Release Date: Sept. 8, 2026
AnimEigo, along with parent company MediaOCD, is finally unearthing a classic for fans of Vampire Princess Miyu. She’s no ordinary teen who has joined the ranks of the undead. Instead, she’s a Guardian, accompanied by a servant of sorts who may be much older than she is. And for this release, the companies are going for a bold design: a pure white label to reflect innocence. The only text to be found will be on the spine.
Although his name sounds strange, Larva, as used in the translation, serves a very specific purpose. He’s meant to keep Miyu from becoming a full vampire, even though he’s the one responsible for her transformation! As part of his shame, he hides his face behind a ceramic mask.
The manga dives deeper into this part of the story, but sadly, it remains out of print. Even the old DVD release now feels like buried treasure for collectors and newcomers who haven’t seen this version. While the original video animation doesn’t fully explain why Miyu was sought out and transformed, there’s enough lore to make her otherworldliness incomparable.
Thankfully, this new Blu-ray release fixes half of that problem. That feels strangely appropriate, since Miyu herself is a dhampir. She’s half vampire, not fully transformed, and her mission is to hunt down renegade Shinma and put them back in their place. She’s powerful, mysterious, and there’s still so much more to discover, should the manga ever get reprinted.
As for this first adaptation, the four-part original animated series made quite an impact on viewers who were discovering anime for the first time. Director Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) and screenwriter Noboru Aikawa (Fullmetal Alchemist, The Twelve Kingdoms) crafted four tales that helped define the eerie, melancholic core of the franchise. A television series did get made years later, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the work put into this particular effort, which will be available this autumn.
From the Press Release:
“Unearthly Kyoto”: Himiko travels to the ancient capital of Japan to exorcise a slumbering child, amidst rumors of vampire attacks. Although the exorcism is a failure, a hint that a vampire may be involved sets Himiko upon a new trail. Soon she meets the mysterious, childlike Miyu and her silent, enigmatic companion. Is Miyu behind the attacks? Or does she, too, seek the real culprit? And if so, why? When Himiko witnesses Miyu bestowing the kiss of blood, she is sure she has the answer…
“A Banquet of Marionettes”: Himiko is hired to investigate several mysterious disappearances at a school. At the site of each vanishing, a strange doll has been briefly glimpsed. Here she again meets Miyu, now apparently a student, and is told in no uncertain terms to mind her own business. Miyu has designs on the body, and perhaps the soul, of the school hero, Kei. But she has some competition! Soon Kei must choose which he most prizes; eternal life… or eternal love.
“Fragile Armor”: Himiko agrees to help Miyu defeat a ghastly armored monster. In return, Miyu tells the tale of how she met Larva, her silent companion. Later, while investigating the origin of the monster’s armor, Himiko learns of the tragic fate of a husband and wife. Meanwhile, a beautiful young man with a ghastly laugh circles and waits. Who is he? What is the secret of the Armor? And what of the Shinma? Can Himiko put the pieces of the puzzle together in time?
“Frozen Time”: Himiko travels to Kamakura, a childhood home. There, she dreams of herself as a child, running in terror from a mysterious mansion. Now the mansion has a new tenant: Miyu. Miyu at last tells all — of her discovery of her true nature after her first meeting with Larva, of the secret concealed by Miyu’s parents, and of the night that Darkness and the Shinma gathered together. And, finally, Himiko realizes what it is that has bound her destiny together with Miyu’s… forever!
Pre-orders are available at:
https://mediaocd.com/product/vampire-princess-miyu-ova-blu-ray
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