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DEMON PRINCE ENMA (VOL.1) [ADVANCE REVIEW] |
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Thursday, 26 April 2007 |
 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | BANDAI VISUAL USA | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 16:9 WIDESCREEN ANAMORPHIC | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | JAPANESE DD 5.1 & 2.0 W/ ENGLISH SUBTITLE | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 78 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | 16+ | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 05/22/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 04/26/2007 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | SCOTT CAMPBELL |
Demon Prince Enma is the latest anime from Go Nagai, well known for such previous masterpieces as Mazinger Z and Cutey Honey. Now he’s trying his hand at a bit of horror. Demon Prince Enma is an entertaining mix of suspense thriller and demon related horror that is sure to raise the hairs on many a viewer’s neck.
Japanese horror concepts are certainly not new to North America. Most of us have already been traumatized by the likes of live action movies like The Ring and The Grudge – both being remakes of original Japanese horror flicks. It seems that only the Japanese could attempt to truly scare us with the use of animation, and they’ve done a pretty good job of doing so with Demon Prince Enma. This anime is downright creepy from the get go; from its animation, music, and excellent use of foreshadowing to hint at the horrible fates that befall many of its characters – Demon Prince Enma has a lot to offer to fans of suspense.
The first volume revolves around a small group of “individuals” who take on cases of the supernatural. It’s not yet apparent what their total motivation for doing so is, but they seem to be searching for something more than just a paycheck at the end of the day. Enma is the Demon Prince of the Underworld, a demon born of fire. Along with his partners, Princess Yukihime and the humourous tag-along monster, Kapaeru, Enma sets up his detective agency of sorts and the cases seem to be pouring in. The conflicts relate to perfectly normal human beings being possessed by demons that they don’t often really see or understand are there. Unconsciously the victims of the possession do terrible things and murder the people around them. It is up to Enma and his crew to seek out these demons and destroy them, but for what reason it is still uncertain.
The art and animation is both chilling and breathtaking. Dark and detailed, Demon Prince Enma asks that the viewers take it seriously – a request that isn’t too hard to comply with. The use of camera angles and colors really sets the tone for this anime. It’s really very impressive how jarring they’ve managed to make this series, considering it is animated. Fear is often related to how realistic something is – how believable it is to the viewer. Animation is drawings in motion, so if an animated series can be scary, there’s truth in saying that they’ve managed something unique with Demon Prince Enma. The anime still has many moments of visual and/or slightly morbid humor, but for the most part it is an all out horror fest complete with buckets of blood, murderous dolls, and demons hiding within regular everyday people. If you’re looking for a good scare from your anime, Demon Prince Enma has a lot to offer within the first disc of the series.
EXTRAS:
Interviews with the Japanese vocal cast.
IN SUMMARY:
Demon Prince Enma is a really good horror anime. It’s truly frightening in its delivery, has a well thought out story line, and will keep you guessing all the way through. Add in the detailed, stunning animation and you’ve got a well-rounded piece that demands horror fans to partake in what it’s offering.
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