Hell Girl: Butterfly, Volume One

Wronged by a classmate? Vengeance is only a matter of visiting the Hell Girl website at midnight and entering your tormentor's name…but is it worth the price? The five stories compiled on this initial volume suffer a bit from being fairly formulaic: after being made miserable beyond the point of endurance, someone summons Hell Girl to carry the perpetrator to Hell, but at a cost of eternal damnation for summoners, who must enter Hell at the end of their own lives. In each case, the guilty parties are confronted by Hell Girl, and after denying any wrongdoing are still carried away, while the original victim continues their happier but now-doomed life. The background of Hell Girl, who dresses alternately in a school uniform and kimono, is unclear, but will no doubt be fleshed out in later volumes; for now, these stories with their dark palette and somber themes set the stage for this series that thematically bears some resemblance to the likes of Vampire Princess Miyu and Pet Shop of Horrors. Presented on a dual-language disc, rated TV-MA, DVD extras include promotional and behind-the-scenes featurettes, as well as character bios. A strong optional purchase. [Note: Hell Girl, Vol. 2 is also available, with Vol. 3 slated for release on Jan. 15, and Vol. 4 debuting on Feb. 26.] Aud: P. (L. Martincik)