Vampire Princess Miyu: Volume 2

Nothing beautiful can last forever

Minor spoilers

(If you haven't already done so, you may want to read my review of Vampire Princess Miyu, Vol. 1 first. It provides a brief introduction to this OAV series.)

Volume 2 of this series contains two episodes, "Fragile Armor" and "Frozen Time."

Fragile Armor
Far from having to chase down Miyu in this episode, Himiko is sought out by the vampire girl. Her companion, the black-cloaked and masked Larva, has been taken by an unknown force which Miyu cannot fight since it is not a Shinma, so she strikes a bargain with the spiritualist—promising to give information about her vampire heritage, in exchange for help in getting Larva back. The story also centers around the machinations of a demonic suit of armor, and reminds the viewer again that not all demons are immortal beings—some are all too human.

If you've already watched Volume 1, you know this series isn't suitable for kids, but perhaps it's worth mentioning anyway: this episode quite possibly contains the most gory scene in the OVA series. While relatively brief, it is quite intense and not suitable for children.

Frozen Time
Trying to center herself, Himiko goes to a city she visited as a child. She finds a hilltop mansion where, vague memories tell her, something unsettling happened in her childhood. When she enters the mansion, she is confronted by a frightening sight—two people frozen upside-down in ice, and Miyu. True to her word, Miyu begins to reveal the past which led her both to sealing away Shinma and becoming a vampire.

Most modern stories of superhuman beings describe such beings either as villains or protectors of the human race. Very few of them do supernatural things for supernatural reasons. Until this episode, Miyu has definitely fallen into the latter camp. "Frozen Time" begins to reveal a more human purpose behind her pursuit of Shinma, and it also links Miyu to Himiko in a surprising way.

In one flashback, Miyu and her father discuss a painting he has just bought. Miyu's father is pleased with it because paintings seal up a scene of beauty forever, but Miyu points out that the sea is also beautiful because it is constantly moving and changing. This oblique discussion of eternal beauty vs. mortal beauty is brought to bear later, when we discover the true nature of Miyu's parents.

Although the two episodes are very uneven in quality, this volume provides some much-needed back story, particularly for Miyu and Larva. Unfortunately, it also marks the end of the series. The Vampire Princess Miyu TV series provides additional background on Miyu, although Himiko is nowhere to be found, the individual plots tend to be more formulaic and the animation is not as well-drawn as it is here.

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