Anime Review No. 44/Halloween Special: Vampire Princess Miyu OVA

Happy and Spooky Halloween, I'm the Eclectic Dude!

Before Hellsing and Vampire Knight, Before Master of Mosquiton, there was this: Vampire Princess Miyu. Based off horror manga series Narumi Kakinouchi and Toshiki Hirano, I got it this summer as part of a gift from my younger brother. This four episode OVA done by studio AIC back in 1988 and released by AnimEigo in the States, making this the only anime I have reviewed that's about as old as I am. Goodness, I feel old. 

So, what is it about? Well, it is a series of four tales involving a vampire girl Miyu and her companion Larva as they seek to deal with stray Shinma, or demons from the dark world who have come into our world. They are trailed by Himiko Se, a female spiritualist who wants to uncover the truth about Miyu and the Shinma she hunts. In the OVA, they deal with creepy dolls, possessed armor, and finally confronting the darkness within. 

Miyu-ain't she the cutest vampire princess?

ANN (Anime News Network) once quoted this show as being a “Dark, surreal tour of the [Japanese] occult”. I added in Japanese in that the horror presented here is much in the vein of Silent Hill, The Ring, etc. By that I mean, there's a slow creeping dread prevalent throughout the four episodes. Some of the themes explored here are: Fear of the Unknown, Mystery of the Darkness, and The Search for Eternal Life. Fear is one thing I felt while watching this, as there are several moments that just jump at you. I was genuinely scared at certain parts. The darkness is presented as a mystery, full of fear and dread yes, but also of wonder and awe. Miyu at times seem to revel in the fact that's she part of the darkness, and it is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. That's the mark of true horror anime, in my opinion. Lastly, the search for eternal life is something common in vampire stories, and Vampire Princess Miyu is no exception. This show postulates that while eternal life might be desirable, it is totally not worth it. This makes Miyu an inherently tragic heroine, as she can live forever, but her sorrow at not being able to live normally is tremendous. 

Unfortunately, Miyu is placed at the forefront, at the expense of the other characters. Larva, Miyu's Shinma lackey, is nothing more than a silent brooding partner who only gets a brief glance of his past which is not enough. Himiko Se seems interesting at first, but she turns out to be nothing more than an observer.   

Now onto other stuff. First, the animation is dated to say the least. Thankfully, there is lots of shadow and dark colors in this production to hide this fact rather well. It still looks OK, but this old school anime much like Birth: A War of Two Worlds is. Music contains dark moody music combined with natural sounds (cicadas chirping, wood knocks, etc) to make Vampire Princess Miyu a very atmospheric piece. However, the dub leaves much to be desired. It is a bit dull and wooden, with Pamela Weidner as Miyu being the only notable VA  Keep in mind, AnimEigo did dubs for Oh My Goddess OVA and You’re Under Arrest OVA, both were decent and serviceable. This isn't, sadly. Dialogue a tad stilted and plodding and writing is nearly note for note translated straight from Japanese. 

Final note: Despite its flaws, Vampire Princess Miyu is still very good. It's worth a look if you are into horror and supernatural anime, especially for Halloween. If you want to check out similar titles, check out Master of Mosquiton, Hellsing, Elfen Lied, etc. 

See you on Sunday! 

Anime Review No. 12-Halloween Special (Master of Mosquiton-1996 OVA)

Hello, I'm the Eclectic Dude and I review it for the lolz.
Sorry if this review came out a bit late, I had 2 tests in the past 2 days so I was a bit busy.

 For Halloween, as promised, I am reviewing Master of Mosquiton. It is a 1996 OVA (6 episodes long)made by Nippon Columbia/Zero G-Room. Initially released by ADV Films in the States, the dvd I got is a re-release done by Media Blasters. It is the one OVA from the 90s to feature vampires. Yes, between Vampire Hunter D in '85 and Hellsing in 2001, this somehow sated fans of vampire anime. But it is crap, or a hidden gem? Lets go.

The plot concerns Inaho, a 17 year old girl who is obsessed with finding the O-Part, a device that will supposedly grant the user immortality. She is the master of Mosquiton, a quarter vampire who is the descendant of the grand vampire, Nosferatu. It chronicles their adventures in the 1920s to find the O-Part, dealing with villains and even Mosquiton's ex-wife!

So, what are the positives? Well, the animation is superb (for the time). Its got a rather solid plot and characterization going for it, with some really good themes flowing through. This is one of those shows I've come across that make me really appreciate anime. That, and the OP is kick-ass jazz instrumental.

Though, it has some flaws. First, while the show has a good blend of comedy/drama, it often has a hard time finding a consistent tone. A lot of time, one scene would contain humor, then shift to seriousness, then back. It gets a bit jarring. Second, the voice acting is well, ok. In the english dub, it is generally good (being an ADV dub) though it has moments of over-the-top acting. Though, after a few viewings, these flaws become less apparent, as I kinda realized that it was more fun to  ignore them.

Final Score is 7.5/10. Decently done OVA, with some good things going for ya. Yet, it is a bit goofy. But, the ending leaves you wanting more, and that's the mark of a very good show. I'd recommend it.

Next weekend, I'll go back to doing regular reviews. Expect the next review by next Sunday.