In/Spectre Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

In/Spectre Blu-ray Movie Review

In/Spectre is a creative and compelling fantasy anime. Based on the novel by Kyou Shirodaira and manga by Chasiba Katase, In/Spectre has a compelling concept. Executive produced by Kazuhiro Asou and Shin Furukawa. Produced by Fumihiro Ozawa, Gouta Aijima, Isao Hidaka, Nobuhiko Kurosu, Renta Suzuki, Satsuki Utsumi, Tatsuya Ishiguro, Yukako Taguchi, and Yūki Yamaoka. The character designs are by Takatoshi Honda.

Kotoko Iwanaga (Akari Kitō) ends up being a bit of a detective herself as she spends her time helping to solve problems for those in need. Kotoko becomes known as the god of wisdom. In her role as the god of wisdom, Kotoko helps supernatural creatures. Kotoko soon finds herself helping one boy in particular, Kurō Sakuragawa (Mamoru Miyano). As the two team up, supernatural wonders unfold with a series of strange mysteries and occurrences. Can Kotoko find more than just friendship – perhaps romance is in the air?

The series showcases stunning animation. The animation style is one of the most rewarding parts of the production. The series has beautiful art and the animation style feels engaging and creative. The style certainly adds a sense of mystery and intrigue. There are a lot of elements at play with the series animation style.

The art direction by Michiko Morokuma (Slow Loop, Wangan Midnight) and the animation direction by Takatoshi Honda (D-Frag!, Re:cycle of Penguindrum) are compelling and add fantastic visual flourishes. The animators certainly had fun with the production and creating some mysteriously cool visuals. An impressive showcase for the entire animation team.

The score composed by Akihiro Manabe (Late Night! The Genius Bakabon, Cestvs: The Roman Fighter) is enjoyable and fun. The music is a good backdrop to the action. The score helps to enhance the series darker and mysterious elements. The music certainly might not be top-tier but it is enjoyable.

The cinematography by Yorinobu Oda (Anonymous Noise, To Your Eternity) is crisp and invigorating. The cinematographic style has a lot of great creative elements at play. The visual style adds to the series fundamentally.

Written by Noboru Takagi (Kuroko's Basketball, Sankarea: Undying Love), In/Spectre might not be a new classic, but it has fun ideas and a cool protagonist. The writing is cool and the hip elements of the series certainly add something special to the series. The mystery aspect being especially impressive for anime fans.

Directed by Keiji Gotoh (Kiddy Grade, Ansatsu Kyōshitsu), In/Spectre is worth checking out. The anime series has creativity and a lot of style. In/Spectre is a series with a fun atmosphere alongside a darker aesthetic at times. The results are intriguing.

In/Spectre Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by VIZ Media, In/Spectre is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition video presentation looks impressive and there are a lot of elements at play that will impress anime fans. The crisp and colorful art provides the series with its distinct animation style. The encoding on the release also highlights the series aesthetic with bold colors and good detail.

In/Spectre 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). The lossless audio quality sounds impressive with crisp dialogue and clear audio dynamics. The soundtrack is well reproduced. The score is a highlight provided on the release. The high-clarity audio encoding enhances the audio experience. Audiophiles will appreciate the lossless encoding.

In/Spectre Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Poster & Art Cards

Storyboard Featurette (HD, 27:46)

Art Gallery includes 41 click-through illustrations.

Clean Opening (HD, 1:32)

Clean Ending (HD, 1:36)

English Credits

More from VIZ (HD, 3:02)

In/Spectre Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In/Spectre is an intriguing anime series. The series has a nice animation style and some compelling aesthetic elements. The mystery element is compelling, too. The Blu-ray release provides a nice high-definition video presentation and lossless audio. The release also includes a selection of bonus features including a pack-in poster, art cards, and on-disc extras exploring storyboards and providing fans with art galleries and more. Recommended.