Iria: Zeiram the Animation is a six episode anime series focusing on the character Iria and her battles against Zeiram. Iria also appears in the live-action movies, Zeiram and Zeiram II. The animation takes place years before either of these movies, and concentrates on how she became a full-fledged bounty hunter when she first encountered Zeiram.

In contrast to many other female lead characters in anime Iria is older and more developed, not at all the normal kawaii superhero.

The story begins with Iria as an apprentice hunter to her brother, Gren, a veteran bounty hunter, and his partner Bob, another bounty hunter. Their first encounter with the criminal Zeiram occurs in the opening minutes of the story. Gren disappears and Bob is very badly wounded during this encounter with the monster Zeiram. Intrigue develops as Iria finds that the government is trying to cover up the incident, and Zeiram itself is tracking her down. During this time Iria is trying to become a licensed bounty hunter and find what became of her brother. The story shifts and adds a few comic orphans to the mix along with the return of Bob. However having been wounded by Zeiram and then betrayed by the government of Myce, Bob's personality has been inserted into a computer and he is without physical form.

The second story contains the showdown between a more experienced Iria and the powerful Zeiram on her home planet. A huge battle, involving the military and smaller monsters summoned by Zeiram, occurs while Iria finds out what happened to her brother and confronts Zeiram.

Iria was turned into a Japan-only platform-cum-puzzle (of the doors leading to other places kind, as Shinobi 1 for the Sega Megadrive) for the Super Nintendo called Hyper Iria.

- From Wikipedia