GKIDS is bringing two very different classics stateside. At Anime NYC 2026, the distributor announced North American rights to Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust — Yoshiaki Kawajiri's 2000 Madhouse film — and the live-action 5 Centimeters Per Second, the recent adaptation of Makoto Shinkai's 2007 anime.
Quick answer
GKIDS licensed Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust for select fall 2026 subtitled screenings with theatrical and home-entertainment releases in 2027, plus the live-action 5 Centimeters Per Second for North American theatrical screenings. Bloodlust is the 2000 Madhouse film directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri; the live-action 5 Centimeters, directed by Yoshiyuki Okuyama and starring Hokuto Matsumura, earned 420 million yen in its first three days in Japan. According to SenpaiRanks, Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust holds an adjusted 7.68 and 5 Centimeters Per Second an adjusted 7.62 on the ranking boards.
Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust
Still one of the most gorgeous action-horror films the medium has produced, Kawajiri's Bloodlust gets fall 2026 subtitled screenings before a full 2027 release. Here's the film in motion:
Per SenpaiRanks, Bloodlust sits at an adjusted 7.68 — upper tier for the era's OVA-and-film output. If you want the genre map, our best horror anime of 2026, ranked places it in context.
5 Centimeters Per Second, in live action
The other side of the coin: Shinkai's quietest, most melancholy film reborn with real actors. The original anime remains a benchmark for atmosphere. Trailer for the source film:
SenpaiRanks tracks the original at an adjusted 7.62 — see where it lands among our best anime movies of 2026, ranked. If Shinkai's your lane, we also covered his next film's global Crunchyroll release, and for another long-running film series, our Detective Conan films in order guide.
Worth the trip?
Two restorations aimed at very different rooms — the action-horror crowd and the arthouse-romance crowd. Both are on SenpaiRanks's boards on both axes; if you've seen either, rate Bloodlust or rate 5 Centimeters Per Second and see how your score compares. Both were part of our wider Anime NYC 2026 announcements roundup.
Frequently asked questions
Q: When can I watch Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust in North America?
A: Select subtitled screenings in fall 2026, with theatrical and home-entertainment releases in 2027 via GKIDS.
Q: Is 5 Centimeters Per Second getting a live-action release?
A: Yes — GKIDS licensed the live-action film for North American theatrical screenings. It earned 420 million yen in its first three days in Japan.
Q: Who directed Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust?
A: Yoshiaki Kawajiri, at Madhouse, in 2000.
Q: Is 5 Centimeters Per Second good?
A: SenpaiRanks tracks the original anime at an adjusted 7.62 — a strong score for atmospheric drama. Rate it yourself to compare.
Q: How do these rank on SenpaiRanks?
A: Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust holds an adjusted 7.68 and 5 Centimeters Per Second an adjusted 7.62, both tracked on the Consensus and Quality boards.