Blood: The Last Vampire (2009)

Saya (Gianna Jun)

Based on the original cult manga comic from the beginning of 2000, Saya is the first female slayer to get a nod on our countdown.

Since the dawn of time a war has raged between those who fight for the dark and those who defend the light – cue this 400 hundred year-old, kick ass, last of her kind, stupid-hot human vampire hybrid who hunts bloodsuckers. Raised by Kato (no – not the Asian bloke out of Green Hornet), Saya is a weapon of the secret council who have been dedicated to the fight against vampires for centuries. Although there are some emo tendencies within poor old child Saya as she is after the head honcho vampire especially for doing away with her old man this is definitely not your bullshit Twilight style movie.

The opening of the film is exquisite as Saya is seen to confidently approach a nervous gent on the train before slicing him clear in half. The scene cuts short and the audience are transported to her next mission, a trip to Kanto High School. It isn’t all bitch-fighting and horrible R-Patz love in this high school but knife fighting, vampire slaying and more classy swords(wo)manship then you could shake your cheeky pig tails at.

If I was stranded in a Japanese vampire ridden dystopia there’s only one slayer with pigtails I’d want to save me – and if Pippy Longstocking wasn’t available I’d hope someone would send Saya instead.