Plus-Sized Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Plus-Sized Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Plus-Sized Elf is an offbeat comedy-fantasy anime set around the world of fried food and elves.  Created by Synecdoche, Plus-Sized Elf features animation production by Elias (Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All the Way From Another World!, Seduced By My Best Friend). Plus-Sized Elf includes opening theme music "Fried Pride" by REAL AKIBA BOYZ loves Kasumi Taguchi＆ AiRyA from REAL AKIBA BAND and ending theme "Minna DE Diet" by Demo Tabe-tai.  Featuring the voces of Takahide Ishii and Ayasa Itō.

Tomoatsu Naoe (Takahide Ishii) meets Elfuda (Ayasa Itō) and discovers she is unlike any of his previous clients. For one thing, Elfuda is an elf and she only came to Earth in order to snack on foods like French Fries and things elves normally don’t get to eat on their home planet. As a result, Elfuda has gained an enormous amount of weight and she can’t return home until she loses enough weight to re-enter the portal at her original weight.

The problem is exacerbated by how many tasty snacks and junk food she finds in the human world. Can Elfuda start a diet regime and lose the weight to return home or will she forever be a big elf now that she loves French Fries and other human foods? Can Tomoatsu Naoe be the coach Elfuda needs to reach her weight loss goals?

The characters are at the forefront of the Plus-Sized Elf series. Elfuda is the central character as an elf who becomes obsessed with consuming fast food. The character will certainly be relatable for anyone who has ever struggled with regards to fast food consumption or their love of fried foods in general. The character gains a lot of weight after entering the human world. The elves world is one with food that is much different and that doesn’t cause high weight gain like in the human world. The main character being so relatable for those who struggle with their weight or love of fast food in general adds to the production.

The series will appeal to more audiences because of the relatability of the character with others. Tomoatsu Naoe is also a compelling character – as a character who looks out for Elfuda and wants to help her out on her weight loss goals. Anyoen who has ever been a coach to another person may find the character to be relatable. The character is nice and in good spirits and always finds a way to be encouraging to Elfuda with her goals. The balance of the characters is also something that adds to the series style and sense of charm.

The character designs by Katsuyuki Sato (Hokkaido Gals Are Super Adorable!, My Stepmom's Daughter Is My Ex) are well done and add to the series overall production. The character designs do a good job of highlighting the main cast of characters and giving them distinct aesthetics, too. The designs are superbly done and manage to make a wonderful impression. The design for Elfuda, for instance, manages to balance out the elvish quality alongside the fact that she is overweight and needing to consider a diet for her goals.

The animation is solid and although this isn’t the best looking anime around the design efforts still feel reasonably well done. The art direction by Shinobu Takahashi (Alice or Alice, I Can't Understand What My Husband Is Saying) is notable and makes a difference in the aesthetic direction of the series. The series animation direction by Shinji Yamamoto (Bungo Stray Dogs Wan! , World’s End Harem) is also compelling and makes a mark on the series. The team of animators did good work with the series overall, providing a fantasy blend of elves with real-world commonplace design elements – while emphasizing the fast food culture.

The cinematography by Yoshikazu Miyagawa (Lupin the 3rd: Green vs Red, Happy Seven) is well-done. The series has crisp and clear visuals. The cinematography does a good job highlighting the aesthetic style of the animation.

The score composed by Cher Watanabe (Kaikan Phrase, The Prince of Tennis) is decent and works as a backdrop to the comedy. The music by Watanabe is aimed at providing a light comedic tone for the series. The music works well for the genre.

Written by Yūki Takabayashi (Love Rice, Yandere Dark Elf: She Chased Me All the Way From Another World!), Plus-Sized Elf is a decent concept and it is well executed given the comedy material. This certainly is a offbeat comedy for anyone who has ever struggled with their weight. The series is compelling for its dive into this arena – with over-the-top antics by the characters.

Directed by Toshikatsu Tokoro (The Highschool Life of a Fudanshi, The Legend of the Galactic Heroes), Plus-Sized Elf is worth checking out for comedy genre fans looking for a quirky anime. The series has relatable plus size characters who are trying to lose weight but find themselves tempted by fast food and fried food everywhere they go. Plus-Sized Elf is a decent series to look at the subject in a comedic manner and may be of interest for anyone looking for some motivation to lose weight – or a reminder that it is okay to simply be yourself.

Plus-Sized Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Sentai Filmworks, Plus-Sized 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 robust colors and animation. The presentation capably reproduces the series animation and the art style certainly is well emphasized on the release. The presentation showcases the cinematography well.

One of the strengths of physical media is the encoding. Streaming video services tend to offer a more compressed image. For home theater enthusiasts and collectors who want the best possible image quality, Blu-ray disc can offer a distinct advantage. Blu-ray often has higher video bit-rates when compared to streaming services.

Plus-Sized Elf: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 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 sound direction by Takayuki Yamaguchi (Beyblade X, Classroom For Heroes) is well reproduced on the release, too. The lossless audio quality is well done. The sound presentation capably handles the material and manages to imbue a lot of life into the soundstage. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The English subtitles are well done and are free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

One cool thing about Blu-ray disc is the lossless audio encoding. Streaming video services are limited to lossy (non-lossless) audio encoding. For home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles seeking the best possible audio experience, the Blu-ray disc format has advantages that are superior to streaming. Lossless can provide a much more rewarding experience.

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

Special Features Disc –

Clean Opening Animations (HD, 12:24)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 13:26)

Naoe Wants to Help You Lose Weight Minis:

Client #1: Elfuda (HD, 11:29)

Client #2: Kuroeda (HD, 10:02)

Client #3: Mero (HD, 11:08)

Client #4: Raika (HD, 11:32)

Client #5: Kobo (HD, 11:58)

Client #6: Honeda (HD, 11:38)

Client #7: Hitome (HD, 12:24)

Client #8: Gonda (HD, 11:22)

Client #9: Oga (HD, 12:29)

Client #10: Kusahanada (HD, 11:17)

Client #11: Oku (HD, 11:17)

Client #12: Ooeda (HD, 11:04)

Client #13: Satero (HD, 11:41)

Client #14: Elfuda & Kuroeda (HD, 11:00)

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

Plus-Sized Elf is an entertaining comedy-fantasy around the world of elves and fast food. A elf travels to the human world wanting to try French Frys and ends up becoming plus sized as she eats up lots of fast food and fried foods off limits in the world of elves. The series will be relatable for anyone who has ever struggled with their diet. The Blu-ray release provides a nice high-definition presentation, lossless audio encoding, and a selection of bonus features. Fans of the series will want to consider purchasing a copy for their anime collection. Recommended.