Girls Beyond The Wasteland: Complete Collection (2016/Sentai Blu-ray Set)

Picture: B Sound: B Extras: C Episodes: B+

Buntarou Hojo is a writer who finds himself in a slump, but then he is suddenly recruited by Sayuki Kuroda into help her making a 'bishojo game'. He is forced not only find a crew, but get them all to work together. Kuroda says her reason for making a game is because the real world sucks, it is a wasteland where people are working jobs that don't make them happy. It is better to live a fantasy life than in real life. As they continue make their game it soon crosses over into their real life, and can they deny their own attractions with each other?

In Girls Beyond The Wasteland: Complete Collection (2016), Buntarou Hojo is a scenario writer for his high school theater and he catches the eyes of Sayuki Kuroda to help her create a 'bishojo game' with his friends Yuka, Ando, Yuki and Atomu. Buntarou is the reluctant director of the team and becomes the heart of the team. Kuroda is the beautiful (but somewhat a tsundere herself) author of their game. Yuka is Buntarou's energetic childhood friend and is their voice actor and she has a major crush on Buntaro. Ando is the group's computer programmer, secretly she works in a maid cafe, is a fujoshi and into BL (Boys Love). Yuki is an underclassman and is their graphic artist, she is shy and quiet but she secretly loves drawing hentai (adult comics). And finally Atomu also Buntarou's childhood friend and is the all around 'nice guy' (a.k.a. Buntarou's wingman), he is jaded by his last girlfriend and currently prefers 2-D girls, he serves as the assistant director (a gopher) and is helper to the others.

This anime series makes fun of making dating sim video games. It is about a group of students/friends who come together to make a video game and end up not only making a game but deepening their relationships with each other. While there was some comedy, drama and even romance it also shows some of the difficulties working in the anime industry.

Though not in the demo range of Sentai's top tier, the1080p 1.78 x 1 digital High Definition image on the episodes is very solid and consistent throughout, as is the lossless Japanese DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 2.0 Stereo audio on all the episodes. Extras include clean opening and closing animations and trailers.

Episodes include...

Girls Who Chase After Their Dreams - Buntarou is recruited by Kuroda to help her make a bishojo game.

This is Another Springtime of Youth - Buntarou looks for others to join their team.

It's the First Time - The group heads for a summer training camp to prepare for making their game.

A Melody of Selfishness and Substraction - Yuki gets sick and the Buntarou and the others help her get well.

What You Can See in the Storm - As the group gets started on making their game, Buntarou must first help Ando in another job.

This is the So-Called Fanservice Episode - The team heads toward the beach to do some 'fanservice' research.

As Always, It's a Different You - Buntarou practices confessing to the girls ...for research purposes of course.

Shut Away in the Summer - Buntarou is on lockdown in his room until he finishes writing the script for the game.

Because I Love You - The group heads to the sound studio and for Yuka to record her voice for the game.

Typhoon Attack - The team receive reviews back from their demo and meet another rival company.

This Might Be the Beginning - The teams discovers the real reason why Kuroda want them to make a bishoujo game, to help pay off her big brother's company debts. Can Buntarou convince the others to forgive Kuroda for tricking and using them?

Girls Beyond the Wasteland - Now that everything is over, what will happen to everyone? Will they break apart ...or stay together?

- Ricky Chiang