Search - :: Vampire Princess Miyu

Beautiful, haunting soundtrack.

Seung Jae Lee | Boston, MA | 04/06/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How the composer managed to convey the ethereal beauty of Miyu, the complexity of her emotions, or the haunting darkness of her world is beyond me. The CD contains the extended versions of the opening and ending themes of the TV series, which is fantastic. From the first sound of the eerie flute to the rhythmic energy of the Japanese drums, the haunting opening theme is what initially captured my attention while watching the episodes for the first time. It was the primary reason why I purchased the CD-- yes, I thought the theme song alone was worth the price. And I have to say, I'm not disappointed.There are only three vocal tracks on this CD, tracks 9, 23, and 34. "I wanna meet you" (track 9) is a beautiful song that expresses the nostalgic longing of love. Tenderly sung, it brought unexpected memories of childhood sweethearts and summer days. A very unexpected and pleasant surprise in a series that's known for its dark, gothic themes. "Temariuta" (track 9) is a haunting counting song more in line with what I expected from the series. The sound of Miyu's voice being echoed by the delicate children's chorus was like hearing the ghosts of the past carrying across the darkness of time. Spooky, but oddly inspiring. Don't ask me how.While the vocal tracks are very well done, it's the excellent instrumental music that captures the raw emotion of the series. Certainly the opening theme is a good example, and deservedly so, but my favorite is the "Tragedy of Female Fighter" (Track 26). It's short, only two minutes in length, but as another reviewer (Jen L.) had noted about the piece, it perfectly captures the "nostalgia, sorrow, and steely resolve reflecting that of the girl who seeks revenge on the Shinma who murdered her family."I highly recommend this anime soundtrack to any fan of the series. and especially to those who enjoy listening to instrumental pieces."

Melody of the Dark

Clarissa | Ontario, California | 04/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As much as I love and am addicted to Japanese animation in general, one thing I look forward to the most is the music heard throughout the episodes and the original score for "Vampire Princess Miyu" is one of the best I've yet to come across. To be honest I have never heard a more beautiful soundtrack in my entire life! Even before I experienced the OVA's and TV series for this amazing show I bought this gorgeous piece of work on a whim and was absolutely blown away! Before this I wasn't familiar with acclaimed composer Kenji Kawai who is best known for "Ghost in the Shell" but I was more than impressed with the atmospheres he created here so I'll gladly pick up anything I see his name on... With the exception of a couple vocal performances by Saeko Suzuki on "Miyu Forever", Miki Nagasawa on "Temariuta" and Hiroko Kasahara on "I Wanna Meet You", as well as a few others such as "Chase Of The Devil" which is upbeat but slightly darker in mood for it's used for the battle scenes when Miyu and Larva capture the shinma (demons), most of the songs are less than two minutes in length. However, these lush, melancholy tunes make up for that in quality, and there's plenty of quantity with 34 stunning tracks and over 73 minutes worth of traditional Japanese folk music that will captivate and enchant you, just as it did me. This is highly recommended!"

Deliciously Haunting Anime Music

James M. Stafford III | Houston, TX USA | 01/02/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Vampire Princess Miyu TV Series is exceptional in its storyline, character development, originality, and music. The music to the series truly brings out the emotions of each scene within the series, and stands extremely well on its own away from the series. The instrumentals are both beautiful and haunting, with the songs truly pulling at the emotions even for those who do not understand spoken/sung Japanese. I was able to acquire an import version of this CD, and it is definitely one of the most prized items in my anime collection!!!"