How far would you go for revenge? That's a question that FUNimation's latest series Hell Girl puts out there, front and center. You may have heard of it before if you have kept your finger on the pulse of what's popular in Japan. Known as Jigoku Shoujo in its original form, Hell Girl has gone on to garner a second season, manga, and live action version. That speaks volumes to how well it was received in Japan but how will it fair with the American audience?

With 26 episodes in its first season Hell Girl originally aired between 2005 and 2006. It's unfortunate that it took so long for the show to make its way here to the States but the wait was well worth it in my opinion. Studio Deen did a fantastic job on this show and at least for this first volume the writing remains a cut above with some fantastic moments that really evoke emotion.

The basic premise follows a mysterious website that people can only access at midnight. Have someone who pissed you off? Did an enemy do you wrong in a major way? Type the person's name in on the site and revenge will be yours. By logging on and doing such a thing you not only guarantee that the person in question will have a bad day but that they'll receive a one way ticket to hell. It's a comforting thought to keep in mind if you feel like really smiting someone; of course this comes at a price. The fine print within this contract is that even though you'll be dooming your tormentor you'll also be dooming yourself. By entering into the agreement you also condemn yourself to an eternity in hell when you die. Revenge doesn't look so great now does it?

The first volume of Hell Girl introduces this concept brilliantly and while all of the details aren't revealed quite yet there is a lot going on beneath the surface of the show. The website revolves around the exploits of a young girl named Ai Enma who is the perpetrator of said hellish acts. In order to bind themselves into the contract the person who seeks Ai's services must pull a ribbon from a straw doll. In each case once that agreement happens all hell literally breaks loose.

The first episode really, and I mean REALLY, set the tone for the show. It starts off innocently enough with a class collecting some donation money for a project. Things take a disastrous turn for a girl named Mayumi as she's charged with holding on to the cash until it's needed. Well, it goes missing and before long Mayumi is being tormented brutally by a pack of girls who delight in seeing her suffer. It gets bad, to the point that they take her to a bad part of town and try to pass her off as a hooker of sorts. Needless to say Mayumi has a grievance that only Hell Girl can solve.

Once the contract is accepted Hell Girl rushes into action and pulls some tricks straight out of a horror movie on Mayumi's tormentor. It gets damned creepy and I don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say that it ends with Hell Girl ferrying the target across the river of the dead to hell. There is a little aftermath snippet with Mayumi going through the motions of life free from her oppressors though she bears Hell Girl's cursed mark on her chest as a reminder of her vengeful acts.

The second episode once against features a school girl in the center of something disturbing. It would seem that some guy is stalking her with great intent and it's getting very serious. Strange gifts, phone calls, and visits occur frequently and the girl in question begins to fear for her life. Naturally she goes to Hell Girl's website and enters her pursuers' description. Before long she's transported to meet with Ai and she receives the full brunt of the contract's description. Like everyone else when she does sign on for the hell service she enters a covenant that will bind her soul to hell when she dies. Once again the vengeance is swift and horrific.

The formula for Hell Girl is set in stone very early on and you can expect to watch this pattern develop during the next three episodes. The subject matter and characters in question are different with each story. With plots that revolve around a baseball player's death, a girl who lost her dog, and a woman who seeks to use Hell Girl's services for her own gain there is enough variety to keep things from getting monotonous. I do hope that the quality of the series continues to be maintained as future installments are released. Episodic shows have a way of becoming stale after a while but Hell Girl's premise is unique enough that it may thrive like that. The first five episodes were great and I really felt myself getting drawn in. Here's looking forward to the next volume!

Hell Girl is presented on DVD with a 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen aspect ratio and features a marvelous transfer. FUNimation did a fantastic job of bringing this show to DVD and though some of the typical problems like grain and compression appear is little to complain about. Colors in the show appear vibrant though I must admit that some of the gradients looked kind of funny in some scenes. This first volume also depicts some great uses of contrast and these episodes truly come to life because of it. Studio Deen put some great effort into the show and thankfully the quality has been kept intact.

Like most current releases from FUNimation Hell Girl comes with Japanese and English 2.0 as well as a 5.1 English track. The dubbing quality for both languages is superb and I can honestly say that I didn't have a preference either way. The English track in particular impressed me with spot on emotion and pitch that matched what I expected it should. Technically speaking the 2.0 selections are competent for stereo inclusions but the 5.1's greater presence definitely impressed me. The directionality on the soundstage for effects was slightly more subdued than I would have liked but the overall quality of the audio was very pleasing.

In addition to the character profile, textless songs, and FUNimation trailers are some promotional videos. A five minute live action music video makes the cut here as well as "making of" inclusion to accompany it. They aren't entirely relevant to the production of the series but they are certainly welcome additions. The Starter Set not only comes with a beautifully designed box but another art card to accompany the two present within the DVD case.

Hell Girl is original, intriguing, and empowering all at the same time. The creepy atmosphere really breathes life into the program and the quality of the writing helps craft interesting stories. I do hope we learn more about Hell Girl and her companions as the show progresses but for now I'm content with the knowledge that they kick ass. These five episodes were great and I can honestly say that I'm hooked. This is a promising series that American audiences will cling to and there has been no loss of quality in the translation. Here's looking to a promising future with this hellish girl.

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