Shinma

Western Shinma Lilith was seen in the anime series.

The Shinmas are demonic creatures in the Vampire Princess Miyu anime series.

History

They are god-demons that wreak havoc on the human world.

Shinmas tend to haunt weak-hearted people by luring them to illusions that are supposed to achieve the dreams or desires of those people only to leave them in ruin. It is the job of a guardian vampire (namely Miyu) to send them back to the original dimension which simply named as "The Darkness" (also known as the Dark World). They seem to feed on human emotions, although there are some examples of blood-sucking, such as Ga-Ryu or even devouring whole humans as with Koh-Waku. However, not all shinma are inherently evil. Some use their abilities simply to interfere in humans lives for their own purposes. Sometimes even helping other humans by targeting others. Their powers typically include shape-shifting and the ability of soaring and/or flying. One can spot them by the unnatural glow in their eyes. Their dimension mirror human dimension, as they have nationalities. shinma may be Japanese, Chinese or Westerners.

Manga Shinma List

The following Shinma appear in the manga:

Carlua

Larva's cousin who's also in love with him.

Cait Sith

The Prince of Quarls and the Western Shinma. He releases the Quarl Queen to destroy Miyu. He is later killed by Lemures (who seemingly has escaped from the "Darkness").

Pazusu

Larva's teacher and mentor.

Night Gia

A dream-manipulating Shinma. He tries to kill Miyu while she suffers in his domain of dreams. Miyu eventually transports them into her own world where she burns him "from head to toe" and while he curses her, Larva appears and finishes him off before he can dispel his curse.

Spartoi

A Shinma with fire powers. He is killed by the Japanese Shinma of the second tier, Aoi.

Water Lipper

A water-controlling enchantress Shinma. She attacks Ichiro, a Japanese Shinma to find the location of Yui before she resurrects Miyu. Before they kill Water Lipper, the Quarl Generals tell her that she is useless and they needed Ichiro in order to find the way to Yui.

Amy

Like Miyu, she controls fire to incinerate her enemies. She killed the mother and daughter that tended to Miyu and cared for her. Miyu becomes enraged and burns Amy with her own flames.

Lemunia

Lemunia is Lemures's younger brother and a good friend to Carlua. He eventually dies while saving Yui where he is stabbed by the Quarl General Gio.

Quarl Generals

These powerful warriors answer to Cait Sith and "Mama" only. They are all masked, and attack with powerful energy.

Gigi

Gigi is a masked Shinma and is cloaked by a giant cape and appears very similar to Larva (although he wears a fan-shaped headdress). He is cut down by Larva.

Gia

Gia is a Shinma that appears like a cuirassier with a horned crest on the top of his head. He is torn to shreads by Ranka's Light Threads.

Gio

Gio has a horned helmet and appears like a knight. Burned by Miyu's fire.

Gima

Gima is the only female member and is the only one who appears most human. She is impaled on Aoi's sword.

Quarl Queen

She is considered a goddess by the Quarls and is almost limitless in power. She was once imprisoned by Miyu's grandparent (though it doesn't refer to the confiner as male or female). She was released by her son Cait Sith. Later, she is seen fighting the Japanese Shinma of the tiers, alone and seems to match their power. She is eventually weakened by Larva who impales her with his lightning bolt and is then killed by the entire Shinma party.

Ranka

Ranka is a Shinma that appears as an ally of Miyu in the manga. She uses threads of light to immobilize her enemies, as well as tear them apart.

Aoi

Aoi is a Shinma that appears a human, and also wears a kabuki-like mask. He attacks with a katana, which he uses to kill Spartoi and Gima. He is later impaled and killed by the Quarl Queen's arm.

Ichiro

Ichirou is a humanoid dog Shinma. He uses his fangs to eliminate his opponents. He seems naive and immature, but his powers match the Quarl Generals.

Senjyu

A Shinma dressed like a high school student. He claims that he is neither male nor female, although he appears masculine. He attacks the Shi Clan's betrayer when he interferes in Yui's search for Miyu.

OVA Shinma List

The following Shinma are from the OVA:

Raen

The name Raen (邏魘) means "nightmare destroyer". Raen is a Baku Shinma which possesses and parasites a little girl called Aiko, whose parents were killed in a car crash. They had sacrificed for her to live, which makes her terribly guilty; in her grief she claims to be a vampire, since their blood was donated to her after their deaths. Raen provides Aiko an illusionary home, parents and dreams, turning Aiko into a functional vampire who kills older girls and adult women. Miyu's attempt to save Aiko (by biting and making her a full vampire) is stalled by Himiko, and she and Larva end up exorcizing Raen while killing Aiko in the process.

Ranka

The name Ranka (爛火) in the manga means "burning wound", which in the OVA is changed to 爛佳 "beautiful wound". She is a female Shinma disguised as a high school student with black hair, unnaturally pale skin and greenish blue eyes. Her true appearance is an articulated giant marionette (much like Kai-Rai from the later TV series). She "immortalized" humans by imprisoning them in large dolls to feed on their life essence. She also has the power to summon cutting floss and control the dolls she created. Ranka falls in love with a fellow student, a handsome boy named Kei Yuzuki that Miyu, also masquerading as a student, was also interested in. Competition between the two girls escalates, leading to a final confrontation in which Kei is the prize. Miyu prevails over Ranka, but is heartbroken to discover that Kei had already given himself willingly to Ranka, who had turned him into a doll so they could be together. In tears, Miyu sends both Ranka and Kei to "The Darkness."

Lemures

He is an old friend of Larva who sought to release him from Miyu. He uses magic as well as a human-turned-into-Shinma whose soul is trapped inside of a gigantic samurai armor, managing to seal Larva inside of a wall. Miyu believed that Lemures wanted to target her to become leader of the shinma, so with Himiko's help she faced him. However Larva broke Lemures's spell when Miyu was injured by Lemures's puppet shinma, then he stayed true to Miyu. Instead of banishing Lemures to "The Darkness," Miyu killed him with fire as a punishment for harming Larva.

Anime Shinma List

The following Shinma are from the anime series:

Ga-Ryu

Translated as "Fang-dragon". Ga-Ryu (神魔・牙龍) is a giant lizard-like Shinma that disguised itself as a pet chameleon to Miyu's school teacher Maiko Yanagihara and was exploring her weakness and desire or revenge against the tantalizing pranksters, taking advantage to feed on a few girls during the process. It has a very long, prehensile tongue with a leech-like sucker at the end, which it uses to drain the blood of prey much like vampires do. Confronted by the Guardian and her companions in open combat. In spite of its boasts, Ga-Ryu was cut into two halves by Larva and ultimately returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu's flame.

Ro-Sha

Translated as "Luxurious Tamperer", Ro-Sha (神魔・弄奢) is a strange-looking coat Shinma with scissor-like blades for hands. It can also change his arms to constrict with its sleeves. It disguised itself as a blond-haired young man to entice young women to a location where they are transformed into mannequins. He seems to be an acquaintance to Larva. He is returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

Kamen

A Shinma mask that haa been possessing people. Its true form has an unreal body. Larva had fought it while he was in Europe years ago and now it has resurfaced. When battling it, Miyu's flame attack couldn't penetrate it. Larva uses his lance to break the mask. Its main purpose seems to be to prevent the destruction of "his" forests.

En-Jyu

Translated as "Charming Confucion," En-Jyu (神魔・艶儒) is a green-haired, three-horned aquatic Shinma in a straw hat that has three eel-like tails instead of legs. She can perform water attacks. Disguised as a woman during the Shōwa period, En-Jyu turned people passing through the mountains into animals. Miyu stayed at her house alongside Reiha until her identity was revealed. With a little bit of help from Reiha, En-Jyu is returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

NOTE: She was inspired after the Chinese myth Sanjoushi of Hankyo, a mountain yokai who turns travelers in animals. Miyu makes a reference to Sanjoushi.

Gen-Eh

Translated as "Confuse Shadow," Gen-Eh is a shadow woman Shinma who possessed the college teacher Oshima Youichi and through him swallows people to Oshima's film. Larva's powers don't have any effect on Gen-Eh. When Miyu and Larva entered the movie, Gen-Eh had the advantage there. Miyu used her flame attack to take out the lights there then returned Gen-Eh to "The Darkness."

Ho-Jyo

Translated as "Imitater Alike," Ho-Jyo (神魔・倣如) is a shapeshifting mirror-headed Shinma in a kimono who impersonated Miyu. He caused various attacks which caused Reiha to think Miyu was doing them. When it came to attacking Chisato, the real Miyu appeared. Reiha froze the fake one and Ho-Jyo's true form was revealed. It took the form of Larva until Shiina identified the fake one. Larva sliced Ho-Jyo's head in half and Miyu returned it to "The Darkness."

Cho-Jyu

Translated as "Trampling Beast," Cho-Jyu (神魔・跳獣) is an undead dog Shinma that took the form of a dog. He can stretch his neck to attack. He approaches the psychic girl Kayo and her brother Kiyoshi where he manipulated Kiyoshi to kill Miyu. After Reiha froze Kiyoshi, Cho-Jyu shedded his disguise and knocked the frozen boy off the building to his death. Returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

Kyo-Koh

Translated as "Sound Knock," Kyo-Koh (神魔・響敲) is a horse-headed Shinma with disconnected hands whose torso is on a piano-shaped body. He can launch his fists in battle. He hides under the human form of the popular promoter Takashi Kashiwabara to find shy lacking-in-talent girls to fulfill their dreams of become a pop star. In the other hand, he sucks their vital energy through a pair of red shoes until they die. When confronted by Miyu and Larva, Kyo-Koh shed his disguise and tried to use his victim Miho as a shield until Shiina broke the spell. Larva slashed his legs and Kyo-Koh was returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu. Kyo-Koh technically wins though since Miho is unable to take off the red shoes following his return to "The Darkness."

Han-Ki

Translated as "Spot Shine," Han-Ki (神魔・班輝) is a Bakeneko-like Shinma who disguised itself as a cat to lure couples and then drive them to destruction, insanity, and finally death. He also wields a cross-like weapon and attacks with its claws. When it came to his latest victims, Miyu, Shiina, and Larva confronted him and Han-Ki shed its disguise. Larva took him down easily and Han-Ki is returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

Ja-Ka

Translated as "Snake Flower," Ja-Ka (神魔・蛇華) is a shinma with a long snake tail instead of legs. She gets power from the snakes that attacked people in the swamp and even launch them as an attack. A guardian spirit in the swamp who took the shape of a boy was protecting the seal that kept her imprisoned for ages until Miyu interfered. Reiha also wanted to destroy the boy-spirit thinking that he was a Shinma, but found it better not to provoke Miyu this time. When Ja-Ka was freed, she unleashed her snakes on the boy until Miyu burned them. Ja-Ka constricted Miyu and the boy with her tail until Larva saved them and Ja-Ka was returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

NOTE: She is probably inspired in the Buddhist myth of Naga, a race of supernatural beings who can shape shift between a human and a snake or are half-human half-snake.

Oh-Shu

Translated as "Yellow Embroidery," Oh-Shu (神魔・黄繍) is a bird-footed Shinma woman in an emotionless mask with hair in the shape of bird wings and a bird's tail. She can use her hair and the bandages on her legs to constrict. She hides under the form of a female surgeon who saves the life of the former Yakuza hitman Ryuji and re-builds his face (through psychic surgery) after his failed assassination attempt on an organized crime lord. However, she controls Ryuji to kill people who she believes to be the scum of humanity (including the crime lord that shot him). When confronted by Miyu and Larva, she had Miyu bound until Reiha arrived and froze her hair and bandages. Oh-Shu broke them free and constricted Reiha. Miyu freed her and burned Oh-Shu's face followed by Oh-Shu being returned to "The Darkness" causing her psychic surgery on Ryuji to be slowly undone.

Ko-Jyoh

Translated as "Jeweled Utensil Wash," Ko-Jyoh (神魔・琥滌) is a tree-like witch Shinma. She can constrict with her branches and launch her branches. In the form of a beautiful flower-loving woman, she takes the life forces of cats and places them in her flowers to keep her company. When Maki was looking for his cat, he encountered Ko-Jyoh in her human disguise. After draining the lifeforce of his cat, she sheds her disguise and constricted him until Miyu arrived and burned the flowers. Larva sliced off her right hand and Ko-Jyoh is returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

Ryu

Ryu (神魔・梁) is a Kabuki actor-faced Shinma with a crane wing on each of his lower back legs. He uses his wings to fly. He can also shoot an endless stream of feathers and perform wind attacks. He was infected by the spirit-infested Death Crystal from Garline and fought Miyu and Larva where he escaped. He took the form of a man and was taken in by the Shinma Nami disguised as a woman to be treated for his injuries. When Miyu, Reiha, and Matsukaze caught up with them, Nami put up a barrier and fought alongside him in battle. Miyu managed to spare them at the time being after Nami became infected with the Death Crystal and collapsed. Upon arriving at Ryu's village with Miyu, Nami put up a barrier and Ryu used his wind attack to break Barrow's horse. Once the Death Crystal was destroyed, Ryu and Nami were free from it and were frozen by Reiha who claimed that she helped them with their destiny. After Reiha left, Miyu returned them to "The Darkness."

Nami

Nami (神魔・那海) is a Shinma with moth wing-shaped hair. She uses barrier attacks and has been known to feed off the energies of the men with whom she worked with. She appeared in the form of a woman who finds Ryu injured. When Miyu, Reiha, and Matsukaze caught up with them, Nami put up a barrier and fought alongside Ryu in battle. After blocking Reiha's attacks and trying to bide their time until Miyu would allow Ryu to return to his town, Nami collapsed due to the Death Crystal infection she had gotten from touching Ryu's Death Crystal wound and the barrier was lifted. Miyu and Reiha managed to spare them for the time being. Upon arriving with Miyu at Ryu's village, Nami put up a barrier in battle against Barrow. She encouraged Miyu to take down Garline. Once the Death Crystal was destroyed, she and Ryu were free from it and were frozen by Reiha who claimed that she helped them with their destiny. After Reiha left, Miyu returned them to "The Darkness."

Barrow

Barrow (バロウ) is a knight Western Shinma that rides on a skeletal horse who works for Garline. He wields a sword in battle and is immune to Miyu's fire attack. He encounters Larva who fought him until Lilith arrived. He attacked Miyu, Reiha, and Matsukaze at Ryu's village as part of Garline's revenge by having Barrow kill the local shinma. Nami put up a barrier in battle against him. When Barrow was about to attack Miyu, Ryu broke his skeletal horse with his wind attack and Reiha froze Barrow with her attack.

Lilith

Lilith (リリス) is a skeleton Western Shinma working for Garline. She arrived with Garline and Barrow to obtain Larva and bring him back to the west. As Larva was battling Barrow, Lilith appeared and used her ocarina to weaken Larva making him easy to capture. When Miyu encountered her, Lilith used her ocarina to weaken Miyu until Shiina revealed that she was "made like Papier-mâché." Miyu then used her fire attack on Lilith reducing her to a skeleton and Lilith disintegrated.

Garline

Garline (ガーリンネ) is a Western Shinma who wields a sword with a blade made from the Death Crystal. He arrived in Japan on his ghost ship with his servants Lilith and Barrow in a plot to obtain Larva and bring him back to the west. He and his followers were responsible for placing the Death Crystal on Ryu and sent him to attack Miyu. He is an old friend of Larva and vowed to destroy Japan's Shinma for tying Larva to Japan. After defeating Barrow and Lilith, Miyu confronted Garline and fought him until Larva woke up and impaled Garline with his nails killing him. Thus, Garline's body turned to sand, his ghost ship burned, and the Death Crystal was destroyed.

Rin-Koh

Translated as "Scales Threat," Rin-Koh (神魔・鱗劫) is a fish Shinma that appeared in the form of a mermaid in an aquarium. It shared its dream with Toshiro. When Toshiro tries to rescue it and return it to the ocean, she ate him. Larva shattered the tank upon Miyu's arrival. Rin-Koh sheds its disguise and was quickly defeated by Larva. Thus, Miyu returned Rin-Koh to "The Darkness."

Koh-Waku

Translated as "Crimson Confuse," Koh-Waku (神魔・紅惑) is a Chinese ogre-like Shinma in Chinese armor with sword blades for hands that is responsible for eating Yui-Li's loved ones and their sorrows. He can take the form of those that he has devoured (mainly Yui-Li's lover Yang) as well as having psychic powers and the ability to create shadow clones of Yui-Li's loved ones. She has been pursuing it for a while and finally encounters him in Japan where she runs afoul of Miyu and Larva. When Yui-Li encountered it on a boat on the night of the New Moon, Koh-Waku used his Shadow Clones of Yui-Li's family on her until Miyu and Larva appeared. Koh-Waku sheds his disguise after an attack from Yui-Li and Larva. With Miyu's help, Yui-Li killed Koh-Waku with a combination of her sai and Chinese Sealing Paper.

NOTE: He is probably based on the Chinese myth of the Chinese vampire Kyon-Shee.

Ayu

Translated as "Subordinate Healing," Ayu (神魔・亜癒) is a hedgehog-like Shinma that appeared in the form of Mayumi Takahashi. She can launch quills from her hair and launch her claws. She happened to have known Miyu for some time and has been living with a man named Kyoichi Yaguchi while working at a gas station. When she accidentally killed Yaguchi's wife, she and Yaguchi fled. Miyu caught up with them at a beach with hopes of returning Mayumi to "The Darkness." Since Yaguchi doesn't want to lose her, Mayumi ended up fighting Miyu and Mayumi's true form of Ayu is revealed. Larva appeared to protect Miyu from Ayu's quill attack and Miyu told him not to interfere after Ayu's attack. Miyu eventually returned Ayu to "The Darkness" as Ayu says goodbye to Yaguchi.

Moh-Chi

Translated as "Delusion Spider," Moh-Chi is a Jorōgumo/drider-like Shinma who hides under the form of a woman. She lures the architect of a Buddhist temple named Yasuhiko Tachiki (who married that woman) to make a home to her spider children, making him believe he has a perfect life with family and a good job. She also hijacks some buildings of the city to be put in the town the architect is working on. Miyu attacked her in her own home and Moh-Chi sheds her disguise. Miyu easily defeated her and sent her back to "The Darkness."

Kai-Rai

Translated as "Large Defeat," Kai-Rai (神魔・傀儡) is a doll-manipulating Shinma who disguises in the shape of a giant doll with Bishōnen appearance, and then lures innocent women to be his lovers. His true form however looks like a marionette with a more demonic and repulsive aspect than charming. Returned to "The Darkness" by Miyu.

Maji-Kan

Translated as "Wriggle Wickedness," Maji-Kan is a caterpillar-like Shinma who hides inside the head of a girl called Ruri Sone and feeds her insane obsession for her father Hiroshi to the point of making her kill her own mother and lure her father by the shape a beautiful butterfly-like fairy named Moru. When Miyu expels the Shinma from Ruri's head, it turns out that the feeding was so big that it became a huge monster. Miyu returned it to "The Darkness," but Hiroshi followed "Moru" into the fire.

Genzo

Translated as "Phantom Child," Genzo (幻児) is an eyepatch-wearing Shinma who wields a Kusarigama in battle. He is the brother of Genta and Genji and the youngest of the three. They attacked a town and killed some of its villagers. They wanted the village chief's daughter Sato for their bride. When they came to the town the next day to claim Sato, they encountered Miyu and Reiha. Genzo used his chain to wrap Miyu's arm. When Larva didn't come, Reiha used her ice attack on Genzo. Miyu sent her fire attack along Genzo's chain and Genzo ended up returned to "The Darkness."

Genji

Translated as "Phantom Statue," Genji (幻像) is a Shinma with a cannon for a right arm. He is the brother of Genta and Genzo. They attacked a town and killed some of its villagers. They wanted the village chief's daughter named Sato for their bride. When they came to the town the next day to claim Sato, they encountered Miyu and Reiha. After Genzo's defeat, Genji used his cannon arm to attack houses and caused a massacre. Miyu and Reiha combined their attacks only for it to be blocked by Genta. After that, Genji wanted to claim Sato for the bride of the dead and Sato's father blocked Genji's attack. Miyu managed to avenge him by sending Genji to "The Darkness."

Genta

Translated as "Phantom Scour," Genta (幻太) is a Shinma who wields a flag that embeds his soul and the souls of his brothers Genji and Genzo of whom he is the oldest of the three. They attacked a town and killed some of its villagers. They wanted the village chief's daughter Sato for their bride. When they came to the town the next day to claim Sato, they encountered Miyu and Reiha. Genta protected Genji with his flag deverting Miyu and Reiha's combined attack. With both his brothers dead and the villagers frozen by Reiha after Sato was accidentally killed by one of them, Genta and Miyu engaged in battle. Genta ended up impaled by his own flag that was blown out of his hands by Reiha's blizzard attack and Miyu returned him to "The Darkness."

Tonbi

Tonbi (神魔・トンビ) is a kite Shinma responsible for killing Miyu's father when she was young. He was the first Shinma that Miyu fought during the Taishō period. When Reiha's father and his Shinma protector group were performing a ceremony on Miyu for her to be the next guardian, Tonbi (in the guise of a man named Black Kite) and his killers managed to kill the protectors including Reiha's father. Tonbi himself had killed Miyu's mother, but Miyu herself managed to dispose of him by sending him to "The Darkness."

Unnamed Stray Shinma

A Shinma in the form of a salaryman who was frozen by Reiha in the beginning of the episode. His true form and his powers are unknown.

Unnamed Shinma

A green reptile-like Shinma. After her father was killed by Tonbi, Reiha and Matsukaze stumbled upon this Shinma feasting on some animal until he noticed them. When he started to attack, Reiha's ice powers kicked in and froze this Shinma.

Hiyoku

Translated as "Compare Wings," Hiyoku is a red bird Shinma with a sword blade for a right hand. He appears in the form of Tokiya Inoue and learns from a golden bird that he is a Shinma of the Bird Tribe. He gained a tattoo of the tribe from that bird. He returned to Chisato's home just to get to Miyu and kill her. When his tattoo became known to Miyu and Larva, he transformed into his Shinma form. Miyu used her flame attack on Hiyoku who reverted to Tokiya before perishing/returning to "The Darkness." Unbeknownst to Miyu and Larva, he left behind a strange blade for Chisato. It was later mentioned by the Shinma Shidon that Hiyoku was just a diversion so that the strongest Shinma opponent for Miyu would finally awaken.

Shidon

Translated as "Beak Covet," Shidon (神魔・嘴貪) is a Bird Shinma with sword blades on his wrists. He can shoot an endless stream of feathers and emit shockwaves as well as more basic characteristics including unrivaled strength and speed, ability to fly, and create illusions. He appeared in the form of a street vendor and the charms that Chisato bought from him prevented Miyu from learning his identity. Upon an attempt on Yukari's life, his identity was known to Miyu. Shidon sheds his disguise and ended up fighting Miyu and Larva as Yukari fled only for her to end up killed by Chisato. Shidon then told Miyu that the Bird Tribe has been after her for a while. Larva remained and fought a progressively losing battle against him while Miyu left to fight Chisato. While Larva was struggling for survival while finding out why the Bird Shinma are after Miyu, Shidon summoned more Bird Shinma to assist him. Before being completely and utterly defeated and subsequently slain, Larva managed to tap into Miyu's fire attack as a last-ditch emergency and use it to return the shocked Shidon and his Bird Shinma followers to "The Darkness" before he could react to this new development.

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