Welcome to Treasure Town, a rundown metropolis that has caught the unflinching eye of a “foreign interest” named Mr. Snake, who is in league with the Yakuza. Snake sees potential in Treasure Town, but, before he can move in, he must first send in the Yakuza’s henchmen to weed out those who would resist them. Enter Black and White; two street kids, and Treasure Towns self-anointed “protectors”. Black, a borderline-feral adolescent, is the muscle of the duo, while White is an eerily prescient pre-teen with a very real empathy for Treasure Town and all of its inhabitants. Black strikes the Yakuza first; letting them know what they’re up against if they intend to move into “his city”. Mr. Snake answers with squad of seemingly unstoppable assassins that are more powerful than anything Black and White could ever imagine.

This is the world of Tekkonkinkreet, a wonderfully vivid and unique film based on the manga by Taiyo Matsumoto. A much more surreal and emotional affair than the traditional anime, Tekkonkinkreet spends much of its time focusing on the strong and tragic bond between its characters, as well as their bond with the city, itself. Drawn in a style that combines traditional anime with an infusion of European animation (and even a hint of Disney), and bolstered by unobtrusive CGI, this is a beautiful and surprisingly touching film.

Sony’s Blu-ray release of the surreal Tekkonkinkreet sports an equally surreal transfer that is as vibrant and three-dimensional as anything I have ever seen. This is my first animated BD experience, and I was not let down in the slightest.

The uncompressed 5.1 Japanese soundtrack is crisp and immersive, but many may opt for the excellent 5.1 English dub, and take the slight quality hit. I’m not as much of an audiophile as some viewers, but I am a bit of a purist, so the Japanese soundtrack wins out for me as it offers the most accurate translation of the film.

This is a BD with considerable a "Wow" factor.

Tekkonkinkreet doesn’t exactly break new ground, but it’s still a terrific and unique animated vision that not only makes for a great night’s entertainment, but will also serve as the “go to” disc for many Blu-ray users anxious to show off their setups for their HD neophyte friends.