Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

There's nothing unconventional about Engaged to the Unidentified. Nothing electrifying or genre defying. Nothing particularly special actually. But it deals its wares pretty well, peddling every cliché with a glimmer in its eye, a silly little grin on its face, and a wry sense of humor. Light, funny and all kindsa cute, it bypasses harem territory and charts a more traditional romantic comedy course, building its journey around a cast of (largely) likable characters, clever quip after clever quip, laugh-out-loud visual flair, and one of the more entertaining brother-sister duos (Mashiro and Hakuya!) to pop up in a recent rom-com anime. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination -- Benio all but puts a gun to the series' temple -- but these shows love their annoying trope-trotters, don't they? The story also wanders a bit, with pacing that's either indecisive or erratic. It's hard to tell which. But between the expressive animation, clever dialogue, and caution-to-the-wind whimsy, there's enough to Engaged to the Unidentified to keep you... well, engaged.

• It's Important to Start Off On the Right Foot: Yonomori Kobeni's is greeted by a fiancee, Mitsumine Hakuya, who is nearly invisible, and his little sister Mitsumine Mashiro, who appears to be a little girl. The two move in with her with little warning. Her sister Yonomori Benio is a pervert with a sister complex. Will Kobeni's life be turned upside down or not?
• It's Not Bad Having a Loli Sister-in-Law: The sudden arrival of a fiancee and a sister-in-law has Kobeni at a loss, with. Her fiancee Hakuya is one thing, but despite her sister-in-law Mashiro definitely being a little girl, she somehow ends up in the same class at school.
• I Can Feel the Love Comedy Waves: In gym class, Kobeni struggles with the vault. Her classmate Mayura claims "she does have a handicap, after all." Eventually Sunday rolls around, and while Kobeni busies herself with housework, Benio offers to help.
• That's Just Being a Pervert: Benio reveals information about Kobeni's past. The sudden revelation causes a short in Kobeni's mind and the shock leaves her bedridden. Benio takes over in the kitchen, and after a progression of nightmarish meals, Mashiro comes to appreciate what she's lost in Kobeni.
• This Woman Has Given Birth?: A lovely young girl in Japanese clothing arrives. Although she seems too young for it to be true, she is apparently Mashiro's mother, Shirayuki. Kobeni is nervous while Mashiro is tense. Benio is in anguish over Shirayuki's youthful appearance, but eventually decides that "she's got it." Meanwhile, a shocking truth comes from Shirayuki's lips, leaving Kobeni distraught.
• I Know! I'll Fill It with a Sister-in-Law: It's all about chocolate. Kobeni is worried. Hakuya is worried. Mashiro is worried. Mayura is laughing. "Valentine's Day comes with all kinds of interesting human drama!" Nessie. Mongolian Death Worm. Yeti. Nessie. Nessie. Nessie. They say "Nessie" a lot in this episode.
• That's One Thing, This is Another: Suetsugi Konoha is the student council secretary and a devout Benio disciple. She has a friend, Ohno Niko. When Konoha burns with jealousy towards Mashiro, Niko agrees to help her investigate. She says she'll do it "secretly," but doesn't seem very good about that part.
• Only a Little Sister Can Soothe Sadness Over a Little Sister: There's nothing wrong with having a big butt. There's nothing wrong with having big breasts either. It's actually a good thing. Setting that aside, the battle between Mashiro and Konoha continues. They go to the roof to have it out.
• How Humiliating, I'm So Embarrassed: Mashiro tells Konoha about Kobeni and Kaguya's engagement. Niko overhears, but promptly gets a denial from Hakuya, which leads to Konoha believing she still has a shot.
• I Looked Up the Term "Time of Dere": Hakuya is concerned about White Day. Mashiro takes him to task. Benio swoons. Kobeni is mai waifu. The lovey-dovey deepens. Kobeni is a good girl. Konoha is also a good girl. Niko is a good girl, but she's also on the rampage.
• I'm Enjoying My Handkerchief: It appears that handkerchiefs are made to be enjoyed. Hakuya's troubles continue from last week. Niko spots a UMA. It's important to stay on guard even in the evening hours. Meanwhile, Kobeni and Hakuya grow closer. They go on a date as the first step to delinquency is made.
• You Understand? I Understand: Hakuya and Mashiro have disappeared. Their things are gone. They've fallen out of contact. The house is quiet. Kobeni is worried and nervous. Mayura convinces her to head for the Mitsumine household.

Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

No complaints here. Engaged to the Unidentified doesn't feature the sharpest line art, but Sentai's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation still impresses. There's not only very little in the way of banding or noise, there aren't any notable distractions at all; even with all twelve episodes sharing a single BD-50 disc. Colors are bright and full of life, primaries pop, black levels are satisfying, and contrast is spot on from start to finish. Clarity is excellent too, with cleanly defined lines, perfectly painterly background textures, and nothing in the way of significant ringing or aliasing. The only rising and falling the presentation does occurs along with the series' animation, which is exactly how it should be.

Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There's nothing wrong with Sentai's Japanese-language DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo track. There just isn't anything especially noteworthy to report. Oh, the series' voicework is clear and intelligible at all times. Sound effects are crystal clear. Music is full and engaging. And the soundscape is well-balanced, without any prioritization issues or mixing mishaps. But the flat, two-channel experience doesn't really enhance the show in any substantial way, other than what the impish sound design already dictates. Solid? Absolutely. Remarkable? Not quite.

Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray release of Engaged to the Unidentified includes "Clean Opening and Closing Animations" (HD, 3 minutes) and a collection of Sentai Filmworks trailers and promos.

Engaged to the Unidentified: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Despite a few annoyances -- curse you, Benio, and all you bring to the series -- Engaged to the Unidentified is a heckuva lotta fun, which is precisely what makes or breaks a rom-com anime. Kobeni, Hakuya and little Mashiro are a delight, even when others aren't, and the animation and music is perfectly suited to the material. Sentai's Blu-ray release is even better, so long as you aren't hoping for any substantial special features. Its video presentation is terrific, its lossless stereo track is a solid one, and the price is just right. I'd recommend at least sampling Engaged to the Unidentified. It's not essential, must-have anime, but it'll make you laugh, a lot, and sometimes that's all you need.