Vampire Princess Miyu

VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU

— by Charles McCarter

1. Miyu Yachiyo (Miyu's Eternity)

2. Shinma no Kodu (Beat of the Shinma)

3. Miyu Yachiyo (Miyu's Eternity) - Karaoke Version

Much like Miyu herself, fans of VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU seem to be cursed with having to wait an eternity. First, none of the local video stores in the U.S. are carrying any of the off-air television episodes (due to stricter copyright enforcement). Then, the release of the full soundtrack was delayed. But fans threatening to go into withdrawal can console themselves somewhat with this CD single that contains the opening and ending of the television series.
"Miyu Yachiyo" (Miyu's Eternity) is the show's ending, and much like the ending vocal for the OVA, it is a melancholy, somewhat mysterious song. The lyrics are haunting and cryptic, and the music complements the lyrics nicely. Suzuki Saeko adds a delicate, almost fragile vocal performance of this song that conveys the sadness and despair of the lonely Shinma hunter.
"Shinma no Kodou" (Beat of the Shinma) starts with some very traditional Japanese musical instruments. As the lone flute trills, the beat of the drums arises. A chorus of voices chants strangely and then, just as the chaos builds to the height of its momentum, a violin enters and dances above the swirling rumblings of the drums. The melancholy melody line of the violin and the flutes seems to battle against the oppressive dark reverberations of the drums. In short, this is a perfect track for the opening of the television series. And this is hardly surprising, since the composer is Kawai Kenji, the gifted anime composer who has done music for such shows as MAISON IKKOKU, PATLABOR, and the original VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU OVAs.
The final track is a karaoke version of the ending theme, standard fare on a CD single. And while most of us probably are not going to karaoke "Miyu Yachiyo," it is nice to be able to listen to the impressive instrumentals that Kawai Kenji uses in this song.
For listeners who liked the music of the previous MIYU OVAs, it is pretty much guaranteed that they will like this as well. And for those who cannot wait for the full CD to be released, the single is well worth having.