If you read issue #28 of GAMBIT that came out last week (shameless plug) then you’d have read our DVD/Blu-Ray feature detailing JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Set 1 that VIZ Media released upon the world. The set itself launched on August 8th and is a massive beast full of all sorts of goodies. Included inside this Limited Edition Blu-Ray set are four discs that features the first 26 episodes of the show. Those 26 episodes include “Phantom Blood” and “Battle Tendency,” the first two major arcs of the series for a combined total of 624 minutes of bizarre action.
Fans of the show know what to expect from the series, and since this is the higher end Limited Edition I’ll note that you are getting the full 1080P experience in 16×9 aspect ratio with English and Japaneses stereo audio. You are also getting the English subtitles for the purists out there that need their anime as unaltered as possible. Personally I hate reading and watching, so I’ll stick to the dub, but I’m just weird like that.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a series that people have been demanding to be released in the Blu-Ray format for a good little while now. Everyone that I know have raved about JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, including people that aren’t even big fans of the anime genre. Hirohiko Araki has managed to craft an amazing piece of art, and while I don’t yet know if it’s one of the all time greats, I wouldn’t want to argue the point with people. Just know that this is one of the most loved anime’s at present, and comes with a box set that is just as impressive.
The first thing you’ll notice is the amazing box that the set comes it modeled after the manga collection. It’s a heavy-duty box that folds out to reveal all the treasures inside. Unlike so may other box-sets JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Set 1 is more a work of art than simple case. It’s so pretty with the included artwork that wraps around the box in a really gorgeous purple pattern. On the front and back you get art of the main characters in a copper and green looking foil. I love it so much that instead of sitting on the DVD rack here in the office, It’s on the shelf of goodies because of how pretty it looks.
Opening up the box gives you the Blu-Ray that holds all four discs which is what you would expect. Its the version you’d get outside the Limited Edition and odds are you’ll just toss it on the shelf with all your other films. The really magic comes from the included Key Animation Collection book. These sort of art books aren’t anything new for collections like this, but this one puts all others to shame. I usually flip though these once and forget about them, but the one included here is massive.
You get 160 plus pages of key animation that shows you just what goes into putting the show onto the screen. There are storyboards and key art for each of the 26 episodes included in the collection as well as descriptions of the teams involved and extensive comments from the director about the episode. This was a major surprise and makes the included book as great companion before watching each episode, especially if you’ve already seen the series before.
That would be enough for most people, but VIZ has also included nine art cards featuring artwork from the original covers of the Japanese release. It’s a nice little addition, but I never really know what to do with feelies like that. They feel more like postcards than anything, so framing them isn’t really an option for most. I’ve seen this sort of thing in collections before, but not a single person I know ever displays them and just keeps them in the box.
JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Set 1: Phantom Blood and Battle Tendency is a fantastic collection for the series JoJo fan out there. If you are new to the series I’d recommend stick ti the cheaper DVD release as this collection will run you around $52 on Amazon right now. But if you are a person that adores the show then this Blu-ray collection will bring you a very bizarre adventure in the highest of quality. VIZ Media has really been steeping up their collections over the past few years and this collection continues that trend.
Grab yourself a copy here and check out the official unboxing below to see all the goodies for yourself.
About Author
