Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season Five Blu-ray Movie Review

Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is a crime-saga and action-fantasy. Created by Kafka Asagiri and Sango Harukawa, Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 features animation production by BONES (Blood Blockade Battlefront, Darker than Black). Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 features theme music performances by GRANRODEO (opening) and Luck Life (ending). Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 features voice performances by Mamoru Miyano and Yūto Uemura. Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is distributed by Crunchyroll in North America on physical media and streaming.

Osamu Dazai (Mamoru Miyano) and Atsushi Nakajima (Yūto Uemura) are back and the journey still isn’t over.  The life of a detective isn’t an easy one and the Detective Agency has a lot on its plate. Tenjin Goshui’s leader is now working his way towards the Armed Detective Agency.

The detectives face developing challenges when framed as being terrorists. The Hunting Dogs attack the detectives, too. Kamui brings with him a host of vampires to attack the detective agency – a swarm of the undead. There is even a complex plot from the Decay of Angels designed to annihilate the peace of the state. Can the detectives overcome these developing threats and manage to clear their names as terrorists?

The detective work begins again. The characters are back for another round. The characters are part of the fun of the series. The characters must delve into a world of crime and detective work. The anime features character designs by Nobuhiro Arai (Chaika - The Coffin Princess, Sakura Kakumei ~Hana Saku Otome-tachi~). The character designs for Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 are effective and add something of value to the production. The designs work well to add to the series aesthetic style.

The animation is one of the best qualities of the production. There is a lot to appreciate about the art style. Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 sets itself apart as something visually unique compared to other anime series. The animation on Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 shines with good production aesthetics. The series features art direction by Yumiko Kondou (My Hero Academia THE MOVIE: World Heroes' Mission, RIN - Daughters of Mnemosyne) and chief animation direction by Nobuhiro Arai (Chaika - The Coffin Princess, The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies).

The team of animators deliver something worthwhile here. The aesthetic is more grounded compared to some anime series, providing a style that works well for a detective series. The colors in the animation are well-utilized and create a color palate that extends to the production details. As a result, the background animation is an effective part of the series.  

The cinematography by Tsuyoshi Kanbayashi (The Magical Girl and The Evil Lieutenant Used to Be Archenemies, Darker than Black: Gemini of the Meteor) is another rewarding part of the art style. Production aesthetics are well-showcased with the cinematography. The cinematography shines, showcasing the tapestry of the animation. The cinematography highlighting the light and dark art aesthetic qualities of the genre.

The score composed by Taku Iwasaki (Gurren Lagann, Read or Die) is one of the best things going for Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5. The music is top-notch. One would expect as much given the composer. Iwasaki is a talented composer – one of the best in the medium. There are some great qualities from the score. The music is a natural highlight of the series.

Written by Yoji Enokido (Revolutionary Girl Utena, Sailor Moon SuperS), Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is a continuation of the journey. The series continues to pave the way forward for series fans. Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 balances the detective work and action. As a crime saga, screenwriter Enokido builds things forward for the saga.

Directed by Takuya Igarashi (Ouran High School Host Club, Captain Earth), Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is going to appeal to devoted series fans hoping to continue the journey. The journey expands with the fifth season adding more to the storytelling landscape. Director Igarashi is a reasonable talent and a number of qualities to the series convey what fans are looking for in this type of production – a bit of mystery and thrills. Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is certainly worthwhile for fans continuing the series.

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The animation is crisp and colorful on the release. The production aesthetic is well presented with the engaging visuals clearly defined on the release. The art style is highlighted well with the background animation and line artwork well reproduced. The cinematography is certainly a clear visual joy of the production and is encoded capably on the release.

The Blu-ray release benefits by the encoding of physical media. Blu-ray typically provides higher video bit-rates compared to streaming video services. Streaming video platforms typically provide lower bit-rates compared to physical media and the difference can be noteworthy for home theater enthusiasts. The difference in internet speeds and equipment also makes a difference.

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season Five 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 release also provides the sound direction by Kazuhiro Wakabayashi (Blue Exorcist, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex). The lossless audio presentation helps to highlight the soundstage and the sound effects. The English 5.1 surround presentation has a slight advantage and the rear channels add more spatial quality for the score, enhancing the mood. The Japanese language version will be preferable for those who prefer the original versions. The Japanese language audio is clear and well-detailed. The English subtitles are well-done and free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

The release features lossless audio encoding. One of the best qualities of the Blu-ray format is the lossless audio encoding. For audiophiles and home theater enthusiasts, the lossless audio adds a compelling element to the presentation. Those seeking the ultimate experience will find value. Sometimes the difference is small and other times significant. It varies and depends on a myriad of issues and sources. Nonetheless, the basic thing to remember and consider – it's superior. The encoding offers a lossless source option compared to a lossy compressed audio presentation.

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release includes an o-card slipcover. The o-card slipcover is only provided on the first print run of the release. Later print runs may or may not include the original o-card provided with the first press. Slipcover fans will appreciate the addition of the slip. The slip adds some extra collectability to the release.

On disc supplements include:

Episode Previews (HD, 5:20) featuring previews for the series episodes.

Commercials (HD, 00:34) advertising for the series with short advertising.

Promo Videos (HD, 3:16) promoting the release.

Opening Song (HD, 1:31) from the opening credits.

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:29) providing a textless option.

Unfortunately, the bonus features on the release are sparse. The release could have used a more expansive supplemental package. The release may have been a bit more well-rounded with the inclusion of audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes interviews, production documentaries, featurettes, photo galleries, and more. These types of supplements could have helped add value to the release.

Bungo Stray Dogs - Season Five Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bungo Stray Dogs: Season 5 brings with it more intrigue for fans of the hit anime series. Established fans who are keeping up with the series will find something to enjoy by delving back into the world of the series. The series has plenty of compelling aesthetic qualities. The animation is well-done and the cinematography impresses.

The Blu-ray release provides a nice high-definition presentation. The high-definition presentation has crisp visual fidelity. The lossless audio encoding also adds to the package. The release includes an o-card slipcover, too. Fans of the series wanting to add the release to their collection may wish to consider this as a set worth picking up. Unfortunately, the one area of the release that is significantly lacking is the supplemental package. Recommended.