InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie Review

A wonderful InuYasha collection.

InuYasha: Set 5 is a must-own collection of the hit series. The saga remains one of the most successful anime series of all time. The epic adventure unfolds. Adapting the original manga by author Rumiko Takahashi (Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½), InuYasha: Set 5 includes episodes 112-139.

With animation produced by Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop), InuYasha is one of the most impressive anime series in the history of television. The series is produced by Michihiko Suwa (Detective Conan, City Hunter) and Hideyuki Tomioka (Steamboy, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing). Fans won't want to miss a moment!

The journey of half-demon InuYasha and school-girl Kagome continues in feudal Japan. The mission to collect all of the missing Shikon jewels remains their top priority – can InuYasha and Kagome find all of these jewels together? Yet new dangers await when InuYasha runs across the Band of Seven: a evil group with deadly skills.

The Band of Seven consists of ghostly demons risen from their graves after being executed for their heinous crimes. Now it is up to InuYasha and Kagome to figure out how to stop them. As the journey of InuYasha continues, an epic battle awaits on the mysterious Mount Hakurei. The legendary mount has a special power: it turns the demons powerless (including half-demon InuYasha). Without demon strength, can InuYasha still be the victor?

InuYasha has an outstanding cast of characters. As the central protagonist, InuYasha is the perfect lead character. The conflict the character faces is altogether potent: fighting for his humanity (as he is half-human) while struggling with his demons (as a half-demon). Kagome is another essential character: exploring the serenity of her life in modern Japan as juxtaposed against the demon-slaying action explored in feudal Japan. The supporting cast is remarkable as well. Creator Rumiko Takahashi brilliantly crafted these characters.

The penultimate chapter of the original series.

The series wouldn't be as successful as it became without the remarkable animation. The series is a visually exquisite production. There was a lot of energy invested in to creating the animated world: background art is fantastic (and so are the character designs). The art direction by Shigemi Ikeda (My Hero Academia) is first-rate. InuYasha is a powerhouse anime and it continues to be a beloved classic because of the series wonderful attention to detail.

Set 5 continues to deliver fans epic action-packed entertainment. The action-sequences are first-rate and are key to the long-term success of InuYasha. The epic staging of these battles makes the experience all the more rewarding. The journey unfolds with a lightning-fast speed. A great entertainment. The stakes continue to rise.

The score by composer Kaoru Wada (Samurai 7) is fantastic and manages to imbue the series with a excellent sense of scale. The action and adventure is heightened by the wonderful compositions. A terrific score from a talented composer. The music is a perfect accompaniment to the production.

Screenwriter Katsuyuki Sumisawa (Dragon Ball Z, Sailor Moon) is one of the most important contributors to the production. The series has excellent storytelling (much of which is due to the original story by Rumiko Takahashi). Yet Sumisawa does an outstanding job adapting the material and making it enticing for the series.

Directed by Yasunao Aoki (Mobile Suite Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz), InuYasha: Set 5 is a superbly entertaining journey. The anime has great filmmaking: a sense of adventure central to the story the creator crafted. Aoki takes audiences on a wild trip and InuYasha fans will want to continue tagging along for the ride.

InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from VIZ Media, InuYasha: Set 5 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. InuYasha looks beautiful on home media. The release manages to capably showcase the stunning imagery of the production.

The release presents a standard-definition upscale of the source-material. Even though the video is upscaled, this should not be considered a detriment to fans of the series. VIZ has done a solid job encoding InuYasha. Color reproduction is excellent. Line art is detailed. The animation isn't as mesmerizing as native high-definition presentations sometimes yield but the upscale is excellent.

The fifth collection doesn't suffer from the same egregious issue of lost frames occasionally seen on earlier collections (from hand-drawn animation). The episodes on the fifth collection are fluid and manage to avoid the same pitfalls the beginning of the series exhibited.

InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio tracks: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio. The audio tracks are exceptional and manage to highlight the top-notch sound design. The audio is clear and robust. Dialogue is easy to understand. The score is well integrated in to the sound mix. The subtitles include additional options for viewers hoping to select songs/signs (via the main menu on the release).

InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening & Ending:

Clean Opening: One Day, One Dream (HD, 2:00)

Clean Ending: Come (HD, 1:36)

"Who's in the Well?" includes 27 click-through images for a guessing game involving characters from the series. The game shows a blurry image followed by the image revealing the characters (and their names).

More from VIZ (HD, 1:59)

InuYasha: Set 5 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

InuYasha: Set 5 is a wonderful collection of episodes from the hit anime series. The series is one of the best anime gems of all time. Long- time fans of InuYasha will be thrilled with the quality of the release. Creator Rumiko Takahashi (Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½) made a wonderful series and the anime does a great job adapting the manga. InuYasha: Set 5 includes episodes 112-139. VIZ Media has done well with transitioning the series to the Blu-ray format. The release has a solid upscale. Recommended.