Is being able to watch original DBZ in a non-cropped format for a reasonable price too much to ask?

[Doctor.]

What's the issue with the Level sets?

[Forte224]

What's the issue with the Level sets?

Nothing (much) besides them not being complete. They only covered the Saiyan arc before being cancelled.

[SuperCyan2]

What's the issue with the Level sets?

They were cancelled. But a few have technical problems with it due to lost details (where they can be seen on the Dragon Box) but that never really bothered me as they look fantastic overall.

[clutchins]

The right team and the right budget can remaster Dragon Ball Z properly. Funimation has neither.

[KBABZ]

It's a shame because if Funi just stopped for a second and released DBZ properly we'd have a set we'd all be proud of. As it stands the legacy of the Orange Bricks is what people think of DBZ now, since it's used on streaming services, TV broadcasts and is used for almost all US YouTube videos. If the Dragon Boxes were a quiet replacement for the OBs and were eventually used for the Blu-Rays we wouldn't be in this silly predicament where we have as many releases as there are protagonists in the show.

[Kuwabara]

The right team and the right budget can remaster Dragon Ball Z properly. Funimation has neither.

They have both, they just don't want to do the work or spend the money.

[SuperCyan2]

The right team and the right budget can remaster Dragon Ball Z properly. Funimation has neither.

FUNimation can but they just don't want to. Season Set Blu-rays and DVDs have sold like hotcakes and continue to so why bother to make a better release? To make a few niche fans happy? Not worth it.

[CWCprime]

As well as the Funimation Blu-rays are selling now, I'd say it will be a while before Dragon Ball Z gets a re-release of any kind.

Even a 4K release sounds like a fantasy at this point. If what has been said about Funimation's master for DBZ is true, I highly doubt they will ever attempt it. When, or even if, 4K releases of TV anime start happening, I like to think Toei will put out a 4K release of all three original series plus the first 17 movies. Basically an entire 4K remaster of the Dragon Boxes. Honestly, I think a big reason Toei didn't even do this kind of a remaster for Blu-ray was because of Kai. With Kai over and out of the way now, maybe they might consider this idea. I hope, anyway.

If that turns out to be the case, then hopefully Toei will license the new master out for companies like Funimation to release in their territories. They wouldn't even mess with altering title cards or removing NEPs or anything. Kind of like how Toei licensed the Dragon Ball Z Dragon Box DVD to Funimation. But hopefully it wouldn't be a limited time deal like that was.

[Robo4900]

As well as the Funimation Blu-rays are selling now, I'd say it will be a while before Dragon Ball Z gets a re-release of any kind.

Even a 4K release sounds like a fantasy at this point. If what has been said about Funimation's master for DBZ is true, I highly doubt they will ever attempt it. When, or even if, 4K releases of TV anime start happening, I like to think Toei will put out a 4K release of all three original series plus the first 17 movies. Basically an entire 4K remaster of the Dragon Boxes. Honestly, I think a big reason Toei didn't even do this kind of a remaster for Blu-ray was because of Kai. With Kai over and out of the way now, maybe they might consider this idea. I hope, anyway.

If that turns out to be the case, then hopefully Toei will license the new master out for companies like Funimation to release in their territories. They wouldn't even mess with altering title cards or removing NEPs or anything. Kind of like how Toei licensed the Dragon Ball Z Dragon Box DVD to Funimation. But hopefully it wouldn't be a limited time deal like that was.

Toei are the only ones who'd really be able to do a 4K master; the quality of the film materials most companies have just isn't good enough for it. Hell, with the way Toei and Funimation feel about grain, even Toei would have a hard job getting anything out of the 16mm film at 4K that you couldn't get out of 1080.

I hope Toei do make a 4K master at some point, but I get the feeling they'd be unlikely to do that for the series. If they do, I imagine the movies would be first, and the project of doing the series in 4K would live or die by the success of that.

[Son Gara]

My biggest regret in terms of Dragon Ball, was falling out of the franchise right before the Dragon Boxes were announced. By the time I got back into the series it was too late to get them. I did luck out and find Box 7 at a gaming convention for $4 and then later won Box 5 on eBay for $40, but as trying to get the others (especially Box 2), I doubt I'll ever get them all for the price I'm willing to pay.

[Robo4900]

My biggest regret in terms of Dragon Ball, was falling out of the franchise right before the Dragon Boxes were announced. By the time I got back into the series it was too late to get them. I did luck out and find Box 7 at a gaming convention for $4 and then later won Box 5 on eBay for $40, but as trying to get the others (especially Box 2), I doubt I'll ever get them all for the price I'm willing to pay.

Sadly, I was in a similar boat, except I haven't been anywhere near as lucky for the DBoxes. At this point, I've pretty much given up on ever getting them.

[Forte224]

My biggest regret in terms of Dragon Ball, was falling out of the franchise right before the Dragon Boxes were announced. By the time I got back into the series it was too late to get them. I did luck out and find Box 7 at a gaming convention for $4 and then later won Box 5 on eBay for $40, but as trying to get the others (especially Box 2), I doubt I'll ever get them all for the price I'm willing to pay.

Sadly, I was in a similar boat, except I haven't been anywhere near as lucky for the DBoxes. At this point, I've pretty much given up on ever getting them.

Don't worry, one day you'll both take the plunge like I did, wonder why the hell you're so bad with money for about a week until they arrive, and then never regret it even once. I got mine all in one set for roughly $90 per box, which is pretty pricey. Hated myself until they came.

[Robo4900]

Don't worry, one day you'll both take the plunge like I did, wonder why the hell you're so bad with money for about a week until they arrive, and then never regret it even once. I got mine all in one set for roughly $90 per box, which is pretty pricey. Hated myself until they came.

The cheapest I've seen Dragon Box Volume 2 go for is £300. There is no way in hell I'm spending that kind of money on this show. It'd be second-hand anyway, so piracy wouldn't be much different, aside from the fact I wouldn't be spending >£300 on 40 episodes of a 291-episode series.

[Forte224]

Don't worry, one day you'll both take the plunge like I did, wonder why the hell you're so bad with money for about a week until they arrive, and then never regret it even once. I got mine all in one set for roughly $90 per box, which is pretty pricey. Hated myself until they came.

The cheapest I've seen Dragon Box Volume 2 go for is £300. There is no way in hell I'm spending that kind of money on this show. It'd be second-hand anyway, so piracy wouldn't be much different, aside from the fact I wouldn't be spending >£300 on 40 episodes of a 291-episode series.

If you go for a complete set it's much, much cheaper. Buying them all separately will definitely go into astronomical prices, but a whole set is better. I've never seen Vol. 2 go for under $260 but getting the whole set brings it under $100 sometimes. I realize you already know all this though.

[Robo4900]

If you go for a complete set it's much, much cheaper. Buying them all separately will definitely go into astronomical prices, but a whole set is better. I've never seen Vol. 2 go for under $260 but getting the whole set brings it under $100 sometimes. I realize you already know all this though.

That sounds pretty unlikely to me, given how inflated the prices have become, and especially since I'd be shipping it into the UK if it was a US auction.

[Forte224]

If you go for a complete set it's much, much cheaper. Buying them all separately will definitely go into astronomical prices, but a whole set is better. I've never seen Vol. 2 go for under $260 but getting the whole set brings it under $100 sometimes. I realize you already know all this though.

That sounds pretty unlikely to me, given how inflated the prices have become, and especially since I'd be shipping it into the UK if it was a US auction.

Ah, yeah I didn't consider the US to UK aspect. There is one set up in US for $900 or $128 per box. I checked ebay UK and the cheapest option was £1500. Yeesh. But as you said, watching the series in 4:3 is easy enough. And it's not like Funi is making money off these anymore.

[FFJamie94]

I really do wish Funi released the original uncropped editions.
I mean, I have the Orange Bricks (I'm in the UK so... it's the only route to go really) and I'm happy I have them.
The cropping (to me at least) isn't that noticeable until we get a close-up, and it can either go two ways. We either get a pretty cool shot where the eyes are the main focus giving us a more tension driven scene... or a rather awkward shot where the picture doesn't really fit.

Like I said, I'm happy we got them and the fact I have a complete collection of Dragon Ball, but it really needs some work done to it.
I guess I'll have to make do... at least for now.

[Blondiebear_17]

I guess it is otherwise they would have done it already. I mean I dunno what the majority of the fan demand is but if they could have put out more of the level sets I would have been a happy camper. I don't know that I would ever be able to own or maybe even want to own the Dragon Boxes because of the price but having the option would be nice if something like it was affordable. I am almost done collecting the singles but even owning the level sets too thats still like 30+ episodes that are in limbo for me I mean I have Kai the regular Blu-ray and the orange brick to fill in the hole but it doesn't feel adequate to me. I like the idea of being able to see it the way it was when I was watching it as a kid so for me the level sets and the singles suit me best.

[sangofe]

Don't worry, one day you'll both take the plunge like I did, wonder why the hell you're so bad with money for about a week until they arrive, and then never regret it even once. I got mine all in one set for roughly $90 per box, which is pretty pricey. Hated myself until they came.

The cheapest I've seen Dragon Box Volume 2 go for is £300. There is no way in hell I'm spending that kind of money on this show. It'd be second-hand anyway, so piracy wouldn't be much different, aside from the fact I wouldn't be spending >£300 on 40 episodes of a 291-episode series.

If you go for a complete set it's much, much cheaper. Buying them all separately will definitely go into astronomical prices, but a whole set is better. I've never seen Vol. 2 go for under $260 but getting the whole set brings it under $100 sometimes. I realize you already know all this though.

Off topic but... Really, they have gone down that much? Used to be around 700 for the full set.

[Robo4900]

Off topic but... Really, they have gone down that much? Used to be around 700 for the full set.

Yeah, I'm a little sceptical of this too tbh...

If box 2 on its own is >£300, then I highly doubt the whole set would go for $100.