Anime Reviews (2010-2019): Fantasista Doll: Complete Collection (2013)

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Entertaining, action-packed and lighthearted. Most action fans who like cute anime series will no doubt enjoy “Fantasista Doll”. Easy to watch, not many episodes and definitely an anime series worth watching!

Click here to purchase “Fantasista Doll – Complete Collection” on Blu-ray

TITLE: Fantasista Doll: Complete Collection

YEAR OF RELEASE: 2013

DURATION: Episodes 1-12 (300 Minutes)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, Japanese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV 14

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Original Character Design: Anmi

Director: Saito Hisashi

Music by Takanashi Yasuharu

Character Design: Kinoshita Sumie

Art Director: Ikeda Shigemi

Anime Production: Hoods Entertainment

Featuring the following voice talent:

Hasegawa Akiko as Akari

Ohashi Ayaka as Uno Uzume

Akasaki Chinatsu as Shimeji

Tsuda Minami as Sasara

Ohara Sayaka as Madeleine

Tokui Sora as Katia

Nazuka Kaori as Kiyomasa Komachi

Tsukui Kyousei as Mikasa Rinto

Kurata Masayo as Uno Mikoto

Misawa Sachika as Totori Kagami

Hoshi Sōichiro as Rafflesia no Kimi

Uesaka Sumire as Uzuki Manai

Yamaoka Yuri as Uno Miko

At the age of 14, Uzume Uno is an ordinary student, mediocre in both academics and athletics. But all that changes when fate delivers a very special deck of cards to Uzume’s hands; a deck that can summon, equip and control five artificial warriors known as Fantasista Dolls! And this is not a game played for fun against other masters. There is a great danger approaching that only the Fantasistas can deal with, a danger that threatens the Earth and everyone on it. And Uzume is far from ready to play her part. Now she must push herself to the utmost, honing her skills and abilities to their sharpest edge, even as other Card Masters challenge for dominance. Because this magical card games is all too real, and she’s playing for our future in FANTASISTA DOLL!

Back in 2013, a light novel series titled “Fantasista Doll” would be released. Written by Jinno Hiroaki with illustrations by Anmi, a small anime production company, Hoods Entertainment, would release a 12-episode anime series months later.

The series revolves around a junior high student named Uno Uzume, who is an elite card player who won a car tournament but is quite shy and is looking for a club to join.

While her friend Todori Kagami asks her to join her club, Uzume is not really sure what to do. She has joined a scary film club that her friend got her into, but she’s not really into it.

One day in school, a device is found in her bag. The device showcases a card in which Sasara appears and tells her that she’s in trouble and she needs to recite words and become her master in order for her to help her.

While Uzume doesn’t believe it at first, Uzuki Manai shows up wanting her cards and a fight ensues.

Uzume recites the words and she becomes the master of Sasara but also four other Fantasista dolls: Katia, Shimeji, Akari and Madeline.

And all of a sudden, Uzume becomes the target by other Fantasista Doll masters who want her cards.

For Uzume, she never asked for any of this but she must fight. But also she starts to learn for herself what is important and that her Fantasista Dolls are not just dolls to be controlled but dolls she cares deeply for as friends.

For the most part, “Fantasista Doll” is a fun anime series and one of Sentai Filmworks older titles that are getting a new Blu-ray release nearly a decade later.

There is nothing different for the Blu-ray released in 2014 and the Blu-ray in 2023, as there is no English dub, but the original Japanese lossless audio track. And no special features but clean opening and closing animations.

But I couldn’t help but enjoy this series thoroughly as it is like the underdog with a group of misfit dolls, but together they form a unique team and we start to learn the challenges that Uzume faces but why the other doll owners are so intent of wanting to defeat Uzume and claim her cards.

But also a chairman of the Mutual Dream Association Group intent of defeating Uzume and stealing her cards.

But with Uzume who sees these dolls, not just something to toy with but as her friends, she will do anything to defend them and fight for them.

Click here to purchase “Fantasista Doll – Complete Collection” on Blu-ray