Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		4.0

Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Chie the Brat – Season 1 is the beginning work of an early pre-Ghibli anime classic. Created by Etsumi Haruki, Chie the Brat is an anime series from acclaimed Studio Ghibli director Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday). Takahata made the series one of his directorial visions before he helped form the legendary studio with Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service).

The pre–Studio Ghibi series was one of the earliest works of the beloved anime director. A production by Shizuhiko Sengoku (Lady Georgie, Hello! Spank), Chie the Brat features theme music performed by Chinatsu Nakayama. Chie the Brat also features animation by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Aim for the Ace!, Cat's Eye). Chie the Brat features voice-performances by Chinatsu Nakayama and Norio Nishikawa.

Chie Takemoto (Chinatsu Nakayama) is no ordinary girl. Chie might seem like a common little girl but she has a lot on her plate – both literally and figuratively. Chie’s beloved parents separated and the family business has entered a catastrophic state.

Now that the family isn’t on the same page, Chie has to take the reins for the family restaurant. Cooking, cleaning, and maintenance of the restaurant is all handled by the ambitious Chie. Chie struggles with her overbearing misfortune – one trouble after another – but still pushes forward, determined to be a good host at the restaurant.

Meanwhile, Chie’s dad is a lazy deadbeat who can’t seem to pull any weight with the restaurant and with keeping it afloat. As a result, Chie is busier than ever while her dad is off gambling away what money he has left. Yet sunny days are still possible with Chie doing her best at the restaurant while spending time with new friends, visitors to the restaurant, and her grandparents. Can Chie keep the place from bankruptcy?

The heart of the series is the incredible leading character, Chie. The character has the charm and good pathos most of us hope to achieve. The character has to deal with a lot of struggles wit her family and business – keeping things going while struggling with her own day-to-day activities. The character is a perfect lead for the anime. The character makes the anime and audiences will respond well to her and her journey.

The character designs by Yōichi Kotabe (Horus - Prince of the Sun, Heidi - A Girl of the Alps) are excellent and add to the charms of the production. The character art is well-done on the entire cast of characters. From the lead to supporting characters, the character design artwork makes a solid impression. The art style is sophisticated and simple at the same time. There is a classic style to the art that makes it stand out as something special. The character designs add a sense of whimsy and comedic possibility.

The animation on Chie the Brat – Season 1 is outstanding. There is a lot to appreciate about the stunning animation and the efforts of the animation team. Chie the Brat – Season 1 features superb art direction by Mitsuru Saotome (Cat's Eye). The art style is superb and offers a whimsical approach to the anime storytelling. The team of animators brought their A-game to the production and there is a sense of classic whimsy and playfulness in the animation that is sometimes missing with modern anime. A heartfelt style, the art feels true to the ambitious nature of director Takahata. It is obvious it is the work of the legendary filmmaker.

The cinematography by Katsuji Misawa (Akira, Future Boy Conan) is incredible and adds to the style of the production. The cinematography does a perfect job showcasing the animation. The style exudes a sophistication and confidence that is not always seen with television. Misawa did a superb job and the cinematography is cinematic and ambitious. The style feels right at home with other Studio Ghibli works and the early pre-Ghibli works that led to the creation of the legendary anime studio.

The score composed by Shinsuke Kazato (Urusei Yatsura, The Legend of the Galactic Heroes) is engaging and fun. The music adds to the whimsy of the production. Composer Kazato is a talented composer and someone with a keen understanding of the genre. The music is playful and fun – just as it is playful and fun for Urusei Yatsura – another work the composer is affiliated with. The score adds whimsy and the heart necessary for the series to soar as a pre-Ghibli creation.

Written by Hideo Takayashiki (Lupin III: Part II, Maison Ikkoku), Masataka Miyamoto (Mrs. Pepperpot), Noboru Shiroyama (Shin Tetsujin 28, Lupin III: Part II), Yoshimi Shinozaki  (The Rose of Versailles, Ashita no Joe 2), Chie the Brat – Season 1 is a fun anime classic for fans of comedic and light anime series with good storytelling. The anime series feels right at home with the world of Studio Ghibli. The writing of the series will certainly recall some of the later works of Isao Takahata, perhaps especially My Neighbors the Yamadas – the quirkiness and family dynamic of Yamadas feels equally inspired by Chie the Brat – which is outstanding to see.

Isao Takahata (The Tale of The Princess Kaguya, Grave of the Fireflies) is a legendary filmmaker for a good reason. Takahata is one of the most prolific and important anime filmmakers in the history of Japanese anime. The acclaimed director helped to form Studio Ghibli alongside Hayao Miyazaki and made one classic after another – a career comprised almost exclusively of anime masterpieces.

The filmmaker created a reputation for being slow and meticulous as a director – sometimes asking for extensions of several months turned to years – with some films taking over a decade to make. Takahata is someone who would spend as long as possible refining each film at Studio Ghibli (sometimes to the annoyances of the animators and co-founder Hayao Miyazaki). Despite the idiosyncrasies of the director, Takahata made a name for himself as a legend.

Yet in Takahata’s earliest years, Takahata had to be more freewheelin’ and he played by the fast rules of television production – still crafting work that had his iconic style. Chie the Brat – Season 1 is an example of a young Takahata building his craft and showing his skills as a future legend. There is no doubt that Chie the Brat – Season 1 is something Studio Ghibli fans will cherish getting an opportunity to see. Discotek Media has done something remarkable by licensing the series for North America. With everything about the series exuding the confidence of a young Takahata, it is a joy to see the classic anime series – beloved in Japan – reaching shores in North America at last.

Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek Media, Chie the Brat – Season 1 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The high-definition presentation licensed by Discotek Media has been sourced from the high-definition version as released on Blu-ray and physical media in Japan a few years ago. The presentation is pleasing overall and has good clarity for the animation. The transfer quality can seem a bit inconsistent at times with specks of dirt and slight imperfection. There are some age-related source material issues still present on the high-definition versions. Chie the Brat did not receive as luxurious a restoration as some of the best restorations (sadly, no 4K restoration). Nonetheless, Chie the Brat – Season 1 still looks pleasing. A worthwhile presentation and one that offers fans a solid encode of the classic anime series.

Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The series has a solid audio presentation. The dynamics of the audio presentation are well done. The English audio is a crisp and pleasing part of the presentation.

The soundstage is surprisingly good and is also better-than-expected given the sound mixing limits of the era. The English subtitles are well done. The subtitles are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The first print run of the release comes with a nice looking o-card slipcover. The slipcover features unique key artwork different from the artwork highlighted underneath the slipcover. The effect is something of a "dual artwork" sensation that adds to the cool collectability of the package. This is something that helps the set stand out as an even more special collectors item for fans. The art is impressive and instantly brings to mind the artistry of beloved Japanese anime filmmaker Isao Takahata. The cover-art also features a colorful artwork design on the back of the inside cover-art (the art adds to the packaging presentation).

Disc 5:

Clean Ending #2 (HD, 1:23)

Japanese Bu-ray Promo (HD, 2:33)

Unfortunately, the on-disc supplements are sparse and don't add much to the package. The set could have benefited by including some audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes documentaries, cast and crew interviews, art galleries, photo galleries, production featurettes, and other supplements. Alas, Discotek Media was not able to provide as many bonus features for the release. Nonetheless, at least Discotek provided solid collectable packaging that adds to the fun of the box-set.

Chie the Brat: 1st TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Chie the Brat is well worth discovery for fans of the famed Studio Ghibli anime studio with one of the Ghibli legend Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday) at the helm. Takahata made Chie the Brat one of his earliest works as a director. The legendary Studio Ghibli is beloved the world over as the powerhouse of Japanese anime with the studio being behind the classic works of legendary filmmakers Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, The Boy and the Heron) and Isao Takahata. Takahata might not be here with us anyone on this planet but his works will always live on and remind us of the filmmaker and his gentle spirit. Highly recommended.