Will we ever get a good home release of Dragon Ball Z in the States ever again?

[theoriginalbilis]

I think if we ever get another one, it'll be because Toei decides to do their own remaster. That said, a lot of their 80s/90s shows released in HD formats are also upscales (Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya), so there's a high chance of that happening too.

Yes, I'm aware that the movies have a new Toei remaster. I'm talking about the show.

[Robo4900]

The only thing helped by spending upwards of a thousand dollars on a DVD set is a scalper's wallet.

People selling their old DVDs isn't scalping. Even if the box sets sell for a lot now. Scalpers are people who prevent you from ever being able to buy it in the first place, by buying up all the stock, and then selling it to you for more than MSRP to line their own pockets.

It's true that not everyone selling their Dragon Boxes are scalpers, but it's also true that the US Dragon Boxes were barely worth MSRP, and the trend upwards in price that's only got steeper as time's gone on is ridiculous, and not caused by people innocently wanting to get rid of their unwanted DVDs for a fair price.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I think if we ever get another one, it'll be because Toei decides to do their own remaster. That said, a lot of their 80s/90s shows released in HD formats are also upscales (Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya), so there's a high chance of that happening too.

Yes, I'm aware that the movies have a new Toei remaster. I'm talking about the show.

I thought TOEI would do a remaster at one point, but now? I don't know. They missed a golden opportunity with the 30th anniversary, which they used to promote Funimation's 30th set on social media, as if they weren't bothered because "Funimation will do it for us". I know that box set wasn't made for, or sold in Japan, but considering TOEI just decided to recut the show and pass it off as a new show for the 20th anniversary with Kai, which I love for what it is, but I digress, it just feels like the trajectory is, as time goes on TOEI cares less, so why would the 35th, 40th, 50th anniversaries be any different?

The movie remasters just seem like another nail in that coffin because 17 movies and 2 specials is cheaper and less work than 291 episodes. And while we're on the subject if TOEI won't remaster the insanely popular Z series we can forget OG Dragon Ball and GT. At this point I wouldn't be surprised if, again TOEI was like "feck it Selecta Vision will do it for us".

[BootyCheeksJohnson]

I think if we ever get another one, it'll be because Toei decides to do their own remaster. That said, a lot of their 80s/90s shows released in HD formats are also upscales (Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya), so there's a high chance of that happening too.

Yes, I'm aware that the movies have a new Toei remaster. I'm talking about the show.

At this point an upscaled Dragon Box master on Blu-ray might be expecting too much from Toei.

[FPSSJ4_Goku]

I think if we ever get another one, it'll be because Toei decides to do their own remaster. That said, a lot of their 80s/90s shows released in HD formats are also upscales (Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya), so there's a high chance of that happening too.

Yes, I'm aware that the movies have a new Toei remaster. I'm talking about the show.

At this point an upscaled Dragon Box master on Blu-ray might be expecting too much from Toei.

Upscaled Dragon Ball Z does not look good, and this project is proof: viewtopic.php?t=44244

Scroll far enough and you'll see some shots that look REALLY BAD....

[BootyCheeksJohnson]

I think if we ever get another one, it'll be because Toei decides to do their own remaster. That said, a lot of their 80s/90s shows released in HD formats are also upscales (Sailor Moon, Saint Seiya), so there's a high chance of that happening too.

Yes, I'm aware that the movies have a new Toei remaster. I'm talking about the show.

At this point an upscaled Dragon Box master on Blu-ray might be expecting too much from Toei.

Upscaled Dragon Ball Z does not look good, and this project is proof: viewtopic.php?t=44244

Scroll far enough and you'll see some shots that look REALLY BAD....

Well... I wish I could un-see that.

[theoriginalbilis]

Speaking of video quality, and I might be super duper late to the party on this... but has anyone else noticed that when selecting the Japanese audio for Dragon Ball Z on the official FUNimation app/site, it switches to the Dragon Box masters but with softsubs? Not just for select seasons but for the whole show?

Looks like they can still use that video master if they choose.

[FPSSJ4_Goku]

Speaking of video quality, and I might be super duper late to the party on this... but has anyone else noticed that when selecting the Japanese audio for Dragon Ball Z on the official FUNimation app/site, it switches to the Dragon Box masters but with softsubs? Not just for select seasons but for the whole show?

Looks like they can still use that video master if they choose.

If that isn't a slap in the face to DB fans, I don't know what is

It's as if they have what we want but they refuse to give it to us for a reasonable price, or at all (sarcasm)

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

Speaking of video quality, and I might be super duper late to the party on this... but has anyone else noticed that when selecting the Japanese audio for Dragon Ball Z on the official FUNimation app/site, it switches to the Dragon Box masters but with softsubs? Not just for select seasons but for the whole show?

Looks like they can still use that video master if they choose.

If that isn't a slap in the face to DB fans, I don't know what is

It's as if they have what we want but they refuse to give it to us for a reasonable price, or at all (sarcasm)

Indeed, and the fact that we don't have a good readily available 4:3 release of DBZ available now in 2021 is mind blowing beyond reason. I'm just at a loss for words at how much FUNi has dropped the ball with this series over the last decade plus (barring the few bright spots here and there) because most other companies would have already put one out by now, but they've botched more releases than they have gotten right.

[FPSSJ4_Goku]

Speaking of video quality, and I might be super duper late to the party on this... but has anyone else noticed that when selecting the Japanese audio for Dragon Ball Z on the official FUNimation app/site, it switches to the Dragon Box masters but with softsubs? Not just for select seasons but for the whole show?

Looks like they can still use that video master if they choose.

If that isn't a slap in the face to DB fans, I don't know what is

It's as if they have what we want but they refuse to give it to us for a reasonable price, or at all (sarcasm)

Indeed, and the fact that we don't have a good readily available 4:3 release of DBZ available now in 2021 is mind blowing beyond reason. I'm just at a loss for words at how much FUNi has dropped the ball with this series over the last decade plus (barring the few bright spots here and there) because most other companies would have already put one out by now, but they've botched more releases than they have gotten right.

I've said it once and I'll say it again - FUNimation needs to get their Dragon Ball license FUCKING REVOKED

They've screwed us over with their home releases too many times now and their earlier dubs of DBZ, DB and DBGT are laughably bad, not to mention the fact that because of them, they've created a generation of toxic Dragonball Z fans.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

If that isn't a slap in the face to DB fans, I don't know what is

It's as if they have what we want but they refuse to give it to us for a reasonable price, or at all (sarcasm)

Indeed, and the fact that we don't have a good readily available 4:3 release of DBZ available now in 2021 is mind blowing beyond reason. I'm just at a loss for words at how much FUNi has dropped the ball with this series over the last decade plus (barring the few bright spots here and there) because most other companies would have already put one out by now, but they've botched more releases than they have gotten right.

I've said it once and I'll say it again - FUNimation needs to get their Dragon Ball license FUCKING REVOKED

They've screwed us over with their home releases too many times now and their earlier dubs of DBZ, DB and DBGT are laughably bad, not to mention the fact that because of them, they've created a generation of toxic Dragonball Z fans.

I hear that, and for all the good things that FUNimation has done in that time since 1994 there's been more than enough absurd and poor decisions made on their part dub production wise but especially in regards to the home video releases which shows how mind numbingly incompetent they've been at other times, because most companies releasing anime series wouldn't do those type of things including but not limited to:


- Canceling releases partway through for one reason or another thus leaving fans horribly jipped (Ultimate Uncut Edition, Level sets.etc) as a result.

- Butchering a series always intended for 4:3 to a fake 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio it was never meant to be seen in with the Orange Bricks and Season BD's.

- Making the version of the series in it's proper aspect ratio difficult to purchase in an easily obtainable form, and doing so through only limited releases (Dragon Boxes) or lackluster quality (30th set/steel books) sets.

- Not making older versions of nostalgically beloved products available for purchase no matter how awful they were ('99-'03 Z dub.etc) in favor of their half assed revisionist partial redubbed versions.

-Using misleading marketing speak that ends up misrepresenting what a product is (Orange Brick trailers.etc)


I could rant on and on for hours about just the home releases themselves, it makes my head spin over how much they've repeatedly messed up this aspect of their license so much especially in regards to Z. I'm really lucky i got the Dragon Boxes because FUNi has made getting your hands on the correct presentation such a difficult challenge in of itself, and it starts to really make me see why people would want them to have their license revoked and passed to a company who would actually release it properly from the get go.

[BootyCheeksJohnson]

Speaking of video quality, and I might be super duper late to the party on this... but has anyone else noticed that when selecting the Japanese audio for Dragon Ball Z on the official FUNimation app/site, it switches to the Dragon Box masters but with softsubs? Not just for select seasons but for the whole show?

Looks like they can still use that video master if they choose.

I think Hulu also had that during the time it still streamed Dragon Ball Z. But, it was still cropped if I'm remembering right.

[BootyCheeksJohnson]

If that isn't a slap in the face to DB fans, I don't know what is

It's as if they have what we want but they refuse to give it to us for a reasonable price, or at all (sarcasm)

Indeed, and the fact that we don't have a good readily available 4:3 release of DBZ available now in 2021 is mind blowing beyond reason. I'm just at a loss for words at how much FUNi has dropped the ball with this series over the last decade plus (barring the few bright spots here and there) because most other companies would have already put one out by now, but they've botched more releases than they have gotten right.

I've said it once and I'll say it again - FUNimation needs to get their Dragon Ball license FUCKING REVOKED

They've screwed us over with their home releases too many times now and their earlier dubs of DBZ, DB and DBGT are laughably bad, not to mention the fact that because of them, they've created a generation of toxic Dragonball Z fans.

Now that last part's debatable. I'm pretty sure that even if another company dubbed Dragon Ball, or had the license altogether, there would still be toxic fans.
Just take a peak through Kanzenshuu's list of banned members and you'll find plenty of people who loathe the Funimation dub who have been banned. Also there was a certain fan of the Japanese version, with a certain anime profile pic, who was notorious for attacking people in YouTube comment sections even if they slightly disagreed with them, calling them "dubtards." I'm not naming names out of respect for privacy, but I think longtime readers of Kanzenshuu can probably piece together who I'm referring to.

[FPSSJ4_Goku]

I'm really lucky i got the Dragon Boxes because FUNi has made getting your hands on the correct presentation such a difficult challenge in of itself, and it starts to really make me see why people would want them to have their license revoked and passed to a company who would actually release it properly from the get go.

I was almost 3 years old when the Dragon Boxes released (born in December 2007, do the math), and I only really got into DBZ in like 2019, so I never got the chance to buy any of the home releases. I only get presents on my birthday and Christmas; and the Dragon Boxes are way too expensive to be purchased as birthday presents or Christmas gifts; and I will never settle for any other home releases. Unless it's the Level Sets. The Level Sets are acceptable.

Unfortunately; since I own none of the home releases and don't plan on getting them until I'm a grown-ass adult, I have to stick to watching Dragon Ball Z on https://www.animekisa.tv. Now, I don't like watching Dragon Ball Z on anime websites. Not because of piracy, but because they use the dogshit Orange Brick video quality and the Japanese audio, which I listen to, is muffled and slightly distorted. I'm hoping that we get a miracle in the form of either Toei or another company putting out a complete, 4:3, 1080p Level Set-quality home release of all three series. Too bad that it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens, though.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

I'm really lucky i got the Dragon Boxes because FUNi has made getting your hands on the correct presentation such a difficult challenge in of itself, and it starts to really make me see why people would want them to have their license revoked and passed to a company who would actually release it properly from the get go.

I was almost 3 years old when the Dragon Boxes released (born in December 2007, do the math), and I only really got into DBZ in like 2019, so I never got the chance to buy any of the home releases. I only get presents on my birthday and Christmas; and the Dragon Boxes are way too expensive to be purchased as birthday presents or Christmas gifts; and I will never settle for any other home releases. Unless it's the Level Sets. The Level Sets are acceptable.

Unfortunately; since I own none of the home releases and don't plan on getting them until I'm a grown-ass adult, I have to stick to watching Dragon Ball Z on https://www.animekisa.tv. Now, I don't like watching Dragon Ball Z on anime websites. Not because of piracy, but because they use the dogshit Orange Brick video quality and the Japanese audio, which I listen to, is muffled and slightly distorted. I'm hoping that we get a miracle in the form of either Toei or another company putting out a complete, 4:3, 1080p Level Set-quality home release of all three series. Too bad that it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens, though.

Honestly, i'm pretty damn lucky to have gotten them all (of course, i was already grown even then and was already getting my own money) but even then that's through some really fortunate bargain hunting on eBay because there's just no way in hell i was going to pay $600-$1,000 for a complete set like so many auctions there are listed for. It was a pain to track them down, and took me almost four years but given the lack of alternatives for 4:3 releases i didn't have much of a choice there.

I'd have been perfectly fine with the Level sets had those been seen through to completion back then, though sadly they were axed after just two volumes which was unfortunate.

[BootyCheeksJohnson]

I'm really lucky i got the Dragon Boxes because FUNi has made getting your hands on the correct presentation such a difficult challenge in of itself, and it starts to really make me see why people would want them to have their license revoked and passed to a company who would actually release it properly from the get go.

I was almost 3 years old when the Dragon Boxes released (born in December 2007, do the math), and I only really got into DBZ in like 2019, so I never got the chance to buy any of the home releases. I only get presents on my birthday and Christmas; and the Dragon Boxes are way too expensive to be purchased as birthday presents or Christmas gifts; and I will never settle for any other home releases. Unless it's the Level Sets. The Level Sets are acceptable.

Unfortunately; since I own none of the home releases and don't plan on getting them until I'm a grown-ass adult, I have to stick to watching Dragon Ball Z on https://www.animekisa.tv. Now, I don't like watching Dragon Ball Z on anime websites. Not because of piracy, but because they use the dogshit Orange Brick video quality and the Japanese audio, which I listen to, is muffled and slightly distorted. I'm hoping that we get a miracle in the form of either Toei or another company putting out a complete, 4:3, 1080p Level Set-quality home release of all three series. Too bad that it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens, though.

Honestly, i'm pretty damn lucky to have gotten them all (of course, i was already grown even then and was already getting my own money) but even then that's through some really fortunate bargain hunting on eBay because there's just no way in hell i was going to pay $600-$1,000 for a complete set like so many auctions there are listed for. It was a pain to track them down, and took me almost four years but given the lack of alternatives for 4:3 releases i didn't have much of a choice there.

I'd have been perfectly fine with the Level sets had those been seen through to completion back then, though sadly they were axed after just two volumes which was unfortunate.

I was 10 when the Dragon Boxes were being released in America, and I knew nothing about video quality (and still was under the impression that the English dub was good, thanks internet ) so I missed my chance and never bought a single box.

[ZodaEX]

I was almost 3 years old when the Dragon Boxes released (born in December 2007, do the math), and I only really got into DBZ in like 2019, so I never got the chance to buy any of the home releases. I only get presents on my birthday and Christmas; and the Dragon Boxes are way too expensive to be purchased as birthday presents or Christmas gifts; and I will never settle for any other home releases. Unless it's the Level Sets. The Level Sets are acceptable.

Unfortunately; since I own none of the home releases and don't plan on getting them until I'm a grown-ass adult, I have to stick to watching Dragon Ball Z on https://www.animekisa.tv. Now, I don't like watching Dragon Ball Z on anime websites. Not because of piracy, but because they use the dogshit Orange Brick video quality and the Japanese audio, which I listen to, is muffled and slightly distorted. I'm hoping that we get a miracle in the form of either Toei or another company putting out a complete, 4:3, 1080p Level Set-quality home release of all three series. Too bad that it'll be a cold day in hell before that happens, though.

Honestly, i'm pretty damn lucky to have gotten them all (of course, i was already grown even then and was already getting my own money) but even then that's through some really fortunate bargain hunting on eBay because there's just no way in hell i was going to pay $600-$1,000 for a complete set like so many auctions there are listed for. It was a pain to track them down, and took me almost four years but given the lack of alternatives for 4:3 releases i didn't have much of a choice there.

I'd have been perfectly fine with the Level sets had those been seen through to completion back then, though sadly they were axed after just two volumes which was unfortunate.

I was 10 when the Dragon Boxes were being released in America, and I knew nothing about video quality (and still was under the impression that the English dub was good, thanks internet ) so I missed my chance and never bought a single box.

You didn't miss your chance. Literally every volume is on eBay. Just like the Dragon Balls, they are out there in the world for you to seek and collect.

[MasenkoHA]

Honestly, i'm pretty damn lucky to have gotten them all (of course, i was already grown even then and was already getting my own money) but even then that's through some really fortunate bargain hunting on eBay because there's just no way in hell i was going to pay $600-$1,000 for a complete set like so many auctions there are listed for. It was a pain to track them down, and took me almost four years but given the lack of alternatives for 4:3 releases i didn't have much of a choice there.

I'd have been perfectly fine with the Level sets had those been seen through to completion back then, though sadly they were axed after just two volumes which was unfortunate.

I was 10 when the Dragon Boxes were being released in America, and I knew nothing about video quality (and still was under the impression that the English dub was good, thanks internet ) so I missed my chance and never bought a single box.

You didn't miss your chance. Literally every volume is on eBay. Just like the Dragon Balls, they are out there in the world for you to seek and collect.

Yeaaah…..about….that

https://www.ebay.com/p/77749465

https://www.ebay.com/itm/304218067347?e ... SwrSJhiaAf

https://www.ebay.com/itm/114959542109?e ... BMsI7-7qFf

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

Yeah...the Dragon Boxes are simply not a viable option any more. Most people don't have that type of money just lying around to throw at stuff like this. Even if they did, those prices are ridiculous and most wouldn't want to purchase them for that.

[ZeroIsOurHero]

Actually, since someone mentioned piracy websites, 9anime.to actually has the Dragon Box version uploaded on their site, listed as "Dragon Ball Z (Uncropped)." It's subbed only, but for most users here that probably won't be a problem.