The Miyu series is a step down from the OAV, with
blander graphics and tamer writing. Having more space to fill, the show has essentially becomes a horror
anthology, where Miyu is sometimes directly involved in the plots and sometimes only a bystander or
fleeting presence. She and Larva have settled in a seemingly innocuous little corner of Japanese
suburbia, and Miyu attends school when not hunting the
Shinma. The characters are noticeably different here
in fundamental ways. Miyu is more humane for one thing, making friends and showing signs of conscience,
but loses much of the amoral innocence that made her so horrific. Larva spends a good portion of his time
out of his mask, but he actually has less dialogue and plays a smaller role. There's also a new sidekick,
Shiina, a gruesome mockery of the cute animal mascots that are commonplace in the magical girl genre. The
stories are undeniably fluffier, but there are plenty of delightfully creepy episodes mixed in the with the
less successful ones, and the series keeps the practice of using mainly bleak endings. Also, it
should be noted that the finale here is actually more
disturbing than that of the original, and much of the
show's content was reputedly toned down for its
initial run.
The production values for the series are
understandably lower than the OAV's, with standard television animation and simplified designs.
Style-wise, the series makes a good effort to match the haunting feel of its predecessor, and the music is
fittingly eerie. Little of the characters'
backgrounds or their development from the OAV survive,
but this is in some ways beneficial, as the creators
get to start off with a clean slate. Though not a
match for its counterpart, the show consistently
performs well, and there's plenty to enjoy for both
the newcomers and established Miyu fans.
