7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A fourth-grader, Aoyama-kun, investigates the mysterious reason behind the sudden appearance of penguins in his village, which is somehow related to a power from a young woman working at a dental clinic.
Starring: Kana Kita, Yu Aoi, Megumi Han, Rie Kugimiya, Misaki KunoForeign | 100% |
Anime | 98% |
Supernatural | 6% |
Sci-Fi | 5% |
Coming of age | 4% |
Adventure | 3% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.19:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.20:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English, English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
With a title such as “Penguin Highway” and marketing that puts the titular animals all over trailers and posters, there’s an implicit promise made for something adorable, even silly, to be offered to audiences. However, this picture is far from cuddly. Instead of putting together a romp starring a collection of runaway birds, director Hiroyasu Ishida tries to dig into the trials of maturation, overseeing this adaptation of Tomihiko Morimi’s novel, which touches on the experience of a fourth-grader coming into contact with a fantastical event, only calmed by friendship, science, and the growing allure of female breasts.
The AVC encoded image (2.19:1) presentation enjoys the general brightness of the animation, which delivers crisp blue skies and greenery, making outdoor visits the artistic highlights of the movie. Interiors also satisfy with more naturalistic hues, and characters enjoy varied outfits and hair color. Detail is adequate, capturing animated artistry and dimension, while decoration is easy to survey, scanning school rooms and restaurants. Delineation is communicative. Some banding is found during select moments of the feature.
The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix comes through with authority, offering loaded surround atmospherics during the adventure, which encounters breezy open worlds and aquatic entanglements. Dialogue exchanges are precise, capturing all offerings of dialogue. Low-end has moments of power, especially when grander acts of fantasy are explored, offering a sense of weight with the expanding sphere.
"Penguin Highway" isn't a title for a casual watch, offering an excessive run time and a few bewildering turns of plot. It's a gorgeous film for sure, presenting naturalistic and dreamlike sights and lively character designs, but it gets a little lost at times as Ishida tries to balance outer and inner worlds.
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