HaNaYaMaTa: Complete Collection

Naru, a slightly timid and reserved Japanese junior-high schoolgirl, is drawn out of her shell when she meets Hana, an outgoing American exchange student. Hana aims to enjoy every possible Japanese cultural experience (she even plans to patronize an anime theatrical movie; unfortunately, the chance to see anime-within-an-anime never materializes here). High on Hana's list of Eastern interests is traditional yosakoi dancing, and she persuades Naru and a few other classmates to form a full-fledged club-troupe to perform pop-infused yosakoi at community festivals. Based on shojo comics, this bantamweight, loosely-plotted serial has its clever moments (including one episode with a title sequence spoofing James Bond 007 opening credits), but the series as a whole is a mild pleasure at best. Presenting all 12 episodes from 2014 in separate dual-language DVD and Blu-ray editions, rated TV-14, this is an optional purchase. (C. Cassady)