[BEFORE anyone gets at me for using a question mark after 'ka', I know, but that's how it's styled. It means 'Is this a zombie?']

This is a romance series. I’ll get that out of the way now. It’s also fantasy and magical girl (well… If you watch it you’ll find out), and could probably also be stretched to harem and comedy, so if you don’t like any of these, this won’t be for you. It can also be a little ecchi, especially the twelfth episode which is fanservice through and through.

This amazing anime series, based on the light novel series of the same name, aired between January and March this year, and was made by Studio DEEN (they made Higurashi, amongst other things). If you were lucky enough to catch the simulcast over on Crunchyroll, good for you . If you haven’t, depending on where you are, they might still have the episodes up.

Besides the main male character, the great majority of characters that crop up are female.

Front L-R: Ayumu, Eu. Back L-R: Haruna, Sera

Ayumu Aikawa is the main male character and one of only two important male characters. He is a zombie. Killed before the start of the series, he was resurrected by one of the main female characters, Eucliwood Hellscythe. He’s a bit of a pervert, as shown in episode 12 where his dirty thoughts manifest themselves in every single female character, as well as a few male characters, winding up in rather revealing bikinis (I told you it was a fanservice episode). Being a zombie, he is effectively immortal, though weak to fire. He also tends to dry out in the sun.

Eucliwood HellScythe, or Eu, is a necromancer. A very powerful necromancer, in fact. She is touted as being the most powerful necromancer in existence. Indeed, her magic is so strong she has to keep her emotions under control. She cannot speak out of fear of causing damage (she can kill someone simply by saying ‘Die’), and wears armour at all times. It’s hinted that she has feelings for Ayumu, but it’s never explored in the anime.

Haruna is a masou-shoujo (meaning ‘magically ornamented girl’, it’s a pun on mahou-shoujo, or ‘magical girl’) who accidentally transfers a large of her power into Ayumu the first time they meet, forcing him to become a masou-shoujo as well (cue hilarity). She is well known for her dropkick attack that starts off properly but winds up with a chainsaw to the head. Oh yeah, she wields a chainsaw. Again, it’s hinted that she has feelings for Ayumu.

Seraphim, or ‘Sera’ for short, is a… ‘well endowed’ vampire ninja. Being a vampire, she can sprout a pair of bat wings in order to fly. Being a ninja, she is very quick and very good with a sword. Initially, she hates Ayumu, calling him a ‘piece of s***’, but as is usual with harem series, she ends up with feelings for Ayumu. Since she is a vampire, she does require blood, but not a huge amount.

Last but not least is Sarasvati. Sera’s superior, she is also a vampire ninja. She falls in love with Ayumu as soon as she sees his backside, and proclaims herself his wife, much to Ayumu’s chagrin. She is a major character in the light novels and the manga. In the anime, while not being as important as the above, she is still a major character.

Ayumu in his masou-shoujo transformation

I absolutely loved this series (I’m currently watching it through for the second time). In addition to the brilliant voice cast, the music is incredible. There is one particular piece, that you can listen to here, that I adore. It plays during the sweet/cute/love moments, such as when Eu runs away and Ayumu finds her where they first met. It has, and still does, bring several tears to my eyes.