This Japanese animated version of Dracula is based upon "Tomb of Dracula" by Marvel Comics -- and that is exactly where it should have stayed, in the comic books. The best part of this 90-minute fiasco is the set of illustrations behind the credits in the beginning. As soon as the story starts, it goes downhill.

I am all for exercising creativity, but when you have a character like Dracula who has been around for more than a century, there are parameters that you do not exceed and rules that you do not break. If you must take artistic liberties, give your vampire some other name. But have the common decency to respect Bram Stoker's vision of his vampire!

In this crock of crap, Dracula flees from vampire hunters to Boston and decides to get even with the devil for turning him into a vampire. So he steals a young woman, Delores, from a cult of devil worshippers who were offering her to Satan as a bride. Dracula intends to kill her, but instead falls head-over-heels in love with her. The devil swears to get revenge, but says it will take a year. Delores gives birth to Janus on Christmas.

Meanwhile, Hans, grandson of Jonathan Harker, and Rachel, granddaughter of Professor van Helsing, are soliciting assistance with their vampire hunting from Frank Drake, a direct descendant of Dracula's first son, who was born before Dracula became a vampire. The vampire hunters have a special dog, Elijah, who was raised in a church and can sniff out evil.

Janus is killed, but God resurrects him for the sole purpose of destroying Dracula, who gets transformed into a human. Dracula heads to New York and then to Transylvania in search of a vampire who can transform him back into a vampire. But they all refuse.

With the vampire hunters on his heels and everybody else taking shots at him, Dracula's time is running out. He has to find a way to become vampire again before his final showdown with the devil.

If you just want something to watch and do not care if this Dracula follows the rules and traditions set forth by Bram Stoker, you might enjoy this film. Personally, I felt it destroyed everything we have grown to know and trust about Dracula and basically made a mockery of the century-long tradition of this vampire that we all love to hate. It goes off into left field and wanders around behind a strange dog named Elijah.

Dracula fans will be much happier if they avoid this piece of garbage.