Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie Review

The second chapter arrives.

Star Blazers 2202: Part 2 continues the adventures from the first collection of the anime reboot and sequel. Executive produced by Shoji Nishizaki (Space Battleship Yamato Resurrection), Star Blazers 2202 is based on the original work created by Leiji Matsumoto and Yoshinobu Nishizaki. With animation from production studio Xebec (Broken Blade, Martian Successor Nadesico), Star Blazers 2202: Part 2 offers fans of the first collection even more outer-space excitement with the original crew of the Yamato.

In the second installment of Star Blazers 2202, Earth faces new and unexpected challenges ahead. The risk of the White Comet Empire poses one of the biggest threats to the Star Blazers and their Yamato crew to date. There is a chance of failure and with that possibility resides the potential for human annihilation. While the future might be bleak, Susumu Kodai (Daisuke Ono) and Yuki Mori (Houko Kuwashima) both preserve forward and fight for tomorrow. Can the future be saved once more?

At the core of the series is the original cast. The characters were charming and compelling – giving the entire original an authenticity and excitement which was undeniable. The reboot wisely brings back these fan-favorite characters. The anime reboot is better for it.

The animation can’t hold a candle to the artistic quality of the original but it does manage to look sleek and well-produced for a modern reboot. Under the art direction by Yoshio Tanioka (Akudama Drive, Night Raid 1931), Star Blazers 2202 brings a new element of CG animation to the production (even though this is only a small component of the whole run). Though I’ll always prefer the classic, the rebooted version is decent.

The character designs by Nobuteru Yuki (Heat Guy J, Record of Lodoss War) stay true to the original designs. The effort is commendable. The characters still look like the classic versions even with the different art style implemented. Another interesting element on display is found with the mecha designs from Junichirō Tamamori (Master of Torque, Star Blazers 2199) and Yasushi Ishizu (Dirty Pair, Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory).

The Yamato returns.

The cinematography by Daisuke Horino (Future Card Buddyfight, Jewelpet Happiness) provides the series with a sleek aesthetic. The visuals certainly contribute to the production. The cinematographic style is a adequate effort which fits the tone of the production.

The score by Akira Miyagawa (Star Blazers 2199, Space Battleship Yamato 2199) doesn’t stand out as much as desired but it fits the tone of the reboot well-enough. Miyagawa adds some reasonable background music to the action scenes. The score could be better but is adequate.

Written by Harutoshi Fukui (Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative, Harlock: Space Pirate), Star Blazers 2202 doesn’t reach for the heights of the classic. Yet the new version does add some interesting elements. Fukui enjoys the sandbox of the original and the cast of characters who shaped it.

Nobuyoshi Habara (Fafner, AMAIM Warrior at the Borderline) directs. Star Blazers 2202 isn’t a great reboot but it is a decent one with some aspects more impressive than other components. The series certainly doesn’t surpass the cell-based anime original but the reboot does provide more outer-space adventures for genre enthusiasts.

Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Star Blazers 2202: Part 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. An impressive high definition presentation with good color reproduction and excellent clarity. The production looks sleek and modern. The encoding is solid and capably handles the action scenes.

Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The second collection includes a nice assortment of audio options: Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles) and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound. The lossless audio quality on the release is excellent. Dialogue is crisp and easy to understand. The score is well reproduced and well-integrated in to the soundstage. The surrounds are actively engaged on the English dub option and provide a more expansive sounding encode.

Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 2:

Star Blazers: Space Battleship Yamato 2202: Conversation with the Cast (HD, 25:41)

Episode 23 Audio Commentary

Textless Closing Songs:

"Yoranka" (HD, 2:35)

"Crimson Red" (HD, 2:11)

"Oinaru Wa" (HD, 2:48)

"Yamato yori ai o komete" (HD, 4:38)

Star Blazers 2202: Part Two Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Star Blazers 2202: Part 2 offers audiences the finale to the reboot of the beloved anime classic. While the series isn't on par with the original, audiences simply looking for a decent series with some interesting design components might want to take a look at the production. The Blu-ray release has a solid video and audio presentation. The release also includes an extended conversation with the cast. Fans of Star Blazers 2202 will be pleased with the release.