Review of Vampire Princess Miyu: Vol. 4

Introduction

With volume 4, I finally plug in the hole in the Vampire Princess Miyu reviews. At this point in the series, value for money increases as the episode count goes up yet again. While this title has been deleted in the UK, there are still plenty of copies to be had from retailers. It also helps that while Miyu is decidedly an old-fashioned anime in terms of animation and story, it isn`t half bad.

Shinma are supernatural beings that corrupt the hearts of men and lead them to ruin. Banished in ancient times to the Darkness, a few stray Shinma remain wreaking havoc on unsuspecting individuals. But there is a Guardian to defend us, the Vampire Princess Miyu, a Shinma herself who hunts down these monsters and sends them to the beyond. Larva, a Shinma from the West who acts as her protector, and Shiina, a small creature who acts as her adviser, help her in her duties. An enigmatic figure called Reiha also hunts stray Shinma, but it`s unclear if she is an ally or enemy to Miyu. By day, Miyu masquerades as a schoolgirl, and has even made friends, Chisato, Hisae and Yukari, but finds trying to live a normal life interferes with her calling.

The five episodes on this disc comprise Garden Of Crying Reeds, Light Of The Sea (Part 1 & 2), Dream Of The Mermaid, and Woman Priest.

Video

Vampire Princess Miyu is presented with a 4:3 format. The transfer is clear enough, with a sharp image and good colours throughout. The animation is variable, occasionally very good and atmospheric, but sometimes the minimalism associated with anime is taken too far, with a few scenes a little too static. By and large the character design is also top-notch, but there are a few points where things look a little under par.

Audio

You get DD 2.0 English and Japanese soundtracks on this disc, and while the stereo is understated, it is evocative and certainly establishes the otherworldly feel of the stories. The atmospheric music is a big part of this, coming from the composer of the Ghost In The Shell movies, Kenji Kawai.

As usual I chose the original Japanese soundtrack, but I did dip my metaphorical toes into the dubbed version. The dub isn`t the usual travesty (although the main character does sound a little somnolent), and the English track does come across as just a tad crisper than the Japanese. The subtitles are of the translated English variety.

Features

Extras on this disc include the original Japanese title sequence, as well as a Shinma gallery, which has twelve line sketches of the Shinma encountered in the episodes. The English language credits for each episode are absent on this disc.

Conclusion

And so I conclude my Vampire Princess Miyu reviews, following the logical path of starting at the end, working through the beginning and winding up at the middle. Taken as a whole, Vampire Princess Miyu is a `blah` television show. It`s not brilliant, it isn`t even good, but it manages to hold the interest. Routine and formulaic, you can happily stick an episode of Miyu on and just drift away with the spookiness, and enjoy what variety there is in the stories and the demons that she encounters. And if you stick with the series, the occasional plot thread, and the various characters come together to provide a climax, which while not exactly earth shattering, is enough to make you feel that the whole experience is worthwhile.

What makes Miyu stand out for me is that it is relentlessly bleak. There are no happy endings in these episodes, the message at the heart of each story is that humans and Shinma cannot coexist in peace, and even when they try with the best of intentions, any happiness is bound to be snatched away. The same is true for Miyu and her interactions with humans. No matter how much she tries to be kind, her own nature and those around her ensure that her happiness will be brief and tainted. Hers is a destiny that she cannot escape, and the only joy she can provide is the bliss of eternal sleep, drinking the blood of her victims so they can take refuge in a dream world. What impresses is that despite this morbid outlook, the episodes can still be entertaining and watchable.

The problems stem from the routine, episodic nature of the series. The strength of the series waxes and wanes with the strength of the writing, and while there are good episodes of Miyu out there, they are few and far between, most are just average, while some are downright forgettable. The best of the episodes occur when the characters are developed more. A couple of the forgettable ones, with minimal character development are on this disc. We begin with Garden Of The Crying Reeds, a dull piece about a man looking for his cat. He winds up encountering a mysterious woman in a rundown building who claims to feel the same way. He`s soon obsessed with her, but she hides a distressing secret. Even duller is Dream Of The Mermaid, where an aquarium that counts a mermaid among its exhibits, an everyday occurrence in Japan no doubt, strains the suspension of disbelief. There is a nice twist, but it isn`t enough to redeem the episode. Between these is a stronger two-part episode. Light Of The Sea offers some background into Miyu and her companion Larva. Larva is a Western Shinma, who against all his nature has sworn fealty to Miyu. These episodes reveal why, when Garline, another Western Shinma arrives in Japan to rescue his friend. The mystery in this episode is a little dull, but it serves the story well, and the characters come to the forefront. Reiha plays a part as well, and her enmity with Miyu is heightened by her actions here. We conclude with another strong episode, Woman Priest. In it, a Chinese priest pursues a Shinma to Japan, but is surprised to meet Miyu. She doesn`t know what to make of a Shinma turned Guardian, but her desire for vengeance soon blinds her to all concerns.

Vampire Princess Miyu is not the most memorable of anime series, and it certainly won`t be counted when it comes to a list of must see shows. But at its best it`s entertaining enough, and it does get better as the series progresses. Volume 4`s episodes are variable, but the disc does end on a high note. It`s an above average series that can be picked up at a bargain price right now, and it`s well worth seeking out if you like a little animated spookiness.