FUNimation "DBZ on Blu-Ray" Survey

[samuraix123]

It is easy as an owner of the Dragon Boxes to think, "Well, I got mine, good luck getting yours." Other than the Dragon Boxes, the only other way to get DBZ is those horrendous Season Sets, and frankly there should be another alternative. After all, those sets never should have happened to begin with and they cancelled the Level Sets. Just because I got mine doesn't mean others shouldn't get to. The orange bricks are available, yes, but come on. That's like saying, "We're all out of steak, but here's some rat feces you can eat."

This. and something that I found odd was they suggested a ''Cropped Release'' in the poll WHAT! Seriously!? LOL Why would I want my show cut all to crap LOL

[theoriginalbilis]

Personally, I'd rather see a Dragon Box: The Movies release first... but that being said...

I am curious to see what these Blu-Rays would look like if they were produced... The main reason I didn't check out their "Level" sets were because of the large number of sets you'd need to complete the series. I have a good feeling we'd get these babies in 4:3, but it still bites they'd even offer the 16:9 option.

If this goes through, I'm hoping the remaster will turn at least as good as Kai, or even better, the same quality as the Level sets, though I could do with a bit more color saturation. The Level sets had their colors a bit too muted.

kei17, AnimeMakkuo, this may be a good opportunity to contact FUNimation to see if they want to use those original Japanese broadcast tapes for the Blu-Ray's Japanese audio.

[OmegaRockman]

kei17, AnimeMakkuo, this may be a good opportunity to contact FUNimation to see if they want to use those original Japanese broadcast tapes for the Blu-Ray's Japanese audio.

I have a feeling that Funi would get in a lot of trouble with Toei if they used the audio on those tapes. Technically those recorded tapes aren't official copies of the materials that Toei provided them. Using them would be like if Funi bought a Japanese Dragon Box and used the masters on those for the Season Sets without Toei's permission. And even if Toei DID give Funi the go-ahead to release that audio, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. If a release with superior audio quality started popping up in a foreign country Toei would get backlash up the wazoo from the Japanese fanbase. The Japanese fans would begin reverse-importing like mad and Toei's domestic sales would drop like a rock. So as much as I hate to say it, I don't think that would happen anytime soon. I hate it too, believe me, but business and copyrights are complicated things.

[theoriginalbilis]

I know that, and it sounds like things are even more complicated than that given some of the forum threads I've been reading lately. But dammit, we've got to try!

[OutlawTorn]

There is a page where they ask if you'd like a cropped screen. Needless to say, when I selected the original aspect ratio and got the "why?" question, my plea for FUNimation to not make another Orange Brick set was in caps lock mode.

I don't think all caps would be the best way to send a message to FUNimation. Instead, I think just a rational explanation why you don't want a butchering of the video in what should be a definitive release. The response I gave was:

"A native 4:3 product should never be cropped into an artificial 16:9 aspect ratio. Dragon Ball Z was created to be viewed in 4:3 and any definitive release should be presented in the way the series is meant to be seen. I would not buy any future Dragon Ball Z products with a cropped aspect ratio."

[Kuwabara]

If a release with superior audio quality started popping up in a foreign country Toei would get backlash up the wazoo from the Japanese fanbase.

Well at least we caught a glimpse of a release with superior video quality (Levels). Hopefully these new Blu-ray sets are just as good. I voted 4:3 for the survey obviously.

[Linkthoy]

It is easy as an owner of the Dragon Boxes to think, "Well, I got mine, good luck getting yours." Other than the Dragon Boxes, the only other way to get DBZ is those horrendous Season Sets, and frankly there should be another alternative. After all, those sets never should have happened to begin with and they cancelled the Level Sets. Just because I got mine doesn't mean others shouldn't get to. The orange bricks are available, yes, but come on. That's like saying, "We're all out of steak, but here's some rat feces you can eat."

penguintruth, this is one of the few times I agree with you. I put on the survey strait out that the reason I would want something like this is because I can't afford the Dragon Boxes and refuse to buy the Orange Bricks (rat feces is probably the best description of them.)

Concerning the aspect ratio, while I am glad FUNI asked us, in all honesty I don't think they will crop it. Considering the last time they cropped it their was such a fan outcry that when the Dragon Ball and GT "remastered" sets came out they were in 4:3.

[DBZ Mick]

I filled it out.

I'd love if they released Dragon Box: The Movies. I would pick up the movies then for sure, otherwise I'm not interested in them. Just all in one box...

I'm fine with anything else, I've already got the series in a format I'm happy with.

[Kojiro Sasaki]

kei17, AnimeMakkuo, this may be a good opportunity to contact FUNimation to see if they want to use those original Japanese broadcast tapes for the Blu-Ray's Japanese audio.

I have a feeling that Funi would get in a lot of trouble with Toei if they used the audio on those tapes. Technically those recorded tapes aren't official copies of the materials that Toei provided them. Using them would be like if Funi bought a Japanese Dragon Box and used the masters on those for the Season Sets without Toei's permission. And even if Toei DID give Funi the go-ahead to release that audio, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. If a release with superior audio quality started popping up in a foreign country Toei would get backlash up the wazoo from the Japanese fanbase. The Japanese fans would begin reverse-importing like mad and Toei's domestic sales would drop like a rock. So as much as I hate to say it, I don't think that would happen anytime soon. I hate it too, believe me, but business and copyrights are complicated things.

As far as I know, there is no such a thing as "source quality" in copyright law. FUNimation have license to use "Dragon Ball audio track" and I'm sure that there is no word about source in contract which they signed. Toei is not interested in restoring series/getting better quality source of audio, so they they shouldn't care.

[penguintruth]

If Funimation wants to continue doing business with Toei (they do), they should err on the side of caution.

Also, I would personally be so pissed if the new releases get improved audio when I paid all that money for the Dragon Boxes. But hey, that's progress for you.

[sangofe]

I'd be thrilled if they use Kei's audio, but I doubt they will.

[Gotham22]

I'll buy these if they are in their original aspect ratio and has the dub music as well.

[Kojiro Sasaki]

If Funimation wants to continue doing business with Toei (they do), they should err on the side of caution.

Toei also wants to continue doing business with FUNimation America is big. Toei is so lazy, that they will probably even not notice that.

[MuffinButton]

It is easy as an owner of the Dragon Boxes to think, "Well, I got mine, good luck getting yours." Other than the Dragon Boxes, the only other way to get DBZ is those horrendous Season Sets, and frankly there should be another alternative. After all, those sets never should have happened to begin with and they cancelled the Level Sets. Just because I got mine doesn't mean others shouldn't get to. The orange bricks are available, yes, but come on. That's like saying, "We're all out of steak, but here's some rat feces you can eat."

I've been annoyed at almost everything I've read from you since I joined this forum a couple days ago. But I am 100% with you on this. I just re discovered my love for DBZ after about 8 years. I don't have any dragon boxes, and would love to have a quality release of the show.

[OmegaRockman]

kei17, AnimeMakkuo, this may be a good opportunity to contact FUNimation to see if they want to use those original Japanese broadcast tapes for the Blu-Ray's Japanese audio.

I have a feeling that Funi would get in a lot of trouble with Toei if they used the audio on those tapes. Technically those recorded tapes aren't official copies of the materials that Toei provided them. Using them would be like if Funi bought a Japanese Dragon Box and used the masters on those for the Season Sets without Toei's permission. And even if Toei DID give Funi the go-ahead to release that audio, they would be shooting themselves in the foot. If a release with superior audio quality started popping up in a foreign country Toei would get backlash up the wazoo from the Japanese fanbase. The Japanese fans would begin reverse-importing like mad and Toei's domestic sales would drop like a rock. So as much as I hate to say it, I don't think that would happen anytime soon. I hate it too, believe me, but business and copyrights are complicated things.

As far as I know, there is no such a thing as "source quality" in copyright law. FUNimation have license to use "Dragon Ball audio track" and I'm sure that there is no word about source in contract which they signed. Toei is not interested in restoring series/getting better quality source of audio, so they they shouldn't care.

Yeah, but those tapes that those people have are technically bootlegs since they come from no official source, so Funimation would most likely get in trouble for using them. Even if Funimation COULD use it, Toei WOULD care because they wouldn't want America to have a product that is in any way superior to the Japanese product. Our box sets may be cheaper, but the video quality sucks. Even the old singles are inferior to the single DVDs in Japan because they have Dragon Box quality. But if we all of a sudden got an HD release with video quality that ranges from only slightly below to on par with the Dragon Box with the best audio quality ever officially released in the world AND for an amazingly low price, all hell would break loose for Toei. Toei doesn't want a product just as good as theirs, let alone better, to be on any market, domestic or foreign, in fear of the Japanese fanbase reverse-importing stuff from America, especially when it's likely to be cheaper to buy the American release. Too much incentive to import there. In fact, that's probably why Funimation's Dragon Boxes were so limited; they were basically the same as the Japanese boxes just without the extras and for dirt cheap upon initial release, especially compared to the Japanese Boxes. Hell, when it's all said and done the whole set ended up being cheaper than the whole set of the Japanese singles before the American Boxes started going out of print.

Toei probably doesn't want to restore the audio themselves either because they already have a DVD release of the series out and another release would only cost them time and money, so it's more profitable for them to ignore that better audio exists and continue to market their current release as the best release one can possibly buy. Imagine the money Toei would lose if they all of their current DVDs suddenly became obsolete. All those DVDs already in stores would be worth absolutely nothing because people want the better audio quality. All the time and money put into producing those old DVDs would disappear, for they would be worth nothing more than bargain bin prices. And then it would cost more money to hire people to create the menus, cover art, redoing the audio, advertising, ect. for the new DVDs. Why go through all of that when the old DVDs are already selling? If Toei at one point decides to do their own Blu-Ray remaster then maybe they'll entertain the idea of using the fans' recorded broadcast tapes, but for now they don't want to mess with their standard DBZ DVD release.

My sincerest apologies if I came off as an asshole in that post.

[Vegard Aune]

Even if Funimation COULD use it, Toei WOULD care because they wouldn't want America to have a product that is in any way superior to the Japanese product. Our box sets may be cheaper, but the video quality sucks. Even the old singles are inferior to the single DVDs in Japan because they have Dragon Box quality. But if we all of a sudden got an HD release with video quality that ranges from only slightly below to on par with the Dragon Box with the best audio quality ever officially released in the world AND for an amazingly low price, all hell would break loose for Toei. Toei doesn't want a product just as good as theirs, let alone better, to be on any market, domestic or foreign, in fear of the Japanese fanbase reverse-importing stuff from America, especially when it's likely to be cheaper to buy the American release. Too much incentive to import there.

You know, reading all this I can only think of FUNi's recent One Piece DVDs. Sure, they're missing the fourteenth ending-sequence. Sure, their attempt at integrating their revised logo into the original animation looks utterly horrendous, but these two issues rather pale in comparison to one simple fact: The TV-series changed to being produced in 16:9 720p at episode 207. The Japanese DVD-release remained in 4:3 for another 20 episodes after that before switching over. FUNi's DVDs switched to the correct aspect-ratio right away. Not to mention I believe the Japanese One Piece DVDs are still interlaced, whereas FUNi's are in progressive scan starting with Season 4 (aka episode 206 and on). That, plus the fact that their collections are infinitely cheaper than the Japanese boxsets that Toei has been releasing.
Bottom-line is, the American DVD-release of One Piece is by now an infinitely better deal than the Japanese release of the same episodes. So if Toei was okay with this for One Piece, it does seem a bit weird that "all hell would break loose for Toei" if the same happened with Dragon Ball.

[superrayman3]

Even if Funimation COULD use it, Toei WOULD care because they wouldn't want America to have a product that is in any way superior to the Japanese product. Our box sets may be cheaper, but the video quality sucks. Even the old singles are inferior to the single DVDs in Japan because they have Dragon Box quality. But if we all of a sudden got an HD release with video quality that ranges from only slightly below to on par with the Dragon Box with the best audio quality ever officially released in the world AND for an amazingly low price, all hell would break loose for Toei. Toei doesn't want a product just as good as theirs, let alone better, to be on any market, domestic or foreign, in fear of the Japanese fanbase reverse-importing stuff from America, especially when it's likely to be cheaper to buy the American release. Too much incentive to import there.

You know, reading all this I can only think of FUNi's recent One Piece DVDs. Sure, they're missing the fourteenth ending-sequence. Sure, their attempt at integrating their revised logo into the original animation looks utterly horrendous, but these two issues rather pale in comparison to one simple fact: The TV-series changed to being produced in 16:9 720p at episode 207. The Japanese DVD-release remained in 4:3 for another 20 episodes after that before switching over. FUNi's DVDs switched to the correct aspect-ratio right away. Not to mention I believe the Japanese One Piece DVDs are still interlaced, whereas FUNi's are in progressive scan starting with Season 4 (aka episode 206 and on). That, plus the fact that their collections are infinitely cheaper than the Japanese boxsets that Toei has been releasing.
Bottom-line is, the American DVD-release of One Piece is by now an infinitely better deal than the Japanese release of the same episodes. So if Toei was okay with this for One Piece, it does seem a bit weird that "all hell would break loose for Toei" if the same happened with Dragon Ball.

here's the question though are those FUNi OP DVD's R2 compatible by default?

[DHM211]

It is easy as an owner of the Dragon Boxes to think, "Well, I got mine, good luck getting yours." Other than the Dragon Boxes, the only other way to get DBZ is those horrendous Season Sets, and frankly there should be another alternative. After all, those sets never should have happened to begin with and they cancelled the Level Sets. Just because I got mine doesn't mean others shouldn't get to. The orange bricks are available, yes, but come on. That's like saying, "We're all out of steak, but here's some rat feces you can eat."

I've been annoyed at almost everything I've read from you since I joined this forum a couple days ago. But I am 100% with you on this..

Trust me, your not alone.

[Fizzer]

There are lots of people who are all "widescreen hurrrrrrr", and that's why we need to make sure we answer their questions intelligently with good answers, so we get more weight than the people who want 16:9 for no apparent reason. I said that I would buy the Blu-ray release, but I also ranked the anime series as DB > GT > Kai > Z, and spoke of the "complete story" when asked why I liked DBZ, to indicated strongly that releases of DB and GT would be amazing.

Oh, and it might help to make sure this gets finished if we're more generous toward later "sagas" when giving our favourites.

[dexterp]

I really want a blu-ray release. I loved the levels sets, and I was watching the series through via the levels sets but lost momentum when they were cancelled.

Now, I don't want to be one of those annoying fans that will be attacked for saying this, but although I have my gripes with the 16:9 release. I would feel happy if they release it that way as long as it meant that the colours were good, and that the set got completed. I could not enjoy the series in either 4:3 or 16:9 with the over-saturation of the OBs.