Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		4.5

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 arrives on Blu-ray and 4K UHD. The series is now available on disc for the first time in the United Kingdom. The series was long deemed as too difficult to ever license for home. The series is now available with a stunning new 4K restoration. Executive produced by Kōichi Motohashi (Anne of Green Gables, A Dog of Flanders), Future Boy Conan was first broadcast in Japan on Bandai Channel and NHK.

The theme music is composed by Shinichiro Ikebe (OP,ED) with lyrics by Hikaru Kataoka. Theme song performances by Naozumi Kamada (OP,ED) and Yuko Yamaji (OP,ED). The animated classic is produced by Junzō Nakajima (Pollyanna, A Little Princess Sara) and Shigeo Endo (Little Lord Fauntleroy, Locke the Superman). The series animation is produced by Nippon Animation (Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess Sara). Future Boy Conan is esteemed as an anime classic for its involvement of pre-Ghibli filmmakers – including Hayao Miyazaki.

Conan (Noriko Ohara) is a young boy living a simple life on an island. Conan has the instincts of a hero on this isolated island. A war caused earth to change dramatically twenty years ago. The earth had its axis change and both earthquakes and chaos in the waters led to humanity and civilization as it was once understood to change completely.

Conan is now living with his adoptive grandfather. Lana (Mieko Nobusawa) is a young girl who washes ashore on the island. Trouble ensues as a group of dangerous agents pursue Lana. The agents have a goal in mind and it involves using Lana to take control over the remnants of the entire world. Conan manages to take on a new role as a hero and an epic adventure unfolds with perils left and right. A sweeping epic of old-school adventure.

Future Boy Conan has stunning animation. This is one of the central reasons the series has become such a beloved classic. There are so many creative and talented individuals who were involved with the animation for Future Boy Conan. The character designs by Hayao Miyazaki and Yasuo Otsuka are exquisite and there is so much to appreciate about them. The art direction by Nizo Yamamoto (Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke) is phenomenal and a great showcase for the genius of Yamamoto. An incredible art style.

The series features animation direction by Yasuo Otsuka (Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, Lupin the 3rd). The animation direction is first-rate and a huge part of the reason the series achieved such an impressive aesthetic. Otsuka is a terrific animation director and the results here are stunning.

The animation is essential to the series and its beauty. The animators do great work with the production and the animation team brings to life the original storyboards by Hayao Miyazaki, Isao Takahata, Keiji Hayakawa, Noboru Ishiguro, Seiji Okuda, Takayoshi Suzuki, and Yoshiyuki Tomino. The storyboards certainly were a huge part of the production process. It is a wonder with multiple Ghibli directors involved.

The mecha designs by Hayao Miyazaki add to the series sense of adventure. The mecha elements are ambitious and play a nice role in the series, too. Miyazaki is no stranger to mecha in his films and this early example of his understanding of this art design element is compelling as one can see some of these artistic origins.

The cinematography by Katsuji Misawa (Akira, Jarinko Chie) is breathtaking and the visual language of the series makes a big impact on the series. Misawa is a talented cinematographer and the series is a colorful and robust looking production with superb cinematographic flair. A stunning work of art and something to commend – the cinematography aiding the storytelling.

The score composed by Shinichiro Ikebe (Winter Days, Mirai Shōnen Conan Tokubetsu-hen - Kyodaiki Gigant no Fukkatsu) is epic in scope and adds to the sense of adventure from the series. The music certainly enhances the filmmaking. The epic sense of action-packed adventure is enhanced by the original music.

Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service) began his directing career with Future Boy Conan. As chief director of Future Boy Conan, Miyazaki imbues the series with the same iconic sense of style which has made the filmmaker one of the most cherished directors in world history. A legend in the industry, Miyazaki already showed his incredible sense of style and artistic vision with this early television work.

The series also features additional direction by Isao Takahata (Grave of the Fireflies, Only Yesterday) on a couple of episodes as well as Keiji Hayakawa (Sherlock Hound, Urusei Yatsura). Working from the scripts from Akira Nakano (Manga Aesop Monogatari, Miimu Iro Iro Yume no Tabi), Satoshi Kurumi (Fūsen no Doratarō), and Sōji Yoshikawa (Lupin the 3^rd, Time Bokan), Future Boy Conan: Part 1 benefits from quality scriptwriting. The sense of old-school adventure is a huge part of the story and this is an important aspect of the television series.

Future Boy Conan should be considered a must-see classic era anime series for its involvement of Hayao Miyazaki. The director is one of the most important anime filmmakers. The filmmaker showcases his unyielding sense of creativity even in his early works. The joy of anime is felt with Future Boy Conan.

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray from Anime Limited, Future Boy Conan is presented in 2160p in native 4K UHD. The release has received a stunning new 4K restoration. The series looks stunning on the 4K UHD format. A wonderful release and one that presents the series on 4K UHD for the first-time globally.

The series received a 4K restoration on Blu-ray disc outside of the United Kingdom but this is the only set to currently provide UHD discs with these masters. The transfer quality is excellent and the print is exceptional looking. The level of detail on the release is consistently impressive and there is a lot worth appreciating about the transfer. Colors look robust, benefiting from the 4K UHD format.

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). Future Boy Conan also features sound direction by Shigeharu Shiba (Castle in the Sky, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind). The lossless audio on the release is outstanding. Dialogue is well reproduced. The score is well highlighted on the release.

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The collectors edition of part one doesn't come with on-disc bonus features or supplements. However, the collectors edition does include a limited edition collectors art-box designed to house both collection one and collection two (sold separately). Collection two also includes an 88-page booklet designed to fit inside the collector's art-box only provided with the collection one limited edition. The design of the art-box is fantastic and it looks visually stunning in hand.

The design is simplistic and yet elegant. The release looks minimalist and artistic at the same time. The title of the series has nice embossing on the front of the art-box.

Anime Limited made a sturdy art box with good material, providing a nice sense of heft and quality to the package design. This is a far better art box than on some series releases with paper-thin boxes. The box is durable and it does a good job housing and protecting the collection sets.

Future Boy Conan: Part 1 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Future Boy Conan is considered an anime classic and the series has long been unavailable on home media. Anime Limited has presented a worldwide debut 4K UHD disc release for Future Boy Conan. The presentation is outstanding and the series animation is superbly reproduced on the release. The set has outstanding detail. Fans of master filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro) will want to see this classic gem that began his directing career – before he became the genius behind Studio Ghibli. Highly recommended.