You deserve my full attention and review.
Are you still looking for an art style? Stop. Knock it off. This is a very excellent piece of work where you've found something absolutly beutiful. I'm going to give the honor of giving the best attention I can give to you since you gave the best attention possible to your work. Only fair right?
Graphics/Style: Your art is, again, magnificent. A great style that really reminds me of the 'Sin City' movie. Your animation though usually falls a little short when you do the movement in objects like flashing swords, falling bodies and whatnot. Too much unrealistic slide or straigh motion. I'd say invest a bit more time and try for the more manual approach (like with the candle and blood flow). Keep the animation very smooth and not too much sliding.
Sound: Great music choice. Next why don't you go for some good voice actors? I know, it'll be hard to turn down your friends but not all of them are going to fit the bill. Get the good ones. Bad voices can knock a hole in your animation.
Script/Plot/Violence: Good violence usage, good plot idea, and nice attempt, but I say it really falls into the 'typical anime' bill. Protaginist is a charming young man (in a suit/clean) who is quite full of himself when winning while he takes down a long-haired baddie who seems to have no joy except to get the good guy. Sounds a bit 'Coyboy Bebop' don't it? Try to stray from anything with the swords and guns deal. With this art style, go less for the 'cool' factor and more for the 'shock' factor. E.G. Sin City where the "good" guy smashes a head. Also yes, in your comment you seem come off worried that the first scene in pointless. It's totally okay to have areas just to show how evil/good/neutral a charactor really is. Like I said though, aim away from the Anime style. Animes are usually very blunt offering no secrets to a charactor, pushing only the plot lines.
Humor: Unneccicary.
Overall: Continue with the style. Of course you'll no doubt want to move on to something else, but don't forget how well you preformed with this one. It'd make for a nice mini-series, but I say scratch the plot and diolog here and go for something more original. Make sure it moves a little quicker as well.
I'm going to put you in my author favorites (and I'm quite picky too!) so I hope to see more from you soon. I'm glad your learning and you have much potential. Never lose patience on a piece of Art!