Kenji is a shy, part-time moderator for OZ, the virtual reality world that powers everyday life, until pretty and popular Natsuki recruits him to be her fake boyfriend. While posing as an affluent suitor to Natsuki’s family, Kenji finds that a rogue A.I. program has stolen his online identity, and Kenji is accused of hacking OZ and causing real-world catastrophes. As the destruction in OZ throws Natsuki’s family into disarray, Kenji must unite his newfound connections to overcome an impending cyber apocalypse. Against a backdrop of stunning countryside vistas and virtual spaces bursting with color, Summer Wars is a timeless epic that explores life in the digital age from Academy Award®-nominated* director Mamoru Hosoda (BELLE).

For thoughts on Summer Wars, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Summer Wars debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a dazzling 2160p HDR10 transfer courtesy of GKIDS and Shout! Studios. The film has been given a 4K uptick after being released on Blu-Ray for the first time in 2011 courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. That release was very good for the time, but this update improves upon it in a number of ways. Even the new included Blu-Ray, also being sold separately, shows some benefits over the old Blu-Ray.

One of the unexpected benefits, given the perceived limitations of the source, is the refinement in fine detail. The textures of the character designs and the environments are even more impressive and bring great vitality to the project. The film balances the fluid texture of the competing aesthetics of the real world and OZ quite carefully with a detailed, polished look. Each character design is wonderfully distinct and moves naturally. The subtle elements that are added to each individual are quite striking and indicative of the boundaries that Hosoda would push with future features. The care put into crafting OZ with such precision put into each environment and avatar is astounding. While we thought the Blu-Ray was quite a sight to see, we can now see some deficits when compared with the new presentation.

The other key factor with this release is the introduction on HDR10, although the actual presentation leans closer to SDR in an HDR container. While some have complained that the image is too dim, those who have a television that can properly tonemap should be treated to a picture that is rich with deep, complex colors. They may not melt your eyeballs with the most piercing hues imaginable, yet it all seems in line with the creative intention with a vast range of highly nuanced colors. This new 4K UHD release also clears up some of the minor banding that could be found in some backgrounds of the Blu-Ray. The black levels are deep, and the highlights are contained with no semblance of blooming. This 4K presentation showcases how the format can subtly enhance all of the strong aspects for something even more exceptional.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation includes a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in its original Japanese and with an English dub with optional English, English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear at all times without being overshadowed by any of the grand environmental sounds or the score. There is a nice amount of sonic detail in the surround channels as the players in OZ create a fully realized world. There are some creative panning effects in the rear channels that add a nice texture to the story. The track employs some robust activity in the low end when things culminate in a battle. The score sounds rich and full with the utmost fidelity. The English-language cast does a pleasant job, but be sure to stick with the original Japanese language for maximum enjoyment. This audio presentation accomplished everything it needs to.

Special Features

GKIDS has provided Summer Wars with a sleek new SteelBook available exclusively at Amazon that is truly lovely in person. Videos of the SteelBook can be found at the beginning of this review.

Interviews with the Original Cast: A selection of archival interviews with the cast is provided in which they discuss working on the film, their characters, the collaboration with Mamoru Hosoda, and more.

- Ryundsuke Kamiki (Kenji Koiso) (6:14)

- Nanami Sakuraba (Natsuki Shinohara) (2:21)

- Mitsuki Tanimura (Kazuma Ikezawa) (4:57)

- Ayumu Saito (Wabisuke Jinnouchi) (3:19)

- Sumiko Fuji (Sakae Jinnouchi) (5:32)

Interview with Mamoru Hosoda: A 13-minute interview with the filmmaker from the Locarno International Film Festival in which he discusses the continued evolution of his work, his reception internationally, the themes of the film, and more.

Teasers & Trailers (5:33)

Final Thoughts

Summer Wars is a wonderfully fun and thrilling feature from the earlier era of director Mamoru Hosoda’s career. The themes many associate with the filmmaker, including society’s relationship with technology, are present, but you also have his signature emotional exploration that allows the movie to land on a deeper level. It is a great film with extraordinary animation that is an inviting entry point to the rewarding world of Hosoda. GKIDS and Shout! Studios have delivered an excellent 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc and a fine array of special features in handsome SteelBook packaging. If you are a fan of the filmmaker, you should undoubtedly have this film in your collection. Highly Recommended

Summer Wars is currently available to own on 4K UHD Blu-Ray SteelBook exclusively through Amazon. The film is also available on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: GKIDS and Shout! Studios have supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.