Whimsical, musical, juvenile, comedic, romantic, adult, absurd — each of these singular words could easily describe the work of filmmaker/artist Masaaki Yuasa. Whether telling a “one crazy night” story or a rom-com or a time-traveling serial killer rock show, each of these and his other works are virtually distinct from each other, yet pass along enough commonalities to be identifiable as a Yuasa tale. Though his five feature films have seen individual physical releases, collaborators Shout! Studios and GKIDS Films are uniting them in one limited edition package that includes new bonus materials, two shorts, beautiful packaging designed by Yuasa, and a poster. And just in time for the holidays!
The following home release review will go through as much of what to expect from the set compared to the prior releases as possible, while also offering a walkthrough of this new set from Shout! Studios and GKIDS.
Within the five-film collection are Mind Game (also stylized as MIND GAME) (2004); The Night is Short, Walk On Girl (2017); Lu Over The Wall (2017); Ride Your Wave (2019); and Inu-Oh (2021); each already available from GKIDS Films individually, but this package offers both a chance to have them all in one place with additional features and at a bit of a discount. At the time of this writing, the films are on sale for $21.99 or less, but generally run $24.99 each. With the cost of the collection $79.99 (normally $99.99), that’s either a savings of roughly $28 at the sale prices and $25 at the regular. For those looking for a bargain, it’s important to keep the price points in mind, even before delving into what it encompasses. A limited edition collection always sounds nice, but too often there’s too little savings for too few bonuses. In the case where someone either doesn’t already own them or only has a partial collection, this is at a price point worth considering.
With cost covered, let’s shift over to what’s included, as well as the packaging.
Working our way inside out, there are six discs within a trifold case appearing to be set in order of release from left to right. The only disc already in this reviewer’s collection is Inu-Oh; however, based on research, it appears that each of the discs have received an artwork reskin in order for them to fit in better with the total collection aesthetic. Each disc contains all the previously available special features, which is great for folks who haven’t bought these films before, but for owners looking for something new, you’re not going to be disappointed. New to this collection is a filmmaker commentary track for Mind Game and Inu-Oh on their respective discs, as well as access to a sixth disc that includes additional interviews, Q&As, screen breakdowns, and drawing guides. There’s a note in the press release that Lu Over the Wall also includes an audio commentary, but there is one listed on the prior single release, so one presumes that this isn’t brand-new. That said, there is a newly-added English Language Dub for The Night is Short, as well as access to short films Happy Machine (2007) and Kick-Start (2013), which were not included on other releases.
In addition to the new and old on-disc materials, the limited edition collection includes a 13” x 21” poster replica of the boxart and a 60-page booklet. The booklet is brilliant, containing first a breakdown of what each disc holds (film & bonus features) for easy reference, a lovely essay from Emily Yoshida (who has written about the animator/storyteller before) that explores the career and works of Yuasa, as well as brief summaries of each film (and their availability), and then sketches from Yuasa’s own notebooks. Throughout the essay are stills from the various projects to help accentuate Yoshida’s points, with film-specific images alongside the summaries.
Masaaki Yuasa 5-Film Collection packshot. Photo courtesy of Shout! Studios and GKIDS Films.
Finally, there’s the packaging itself which is a sturdy hardback that’s near-identical to the BELLE 4K UHD edition versus the less durable Thrice Upon a Time 4K UHD edition packaging. What this means is that the disc trifold, poster, and booklet are far more protected due to the robustness of the horizontal slipcase, something which purchasers looking to ensure protection for their entertainment investment should be happy about. The front of the case features a brand-new design from Yuasa with each of the films represented either by vibe or specific imagery. The spine has the GKIDS logo, the title of the collection, and what appears to be Hinako and Minato from Ride Your Wave floating just above the Blu-ray logo. The back is simple, though not plain, featuring a rainbow that goes from inside the case, across the back and spine, and blends into the design on the front.
For a better idea of the five-film collection, here’s a video walkthrough recorded ahead of finalizing this recommendation review:
This is not be a traditional review of the individual films because — and I mean this with all due respect — if you’re interested in this collection, you likely already have a sense of Yuasa’s work from at least one of his films. For the unaware, his films tend not to follow a strict visual language, adjusting and tweaking from movie to movie (in the case of Mind Game AND Inu-Oh, scene-to-scene or moment-to-moment), yet they each feel connected through their themes and use of song. There are elements of fantasy, of romance, and of friendship, while also explorations of identity, sexuality, and community. The characters are often imperfect, their actions driven by desire which then puts them in positions to confront that aspect of themselves. Sometimes it means getting wild with Nishi in Mind Game, who finds himself defying G-D and going back to Earth each time he dies, only to use this to redo his choices and try to make up for his mistakes. Sometimes it means embarking on a night of a thousand adventures as potential lovers Kōhai and Senpai go on alternate-yet-connected quests that may or may not find them together by the end, the journey meaning more than the hopeful connection. Sometimes it means unearthing the stories of the past, resurrecting long-forgotten tales whose finding magically (and slowly) changes the form of a cursed boy into the most beautiful Noh singer. One may have their preference and it may be linked to which they saw first or their reaction to the amount of juvenile jokes and body humor within it, but one would find it hard to disagree that each film is visually impressive, never boring, and the stories themselves feel timeless, in part due to their idiosyncratic nature.
Because this is a collection, it really comes down to a few factors: price, materials, and interest. As laid out before, the price point is solid for people looking to add Yuasa’s work to their physical media collection, if they haven’t already. Not only that, you get more materials to explore than if you had purchased them individually. That’s a win-win for physical media fans. As for the materials, this is a sturdier package than the Thrice Upon a Time set, the discs seem better protected, and the additional physical features are a nice bonus. If you’ve gotten a Shout! Studios collector’s edition before, take note that there’re no stickers or art cards included in this release. This may be a determining factor for some, so keep it in mind for yourself. Lastly, interest — for the causal animation fan, someone who hasn’t seen most/all of Yuasa’s work, or just doesn’t desire to own hard copies of the films, this edition is not for you. Straight up, no question. However, if you have some exposure and want more, this is a great way to jump in and get something quality in return.
EoM won’t tell you whether you should get/watch something or not, but we do make recommendations. For the Masaaki Yuasa Five-Film Collection, this is an easy “do recommend.”
Masaaki Yuasa 5-Film Collection Special Features:
- EXCLUSIVE 60-Page Book Featuring An Essay By Emily Yoshida And Excerpts From Masaaki Yuasa’s Sketchbooks
- EXCLUSIVE Poster
- Mind Game: 2022 American Cinematheque Q&A
- Mind Game: Character Drawing
- Mind Game: Scene Breakdown
- Lu Over The Wall: Scene Breakdown
- Lu Over The Wall: Character Drawing
- The Night Is Short, Walk On Girl: Scene Breakdown
- Ride Your Wave: Scene Breakdown
- Inu-Oh: Scene Breakdown
- A Night Out With Yuasa – an exclusive interview with Masaaki Yuasa at a Los Angeles speakeasy, where he discusses his inspirations, favorite type of restaurants, perfect vacation, dancing, and more
- Happy Machine: Short Film by Masaaki Yuasa
- Kick-Heart: Short Film by Masaaki Yuasa
Mind Game:
- Feature-Length Animatic
- Production Artwork Galleries
- Trailer
The Night is Short, Walk On Girl:
- Interview with Director Masaaki Yuasa
- Trailers & TV Spots
Lu Over the Wall:
- Audio Commentary with Filmmakers (Producer, Eunyoung Choi; Director, Masaaki Yuasa; Anime Critic/Moderator, Ryota Fujitsu)
- Interview with Masaaki Yuasa
- Trailers & TV Spots
Ride Your Wave:
- Interview with Eunyoung Choi
- Animated Storyboards
- Character Still Gallery
- Theatrical Trailers
Inu-Oh:
- Audio Commentary with Lead Performers Avu-Chan, Mirai Moriyama, And Masaaki Yuasa
- Biwa Performance
- Original Cast Interview
- Q&A At US Premiere
- Interview with Masaaki Yuasa
- Character Drawing
- Trailers & Teasers
Available on Blu-ray from Shout! Studios December 19th, 2023.
For more information, head to the official Shout! Studios Masaaki Yuasa 5-Film Collection webpage.
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Categories: Films To Watch, Home Release, Recommendation
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