No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie Review

The virtual world expands.

Reviewed by Neil Lumbard July 25, 2022

No Game, No Life is an action-packed anime set against the backdrop of the digital realm. The series is produced by Asako Shimizu, Mika Shimizu, Satoshi Fukao, Shō Tanaka, and Youhei Hayashi. Created by Yuu Kamiya, No Game, No Life is a cyber experience which will take viewers on a new anime videogaming experience.

Sora (Yoshitsugu Matsuoka) and step-sister Shiro (Ai Kayano) love nothing more than to completely disappear in the online world. Gaming together as the duo tagged as BLANK, the siblings are considered one of the most skilled teams online. Never afraid to turn down a new challenge, BLANK ends up playing an unusual game of chess against the mysterious Tet. As the game evolves, the stakes grow bigger and bigger (causing the commotion to rise from mere gameplay to the survival of all humankind). Can Sora and Shiro save the universe?

The animation is produced by Madhouse (Birdy the Mighty, Barefoot Gen). The art style on No Game, No Life is compelling and has a decidedly digital aesthetic that fits the tone of the series conceptually. The art is impressively realized and the visuals certainly enhance the game dynamic established within the storyline. Much of this is due to the animation direction by Kōji Ōdate (Waiting in the Summer, Her Blue Sky).

Under the art direction of Eiji Iwase (Bakugan Battle Brawlers, Amazing Nurse Nanako), the production shines with outstanding animation showcasing the unique artistic qualities of the storyline. The entire production finds a nice artistic balance as focused within the gaming world. Given the online MMORPG element, the art style uniquely reflects entering such an environment and the unique qualities of a game setting. It is surrealist and distinct in this regard.

Game on.

With original character designs by Yuu Kamiya, the character designs on No Game, No Life are uniquely realized for the anime. The stylized designs seem custom made for the RPG environment. Featuring additional character design work by Kōji Ōdate (Platinum End), No Game, No Life is certainly an interesting creation with characters that seem right out of a digital video game.

The cinematography by Kenji Fujita (Land of the Lustrous, Chihayafuru) is one of the most compelling elements. The visuals are hyper-stylized and otherworldly. The art style is bright, colorful, and quite compelling. A dynamic effort from Fujita.

The score composed by Ayako Sasō, Fumihisa Tanaka, Shinji Hosoe, and Takahiro Eguchi adds to the video-game vibe as well. No Game, No Life has a high-octane score complimenting the action. The adrenaline ride is all the wilder for it.

Written by Jukki Hanada (Beyond the Boundary, Strawberry Marshmallow), No Game, No Life benefits from a compelling concept. Video game junkies will likely appreciate the core idea behind the series. Certainly an inspired idea for an anime series.

No Game, No Life is brought to life by Atsuko Ishizuka (A Place Further Than the Universe, Hanayamata). As director, Ishizuka provides the production with a balance of action and adventure within the video-game world. No Game, No Life brings audiences closer to the digital world and outside of the realm known as the “ordinary” day-to-day.

No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, No Game, No Life is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation is wonderfully bright, colorful, and detailed. The animation is well reproduced (with line art and detail all preserved nicely). The release is a nice showcase for the animated cinematography. A solid encode by Sentai.

No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo. The lossless, high resolution 24 bit depth audio is crystal clear and it sounds phenomenal. The high quality encoding preserves the audio dynamics and resolution. This is certainly a wonderful audio presentation. Dialogue sounds crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The soundtrack is well reproduced as well.

No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The collectors edition includes collectible steelbook packaging. The high-gloss steelbook is beautiful and has a wonderful print quality (even more stunning in person). The color on the steelbook looks lovely and the release feels premium when it is held in hand. Steelbook collectors seeking a nice premium release for No Game, No Life will appreciate this nice edition from Sentai Filmworks.

On disc supplements are as follows:

Disc 2:

No Game No Life Shorts:

Episode 1 (HD, 2:53)

Episode 2 (HD, 2:31)

Episode 3 (HD, 2:52)

Episode 4 (HD, 2:17)

Episode 5 (HD, 2:39)

Episode 6 (HD, 2:32)

Character Commentaries:

Commentary for Beginner (Episode 1)

Commentary for Grandmaster (Episode 4)

Commentary for Interesting (Episode 6)

Commentary for Fake End (Episode 8)

Commentary for Blue Rose (Episode 10)

Commentary for Rule Number 10 (Episode 12)

Japanese Commercials (HD, 3:21)

Japanese Promos (HD, 5:37)

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

Feature Film: No Game, No Life Zero (HD, 1:48:05) presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in 1.78:1 widescreen (with lossless, high-resolution audio: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround). Japanese subtitled or English dubbed.

Feature Film Extras:

Japanese Promos (HD, 3:56)

Behind the Scenes with Sentai Filmworks Staff and Cast (HD, 19:36)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Monster Musume – Everyday Life with Monster Girls (HD, 1:33), The Big O (HD, 1:13), Tsurune (HD, 1:33), and Bloom Into You (HD, 00:54).

No Game, No Life / No Game, No Life: Zero Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

No Game, No Life is an anime with plenty of action, intrigue, and hyper-stylized visuals. The animation is outstanding and the art direction feels designs with video-gaming aficionados in mind. The Blu-ray has excellent video/audio and a surprisingly nice selection of supplements. In addition to the anime series, the complete set includes the feature-film No Game, No Life Zero. The collector's edition includes a gorgeous collectible steelbook. Fans will find the entire packaging outstanding.