Black, a boy who seeks to bend the city to his will through strength, and White, his innocent counterpart, are two orphaned street kids living in the slums of Treasure Town. When real estate developers threaten to transform Treasure Town into a massive theme park, its very existence is put at risk. Determined to protect both White and their city, Black takes on the yakuza and assassins, gradually losing his innocence as he confronts a dark manifestation within himself.
Featuring dynamic visuals from STUDIO4℃ (Mind Game) and based on the legendary manga by Taiyo Matsumoto, Tekkonkinkreet remains a beloved cult classic to this day. Set in a world that cannot escape change, it tells a story of unwavering love, complementary bonds, and a prayer that must never be lost. Now beautifully remastered in stunning 4K.
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Video Quality
Tekkonkinkreet debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a sumptuous 2160p SDR transfer courtesy of GKIDS and Shout! Studios. The film has been given a 4K remaster after being released on Blu-Ray for the first time in 2007 courtesy of Sony. That release was lovely for the time, but the benefit of nearly 20 years of progress and new processes brings a greater level of brilliance and complexity to the source. Even the new included Blu-Ray shows some minor benefits over the old, out-of-print Blu-Ray.
Where this release really thrives is the depth of color on screen. This release may not include any form of HDR, but the SDR presentation holds an impressive spectrum of hues within these visually dynamic locales. Everything seems to be accurate to the creative intention, as the film has a dynamic rendering of the urban spaces, especially when the nightlife fills the screen with bold flourishes. This new 4K UHD release also eliminates 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 firm with no signs of blooming.
With this release, you also have some welcome refinement in fine detail. The dedication to rendering these complex landscapes with such precision is unbelievable. The subtle flourishes that are added to each locale are quite miraculous and ode to the potential on animation as a medium. The inherent textures of the character designs are similarly impressive and bring valuable tactility to the project. The film has a consistent style that truly stunning as you gaze upon the intricacies. While the new Blu-Ray is a triumph itself, we can appreciate the areas of improvement with this 4K UHD release. This 4K presentation is now the preferred way to view the film at home.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray presentation includes a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 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 without being overshadowed by the sonic assault of environmental noises. There is a commanding amount of sonic detail in the surround channels as these kids race through the urban jungle. This is complemented by some invigorating panning effects in the rear channels that add an immersive quality to the story. The track deploys some undeniable activity in the low end throughout numerous action-driven sequences. The music does a nice job of guiding the tone, and every note flows out with the utmost fidelity. The English-language cast does a decent job, but be sure to stick with the original Japanese language for maximum enjoyment. This audio presentation delivers by every metric.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Michael Arias, writer Anthony Weintraub, and sound designer Mitch Osias provide a commentary track in which they discuss various creative decisions, how they achieved key moments, the creative conflicts behind the scenes, some of their favorite moments, and more.
- The Making of Tekkonkinkreet – Director Michael Arias’ 300 Day Diary: A 44-minute making-of documentary is provided that takes you through the entire production process.
- A Conversation with DIrector Michael Arias and British Music Duo Plaid: A 12-minute interview in which the musicians discuss the process of creating the music for the film.
- Original Japanese Trailer (1:35)
- Original US Trailer (2:10)
- Booklet: A 28-page booklet is provided that includes early concept artwork.
Final Thoughts
Tekkonkinkreet is an invigorating and emotional story of friendship that rarely takes the cloying path. This world is still quite brutal, and it is fascinating to see how each of these kids reacts to such brutality. The animation is absolutely stunning with so much personality packed into each frame. This film has impressed for going on two decades at this point, and we can safely say it has carved out a place as one of the great anime features. GKIDS and Shout! Studios have delivered a stellar 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc and a nice array of special features. This is well worth a place in your collection. Highly Recommended
Tekkonkinkreet is currently available to own on 4K UHD Blu-Ray + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.
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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
