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Though it follows a tried-and-true narrative arc found in just about any young adult novel, "Legend of the Millennium Dragon" will probably still appeal to younger audience members. Adults, however, may feel quite differently, especially after seeing the Blu-ray release's insanely high MSRP and street price.
Legend of the Millennium Dragon
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Two-disc Blu-ray case
Year: 2011
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1:37:34
MSRP: $45.99
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
1080p high definition 2.35:1
High definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: Japanese 5.1, English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: French 5.1, German 5.1, Italian 5.1, Portuguese 5.1, Spanish 5.1, Thai 5.1
Stereo
Subtitles
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish
None
The Feature: 3/5
Jun, a boy living in modern day Kyoto, Japan is magically transported 1,200 years into the past to help a clan of nobles fight an army of demons, or Oni. As a living descendant of the Magatama Clan, Jun possesses the power to control a supernatural weapon, a dragon named Orochi, capable of completely destroying the Oni. But the conflict turns out to be not so black and white, as Jun eventually makes contact with one of the so-called demons and learns they aren't really what they appear to be. Though wearing hideous battle masks and possessing supernatural powers, the Oni are actually simple, rural people fighting for their homes and the preservation of the natural world. According to them, the nobles' chief adviser, Gen'un, has deceived Jun about the entire conflict and only wants more power for himself. Struggling over whom to believe, Jun tries to stop both sides from fighting, but soon finds the Oni were more right than wrong. With Gen'un drunk with power and obsessed with destroying anyone who stands in his way, Jun finds he must take a more decisive role in the battle if he truly wants to bring an end to the bloodshed.
Based on Takafumi Takada's novel "Onigamiden," "Legend of the Millennium Dragon" doesn't hold many surprises for those who have read just about any young adult fiction, but since the film is clearly meant for the younger set, most adults should find the film's over-familiar narrative easy to forgive. However, with the target audience well in mind, the film also pushes the boundary on length; if trimmed by about 10 or 15 minutes it would probably appeal more to both its intended and incidental viewers. The look of the film itself, animated in a simple but clean style with some impressive levels of detail, should please anyone watching, though ultimately its beautiful imagery only goes so far. With just an average, predictable story, the film will certainly occupy one's time but do little to linger in one's memory.
Video Quality: 4/5
The 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer features decent black levels and solid contrast that exhibits the full range of values. The animation's muted color palette doesn't provide much "pop" to the image, but colors appear nicely saturated and defined. The rendering of fine detail is a little difficult to discern given the simpler animation style, but the edges of the line art appear consistently crisp and well defined. Overall sharpness is likewise decent, with only a few instances where the image looks slightly soft or hazy.
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
The release includes two 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks in Japanese and English; I chose the former as it's the film's original language. Dialogue in the track is crisp, clear and intelligible. There's measured use of the surrounds, though instances of directional or atmospheric effects sound balanced and seamless. The lower registers are a bit of a disappointment, with LFE non-existent and bass activity tending to sound somewhat muted or dull.
Special Features: 1/5
The on-disc extras are limited to an image gallery, located only on the Blu-ray disc. The inclusion of the DVD version offers a few more playback options for those looking to take the show on the road, but the overall special features package is undeniably meager in scope.
Concept Art Gallery: Over 60 images sized for high definition displays, with optional slide show controls.
Previews: Sony Blu-ray (1:20, HD), Resident Evil: Damnation (1:12, HD), Sky Crawlers (1:09, HD), Paprika (1:52, HD), and Tekkonkinkreet (2:10, HD)
DVD Version: The feature is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic with Japanese and English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. There are no additional special features.
Recap
The Feature: 3/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 1/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2.5/5
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment turns in a decent presentation for a Japanese animated film that's ultimately best suited for younger audience members. However a meager special features package, not to mention an exorbitant MSRP and street price, do the Blu-ray release no favors. Anyone who is curious about the film is advised to seek out a rental first.
Legend of the Millennium Dragon
Release Date: October 4, 2011
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Packaging/Materials: Two-disc Blu-ray case
Year: 2011
Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 1:37:34
MSRP: $45.99
THE FEATURE
SPECIAL FEATURES
Video
1080p high definition 2.35:1
High definition
Audio
DTS-HD Master Audio: Japanese 5.1, English 5.1 / Dolby Digital: French 5.1, German 5.1, Italian 5.1, Portuguese 5.1, Spanish 5.1, Thai 5.1
Stereo
Subtitles
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Danish, Finnish, Greek, Hindi, Korean, Norwegian, Swedish, Turkish
None
The Feature: 3/5
Jun, a boy living in modern day Kyoto, Japan is magically transported 1,200 years into the past to help a clan of nobles fight an army of demons, or Oni. As a living descendant of the Magatama Clan, Jun possesses the power to control a supernatural weapon, a dragon named Orochi, capable of completely destroying the Oni. But the conflict turns out to be not so black and white, as Jun eventually makes contact with one of the so-called demons and learns they aren't really what they appear to be. Though wearing hideous battle masks and possessing supernatural powers, the Oni are actually simple, rural people fighting for their homes and the preservation of the natural world. According to them, the nobles' chief adviser, Gen'un, has deceived Jun about the entire conflict and only wants more power for himself. Struggling over whom to believe, Jun tries to stop both sides from fighting, but soon finds the Oni were more right than wrong. With Gen'un drunk with power and obsessed with destroying anyone who stands in his way, Jun finds he must take a more decisive role in the battle if he truly wants to bring an end to the bloodshed.
Based on Takafumi Takada's novel "Onigamiden," "Legend of the Millennium Dragon" doesn't hold many surprises for those who have read just about any young adult fiction, but since the film is clearly meant for the younger set, most adults should find the film's over-familiar narrative easy to forgive. However, with the target audience well in mind, the film also pushes the boundary on length; if trimmed by about 10 or 15 minutes it would probably appeal more to both its intended and incidental viewers. The look of the film itself, animated in a simple but clean style with some impressive levels of detail, should please anyone watching, though ultimately its beautiful imagery only goes so far. With just an average, predictable story, the film will certainly occupy one's time but do little to linger in one's memory.
Video Quality: 4/5
The 1080p, AVC-encoded transfer features decent black levels and solid contrast that exhibits the full range of values. The animation's muted color palette doesn't provide much "pop" to the image, but colors appear nicely saturated and defined. The rendering of fine detail is a little difficult to discern given the simpler animation style, but the edges of the line art appear consistently crisp and well defined. Overall sharpness is likewise decent, with only a few instances where the image looks slightly soft or hazy.
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
The release includes two 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio tracks in Japanese and English; I chose the former as it's the film's original language. Dialogue in the track is crisp, clear and intelligible. There's measured use of the surrounds, though instances of directional or atmospheric effects sound balanced and seamless. The lower registers are a bit of a disappointment, with LFE non-existent and bass activity tending to sound somewhat muted or dull.
Special Features: 1/5
The on-disc extras are limited to an image gallery, located only on the Blu-ray disc. The inclusion of the DVD version offers a few more playback options for those looking to take the show on the road, but the overall special features package is undeniably meager in scope.
Concept Art Gallery: Over 60 images sized for high definition displays, with optional slide show controls.
Previews: Sony Blu-ray (1:20, HD), Resident Evil: Damnation (1:12, HD), Sky Crawlers (1:09, HD), Paprika (1:52, HD), and Tekkonkinkreet (2:10, HD)
DVD Version: The feature is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic with Japanese and English Dolby Digital 5.1 audio tracks. There are no additional special features.
Recap
The Feature: 3/5
Video Quality: 4/5
Audio Quality: 3.5/5
Special Features: 1/5
Overall Score (not an average): 2.5/5
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment turns in a decent presentation for a Japanese animated film that's ultimately best suited for younger audience members. However a meager special features package, not to mention an exorbitant MSRP and street price, do the Blu-ray release no favors. Anyone who is curious about the film is advised to seek out a rental first.
