Ask John: Is SoulTaker an Homage to Mike Mignola?

Question:
What’s up with SoulTaker and Hellsing emulating Mike Mignola’s (Hellboy) style so much? Specifically SoulTaker, which directly rips him off with the statue crying blood in the opening. Not that Mignola is the most original artist in the world (retro gothic Kirby horror, hmmm…), but it was rather unsettling.

Answer:
Comparing SoulTaker to Mike Mignola’s American comic book art is only one of dozens of easy comparisons. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered an anime series that shows more overt homage to and influence from a wider range of sources. Based upon only the first 6 episodes that I’ve watched, the transforming hero is clearly a descendant of Devilman and Guyver considering his demonic look and organic armor. The extensive stained glass motif carried throughout the series is heavily reminiscent of Utena. The “hanging person” from the horror film inspired introduction to the first episode is almost certainly an homage to Dario Argento’s influential horror film Susperia. The “light saber” that makes its appearance in the first episode, and the “I am your father” sequence from episode 5 are obviously indebted to Star Wars. And there can be little doubt of the heavy homage to classic Japanese samurai films seen in episode 3 and the influence of John Woo’s classic gunplay choreography witnessed in episode 4.