Basquash! Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Basquash! Blu-ray Movie Review

Giant robots play basketball.

Basquash! is an action-packed science-fiction sports anime. The series is based on the manga by Shoji Kawamori and Thomas Romain. Basquash! comes from the creators of Macross and Nadesico. The series animation is produced by Satelight (Log Horizon, Somali and the Forest Spirit).

A unique sports anime in the mecha genre, Basquash! is produced by Hiroo Maruyama (Eureka Seven, Blue Exorcist), Kazuaki Shimamura (Engage Planet Kiss Dum, Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzu), Shinjiro Yokoyama (Outlaw Star, Saber Marionette J), and Yuuichiro Takahata (Cat Planet Cuties, Fantastic Detective Labyrinth ). The stakes of the game are high. Distributed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.

On planet Earthdash, the entire world is falling apart piece-by-piece. Every system is failing. Only the rich and famous (who also have connections) get to leave Earthdash behind for Mooneyes. Everyone else is left to fend for themselves.

Young Dan JD (Hiro Shimono) wishes nothing more than to leave Earthdash behind him and reach Mooneyes. The reason Dan wants to leave Earthdash? Dan's sister is disabled and could receive treatment for the paralysis of her legs if on Mooneyes. There's no hope for a cure on Earthdash.

When Dan gets a rare opportunity to prove himself and maybe change his odds of leaving Earthdash behind, Dan takes it. An epic game of Bigfoot Basketball unfolds. The game is a spin on traditional basketball as it involves giant robots playing the sport.

While Dan doesn't win fortune, fame soon arrives. The rules of the game are changing with Bigfoot Basketball. Could the rule changes help to transform the future of Earthdash and bring hope back to Earthdashers?

"We will... we will... robot rock, you!"

The animation on the series is top-notch. Basquash! is a well-animated creation. The effort of the animators paid off. The series has a unique animated landscape. The science-fiction undertones demonstrate a unique spin on the sports genre. The art direction by Thomas Romain (Senki Zesshō Symphogear, Yume Ōkoku to Nemureru 100-Nin no Ōji-sama Short Stories) provides the series with plenty of charm and style. The background animation showcases a lot of interesting details in the series animation.

The character designs by Kazuhiro Soeta (Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight), Suezen (Yadamon), and Takahiro Yoshimatsu (Desert Punk) are another compelling element of the production. The central protagonist has a great character design (and the efforts of Soeta paid off).

Another compelling design element on Basquash! is the impressive mecha designs by Stanislas Brunet (Aquarion Evol, Macross Delta). The robot designs are compelling and significantly better than one might expect to find with a sports genre anime. The effort is commendable.

The music is composed by Audio Highs (Daily Lives of High School Boys, Gintama) and Kei Yoshikawa (Mobile Suit Gundam AGE, Love of Kill). Basquash! has a decent score that fits the animation well. Though perhaps not a total home run, the music enhances the action scenes and is serviceable background music.

Written by Tatsuo Sato (Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, Lord Marksman and Vanadis ), Basquash! is a unique spin on a sports anime. Audiences expecting a typical basketball series can look elsewhere. The series blends science-fiction elements with basketball in unexpected ways. Even the concept – robots engaged in basketball – defies audience expectations. The concept is creative and fun.

Directed by Hidekazu Sato (Lost Universe, The Slayers Next) and Shin Itagaki (Ben-To, Berserk), Basquash! has enough action-packed fun to appeal to genre enthusiasts. Basketball fans will be especially interested in the unique mecha hybrid creation. The direction is compelling and well executed. A unique series with a keen directorial eye (especially for a sports anime).

Basquash! Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai, Basquash! is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release has impressive picture-quality. Color reproduction is excellent on the release. The animation looks crisp, clear, and dynamic. The encoding is solid, too. The release looks great and doesn't have much issue with banding. A strong presentation.

Basquash! Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release has 24 bit depth audio. The high-resolution audio is lossless quality. The presentation is top-notch. While there is no English dub option provided on the release, the original Japanese language option sounds terrific. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The music score is well reproduced. The 2.0 sound design is engaging for a stereo mix.

Basquash! Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening Animations (HD, 7:48)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 2:22)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from Sentai Filmworks: Armored Trooper VOTOMS (HD, 1:35), Den-noh Coil (HD, 1:24), Gunparade March (SD, 1:34), and Monochrome Factor (SD, 1:33).

Basquash! Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Basquash! is a fun basketball-meets-robot anime series. The genre spin is interesting and will appeal to those with an interest in both sports anime and giant robot mechas. As based on the original manga by Shoji Kawamori and Thomas Romain, Basquash! is from the creators of Nadesico and Macross. A compelling concept for science-fiction fans. The release from Sentai Filmworks has a strong video-audio presentation. Recommended.