Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Alderamin on the Sky is an action-packed adventure for fans of epic anime productions. The action series features animation from animation powerhouse Madhouse (Trigun, Black Lagoon). Broadcast in Japan on Tokyo MX, Alderamin on the Sky offers audiences thrills and fun. Created by Bokuto Uno, Alderamin on the Sky was developed by the production committee of Jun Fukuda (Cat Planet Cuties, Girls Beyond the Wasteland), Nobuhiro Nakayama (A Certain Magical Index, Wonder Egg Priority), Yasutaka Kurosaki (Black Bullet, Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai), Yuki Yoshida (No Guns Life, A Place Further Than the Universe), and Yukihiro Ito (Snow White with the Red Hair, Akiba's Trip: The Animation). The journey unfolds.

Ikuta Sorōka (Nobuhiko Okamoto) is one of the more laidback and lazy soldiers in the entire world. The soldier finds himself facing war and the risks that come along with it. Determined to land himself a cozy and satisfying position (without breaking his back), Ikuta finds unexpected tribulations when he is thrust directly in to the war. On the bright side, a tough-as-nails warrior with a giant blade helps him on the mission: Yatorishino Igsem (Risa Taneda). Things are looking up for Ikuta (while also looking down). What would Ikuta do without his friends? Yatorishino is always at his side on the epic journey.

One of the reasons Alderamin on the Sky will appeal to some audiences is the laidback attitude of the freewheeling Ikuta. As a laid-back solider, there is something about the character that just speaks to general audiences – everyone has a little bit of this laid-back attitude inside themselves. Given the challenges of war, the desire for stability is something that makes sense for Ikuta.

The animation is reasonably engaging and it manages to help enhance the storytelling. The series has art direction by Takeshi Waki (Debutante Detective Corps, Battle Royal High School). While Alderamin on the Sky isn’t a series with one of the better animation aesthetics, the series has a decent art style that fits the tone of the series material well. Not a home run but something that suits the material well enough.

The character designs are by Kunio Katsuki (Aoi Bungaku) as developed from the original designs by Sanbasō. These designs don’t stand out much and aren’t as noteworthy as on some series. Most of these character designs seem bland and uninspired – but not outright bad. The designs are decent enough and fit the material. Just don’t expect characters that are instantly iconic in style – none exist here.

The mecha designs by Takeshi Takakura (Captain Earth, Black Bullet) fare better than the character designs. The mecha elements provide the action with a greater sense of detail that helps the show unfold. Takakura handles the mecha elements with a sense of style befitting the story and course direction.

Enhancing the entire production, the cinematography by Akane Fushihara (Kandagawa Jet Girls, One Punch Man) works well with the framework of the animation. Fushihara does a good job with giving these characters and environments a bright and creative aesthetic – arguably surpassing the quality of animation itself. The effort by Fushihara adds to the series success.

The score composed by Keiji Inai (Burn The Witch, Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?) adds to the series. The music fits the action landscape and provides some excitement for the epic scenes to unfold. Inai handles the characters and the drama of the story. The balance adds to the series and it is something that helps the experience.

Written by Shogo Yasukawa (Hyperdimension Neptunia, Mitsuboshi Colors), Alderamin on the Sky is a decent show with a solid concept. Yasukawa is a solid screenwriter and has done good work with his scripts on other anime series. Though the script is uneven, it is solid enough to help the action-packed energy of the series (compared to something slice-of-life – as seen in some of his other efforts).

Tetsuo Ichimura (High School of the Dead, A Lull in the Sea) brings the concept of the series to life while in the director’s chair. Alderamin on the Sky is a showcase for Ichimura’s style of direction. The action elements showcase the style of the director and the role these moments play in the story. Fans of a higher concept anime will appreciate the visual flourishes of Ichimura and how these unique elements impact the show.

Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation, Alderamin on the Sky is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation offers the series up with excellent color and detail. The encode does a solid job of handling the material and the action scenes. The release showcases the cinematography with good detail (preserving the animation style).

Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The audio presentation is crisp and clear sounding on the release. Dialogue is well reproduced and is easy to understand. The series doesn’t have LFE use – however, the surrounds are adequately engaged for the English dub option (and it makes the sound design more immersive). The original Japanese language track will appeal most of all to purists who seek the original experience.

Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Web Previews (HD, 6:56)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:32)

Trailers (HD, 6:03)

Alderamin on the Sky: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Alderamin on the Sky is decent anime series with an abundance of action-packed energy. Fans of high concept anime series will want to give it a chance. The cinematographic style is certainly compelling, providing the series with a distinct aesthetic. The animation direction by Takeshi Waki (Debutante Detective Corps) is decent but not as exceptional as some other anime productions. The Blu-ray release has an impressive video and audio presentation. Serious fans of the anime will be enormously pleased to own the set and to place it on the shelf. Recommended.