Halo Legends draws from the rich universe of Halo, allowing viewers a glimpse into the canonical origins of the Spartans, the history of the Halos and even some background information on the feared Covenant. The film consists of seven short stories, each providing a different storyline. Each story is done in collaboration with some of Japan's leading animators. The variety of storytelling and animation creates a rich overview of not only the Haloverse, but also of some of the latest trends in Japanimation. The styles run the gamut from minimalistic, story-driven animation to over-the-top, Dragonball Z comical stylization. Each story, though short, adds to the viewers' overall understanding of the Halo canon.
Of course, for most viewers, the glimpses into other areas of the Halo history is appreciated, but what about Master Chief? The iconic figure from the main trilogy makes an appearance in an early episode and then is featured in the final segment of the movie. While it may not be the complete background history that many fans are longing for, it does offer a snapshot regarding John-117's origins. While some of the early stories were a bit slow, the overall film experience picks up speed as it progresses, ending in grand fashion. From a pure movie-watching experience, it is quite enjoyable. Because of the varying animation styles, some segments benefit more than others from the high-definition format of Blu-ray. For the majority of the movie, high-def viewing may not be essential, but the sound quality of the Blu-ray experience is definitely worthwhile. Halo has long been known for its groundbreaking soundtracks and Halo Legends largely lives up to this legacy.
Special features are a bit slim, but are of good quality. There is the standard director commentary track, as well as a featurette on the making of the film. One featurette, narrated by Frank O'Connor (official keeper of the Halo canon), does a nice job of encapsulating the Haloverse so that newcomers and interested parties can quickly catch up on the storyline. Lastly, there is a feature exclusive to Blu-ray that investigates the Halo phenomenon. Though few in number, the features offered do a nice job of adding to the overall film experience.
Halo Legends is probably not for everyone. While it provides interesting short-story animations regardless of the gaming history, those without some knowledge of the Halo franchise will not get nearly the enjoyment out of the segments as long-time fans. For fans of Japanimation, even those that do not follow Halo, this is a great sampling of some of the finest animators Japan has to offer. For fans of the franchise, this is a must-have title, and even with the scant bonus features and limited need for high-definition, one that certainly deserves consideration on Blu-ray, if just for the soundtrack and those few segments that do benefit from the medium.
