Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is a solid and charming comedy-fantasy anime. Created by toufu, Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero features theme song performances by MADKID (opening) and Nenne (ending). Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero highlights animation production by BLADE (The Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody, The Maid I Hired Recently Is Mysterious) and SILVER LINK. (Alice in Borderland, Brave Witches). Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero also features voice-performances by Yūichi Nakamura and Naomi Ōzora in the leading roles.

Max (Yūichi Nakamura) defeated the villainous Demon Lord (Naomi Ōzora) a decade ago and the epic showdown was one for the history books. Defeated by Max, the Demon Lord must slumber for his powers to reawaken. Yet the lengthy period of sleep by the Demon Lord didn’t quite lead to the “showstopping” results that the Demon Lord was hoping for. Rather, the Demon Lord awakens unexpectedly as a Chibi version of his former self.

Now a tiny little Chibi Demon Lord pays a nice visit to his former rival. As it turns out, Max is now living a similarly downtrodden lifestyle as an overweight, broke, and alone “hero” living in a small one-bedroom apartment. The Demon Lord decides it might be worth moving in with Max to see if the two can regain their former statuses and become worthwhile opponents one day once more.

The character dynamics between Max and the Demon Lord are where the heart of the anime series resides. Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is all about exploring the dynamics between these characters. Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero emphasizes the protagonists and their epic misadventures. The characters were once formidable foes and as opponents there was a clear power-dynamic between the two warring sides.

As the reincarnation element comes into play and the chibi style aesthetic is at hand, the comedic sensibilities of the anime come into focus more. These comedic sensibilities showcase the dynamic between the characters and their respective roles in the production. Max and Demon Lord are both fun and charming characters. There is plenty to appreciate about these protagonists and their role in the series.

The character designs by Yoshihiro Watanabe (Gods' Games We Play, Iwa-Kakeru! -Sport Climbing Girls-) are well-done. The designs by Watanabe are some of the more impressive elements on display. These aesthetic qualities are undeniably a big part of the production. The chibi style and more comedic art sensibilities explored in the reincarnated realm add to the production. Watanabe did a great job in highlighting the comedic backbone of the anime.

The animation in Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is another impressive aspect of the series and its production quality. Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero features art direction by Akiko Kikuchi (Girly Air Force, Tawawa on Monday). The art direction is essential to the series. There is so much of note regarding the art style and its balance of comedy and fantasy.

The cinematography by Hideki Eto (A Couple of Cuckoos, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!) is another strength of the production. Eto is a talented cinematographer and someone with an impressive understanding of the visual language of the series. The cinematography showcases the bright and colorful animation. The bright and colorful animation is enjoyable and a nice break from bleaker and more gothic style anime productions. Fans of lighter, colorful, and charming light anime will appreciate the animation style on display through the artistic cinematography.

The score composed by R.O.N (FLCL Progressive, I Was Reincarnated as the 7th Prince) is entertaining and adds to the series charm. Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero features a fun and lighthearted score. The music is certainly something charming and there is plenty to appreciate about the score. Engaging fun for the comedy. Well-done.

Written by Toshiya Ono (Land of the Lustrous, The Promised Neverland), Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is a funny and charming anime. Fans of goofy and offbeat anime series with a quirkier element will find something to enjoy. Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is not a series to be taken too seriously. The silly and over-the-top nature of the anime is something that will appeal to anime fans looking for something light and charming for a laidback afternoon.

Directed by Keisuke Inoue (My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya), Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is well-directed. Inoue is a talented director. Impressive style and charm are on display with Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero. The anime manages to create something special for comedy fans and fantasy fans. Those audiences with an appreciation for the quirky and offbeat anime series out there will find something more unique and memorable.

Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero 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 impressive in spades. The crisp and colorful animation looks remarkably bright and bold on the release. Background animation and line art are well reproduced. The series aesthetic is impressive and certainly manages to bring out the best in the production. The animators did a good job with the production and there is plenty to appreciate with regards to the encode quality by Sentai Filmworks.

One of the strengths of the physical media format is the superior encoding. While streaming video services can be a decent enough method of discovery for audiences looking to sample a series first before buying, physical media still offers a distinct advantage with superior video encoding when compared to streaming. Streaming video services tend to offer lower video bit-rates and Blu-ray provides superior encoding quality for home theater enthusiasts seeking to eek out the best possible presentation available.

Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The lossless audio highlights the sound direction by Toshiki Kameyama (Ground Control to Psychoelectric Girl, Tokyo Mew Mew New). The lossless audio encoding is one of the nice features of the series audio presentation. The audio is impressive in spades. The original Japanese language audio sounds crystal clear, vibrant, and crisp overall. Dialogue is well reproduced. The score is a nice highlight of the release.

Enthusiasts seeking the best possible soundstage will be pleased with the audio presentation quality. The lossless audio presentation quality is something that certainly makes a nice addition to the set. Streaming video services only provide lossy (non-lossless) audio quality. For home theater enthusiasts seeking the best possible audio quality, the lossless encoding provides a distinct advantage for those fans seeking the eek out the best in their home theater equipment.

Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

The one area of the release that is underwhelming is the lackluster supplemental package. The only extras are the clean opening/closing animations. A more in-depth extras package might have been appreciated by fans of the series. The inclusion of audio commentaries, behind-the- scenes, making of featurettes, cast/crew interviews, art galleries, photo galleries, and more could have made a difference between a pass and a purchase for some fans. When fans have to weigh the pros and cons of making a purchase sometimes a nice extras package is the main thing to sway certain potential customers in one direction over another. With an average of lackluster supplemental assortment, the release is a lot more underwhelming.

Level 1: Demon Lord & One Room Hero - Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Level 1 Demon Lord & One Room Hero is an entertaining and quirky comedy-fantasy. The series has a fun cast of characters. The dynamic between Max and the Demon Lord makes the series more entertaining for fans of offbeat comedy series. The change of pace from mortal enemies to roommates makes the series more intriguing. The Blu-ray release provides a quality high-definition presentation and lossless audio encoding. The only downside to the release is a lackluster supplemental package. Nonetheless, series fans hoping to own a permanent copy for their physical media collection will want to consider purchasing the set. Recommended.