Anime Reviews (2020s): Princess Principal 1: Crown Handler (2021)

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“Princess Principal 1: Crown Handler” is an animated film for those who loved the TV series and have been wanting more. Again, this is part 1 of a planned six-part animated film series. So, definitely check it out!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

TITLE: Princess Principal 1: Crown Handler

ANIME MOVIE RELEASE DATE: 2021

DURATION: ONA EPISODE 54 Minutes

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (16×9), English and Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Subtitles

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATING: TV 14 V

Release Date: March 15, 2022

Director: Tachibana Masaki

Series Composition by Kimura Noboru

Character Design by Nishio Kimitake, Akiya Yukie

Art Director: Sugiura Miho

Mechanical Design: Katagai Fumihiro

Music by Kajiura Yuki

Anime Production by Actas

Featuring the following voice talent:

Koga Aoi/Avery Smithhart as Ange

Sekine Akira/Patricia Duran as Princess

Sugo Takayuki/David Wald as L

Taichi Yo/Elizabeth Bunch as Dorothy

Sawashiro Miyuki/Heidi Hinkel as Seven

Hashi Takaya/Jay Hickman as Duke of Normandy

Iida Yuko/Melanie Burke as Gazelle

Furuki Nozomi/Rachael Messer as Chise

Kageyama Akari/Shanae’a Moore as Beatrice

Being a spy has never been a safe profession, and that’s doubly true in times of revolution. Following the recent assassination attempt on the Queen, the aristocratically controlled Kingdom of Albion has increased their anti-espionage measures to a height never before seen, which leaves agents working on behalf of the rebelling Commonwealth faced with a greater challenge than ever.

That doesn’t stop Control from assigning two risky missions to their elite spy ring, however. Now Ange and team find themselves tasked with the dual dangerous objectives of retrieving a dealer of second-hand books from an Imperial prison while also making contact with the Commonwealth’s double agent within the royal family. Either operation would be treacherous alone, but only a team that doesn’t believe in impossible missions can possibly survive the perils!

It was back in 2017 when the anime series “Princess Principal” was broadcast on television.

The fictional series is set in Albion (an analogue of Britain) where the country was powerful thanks to hits fleet of heavily armed starships.

Becoming the dominant power of the world unfortunately did make peace in Albion as the people started to rebel against the country’s ruling class for ignoring them and thus sparking what was known as the “London Revolution” and the lower classes tried to overthrow the royal family.

What ended in a stalemate, a great wall was erected in the middle of Albion and splitting the country into two nations: The Commonwealth and the Kingdom.

And both sides engage in a network of spies.

With the series, it established the complex spy networks of both nations and focusing on the Commonwealth spy group known as White Pigeon.

After the events of the TV series, it was decided that a six-part Japanese animated film series would be produced by Actas and distributed by Showgate and the first film was released in February 2021 and the second animated film released in September 2021.

And now the first film was released in North America on Blu-ray courtesy of Sentai Filmworks.

The first film starts off not long after the television series.

With the attempted assassination of the Imperial princess, the Kingdom (the Duke of Normandy) is increasing counter-spy actions and are cracking down on suspected individuals who may be Albion spies for the Commonwealth. Control, the Commonwealth group in charge of covert operations against the Empire suspects that their spy in the royal family to be a double agent.

Control assigns White Pigeon for two missions, one is to extract a secondhand bookstore owner and bring him to the Commonwealth. And to find out the spy in the royal family, to find out where his loyalty lies.

While the film can be watched without previous knowledge of the series, it is recommended that the TV series is watched, so one would understand who Ange and Princess Charlotte is, as the storyline of the TV series is primarily about the two.

But for the most part, the first film is quite intriguing and without spoiling the storyline, there is a revelation that will no doubt make the film series quite entertaining.

Everyone of White Pigeon returns for an action-packed storyline that involves two missions and for the most part, at 54 minutes, the film is quite short but remains consistent in a storyline between the two nations utilizing their spy network and seeing how royalty tries to use counterspy tactics after what happened in the TV series.

For the Blu-ray release, one thing that fans of the series may enjoy is a fun six minute short titled “Busy Easy Money” and what happens when Dorothy wins money at the horse races. What would the other members of White Pigeon do, if they had a lot of money?

You also get the Japanese promos, theatrical trailer and clean opening and closing animations.

But for the most part, I was wondering how the quality of the film would be after it exchanged hands and Actas doing the animated production and for the most part, it was pretty awesome. Scenes were well-painted, character designs are very good and the film looks absolutely fantastic in HD and the film was well-acted for both Japanese soundtrack and the English dub.

Overall, “Princess Principal 1: Crown Handler” is an animated film for those who loved the TV series and have been wanting more. Again, this is part 1 of a planned six-part animated film series. So, definitely check it out!

Click here to purchase this Blu-ray on Amazon

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