Shinepost: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Shinepost: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Shinepost (also known as Shine Post) is a pop-idol anime series. From Konami Digital Entertainment and Straight Edge, the series features animation produced by by Studio KAI (Captain Tsubasa: Junior Youth Arc, Skeleton Knight in Another World). Based on the light novel by Rakuda, with original character designs by Buriki, Shinepost has an upbeat sense of energy and style. The series feature theme music composed by TINGS. Shinepost features the voice talents of Moeko Kanisawa, Rika Nakagawa, Sayumi Suzushiro, Yūko Natsuyoshi, and Rimo Hasegawa.

Kyо̄ka Tamaki (Moeko Kanisawa), Momiji Itо̄ (Rika Nakagawa), Haru Nabatame (Sayumi Suzushiro), Rio Seibu (Yūko Natsuyoshi), and Yukine Gionji (Rimo Hasegawa) are part of the pop-idol singing group known as TiNgS. The girls sometimes come and go from the group but their spirits remain strong. Beginning a journey under a new manager, three of the girls find themselves shook when their summoned to the president of the company. Visiting the president’s office, the girls learn that Shine Post is going to be disbanded and separated from performing together if the girls do not begin to get more attention for audiences.

The girls aren’t as popular as Shine Post was supposed to be and if the girls cannot prove themselves by gaining a bigger following of concert goers by the time of the Nakano Sunplaza live concert in three months time. The girls are thrust in to unexpected anxiety as they must fight to the finish to survive being disbanded. The girls seek out a new manager to help them along the journey and to find new ways to ramp up promotion and bring in new audiences to their concerts. Can these girls survive cancellation?

The characters are the heart of the series. This is an essential ingredient for any pop-idol anime series. These productions rely heavily on audiences enjoying the characters in the pop-idol groups. The cast manages to provide a good sense of energy for the series. The upbeat personalities add a lot to the excitement and tone of Shinepost. The character designs by Yoshihiro Nagata (Yume Ōkoku to Nemureru 100- Nin no Ōji-sama Short Stories) are excellent and are vibrant with a sense of charm. These characters certainly look and sound like pop-idol superstars and that is what the designer aimed for with the series production. A good effort all around.

The animation is impressive and stands out as one of the greatest strengths of the series. The animation is ushered in by art director Hiroki Matsumoto (Concrete Revolutio, Girly Air Force). The art direction is beautiful and serene looking. Under the chief animation direction of Keita Fukuda (The Quintessential Quintuplets ∬, Domestic Girlfriend), Keita Shimizu (Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax), Shunta Sakamoto (Lord Marksman and Vanadis, Aquarion Logos), Tōru Imanishi (Girly Air Force, Skeleton Knight in Another World), Yoshihiro Nagata (Lord Marksman and Vanadis, Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious), and Yūsuke Sōen (Senki Zesshō Symphogear XV, NieR:Automata Ver 1.1a), Shinepost looks bright and colorful. The art style is compelling, robust, and creative. The animators certainly had fun bringing the series to life with compelling aesthetic elements for the pop-idol performances and this is an essential ingredient for the series.

The cinematography by Shinya Matsui (World Break: Aria of Curse for a Holy Swordsman, Kubo Won't Let Me Be Invisible) is lush and compelling. The visual wonder of the series adds a sense of charm to the production. The bright and colorful visuals are enhanced with exceptional cinematographic style and the emphasis on the vibrant landscape of the pop-idol stage is something the cinematographer never forgets to highlight. A good effort by Matsui.

The score composed by Tsubasa Ito (The Price of Smiles, Skeleton Knight in Another World) and Yasunori Nishiki (Azur Lane, Black Rock Shooter: Dawn Fall) is entertaining fun. The score and songs add a lot to Shinepost. The music is one of the main strengths of any pop-idol series and this anime is no exception to the rule. The song selections and score compositions add to the energetic buzz of the series and the fun sense of style added to the overall production.

Written by Rakuda (ORESUKI: Are you the only one who loves me?, Ore wo Suki na no wa Omae Dake ka yo ~Ore-tachi no Game Set~) and Tatsuto Higuchi (Midnight Occult Civil Servants, Digimon Universe: Appli Monsters), Shinepost might not be the most original anime series around but the scripting is nonetheless fun and charming. The characters are upbeat and fun to spend time with. The anime certainly has a charming personality and sense of charisma. There is plenty to appreciate about the production and its sense of upbeat energy.

Directed by Kei Oikawa (Hinamatsuri, Outbreak Company), Shinepost is a series with a fun cast of characters brought to life through the director. The director created a compelling production. An impressive animation landscape is overseen by the director and the results are impressive. The storytelling emphasis is all about creating something fun and charming. Oikawa understood the assignment and provides the right balance of song and dance for a pop-idol anime series.

Shinepost: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Shinepost is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition presentation provides excellent video quality. The presentation has impressive color reproduction. Encoding is excellent and capably handles the dance sequences showcasing the moves of the pop-idol characters.

The line art and background animation are crisp and detailed looking on the release. The release benefits from a healthy bit-rate and provides a superior video presentation compared to streaming video platforms (which offer video that is more compressed and has smaller bit-rates). For audiences looking to maximize the presentation quality, the Blu-ray release offers the best available option for viewing the series.

Shinepost: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The release has outstanding clarity and detail. The lossless audio encoding provides a crisp and well-detailed audio presentation. Dialogue is clear and well reproduced. The soundtrack and song selections are well reproduced. The dynamics of the audio presentation are impressive and immersive sounding.

The presentation quality is significantly better than any streaming video services offer (which offer series with lossy audio by comparison). Lossless audio provides the best sound quality experience for those seeking the best presentation – superior bit-rates and encoding. The soundfloor is better and more balance sounding. The series sound direction by Hiroto Morishita is well reproduced for the release. Audiophiles seeking the best quality will find the release worthwhile. The only potential downside to the release is the lack of an English dubbed option. The English subtitles are well done on the release. A good presentation by Sentai Filmworks.

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

The release has a sparse and lackluster supplemental package. This is one of the most underwhelming aspects of the release. The set does not provide any extensive behind-the-scenes features such as making-of documentaries, audio commentaries, EPK featurettes, or photo galleries. These kinds of supplemental inclusions could have helped to round out the set with a more impressive supplemental package. Unfortunately, the release only includes a small selection of standard and somewhat-generic bonus features as listed below:

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animation (HD, 1:32)

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

Shinepost is a charming and entertaining pop-idol anime series. The series has vibrant and colorful animation and the fantastic art style certainly makes the series bubbly and charming. The series animation is a highlight all around. The direction is worthwhile and the characters are fun, too. Audiences seeking a laidback pop-idol anime will find something to enjoy. The Blu-ray release has impressive video and audio. The set includes a small (and somewhat underwhelming) supplemental package. Fans of the series seeking to own a copy for their shelf (and with the best picture and audio available) will want to consider a purchase. Recommended.