Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

Magic Knight Rayearth: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Neil Lumbard March 12, 2023

Magic Knight Rayearth is a fantasy-adventure classic beloved as an essential in the medium. Created by CLAMP (Cardcaptor Sakura, Chobits), Magic Knight Rayearth is an important anime classic. Produced by Masahito Yoshioka (Case Closed, Project ARMS), Michihiko Suwa (City Hunter, Inuyasha), Mikihiro Iwata (Lupin III: Voyage to Danger, Tetsujin 28-go FX), and Shigeki Nakamura (Saint Tail, Slam Dunk), Magic Knight Rayearth features animation by production studio TMS Entertainment (Fruits Basket, Kamisama Kiss).

Hikaru Shidou (Hekiru Shiina), Fuu Hououji (Hiroko Kasahara), and Umi Ryuuzaki (Konami Yoshida) become intertwined in a tale of unexpected destiny when the three girls are spirited away by the whirlwind of a giant fish. Brought to a new and unexpected territory – a land unlike anything else experienced before – Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi find themselves banding together for their unique and complex destinies as magical knights. The union of the three girls brings a new sense of adventure.

The three girls were summoned to help bring peace to the land of Cephiro. Now determined to save the land from the clutches of evil, Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi become magical knights and fulfill their roles as the saviors the world needs. Can the world be saved before it is too late? With some unexpected help from the creature Mokona (Yuri Shiratori), the magic knights will stop at nothing to save the day – and put an end to the darkness overshadowing the land of Cephiro.

The series is all the more thrilling because of the trio at the helm of Magic Knight Rayearth. The central cast of characters are essential to the series strong foundation. Hikaru, Fuu, and Umi work together to fight for Cephiro. With excellent character designs by Atsuko Ishida (The Brave Fighter of Legend Da-Garn, Shamanic Princess), Magic Knight Rayearth excels with the perfect cast.

The animation is stunning and showcases the wonderful world of the production. Featuring art direction by Tsutomu Ishigaki (Lupin III: Part III, Space Adventure Cobra), Magic Knight Rayearth showcases the artistry of the animators in spades. Ishigaki did a great job as art director and the production looks outstanding as a result. The team of animators involved with Magic Knight Rayearth delivered an incredibly vivid world.

The cinematography by Takashi Nomura (Case Closed, Lupin III: Part II) is one of the most impressive elements of the production. Nomura provides a sophisticated aesthetic with the cinematographic approach. The series has a great use of color and lighting. The results enhance the mood of the storytelling.

The score composed by Hayato Matsuo (Hellsing Ultimate, Saint Tail) is beautiful and adds something special to the entire experience. The music provides an exciting and action-packed backdrop to the series. Matsuo provides themes for the characters and for the spectacle of the series.

As written by Keiko Maruo (Maple Town Stories, Urusei Yatsura), Magic Knight Rayearth is a gem of a series. Maruo does a great job adapting the original work of CLAMP. The writing has a great sense of creativity. The production is creative, vibrant, and charming – much of this inherit in the screenwriting.

Under the chief direction of Toshihiro Hirano (Vampire Princess Miyu, Devil Lady), Magic Knight Rayearth is a breathtaking series and something that holds up as an importance classic. Anime enthusiasts who appreciate classic anime series in a hand-drawn style will be especially drawn to the magic inherit in Magic Knight Rayearth. The series is well directed and the end result is a thrilling and exciting production – there is much to appreciate.

Magic Knight Rayearth: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Anime Limited, Magic Knight Rayearth is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. This is certainly an outstanding high-definition presentation. Scanned from the original film cells, the print looks remarkable. The scan is crisp and rewarding. The print is free from egregious print damage or telecine issues. The colors have considerable "pop" and depth and the image is remarkably sharp and detailed. A beautiful high-definition presentation and one that retains the lush colors of the animation.

Magic Knight Rayearth: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) in 24 bit depth and English uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo in 16 bit depth. The lossless Japanese audio soundtrack is the superior option and will please purists seeking the most authentic and satisfying audio presentation. Either lossless option will provide a solid experience but the Japanese audio sounds remarkably crisp and benefits from the 24-bit depth encoding. Clarity is excellent and dialogue is well reproduced. The score is highlighted well by the presentation.

Magic Knight Rayearth: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 6:

Interviews:

Interview with Toshihiro Hirano, Series Director (SD, 29:01)

Interview with Yasuo Urakami, Audio Director (SD, 14:50)

Interview with Julie Maddalena, English Voice of Hikaru (SD, 3:32)

Interview with Wendee Lee, English voice of Umi (SD, 3:23)

Interview with Ellen Wilkinson, voice of Fuu (SD, 2:41)

Interview with Kaeko Sakamoto, voice of Mokona (SD, 3:21)

Interview with Lex Lang, voice of Zagato (SD, 3:10)

Group Interview with English Voice Cast (SD, 5:47)

Episode Extras:

Episode 4 Alternate English Pilot (HD, 21:40)

Episode 8.5 Recap Episode (SD, 24:58)

Episode 18 Home Video Next Episode Preview (HD, 00:31)

Episode 19-20 Original Broadcast Bumpers (SD, 3:08)

Episode 49 Commentary with Voice Director (HD, 24:14)

Season 1 English Outtakes (SD, 1:20)

Season 2 English Outtakes (SD, 1:34)

English Character Greetings (HD, 1:30)

Video Game Cutscenes (SD, 20:19)

Openings & Endings:

Creditless Opening 1 (Japanese) (HD, 1:32)

Creditless Opening 2 (Japanese) (HD, 1:31)

Creditless Opening 3 (Japanese) (HD, 1:33)

Creditless Opening 1 (English V1) (HD, 1:32)

Creditless Opening 1 (English V2) (HD, 1:32)

Creditless Opening 1 (English V3) (HD, 1:32)

Creditless Opening 3 (English) (HD, 1:33)

Original Broadcast Openings (HD, 12:33)

International Opening (HD, 1:33)

Creditless Ending 1 (Japanese) (HD, 1:25)

Creditless Ending 2 (Japanese) (HD, 1:31)

Creditless Ending 3 (Japanese) (HD, 1:32)

Creditless Ending 1 (English) (HD, 1:25)

Creditless Ending 2 (English) (HD, 1:31)

English Home Video Credits (SD, 10:43)

Textless "Who Is It?" Segment (HD, 00:16)

Sponsor Cards (HD, 2:04)

TV Spots & Trailers:

Japanese Pilot Trailer (HD, 4:56)

English Pilot Trailer – Version 1 (HD, 2:50)

English Pilot Trailer – Version 2 (HD, 2:50)

"Coming Soon" Series Preview Trailers (HD, 00:48)

"On Tonight" Series Preview Trailer (SD, 00:12)

Promotional Spot Collection 1 (SD, 13:25)

Promotional Spot Collection 2 (SD, 2:43)

The "How to Draw Mokona" Song (SD, 1:01)

Production Art:

Production Art –

Production Art Slideshow (HD, 4:34)

Model Sheet Slideshow (HD, 3:21)

Storyboards –

Opening 3 Storyboard Animatics (HD, 1:32)

Ending 3 Storyboard Animatics – Concept Version (HD, 1:32)

Ending 3 Storyboard Animatics – Final Version (HD, 1:32)

Disc 7: OVA Episodes 1-3 (SD, 2:13:20)

Magic Knight Rayearth: The Complete Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Magic Knight Rayearth is an essential anime classic. Fans of classic anime with outstanding animation, gripping storytelling, and wonderful characters will be thrilled. Magic Knight Rayearth has so many outstanding merits – the production excels in spades. It is wonderful to see that the series has been beautifully restored in high definition (and from the original film elements – not simply from upscaled masters of an inferior quality as sometimes seen with other classic anime presentations). Magic Knight Rayearth also includes an extensive and in-depth supplemental package (rounding out the release). An incredible package and one that fans will be thrilled to add to their collection. Highly recommended.