Alucard's Running Animation

The video may come across as sarcastic at first, but understand that I'm comically trying to provide an argument from both sides. This run cycle is so damn silky smooth and lovely, it's easily one of the best run cycles out there. But why not make it entertaining on the way ;-)
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#SymphonyOfTheNight #Castlevania

[@PersephonevanderWaard]

Great video, Dan! With Alucard, I always thought of Muhammad Ali: "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." Good point about the gliding (2:04). The gliding on the floor can be traced all the way back to Gothic novels and Renaissance plays, where the character in question would glide across the floor like a ghost. For example, Ann Radcliffe's Schedoni, from The Italian (1797). Schedoni was very much a man, but walked like a ghost, with no vertical motion, really. The point is, the appearance of a supernatural-looking gait is what leant Schedoni his supernatural persona (that and low light levels, and lots of spooky mist). In reality he was very much a man, but this didn't matter when looking upon him, slithering spectrally about in the ghostly twilight. :)

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Thanks Nicholas, I forget this is totally your bag. That's really interesting. I'm kinda fascinated by the whole vampire scene but no next to nothing about it, relatively. Though I have literally been to Dracula's castle in Transylvania (well, one of three supposed castles)

[@PersephonevanderWaard]

@@VideoGameAnimationStudy Awesome! I've never been to a castle, myself (once I visited Notre Dame), have spend most of my time reading about them, or playing inside videogame versions of them (which are very different from ordinary castles). Oh, I pulled out Radcliffe, and found the passage I was thinking of: 'Schedoni raised his eyes, and fixing them once more on Vivaldi, with a look that seemed intended to strike him to the dust, "Avaunt!" cried he in a tremendous voice; [...] As he concluded, he started from his position, and gliding with the silent swiftness of a shadow along the cloister, vanished in an instant.'

[@knightshousegames]

Wasn't Dracula himself referred to in a similar way in the Bram Stoker book?

[@PersephonevanderWaard]

@@knightshousegames He certainly had supernatural abilities. It's been some time since I read the book, but I recall him having hypnotic eyes, and crawling on walls. In terms of his gait, I'd have to revisit it to be sure, but I wouldn't be surprised.

[@shrek3747]

He looks cool while running and that's all that matters

[@gabrielcastejon7914]

Except the arms. I love all the animations in this game except that.

[@dylmm]

So graceful.

[@beatsinmycrates]

The intro in sotn when runs into the castle still get me. So cool

[@XeviousD]

Dracula X - Nocturne In The Moonlight (Saturn ver): With the "Godspeed Shoes", Alucard can run fast by tapping left or right.

[@wileecoyotegenius5955]

My favorite part of Alucard's movement is that whenever he jumps, he gets afterimages that persist even after landing. That is just so goddamn cool.

[@johanrosenberg6342]

The running animation in SotN is so unique and memorable that I've had dreams in which I run just like Alucard.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Ha!

[@Santi-bt7if]

@Alucard Fahrenheit Tepes You can't fool us, you don't run. YOU BACKDASH 24/7

[@LoveFor298Yen]

Did you get long flowing locks as well?

[@orangeslash1667]

@@VideoGameAnimationStudy Alwa's legacy I think is a good recommendation of metroidvania for little girls.

[@diamondjub2318]

Alucard's Hair moving is part of his magical Vampire Powers, they just don't deem it worthy to be included in lists of official Vampire Powers

[@RebGan556]

The worthiest.

[@PedroSilvahf]

To me he seems to be very light, not to the point of floating, its like he steps on a scale and it would barely register. He also has some grace and delicacy and moves like a gentleman. On a lazy day he would glide from here to there and if he wants he can go really fast as in the first scene from the game. Unless its the axe armor.

[@captainluke562]

Simphony of the Night deserves more credit in term of animation.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

It does, it's wonderful. There's so much going on

[@pervaction4658]

and creature design. and stage design. and sound design. and ... well, the music is fairly acknowledged .

[@elainaeverson]

@@trueblueflare no!!! c'mon, the game is simply fantastic! but the story of castlevania series is meh? i don't no, it's not horrible but it's not really good and symphony is no big exception, it story (generously) it's good; And nothing more!

[@pixsell6668]

Honestly Alucard’s movement always seemed so unique. It really made me happy to hear someone talk about the way the animators made him move!

[@MezzoForte4]

That cloak is mesmerizing to watch while playing though. The game's a near masterpiece.

[@deviancepurplehaze6045]

It is a masterpiece

[@wizzenberry]

It’s a masterpiece.. played it 2 years ago, so nostalgia doesn’t blind me, the game is god damn amazing

[@MaskedGuyCh]

It is absolutely a masterpiece.

[@TheLegless101]

@@wizzenberry I did as well. All the Castlevania's I played so far are really good. (original, Dracula X, and three) Except for that stupidly hard Dracula in Dracula X who is literally impossible to hit without falling off the stage. and of course three's block 7-06 to 7-08, agreed upon to be very bad game design (auto scroller for 3-4 minutes with no check point afterwards for 2 more screens). Rest of those games are great though.

[@charlespockert8948]

I guess the whole idea is that he is effortlessly gliding - right at the start of the game he's running through the woods at a rate way faster than his gait would allow him - I always saw this as the fact that he's part-vampire and generally a badass. I love all the animation detail in this game, currently re-playing it on my phone through a PSX emulator - still holds up.

[@_Adie]

Name a more iconic run cycle than this. When I first saw it, I was like "Why is he so... slow?" Like, he looks like he's perpetually underwater. Almost as if he runs too slow for how fast he actually moves in game. Just overall moves kinda weird. Even stands weird. And yet... there's something mesmerizing about it. I can't quite name it, but it's just nice to look at. Is uncanny the right word? And all the little touches add a lot, too, like you mentioned. He trots like he owns the place (which... I guess you could say he kinda does?). He slides a bit every time you stop or change direction. There's a brief delay before he actually starts to run... I want to say there's a certain hint of nonchalance in all of this. Another cool thing about Alucard's movement, is that before you play the game, it may seem unresponsive or clunky. (At least it did to me.) But when you get your own hands on it, everything is exactly as responsive as it should be. And I admit, I never paid much attention to his hair. I was always hypnotized by the cape. I totally see what you mean, though. Doesn't really bother me, but I guess I won't be able to not notice it from now on. Either way - another great video. Short but sweet.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Thanks! Yeah, it's a complicated one. A lot to love and a lot to dislike.

[@corryjamieson3909]

Animations for walking, dashing, posing, sitting and jumping. He's just so cool.

[@TibbyII]

Next up: Alucard's backdash-cancel animation

[@bakubread9308]

Every time I think of this "run" cycle, all I can do is think about how well it goes with the track "Wandering Ghosts" in how smooth af it is. Always just felt so fitting when exploring the Arena area of the game.

[@bitwize]

His hair comes alive thanks to the Magical Breeze of Coolness, that zephyr that spontaneously pops up to tousle and flutter the hair of characters cooler and handsomer than you (lest you think I'm joking, note that the handsomest Indian in _Dances With Wolves_ was named "Wind In His Hair"). It's a bit like the "bishie sparkles" that appear around pretty male characters in girls' manga, but Alucard can't have those because sparkly vampires = VERY NO. So he gets the breeze.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Huh, well that's an interesting point! Ha, sparkly vampires......

[@kingdracox3008]

Also ngl after looking at Alucards walk/run cycle he looks like a soccer mom trying to get in her 10000 steps in one hour Edit: Whoa when did this get 203 likes jeebus

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Haha, *power walk* 😎 🏃‍♀️

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

I'm unsure, that sounds about right though.

[@hemangchauhan2864]

It's unbelievable this game came in 1997.

[@TankMarko]

I didn't expect so many comments to be like "the movement is shit", excuse me but that walking animation is flawless.

[@Comkill117]

Alucard’s walking animation is so good, I bought that Record of Lodoss War metroidvania just because Deedlit’s walk looked super similar. That’s the power of good animation.

[@DrsJacksonn]

Alucard's animation is the most beautiful 2D video game character animation I've ever seen.

[@Santi-bt7if]

All I want is a 1 hour video of Alucard backdashing

[@bishop6881]

Go watch a speed run

[@Santi-bt7if]

@@bishop6881 But I want a non-interrupted version

[@JogaLee]

My take on his hair movement is that he moves in a faster pace and naturally faster speed than a human, so his hair flies wildly due to the wind generated by the high speed. Also, I grew fond of his "train movement" cuz it gives him an extremely unique walk cycle, which any fan would recognize if someone try to mimic or emulate it. It kinda gives him a unique personality. Also, on the lack of head bobbing, it emphasizes his "supernatural feel". It's like he's always sorta gliding above the ground, which explains his overall speed and smoothness. It gives him more and more elegance, it's really cool to look at this animation cycle. BTW, nice video, Dan, short and straight to the point.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Thanks for your thoughts! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@GrandSleuth]

I've always seen Alucard's run cycle as the "Cha Cha Real Smooth" of the Cha Cha slide.

[@anon9572]

press triangle bro

[@PartyDude_19]

Alucard will always be my favorite video game character because of how badass he is at times

[@MelvaCross]

Well, that was nice and bite-sized! What makes me wonder is why all the 2D Castlevania games after Symphony of the Night have these ridiculously smooth run cycles while everything else is so snappy. Soma, Shanoa, Jonathan, Charlotte; all these protagonists have a smooth run/walk cycle. At this point it kinda has become part of the Castlevania visual identity.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Yeah, I'm unsure. I guess it does just look nice and becomes party of the identity, like you say. Makes the game as a whole seem inconsistent, I guess (not SotN).

[@jackgarcia5926]

It's amazing that I've found someone else that feels the same way about Alucard's "floatyness". My other personal favorite is Shanoa from order of Ecclesia, her walk animation isn't anything special but when you look at other things... Her double jump animation, for example, isn't just an inexplicable skip in the air, Shanoa does an entire flip in the air, gaining momentum. While a bit ridiculous, the feat itself makes you think "wow, that person is in top physical condition." It's the same with her back dash animation, instead of the typical dash, she does an entire hand stand before flipping. Shanoa's movements make her finesse and physical prowess evident, and that by itself betrays the fact that Shanoa was trained since childhood to become a monster killing machine. Shanoa is my favorite character in the franchise, part of it is due to her animation, she exudes elegance and power with every step...even if she does have something similar to the power walk you see in Alucard. Nice vid.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Thanks. That sounds interesting, I'll have to check it out.

[@otakudoctor8423]

If it's alright, try to check soma cruz in Aria of Sorrow!!

[@stefanoponce6090]

Please do! Both Aria of Sorrow and Dawn of Sorrow! I always thought those running animations looked kinda wierd.

[@4386764]

@@stefanoponce6090 His walking/running cycle goes along with the rhythm of the castle corridors in that game like some sort of michael jackson :p

[@Levyathyn]

His running in this game has always reminded me of the movement cycle of a very specific movie vampire... I just can never remember which. But ever since I first made that connection, it's always looked and felt natural to me.

[@aislingbones1854]

Another aspect of what's great about the floatiness of this run cycle, building off of its contrast to the strong ploddy walks of the Belmonts, is how it suits the pace of the gameplay. The classic Belmont games were all about precisely timed platforming and avoiding strongly telegraphed enemy attacks. Hence the strong, deliberate stride of the Belmonts suits their games perfectly. On the other side of things, the open-world design of Symphony of the Night and the amount of exploration and backtracking that entails means that a ploddy, deliberate walk would feel agonisingly slow (even if the actual speed was the same), so Alucard's smooth flowy run is much more appropriate to the demands of the game. Also notice how the play-style for Richter mode in SotN is based so much around his fast-moving special attacks rather than around more traditional Belmont movement.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Very good points!

[@quackerjack0118]

This video has confirmed my suspicion that Alucard actually wears those Heelys shoes everywhere. Either that or Dracula’s castle has floors waxed smoother than a Brazilian guy’s chest.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

😆🤣

[@quackerjack0118]

Alucard Fahrenheit Tepes Honey, I have the PERFECT shoes that will turn your outfit ensemble from a 6 to an 11: heelys.com/premium-1-lo-he100262

[@Medachod]

I still think he's just so powerful that his walk may seem like a run to human eyes. Even with Godspeed Boots, he is still too much for us to see it as a run.

[@AlleywayAcademic]

I mean, shit dude, my hair gets flung around quite a bit as I move about in my day to day life and I'm not even running

[@Doctor-Infinite]

Alucard Running? More like... *determined powerwalking!* Edit: Holy SMOKES I never got this many likes. Thnx😀😄

[@atlasthechamp82]

Aggressive walking

[@mateusfolletto6142]

Lindo

[@eduardabm3246]

I always thought that shield dashing looked better than the run animation, by quickly and consistently pulling it off it really made me feel like a vampire because it's as if you're moving super fast while barely moving at all.

[@TheRealYasri]

Got this game back went it first came out, can't unsee the hair now, thanks man ;P Like the three second transition with the ending credit music.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Ha, sorry if I've ruined it for you 😅

[@BeeBwakka]

Dan Root: Video Game Animation Study I always thought this was the coolest run animation but now I can’t unsee the hair thing lmao

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

It still is the coolest 😎

[@Ambipie]

He's stomping around like an upset child. In the very first scene he's stamping about, stabbing Uncle Death's dogs.

[@Thezedword12]

Now im never gonna unsee alucards hair bobbing

[@FuriousFurg]

Awesome stuff, keep hammering this great content out!

[@-obamium5320]

The interesting thing about this animation is that in the game it is referred to as a walk not running. By putting on “walking armor” and doing this walking animation you will heal. He doesn’t have a run option in his normal form.

[@SicklySeraph]

This is the longest amount of time ive seen Alucard walk instead of backdashing

[@DragonTamerCos]

You need more views. Love you mate

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Hey, thanks so much! ♥️

[@atlasthechamp82]

His face is just as smooth as his walk

[@solidjb]

I think that the cape movement of Alucard's run cycle was made to suggest the bat wing flap. Lighter lining, folds that kinda look like wing membranes. This is a neat detail imo and looks like it was one of the core ideas about this run animation

[@MrKoutsuko]

The thing is that Alucard has such grace that it's hard to notice how fast he is moving. He is "dragging" his body away from gravity. He isn't "punching the hair back", the hair is just trapped in the air as he is moving as his clothes and hair aren't part os his body and are frozen in time while only he is moving. X shape head Bobbing is BS. Steady movement Means fixed eyesight wich represents constant momentum, there are time and place for that and exaggerated breathing animation, but isn't by any means a golden rule to always follow.

[@Fidodo]

Alucard looks like he's marching down the hall to confront his dad

[@krog875]

Every time I play this game I always find myself saying "chuga-chuga, chuga-chuga choo-choo" when Alucard runs for long distances.

[@ffburger101]

I honestly thought you were going to somehow improve the animation or talk about how it could be improved. Maybe a follow up video?

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

To be honest, I think it's pretty good.

[@FoxUnitNell]

@@VideoGameAnimationStudy jjust less floaty hair.

[@cookiechi2555]

i always thought that the whip of his cape movement was what kicks his hair back

[@theshabs]

His cape is bouncing his hair up

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Hmm. Maybe.

[@thejankjohnsonshow7189]

This video is great! Original inspired and informative content. Thanks for this

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Hey thank you!

[@swagsquirrel3534]

Your videos are so relaxing and I don't know why.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Is it my voice? It's probably my voice .

[@swagsquirrel3534]

@@VideoGameAnimationStudy ya its your voice XD

[@davidmst]

The best turning around animation of all time

[@morbid1.]

you forgot 1 important topic... gameplay, someone decided that will be speed of movement and now fit into that "run" animation... There are plenty of situations when you make animation and then it's heavy altered in engine to fit gameplay needs, which is shit from our pov but gameplay is most important.

[@dijjo]

While playing sotn, i remember thinking about just how chill alucard felt. I knew alucard was a half vampire and all given that I played the game more recently. It definitely feels like he owns the place, to the point where the first time i died i almost couldnt believe it either. Overall 10/10 animation

[@trueblueflare]

3:15 Draculard. DRACULARD?!?!?!?! NO! ALUCARD IS AMONG THE GREATEST GAMING CHARACTERS OF. ALL. TIME!

[@lorenzocatogno3291]

i always thought alucard was just going at nearly supersonic speed, and it was just his perception (and consequently ours) that made him seem slow

[@zullas]

I’ve Always like to call this running animation “The Alucard shuffle”

[@ReddoX30]

I really like Alucard's running animation. It's the first thing that comes to mind when I think about the game.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

It's great, isn't it.

[@Bloxed]

Damn. Such a great game! Great video too! Thanks for this, Dan! =3

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Thank _you_ !

[@Bloxed]

@@VideoGameAnimationStudy No problem! I was asleep when this went up so it was some cool wake up juice. =)

[@velvet1371]

Look how badass this man is.

[@imageignition23]

Skill, practice and fun. What a beautiful ensemble

[@whofarted420]

This video is awesome

[@DeathScorpi0]

I especially love that ghostly trail he leaves behind while jumping or turning around. It consolidates the impression of his nature. Like seeing a vampire in the flesh, it would be mesmerizing, like being in a dream.

[@Lycanboy]

Hey, I also play with the cloth cloak! It's the best looking cape, IMO. It just always looked so soft.

[@nightcygnus]

KZbin just recommended this to me right now and I can't believe the quality of this, your voice is nice and your explanation is on point! Subscribed and time to watch the rest of the videos!

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Oh hey, thank you so much, I really appreciate that. I hope you enjoy the rest!

[@tonicalou]

Alucard is the best game character ever conceived

[@IEatDogShit]

Looks like he's banging an invisible drum

[@wizzenberry]

Good god them running animations are glorious

[@rossdavis428]

You want an explanation of why Alucard's hair "flings" during his walk-cycle? Okay, I'll break it down for you: Alucard is deliberately slowing down and then abruptly speeding up his movements during his walk-cycle. This causes an excessive spike in kinetic energy to distribute throughout his body, which causes his hair to "fling" because of it. There, you see? It all makes logical sense when you think about it. TL;DR : Alucard is super-natural, you silly critics~

[@quackerjack0118]

Ross Davis Alucard’s hair is too fabulous for it to follow such insignificant things like physics lol

[@deviancepurplehaze6045]

No you're wrong Ross. Alucard is just show of his stylishness.

[@rossdavis428]

@@deviancepurplehaze6045 Well, you can think that while I'll think that I am right~

[@durianhead]

man i havent been here in a while but you still make some hella tight content, hope you experience more growth in the future :)

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Hey I remember you! Thanks for the kind words. Yeah I'm getting there, SocialBlade reckons I'll be at 100K subs by Feb next year 😎

[@Thorium_Th]

About the hair: I guess people underestimate the open windows in the castle ^^ There is always a very strong draft. Look at the entrance hallway, there are slamming balcony doors 😄But jokes aside, I think he just looks super elegant and vampiric. He is not hectic like humans are so his walk is more like a jog through the castle. It's his birthplace and he knows every single brick in the castle. You wouldn't run through your childhood home either ❤🦇

[@MisterGiygas]

This is absolutely wonderful.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

So are you!

[@grumpygrumpstargrugru8134]

To me it always looked like he was imitating a Train no brakes on the Alucard train

[@tonicalou]

Alucard doesn’t run, the scenario actually comes in his direction faster

[@evertonc1448]

Alucard runing is something that caught my attention since the first time I saw sotn back when I was a kid, it's so well done, specially for a kid that was coming from a nes.

[@vazak11]

Very cool!

[@aketsuuu]

Okay so this video has been in my backlog for a while but it was worth a sitdown. Great video Dan, congrats on 50k. I never noticed you rebranded the channel but I feel it fits.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Hey thanks a lot! Yeah I think the rebrand was worth it

[@Drameloch]

I Made sprites animation in like 4 years and im not good but i must say this video if i watched that time would help me a lot, this is great, nice work!

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

I'm glad it has the potential to help!

[@axore13]

fantastic music and gameplay

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Totally

[@ShinoSarna]

I think the calm, smooth walk cycle also works on a meta level - this is not an epic energetic romp through linear setpieces like older Castlevania games, this is a much slower paced, reserved game about exploration. When you walk in an action platformer, you do it to overcome an obstacle, but when you walk in a metroidvania, you're most likely just travelling from one place to another. Also: this game was probably partially meant to show off technical capabilities of Playstation. Imagine being an animator at Konami and finally working on a hardware that allows you huge sprites animated on ones, after entire career in games of being constrained by keyframe to keyframe. Of course you'd want to show off. So that probably explains both the cape and the hair.

[@TungstenViper]

I always thought that it was so smooth because Vampires are light and move swiftly like mist air, almost imperceptible and ghostly

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Pretty much, yeah!

[@arthurlarrubia]

Alucard's running animation is what kept me from playing this game.

[@Huntertainment1]

This video is another example of why I love the Internet. Brilliant analysis. Thank you for this.

[@XpRnz]

Recently played Symphony of the Night for the first time.. still holds up like a charm, it's oldskool, but it plays so well and the atmosphere is amazing!

[@vakk985]

I would watch Alucard running for 10 hours straight and not feel bored

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Same!

[@nnaemekaononye6824]

I actually thought there would be a skillshare ad at the end

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

😋

[@bobo577]

Admittedly I find myself Shield Backdashing with a Turbo Controller if playing on console or on PSP using my thumbs. It’s so much quicker than just running.

[@Whatthetrash]

Awesome video! Could we perhaps see what the running animation would look like in your style? You say that pixel animation is not your strengrh, but I'm sure many would love to see a drawn version of your 'improved' run cycle. I know I would! You can also walk us through it, saying why you made the decisions you did. New run animation HYPE! :)

[@trappercap]

The hair motion is supposed to contrast with the motion of the cape, but it's set on an off-rhythm to avoid making the movement of the run cycle resemble... well, a conventional run cycle. Every "3rd" beat, the hair flows upwards. The silhouette is still important, so an element of countershape is retained here.

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Yeah that's fine I get that, but it's more about _what_ is pushing the hair up like that.

[@astroblacksmith]

your a g for this

[@lou5y]

To me, it always looked like he was running under water. The lean at the beginning of the run, and the way his arms move make it look like he's struggling to run through something thicker than air. Of course, it doesn't help that I first played the PAL version, which runs so slow he may as well be under water.

[@loscadu]

Your other videos are great as well, but something about the pettiness when you dislike a run is everything to me. XD

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

I don't dislike the run...🤔

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

I mean I do and I don't.

[@notyepdranel961]

Looks like I have found a new KZbinr!

[@alexhardline2208]

"Skill and practice are the structure, but having fun is the decoration." Now this is an inspirational quote. You're good with words !

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Ha, I personally thought it sounded a little pretentious when I heard it back, but I think it makes sense.

[@Ruby_Coast]

oh, there is a reason his hair that; he purposely has his hair bob like that with his vampire powers, he just likes how his hair looks and feels in the wind

[@PhilipJFryII]

I shouldn't worry too much about the hair its just wind blowing it back but you made good points! Already two years? Wow, she's growing up strong. Take care Dan and your family as well, can't wait for your next video!

[@VideoGameAnimationStudy]

Ha, yeah time goes so fast! Thank you!

[@RotatingMagnetGuy]

Anyone else want Alucards new nickname to be "Dracu-lad"?

[@SpacePaincake]

Its like he's trying to hide the fact he can fly/glide and starts awkward walking like when you think you're walking with your ass to pushed out so you start over focusing on it and feel like you're walking like a complete idiot

[@razztastic]

Rule number one with castlevania is to never put logic before style. People who do are kind of just asking for it. That being said, Alucard's run cycle is beautiful. You should never stick to the books completely, because thats how we lose unique artists to a sea of the same old and we never even realize it because we dont know ehat could have been. Im glad Alucard's run isn't generic and I'm glad it has this otherworldly flow, its fitting for a vampire.