot.

Plot

Manami is targeted by the rival vampire clans the Draculas and the Corvins on her 22nd birthday. That night, young men and women are invited to Hotel Requiem for a special coupling party held by Yamada, a Corvin vampire who lives in and operates the ornately beautiful, palatial hotel with his partner Elizabeth Báthory. Yamada declares to the gathered crowd that the world is ending and only the people inside the hotel will be saved. The Dracula vampire K, who possesses tremendous power, struggles against the other vampires to save Manami.

Cast

* Ami Tomite as Manami *

Yumi Adachi is a Japanese actress and singer. Personal life Adachi married comedian Jun Itoda of the comedy duo "Speed Wagon" in September 2005, they later welcomed their first child, a daughter, in May of the following year. The two announced their di ...

as Empress *

Megumi Kagurazaka is a Japanese actress and glamour model. She is married to the director Sion Sono and has starred in seven of his films. Career Kagurazaka has appeared in films such as '' Cold Fish'', '' Guilty of Romance'', and '' The Land of Hope''. Filmo ...

as Elizabeth Báthory * Kaho as K *

Shinnosuke Mitsushima is a Japanese actor. He graduated from Okinawa Prefecture Koza High School. He is represented with Veleta 104. Mitsushima's older sister is former Folder and Folder 5 member turned actress Hikari Mitsushima. His younger sister is model Minami Mi ...

as Yamada *

Akihiro Kitamura is a Japanese actor and director, who appeared in ''The Human Centipede (First Sequence)'' and ''Cobra Kai'' as Young Sato. Early life After moving to the United States at the age of 18, Kitamura studied acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse f ...

as Gen * Ayumu Yokuyama as Dre * Nana Mori as Akari

Episodes

Development

The series was developed as part of a push by Amazon Prime Video to release more Japanese titles. James Farrell, head of Asia Pacific content, Amazon Prime Video, said, "Our focus is to work with the content creators to be innovative and deliver a content experience only available on Amazon. Right from the first episode customers will see something they haven’t seen before that’s awesome and different. With his unique voice and baroque style, Sono puts his mark on any genre." Sono himself said, "I had wanted to make an original vampire movie for a long time. I approached it as if making a movie. I am proud to say we've produced something that has never been done before either as TV drama or feature film."

Filming

In addition to filming in the elaborate hotel set constructed in Tokyo, Sono also convinced Amazon to let him film in Romania. The series features

Bran Castle Bran Castle (; or ; ) is a castle in Bran, southwest of Brașov. The castle was built by Saxons in 1377 who were given the privilege by Louis I of Hungary. It is a national monument and landmark in Transylvania. The fortress is on the Trans ...

(commonly known as Dracula's Castle), the

Salina Turda Salina Turda () is a salt mine in the Durgău-Valea Sărată area of Turda, the second largest city in Cluj County, northwest Transylvania. Opened for tourists in 1992, the Salina Turda mine was visited by about 618,000 Romanian and foreign touris ...

salt mine, and other spots in Transylvania, where Sono and his crew filmed for five days. "If we didn't film in Romania, the series wouldn't have any power," Sono told ''

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'', "I had to do it. Just shooting in Tokyo would have been no good."

Release

All episodes were originally released on

on June 16, 2017, with episode 8 split into two parts for streaming. A special feature-length cut running 2 hours and 22 minutes was shown at various film festivals, including the 2017

References

External links

Official website
* {{Amazon Video original series Japanese television miniseries 2017 Japanese television series debuts 2017 Japanese television series endings Japanese horror fiction television series Television series set in the future Television series set in the 2020s Television series by Amazon MGM Studios Vampires in television Amazon Prime Video original programming