I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is a fantasy action-adventure series exploring the world of farming through the fantasy genre. Created by Shobonnu, I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm- related skills features original character designs by Sogawa. The series features animation production by Studio A-Cat (Pastel Life, She Professed Herself Pupil of the Wise Man). The theme music for the anime is composed by Tsukasa Yoshida (OP), Tsubasa (OP), and Kawamura (ED). The Japanese voice-cast for I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm- related skills features Junya Enoki, Ayaka Suwa, Mai Nakahara, Masahiro Itou, Minami Tanaka, and Rumi Okubo.

Al Wayne (Junya Enoki) is a farmer who is living out his dreams while plowing the day away. Al is used to being an ordinary farmer and life is simple and things are just peachy. Yet apparently the simple life is not necessarily all that is in store for Al.

Al is actually soon faced with some big obstacles and even brand-new adventures – including facing off against dragons and other monsters. The simple life isn’t all it’s cut out to be and now Al faces more challenging foes and obstacles – including ghosts and other monstrous enemies that come out to engage. Can Al be the hero of the tale as a super-heroic farmer while somehow managing to be involved in his day-to-day farming duties? What’s an ordinary farmer turned super-farmer to do – and can carrots play a role in his heroics?

The series has a decent cast of characters. Though the series characters might not seem as original or as captivating as some productions, there is still a good sense of character for a fantasy series. Alongside the main cast of characters, I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills features series character designs by Masami Sueoka (The Strongest Magician in the Demon Lord's Army was a Human, Chōjikū Robo Meguru). The designs are effective even if not as memorable as on some series productions. A decent effort by Sueoka.

The animation is one of the highlights of the series production. The series features art highlighting the art direction of Daisuke Negishi (Zenryoku Usagi, Getter Robo Arc) and the chief animation direction from Masami Sueoka. The animators involved on I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills provide a good sense of style to the series – providing crisp and colorful animation which fits the farming setting highlighted on the series. The background art is effective and there are some well-done aspects on display with the production. Perfect? Perhaps not, but the animation team does explore the series with a good sense of style for the fantasy genre.

The cinematography by Keisuke Takahashi (Getter Robo Arc, Kishin Taisen Gigantic Formula) is one of the most effective aspects of the production. Takahashi does a solid job with the cinematography – showcasing the colorful and vibrant animation. The style of the cinematography does a great job reflecting and emphasizing the series aesthetic.

The score composed by Takurō Iga (Aria the Scarlet Ammo AA, The Foolish Angel Dances with the Devil) is a decent backdrop for the production. Though the score might not stand out as one of the best and most memorable elements of the series, the music is reasonably solid and adds to the production in some respects. I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is enhanced through the original score.

Written by Touko Machida (Chaika - The Coffin Princess, The Everyday Tales of a Cat God), I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is far from a perfect concept or storyline – the concept lacks as much originality as the best anime series can evoke. Yet the writing is decent with reasonable dialogue and characterizations. A solid effort by Machida.

Directed by Norihiko Nagahama (Kandagawa Jet Girls, Pokémon Advance), I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is not going to change the game for anime but somehow the series manages to find a decent voice as an entertaining fantasy farming series. For enthusiasts who enjoy such series and the quirks highlighted, I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is a decent one and well worth checking out.

I’ve somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills isn’t going to break new ground, providing something superior to what has come before. After all, there are other fantasy farming anime series out there – but it does have some nice qualities that will appeal to the target demographic and to those obsessed with role-playing games (such as massive online multiplayer games). A classic? No, not by any means. Yet it is something that will be enjoyable for some and help to pass the time.

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, I've somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast in 1.78:1 widescreen. The release includes an impressive high- definition presentation. Colorful, crisp, and engaging – the animation looks beautiful on the release. The animation is well reproduced and there is plenty to appreciate about the production and the manner in which the art is highlighted on the release. Everything from the background art to the character designs and the line art showcases a different element of the series and the encode quality manages to bring out the best in the aesthetic.

The encode quality is excellent and capably showcases the series animation and aesthetic. The Blu-ray release provides a solid video bit-rate and fans can expect to find higher video bit-rates compared to streaming video services (which typically provide lower video bit-rates compared to physical media).

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The sound direction by Hiroto Morishita (The Morose Mononokean, Monster Musume: Everyday Life with Monster Girls) is well reproduced on the release. The lossless audio is certainly well reproduced and makes a nice impact on the presentation.

The soundtrack score is unquestionably a highlight and it makes a nice difference on the presentation quality. The audio presentation showcases the benefit of physical media – providing a superior audio presentation compared to streaming platforms. Streaming video services only offer lossy (non-lossless) audio. Enthusiasts with a passion for audio quality and who have high quality gear will appreciate these differences. If wanting to eek out the best in the presentation, Blu-ray is the best option available.

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The one area of the release which could have been more impressive is the supplemental package. Unfortunately, the supplementals on the release are not as in-depth as one might hope to find. Featurettes about the production and audio commentaries may have helped to round out the collection.

The release also could have used some art galleries showcasing illustrations and sketches from the series development. Alas, these types of bonuses were not included. It is unfortunate because a nice extras package can really add a lot of extra value and add something fun for fans.

On disc supplements include:

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32) showcasing clean opening titles without text and credits.

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 16:53) showcasing clean opening titles without text and credits.

I've Somehow Gotten Stronger When I Improved My Farm-Related Skills: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I've somehow gotten stronger when I improved my farm-related skills is a decent farming fantasy anime series and while it is not a classic by any means it has something for the target audience. The series will appeal to genre fans who enjoy the laid-back style of action- adventure on such a production and the emphasis on the quiet-life farming aspect alongside the bigger fantasy elements. Sentai Filmworks provides a solid high-definition presentation and a lossless audio soundtrack.

The presentation is worthwhile and fans wanting to own the best possible presentation may wish to consider a pick-up. The one area of the release that is a little bit disappointing is the supplemental package. The extras for the release could have been a bit more robust overall. There's not even a slipcover and it could have used some more robust packaging. Nonetheless, series fans who want to own a copy and permanently have it on their shelf will want to consider adding the release to their collection. Recommended.