Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series Blu-ray Movie Review

The journey begins. The original series arrives in high-definition.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is an action-packed science-fiction gem created by Hitoshi Yoshioka and Kazuhiko Tsuzuki. The series was originally broadcast on TV Tokyo and distributed in Japan by VAP. Produced by Makoto Kubo (Urusei yatsura, Ranma ½ ), Chiyo Okazaki (Venger Robo, Hana no mahoutsukai Mary Bell), Tomoyuki Taguchi (Jankenman, Idol Angel Yokoso Yoko), and Masatoshi Yoshii (Showa Ahozoshi Akanuke Ichiban, The Legend of Hikari), The Irresponsible Captain Tylor stands as a cult-classic favorite with anime fans.

Justy Ueki Tylor (Kouji Tsujitani) joins the United Planets Space Force and an adventure unlike anything else he ever experienced begins to unfold. As Tylor begins to enjoy the benefits of the intergalactic odyssey – including free food and a nice paycheck – Tylor soon realizes the military posiiton has even more in store for him. Tylor becomes the Captain of the spaceship Destroyer Soyokaze.

At first enamored with the news that he is in charge of his own spaceship, Tylor soon realizes that the military places all personnel on the ship that are considered the most eccentric, difficult, and zany characters in space. On the bright side, Tylor gets to live a laid-back lifestyle, working less, while playing more. Tylor becomes the Captain of the misfits. What could happen?

The series excels in part because of the cast of characters. At the forefront of the cast is the lead, Tylor. Tylor is a fan-favorite character who helps enhance the zany atmosphere of the production and the goofy storytelling. A captain with a unique approach to running things, the character adds some compelling charm to the comedy series. There is something quite compelling about Tylor.

The animation on The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is fantastic and one of the greatest strengths of the series. The animation comes from powerhouse anime studio Tatsunoko Production (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Princess Resurrection). The traditional cell-based art work shines well. Under the art direction of Masaru Sato (Serial Experiments Lain, His and Her Circumstances), The Irresponsible Captain Tylor stands out as a unique classic anime with distinctive style. The art work does a solid job reflecting the animation.

Take flight for a new adventure.

The character designs by Tomohiro Hirata (Final Fantasy: Unlimited, Meltylancer: The Animation) are effective as well. As the central character of the production, Tylor has a unique artistic style that stands out from a crowd of anime productions. The character design is well suited to the eccentric series and the style of the storyteling. The other characters are well designed as well.

For science-fiction enthusiasts, the mecha designs by Koji Ito (Full Metal Panic, Platinumhugen Ordian) and Shoichi Masuo (Vandread, Vandread Integral) make a solid impression as well. With a spaceship design that stands out, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor works well in the mecha stratosphere and sci-fans will enjoy the results. Outstanding animation.

The cinematography by Motoaki Ikegami (Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies, Lupin III: Island of Assassins) aids the filmmaking as well. The cell-based animation has a unique and traditional style which fits the production. There is a laidback style to the cinematography which helps highlight the zany tone of the series. Ikegami helps enhance the effort.

Legendary composer Kenji Kawai (Ghost in the Shell, Blue Seed) provides the original score for The Irresponsible Captain Tylor. The music is one of the best elements of the anime. Kawai is a prolific anime composer and the effort on The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is worthwhile. A solid effort.

The screenplay by Hiroyuki Kawasaki (Sorcerer Hunters, Samurai Pizza Cats) is one of the core elements of the series that makes the anime production so entertaining. The series has a quality atmosphere and the zany concepts explored on the program help make it an essential for genre enthusiasts with a comedy-bent. The emphasis on comedy is essential to the success of the series. The comedy backdrop is one of the key reasons the series works – and why Kawasaki was a good fit.

Directed by Koichi Mashimo (Noir, Madlax), The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is an entertaining anime for fans of classic hand-drawn animation. The series is a lot more zany than some of Mashimo's other beloved works but it stands out as something compelling within the body of work from the director. Edited by Seiji Morita (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Witch Hunter Robin), the series has compelling rhythm, and fans of classic anime will want to check it out.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Nozomi Entertainment, The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The release is generally quite effective and has a reasonably good presentation. The scan of the material does show some age and the high definition print quality isn't quite as robust as it might have been with a 4K restoration. As a result, color reproduction is less robust than some fans are possibly expecting, but the overall presentation quality is still reasonably good. It is nice to see more classic hand drawn animation arrive on the format in high-definition.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless, high-resolution audio options: English uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo, Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles), and Spanish uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo. The lossless English audio sounds crisp and clean on the release. The Japanese track is a bit older and won't sound quite as pristine but the lossless encoding still helps it excel as an excellent choice for series enthusiasts. Unlike most anime releases, the addition of a Spanish audio track is a nice addition for those interested.

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening (SD, 1:12)

Clean Closing 1 (SD, 1:02)

Clean Closing 2 (SD, 1:02)

Trailers: A Town Where You Live (HD, 1:30), Galaxy Angel (HD, 1:28) , Revolutionary Girl Utena (HD, 00:18), Sound of the Sky (HD, 1:35), and Sweet Blue Flowers (HD, 1:31).

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor: TV Series Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Irresponsible Captain Tylor is an entertaining anime with a devoted fan-base. The series excels with great animation and solid characters at the helm. Fans of classic hand-drawn anime will certainly enjoy seeing the series arrive in high-definition on the Blu-ray format. The release includes a plethora of lossless audio options as well. Though the release is slim on supplements, fans of The Irresponsible Captain Tylor will certainly want to pick up the set. Nozomi Entertainment did an excellent job with the release. Recommended.