BLU-RAY REVIEW: 
MORIBITO GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT
09/10/2014

OVERVIEW: VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest distributor and licensor of anime and manga in North America, delivers the riveting anime action fantasy series about a wandering warrior and a fallen prince to fans with the home media release of MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT on August 26th. 

The 26-episode series, based on a bestselling collection of Japanese fantasy novels by author Nahoko Uehashi, is rated ‘TV-14’ and will be offered on 4 discs available on DVD and Blu-ray formats.  The series will also be available for digital download from a range of top media content providers including Apple iTunes, GooglePlay, Amazon Instant Video, PlayStation Network and the Xbox Marketplace on August 26th (English dubbed version) and on September 2nd (Japanese with English subtitles). 

The Blu-ray release features episodes presented in full 1080p High Definition 16x9 video, along with dubbed English and Japanese 2.0 dialogue as well as English subtitle options. The DVD edition features 16x9 Standard Definition video and available English and Japanese 2.0 audio and English subtitle options. Special bonus features for both sets include series trailers, a MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT promotional film, a “Pilot” production film, the series’ official press conference and discussion panels, as well as clean opening and closing segments. 

SYNOPSIS: Young Prince Chagum has been suspected of demonic possession by court advisors who see only one solution: death. But his salvation may lie in the hands of Balsa, the spear-wielding bodyguard from Kanbal, the kingdom across the mountains. Her vow to save eight worthy souls has led her to the imperiled Chagum and into the mystery of the water spirit, a mystical entity that may hold the key to saving millions of lives from drought. Her skill and tenacity are legendary, but can she fend off an entire empire?

REVIEW: First the disclaimer: I have not read the original novel, and as of a couple of weeks I did not anything about the existence of the world of Moribito, so I will based my review just with the impressions of the Blu-ray. As a big fan of Ghost in a Shell, I knew for a fact that Moribito Guardian of the Spirit will not measure to the extraordinary universe of Ghost in the Shell. But boy! It really got close. The series is enticing since the very beginning. I could not believe this series had passed by without noticing it for so long (2007 was the year it was released). The story of Balsa and Chagun is one of the most caring and captivating I ever seen since Kenshi Himura and Kauro.

The first thing I love about the series is the protagonist. Finally, I’ve seen a female role in anime that it is a badass in its own. Granted there are many female characters in anime that pull off their weight with the male counterparts, such as Fujiko Mine, or many protagonist that are strong but not fully develop like Kora from the legend of Kora. However, the beauty of Moribito is that there is no male counterpart here. Balsa is by herself, fully grown and outmatch, leading the other characters, and beating her enemies, male and females equally. I think that because she is female, the choice she is forced to take, her tenacity to fight for her friends, her resolve of paying back her previous crimes, and the relationship she develops with Chagun is also more believable than if she was to be a man. But Balsa and Chagun are complemented by many more characters that will have the viewer entice from the moment they first appear, primary and secondary characters are relatable and all contribute something to the story. The whole universe is just beautiful and complementary of the story. I’ve never seen a finer list of characters since yu-yu hakusho, where all of them contribute to the story even a little, even the characters that only appear on one episode. 

The story is also well depicted on the 26 episodes. It is masterful animated such that it does not seem like ordinary anime; the animation is of the caliber of Hayao Miyasaki repertoire. The world and mythology of the story could not be better depicted, and it is mesmerizing from beginning to end. It really depicts Asian actual feudal culture like festivals and way to live while combining it with Asian believes such as demons and deities. Technically speaking, the movie is flawless, the voice action is well done, and the dub sound also relatable, however I recommend to watch it in Japanese with subtitles, as the subtitles add more to the story than the audio counterpart. The only thing that were a drawbacks were that there are a couple of episodes that seem to be filler to the overall story, it is true that some of them explain the pass of the characters, sometimes they just seemed that are there to extend the series. The special features are nothing special, they seem full of interviews repeating themselves, for hardcore fans that have read the novel should be informational, and of course as many anime features the subtitles do not match the English audio. Over all Moribito Guardian of the Spirit is a treat that cannot be missed by any anime fan that enjoys a good story, over unnecessary action. This is not an action packed of the likes of Naruto or Bleach, it is more sophisticated, if I had to compare it, I will compare it to Ruronin Kenshin or seven samurai with a more attractive story. The Full Set will be available on August 26 2014 and it is distributed by VIZ media.

BLU-RAY: The film is presented in widescreen in a 1.78:1 aspect ration preserving its theatrical format. The picture is just flawless. Not only the picture looks great in this release, also the sound it is good, a 2.0 Dolby Digital in English and Japanese that provides a good complement to the picture. It also includes  English   subtitles.

VIDEO:
Widescreen (1.78:1) 16x9

AUDIO:
English 2.0 DTS HD-MA 
Japanese  2.0 DTS 

Subtitles - English

SPECIAL FEATURES: Special features wise this Blu-ray has the standard features an anime package has like the average clean opening and closing, interview with the cast, and trailers. Something, peculiar I found in the box set is that unlike the standard box sets where the extra content is at the end of the last disk, in Moribito Guardian of the spirit it is split in the second and forth disk, however most of the different menus seem to be repetitive as if disk one and two were to be release first and the next two afterward. In general there is nothing special on these sections. 

Disk 2

Clean Opening: As many anime box set the initial opening music video of the series is offered as special feature, personally I don’t get this feature, as a viewer this are the scenes I usually skip when the movie is played. (1:33)

Clean ending: Ending music video as with the opening once it is heard a couple of times during the reproduction of the episodes I tend to skip this part (1:35)

Original Japanese trailer: two promotional trailers of the anime, basically a fast summary of the first part of the series(7:02)

Full Promo Film: an introduction to the main characters and the story basically as the trailer a summary of the first episode (4:59)

Pilot Film: on 3 minutes the director and author describe the series and what inspire to created it (2:54)

Disk 4

Clean Opening: As many anime box set the initial opening music video of the series is offered as special feature, personally I don’t get this feature, as a viewer this are the scenes I usually skip when the movie is played. (1:33)

Clean ending: Ending music video as with the opening once it is heard a couple of times during the reproduction of the episodes I tend to skip this part (1:35)

Press Conference: Original Author Nahoko Uehashi, Director Kenji Kamiyama, Balsa’s actress Mabuki Andou, and Composer Sachi Tainaka give their impression of the of the series (7:28)

Discussion Panel with English Credits: a more extensive press conference with the director where he is asked questions about the series. I found it interesting for the first 10 minutes, but after a while it gets boring and repetitive. (20:35)