Review | Heaven's Memo Pad: Complete Collection (Blu-ray)

Jump to a section

Plot: What’s it about?Video: How does it look?Audio: How does it sound?Supplements: What are the extras?

Plot: What’s it about?

Narumi is a high school student who doesn’t really fit in, so he spends most of his time on his own. As time passes, he seems to become more and more isolated, but that is about to change. Ayaka is the lone member of the Gardening Club and she introduces Narumi to Alice, who also happens to be a reclusive soul. She doesn’t seem to do much since she doesn’t have a normal job or go to school, but Alice has quite the life. Alice is a skilled hacker and also leads a band of like minded individuals against various forces of evil, from drug lords to street gangs. This is when she isn’t tending to her large collection of stuffed animals, of course. Narumi sounds finds himself involved with Alice’s squad of crime fighters, despite his resistance. Now as he works with similar individuals to advance a noble cause, will Narumi discover his true self?

This is a brisk, well crafted anime series, with all twelve episodes included in this two disc collection. I haven’t read the books this series is based on, but I’ve read that it is faithful, in a rather loose fashion. The animation looks quite good, with crisp visuals that draw you in and keep you interested. I wouldn’t rank Heaven’s Memo Pad as one of the best looking anime series out there, but it has a cool look that most will appreciate. The stories are light in tone, but do deal with some social issues and cultural issues, so this isn’t just a paper thin chain of plot lines. That said, you will never feel like you’re being preached to and even in the most obvious moments, the series still entertains. The characters are varied and interesting, which allows for great banter and interaction, as well as some rock solid development. Heaven’s Memo Pad is a well made twelve episode series that most anime fans will enjoy, so if you’re at all interested, give this release a shot.

Video: How does it look?

The episodes are presented in 1.78:1 widescreen. These episodes look excellent, with bright colors and razor sharp animation that is sure to delight fans. The level of sharpness is just remarkable, as it allows all the detail to surface within the animation, so it really stands out. As I said, the colors are bright and vivid, while black levels are spot on as well. Just a superb looking series that really is a treat for the eyes.

Audio: How does it sound?

You can choose between DTS HD 2.0 soundtracks in the original Japanese or an English language version. As always, I endorse the original soundtrack. The audio is good, but didn’t dazzle or what not. Even so, the music sounds good, dialogue is clear, and the various sound effects all come across well. Just not one of the better anime soundtracks I’ve heard of late. This release also includes English subtitles.