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Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Christine Marie Cabanos , Cassandra Lee , Kristi Reed  |  G |  DVD
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)

List Price: $24.98
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Product Details

  • Actors: Christine Marie Cabanos, Cassandra Lee, Patrick Seitz, Julie Maddalena, Julie ann Taylor
  • Directors: Kristi Reed
  • Format: Animated, NTSC, Widescreen
  • Language: English, Japanese
  • Subtitles: English
  • Dubbed: English
  • Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  • Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
  • Number of discs: 3
  • Rated: G (General Audience)
  • Studio: Funimation
  • DVD Release Date: August 14, 2012
  • Run Time: 100 minutes
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
  • ASIN: B0080K2E92
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #11,553 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Special Features

None.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

The feature Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror (2009) received favorable notice and some awards on the international festival circuit. Haruka, a 16-year-old high school freshman, feels her hard-working father has neglected her since her mother died. She's also troubled by the loss of the hand mirror her mother left her. Remembering a children's book she had about fox spirits who take things humans neglect, Haruka visits the local shrine and prays for the return of her mirror. At the shrine, she sees Teo, an odd creature in a fox mask, steal her key ring. Haruka follows him into an underground world inhabited by strange beings who live amid discarded objects. The search for the mirror leads Haruka and Teo to the castle of the fey Baron who rules the island. During their adventures, Haruka and Teo learn they are not the living equivalent of discarded objects: they love and are loved. Oblivion Island has considerable charm, but it also has problems. The filmmakers never really explain who and what Teo is, and Haruka spends a lot of time fussing. Director-cowriter Shinsuke Sato has previously worked in live action, and the endless possibilities CG animation offers seem to have dazzled him. The scenes of Haruka's children's book have an appealing simplicity the rest of the film lacks: Oblivion Island is so overloaded with bright colors and odd shapes, the viewer's eye gets lost in the welter of details. There are also too many elaborate roller coaster rides through the complex backgrounds, a problem that may remind some viewers of Blue Sky's Robots (2005). But Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror offers more visual imagination than many bigger-budget features, and Sato's next film should be even more interesting. (Rated TV G: some mildly scary situations, minor violence and alcohol use) --Charles Solomon

Product Description

Hold on tight and discover the magic of memories! A vibrantly animated blend of Japanese folklore and storybook charm reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland, Production I.G's award-winning feature-length romp will amaze both the young and the young at heart.

16-year-old Haruka is on a mission to find her mirror - a precious childhood gift from her mother that mysteriously disappeared. While following a strange foxlike creature in the woods, she tumbles into a mystical world where once-cherished toys and treasures go when their owners neglect them. Join Haruka and her new friend Teo on a roller coaster ride of adventure as they contend with the island's greedy ruler - who wants the mirror for his own evil plan!

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
(27)
4.7 out of 5 stars
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The visuals are amazing, the story is very touching, and the characters are great. E. Scott  |  8 reviewers made a similar statement
Something a family should really get together and watch. Latana Xiong  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Great movie September 17, 2012
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I bought this on a lark solely based on a teaser trailer. And I must say, it was a very pleasant surprise for my wife and myself. It is a little childish in its logic at times (such as a reliance on huge coincidences), but its charming story and magical visuals make such things easy to ignore. A great film for the whole family, enjoyable by all ages.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Wandering off the Pixar/Dreamworks trail. November 12, 2012
By T. Hunt
Format:DVD
Oblivion Island is a 2009 computer-animated film released by the Japanese company, I.G. Studio. Directed by Shinsuke Sato, it tells the story of Haruka, a teenaged girl who, while following a curious creature seen near her mother's shrine, is pulled into Oblivion Island: the land of neglected things. It is here that she befriends a small denizen of the hidden world and begins her search for the red mirror given to her by her mother; a mirror Haruka had previously forgotten and let slip away.

I'd pulled this off the shelf hoping to find a foreign equivalent to the American twin-towers of Pixar and Dreamworks. I've always been a bit leery of Japanese computer anime out of unfamiliarity. To begin with, I've only barely scratched the service of anime as a whole, so taking the plunge into one of its trickier sub-genres was daunting. But Oblivion Island boasts a confident box cover and I was familiar with I.G. Studios through Ghost in the Shell series, so I dove in. I'm glad I did.

I had some concerns that the human elements of the film would be of the creepy, almost of the too-real variety, but that wasn't the case. While the, "real" people weren't as exaggerated/cartoonish as what you might find in, say, Toy Story, they weren't pixels away from looking like synthetic androids, either. Occasionally Haruka's movements would feel a little boxy and rigid, sometimes floaty, but for the most part I think it worked out. It's the fantasy elements, however, that I found brilliant and made the movie worth watching. The colors are spectacular, the action sequences explosive, and the cast of characters designed for the story are vibrant and masterfully crafted. Had someone been watching me during the 100 minutes offered here, they'd have likely seen on several occasions the same sort of expressions one gets during a fireworks display. The scenes that wowed me were stacked by the end credits and I was left satisfied.

And it's a family-friendly story. I've no children of my own, but I think a kid would be dazzled by what's happening here. The script is simple, fun, and written in are some wildly fantastic characters, good-to-evil, in-between. If I were to caution a parent of anything, though, it would be that there's a resounding impact from the weight of Haruka's mother's death and it's a recurring theme. Not that this is a bad thing, per say, but the sadness is prevalent and if your child is sensitive to such a thing, there you go.

After perusing the site and seeing what Oblivion Island is being sold for, I recommend it with some fervor. This one is a blast.

Thank you for your time.

- t
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Nominated for the "Award for Excellent Animation of the Year" at the 33rd Japan Academy Prize and "Best Animated Feature Film" for the 4th Asia Pacific Screen Award, Production I.G.'s "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" (a.k.a. Hottarake no Shima: Haruka to Mahō no Kagami) will be released on Blu-ray and DVD courtesy of FUNimation in August 2012.

Directed by Shinsuke Sato ("Gantz" live action films and "The Princess Blade") and co-written by Sato and Otsuichi ("Calling You", "Goth").

VIDEO:

"Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" is presented in 1080p High Definition and if there is one thing that I have raved over the years, it's about Production I.G.'s focus on quality and creating the most wonderful looking environments in an anime film or TV series.

With "Oblivion Island", the art backgrounds are absolutely fantastic to look at it. Artistic, very detailed, just gorgeous. May it be the city environment in Japan to the island environment where Teo lives, everything looks spectacular and I was just in awe of how breathtaking the film looked.

While the CG animation was created in 2009 and the creatures are not as highly detailed compared to an American Pixar film, in terms of skin textures and seeing pores or grime on a character, the CG is still very good, but it's the details of the backgrounds the characters are in that truly stick out the most of this animated film.

There have been a good number of CG animated films from Japan, but this is probably one of the most detailed that I have seen. The film is very colorful, vibrant and looks absolutely incredible on Blu-ray!

But is it perfect? Well, there is a scene where Haruka meets Cotton for the first time, and there is a good amount of light being changed and you do see slight banding. While I didn't recognize any artifacts or edge enhancement, you do notice the details on objects and even on the scenery and mechanical designs. It's a very beautiful film and I'm in awe of how Production I.G. once again delivered for this animated film. It looks great!

AUDIO:

"Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" is presented in Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1. Dialogue on both Japanese and English lossless tracks are crystal clear and having watched the film in both English and Japanese, both are really well-done. The soundtracks are primarily dialogue and musical driven through the front and center channel. There was a little LFE and surround channel use for the music but I was hoping the sound effects were a little more immersive and utilized the surround channels a bit more. But for the most part, the lossless soundtrack was very good.

As for the subtitles, when the Japanese soundtrack is selected, English subtitles show up. So, the English subtitles are not optional during the Japanese soundtrack.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

"Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" comes with the following special features:

Behind the Scenes of Oblivion Island - (5:02) A featurette on what inspired the film and what it is about. Information on the director and Japanese cast.
A Visit to Fushimi Inari Shrine - (5:13) Voice actress Haruka Ayase visiting the Fushimi Inari Shrine which inspired the animated film "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".
Battleship Island: An Actual Oblivion Island - Voice actress Haruka Ayase and director Shinsuke Sato visiting a Gunkanjima, which are uninhabited islands in Japan, specifically Hashima Island in Nagasaki Prefecture. A island that was once used for forced labor for coal mining during the late 1800′s to early-to-mid 1900′s but is now a "ghost island" with building structures that were left behind in 1950 when Japan went towards petroleum and away from coal.
Greetings at the Premiere - (4:47) The press speeches from director Shinsuke Sato and the Japanese voice acting cast for the premiere.
A Word from the Cast - (4:39) Q&A with director Shinsuke Sato and the Japanese voice acting cast after the premiere.
The U.S. Premiere - (8:00) Naoyoshi Shiotani (direction) talking about the U.S. premiere of "Oblivion Island" in New York and footage from the New York premiere.
Haruka and Teo's Panel Puzzle - (4:07) A featurette at Izumo Iwai Shrine in Iruma City, Saitama and the Haruka and Teo puzzles that kids including Fuji TV announcer Mio Matsumura have to put together.
A Journey Through Fox Foxlore - (25:43) A TV special exploring the fox legends in Japan.
Sierra Leone Relief Spots - (:34) Two commercials featuring the collaboration with "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" and helping the children of Sierra Leone.
Original Teasers - (1:40) The original Japanese teaser trailers for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".
Original Trailers - (3:09) The original Japanese trailers for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".
TV Commercials - (3:20) The original Japanese commercials for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".
U.S. Trailer - FUNimation trailer for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".
Trailers - FUNimation trailers.

JUDGMENT CALL:

A delightful animated family film from Japan, gorgeous in visuals and a heartwarming tale that will surely entertain people of all ages.

"Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" is a film that was inspired by the Fushimi Inari shrine in Kyoto and the Inari shrine is one of the most unique shrines in Japan with its black and red torii path. Inari in Japan is known as the god of rice and many adults visit the shrine for wealth. At the main gate of the shrine is a fox holding a key in its mouth. Meanwhile, the view of the shrine is like a mirror.

And so, writers Hirotaka Adachi and director Shinsuke Sato came up with a story inspired by the shrine but a story that would appeal to people of all ages and to focus on the question of what happens to those things in our childhood that are lost. What happens to them?

And both Adachi and Sato were able to come up with a delightful story of Japanese mythology and childhood memories for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror".

For many adults, when we think of our childhoods, many of us tend to remember our favorite toys or favorite things while growing up. Toys that your parents bought you or things that were special in your life. And what makes "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror" so touching is that it revolves around a teenager who lost her mother at a young age.

And because her father was dependent on her mother, having grown up with a father (a single parent) who had to work a lot, she never really understood the sacrifices her father went through to take of her and in her mind, her estranged relationship with him is because he is always working and is messy.

But often in our lives, by finding objects that we have forgotten about, it makes us remember things that we also had forgotten. May it be a photo of a deceased family member, an object taking you back of a certain time in your life. For Haruka, it's revisiting memories that she had lost.

Meanwhile, there is also a story about the importance of friendship. For Haruka to be in another world and becoming friends with Teo, for Teo and others, humans were looked as bad people, but when he finds out for himself that Haruka was genuinely good and wanted to be his friend, he has to make a hard decision by helping his new friend out or follow on the threat by the ruler of Oblivion Island that if he doesn't bring the mirror to him, he will be severely punished for bringing a human to their world.

And while you get a delightful story, possibly the most impressive part of this film are its visuals. Production I.G. is an animation studio I have raved about in previous reviews but for this film, this is one of the most beautiful CG animated films that I have watched from Japan. Yes, Studio Ghibli are known for their beautiful visuals but Production I.G. is also wonderful at creating scenery and environments for their TV series, OVA and animated films.

And for "Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror", not only are environments painted beautifully and realistically but its integration with its CG characters are also well-done. Granted, the characters are not as detailed as a Pixar animated character but still, for a 2009 animated film from Japan and having seen a good number of them, the movements are not jerky, the balance between the CG characters and the beautiful environments are well-done!

I'll go as far as to say that for a non-Ghibli animated film, Production I.G. really delivered with the visual effects. This film looks absolutely gorgeous on Blu-ray!

And the voice acting, both on the Japanese and English dub are also well-done. Watched both and was quite pleased with both lossless soundtracks. Granted, I wish it was a bit more immersive and the surround channels were used much more, but for the most part, the lossless soundtrack is very good, dialogue and music was crystal clear.

As for special features, there are many included on this release. From the premiere introductions and Q&A in Japan, to the visiting locations that helped inspire the film plus a TV special on fox legends of Japan. So, I was quite pleased with this Blu-ray overall. From the visual and audio standpoint and special features that are pretty awesome! It's an awesome Blu-ray and DVD release combo-pack that fans should be pleased with.

Heartwarming, delightful and possibly one of the best looking CG animated films to come from Japan and looks absolutely incredible on Blu-ray! Read more ›
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars obivion
this moves grait, it has adventure and mystery. I was so hypnotized by it well I watched it that I spillt something on the floor. Read more
Published 25 days ago by krystal
4.0 out of 5 stars Japanese twist to Alice in the wonderland
Stunning visuals that is a Japanese twist to Alice in the wonderland. The story line will probably keep you in grips as it not easily predictable. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Vinod Pal Singh
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
Absolutely lovely storyline, stunning visuals, great movie. I absolutely loved every second of this film, and even my sis who isn't really that into anime loved it :D
Published 3 months ago by AggieZ
5.0 out of 5 stars A magical ride.
Very good movie. The imagination of anime runs deep in this crazy adventure in search of a magic mirror. Enjoy. :)
Published 3 months ago by Chris Nash
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, Touching Movie
I bought this movie not knowing what to expect. It looked so different I knew there was no way I wouldn't like it. The animation is beautiful and colors are so vibrant on blu ray. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Michael
4.0 out of 5 stars I enjoyed it a lot
It's not a Studio Ghibli prduction, but still fun to watch. I'm a fan of Production IG, so maybe I have some bias (Ghost in the Shell, Moribito, Appleseed). Read more
Published 3 months ago by ninpou_kobanashi
5.0 out of 5 stars i love this movie
The moment i saw this movie from a trailer, I fell in love!!! I highly recommend this for every one who has little kids, its a great adventure for the whole family!
Published 4 months ago by Alex
4.0 out of 5 stars Neglect
I think the cover art does this movie little service; it's a lot darker in tone than suggested by the happy-go-lucky images provided. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Einsatz
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Movie!
Oblivion Island is a great blu ray and fantastic movie! Although a tad slow in he beginning the story is only building to an all-around creative film with great characters, plot,... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Shaunn L.
5.0 out of 5 stars Oblivion Island ...
I watched this video over and over on Hulu and decided it needed to become an addition to my anime collection!
Published 4 months ago by Diana
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