Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.5

Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Phantom of the Idol is a supernatural-comedy pop-idol anime. Created by Hijiki Isoflavone, Phantom of the Idol is a series aimed at pop music fans who enjoy idol series and the world of competitive song and dance. The series features animation produced by Studio Gokumi (Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero). Produced by Aya Iizuka (Arifureta - From Commonplace to World's Strongest, Restaurant to Another World), Norio Fukui (Reborn to Master the Blade: From Hero-King to Extraordinary Squire, Sleepy Princess in the Demon Castle), Sayako Muramatsu (Hayate the Combat Butler! Cuties, Natsume's Book of Friends), Shinya Suzuki (Lupin III Italian Game), Takashi Jinguuji (My Senpai Is Annoying, This Ugly Yet Beautiful World), Takema Okamura (Hanasaku Iroha: Home Sweet Home, A Lull in the Sea), Tomokazu Iizumi (Noragami, Trinity Seven), Tomoyuki Ohwada (Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater, The Quintessential Quintuplets the Movie), and Toshiya Niikura (Anne-Happy, The Misfit of Demon King Academy II), Phantom of the Idol is a series that will appeal to its base of fans. Featuring the voices of Nao Tōyama, Fumiya Imai, and Shun Horie.

Asahi Mogami (Nao Tōyama) is no ordinary singer and she’s pretty transparent about being different – so much so that one could (arguably) see through her ghostly appearance! Asahi is in fact a ghost! A lover of song and performance, Asahi died tragically in an accident but haunts the world with her ambitions for singing still rising to the top. Yūya Niyodo (Fumiya Imai), on the other hand, finds enormous success as a pop-idol and only got into the business to make money. Cha-ching!

 Unlike Asahi, Yūya doesn’t care what happens on the pop stage and just sings to a paycheck – with no love for singing. Asahi and Yūya might make a perfect duo – what would happen if Yūya’s body is possessed by dream-driven and pop-obsessed ghost Asahi? That’s what happens when the two meet. Unexpected unity between a pop-imposter (close to losing their job) and a pop-lover who died by tragic circumstances. Can Yūya’s job be saved with the help of passionate pop idol Asahi? Possession takes up flight and adventure awaits on the stage.

The goofy characters are essential to the series production. Without the charming cast of characters, Phantom of the Idol is a series that wouldn’t be as much fun and it would resemble other pop-idol series a lot more. Asahi Mogami makes for an interesting pop idol lead as a ghost who is still passionate about music and performance – someone who has “passed on” but isn’t willing to give up the mantle of being a performer and doing the best possible job on stage.

 Yūya Niyodo is a compelling counter-balance and someone who isn’t doing as well in regards to passion and drive. Yūya just doesn’t care much and isn’t a passionate singer in the same way. The balance of the characters makes the concept more compelling and the characters certainly imbue the production with some interesting moments. The character designs by Saori Hosoda (Dekisokonai to Yobareta Moto Eiyū wa) work well for these protagonists. These designs are certainly impressive and there is a lot to appreciate about the artistry of the designs. The designs exude a sense of warmth for the series.

The animation is one of the best things about the series production. The animation is colorful, bright, and enveloping. The animation is a huge highlight of the series and there is plenty to appreciate with regards to the series aesthetic. The series features art direction by Chihiro Ido and chief animation direction by Saori Hosoda (Happy Sugar Life, Wasteful Days of High School Girl). The animation is excellent and creative. There is plenty to appreciate here and the animators bring a lot of smart creativity to the animation style on the series. This is a better looking pop-idol series than some productions exhibit. Compared to some other pop-idol productions (where the animation can be somewhat cheap and choppy looking by comparison), this is a well-produced series with quality animation and that is a key highlight of the series.

The cinematography by Ayako Honma (Matoi the Sacred Slayer, Bodacious Space Pirates) is lush and the visual element adds to the experience. The cinematography is a wonderful highlight of the production. The cinematography certainly shines by enhancing the animation and providing a nice backdrop for showcasing the idol element on the series. Honma did a good job with the series and the style is a component of the production that feels right at home for the anime.

The score composed by myu (Izumo: Flash of a Brave Sword, The Family Circumstances of the Irregular Witch) is a fun aspect of the series. The music for Phantom of the Idol is charming and adds warmth. Certainly, a quality score and one that highlights the pop aspect of the series in equal measure.

Written by Yasuko Aoki (The Demon Prince of Momochi House, Tying the Knot With an Amagami Sister), Phantom of the Idol might not break new ground with the concept or execution but it does offer some entertaining hinjinks for fans of pop-idol anime series. The writing is decent and the approach to the production allows for the characters to be front-and-center for the series. This is a better approach compared to series that place the pop music front-and-center with the characters feeling like mere backgrounds.

Directed by Daisei Fukuoka (Radiant, Yuki Yuna is a Hero: The Hero Chapter), Phantom of the Idol is a well-done pop-idol anime and one that is better than expected. The anime has charm and the fun directing style allows for the series to showcase comedy and drama in good measure. Phantom of the Idol might not be a total home run but it is a fun series with good direction and filmmaking from the production team. Fans of pop-idol series who want a little more creative energy than the norm will appreciate the series and should consider checking it out.

Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai, Phantom of the Idol is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation has a lot of impressive elements. The colorful animation is robust and vivid looking here. The animation is well reproduced – the cinematography a highlight of the presentation. The encoding is excellent, too. Sentai Filmworks did a good job with the encoding on the release. It is worth noting that streaming video services only offer video with a more compressed bit- rate compared to Blu-ray discs. Blu-ray discs provide video with higher bit-rate encoding and thereby viewers are rewarded with a superior presentation. For videophiles seeking the best possible presentation quality, the encoding provides a superior option to streaming services.

Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Blu-ray release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The lossless audio quality on the release is excellent. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The sound direction by Fumiyuki Go (The Rising of The Shield Hero, Space Battleship Tiramisu) is well reproduced on the release. The presentation is engaging on the Blu-ray release. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score is well reproduced and highlighted on the release. With quality encoding by Sentai Filmworks, the release offers a superior option for viewing the series. For audiophiles who demand the best possible audio quality out of their experience, the Blu-ray format offers true lossless sound quality which is a big difference compared to lossy sound quality provided by streaming video services (which tend to provide audio in a lossy MP3 quality). Fans who demand the best will want to consider this as an important point to the release.

Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The one area of the Blu-ray release that could have been improved is the supplemental package. The release could have certainly used some more bonus features. The set would have benefited with additional extras such as audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes documentaries, interviews with production members and voice-cast, and even art galleries showcasing some of the design art used throughout the production process.

On disc extras include:

Clean Opening Animations (HD, 14:47)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 11:16)

Phantom of the Idol: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Phantom of the Idol is a decent anime series in the pop-idol realm with some good entertainment for fans of the genre. Those looking for a creative spin on a pop-idol production will enjoy the ghost possession element of the series. The series has beautiful animation. The Blu-ray release has an impressive presentation with quality video and lossless audio. The release unfortunately has an incredibly sparse supplemental package. Nonetheless, for fans who want the best video and audio presentation possible for Phantom of the Idol, along with true ownership, the release is worth considering. Recommended.