Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie Review

Val X Love is an action-packed fantasy anime. The series features original animation produced by Hoods Entertainment (BlazBlue Alter Memory, Drifters). Created by Ryōsuke Asakura, Val X Love is a mature anime aimed at fans of sexy series with fun concepts. The stage is set… can the mood be set as well?

Takuma Akutsu (Yūya Hirose) is down on his luck in life. Takuma has never been considered as one of the best-looking guys around and as a result he has often struggled with feelings of inadequacy. As a result, Takuma even received the unanimous nickname of “Demon” by his peers.

Nonetheless, the would-be loner is selected by the god Odin (Kenji Hamada) to take part in an epic battle. Takuma is possibly the one true key to saving the entire planet from future annihilation. Yet in order to save the planet, Takuma must learn how to become intimate with a group of seductive ladies: the nine Vaklyrike daughters are supercharged by physical intimacy and Takuma must learn to bring out their hidden powers.

As Takuma becomes intimately close with the sisters Itsuyo Saotome (Ai Kakuma), Misa Saotome (Ayaka Shimizu), Natsuki Saotome (Kaede Hondo), Kururi Saotome (Kotori Koiwai), Yakumo Saotome (Maki Kawase), Shino Saotome (Rikako Aida), Mutsumi Saotome (Rina Hidaka), Futaba Saotome (Yumi Hara), and Ichika Saotome (Yumi Uchiyama), Takuma learns to understand how intimate relations can be the key to unlocking his destiny. All Takuma needs to do is ride. Sexy hijinks begin!

The animation on Val X Love is one of the strengths of the production. The animation style is compelling and distinctive. Under chief animation direction by Kiyoshi Tateishi (Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie, Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage), Toshimitsu Kobayashi (Comet Lucifer, Demon King Daimao), and Yukiyo Komito (Real Girl, Yowamushi Pedal), Val X Love offers a beautiful looking production with a wonderful use of color. The art style is bold and beautiful. The animators involved on the production certainly contributed a lot to the overall aesthetic. Working under art directors Hiroki Kobayashi and Masazumi Matsumiya, the animation team assembled something that is true to the series concept.

The character designs by Kiyoshi Tateishi (Vermeil in Gold, Alice in Deadly School) are worthwhile and manage to effectively match the production aims. The designs of the central female characters are noteworthy. The main male protagonist has an effective design as well. A good effort by Tateishi.

The cinematography by Mitsuhiro Kuno (Vermeil in Gold, Real Girl) is one of the strengths of the series. The cinematographic approach manages to convey the crisp and bold aesthetics of the production and the visuals. The cinematographer manages to imbue the series with fun cinematography with a nice sheen. The series lighting is bright and vivid.

The score composed by TECHNOBOYS PULCRAFT GREEN-FUND (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya: Vow in the Snow, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn) is not one of the best elements of the series but it does offer a decent enough score for the production. The background music fits the series well and works reasonably well within the production merits. While not a top-tier anime score by any stretch of the imagination, the score is decent enough as background music.

Written by Tatsuya Takahashi (Domestic Girlfriend, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn), Val X Love isn’t the most original or compelling anime series. The concept is so familiar to many other series and there is nothing that stands out as much as desired. The storytelling could have been improved some. Even despite these qualms, the writing is decent enough and fans of the genre will find it has some effective elements.

Directed by Takashi Naoya (Vermeil in Gold, Luck & Logic), Val X Love is a decent anime series with a fun concept. Naoya has a good time exploring the series in a visual sense. Director Naoya explores the tale with the fast-paced direction and tone and keeps the action flowing. While not a perfect series, the production will still appeal to some anime fans – particularly those looking for some sexy fun.

Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Val X Love is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The presentation of the series is generally excellent. Color reproduction is superb on the release. The background animation and line art is impressive. The encode does have some minor banding but nothing too detrimental to the video quality or the overall presentation. A solid encode by Sentai.

Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 stereo (with English subtitles). The lossless audio quality on the Blu-ray release is worthwhile. Dialogue sounds crisp and clear on the release. The score and sounds effects are well integrated in to the sound mix. The track is crystal clear and impressive sounding. However, the release does not provide an English dub option. Dub fans will have to make due with the original Japanese audio. Some fans might find this aspect of the release to be a little disappointing and it is worth noting.

Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Clean Opening Animation (HD, 1:32)

Clean Closing Animations (HD, 4:36)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Assassins Pride (HD, 00:45), Hayate the Combat Butler (HD, 00:54), Locke the Superman (HD, 2:30), and Granbelm (HD, 1:35).

Val X Love: Complete Collection Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Val X Love offers action-packed fun and a sense of intrigue. The series benefits from impressive animation and production values. The Blu-ray release offers the series with a strong video and audio encode. The release includes clean opening and clean closing animations (alongside a selection of trailers promoting other releases from Sentai Filmworks). Though the release does not include a worthwhile supplemental package, the excellent video and audio make the release more worthwhile. Val X Love fans will want to pick up the release for its excellent presentation. Recommended.