There are certain anime series that just "click." They hit every single move with perfection, and leave you breathless at the end. They stick with you days, even weeks afterwards. The Kyuuketsuki Miyu (Vampire Miyu) OVA series was one such production. Even to this day it remains a glorious work of art, one of sheer beauty and honesty. I cannot express how shocked I was 4 years ago when a Miyu TV series was announced, a whole decade after the original OVAs! On one hand, I could not wait to see more of my favorite vampire princess in action, but on the other I was quite worried they'd ruin it! The production team and even Miyu's seiyuu was different (alas, Watanabe Naoko, the original voice of Miyu, had passed away before the TV series was produced). However, after watching just one episode of the series, my worries were put to rest. The world may be a little different now than it was 10 years ago, but Miyu is still Miyu.

The basic story is simple, but that works because it is mostly only there to get the characters together. During the Dark Ages, gods and demons were one, and they were called Shinma. The Shinma preyed on humans' weakness, their arrogance, their greed, their hatred, etc. However, once people saw the Light, the Shinma were sent into the darkness to rest. But there are always some people who like to ruin the party, and this story is no different. Some of the Shinma decided not to return to the Darkness, instead living in secrecy amongst the humans, continuing to feed on their sins. Thus, the powers that be chose a young girl to be the Guardian, the one who, using her sealing flame and eternal youth, is destined to seal all the Shinma back into the darkness. This may sound all fine and dandy, but there's a catch: The girl they chose, Miyu, is a vampire.

The enigmatic duo, Miyu and Larva, return in all their mystery and majesty in the TV series.	Miyu turned mahou shoujo, replete with mascot? Only until said "mascot" opens her oversized bloodshot second eye...

The first difference I noticed in the TV series as opposed to the OVA series was the mood. This Miyu (the show, not the character) is tougher, more hard-edged. There is much less emphasis on sorrow or beautiful irony; instead, the evils of humanity and cruel justice are stressed. People in search of happy endings need not apply here. Good, or at least the classical storybook definition of good, almost never wins out: instead, we are treated to characters doomed to either forever live in sorrow, or sleep forever in eternal happiness from Miyu's bite. Either option isn't exactly a pretty idea. The second difference is the addition or altering of characters. Miyu's blood-bound sidekick, Larva, is no longer condemned to stay silent or keep his mask on at all times. To the contrary, many times we do hear and see him (this change was obviously done to attract bishounen-loving fangirls), which can actually be quite alienating for long-time Miyu fans. Also, Miyu has gained a new ally in the Shinma of vision, Shiine. Shiine is a pink and fluffy rabbit-like creature, but also has a grotesque bulging right eyeball and sharp tongue, making her the perfect Goth parody of mahou shoujo mascots. At first I was worried that having Shiine around might kill the mood, but I am pleased to say she fits in perfectly.

The best thing about the series, as one would expect from a Narumi Kakinouchi work, is the wonderful cast of characters. None of the characters presented to us fit any pre-set mold; there are no good and bad sides here. Each of the characters are working out of their own philosophies, motives, and duties, most of which are completely foreign to us in everyday life. So much so, in fact, that in the OVA series, the script writers had to bring in an entirely new human protagonist just so we could find somebody to relate to. Here, however, no such character is present, furthering the peculiarity of this world we are watching. We do not try to relate with them, we just try to understand them. This is not a problem though, for their every action can be fascinating to watch and analyze, especially in the cases of the two characters: Miyu and Reiha. In a sense, Miyu and Reiha are dueling enemies, as represented by their powers of flame and ice respectively. However, their relationship has many levels and evolves slowly over the course of the series with perfect execution. Honestly, both characters really deserve an entire book devoted to their psychological makeup, not just the casual mention that I provide here.

The TV series' format is in typical monster-of-the-week fashion, which works on a multitude of levels. Each episode is the tale of a human being victimized by a shinma, with the storylines rarely carrying over to the next episode. This not only provides a way to give us a fresh "Twilight Zone-ish" moral story every episode, but also allows us to watch the characters act in different scenarios, helping to further our understanding of their philosophies. However, the best episodes in the series are the ones that are extremely vague, and leave us to ponder what actually happened days afterwards. Picking apart the endlessly deep symbolism is incredible, and with it backing something as incredible as the characters, the overall experience is truly one of greatness.

Is there a dent in this shining gem? Yes... But, it's a small one and doesn't detract too much from the overall experience. Thanks to the (low) budget of television series in general, Narumi Kakinouchi's breathtaking character designs have been slightly altered to bring them to the screen. The simple yet sweeping dark gothic illustrations have become more compact and plain looking. Also, with the exception of some long panning shots, there are really no beautifully drawn and chilling visuals that the manga was known for. In the audio department, it is interesting to note that music for the TV series is faster and less subtle than the OVA series and, with the exception of the ED, there are no notable vocal tracks. However, the music fits in with the new change of pace with the TV series, and therefore works with the show; just don't try to compare it with the masterful OVA soundtrack.

Overall, I must say that Vampire Miyu is a masterpiece, and I rarely use that word. This show has gathered together THE finest cast ever in an anime series, and possibly in any form of media. But, it's the perfect synergy between this masterful cast and the powerfully haunting stories of the series is what makes it a true "masterpiece". Everyone can get something from this series, but I highly recommend you be in an academic state of mind when you sit down to watch it. Oh yeah, and be prepared to have your mind blown away.

Distributor: TOKYOPOP
Creator: AIC
Released: 1997

Plot: A
Character Design: A+
Animation Quality: A-
Music: A-
Overall: A+