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Feature Presentation:
Special thanks to Geneon Entertainment for sending a copy for a review for this site. Wow, this is one of the coolest Anime series that has the uniquely stands out. It's how the design & artwork was used that make this Anime so different. It uses static images, like you only see part of the image when the body moves through it. I can't really explained it, you have to watch it. It's unique & quite colorful. Not only that, the story is a bit strange, curious & exquisite, like you can drawed to see. Welcome to the new distant future of the world we live in, but keeping the old tradition of politics. Here we meet, a son of an aristocratic family, Albert, in search to find himself & hopefully there is more to life then his high class life style. With his best friend, Franz, set out to Luna, a city of the Moon to seek out. His life was forever change when he encountered a very mysterious man named The Count Of Monte Cristo. He is quite the charming man & you might learn a few tips on being a real gentlemen. Albert is so fascinated by his stories, his adventures & his life that he invited him into Paris high society so he could learn about him more, but hidden inside, The Count has his own secrets.
Video:
Geneon Entertainment did a very great job. This series is feature on Widescreen format, so it fits right on the spot on your PSP screen. There is some watermarking done, translating the credits to English. It is crisp & clear, no problem. Each episodes are separated into 5 parts: the introduction, part A, part B, ending & the preview for the next episode! Since all the episodes are on one single track on the UMD, there is no loading time or changing tracks when you move on to the next episode. I do note that you can skip all those warnings & logos when you first load the UMD by just selection the "Menu" on your PSP. There is already a DVD out already, if you wish you see it on your TV!
Dubbing: English:
The English dubbing is well done. The voice for The Count Of Monte Cristo is one of the best. It kept his charming voice of a gentlemen that really draws you in. It's about 85% of the original Japanese.
Audio 01: English 2.0:
No problem found. Recommended listening via headphones or an external speaker system.
Audio 02: Japanese 2.0:
No problem found. Recommended listening via headphones or an external speaker system.
Subtitle:
Geneon Entertainment have selected a great font, very easy to read, but as always, since the PSP has a small screen, you might have trouble reading it without looking closely. Of course, it varies from person to person. White is the prefer color for the regular subtitling & Japanese signs & text. There is only one subtitling track, which is for the Japanese dialogue, so if you want to see the translation for any Japanese signs, you must turn the subtitle on. However, there is no subtitle for the introduction & ending themes as they are in English already.
Menu Option:
The menu is also in widescreen format, fits right on the PSP screen. For something this colorful, the menu is pretty simple, you see The Count & Albert together. There is the "Play", "Setup" & "Previews". The background music is one of the music you will hear during the series.
UMD Extras:
There isn't really any extras, just trailers for other Anime releases. This might be due that, well, UMD discs have a limited space, so you're pretty much stuck with none.
Packaging:
To match with the colorful style, the design reflects upon it. On the cover, you will see The Count Of Monte Cristo with a very colorful background. In the back, you see some screenshots from the episodes in this volume, along a very faint but beautiful artwork in the background. The insert also have a list of episodes, along upcoming DVD releases. Yes, for first time users of UMD, there is even instructions on how UMD works. The UMD disc itself is very beautiful shiny artwork printed on it. Since the UMD case is a clear one, you an see the full version of the beautiful cover image.
Overall UMD Rating:
The only thing that is just sad that it's only two episodes! This series alone is very unique, in artwork & design, along with a mysterious feeling of secrets, especially with The Count Of Monte Cristo himself. You just want to know what goal he is really after. I forgot to mention something, right in the beginning, you opera music might sound familiar. By now, most of you have seen the DVD version, so if you love that series enough, this is perfect to bring along with your PSP to watch during long trip! For all who have not, this is a perfect addition to your UMD collection!
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