Director: Toshihiro Hirano
Starring: Miki Nagasawa,Dorothy Elias-Fahn, Kimberly Brown, Megumi Ogata, Wendee Lee, Mika Kanai, Francesca Catalano, Shinichiro Miki, Ryan Alosio, Chiharu Tezuka, Anjuli Cain, Kokoro Shindou, Emmanuelle Chriqui.
Running Time: 650 minutes
Certificate: 12
Judging by the plots present in anime, I’m guessing almost everyone in Japan is possessed or inhabited by some form of demon. It may not be the ideal way to live, but it certainly results in some exciting tales. VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU follows a vampire princess called Miyu, who works as a guardian on Earth. Her job is to round up and disperse stray Shinma (shape shifting monsters that take on human form). Each episode sees Miyu having to battle a different Shinma, but VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU is so much more than just a monster-of-the-week show, as it surpasses its peers in just about every way imaginable.
The most striking thing about VAMPIRE PRININCESS MIYU is the empty and forlorn feeling the viewer is left with after many of the episodes. This isn’t meant in a negative way, but let’s just say this show isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. In fact, it never is. The thing that sets Miyu apart from many supernatural protagonists is that she takes her role as guardian very seriously, and although she is not beyond empathy, she does what needs to be done to ensure the safety of the human race. Her job of vanquishing Shinma does not evolve in to some idealistic viewpoint where everything is set right at the end of an episode. Many times the evil that the Shinma have reaped is something that cannot be undone, despite the fact the hero has “won”.
VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU places itself somewhere between drama and horror, without ever succumbing to the heavy baggage of such strict genres. The horror hits on a psychological and emotional level, as relationships are torn apart, people lose family members, and love fails to conquer all. Gore is kept to a minimum, as graphic depictions of certain characters’ fates would undermine the poignant explorations of character. The drama is invisibly woven into the horror elements without seeming like a separate entity. Like many characters of her ilk, Miyu does have an affinity for the humans and their world, but her integration into the lives of humans is never played as a form of ignorant comedy. The show is very light in humour, but not to the point where the show ever seems dry, preferring instead to forever explore its grave and solemn tone.
This is an exceptionally strong show from start to finish which may follow a formula, but always explores different ethical themes that the audience can become engrossed in. At times it feels like an anthology show, for when the story of the Shinma is truly engaging, Miyu is pushed into the background and comes forward only at the end. This shows the writers’ understanding that constantly juggling continuous character arcs every episode can become messy or convoluted, which is why episodes that do give background into our main protagonists have their own separate episodes. VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU is an anime with calm vocal work and stunning but dark visuals. A show with riveting storylines which leave a lot of food for thought, as well as an impact on the viewer’s psyche.
VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU is released on DVD 15th April via MVM.
