Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

The fun begins with episode two. (No episode one.)

An eclectic comedy extravaganza adapted from the original manga by Fujio Akatsuka, Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 packs a big comedy- punch. The series adapts the material and updates some of the original elements – such as age of the lead characters. The series was streamed on Crunchyroll and has been licensed for North America by VIZ Media.

The anime is a zany blast of creativity for comedy fans. Mr. Osomatsu features animation produced by studio Pierrot (Kimagure Orange Road, Yu Yu Hakusho). The first season set includes episodes 2-25 (yes, that's not a typo).

Mr. Osomatsu revolves around sextuplets. The sextuplet twins have nothing better to do than lay around and goof off (or so it seems). The brothers have a relaxed time in the hustling and bustling country of Japan. Despite the brothers growing up, each brother has a difficult time learning how to tackle their respective issues with time-management – and the brothers mostly hang around the house. Mother makes all the yummy meals for the brothers and their father makes all the money needed to avoid homelessness.

The brothers go on a number of misadventures as the sextuplets tackle modern living in Japan. Trouble begins from day one (and expand from there). The brothers have no luck with girls (and the act of “getting any” as well). Zany and off-the-wall, the brothers don't quite fit in. Osomatsu (Takahiro Sakurai) is the eldest brother and as a result he helps to take charge over the brothers – for better or for worse.

The brothers grim includes Karamatsu (Yuichi Nakamura), Choromatsu (Hiroshi Kamiya), Ichimatsu (Jun Fukuyama), Jushimatsu (Daisuke Ono), and Todomatsu (Miyu Irino). Each of the brothers has their own respective personality. While the brothers don't have a mega-hit band to tour around the planet with, these goofy brothers still find plenty of opportunities to shine (and spread wings).

The series has a compelling artistic style. The animation on Mr. Osomatsu is one of the most compelling elements of the series. There is a sense of creativity to the program and its unique aesthetics. The series features art direction by Seiki Tamura (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine).

"Meow! Meow! Missing one episode, purr-purr!"

For a comedy series, the animation is surprisingly well done and is more creative than what audiences can expect to find on some productions. The background animation is nicely layered with colorful animation and fine details. The colorful art work is well illustrated and fits the material well.

The series boasts impressive character designs by Naoyuki Asano (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, Magical Circle Guru-Guru). The animators on the first season of Mr. Osomatsu brought forth some excellent components to the production. The team of animators enhanced the look and tone of the series. The results are pleasing.

Mr. Osomatsu excels with first-rate cinematography. The cinematography by Toru Fukushi (Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone, Fullmetal Alchemist) is one of the most rewarding components of the anime. The series has a lush aesthetic. The bright and colorful cinematography shines.

The music score composed by Yukari Hashimoto (Tada Never Falls in Love, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle) fits the tone of the series. The score manages to highlight the comedic undertones featured on the show while simultaneously exploring the central characters. A solid effort by Hashimoto.

The series is written by Shu Matsubara (ClassicaLoid, Mori no Ongaku-dan). Matsubara has fun exploring the characters and their distinctive dynamics. Mr. Osomatsu has some fun comedy hijinks. These elements of the program make it more entertaining. The comedy enhances the spirit of the series.

Directed by Yoichi Fujita (Gintama, Good Luck Girl!), Mr. Osomatsu is entertaining in the first season. The series has some compelling elements – with a good concept and fun characters. The series is an entertaining diversion and comedy fans will want to check it out. Mr. Osomatsu doesn't fit a typical anime mold and is somewhat reminiscent of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programs. If that idea sounds intriguing, make sure to check Mr. Osomatsu out.

Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from VIZ Media, Mr. Osomatsu is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. This is an impressive encode of the series. The animation looks outstanding on the presentation. Colors have a wonderful sense of "pop" and depth. The visual elements are well enhanced by the solid encoding provided by VIZ. The release is solid and the presentation satisfies.

Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo. The lossless, high resolution audio tracks are quite impressive. The lossless encoding helps the audio to sound crisp and clear. Dialogue is easy to understand. The music score is well preserved and enhanced by the high-resolution encoding. Everything sounds dynamic and well balanced – the audio doesn't struggle to present the material.

Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1:

1. Shiritori (HD, 2:22)

2. Osomatsu Blaster (HD, 2:28)

3. Kara and Todo Rhythm (HD, 2:07)

More from VIZ Media (HD, 1:05)

Disc 2:

4. Mr. Robo-Matsu (HD, 3:06)

5. A Little Chat (HD, 3:00)

6. Down the Seibu Shinjuku Line (HD, 3:14)

More from VIZ Media (HD, 1:05)

Disc 3:

7. Words and Music (HD, 2:37)

8. All Sheeeehs (HD, 3:08)

More from VIZ Media (HD, 1:05)

Mr. Osomatsu: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mr. Osomatsu is an entertaining anime series with a unique approach to comedy. Fans of Cartoon Network's Adult Swim will be particularly interested in checking out the series. Fans of Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Home Movies will want to give the series a spin. The Blu-ray release includes the (almost) complete first season. The first episode of the series is missing.

Fans should note that episode one is missing due to copyright issues. When Mr. Osomatsu originally premiered, episode one spoofed a myriad of properties (and some of the copyright owners were enormously upset). Though spoofs are normally acceptable, some copyright owners argued the premiere episode crossed a line.

As a result, episode one of Mr. Osomatsu became banned in Japan, and isn't officially available anymore. The Blu-ray release has a solid video-audio presentation for episodes 2-25 and a nice selection of extras. Recommended.