Director: Shinji Ishihira,
Starring: Aye Hirano, Cherami Leigh, Tetsuya Kakihara, Todd Haberkorn,
Running Time: 600 minutes
Certificate: PG
The release of Fairy Tail on Blu-ray is confusing my little brain a bit. With 12 episode “Parts” having already reached quite far into the show’s timeline, these “Collections” acquire 24 episodes from earlier on in the series. This isn’t double dipping though, as the series was released exclusively on DVD for the first 4 sets. Going back into the earlier days of the show is quite a refreshing change, especially here where the show is still connecting all the dots but has introduced characters enough that now we can learn a little bit more about their past.
Lucy (Hirano/Leigh) is still a fairly new arrival on the scene, making it easier to access the show’s mythology as she guides us through with the same keen sense of unknowing that the viewers have. This collection gets straight into some nitty gritty action with some spectacularly designed monsters which add an intense physical threat to the magic enthused action sequences. The monsters themselves are also laced with human emotions, with one having lost control of their human form. Their inability to control their anger is referenced in speaking of their younger sister’s death, adding a bit more tragedy. Speaking of adding weight to the battles, Juvia, a controller of water, comes infatuated with her combatant, in a running joke which kind of outstays its welcome until the completion of Juvia’s arc..
Juvia is your average villain turned good guy who gradually learns the pleasantries and positives of relying on others in a team based guild such as Fairy Tail. The teamwork is also a key aspect of what makes the show work, as we see the heroes working together and realising their strengths in order to fight against darkness. In contrast to the action, there’s also the hit and miss comical stylings which can also interrupt even the mos emotional of moments. These vary in quality, with most of them being subtitles overhanging the characters’ heads explaining how they truly feel. The show does reach out sometimes, with a particular 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY reference being a highpoint, whereas a rock and roll based mage becomes tiresome and feels out of place.
As a relatively new series, Fairy Tail only started in 2009, still has plenty of avenues which it can explore, but if it continues to churn through the arcs as quickly as this then it may soon find itself repeating certain ideas. There is a lot of backstory here, and although it rounds out many of the characters, it is clear in later seasons that there is less story and more action. The show also struggles in inserting its fan service episodes, such as a needless beauty pageant, which is thankfully turned into a more relevant plot. Fairy Tail is a fun series that has its fans for a reason; bright colours, loud and easy to separate characters, as well as action, emotion and humour, although not always in the right doses.
[usr=3]Fairy Tail Collection 2 is released on Blu-ray on 2nd June via Manga Entertainment.
Check out more Anime news and reviews here!
