Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Insomniacs After School is a beautiful and moving slice-of-life anime series. Created by Makoto Ojiro, Insomniacs After School is a unique and creative anime series with a compelling artistic voice and storytelling approach. The series features animation by LIDEN FILMS (Blade of the Immortal, Poco's Udon World). The theme music is performed by AIKO (opening) and Homecomings (ending). The voice cast includes Konomi Tamura and Gen Sato.

Isaki Magari (Konomi Tamura) is an insomniac who finds a perfect getaway for nap-time in the school observatory. The observatory was built for the (now-defunct) Astronomy Club but it’s a room with a dual purpose for those in need – naps await! Ganta Nakami (Gen Sato) is a fellow insomniac who stumbles upon meeting Magari and her slumbering self.

When the two insomniacs meet and become close with one another, unexpected friendship begins. Magari invites Nakami to stay in the observatory with her for nap time. Could the friendship lead to romance? As the two insomniacs enjoy their time in the observatory, the school steps in the way as the observatory is not supposed to be used as a place for naptime – now it’s up to these insomniacs to re-open the Astronomy Club and perhaps work on their insomnia in the process!

One of the things that sets Insomniacs After School apart from other anime series is the fantastic cast of characters. The two central protagonists on the series are both great leads. The characters are smart, charming, and relatable. Who doesn’t love to nap? The characters feel genuine and that makes a big difference. These types of relatable characters can sometimes be found in slice-of-life anime series such as this one and that is wonderful to see as part of the series DNA.

The character designs by Yuki Fukuda (Plunderer, Mieruko-chan) are exceptional. The character designs are ambitious and creative. The characters feel like real characters on the series with their compelling designs rather than simply feeling like caricatures. The designs add a sense of dramatic realism and creativity at the same time.

The animation is one of the most essential and compelling elements of the production. The series has fantastic animation. The series features art direction by Tatsurō Ōnishi (Platinum End, Zombie Land Saga Revenge). The series art style is exceptional and there is so much to appreciate about the evocative and colorful animation. The art style highlights the beauty of the outdoors and the night skies. The animation exudes confidence and a sense of creativity that is a perfect fit for the slice-of-life style of storytelling. The animators brought their A- game to the production and the subtle intricacies of the artwork adds something significant to the story.

The score composed by Yuki Hayashi (My Hero Academia, Pokémon: To Be a Pokémon Master) is an engaging highlight of the series, too. Hayashi is a talented composer who has a knack for creating an energetic and fun score. For Insomniacs After School, the composer explores the characters and the journey they go on in a dramatic way. The music fits the series tone and it works well to build on the concept explored on the series.

The cinematography by Megumi Himeno (Midnight Occult Civil Servants, Vampire Dormitory) is lush and serene. The visuals aid the series in significant ways. The cinematography is one of the great strengths highlighted by the series. The cinematography helps to bring out the best in the animation and to make everything shine.

Written by Rintarou Ikeda (The Banished Former Hero Lives as He Pleases, Magical Sempai), Insomniacs After School is a series with a great voice. The storytelling is charming and heartfelt. The scripting adds emotional weight to the series. Ikeda is a talented scriptwriter and the series manages to highlight the wonderful cast of characters – something that adds a great deal to the series.

Directed by Yuki Ikeda (Layton Mystery Tanteisha: Katori no Nazotoki File, Arad Senki), Insomniacs After School is a compelling and heartfelt series wearing its heart on its sleeve. There is a real sense of charm with the series. The storytelling is told in a beautiful way and the director highlights the characters in a believable and moving way. The emotional gravitas is heightened by the directing and the style of the storytelling evoked by Ikeda. These elements help to set Insomniacs After School apart from other anime series. Audiences can expect to find something a little bit different from the norm with this slice-of-life series and it certainly isn’t about flashy action scenes or spectacle – it’s the quiet moments between these characters that carries the series. The sublime wonders of living in the moment and what the characters go through together. Fans of the slice-of-life genre with appreciate these qualities.

Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, Insomniacs After School is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation is exceptional on the release. The presentation showcases the animation at its finest with great color reproduction and overall clarity on the encoding. The background art looks so warm and inviting – the night skies look terrific and far more visually immersive than even expected. Colors are beautiful. The artistry is well showcased on the release with such a stunning and clear presentation.

The Blu-ray release provides a strong encode that is superior to streaming. One of the great things in owning a Blu-ray disc is knowing that you have a top-notch presentation – with the format besting streaming video services. Streaming offers video with more compression and physical media has superior encoding and higher bit-rates. The result? An even greater presentation on physical media, something to be appreciated by viewers and especially those with quality home theaters. For home theater enthusiasts who have high-end gear worth thousands, streaming simply can't compare to the joy of a physical disc with top-notch video quality.

Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). Insomniacs After School sounds crisp and clear on the release. Dialogue is exceptionally well reproduced too. The score sounds warm and inviting during the presentation. The lossless clarity capably handles the soundtrack and soundstage.

The sound direction by Satoshi Motoyama (The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, Bibliophile Princess) makes a mark. Please note that there is no English dubbed option provided on the release and the release is limited to the original Japanese language version. The English subtitles provided on the release are impressive and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Physical media rewards audiophiles with superior audio quality. Streaming video services only have lossy (non-lossless) audio on all streaming video platforms. For audiophiles seeking the absolute best possible sound quality for their home theater, Blu-ray disc provides the best option with crisper sounding audio and a more immersive soundstage.

Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release ships in a standard Blu-ray case. The release does not come with an o-card slipcover. The release doesn't come with a digital copy. There are no pack-ins or extras added to the package.

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:31)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:31)

Unfortunately, these standard bonus feature offerings don't add much value to the package. The release could have benefited by adding some additional supplemental features. The inclusion of some audio commentaries, making-of featurettes, behind-the-scenes, and cast/crew interviews would have certainly added something special to the release. Even some photo galleries or art galleries may have significantly bolstered the supplemental package and made it more appealing.

Insomniacs After School: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Insomniacs After School is a creative and engaging anime with a compelling cast of characters. The cast of characters add to the storytelling. There is a great sense of dramatic depth and the series has a fun slice-of-life atmosphere.

The animation is outstanding and is such a joy to experience. The beautiful outdoor scenes (with the stunning night sky) make the series look all the more visually compelling. The Blu-ray release provides an excellent high-definition presentation and lossless audio. Fans of the series should consider adding the release to their Blu-ray collection. Recommended.