Dragon Ball Z "Seasons" On Blu-ray: News & Discussion

[qjz123]

Gosh, those shots. Someone should create a PAST/FUTURE parody thread.

Past Dragon ball z level 1.2
http://imageshack.us/a/img43/1111/klzb.png
Future
http://imageshack.us/a/img211/949/g0r1.jpg
Past Dragon ball z level 1.2
http://imageshack.us/a/img607/263/l4l8.png
Future
http://imageshack.us/a/img716/5636/q7ov.jpg

[MagicBox]

Blu-Ray has become the main market for home video and DVD will die out in the next few years like VHS did after the early 2000's.

That's just not true, though. Not even by the biggest stretch of the imagination. Don't be deceived by how much studios are pushing the format. DVD is still completely dominating over blu-ray in sales (even just this year alone). The vast majority of people are perfectly content with standard definition. If DVD does go away within the next few years, then blu-ray will likely go with it.

The orange bricks aren't going anywhere. Even with these blu-rays, the DVD season sets are still going to be the go-to DBZ release for most consumers until FUNi discontinues them and comes up with a new wave of DVD releases. We have to keep in mind that blu-ray is still a very niche thing. Even if these blu-rays are successful, they're not going to be "game-changing" in the way some might think.

[Metalwario64]

Screenshots from the Dragon ball z season 1 blu ray trailer.
http://imageshack.us/a/img833/8461/leur.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img818/9309/mijy.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img11/7449/5b7q.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img577/9486/gtq3.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img23/5002/f88u.png
http://imageshack.us/a/img28/7646/nxvh.png
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/8748/3ydt.png

The footage... looks different in this higher quality trailer. It looks less vectorized and more noise reduction overdose and contrast blasting.

Gosh, those shots. Someone should create a PAST/FUTURE parody thread.

Here's a new season set image that I made before the season sets footage was revealed, and it's nearly identical (all I did was abuse noise reduction filters and increased the contrast):


AjayLikesGaming made this:

[KingofWisdom]

I guess it does look less bad. Not that that's saying much.

[Metalwario64]

I guess it does look less bad. Not that that's saying much.

Yeah, the backgrounds are still wrecked.

[Weejus]

I guess it does look less bad. Not that that's saying much.

Yeah, the backgrounds are still wrecked.

I actually think the backgrounds look nice in the Blu-Rays. Then again, if someone were willing to provide a comparison between the DBox and Blu-Ray versions of the backgrounds, I'd probably be proven wrong.

[Metalwario64]

I guess it does look less bad. Not that that's saying much.

Yeah, the backgrounds are still wrecked.

I actually think the backgrounds look nice in the Blu-Rays. Then again, if someone were willing to provide a comparison between the DBox and Blu-Ray versions of the backgrounds, I'd probably be proven wrong.

Here's a comparison with the first orange brick I made a while ago. The new Blu-rays are sharper, but lots of background details are smudged and "layered" looking, ruining any of the artists' attempt at "depth".

You can especially tell the detail loss on the Saibaimen shot (clouds), and the final Oozaru Gohan shot(the rock on the side).

[Weejus]

As expected, I stand corrected. Thank you for the comparison.

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

I personally find the cover art way too crowded. It reminds me of the images you'd find on one of the calenders, except these aren't drawn that well.

I'm guessing Madman will be snatching these up for release down-under at some point later next year; still choosing to ignore a certain Curse of the Blood Rubies which they told me they'd release if there was anything significantly different about it (the 2010 release)...uh, yeah. New dub, anyone?

[Baggie_Saiyan]

These, include the BF Score, right? As, the description indicates 3 audio tracks. Some dude on FB is saying they don't and I'm hella confused

[Hellspawn28]

So I hear FUNimation has asked the Kanzenshuu about the Blu-rays? I want to know why the DBZ home videos are always so bare bones. There are fans who like to know how these shows got made. I know money is likely the reason why they are bare bones, but I like to have commentaries and more behind the scenes features. I loved the extras in the first DBZ Ultimate Uncut volume and I wanted to see more of those.

The press release specifically states:

Included in the Dragon Ball Z Blu-ray Season Sets will be a nine-part extra features special that spans the entirety of the releases. Each Season Set will include brand new cast interviews, retrospectives, and fan submissions.

Oh cool, I didn't see that part. I would like to see Funimation just use the special features from the Japanese DVD's and subtitle them. I mean Media Blasters was able to do that with movies from Toho by subbing the R2 commentary tracks. I would like to hear stuff from the real people who make the show in Japan. You can't always find stuff online since somethings don't always get fully translated.

[samuraix123]

I'm just curious how Funimation is going to handle Menu screen. I'm sure there has to be a marathon mode as well right? but I just don't see them handling the menu screen like the level sets.

[KingofWisdom]

These, include the BF Score, right? As, the description indicates 3 audio tracks. Some dude on FB is saying they don't and I'm hella confused

From RightStuf
"Spoken Languages: English (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music), Japanese, English subtitles."

[Baggie_Saiyan]

These, include the BF Score, right? As, the description indicates 3 audio tracks. Some dude on FB is saying they don't and I'm hella confused

From RightStuf
"Spoken Languages: English (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music), Japanese, English subtitles."

Right ok. Thanks!

[MarcFBR]

We have to keep in mind that blu-ray is still a very niche thing. Even if these blu-rays are successful, they're not going to be "game-changing" in the way some might think.

While not wrong, you've slightly overblown it. Last I checked it's roughly 2/3 DVD and 1/3 Blu-ray (which is DVD clearly selling more, but Blu-ray is past the point of being 'niche', it just isn't as large, and of course, being a more expensive product, that isn't suprising.) There is also the matter that DVD sales are clearly going down year over year, while Blu-ray is going up (The last numbers I saw were for October, where Blu-ray was up roughly 8%, and DVD was down more than 10% comparing the same month both years.) Obviously these releases aren't going to be 'game changing', because anime releases in general aren't, even the top selling ones, nor were they ever really to be honest (no doubt anime has had some good sellers, but minus a few outliers like Ghibli content, or things like that, anime has never hit the level that most fans think it was.) The only measure of 'game changing' for a release like this is if it adds a ton to Funi's numbers, which it may very well do (I expect it's likely that it will to be honest.)

It's sort of like how people who like various shows keep pointing to TNG as the measure of restoration quality a company should aim for (declaring TNG to be a game changer) when it really isn't. TNG is a unique show, with a high fanbase, and a decent number of casual fans who might pick up a season when it gets cheap enough (and no doubt will be sold to Netflix, or newly sold to syndication once it's done.) Now that TNG has gotten such a treatment, people keep expecting tons of other shows to get it, when realistically, very few will be.

The DBZ BD season sets will only be measured as game changing by adding to Funi's bottom line, or doing poorly enough that it makes retailers question if DBZ is worth the hassle outside the orange bricks.

[Black_Anime_Fan]

Well... can't argue with you there, but isn't that like replacing a dog turd with a cat turd... in HD?

That's true, but at the same time, we're throwing away a turd for a polished turd!

[KingofWisdom]

A bright green one, I presume.

[Black_Anime_Fan]

A bright green one, I presume.

A bright, green, shiny looking turd indeed.

[Fizzer]

Is there any way to watch the trailer in the UK? FUNimation just hates us.

[Snail]

You want to sell crap? Put it into "nice" box.

Lol. Call me a sucker for packaging, but I hold a lot of appreciation into packaging aesthetics. This is the best artwork for a complete series release of the DragonBall Z property FUNi since the KAI presentations, and I see no shame in purchasing for that ideal alone. How is it different from purchasing poster art? Y'know, contribute to the residuals of the artist and that sorta thing?

As far as the content goes, I am not new to the scene, it is more or less the same sub-par effort they invested into the Orange Bricks. I am fully aware of what I'd be paying for. At the very least we will be receiving some interesting extras this time around including cast interviews, which is a thumbs up in my books.