Un-Go: Complete Collection

Set in a dyspeptic future, Un-Go focuses on private eye Shinjurou Yuuki, who is accompanied by Inga—a shape-shifting young woman with unusual talents—on an extended adventure that features artificial intelligence, hacking, dangerous corporations, and hitherto unknown deities. Marked by clever writing, this series serves up a strange mix of traditional mysteries and off-the-wall sci-fi shenanigans. Even when the story seems to detour into hopelessly bizarre territory—most notably in a subplot about Shinjurou being trapped in a fantasy scenario involving the creation of a war documentary—the kinetic energy and stylish production design keeps viewers involved. Presenting all 11 episodes from 2011 in a dual language set, rated TV-14, extras include a prequel episode, several Inga-related shorts, and a featurette on novelist Ango Sakaguchi, whose writing inspired the series. Highly recommended. (P. Hall)