Bride of Deimos falls into one of my favorite anime` sub-genres that I never knew existed: shoujo horror. The only other example that I know of is Vampire Knight which was often compromised by Yuki’s senseless actions and spacing out in the midst of danger. Here, Minako cuts a much better form.
Bride of Deimos is a movie from 1987, and it holds up well for its age. The animation style is a bit static in several places, relying on the pan/zoom techniques, and while the music is of the late 80’s dark-synth goth variety, overall, it’s done well. Some movies lose their lustre as they age; others hold on to it; BOD falls into the latter category. The vibe here is timeless, wronged innocence, and squeamish horror. (Yes, it actually does work.)
You’ll suspect the ending probably within ten minutes, but the ride is still worthwhile. The setup is that Minako has a friend, Hisamatsu, who is an amateur botanist. He’s entered the Grand Prix for botany and wants to discover more about Ohba Tohko, who takes the prize every year. Even Minako is fascinated by the Snow Goddess, a stunningly beautiful, albeit cold, orchid of hers.
Hisamatsu looks up Ohba Tohko and then disappears. Minako is the last one to see him alive, so she goes to Tohko’s as well. Deimos appears and states that she will be his bride. She escapes him with a powerful purse-to-the-cheek maneuver and runs to the mansion despite his warnings. There she discovers Hisamatsu’s notebook. She returns with the chief of police, and through repeated visits, unfurls the horrific secrets of the prize-winning orchids. At the end, Deimos gives a fittingly morbid summary and then vows to return for Minako.
Bride of Deimos is effective because it’s consistent. No element is out of place; everything works together, layering one stone upon another, in a crypt of fear. You don’t have to give the plot a pass in too many places, and those that you do are pretty standard. It sticks with you, from the eerie synths to the tortured Deimos to the even-still-more-tortured Minako. Impressively, BOD achieves this without a single profanity or risque scene. As it’s horror, there is blood, and semi-gory scenes, but they are not particularly graphic. BOD doesn’t need gore to send chills up your spine.
However, the movie leaves a lot of questions if you don’t know the backstory. Bride of Deimos is a movie adaption of a particular manga episode from a long-running manga series by the same name. The manga ran from the ’70’s into the 80’s. For a good explanation, see Jason Thompson’s House of a 1000 anime` (warning: profanity).
It’s haunting.
Grab it at the torrent hole of your choice, and thank Bluefixer subs for this if you have the chance. (For some reason, BOD is not listed on their blog.)
From what I remember, Vampire Princess Miyu is similar and “Shoujo Horror”
It is also fairly obscure to modern audiences, perhaps you should check it out