Vampire Princess Miyu - OAV (Vol. 1)
by Toshihiro Hirano
from ANIMEIGO
Director Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) based this four-part OAV series on a horror manga by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi, and the title has remained popular since it appeared in 1988-89. In "Unearthly Kyoto," the viewer meets Himiko Se, a self-described spiritualist, who has come to the ancient capital to perform an exorcism on a princess who has been in a coma for 60 days. The assignment brings her into conflict with the title character, who has dedicated her existence to destroying the Shinma, a race of demon-gods who attack humans. The two women square off again at a school where the students are inexplicably disappearing in "A Banquet of Marionettes." The skeptical, rational Himiko makes an effective foil for the powerful and sensual Miyu, who battles the Shinma with the aid of her redoubtable servant Larva, a creature with a face like a scarred carnival mask. Miyu resembles a cross between a traditional Japanese doll and an anime heroine. She is delicately beautiful, but self-assured and in command of formidable powers. And her beauty has a perverse edge: she remains a vampire who offers humans immortality in exchange for the blood she requires. Quite literally a femme fatale, Miyu recalls the beautiful but deadly heroines so popular in turn-of-the-century Western literature. Unrated; suitable for ages 13 and up for violence and grotesque imagery. --Charles Solomon
Enter the frightening world of "Vampire Princess Miyu," where demons are out to defeat the forces of good. In the first episode of the series, "Unearthly Kyoto," the heroic spiritualist Himiko journeys to the ancient Japanese capital to exorcise a demon from a child. There, she is confronted with a series of vampire attacks and must find the creature -- or creatures -- responsible. Could the culprit be the mysterious, beautiful Princess Miyu? Or is Miyu also there to defeat the forces of evil? In "A Banquet of Marionettes," Himiko investigates a series of disappearances at a school. However, the only clue the spiritualist has is a mysterious doll that has been left behind where each student has vanished. While trying to get to the bottom of the mystery, she once again confronts Miyu, who has become a student. Himiko must try to figure out just what the strange princess is up to -- and she doesn't have much time, because Miyu and someone else at the school have designs on Kei, the most popular male student.
Vampire Princess Miyu - Initiation (TV Vol 1)
from Tokyopop Pictures
Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed both the earlier Vampire Princess Miyu OAVs and these less dramatic but more graphic broadcast episodes based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. Instead of wandering, Miyu enrolls in an urban high school, makes a few friends, and battles the local "demon-gods" or Shinma. "Larva" has become "Lava," more of a companion than a servant, who removes his stark mask to reveal the face of a standard bishonen, or beautiful boy. He and Miyu are joined by Shina, a spirit who resembles a cross between a rabbit and the Pokémon Clefairy. Hirano and the writers draw on more Western elements in these stories, despite the sakuhachi (bamboo flute) music. This version of Miyu is less aloof and more human, although she remains a formidable warrior. Still, the broadcast adventures lack the panache of the OAVs. Unrated; suitable for ages 13 and up: violence, brief nudity, grotesque imagery. --Charles Solomon
Vampire Princess Miyu - Mystery (TV Vol. 4)
from Tokyo Pop
Evil Shinma -- shape-shifting monsters and vampires -- roam the Earth on a mission to unleash their darkness upon the Human race. Miyu was born the Vampire Princess and charged with the responsibility of banishing Shinma from the Earth. Stranded in the twilight between human and demon, She has the power to offer Humans the gift of eternal happiness with one bite, yet is herself, destined for perpetual solitude. Sharing a dark journey through the weaknesses of the human heart with her only companion, Larva, once an evil Shinma and now her devoted guardian, Miyu lives an endless quest as both the hunter and the hunted.
Vampire Princess Miyu - OAV (Vol. 2)
from ANIMEIGO
Enter the frightening world of "Vampire Princess Miyu," where demons are out to defeat the forces of good. This second volume of this gothic Japanimation epic takes us on a journey with the spiritualist Himiko, who desperately searches for the Vampire Princess. During the journey, the two will battle each other, and sometimes work together, but Himiko will never give up until he learns the ancient secret that links him to Miyu...
Vampire Princess Miyu - The Last Shinma (TV Vol. 6)
from Tokyo Pop
Vampire Princess Miyu - Illusion (TV Vol. 3)
from Tokyo Pop
Miyu is called the Protector, charged with eliminating Shinma, evil spirits that attack humans, but she isn't particularly effective at the job. In "Your House" she destroys a cat-Shinma only after it's caused four deaths. When another Shinma uses a thug as an assassin, Miyu calmly remarks, "It's not really my concern how many people you have him kill." The storytelling also remains problematic: two teenagers who try to steal the magical red shoes in episode 8 simply disappear; the viewer never learns what becomes of them. Is the little boy guarding the "Swamp of Promise" a Shinma (as Reiha insists), a protective roadside deity, or something else entirely? Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed both the earlier OAVs and these less dramatic broadcast episodes, based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. Unrated; suitable for ages 16 and up: Violence, brief nudity, sexual situations, grotesque imagery. --Charles Solomon
Evil Shinma-shape-shifting monsters and vampires-roam the Earth on a mission to unleash their darkness upon the Human race. Miyu was born the Vampire Princess and charged with the responsibility of banishing Shinma from the Earth. Stranded in the twilight between human and demon, she has the power to offer Humans the gift of eternal happiness with one bite, yet is herself, destined for perpetual solitude. Sharing a dark journey through the weaknesses of the human heart with her only companion, Larva, once an evil Shinma and now her devoted guardian, Miyu lives an endless quest as both the hunter and the hunted.
Contains 4 episodesRed Shoes: Miyu's debut stage performance leaves her feeling out of character!
Your House: The double suicide is an open and shut chase, leaving only one harmless loose end!
Swamp of Promise: Chisato finds her way into a mysterious swamp and into a most unexpected circumstance!
A Supple Face: When you are a ruthless mob boss, beware of unexpected gifts!
Vampire Princess Miyu - Dark Love (TV Vol. 5)
from Tokyo Pop
Vampire Princess Miyu - Haunting (TV Vol. 2)
from Tokyopop Pictures
Vampire Princess Miyu - Ultimate Set (Complete Series + CD)
from Tokyopop Pictures
Although Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed these broadcast episodes, they lack the panache of the earlier OAVs; both were based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. This version of Miyu is less aloof; she enrolls in a Tokyo school and makes a few friends. Larva is more of a companion than a servant, and his mask conceals the face of a bishonen (beautiful boy). He and Miyu are joined by Shina, a spirit who resembles a cross between a rabbit and a Pokémon Clefairy. As the Protector, Miyu battles Shinma, evil spirits that attack humans, but the many episodes suggest she isn't particularly effective at the job she's destined to fulfill. In one episode, a Shinma uses a thug as an assassin; Miyu calmly remarks, "It's not really my concern how many people you have him kill." In "Your House," she destroys a cat-Shinma only after it's caused four deaths, and she gives several victims a fatal eternal happiness with her bite.
Two extended storylines frame the shorter stories. One pits Miyu against the snow demon-Shinma Reiha and her obnoxious talking doll Matzukaze; the second involves the evil bird-demons who are determined to destroy Miyu. Although Miyu's childhood experiences link the two plots, neither achieves a coherent resolution. The limited-edition boxed set includes a soundtrack CD and a charm like the ones Miyu and her friend Chisato carry. (Unrated but suitable for ages 16 and older: considerable violence, nudity, grotesque imagery, suggested lesbianism and incest) --Charles Solomon
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