Angel Beats! the Complete Collection Blu-ray
By Chris Zimmerman
August 8, 2011 - 14:59
ISBN: 978-1-6161-5171-3
$69.98 US
Starring: Blake Shepard, Brittney Karbowski, Emily Neves
Directed by: Steven Foster
Produced by: P. A. Works
Running Time: 350 minutes
Release Date: July 26, 2011Sen
Distributors: Sentai Filmworks
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Angel Beats! Feels very much like the product of a light novel. The production of the series is a collaboration between Aniplex and P.A. Works. The story and character designs were handled by visual novel alums Jun Maeda and Na-Ga. As a result the characters sport the standard moe appearance along with varying shades of hair that range from pink to violet.
If one were to compare the series to Haruhi, other works such as K-On! and Gantz would also have to be considered. The series is set in a parallel reality believed to be the afterlife. Rather than a blazing inferno or a sea of clouds, the afterlife is an enormous school that plays home to hundreds of students, with only a fraction of them being humans. The mystery behind the school and those who inhabit it is explored by the SSS, an organization founded by the headstrong Yuri Nakamura in the fight against God.
Otonashi is a typical high school student; having recently died, he has no memories to speak of. After a brief skirmish with the guardian of the school, the appropriately named Angel, he finds that he can’t die because he is in fact already deceased. Before long, he is drafted into the SSS and partakes in several elaborate missions to bring down Angel.
The series borrows heavily from a variety of different genres, including action, drama, and romance. The plotting of the episodes is closest to that of an RPG, with characters embarking on a new mission as they combat the nigh-invincible Angel. Each one has their own different skills set that aids in their mission.
As the series progresses, the pacing becomes more chaotic and the episodes disjointed. The characters feel less grounded and the emotional resonance established with their back-stories is nearly undone by nonsensical plot twists that feel contrived and out of left field. It’s almost as though the staff had too many ideas to limit themselves to thirteen episodes.
The other major flaw in the work is the enormity of the cast in contrast to the meager episode count. Thirteen episodes isn’t nearly enough time to explore every character’s stories and many go the entire series without so much as an explanation behind who they are or why they joined the SSS.
The animation quality is consistently exquisite throughout. The visuals are spread between grandiose and low-key. There are a handful of truly standout scenes that must demand repeated viewings to truly be appreciated.
The special features for the release are typical of Sentai Filmworks. Clean openings and closings are all that’s included with the release. This might be sufficient for a DVD but if the company expects consumers to shell out the extra cash for the Blu-ray, it needs to spruce up the release with extra incentive.
brimming with clever ideas and eclectic characters wrapped in a bittersweet tale that is beautiful and affecting that will leave audiences wanting for more.
B+
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Angel Beats! the Complete Collection Blu-ray