Shinma. The "things" that eclipse the human heart, the apparitions that are drawn to destruction. Long, long ago they were sealed into the Dark. However, stray Shinma occasionally escaped to live concealed in the human world, moving in the space between Night and Day. And to return the stray Shinma to the Dark, there exists a Guardian -- the beautiful Vampire Princess, Miyu, whose unconcealed face no one has ever seen.

This is the story of a seemingly young, beautiful vampire named Miyu, and her Shinma servant, Larva. Shinma, meaning both God and Demon, are beings that can feel the ugly and destructive emotions of humans and feed on those emotions, disrupting the will of the people they affect. Natives to the Dark, they sometimes are able to bridge the gap between the human world and the Dark to wreak havoc and sate their hunger.

Miyu was the latest of a long line of mortal vampires destined to become the leader of the Shinma, as were all her ancestors. However, this was a heavy burden. Not born a vampire, but born to become one, she had lived a normal life believing herself to be human. Her mother encouraged this line of thought, wanting desperately to spare her daughter the duty of herding the Shinma and guarding, while still feeding on, the humans. Yet one day, Miyu felt her vampire nature stir. Unable to quench her thirst with water, she took her first sip of human blood. Her destiny as a vampire was now set in stone. Revolted by the lust for human blood within her, she still could not suppress her vampire instincts. Once she became a vampire, she would be bound to her duty to the Shinma. With the help of her mother, she attempted to escape her destiny, but she inadvertently let loose a host of Shinma into the human world. This disastrous act led to the imprisonment of Miyu's parents in Time, and made her the immortal Guardian of the human world, responsible for returning all of the escaped Shinma back to the Dark. In this long, thankless, lonely task, Miyu has only one companion -- Larva. A Shinma originally appointed to kill Miyu, Larva instead found himself drawn to this sad girl fighting, against her vampire spirit, to be human. Miyu was able to thwart his half-hearted attempt to kill her and instead drank his blood, as he did hers, binding them together forever. Usually wearing a mask, and always in a dark robe, he is always by Miyu's side to protect her, comfort her, and do her bidding.

Posing as a transfer student, Miyu follows the trail of the Shinma from place to place, drawing them out into the open, dispensing her own justice. Miyu and Larva make a formidable team, working together flawlessly to hunt down the stray Shinma and return them to the Dark. This is where the TV series begins -- a high school in a region where there have been unresolved murders, and a student sees a vampire haunting the streets late at night.

For those of you new to the VPM world, what you will be seeing tonight is the first episode of the Vampire Princess Miyu TV series that is currently still airing in Japan. The TV series was created because of the success of the 4-episode OAV series that is available in the U.S. The OAVs are far superior to the TV series, and I highly recommend them to all of you. The OAV series is about a psychic named Himiko, who is asked to investigate the case of a supposed possession in another town. During her investigation, she stumbles upon a case of vampire-related deaths, and she follows the trail of the young girl she thinks is responsible. Both fascinated and repulsed by Miyu, Himiko finds herself digging further into Miyu's motives and past, and in the end, she not only finds herself sympathetic towards Miyu, but she faces something she had never dreamed could be true. Very beautifully drawn and executed, the OAVs are magnificent works of art heavily emphasizing the visual effects in this occult series. The TV series suffers from a lack of budget that prevents it from being as visually appealing and well-executed as the OAVs. However, the TV series does have its merits, and I encourage you to watch it, keeping in mind that you are seeing but one episode in a yet-to-be-completed series that depicts a far deeper story unrevealed in this first episode.