Although Toshihiro Hirano (Magic Knight Rayearth) directed these broadcast episodes, they lack the panache of the earlier OAVs; both were based on the manga created by his wife, Narumi Kakinouchi. This version of Miyu is less aloof; she enrolls in a Tokyo school and makes a few friends. Larva is more of a companion than a servant, and his mask conceals the face of a bishonen (beautiful boy). He and Miyu are joined by Shina, a spirit who resembles a cross between a rabbit and a Pokémon Clefairy. As the Protector, Miyu battles Shinma, evil spirits that attack humans, but the many episodes suggest she isn't particularly effective at the job she's destined to fulfill. In one episode, a Shinma uses a thug as an assassin; Miyu calmly remarks, "It's not really my concern how many people you have him kill." In "Your House," she destroys a cat-Shinma only after it's caused four deaths, and she gives several victims a fatal eternal happiness with her bite. Two extended storylines frame the shorter stories. One pits Miyu against the snow demon-Shinma Reiha and her obnoxious talking doll Matzukaze; the second involves the evil bird-demons who are determined to destroy Miyu. Although Miyu's childhood experiences link the two plots, neither achieves a coherent resolution. The limited-edition boxed set includes a soundtrack CD and a charm like the ones Miyu and her friend Chisato carry. (Unrated but suitable for ages 16 and older: considerable violence, nudity, grotesque imagery, suggested lesbianism and incest) --Charles Solomon
