Anime has certainly evolved as an art form and there are many ways to enjoy the concept. Most of the time we see a full series released or maybe even an OVA. Every once in a while a film comes along with a much higher budget and refined script. These projects are generally well-received but their success is very hit or miss. Looking back on releases like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and Princess Mononoke you'll see a defined pattern of quality that helped shape anime as we know it. Another fine example of a high-end production is 1999's Jin-Roh.

Mamorou Oshii is essentially the brains behind the operation with his creation Kerberos being the inspiration for Jin-Roh. Considering Oshii had his hands in Patlabor, the Ghost in the Shell movies, and Urusei Yatsura it's safe to say that he's a driving force in anime as we know it. His style is often more subdued than others and his works tend to feel slower with a more deliberate pacing to allow the story time to sink in. Jin-Roh is a perfect example of that.

At it's very core Jin-Roh is a retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, though this version is decidedly darker and more violent. It puts Brothers Grimm to shame and will reshape your conception of the classic children's bedtime story. If it sounds kind of corny then you obviously have never seen it before. This is a heartfelt yet primal adaptation of Red Riding Hood's plight against the wolf.

When the film starts we're introduced to the world in the state that it is. A war has recently ended and civil unrest has risen exponentially. The line between the police and military special operations has been blurred and in between there are innocent people being caught in the cross-fire. The time period looks to be just after the Second World War though there is an abundance of technology that alludes to an alternate history of sorts.

Almost immediately the movie sticks us in the middle of a riot between a group of rebels and the police. While rocks, bricks, and sticks seem to be the main armament in the hands of the mob, something much more sinister is about to be unleashed. Some nasty Molotov cocktails come out and as they are lobbed into the midst of the police there are many officers who go down. Still the cops hold their line until a young girl in a red hooded jacket makes a special delivery. The Little Red Riding Hood hands off a satchel containing a bomb which is used to cause a little devastation. This sets the police in action and the riot is quickly broken up.

In between the chaos the Red Hood breaks away and enters the sewers where she meets up with fellow terrorists and grabs another satchel bomb. Their plans are interrupted by an elite force known as Panzer Cops who are a heavily armored and lethal team. The rest of the squad eliminates the terrorists while one man, Fuse, confronts the young girl. At first he tries to reason with her but she won't have any of it and eventually blows herself up.

Due to his inability to fire at the girl Fuse is brought under investigation and put through the ringer again to train until he gets it right. Throughout it all he remains sullen and quiet as thoughts about the girl keep coming back to haunt him. He's supposed to be a cold-blooded killer and yet the sight of a young girl killing herself made him an emotional recluse. Through a series of circumstances he winds up meeting Kei who claims to be the dead girl's older sister. They form a relationship that gradually grows from friendship into something else but before that happens Jin-Roh really toys with you.

There are some certain plot twists that occur beyond the midpoint of the film and I do not want to reveal them to those of you that haven't watched it before. I will say that Fuse's world is turned upside down by Kei's presence and he has nightmares about his wolves engulfing Kei. Their relationship becomes a play on the Red Riding Hood tale and various elements become confused as the story progresses. Questions will surface within you as far as what's really going on, who is good, and what Fuse's dreams really mean. Jin-Roh will keep you guessing right up to the end and it's that factor that gives the film necessary weight.

While this is one of the slowest developing anime films I have watched in a very long time I must say that Jin-Roh left its impact on me. I fell in love with this feature when it was originally released and to this day I still feel that it's one of the most well crafted anime movies ever put together. The emotion is real, the story is intense, and once it's over you'll want to watch it again to see what you missed. If you haven't watched Jin-Roh then you're missing out on a surreal experience that stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Ghost in the Shell and Akira.

Jin-Roh is presented on a 50GB Blu-ray disc and comes with a full 1080p output encoded with AVC. The film is presented with its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and if possible it looks better than the Standard Definition release that came out back in 2002. The original DVD featured softness and an abundance of grain. While the Blu-ray can look soft at times and some of the darker scenes are definitely grainy there is no denying that this release is significantly sharper and cleaner than we've ever seen.

The character models come to life here despite the simplistic designs and washed out colors. There is a certain look to Jin-Roh that maintains a subdued atmosphere but some bold moments truly stand out. When the Panzer Cops unleash fury from their guns or light up their red eyes I'd be hard-pressed to say that it didn't feel empowering. At the same point if you're new to this film you may look at it and wonder what all the fuss is about. On Blu-ray it's not a technical marvel but as someone coming from the DVD to this one I can say that it's a big step.

When you're looking at the sound of Jin-Roh there are a few things that instantly stand out. For starters the Japanese Linear PCM 5.1 blend is the way to go, hands down. This track had a lot more life to offer than the English 5.1 Dolby Digital and Japanese PCM Dolby Surround. Simple things from the way footsteps echo in a corridor to how the soundstage handles getting you swept away in the fervor of an angry crowd really stands out. It was the little details that helped draw me into the world though I must admit that veil was thin most of the time. The moments where you'd think the sound would break through kind of fell flat and there was some inconsistency all around. Overall the track was technically solid but some moments left a lackluster feeling.

Back in 2002 a 3-disc special edition DVD was released with a plethora of bonus content. Unfortunately for this Blu-ray edition the only add-on we see as far as disc content goes is a collection of trailers. The meat and potatoes of this section come from the pack-ins that accompanies the film.

A 19 page booklet is included here that is packed with artwork, information, and interviews for the film. There's nothing revolutionary but it was a nice inclusion to peruse. Likewise is a 522 page original Japanese storyboard for the picture complete with line art and notes. If you can read kanji then you're in much better shape than I because everything here is authentic down to the writing.

When you look at anime as a medium there are a few titles that stand out as highlights to introduce people to the world of otaku. Jin-Roh is one such masterpiece that stands the test of time and will leave a mark on you long after the credits roll. It's a film that draws you in and makes you think about the world and its characters. I can't tell you how many times I have watched this movie and in my opinion it's one of those that simply gets better after each viewing. Thusly I was pleased to see the film released on Blu-ray with improved video and audio.

With all of that being said I'm not going to deny that there is the element of cost associated with Bandai Visual's Blu-ray line. This sucker will set you back a pretty penny with a price tag of $79.99 and I have to admit that the packaging just isn't worth anywhere near that amount. I simply don't understand Bandai Visual's pricing structure for Blu-ray because they're effectively charging themselves out of the market. Sure this film is phenomenal but only diehard fans are going to shell out $80 for it. I highly recommend Jin-Roh but this release's cost and lack of supplemental features knocks it down a peg.

Check out more of my reviews here. Head on over to my anime blog as well for random musings and reviews of anime, manga, and stuff from Japan!