Trinity Blood Vol. 2-3

I find myself growing rather fond of Trinity Blood, and given my reaction to the manga, that's quite a surprise.

Following on from the previous DVD, Father Able Nightroad continues to face vampiric threats from across the globe. These volumes see him deal with the loss of a close friend, take on a swarm of rogue fairy-vampires and uncover a major conspiracy from within the Vatican itself, with links to a mysterious third party.

As ever, Gonzo delivers a wonderful mix of cel-shaded and CGI animation, with some wonderful battles directed by Tomohiro Hirata who cut his teeth on the likes of Urusei Yatsura through to Last Exile.

With the loss of one of the series' major characters so early on, there's a palpable sense of dread on every mission. Despite Able's gentle personality, I suspect we'll be seeing less and less of Able and more of his alter-ego Krusnik persona.

The supporting cast also begin to shine, with some just as bloodthirsty as the vampires, and it seems that humanity is now a relative concept.

Such philosophical musings may seem at odds with what is essentially a vampires-with-guns action title, but Trinity Blood maintains an intelligent political atmosphere when it isn't filling people with holes.

If you enjoyed the first volume, then these follow ups won't disappoint. The high standard of animation, pacing and plot are all present, and look set to stay that way for the course of the show.