The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is an engaging comedy-fantasy series. Based on the Japanese light novel series created by Tōru Toba, The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt features original character designs by Falmaro. The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt features theme song music performed by Nagi Yanagi (opening), THE SIXTH LIE (opening), and Yoshino Nanjō (ending). The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt first broadcast on Tokyo MX, BS NTV, and AT-X. The original Japanese television broadcast run was from January 11^th, 2022 to March 29^th, 2022.

The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is by producers Akihiko Okada (Restaurant to Another World, The Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess), Fumitaka Kitazawa (Battle Game in 5 Seconds, Midnight Occult Civil Servants), Hajime Maruyama (Demon King Daimao, The Eminence in Shadow), Keisuke Fukunaga (Tawawa on Monday, Just Because!), Kentarō Kai (Izetta: The Last Witch, Tamayura – Hitotose), Naruki Fukaya (Luminous Witches, Yuri Is My Job!), and Noriyuki Akita (Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Otaku Elf). The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt features animation production by Yokohama Animation Lab (The Kingdoms of Ruin, Sword of the Demon Hunter). The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt includes voice-performances by Sōma Saitō and Rie Takahashi.

Wein (Sōma Saitō) is a prince with a lot on his mind. Even so, Prince Wein wants nothing more than to chill, sit back, and relax for the rest of his merry days. Wein might be considered a genius but Prince Wein is laidback in most respects and he wants nothing more than to retire someday soon. Tired of everything, Wein wants to put ruling on the backburner and find bliss in a life of leisure.

In order to achieve his goals, Wein wants to figure out how to sell his own country so his dreams can come true. Yet Wein’s own incredible genius always seems to get in the way when Wein continues to accomplish one incredible thing after another and the country’s people continue to adore him. Wein’s retirement goals seem to be working in reverse – causing even more work for Wein than ever before! Will Prince Wein ever get to call it a day?

Part of the charm of The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is the main character on the show. The main character is charming and he makes the series a lot more relatable and engaging. With a charming lead, Wein is a good and compelling lead character for the series to find its footing as a charming comedy-fantasy.

Wein is appropriately named (the name seems to suggest the expected pun of “whining”) while being someone with a lot of merit and abilities but who finds himself drawn to the idea of retiring once and for all. The contrast between these elements of the character add to the series charm and make the character more distinct for the anime. A good balance for the character.

The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt also features worthwhile character designs by Ryūnosuke Ōji (Whisper Me a Love Song). The character designs on the series are well done and add to the style of the anime production. The designs certainly manage to feel appropriate for the main cast of characters. Wein, in particular, features a strong character design that seems to highlight the character in a successful and believable manner true to the nature of the character.

The animation is a highlight and one of the core strengths showcased with The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt. The series features notable art direction by Hirotsugu Kakoi (Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, The Kingdoms of Ruin) and chief animation direction by Ryūnosuke Ōji and Taro Ikegami (Tears to Tiara, Matoi the Sacred Slayer). The animation is one of the strengths of the series – something that certainly helps to enhance the production and its aesthetic voice. The animators on The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt created something worthwhile with solid art that capably reflects the fantasy elements alongside the dramatic aspects.

The cinematography by Natsumi Uchida (The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World, The Witch and the Beast) helps to showcase the series aesthetic. The animation is colorful and vibrant while the notable cinematography highlights the efforts of the animation team with vibrant colors and clarity. A strong cinematographic effort by Uchida.

The score composed by Toshihiko Sahashi (Digimon Adventure:, Hunter X Hunter) is a fun component of the production. The music by Sahashi is fun and the score is a nice sounding backdrop for the series. The music provides a good sense of adventure and intrigue for the series. The score helps to lift up the more fantastical elements.

Written by Deko Akao (After the Rain, Arakawa Under the Bridge), The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt isn’t breaking new ground but it is a solid concept with a compelling lead. This is certainly a fun and laidback anime program for those interested in fantasy-comedy series. Akao is a noteworthy anime scriptwriter and the writing here is certainly solid.

Masato Tamagawa (Saint Seiya: Saintia Shō, Aria the Animation) directs and brings the saga to life. The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is a solid anime and one that capably showcases the director’s style and aesthetic qualities. The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is going to entertain fans of comedy series with quirky elements at the backdrop. Fans of such programs will find merit and something to explore further with The Genius Prince’s Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series presentation is crisp and colorful – engaging the senses with a superb reproduction of the animation. The colorful animation is well reproduced and the depth of the artwork is well highlighted by the encode. The line art and background animation look notable on the release.

It is always outstanding to see the merits of physical media continue to reward: physical media provides a superior video presentation option compared to streaming video services. Blu-ray provides video with higher video bit-rates compared to most streaming video services (which tend to offer video with more compression and lower bit-rates). For videophiles and home theater enthusiasts seeking the ultimate in picture-quality, Blu-ray provides a distinct advantage over streaming services and the video can help to eek out extra fine detail in the image.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The audio presentation on the release is pleasing in spades. The sound direction by Ryōsuke Naya (Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity Will Save the World, Delusional Monthly Magazine) is well reproduced on the release. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The score is well integrated into the soundstage.

The English dub option provides a slightly more robust soundstage with a more enveloping surround environment with 5.1 emphasizing the rear channels more while the original language version provides a 2.0 stereo option. Despite the subtle differences, purists who want the most authentic experience to the original language version will still want to opt for the Japanese audio option – which is still crisp and dynamic with lossless encoding. Subtitles are well done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a o-card slipcover on the first print run. The o-card slipcover features unique key artwork that is different from the key artwork highlighted underneath the slipcover. The extra art on the slipcover makes the release an even nicer collectible for fans of the series. The art is emphasized and it looks great in hand and on a shelf.

On disc extras include:

Promo Video (HD, 1:29)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:32)

Unfortunately, the on-disc supplements are somewhat sparse overall. The package could have used a more robust selection of bonus features. The set could have been more well rounded with the addition of some audio commentary tracks, behind-the-scenes featurettes, making-of documentaries, and cast/crew interviews. The included extras are average at best.

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Genius Prince's Guide to Raising a Nation Out of Debt is a fun comedy-fantasy. The series will appeal to comedy fans looking for a silly and goofy anime series with charm and a sense of fun energy. With pleasing production values – including noteworthy animation – the series will please.

The Blu-ray release provides an excellent video presentation and lossless audio encoding. The set also includes a nice-looking slipcover on the first- print run of the set. Fans of the series may be especially interested in a pickup. Recommended.