Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 1, 2019

Atom: The Beginning is based on Tetsuro Kasahara's manga of the same name, which is the prequel to the wildly popular Astro Boy series created by Osamu Tezuka. Astro Boy ran in print from 1952 to 1968 and has been adapted for the screen on several occasions, beginning with the classic black-and-white animation from 1963 that would help usher in the world of anime as it is known today. Atom: the Beginning takes the story further back from its established origins, exploring the events leading towards Astro Boy's creation. Unfortunately, Atom: The Beginning is a scattered, unfocused show, unable to build much of a compelling back-back story. Not only can it not stand on the shoulders of greatness, it cannot forge its own identity, either, leaving the material to suffocate, particularly in its disappointingly irrelevant first half.

It has been five years since the “Great Catastrophe” left part of the world in chaos and ruin. The resultant reconstruction and technological innovations paved the way for robots to become more fully and seamlessly integrated into society. Robots now tirelessly do the jobs for which they have been programmed and are now “indispensable” fixtures in society. In Mechacity, the robots are celebrated and beloved. But they are not human. They do not have hearts. The robot A106, also known as “Six,” might be different. Developed by Hiroshi Ochanomizo (voiced by Takuma Terashima) and Ummataro Tenma (voiced by Yûichi Nakamura), Six is smarter and stronger, a better breed of robot. But what purpose, and what future, do Tenma and Ochanomizo envision for Six and for the field of robotics? As they develop a pathway towards the future, they must fend off various advances from the outside that aim to undo all they have so tirelessly accomplished in their lives.

Atom: The Beginning struggles to find an identity in its early stages, a critical failure for a show that runs only a dozen sub-30-minute episodes. The first half or so of them build up some of the series' essential character and narrative details but there's more than a bit of aimlessness at play, both structurally and in the show's inability, or unwillingness, to commit to a workflow. As the story moves along, it finds some much needed cohesion, which brings a relief to viewers who might have been wondering when, or if, the show might settle.

The show builds some bonds between its characters, particularly Hiroshi Ochanomizo and Ummataro Tenma, who are, of course, the braintrust behind A106 and, eventually, Astro Boy. One of the more compelling reasons to watch is to explore the early interplay between the characters. But they are not always the focus. Various secondary characters highlight parts of early episodes, some of whom are introduced in a way that seems to promise greater import only to see them fade into tertiary roles or all but disappear. One of the show's greatest accomplishments is bringing Six to life, gradually through the series and leading to a finale that may not go where viewers would like it to go but that does more smoothly pave the way for the transition to Astro Boy.

Ultimately, Atom the Beginning is welcoming to newcomers but it's not compelling enough to perhaps drive audiences towards the superior material it chronologically precedes. That's a shame, but the show certainly doesn't lessen the Astro Boy legacy. It's an interesting aside if it's anything, a welcome, though certainly not perfect and arguably not necessary, prequel. Longtime Astro Boy fans will probably get a little more from it.

Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Atom the Beginning may not always be made of the most intricate or visually dazzling animated elements, but the material translates positively to Blu-ray revealing a properly firm and colorfully rich 1080p image. Lines are generally clean with few exceptions that go noticeably jagged. Clarity is terrific around the frame, whether considering moving, organic character models or static background environments, the former of which hold up even in the complexities of various robots and particularly in scenes of battle in the final episodes. The Blu-ray is more than capable of revealing character qualities with delightful definition, showcasing not just the broad stroke elements but the finer pieces of intimate complexity that bring the characters and world to life. Colors are extremely rich and satisfying, with some essential pastel backgrounds and more brilliant and solidified primaries. A106 is a particular visual treat, as are many of the other robots seen throughout the show. Black levels appear appropriately deep within any given scene's visual context. Light banding appears from time to time but rarely with any sort of shot-breaking density. This is another highlight release from Sentai.

Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

As with most Sentai tracks, this one plays larger than its two-channel lossless configuration. The DTS-HD Master Audio presentation is very wide, a characteristic maintained throughout. Music is prominently deep and detailed, stretching far and saturating the stage with robust and accurately detailed beats over the opening title sequence. It borders on feeling too large, and some components -- musical and effects alike -- teeter on pushing over into excess, sounding slightly over engineered and threatening to lose finesse to volume, but the track never really goes over the edge despite its high energy presentation. The lack of surrounds obviously limits the track's abilities to fully immerse the listener into any setting or scene or action, but the track does very well in setting the scene and building and presenting its details with what it has at its disposal. Such moments include nicely saturated public address announcements, crowd din, and the like. Dialogue is always imaged in the center and replicates the feel of a middle channel as seamlessly well as any two channel track can. Dialogue clarity and prioritization are excellent.

Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Atom the Beginning contains clean opening and closing animations on disc two. No DVD or digital copies are included. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Clean Opening Animation (1080p, 1:32): The opening animation without overlaid text.
• Clean Closing Animation (1080p, 1:32): The closing animation without overlaid text.
• Also Available from Sentai Filmworks (1080p): Trailers for Flip Flappers, Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side , Chihayafuru, and Haikyu!!.

Atom the Beginning: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Atom the Beginning offers a streamlined, though not fully imaginative or compelling, open to a classic character and manga/anime franchise. The series' first half is particularly dry and unfocused, but the story tightens and the characters develop more thoroughly and engagingly over time. The show is structured in a way that doesn't exclusively push away newcomers and it does reward longtime Astro Boy fans, but the feel that the show could have been more for both audiences lingers throughout. Regardless, Sentai's Blu-ray delivers high quality video and audio presentations. Supplements are limited to the usual textless opening/closing animations. Worth a look.