7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A trio of delinquent schoolkids form a music band.
Starring: Shintarô Sakamoto, Ren Komai, Tomoya Maeno, Tateto Serizawa, Kami HiraiwaForeign | 100% |
Anime | 65% |
Drama | 16% |
Music | 3% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Promotional materials for “On-Gaku: Our Sound” celebrate the feature’s very existence, with director Kenji Iwaisawa putting in a heroic effort to simply complete the picture, which was seven years in the making. It’s also completely animated by hand, with use of the rotoscoping process to bring to life a rather small story of adolescent awakening via the power of music. The material takes its inspiration from a manga written by Hiroyuki Ohashi, giving Iwaisawa a storytelling direction to follow while the production cooks up its own wonderland of attitudes, musicianship, friendship, and personal expression, sold with an exquisite dryness that pulls humor out of the strangest of places. “On-Gaku: Our Sound” loves its stillness (probably for financial reasons), but it’s a marvelous exploration of an askew liberation. It’s as small in scale as an animated film gets, but it delivers such a wonderful understanding of character, detailed through inventive and unusual artistry.
The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation supplies a clear view of animation achievements, with textured drawings and different styles distinct throughout. Colors are exact, favoring a brighter, sunnier palette, with crisp whites and deep black outfits on the characters. More vibrant hues emerge with community tours and punk hairstyles. Delineation is satisfactory.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix preserves the feature's spare mood, with clear dialogue exchanges and long, silent pauses. Music is the obvious draw here, ranging from the pounding percussion and bass of Kobujitsu to folk and rock guitars found during Morita's journey. Instrumentation is sharp, and surrounds provide a full feel for musical performances. Atmospherics are also communicative, capturing room tone and nature elements. Movement is explored through separation effects. Low-end is appealing with heavier rock tunes.
"On-Gaku: Our Sound" plays like a blend of Mike Judge, Richard Linklater, and Ralph Bakshi. It's odd but never self-consciously so, offering a spare vibe that takes a little getting used to, but once viewers get on the same wavelength as Iwaisawa, the movie achieves a sublime focus on matters of the adolescent heart, becoming a joyous, frequently hilarious viewing experience.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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