Black Bullet: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Black Bullet: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Black Bullet is an action-packed anime series with an adrenaline rush for genre fans. Produced by Asuka Yamazaki (The Everyday Tales of a Cat God, Yona of the Dawn), Fumiki Yamazaki (Blue Drop, IRODUKU: The World in Colors), Mitsutoshi Ogura (Black Lagoon, High School of the Dead), and Yasutaka Kurosaki (The Misfit of Demon King Academy II, Alderamin on the Sky), Black Bullet is based on the light novel by Shiden Kanzaki. Black Bullet features original character designs by Saki Ukai. Black Bullet features animation production by Kinema Citrus (Made in Abyss, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky) and Orange (Korasho no Kaitei Wakuwaku Daibouken!, IDOLiSH7).

Rentarō Satomi (Yūki Kaji) is on a special mission alongside his own promoter Enju Aihara (Rina Hidaka). Rentarō has been tasked with working to prevent the total destruction of the Tokyo Area. Ten years following a cataclysmic war, Rentarō is the hero the world needs. Only the “Cursed Children” can attempt to fight for tomorrow. The entire human race lost the war to a dangerous virus known as Gastrea. Now as humans fight to survive inside of a closed wall within Varanium, the Cursed Children fight the good fight. Can Rentarō and Enju lead the cause?

The characters make for compelling leads on the series. The dynamic between Rentarō and Enju makes for an interesting contrast. The two characters carry the series forward and it is their journey that is at the heart of the series. The characters manage to exude a sense of goofiness even within the serious undertones of the series.

The character designs by Senbon Umishima (Recovery of an MMO Junkie, Colorful Ninja Iromaki) are compelling and fit these core cast members well. The designs are a great accompaniment for the stylistic flourishes of the series. These are fun character designs and they do wonders for the production.

The animation is one of the most exciting aspects of the series. The series art style is compelling and has a lot of creative energy, too. The animation is overseen by art directors Akira Suzuki (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Reflection, Lupin III: Swallowtail Tattoo), Kei Ichikura (Orange, Tokyo Ravens), Satoshi Shibata (Cutie Honey Universe, Rainbow Days), and Tōru Koga (Chivalry of a Failed Knight, Devilman Lady).

A compelling effort by the art direction team. With chief animation directors Atsushi Hasebe (Darker than Black, Eureka Seven) and Senbon Umishima (She and Her Cat -Everything Flows-, Colorful Ninja Iromaki), Black Bullet is a visually compelling anime series and there are a lot of good things on display with regards to the series animation. The animators approach the series with a sense of ambition and dedication to the production.

The animation brings to life the mecha designs by Takeshi Takakura (Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time, Martian Successor Nadesico). The mecha elements are a fundamental element of the series and the art style – adding so much to the production. A great component of the series whole.

The cinematography by Toshiya Kimura (Eureka Seven, Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance) is sleek and sophisticated looking. The visual sensibilities of the cinematography are exceptional and there is a lot to appreciate about the style brought to the table. Kimura is a gifted cinematographer and explores the world of the series through a compelling lens.

The score composed by Shirō Sagisu (Evangelion: 3.0+1.0: Thrice Upon A Time, Kimagure Orange Road) adds a lot to the production. Composer Sagisu is a talented composer with a good knack for action scores. The score provides a good backdrop to the adrenaline-packed series. The action is elevated.

Directed by Masayuki Kojima (Made in Abyss, Master Keaton), Black Bullet offers fans of action anime series plenty of excitement. The series has a cool style that makes a difference for action fans. Black Bullet is well worth checking out. Black Bullet might not be a classic anime but it does have some entertaining ideas and fun characters brought to life by director Kojima.

Black Bullet: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, Black Bullet is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation is outstanding and offers a highly satisfying encode of the anime series. The animation looks crisp, detailed, and colorful. The line art and background animation are well reproduced. The colorful animation provides the series with plenty of "pop" and makes the series art style stand out in a meaningful way.

One of the best things about the Blu-ray disc format is the superior video encode presentation quality. Compared to streaming video services, Blu- ray discs provide a more immersive presentation with superior encoding and higher bit-rates. Streaming video services tend to offer lower bit-rates in comparison. Home theater enthusiasts with great high-end televisions or projectors will notice the biggest difference. Blu-ray is a superior way to experience something and streaming is more about a perception of convenience than it is about providing a high-quality presentation to viewers.

Black Bullet: 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 quality on the Blu-ray release is engaging. The sound direction of Haru Yamada (The Garden of Words, Made in Abyss) is well reproduced. The crystal-clear audio soundtrack is a huge part of the experience. The original Japanese audio sounds especially great on the release and the subtitles are well-done (free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors). The score composed by Shirō Sagisu sounds great on the release. Soundtrack enthusiasts who appreciate high quality audio for the score will enjoy the clarity the presentation provides.

Streaming video services only offer lossy (non-lossless) audio quality and do not provide the full experience of lossless audio provided on physical media. Blu-ray discs provide lossless audio: a significant difference for audiophiles and audio enthusiasts with the best home theater gear. In comparison, streaming simply cannot compare. Blu-ray rewards with a superior presentation.

Black Bullet: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes in a standard Blu-ray case. The release does not include an o-card slipcover. The release doesn't provide any additional collectables or pack-ins for collectors. The release does not provide a digital code or other inserts. The cover-art is standard and is not reversible or feature additional art on the reverse side.

The one area of the Blu-ray release that is lacking is the supplementals. The release could have benefited by having a more robust supplemental package. The set may have had some extra value to fans with audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, or art galleries showcasing production artwork.

Unfortunately, the set is close to barebones. Art galleries alone would have made a notable difference for the supplementals. Some releases of other anime series contain an almost full art book worth of illustrations, sketches, and designs – and these types of art gallery extras should be included on sets as often as possible to make a more well-rounded package.

Extras include:

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

Black Bullet: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Black Bullet is an entertaining anime series with some compelling lead characters. The anime series has excellent animation and great production values. The Blu-ray release provides an excellent video and audio presentation. Unfortunately, the release has a lackluster supplemental package and could have certainly been more well-rounded with some extra care given to the bonus features for the release. For fans of the series seeking the best presentation quality possible alongside permanent ownership on the shelf, the release comes recommended. There is great value in ownership for collectors – something the digital realm of streaming will never be able to provide. After all, streaming services might provide what someone wants to watch in the immediate – however, said series could be gone tomorrow and never return.