Fragtime
(2019)/Is It Wrong To Pick
Up Girls In A Dungeon?: Season Two + OVA
(2019 - 2020)/Pet Girl Of
Sakurasou: Complete Collection
(2012 - 2013/all Sentai Blu-rays)
Picture:
B+/A-/A- Sound: B+ Extras: C/C/B Main Programs: B+/A-/A
And
now for more Anime releases...
Imagine
if you had the power to freezing time and the world for three minutes
...what would you do? Misuzu Moritani has the ability to do that
once a day, that is until she decides to peek up the skirt Haruka
Murakami her classmate whom she has a crush on. Turns out Haruka is
immune to Misuzu's powers and now everyday they share their time
together, playing pranks on cheating ex-boyfriends and other
shenanigans. But as time goes on, can their secret relationship
blossom to something more?
In
writer/director Takuya Sato's short-but-rich Fragtime
(2019), Misuzu on the outside seems like a plain girl, she is
shy and afraid of others but secretly she can freeze time for three
minutes and escape. But to her surprise, she discover Haruka the
smartest and most popular girl in her class is somehow immune to her
powers (after she catches her looking up her skirt). Haruka on the
outside seems like the perfect girl, but Haruka is tired of everyone
seeing, treating and expecting her to be the 'perfect girl' and wants
to get wild (in more ways than one) with Misuzu. Haruka with Misuzu
she is able to finally cut loose without letting the rest of the
world know. Misuzu with Haruka begins to learn have courage to reach
out to others. Haruka with Misuzu is able be her self around Misuzu.
This
was a sweet coming of age movie about high school girls, as they grow
and mature learn more about each other and themselves. Extras
include Japanese promos and trailers.
Welcome
back to Orario, where Gods and adventurers come to fight and find
treasure in the endless dungeons under the city. Ever since Bell
Cranel defeated the floor boss on the 18 level, he has been named the
Little Rookie, the newest rising star among adventures. But his fame
has now gotten the attention of the Gods and adventurers who want
Bell to join their team... and they will do anything to get him.
Hestia however worries more that now her beloved Bell will be noticed
by other girls and she is going to have a LOT more rivals for Bell's
affections in
Is It
Wrong To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon?: Season Two + OVA
(2019 - 2020).
Bell
Cranel is now the fastest leveling adventurer in Orario and follower
of Goddess Hestia (the loli big-breasted goddess) and now all the
Gods and Goddesses want his rare skill and secret in how he leveled
up. Including the perverted God of the Sun Apollo, who want Bell as
his newest pawn and sends his entire Familia after him turning the
city into a battleground. The Goddess of Lust Ishtar wants Bell to
spite the Goddess Freya who wants him too. Ishtar controls the
entire red-light district in Orario and has an army of Amazons. Bell
Cranel, Hestia and their friends will have their work cut out for
them as they must save Bell from being stolen from them.
This
was a fun anime that makes fun of role playing and players of
dungeons and dragons. This season is a lot more political with the
main character fighting other guilds than monsters. This series has
lots of girls, adventure, comedy and romance. Extras include clean
opening and closing animations and trailers.
Episodes
include:
(Party)
Banquet of the Gods - Bell gets into a bar fight with the Apollo
familia and the God Apollo uses it as an excuse to challenge Hestia
to give him Bell in 'War Games'.
(Apollo)
God of the Sun - The Apollo Familia openly attacks Bell and
Hestia in the city forcing Hestia to accept the Apollo's War Games to
protect the city. Lili is blackmailed and forced back to the Soma
Familia.
(Conversion)
Assemble - Bell trains for the upcoming battle with Ais. Hestia
and their friends come up with a plan to rescue Lili and several of
the past friends join Hestia's Familia to fight against Apollo and
his Familia in the upcoming War Games.
(War
Game) War Game - Bell Cranel and his friends assault Apollo's
castle and after a long and tiring battle Bell is able infiltrate the
fortress and defeat the castle leader winning the War Game. Hestia
disbands Apollo's Familia and they move into Apollo's former
headquarters.
(Home)
Hearthstone Manor - Hestia and Bell's Familia grows as they
adjust to their new home and Bell learns of Hestia's massive debt.
Meanwhile, Mikoto learns one of her childhood friends is in trouble.
(Ishtar
Familia) Pleasure Quarter - Bell, Lili, Welf enter the Red-Light
district to search for Mikoto's friend, Bell unknowingly meets her
Haruhime and is saved by her. Meanwhile the Goddess Ishtar hatches a
plan to kidnap Bell and defeat Freya Familia.
(Renard)
The Fox Girl - Bell learns Mikoto's friend is Haruhime, and how
she was sold into prostitution and they try to earn enough to buy her
freedom. However, Ishtar has a far darker fate planned to Haruhime
and ambushes Bel instead.
(A
Fleeting Dream) The Killing Stone - Bell, Hestia and their
friends learn of the Killing Stone, a highly illegal item where a
stone instantly levels up an adventurer but requires Haruhime's soul.
(Barbera)
Warrior Prostitutes - Bell and Mikoto decide to fight Ishtar
Familia and rescue Haruhime. Istar captures Bell but because of his
rare skill she discovers Bell is immune to the powers of Gods and he
is able to escape. Bell manages to stop the ritual before Haruhime
is sacrificed.
(Argonaut)
A Hero's Will - Bell fights and defeats Phryne and Aisha proving
he can still be a hero and prove to Haruhime that she is worthy of
being rescued. Freya Familia assaults Ishtar Familia and completely
destroys them. Freya confronts Ishtar and sends her back the
Heavens.
(Rakia)
Marching Forward - Haruhime joins Hestia Familia. The God Ares
assaults Orario and kidnaps Hestia. Bell, Ais and Asfi go after her
to rescue her.
(A
Song of Love) A Goddess and Her Child - As Hestia recovers from
her fall she and Bell learn of another how another Goddess and mortal
once fell in love before them.
and
OVA Is It Wrong to Go Searching for Herbs on a Deserted Island?
- Bell and the girls end up on an island paradise that turns into a
swimsuit contest ...with magic mushrooms.
Lastly,
Sorata Kanda was banished to Sakura Hall for sneaking a cat into the
dorms, Sakura Hall (or Sakurasou) is where Suimei School of the Fine
Arts send all their problem students (and one teacher). Now, Sorata
not only gets to take care of his cats, but he is also the manager of
handling all the problem students, including Mashiro a girl genius
artist but lacking in common sense and social boundaries. Needless
to say, Sorata get stuck in all sort of situations while chasing
their dreams and finding love and friendship in the oddest of places
in The
Pet Girl Of Sakurasou: Complete Collection
(2012 - 2013).
Sorata
is your typical average boy but he is determined to get out of Sakura
Hall (a.k.a. Sakurasou) and not be labeled as one of the problem
children of Sakurasou. Problem is, all the other residents of
Sakurasou are not as much problems but geniuses which the normal
rules of society don't apply. Shiina Mashiro is the resident genius
artist who draws manga, while Sorata admires her, she is completely
dependent on Sorata for everything else, including picking out her
underwear, washing and dressing her and even paying for her food.
Nanami Aoyama is a hard-working girl who works several jobs and wants
to become a voice actor, she secretly has a crush on Sorata and moves
into Sakurasou to keep an eye on Sorata and Mashiro (and for a lower
rent). Misaki is hyper energetic girl who does her own animations
and animation company, she has a crush on Jin.
Jin
is Misaki's childhood friend and a genius script writer, however he
is also a playboy and often seen with other women, he is aware of
Misaki's feelings for him but he feels he is unworthy of her but
Misaki eventually wins him over. Ryunosuke is the resident computer
genius, he rarely leaves his room and uses his AI Maid program to
communicate with the outside world and often gives Sorata support and
advice.
Finally,
is Chihiro the teacher who lives with them and while she is supposed
to be the responsible adult, she often passes the work to someone
else to take responsibility.
This
is a slice of life comedy romance anime, where a bunch of weirdos all
live in the same dormitory and while the main character wants to get
out, he eventually realizes that the residents and hall are also his
family, friends and home. Extras include clean opening and closing
animations, Japanese premiere event, promos, commercials and
trailers.
Episodes
include:
Cat
- White - Mashiro - Sorata is stuck in Sakurasou for taking care
of stray cats, but his newest 'cat' is Mashiro, a genius girl artist
who needs someone to take care of her daily needs.
I
Drew Pictures - Sorata get stuck with 'Mashiro Duty' as he learns
more about her, she wants to draw manga, but he discovers Mashiro is
already a famous artist in England.
So
Close and Yet So Far... - Sorata and Misaki watches Jin and
Mashiro for a day and learns how Misaki has a crush on Jin.
However... he unaware of his own growing feelings toward Mashiro.
A
World of Changing Colors - As Sorata prepares to leave Sakurasou
he read Mashiro's manga and realized it is based on him and he
decides not to leave and Sakurasou is where he belongs.
The
Serious Girl of Sakura Hall - Aoyama is overworked from too many
part time jobs and moves to Sakurasou for a lower rent (and to get
closer to Sorata).
The
Blue After the Rain - Aoyama continues to work and take care of
'Mashiro Duty', but on the day of her audition she gets a fever. She
fails and Sorata comforts her learns to take care of herself more,
Sorata decides to take back 'Mashiro Duty'.
Her
Homesickness - Sorata's little sister Yuko comes to visit and
she, Aoyama, and Mashiro go on a date to see who is more worthy of
Sorata and of course Sorata is completely unaware of all the girl's
true feelings.
Set
Off a Huge Firework - Sorata decides he wants to be a game
producer, but on his first presentation he freezes and fails. The
residents of Sakurasou cheers him up and convinces him not to give
up.
The
Fall Storm is Here - Mashiro's old roommate Rita arrives and
wants to take Mashiro back to England to draw art instead of manga.
Rita goes out on a date with Sorata causing Aoyama and Mashiro to get
jealous, but she shows Sorata Mashiro's art and how she should be
doing art instead of manga.
Hate,
Hate, Love - The residents of Sakurasou decide to create a game
for the school festival and asks Rita to join and help them.
Milky
War Cat, Nyaboron - As the school festival starts, Sorata and
company continue to rush and finish their game. Rita starts getting
closer to Ryunosuke.
The
Power of Love in the Culture Festival - Sorata and residents put
on a show and their game is a great success. Rita returns to England
and confesses her feelings toward Ryunosuke but not before tricking
Sorata to confess his feelings to Mashiro.
One
Step Before Winter - Christmas is coming, but ever since Sorata's
confession to Mashiro, Mashiro has been acting and feeling funny
toward Sorata.
The
Windows & Lights of Christmas Eve - Sorata, Aoyama and
Mashiro enjoy Christmas together, but they return home find Misaki
devastated from Jin.
Where
is My Usual Self? - Sorata, Aoyama, Mashiro and Misaki goes to
Sorata's parent's house for the new year eve and they learn while Jin
confessed that he loves Misaki he is not ready for a relationship
with her.
I've
Always Loved You... - Sorata's game proposal goes under
consideration and he is to work with the game company to help with
improving it. Both Aoyama and Mashiro starts getting closer to
Sorata.
Valentine's
Day is Chocolate Day - It's Valentine's Day and all the girls
want to give chocolates. Sorata helps Aoyama make her audition after
her train get stuck.
First
Love With an Alien - Sorata fights Jin and convinces him to make
up with Misaki and make amends, but after returning home they
discover the school has decided to demolish Sakurasou.
There's
No Place Like Sakura Hall - Sorata recall his first day at
Sakurasou. In the end, they all decide to fight to save their home.
In
Order to Keep Saying We're Home - Ryunosuke hacks the school
servers and discover the school is trying to manipulate Mashiro into
doing art by forcing Sakurasou to close. Aoyama learns she failed
her audition.
It's
Not Anyone's Fault That it Rains - Aoyama is finally unable to
hold back her tears and Sorata comforts her, but he also suddenly
learns his game has been turned down. Later, he learns the game
company manipulated him in order to steal Mashiro's talent.
Run
Through Those Sparkling Days - Mashiro leaves Sakurasou to save
their home and everyone goes in search for her. Sorata finds her at
the station and tells her there is no point in saving their home if
she is not there.
Graduation
Ceremony - Jin and Misaki graduates, Misaki gives a speech and
requests the school students to help save Sakurasou from the
manipulative school board.
and
Welcome to Sakura Hall - Aoyama returns home to ask her
parents' permission to continue studying at Sakurasou. Jin and
Misaki get hitched and Sorata, Mashiro and Ryunosuke welcomes the
next semester of new students living at Sakurasou.
The
1080p
1.78 X 1 digital High Definition image on all three releases looks
good, but the series collections look fine and colorful, probably
worthy of 4K release, yet the Tv series look just a bit better. As
usual, Sentai delivers some great visual playback.
As
for sound, per Sentai, the Fragtime
feature is in Japanese and slightly lesser English DTS-HD MA (Master
Audio) 5.1 lossless mix that sounds good, yet the TV shows are as
impressive by merely offering
Japanese and slightly lesser English DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0
Stereo lossless mixes that
sound as good and have Pro Logic-like surrounds. Sakurasou
has a slight sonic edge on the other two.
-
Ricky Chiang