Shy outcast Kokoro has been avoiding school for weeks when she discovers a portal in her bedroom mirror. She reaches through and finds herself transported to an enchanted castle where she is joined by six other students. When a girl in a wolf mask explains that they have been invited to play a game, the teens must work together to uncover the mysterious connection that unites them. However, anyone who breaks the rules will be eaten by a wolf.
Directed by the acclaimed Keiichi Hara (Colorful, Miss Hokusai) and based on the bestselling novel by Mizuki Tsujimura, Lonely Castle in the Mirror is a heartfelt drama about the pains of growing up and the unlikely bonds that can bring people together.
For thoughts on Lonely Castle in the Mirror, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Lonely Castle in the Mirror comes to Blu-Ray from GKIDS with a sumptuous 1080p transfer in its original aspect ratio. The lovely animation style implemented for this tale is teeming with lush detail and texture. Every scene delivers a tapestry of fantastic imagery that makes you thankful there are still some creatives playing in 2-D animation, even if there are some digital enhancements. The colors are bright and well saturated with complex hues delighting the senses. Highlights are properly contained, and black levels are quite deep with no trace of compression artifacts or digital anomalies.
This feature explores some rich detail in the castle which the team has brought to life in a memorable way. Each room is filled with unique facets that make the location feel more complex. The character designs are faithfully rendered as you grow to care for each of them. The transfer handles every subtle change in environment with stability including no jagged lines or color bleeding. This is what fans of animation deserve.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless track presented here in its original Japanese, along with an English language dub. The film is presented with optional English, English SDH and Spanish subtitles. This is not the most adventurous story, but the soundscape makes the most of its design for some natural texture to the world. Dialogue comes through perfectly clearly without succumbing to any competing elements. The soundtrack adds emotion to the story as it moves the audience with the surround sound presentation. The environmental detail in the surround channels is very worthwhile as the sounds transport you into this narrative. GKIDS deliver a top notch presentation with this one.
Special Features
- Art Gallery: An option to thumb through 177 pieces of artwork.
- Trailers: A four-minute collection of trailers is provided here for the film.
Final Thoughts
Lonely Castle in the Mirror takes a rather simple concept such as anti-bullying sentiments and crafts a fantastical tale that will downright leave your jaw on the floor by the end. The film is overly long for what it is trying to accomplish, but by and large it keeps your attention. The prevalence of traditional animation is a welcome sight as it opens up so many locations to the audience. This may not be top tier in the realm of modern Japanese animation, but we love it all the same. GKIDS has released a Blu-Ray with a terrific A/V presentation and very sparse supplemental features. Anime fans will want to give this one a shot if it crosses their path. Recommended
Lonely Castle in the Mirror will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on September 26, 2023.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: GKIDS and Shout! Studios have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.