NICHIJOU: MY ORDINARY LIFE Limited-Edition UK-Only Blu-ray REVIEW

When I finished watching Nichijou: My Ordinary Life a few weeks ago, I couldn’t let the series go.

The silly slice-of-life scenarios were so delightful, and the characters so endearing, that I just had to have more. Sadly, the series only lasted for one season (although there are more stories in the manga, which I promptly added to my Wishlist). So it was unlikely that I’d get to experience any more of Mio, Yuuki, and Mai’s shenanigans anytime soon.

 Out of a sheer obsession with the series, I began reading the detailed Wikipedia page, and looking at every official product ever made for the anime. During this investigation, I learned of a little-known limited-edition version of the show that had only been released in the United Kingdom. This release was on Blu-ray, comprised of the original Japanese audio and the spectacular English dub, and came with an exclusive art book.

During my research, it had become painfully clear that there was never much in the way of merchandise released for Nichijou. Despite being extraordinarily enjoyable (and often shockingly beautiful), the series has never received much attention. Aside from one (very expensive) toy set featuring a few of the main characters, virtually no additional products or media have ever been made.

HOWEVER, this limited-edition Blu-ray version of the anime came with an ART BOOK! That was something!

Granted, it wouldn’t let me experience any more of Yuuki’s or Hisake’s wild antics like a continuation of the series would. BUT it would be SOMETHING—something to experience a little more of the characters and their wacky world through, even if only in pictures.

But, alas, limited-edition Blu-rays are expensive, and this one never came out in the United States, where I live. So what was I to do?

Visit eBay, of course!

And, lo and behold, THERE IT WAS. By some gracious act of Providence, a brand-new, never-before-opened copy of one of my favorite anime ever was RIGHT THERE FOR THE TAKING!  =O

Of course, it was expensive—by my standards, at least. $75, to be precise. But it was the only copy I could find anywhere, and I knew I was unlikely to ever find it in such excellent condition again. Still, I resisted spending the money on it… until the last few minutes of the auction, when I couldn’t resist anymore and finally gave in.

AND NOW IT’S MINE. BEHOLD ITS GLORY!  >:-D

The front of the box

The box in profile view, alongside some of my other most prized possessions :p

The back of the box

The front of the Blu-ray jewel case cardboard cover

The back of the cardboard cover

The Blu-ray front cover art

And the back cover art!

I was delighted to find that the entire product was in pristine condition, just as advertised. More importantly, the construction of the packaging (and everything included) was also excellent, from the quality of the graphics and printing to the integrity of the enclosures. The entire product was very beautifully designed, from the outside box to the Blu-ray discs.

When you open the Blu-ray jewel case, the first panel features a list of episodes.

There’s so much gorgeous artwork from the show used throughout the product’s presentation, I LOVE IT SO MUCH XD

The Blu-ray set also came with a digital copy code redeemable at Funimation.com. They’re usually included with Blu-ray releases, and they let you stream the series you purchased online or in the Funimation app, for times when you don’t have a Blu-ray player handy. I wasn’t sure my code would work, since the product came from the U.K., and I suspected it wouldn’t be valid outside that region. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that it did, and I now own a digital copy of Nichijou in addition to the gorgeous Blu-ray set. (Yay!)  ^-^

But the real reason for buying the limited-edition Blu-ray was not to own the Blu-ray copy itself, but to get the exclusive art book that came with it. And like everything else here, it did not disappoint!

The front cover of the art book…

…and the back!

I only photographed the front and back covers—one downside of the book is that it’s all made of paper and rather flimsy, and if I spread the pages out to take pictures of them, I’m afraid the book wouldn’t close as nicely again  :-#  It’s technically a booklet, not a bonafide art book.

This is the front of the box that the art book (as well as some additional pictures) came in

And this is the back (isn’t it cute??)

However, there was one last unexpected feature in this bundle. In addition to the art book, it came with a set of images featuring artwork made for the show, printed on sturdy cardstock. I went ahead and photographed each of them, so you can see those yourself!

The card on the left is how they all look from behind ;p

Compared to the art book, these cards were very sturdy. However, everything included in the set was well-made in terms of sheer image quality, and the more delicate items were well-preserved inside the careful packaging. So overall, I give the product a favorable rating—a whole 10 outa 10! BOOYAH! xD

I’m rewatching Nichijou now (because of course I am), and this time I’m taking note of what stands out about it so I can write a review of the series itself. For now, suffice it to say that it’s one of my favorite anime ever. The art featured in this Blu-ray bundle is wild and extremely detailed, largely reminiscent of a Where’s Waldo? picture book. And the series itself carries this same chaotic, yet oddly calming, energy.

While the story isn’t profound or dramatic, and the comedy is a bit unconventional, it’s still immensely enjoyable and highly memorable. The character design and acting is some of the most iconic ever, and the animation is top-notch (being from my favorite studio, Kyoto Animation, that’s no surprise). Even the music is incredible, with delightful orchestral arrangements and stellar recordings that rival those of The Cat Returns.

To put it simply, it’s well worth watching.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for today. It’s currently 11 o’clock at night and I’m starving, so I need to log out and eat something before I go to bed in around an hour. I’ve got some exciting blog posts that I’m working on, so come back soon!

Selamat malam,

Adrien <3