Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

The hit anime franchise continues with a new incarnation based on the original work of famed anime creator Go Nagai

Cutie Honey Universe is the latest incarnation in the long-running anime franchise based upon the hit manga series from acclaimed artist Go Nagai (Mazinger). Celebrating the 50^th anniversary for Nagai, the series once again brings together Cutie Honey with other kick-ass heroines as they fight down a host of villains while protecting the world from total cataclysm. From animation studio Production Reed (All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku, Macross 7), the high-action series is a blast from the past with enough new thrills to keep the ride entertaining.

The series revolves around the badass hero, Cutie Honey (voiced in the Japanese version by beloved J-Pop idol Maaya Sakamoto). As a super-strong android developed by her genius tech-wizard father Dr. Kisaragi, Honey has the ability to undergo a superhero transformation from being a normal school girl into becoming a sword-wielding fighter who stands up for justice. Twirling into a total make-over with a superhero outfit to boot, she faces down a dangerous threat to the entire universe, the wicked villain Sister Jill. Cutie Honey goes head-to-head with the evildoer while she gives her mission her all and kicks butt at every turn of the story.

Sister Jill feels determined to bring Cutie Honey to the dark side and capture her special ability device implanted into her android DNA known as the “Airborne Element Fixing Device” yet she repeatedly fails to succeed in taking away Honey's fantastic superhero abilities and turn her away from her good-hearted crime-fighting ways. The characters repeatedly duke it out with one another in high-fashion with showstopping action set-pieces and the entire series builds to a climatic battle which has the characters battling it out non-stop to the bitter end.

Fighting for the universe one step at a time.

The series succeeds on a variety of levels but the most impressive thing about the entire production is absolutely the impressive action sequences. If nothing else, Cutie Honey Universe works as a showstopping anime at times because the action scenes are intense, well choreographed, and entertaining. I often found that the fight scenes were absorbing and highly enjoyable for their hyper-stylized energy.

The series adaptation is written by Natsuko Takahashi (Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist). Though the set up involving villain Sister Jill felt a little far fetched (as the concept of her getting Cutie Honey's Airborne Element Fixing Device seemed to feel like a MacGuffin as the series constantly references the device but nothing is ever really done to explore how the device even works its magic), the series does have some interesting episodes with the final batch of stories building to an effective wrap-up which puts everything together neatly. The comedy is a little hokey and perverse and I'm not a big fan of this Go Nagai trademark style but its about what one would expect from an adaptation for this creator.

With quality direction by a seasoned anime pro, Akitoshi Yokoyama (who was a key animator on Neon Genesis Evangelion and Cowboy Bebop: Knockin' on Heaven's Door), Cutie Honey Universe stands out from the crowd of franchise anime productions in style because of the high-octane action scenes which are so effective throughout the run. Though the series isn't particularly deep nor is it even close to being something one would consider a classic by any means, I was consistently entertained by the exciting fight scenes and think the series is worth a watch if only to sit-back, relax, and enjoy in the explosive B-grade fun.

Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray in North America from Sentai Filmworks, Cutie Honey Universe is presented with a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. This is an impressive high-definition encode and presentation of the series. From start to finish, the release has excellent clarity and robust color reproduction. This is a flashy and aesthetically impressive series and the encode does a great job of presenting the series with exceptional depth and clarity.

Detail is exceptional throughout and the line art looks impressive. The series has a highly satisfactory visual aesthetic and the artwork is capably presented: the animators work looks vivid here. One can't help but appreciate the stunning art and the deep colors on display. While I noticed some very slight banding in a few sequences, there was nothing too distracting on the presentation. Overall, it's a exceptional release.

Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Armed with a high quality lossless sound presentation, Cutie Honey Universe is presented in either the original Japanese language version with English subtitles or with a English dub option. Both of these presentations have DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo audio. Depending on one's preference between dubbed or subtitled anime either of the two audio options included on this release should be quite satisfactory and will please fans.

In comparing the two different language tracks, I did find that the Japanese language track provided more bass and is a bit more impressive on the whole but both tracks still exuded exceptional clarity. The Japanese audio track was my preferred selection and the sound on the release really sounded exceptional. The music was continuously robust and dynamic in its presentation. The stereo mix was highly engaging and creative (especially during high-octane action sequences: the clashing of weapons in these energetic battles provided a rewarding audio experience that really drew me in to the action).

Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1 min. 32 sec.)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 3 min. 04 sec.) includes both of the closing theme credits without any text on the video presentation.

Trailers for other Sentai Filmworks releases are also included for the following: Those Who Hunt Elves (SD, 1 min. 31 sec.), Takunomi (HD, 1 min. 31 sec.), Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls (HD, 1 min. 33 sec.), and Devils' Line (HD, 1 min. 33 sec.)

Cutie Honey Universe: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cutie Honey Universe is not a total home-run but it's still an entertaining diversion which should please fans of the franchise. The animation is top-notch and the action scenes are often spectacular and make the series worth checking out. The final episode of the series is especially impressive and I don't think viewers will be disappointed by the end. The video-audio quality on this release is fantastic (with a superb stereo track that is downright robust). Recommended.