6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A young girl is drawn into a mystery involving sealife around the world, in which two mysterious boys are somehow involved.
Starring: Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi, Seishû Uragami, Win Morisaki, Gorô InagakiForeign | 100% |
Anime | 96% |
Fantasy | 27% |
Adventure | 6% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
While “Children of the Sea” initially promises to be a coming-of-age adventure for a young girl introduced to magical oceanic elements, the picture gradually takes the story in a different direction, aiming to offer a “2001”-style viewing experience instead of something more grounded. An adaptation of Daisuke Igarashi’s manga, “Children of the Sea” is an incredibly ambitious tale of human connection to earthly wonders and life, with director Ayumu Watanabe aiming to respect what the author is trying to communicate and give the feature a cosmic life of its own.
The AVC encoded image (2.34:1 aspect ratio) presentation secures the feature's incredible use of color, which is a vital component of the viewing experience. On land, there's beautiful greenery and deep blues for aquarium visits, also capturing the red blaze of sunsets. Under the ocean, fish bring out distinct primaries and aquatic splendor. Character designs are also brightly decorated, with eye and hair color vivid, along with sporting and casual outfits. The movie's explosive ending also carries power, with gold and silver cosmic explosions arresting. Detail retains much of the animation artistry, identifying CGI and traditional achievements as they share the frame, and textures on creatures give them life. Decorative additions are equally appreciable as the story moves around boats and workspaces. Artifacting is persistent throughout "Children of the Sea," with banding a common sight. Delineation is acceptable.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix favors the original Japanese language track, which emerges with great authority, providing a crisp understanding of elements. Dialogue exchanges are warm and expressive, and dramatic escalation is comfortable. Scoring offers precise instrumentation, with defined strings and piano contributing to the movie's cinematic journey. Atmospherics are immersive, with plenty of oceanic and coastline activity, with water a common presence in the surrounds. Aquarium bustle and outdoor activities are also active. Some directional movement is detected. Low-end adds weight with whale breaches. The English dub track is slightly less powerful, with a more muted presence, emphasizing voices over atmospherics.
"Children of the Sea" has ideas to share on the importance of nature and the essentiality of the oceans, with an interconnective experience vital to all. It's an admirable message, sold with outstanding animation, tender scoring from composer Joe Hisaishi, and sensitive voice work. Storytelling gets lost along the way, which can be frustrating, but the overall reach of "Children of the Sea" is impressive.
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