Ask any fan of the horror genre and they will most likely tell you that nobody weaves a scary tale quite like the Japanese. Whether it's a live-action film or animation there's just something surreal about watching a Japanese horror story. Take Demon Prince Enma for example.

Originally created over thirty years ago by Go Nagai, Demon Prince Enma is a new OVA being released here in the States by Bandai Visual. Well, technically Enma as we see it is a grown up version of the original manga with differences strewn about but it's essentially the same concept. It comes at a point in time when companies seem more interested in releasing whole TV shows rather than limited episode OVAs. Still, it's safe to say that if you have enjoyed other Nagai works such as Devilman and Devil Lady you'll most likely get into this one.

Demon Prince Enma tells the story of a demon prince named Enma (duh) who has left the underworld to hunt escaped demons here on Earth. These vile creatures were freed from their otherworldly prison and now run the streets wreaking havoc on innocent humans wherever they are found. Enma along with Ice Princess Yuki, a monster named Kapaeru, and his trusty had known as Old Man, moves about looking for clues as to demon whereabouts.

Considering this OVA is broken up into four episodes spread across two volumes it's not very surprising that each disc has two episodes. The first time around Enma and company took down a powerful demon that was stalking innocent girls, killed a "vampire", and even confronted the dreaded demon doll stereotype. While most of these exploits were relatively self-contained they moved at a decent clip and offered some minor twists to keep things interesting. One big twist occurs in the third episode of the newest volume.

Things started out relatively standard to what I came to expect from Demon Prince Enma. The crew was hanging around waiting for a demon case to show up for investigation. When Kapaeru announces that he has a date with a young girl he cons Enma into covering for him due to his inhuman appearance. The girl turns out to be plagued by demons at home and her mother is quite possessed. The twist here is when Yuki decides to stay at home and rest during the middle of a heat wave.

Old Man noticed that this was strange at first but didn't quite know what to make of it. A small bruise was also appearing on her chest that wasn't there before and though Yuki brushes it off we soon learn that it's something much more sinister. It would seem the very first demon she and Enma encountered on Earth possessed her and has been lying dormant all this time. It finally decides to strike and guess what? More humans are about to die.

The show switches gears a little bit and begins to focus on a group of people that find their way to an abandoned mansion. Yuki is behind some poltergeist-like haunting activities here though I found it difficult to care about the victims because they were mostly no-name characters. The reporter chick that appeared in the previous volume was part of the group though so there was some vested interest in her safety. Throughout it all I was merely wondering where Enma was and what was going to befall Yuki.

The fourth episode wraps up the series and sees this final storyline through to the end. I don't want to spoil any details as far as what happens but let's just say that Enma finally shows up and there is a hell of a fight. More than the other parts of Demon Prince Enma this episode was quite the psychological thriller as well as a bloodletting horror. I was not disappointed in the least.

If you're looking for a short burst of anime that features an interesting concept and likeable characters then Demon Prince Enma may be the horror tale you're looking for. Created by Go Nagai the show is most likely be polarizing among the audience though fans of his work will appreciate it for what it is. These two episodes brought a fitting end to the OVA and made a strong impression. Check this show out if your anime collection is looking a little dry.

Demon Prince Enma came out in 2006 though it has just received transfer to DVD. The show is presented with an anamorphic 1.78:1 widescreen aspect ratio and Bandai Visual gave it an absolutely fantastic treatment. With the abundance of blacks and shadows I feared that compression and grainy coloration was inevitable but fortunately neither of the two is present. Colors are very crisp and vibrant with the overall video quality being exceptional. With the storyline for this volume most scenes took place inside a 3D rendition of the mansion. These sections didn't quite suit the design of the show and looked rather foreign and not to mention blocky. Still for being a short-run OVA Enma looks mighty fine.

In an interesting move Bandai Visual opted to provide no English dub for Demon Prince Enma. All you'll find here for language selections are Japanese 5.1 and 2.0 tracks. Both offer decent audio quality depending on the limitations of your home theater. In stereo the sound was a tad on the flat side with no room for directionality while the surround offering was noticeably meatier. The sound was crisp and clean with no distortion and the rear channels picked up a great deal of action. English subtitles are offered despite the lack of a dub.

As far as the special features for Demon Prince Enma are concerned you'll find a nice little booklet inside the DVD case with sketches and information about the characters. It's a nice addition though nothing entirely informative. Apart from that the rest of the bonus features on the disc are interviews with some of the Japanese voice actors. They may be a little on the short side but they are a nice inclusion considering they came from the original release. This time around we get interviews with S. Sato (Kapaeru), M. Yamamoto (Sat-chan), Cho (Grandpa Chapeauji), and S. Kobayashi (Yuri).

If you're in the market for a decent horror anime are want to stray from the beaten path, Demon Prince Enma may just be your ticket. The show features an interesting and relatively unique premise with memorable characters and well-presented stories. This final volume wraps things up appropriately and quite honestly I wish there were more of this series floating around. Well crafted horror anime is a rarity and in that regard Demon Prince Enma brings a lot to the genre. Strongly Recommended

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