In the shadows of society lives the one named Miyu- a vampire girl fated to be the Guardian, the one who must hunt down stray demons known as Shinma and seal them away- no matter how benign they might be in their co-existence with humans. It is a difficult burden to bear, and one that Miyu struggles with, but when the alternative is to be hunted down even as aggressive Shinma prey on the weak and innocent, what other choice does she have?
Monster-of-the-week series are ten-a-penny, and for the most part they serve as little more than a distraction from the more serious business of watching decent anime. Nonetheless, every so often the genre (such as it is) can throw up something that is more than mild, throwaway entertainment- and Vampire Princess Miyu is one such example.
That’s not to say that Miyu is a particularly inspirational work of great originality- it still follows the same set pattern of introducing a monster, then having Miyu go after it and seal it away with a fire attack that failed to make any impression on said monster mere moments previously (or get help from one of her allies in sealing it since Miyu seems oddly weak for a Guardian). The real draw lies in what comes before the inevitable battle of the week, the individual tales of drama interwoven with the supernatural; from a cat demon that causes women to become obsessed with treating it like their child to a confrontation with especially evil Western demons (can’t trust those gaijin), most of the tales have an appeal that fans of Requiem of the Darkness and its ilk will almost certainly latch onto.
Unsurprisingly, there comes a point in the series when we start to learn more about Miyu herself, with several episodes devoted not only to her back story and origin, but to that of the other recurring characters that surround her. Although this does lead up to a rather standard “final boss arc” conclusion, along the way we get some solid character development which is always welcome for elevating the cast beyond their initial well-defined but none-too-deep status.
With over a decade under its belt, the series does show its age a bit with regards to the animation, with the typical ugly monsters and re-used attack animation of the era; that being said, named character designs are attractive if not outstanding. The music is handled by Kenji Kawai, who creates a haunting and ethereal set of themes that are reminiscent of but far superior to the majorityof his work on Fate/Stay Night.
Final Thoughts
A series that takes the standard monster-of-the-week format and polishes it into something actually worth watching, Vampire Princess Miyu remains ahead of its peers. If they haven’t done so already, fans of supernatural series should certainly add it to their viewing lists.
Tier: Silver-
I’m a big fan of Vampire Princess Miyu myself. In fact, it was the show that started me off on animes; before that, my impression was all on the corniness of Pokemon and Sailor Moon and (dare I say it) Dragonball. (personal views only; no offense to aforementioned animes’ fans)
I also love the OP of that anime, which builds up the tension and atmosphere so well, I have actual shivers down my back as I listen. And being the shallow girl that I am, I’m afraid Larva is also my first adult anime crush (my first anime crush was probably the tuxedo guy from Sailor Moon).
I think VPM wins on atmosphere. And the thing is, it isn’t creepy like the Vampire Princess Miyu OVAs, where Miyu appears to be more than half mad. And yet at the same time, there is a pall of darkness that I can only describe as evocative.
I also like how VPM goes against the traditional anime route in that humans and their innocence don’t always get rescued. I find it refreshing and painfully reflective of the real world.
Thanks for your review! This brings back a lot of memories…
I liked this series, but it’s not one i consider awesome. It has it’s moments, but i found alot of it to be a bit on the dull and uninteresting side. The animation at times was really bad, mixed with bad music.
Overal i watched it, but it’s not on my must see at all costs list. i’m not even sure if i still have the DVD’s of it anymore lol (or is it one of those that o have on VHS tapes like 12 Dragons)
Ah Vampire Princess Miyu. I remember watching this series when I was around 10 but I still remember enjoying it nevertheless. It really is one of those “unoriginal” series that are fun to watch. I don’t remember much else about the series and I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth re-watching.