The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie Review

The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is a science-fiction mecha anime originally produced as an original video animation (OVA). The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final serves as a sequel to The King of Braves Gaogaigar. Created by Hajime Yatate, The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is produced by Hiroyuki Birukawa (Generator Gawl, The Qwaser of Stigmata) and Shinichiro Kobayashi (Michiko & Hatchin, Argento Soma).

The production is by Sunrise (Cowboy Bebop, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing) and Victor Entertainment (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex 2nd GIG). Broadcast on the Bandai Channel, The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final features the voices of Maiko Itou, Mitsuaki Madono, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Sayuri, Tomoe Hanba, and Yumi Kakazu. Mecha fans will find plenty to enjoy with The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final.

The fate of the entire planet may be at stake. The global changes in climate cause the stakes of the planet to fall in to the hands of the whirlwind of changing tides in temperature and big nature events that cause nothing but chaos. As the environment begins to change rapidly, the 11 Planetary Masters of Sol have arrived.

The 11 Planetary Masters of Sol are now on Earth and are planning an attack against the strange and mysterious Q-Parts substance. The entire fate of the planet (and the universe at large) resides in the balance. As questions about the fate of the universe begin to rise, more mysteries unravel about the 11 Planetary Masters of Sol. The time has come for the Braves to assemble and fight for the future of Earth. Can the planet survive the mission?

The cast of characters include Mamoru Amami (Maiko Itou), Soldat J (Mitsuaki Madono), Gai "Guy" Shishiô (Nobuyuki Hiyama), Ikumi Kaidô (Sayuri), Mikoto Utsugi (Tomoe Hanba), and Renais Cardiff Shishiô (Yumi Kakazu). The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final certainly has an interesting bunch with the characters being a part of the fun. Though having such an expansive cast of characters doesn’t always allow for as much character-focused elements (as The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is predominately action oriented) it is still nice to see a big ensemble. The character designs by Takahiro Kimura (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Ghastly Prince Enma Burning Up) are compelling and have a nice aesthetic. The design elements certainly are impressive and manage a creative spark.

The chief animation direction by Seiichi Nakatani (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion, Planetes) and Takahiro Kimura (Code Geass: Akito the Exiled, Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway) is noteworthy and a significant part of the series success. The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is a beautiful looking anime with creative animation in spades. The impressive art style is something that is one of the central components of the entire production and why it works as well it does – providing audiences with something visually stunning.

The mecha designs by Kazumi Fujita (Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam, Brave King GaoGaiGar Final Grand Glorious Gathering) and Kunio Okawara (Armored Trooper Votoms, Mobile Suit Gundam) are also compelling. Mecha fans will find this to be one of the best strengths of The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final. The mecha element is certainly a significant aspect of the production and it enhances the fun. The designs provide a larger sense of scale and a more well-rounded sense of ambition. This is essential to the anime.

The score composed by Kōhei Tanaka (Gate Keepers 21, Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan) is entertaining and works as solid background music for The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final. Though the score might not be as impressive as some of the absolute best action-anime series (such as Yu Yu Hakusho or My Hero Academia) the score is still entertaining and engaging. The music helps to enhance the series. A worthwhile effort and one that certainly fits the production and genre elements well.

Written by Fuyunori Gobu (Armored Trooper Votoms, Aura Battle Dunbine: The Tale of Neo Byston Well), Yoshitomo Yonetani (The Doraemons: The Great Operation of Springing Insects, Dorami & Doraemons: Robot School's Seven Mysteries), and Yuichiro Takeda (Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector, Kyokujitsu no Kantai), The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final has a decent and fun script which highlights the action elements alongside the characters. The scripting is solid and entertaining and mecha fans will want to explore. The writing has some effective dialogue and the sense of ambition for an action series is well highlighted.

Directed by Yoshitomo Yonetani (Nurse Witch Komugi, Prince Enma Burning Up), The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is certainly a worthwhile effort. Director Yonetani has fun exploring this storytelling universe and building on the premise. The sense of scale given to the production and the animation stands as one of the great contributions of the director. Yonetani certainly does a solid job here and mecha fans will appreciate the action-packed excitement of The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final.

The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Discotek Media, The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high- definition presentation in the original aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The high-definition presentation is reasonably impressive looking and manages to provide the series with a colorful and robust encode. The encoding is excellent and provides a good image from Discotek. Distirbutor Discotek Media certainly helped to make sure the OVA looks excellent on the release. The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final has healthy bit-rates and is a strong alternative to any other option (such as streaming services, which offer video with a more compressed image).

The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The lossless audio on the presentation sounds excellent. Dialogue sounds crisp and clear on the release. The score is well reproduced and highlighted. The sound direction by Kōichi Chiba (The Brave Command Dagwon, The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird) and Sadayoshi Fujino (Aura Battler Dunbine, Witch Hunter Robin) highlights the soundstage effects well. The result? A pleasing uncompressed PCM stereo mix. The downside? No English dub. Though purists will appreciate the lossless Japanese audio (as well as the English subtitles) the lack of an English dub is surprising and a bit underwhelming.

The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with an attractive o-card slipcover. The slipcover features unique art-work from the key art highlighted underneath the slipcover. This adds an extra touch to the release and makes the package feel even more special in hand.

On disc supplements include:

Clean Openings (HD, 12:08)

Clean Endings (HD, 3:44)

Opening Theme – Ultimate Version (HD, 3:58)

Final Scene – Clean Version (HD, 4:07)

Production Teaser (HD, 00:38)

VHS/DVD Commercials (SD, 9:36)

Blu-ray Trailers (HD, 4:52)

Blu-ray/DVD Comparison (HD, 1:43)

Golden God of Destruction Box Promo Video (SD, 4:08)

Final Fusion – Pachislot Version (HD, 00:44)

Chief Director Yoshitomo Yonetani Interview (SD, 15:24)

Masaaki Endoh Live Performance (SD, 21:10)

Let's Final Fusion! Hironobu Kageyama and Masaaki Endoh (SD, 4:06)

Strongest Brave Robot Brigade ––Ladies—MiQ (SD, 3:17)

The King of Braves GaoGaiGar Final Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The King of Braves Gaogaigar Final is an entertaining and engaging action-adventure science-fiction mecha OVA. The anime has an ambitious sense of scale. The production is certainly impressive and highlights good work from director Yoshitomo Yonetani (Nurse Witch Komugi) . The mecha designs and creative elements also contribute to the OVA as well. Action fans will certainly wish to check out this fun OVA.

The Blu-ray release features a solid video and audio presentation. The release includes lossless Japanese audio (with English subtitles). The set includes a plethora of bonus features. The package also contains a nice o-card slipcover. A nice release that will look great on the shelf. recommended.