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Vampire Princess Miyu is among one of the many underground and little known anime titles of the late 1980s. Most people would naturally write off shows like these popping up around this time as a sort of generic, simplistic garbage. I can see why though, one does not need to search far to reinforce the pure late 80's cheese we all know. Yet Vampire Princess Miyu does stand out among many shows and for good reason. While the ever growing theme of vampires have been done over and over again, this anime offers a unique approach to the gothic and vampire aesthetic. Instead of just ... shooting for a straight typical vampire story, it offers a lot of difference in terms of storyline and execution. It tells a short tale of a girl named Miyu, whose destiny is to banish demons called Shinma and return them to the land of the dark. She is then pursued by a strange woman who desperately wants to find out about her origin. Already, we have a very unique and engaging plotline. Sadly, despite it's very short length, it becomes incredibly repetitive very fast. Each episode is told from the perspective of the woman who is hunting after Miyu, trying to stop her from taking innocent human lives. It follows an incredibly repetitive and formulaic approach to storytelling, which makes for in turn, very predictable outcomes. Of course, I could not also go without mentioning the main thing that never fails to drag down old school anime: the voice acting. I felt as though if I had watched the subbed instead, I would have gotten a lot more enjoyment out of the show itself. The incredibly laughable and non-emotional dialogue between characters is really what dragged it down so much, but I suppose it's something that was to be expected.

Yet, like with all late 80's shows, I just love the "rough" look of everything. The animation is nothing short of very well down. The mysterious demons and environments are incredibly detailed and add a very great atmosphere. The action sequences, while very few, definetly keep you enthralled. As for the characters themselves, there was a good number of development going on. It delved into all of the main character's back stories without feeling incredibly forced and overdone. It gave a very good insight on each of the three involved. Despite all of this, the very short length, awful voice acting, and very formulaic episodes are what makes it just satisfactory, rather than anything noteworthy. However, the fact that this short little OVA will never see the light of day for most people, it is really worth your time to check out, as it won't take anymore than 2 hours. A very unique and awesome approach to vampire storylines and great use of visuals and atmosphere.

Few movies truly touch the bottom of my heart like Grave of the Fireflies did. Essentially widely acclaimed as an anti-war film, it's true meaning and message have been challenged and changed by critics and cast alike. In the usual Studio Ghibli fashion, it has it's signature childrens wonder and fantasy, along with it's lovely scenery. But unlike previous films, this one takes on a much more serious and less carefree and lighthearted undertone. War is one of the many idiotic things done by mankind on this shitball of a planet. It kills innocent people, leaves families broken apart, and leaves others starving and scrounging ... to get by. All of these things are shown in an incredibly prevalent and graphic way in this film. Buildings are set ablaze, people are dying left and right and others left crying over loved ones corpses. It's clear Takahata had a very strong message and wanted to get his point across thoroughly. Now of course, movies like these have been done several times over and in the same exact fashion, but Grave of the Fireflies does it in such a unique way and leaves no room for hope at all, sadly to say.

The two main children Setsuko and Seita are put right in the middle of all of the war and destruction going on around them. After one of the first air raids occur, their mother is sadly killed. It shows her body right before it's carried away and was to graphic almost to watch, let alone if they look off her bandages. She is then just thrown in the pile of anonymous bodies and burned, making it even more heartbreaking and harsh. They are then forced to go live with their aunt somewhere else. I felt such absolute hatred for her character and mostly everyone else did, and rightfully so. These two innocent little kids are trying to survive, and she does nothing but scold them constantly. I couldn't even believe what a heartless person she was throughout the whole entire film. She even has the audacity to scold Seita about getting a job. His mother had just passed away and he witnessed it with his own eyes, and the only thing she can say is get a job? Let alone sell her only few possessions, even if it was for food. They aren't even allowed to experience what childhood is like, except for a few brief moments. Having fun on the beach playing with one another, and of course, playing with the fireflies. These few moments of serenity are the only real moments of peace these children get, before they are once again forced to find food and water for survival.

After being sick of putting up with their aunt, the children then decide to live on there own from then on out. I felt a certain sense of satisfaction seeing them walk away from her, and doing things for themselves. But I also felt very uneasy, knowing something terrible would have to happen due to the fact they are now on their own, with air attacks and bombs still going off at unpredictable times. At this point in the film, I really have to give so much credit to Seiko. He is still very young, yet he does all these things for his sister. Making sure she has enough to eat and drink, and hopefully can still have a little bit of fun once and awhile. Which is where the fireflies come in. They constantly use them as a source for light in the dark cave they use for shelter, and it is absolutely stunning. As if the animation wasn't stellar enough, seeing the fireflies light up against their rough faces made for another moment of peace and harmony. The innocent and warmth that a firefly can bring really is a nice contrast to the harsh, cold reality that is going on just outside of them. I really loved all those little nuances and contracts. Especially the cold foreshadowing of the fireflies then dying in the morning. When Setsuko must bury the bugs, and asked "Why do fireflies die so quickly?" made me almost tear up at the end because just as those fireflies had to go so quickly, so did she. I thought that acted as a really unique yet grim precursor to future events. But back the events at hand; Seiko is an incredibly resourceful person and will do anything to make sure his sister is doing alright.

He goes around bargaining everything for just a little bit of food, and even gets attacked for having to steal another person's food. Which begs the ultimate "moral" question so to speak; Would you steal if it meant for the greater good? Most people would say yes and I would agree. He basically sacrificed his entire childhood to make sure he can provide for her in any way he can. To make matters even worse, it is then found out that the reason their father has not received his letter is because he was killed in yet another senseless attack on his naval ship. Which sends him into a fit of rage, knowing now he literally has nobody left, and now he must be the brave one and protect her at all costs. Yet even though Setsuko knows their mother had passed, Seiko will not tell her about their father which would only make her even more hurt about everything. These constant terrible misfortunes really accurately depict the realities of war which is why the film is so great. You could have had a sweet and simple movie about a child's struggle, then have both their parents return and live a happy normal life, but no. Even Setsuko sees other children around the destroyed town talking to their parents and feeling their love and warmth, knowing she will never have that again, except for her brother. When she then develops a rash and sickness due to malnutrition, it only keeps spiraling down further and further into destruction. Despite all of Seita's efforts and all of his care, she only gets worse and worse. Even doctors couldn't help her and only push the two aside for another patient, not even giving them the time of day for some food, making it more heartbreaking if even possible. When she lies on the ground in the shelter, close to dying, she hallucinates and thinks she made food for her brother, as a final gesture for everything he did for her, making me tear up a little bit, as I rarely get moved by movies often. He then must burn and bury her and set her free, at least she doesn't have to suffer any longer and face the terrible violence-filled world that they were in.

At this point, I knew this wasn't just another pseudo-emotional movie about war, but something even more. I really wasn't expecting something like this from Studio Ghibli seeing as how their movies always have such a childlike and carefree attitude and almost always end on a happy note. It just goes to show in reality, not everyone gets saved from war, not even children. Everything visually this film did, really hit it well. The gorgeous music, the graphic destruction, and the stunning forests, fireflies and nature that all contrasted with the very opposite everything was in that time period. Grave of the Fireflies will always be remembered, at least in my book, as one of the most emotional, beautiful, and still highly relevant movies ever created.