Otaku Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Otaku Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Otaku Elf is a sweet-hearted and charming anime series with an enthusiastic sense of fun. Created by Akihiko Higuchi, Otaku Elf features animation produced by C2C (Yurumates3Dei, Go! Go! 575). Featuring theme music performed by Akari Nanawo (opening) and Cody Lee (ending), the series atmosphere kicks off with a bang. The series voice-cast includes Yuka Ozaki and Ami Koshimizu.

Koito Koganei (Yuka Ozaki) has her work cut out for her as a Shrine Maiden. The family legacy of working in the shrine as a Shrine Maiden has been ongoing for generations. Yet Elda (Ami Koshimizu), the Elf who is supposed to be a deity for the family shrine, hasn’t been doing her part.

The shrine Elf ignores her duties and only has interest in playing video-games and in pursing collecting an assortment of toys. Elda isn’t interested in her role and has become reclusive, too. Can Koito and Elda find common ground?

There is a ton of fun to be had with the cast of characters. Koito and Elda are great characters and are at the heart of the series. It is hard to even imagine the series without these zany and offbeat personalities contributing to the series sense of charm. There is a lot to appreciate about their enthusiasm and their approach to their roles on the series.

Elda is an interesting deity elf in being an otaku and the series certainly has fun exploring this side of the character. This is no doubt something that will make the series more relatable to other anime fans out there – those who are entwined in anime, manga, and everything considered to contribute to being an otaku. The otaku life is certainly an essential part in providing a deeper significance to the main character.

The character designs by Takeshi Oda (Harukana Receive, Wandering Witch - The Journey of Elaina) are exceptional and add a lot of whimsy to the production. Oda does a great job handling the character designs. The designs are exquisite and add so much to the production. These characters have art showcasing their fun personalities.

The animation is one of the best qualities of the production and audiences will appreciate how vibrant and colorful the artistry of the series is. The team of animators involved with the production clearly understood the essence of the series and what it was aiming for to achieve on the whole. With an element of otaku life and culture at the forefront of the series, the aesthetic reflects that and is a testament to geek culture. The art is also remarkably beautiful at times and showcases a vibrant, colorful, and engaging aesthetic that the animation team brought to life.

The cinematography by Jun Kubota (Guin Saga, Tamayomi: The Baseball Girls) is another highlight of the series. Kubota is a terrific cinematographer who has a clear passion as a visual artist. The series has an impressive cinematographic style that aids the series sense of fun. The visual style adds to the series energy and helps the series excel even further.

The score composed by Akito Matsuda (Holmes of Kyoto, Sound! Euphonium) is a highlight of the series and certainly something to appreciate. Matsuda is a great composer and a perfect fit for the series. An engaging, creative, and vibrant score that lifts off with otaku-fun for anime fans. The music fits the production well.

Written by Shogo Yasukawa (Ayakashi Triangle, The Girl in Twilight), Otaku Elf stands out from the crowd by being a special “otaku” anime series. The series does a good job of balancing the nerdy elements alongside the sweet and charming aspects of the characters and their journey working together. Yasukawa certainly enjoyed the concept and brings the silliness and sense of fun to the production.

Directed by Takebumi Anzai (Go! Go! 575, CANAAN), Otaku Elf is a worthwhile anime and one that nerdy fans with an appreciation for manga, anime, video-games, and more will find appealing with the series approach. Director Anzai is a talent and helps the series excel in the right way. The style is exuded in spades. Director Anzai also does a great job of highlighting the personalities of these characters. The directing plays a big role in the characterizations and how the duo interacts with each other – adding comedic sensibilities that help to enhance the genre roots. Anzai certainly enjoys exploring the quirky side of things and this will make the series more appealing to those devoted to otaku culture. Otaku Elf is a good cup of tea for fans of quirky and charming anime series.

Otaku Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, Otaku Elf is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The series has an excellent high-definition presentation. The release has a lot of positive attributes. Colors "pop" throughout and the encoding looks great with crisp line art and background animation.

The animation looks sharp and naturally pleasing on the eye. The presentation capably handles the art style. The aesthetic finds a way to shine through-and-through.

The Blu-ray release provides excellent encoding. One of the things to celebrate about the Blu-ray disc format is the fact it provides viewers superior picture-quality compared to streaming video services. Streaming platforms typically provide lower-bitrate presentations with more compression.

 For a less compressed image and with higher video bit-rates, Blu-ray offers a more immersive viewing experience. For home theater enthusiasts especially, those who own high-end gear, Blu-ray rewards with superior quality. Audiences can appreciate the higher quality.

Otaku Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release does not include an English dubbed option. It is a bit unfortunate that the release does not include an English dubbed option. English dub fans would have appreciated a dub option being provided on the release as an audio selection. Nonetheless, purists will be thrilled with the quality of the lossless Japanese audio presentation. The lossless audio capably presents the sound direction of Akiko Fujita (Classroom Crisis, Wonder Egg Priority).

The lossless audio is a significant selling point of the Blu-ray disc format. Streaming video services only offer lossy (non-lossless) audio quality and the physical format offers a superior option for those who appreciate the refined sound quality of lossless audio. For audiophiles with an appreciation for the reproduction of music and sound effects, as well as crystal clear dialogue, lossless is superior. The presentation is all the better as a result.

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

The set ships in a standard Blu-ray case. The release does not include an o-card slipcover. The set does not provide a digital copy.

The one area of the release that is lacking significantly is the supplemental package. The release could have been improved in this arena. The box- set would have added some extra value for collectors by including audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, making-of documentaries, or some cast/crew interview. I would have also appreciated seeing some art galleries – along the lines of something found in an artbook (with character designs, sketches, and early production artwork).

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

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

Otaku Elf is an entertaining and engaging anime series with a wonderful cast of characters. Koito and Elda are great characters and the duo add an abundance of whimsy to the series. The otaku aspect similarly adds a ton of charm. Anime nerds who appreciate the otaku lifestyle will appreciate the entertaining jokes. The series excels with good storytelling and beautiful animation. The art is an essential part of the equation.

The Blu-ray features an excellent video and audio presentation. The high-definition presentation excels with quality video. The release also sports fantastic lossless audio quality. The only potential drawback remains a lackluster supplemental package and lack of physical goodies to round out the package. An otherwise excellent release. Fans of the series will want to consider a purchase of this comedy series – after all, there is something wonderful about owning a permanent copy for your shelf that no one can simply take away from you. Otaku Elf is fun and has plenty of charm. Recommended.