Shin Vampire Miyu

—by Charles McCarter

Antarctic Press licensed the original VAMPIRE MIYU manga several years ago. But, being a scant one volume, it was soon completed and seemed all but forgotten. However, newcomer Studio Ironcat announced last year that it would be translating and releasing the SHIN (NEW) VAMPIRE MIYU series. I have had some difficulty tracking these comics in local shops. Unfortunately, it seems that many local retailers are reluctant to carry any more manga titles.
NEW VAMPIRE MIYU opens with Miyu confronting and easily dispatching a Shinma. However, as the story progresses, a new group of foes looms on the horizon: the Western Shinma. These Shinma from the West have come with the intent to invade and conquer the Shinma of Japan and destroy Miyu as well. Some of them have a personal stake in this war; for example, Lemunia, who is the younger brother of the Shinma Lemures, whom Miyu destroyed earlier (in Episode 3 of the OVA series and in the original manga).
There are other personal reasons for the Western Shinma's fight, however. Larva, Miyu's protector and constant companion, was originally sent to destroy her. He was a Western Shinma, but she instead made him her first victim and thus he was bound to her. Many of the Western Shinma are former friends of Larva who blame Miyu for his traitorous actions. They want Larva returned to them and Miyu punished for her actions. And Carlua, who has a special relationship with Larva, is the most vindictive of them all.
Not much in the way of plot happens in Part 6. It opens with the Western Shinma realizing that they have to get Larva back and free him of Miyu's influence. A very angry Miyu now confronts the Western Shinma. She defeats the first couple of attacks easily, but Carlua freezes her in place with some mystic words. At her call, Larva goes to aid Miyu, but is struck down. He looks up to find someone who he once considered a friend about to deliver a lethal blow. Miyu screams, and the issue ends.
All of this takes place over thirty-two pages, and there isn't a lot of dialogue. In typical Kakinouchi style, much of the action and emotion is displayed through the art. And the art retains her trademark minimalist style, with the intricacies of light and dark colors playing off each other and sometimes seeming to provide more detail than is really present.
Unfortunately, though, this 32-page sliver of the story doesn't make for a very interesting read. Sometimes manga don't survive well when compartmentalized into American comic sized-issues. Unfortunately, NEW VAMPIRE MIYU is one such title. It's not anyone's fault, but it's just hard to keep up enthusiasm for a story that takes such a long time to progress. NEW VAMPIRE MIYU is one of those books that is best bought two or three issues at a time so that the reader feels some satisfaction with the story progression.
But then again, much of the draw with Miyu has always been the art and the style over the actual story. And in this respect, it is a success. Ironcat did a good job with the translating and the retouching. And the quality of the paper and print are both very good. Even the colorized cover (which is a page from the comic) looks good (except for the minor detail that Miyu's eyes are gold and not green).
All in all, NEW VAMPIRE MIYU is a genre of manga that is sadly under-represented in the American market. And it's too bad, because, while MIYU is not high-caliber action or excessively violent, it is a good story and deserves to be read. Miyu fans will definitely want to find this title, and other manga fans should look for it on retailer's shelves as well.