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Blu-ray Review - Rick and Morty: The Anime

Are you ready to journey across the multiverse like never before? Rick and Morty: The Anime is officially available to own today on Blu-ray and DVD, thanks to Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment. Visionary director Takashi Sano expands the beloved franchise with a bold new Japanese anime twist. Featuring 10 episodes of interdimensional chaos, this spin on the cult phenomenon reintroduces the Smith family in unexpected and visually dazzling ways. For fans new and old, this fresh take is a wild ride worth checking out.

From the moment the opening credits hit the screen, it’s clear this version of Rick and Morty is doing something different. Backed by a frenetic J-pop theme from Otone titled “Love is Entropy,” the title sequence bursts with energy, strange creatures, and kaleidoscopic visuals. It captures the unpredictable essence of the franchise while reimagining it through the lens of anime—bold colors, rapid cuts, and surreal imagery abound. Right away, it feels like a new dimension, not just a new season.

Visually, Rick and Morty: The Anime is striking. Hand-drawn animation brings out the weirdness and wonder of each universe the characters visit. From neon cityscapes teeming with aliens to serene yet bizarre forest realms, the show doesn’t skimp on visual imagination. Though you might occasionally notice stiff movement or simplified character models in a few scenes, the show makes up for it with a creative flair and love for its sci-fi setting. The exaggerated expressions, dramatic lighting, and manga-style aesthetics give it a look all its own—distinct from the original, yet clearly part of the same multiverse.

Narratively, the series takes risks by shifting the familiar dynamics. Rick, now voiced in English by Joe Daniels and in Japanese by Youhei Tadano, spends much of the story in isolation, lounging in a strange liminal space between universes while scheming against the Galactic Federation. Meanwhile, Morty, voiced by Gabriel Regojo (English) and Keisuke Chiba (Japanese), finds himself trapped inside a bizarre virtual reality game. Each level of the simulation leads him into a different version of his life—sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant, and always strange.

This split focus offers a chance to explore character depth in ways the original often skimmed over. Morty’s journey through the VR game isn’t just a gimmick—it’s a deeply emotional arc that lets him explore versions of himself unshackled from Rick’s overbearing shadow. He experiences love, ambition, and loss in rapid succession, each vignette revealing more about what makes Morty who he is. In one standout episode, he becomes a politician in a universe suspiciously similar to Citizen Kane, and the satire hits with surprising emotional heft.

Elsewhere, Summer takes on a bigger role than usual, teaming up with a tough-as-nails variant of Space Beth to lead the resistance against the Federation. Donna Bella Litton brings a grounded fierceness to Summer’s voice performance, while Patricia Duran’s Space Beth is a commanding presence. These characters, often sidelined in the original series, are given room to breathe and grow, and the results are refreshing.

Despite its emotional depth, the show doesn’t completely abandon its roots. Sci-fi weirdness, existential jokes, and twisted humor still pepper each episode, though the tone is more contemplative than chaotic. The laughs are more subtle, and the absurdity comes with a dose of melancholy. That tonal shift might catch some longtime fans off guard—this isn't quite the sardonic, rapid-fire Rick and Morty of earlier seasons—but it’s clear the goal here isn’t replication. It’s reinvention.

The voice cast overall does commendable work. Daniels and Regojo step into the iconic shoes of Rick and Morty with care and respect, offering interpretations that feel distinct rather than imitative. Regojo’s Morty in particular shines in the emotionally charged moments, while Daniels delivers Rick’s biting remarks with a more measured bitterness. The Japanese cast, featuring Tadano and Chiba, brings its own energy, and the dual-language options on the Blu-ray make it easy to experience both versions.

Some of the most intriguing moments come when the anime leans into its own artistic identity. It’s not afraid to slow down, linger on abstract visuals, or take detours into strange philosophical territory. That ambition is admirable, though it sometimes comes at the cost of narrative clarity. With multiple timelines, simulations, and character arcs happening at once, it can be hard to keep track of everything. Viewers might occasionally find themselves lost in the plot’s intricacies, especially when exposition is light.

Still, even with its storytelling stumbles, Rick and Morty: The Anime earns points for daring to be different. It doesn’t rely on nostalgia or cheap imitations to win viewers over. Instead, it stretches what a Rick and Morty story can look like—stylistically, emotionally, and thematically. It’s not always clean or cohesive, but it’s almost always compelling.

All 10 episodes are included in the Blu-ray and DVD release, with a total runtime of 207 minutes. The set features both English and Japanese audio, along with English subtitles for purists or those curious about the original performances. For a series that’s always been about pushing limits and breaking rules, this anime version continues the tradition in its own bold way.

Ultimately, Rick and Morty: The Anime isn’t just a side project—it’s a heartfelt experiment that expands the universe with new emotional beats and artistic ambition. It may not satisfy every fan, especially those craving nonstop laughs and Rick's trademark cruelty. But for those open to a more introspective, stylized journey through the multiverse, it’s a unique and rewarding watch. It’s not just Rick and Morty in anime form—it’s a new dimension of the franchise, and one that’s well worth exploring.

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