OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Obsolete is an original anime series created as a production for YouTube streaming television. The series was first only available on YouTube as an exclusive. Obsolete is now available on home media from Sentai Filmworks. Featuring impressive animation and a compelling concept, Obsolete is about the perils of war and the stakes of human kind to survive it. Based on an original concept created by Gen Urobuchi, Obsolete offers a compelling tale of technology and war.

The stage is set against the backdrop of alien technology. The planet Earth received a supply of amazing technology from extraterrestrials. The alien life provided human kind with advanced technologies in trade for ordinary rocks from the Earth. The exchange seemed simple. Why wouldn’t Earth trade a collection of rocks for advanced technologies?

Yet the technologies led to every country and military group creating more advanced weaponry and before long, the entire planet finds itself at war with one another. The tech led to EXOFRAME robots and it has overtaken the entire planet. Stakes are high as the entire planet faces threats – from itself. Will humankind destroy itself in its thirst for power?

The series includes short form storytelling. The episodes focus on a variety of characters in short-form episodes. The episodes include characters from the U.S. Marine Corps and other arenas. As the short stories of Obsolete unfold, the central theme is one of technology and war – and the impact tech has had on war in the world.

The character designs by Akihiko Yoshida (Maquia - When the Promised Flower Blooms) and Yūya Nagai are impressive. The designs are interesting in that they evoke a sense of nostalgia and a sense of the future all at once. The character designs evoke the different stratospheres of these characters. An interesting effort by Yoshida and Nagai.

The animation is surprisingly impressive for a YouTube production. The anime style is much better than some might expect. Under the art direction of Junichi Taniguchi (Mighty Space Miners, Votoms Finder), Obsolete has worthwhile animation with some compelling elements. The background animation is a wonderful component. The mecha designs by Makoto Ishiwata (Expelled from Paradise, Valvrave the Liberator) are especially compelling and noteworthy. The mecha elements remain a key component of the series and why these short form episodes were compelling.

The cinematography by Masashi Kokubo is worthwhile. The cinematography showcases a dark and gritty aesthetic at times. Kokubo makes sure to reflect the darkness of war and the mecha battles. These are elements that are essential to the storytelling and to the cinematographic approach.

The score composed by Tomohisa Ishikawa (Appleseed: Ex Machina, Innocent Venus) is compelling and energetic. Ishikawa crafted an enjoyable and upbeat electronic score for the production. The music is interesting and effective within the framework of the production. The score highlights the war-time elements and mecha roots. The electronic score aspect is a nice touch for the series.

Written by Gen Urobuchi (Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet, Psycho-Pass), Obsolete is complex and thought-provoking for a short form series. The concept is interesting and Urobuchi has fun with the ideas surrounding alien technology and the trade-off with mechanizations and the paths of war. A compelling idea with more intelligence than expected for a short concept original series.

Directed by Hiroki Yamada (Kaze no Matasaburō) and Seiichi Shirato, Obsolete is compelling in its vision for technology. The series has some effective action sequences and these are quite entertaining and effective. The filmmaking is better than one might expect for a YouTube production. Obsolete is a interesting series with compelling visuals.

OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Obsolete is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original streaming aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and 2.03:1 widescreen. The animated series looks compelling in high definition and on the Blu-ray disc format. The presentation has exceptional color reproduction. Detail is excellent and background animation looks superbly detailed (with an abundance of good detailing on the mecha designs). The encoding is worthwhile and is free from egregious compression issues. A solid encode from Sentai Filmworks.

OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound. The lossless, surround sound soundtrack sounds crisp and clear. The presentation has a good amount of vitality and clarity for the Blu-ray release. The score sounds exceptionally clear and well-integrated in to the soundstage.

OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Stardust Angel Konoka Clean Closing Animations (HD, 3:04)

Votoms Tribute (HD, 1:41)

Votoms Tribute Clean Version (HD, 1:31)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Getter Robo Arc (HD, 1:31), Infinite Stratos (HD, 1:32), BTOOOM! (HD, 1:33), and Drifting Dragons (HD, 1:33).

OBSOLETE: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Obsolete is a compelling science-fiction drama with a unique concept. The short-film original anime series was produced for YouTube streaming television. The YouTube production is better than I had expected. The animation is excellent and the production values are impressive overall. The Blu-ray is worthwhile and with excellent video and audio.

The Blu-ray release of Obsolete is a nice reminder that the Blu-ray format is never going to become obsolete. Even in the streaming era, we live in a time when original YouTube productions can be found on the Blu-ray format (and with superior presentations and exclusive bonus materials). Why only stream it on YouTube when you can own it forever with a superior edition designed for the true fan? Fans of Obsolete will want to add the release to their collection. Recommended.