Synopsis:
When spiritualist Himiko is called to exorcise a comatose child, she somehow finds herself on the trail a vampiric murderer. She then meets Miyu, a child-like vampire who seems to be protecting humanity from the Shinma. The Shinma are demons from another realm who come to earth and take the souls of their victims. With the help of her ever-silent companion Larva, Miyu banishes the Shinma back to the netherworld. But what is Miyu's real purpose? And what is the bond that exists between Himiko and Miyu? Himiko is determined to find out Miyu's true nature, even if it means risking her own soul.

Review:
Vampire Princess Miyu is a classic horror anime feature that doesn't depend on blood and gore to affect the audience. Instead, it smoothly combines sound and visuals to set an eerie and mysterious tone that will give viewers the shivers. The main character is a young girl named Miyu who looks as if she's in her early teens, but has actually been around for centuries -- a vampire who hunts and banishes stray Shinma so that they cannot wreak havoc in the human world. In the four episodes that make up this OAV series, we are given a brief glimpse of Miyu's world and the destiny that binds her.

Vampire Princess Miyu has a very Japanese feel to it in terms of setting, music, and characterization. Although every episode features a different event, they are all effectively interwined with the main plot involving Himiko and Miyu. There are a lot of thought-provoking and philosophical issues as well. Everything climaxes in the final episode, where questions surrounding Miyu are finally answered.

The art and animation are exquisite. Miyu's movements are graceful in a most ethereal manner. She seems to flitter and float even when doing ordinary things like walking and gesturing. Sound effects serve to punctuate Miyu's words and actions, adding to her preternatural aura. The English voices of the main characters are nicely cast -- especially Miyu's. The quality of the dubbing is good so you can go either subtitled or dubbed with this one.

Miscellanies:
This series spans four episodes split into two DVDs. Although this can stand alone, you can check out Miyu's further adventures in the Vampire Princess Miyu TV series.

Screenshots:

Shopping - click on title to purchase:

Rightstuf
Vampire Princess Miyu (DVD Vol. 1)
Vampire Princess Miyu (DVD Vol. 2)
AnimeNation
Vampire Princess Miyu (DVDs)

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