AB Video to release original Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by JulieYBM » Fri Nov 25, 2022 6:58 pm

Well, they're likely just recordings off of 30 year old VHS/Beta recordings and not the actual masters themselves but it is an improvement.

Lest someone finds the actual master tapes themselves (unlikely) this is probably the best we're ever getting.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Robo4900 » Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:06 pm

So, finally, the broadcast audio situation comes to a conclusion that isn't just endless drama.

Now, how can I petition MangaUK or Funimation UK or Crunchyroll UK or whoever the fuck it is to import this to the UK with English subs!
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by SuperSaiyaManZ94 » Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:07 pm

JulieYBM wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 6:58 pm Well, they're likely just recordings off of 30 year old VHS/Beta recordings and not the actual masters themselves but it is an improvement.

Lest someone finds the actual master tapes themselves (unlikely) this is probably the best we're ever getting.
True, it may not be the original tapes themselves BUT this definitely beats the muffled optical tracks that have unfortunately been the standard audio source for the series for so long.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by superrayman3 » Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:42 pm

I am picking my jaw up off the floor in astonishment right now, AB have actually done the near impossible and answered everyone's prayers and have given us (at least with the resources they had available and the tight deadline) THE DEFINITIVE HD release of OG DB, seriously if these are the results they got after making such a drastic 11th hour decision to do their own thing instead of using Selecta-Vision's upscale with only 2 months before release then hot damn mad respect to the team who pulled this off because it could not have been an easy process.

Seeing those screenshots alone was enough to justify getting this release but the cherry on top is finding out it has BROADCAST AUDIO as well. I never thought I'd see the day, just what the hell kind of crazy twilight zone-esque world have I unknowingly walked into?

FUNi, Toei, etc... take note THIS IS HOW YOU PROPERLY REMASTER SOMETHING RIGHT.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by ninjawave64 » Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:05 pm

Never I would imagine that we get to see a good remaster of dragon ball, few days ago anyone here would say that was impossible. :,)
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by SuperSaiyaManZ94 » Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:07 pm

superrayman3 wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 9:42 pm I am picking my jaw up off the floor in astonishment right now, AB have actually done the near impossible and answered everyone's prayers and have given us (at least with the resources they had available and the tight deadline) THE DEFINITIVE HD release of OG DB, seriously if these are the results they got after making such a drastic 11th hour decision to do their own thing instead of using Selecta-Vision's upscale with only 2 months before release then hot damn mad respect to the team who pulled this off because it could not have been an easy process.

Seeing those screenshots alone was enough to justify getting this release but the cherry on top is finding out it has BROADCAST AUDIO as well. I never thought I'd see the day, just what the hell kind of crazy twilight zone-esque world have I unknowingly walked into?

FUNi, Toei, etc... take note THIS IS HOW YOU PROPERLY REMASTER SOMETHING RIGHT.
Definitely agreed, it's so awesome and mind blowing that someone out there has taken up the challenge and made a proper high def DB release and of the original Dragon Ball on top of that. This has me interested to see how they might possibly handle Z and GT down the line.

The broadcast audio is by far THE most shocking thing about the release, never in a million years did i think any company that releases the series on home video would do that.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by ikaos » Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:56 am

The broadcast audio is straight up lifted from the group of fans on that synced the BA to the DBOX and released it on the internet. It has the exact same fixes and corrections that they did themselves.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Scsigs » Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:19 am

ninjawave64 wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 11:05 pm Never I would imagine that we get to see a good remaster of dragon ball, few days ago anyone here would say that was impossible. :,)
Not impossible, just improbable.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Javaki » Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:54 am

Venny wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 5:29 pm I checked the raw .m2ts myself and yes there is broadcast audio. This is the best release of the original Dragon Ball we've ever had. All the problems with the Dragon Box; frozen and fuzzy grain, chromatic aberration, ghosting in the dark areas, and horrid inconsistent colors are now fixed. This is the most surreal thing I've ever seen and every problem has been addressed and fixed accordingly. Please buy or import this release if you can and show support to AB Video for all the hard work.

Example of the Blu-Ray here:
https://twitter.com/VennyRestore/status ... vrZ1XnCDzg
I had low expectations for the German Blu-rays, but, man, after reading this, I'd be so pissed if Crunchyroll Germany's upcoming release turns out to use Selecta Visión video + the usual muffled Japanese audio track now... :lol:

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by kei17 » Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:30 am

lol It's kind of crazy when I think what I captured myself ended up being officially released and brought to French people whom I don't even know. They could have reached me for something more for their release.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by sangofe » Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:37 am

kei17 wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:30 am lol It's kind of crazy when I think what I captured myself ended up being officially released and brought to French people whom I don't even know. They could have reached me for something more for their release.
Maybe do that for the next set and if they release dbz and GT?

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by TheRed259 » Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:02 am

So if it's true that they got the Broadcast Audio from the Internet then that means that Toei Animation doesn't care about the source of the sound as long as the company releasing the series has bought the rights.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Vegard Aune » Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:13 am

You know what would be the worst thing that could happen right about now? If Toei just didn't realize ahead of time that AB used fan-recordings and once they learn that fact they decide to strike down this release for that reason.

Worst part is I can see it happening.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Sat Nov 26, 2022 8:18 am

Vegard Aune wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:13 am You know what would be the worst thing that could happen right about now? If Toei just didn't realize ahead of time that AB used fan-recordings and once they learn that fact they decide to strike down this release for that reason.

Worst part is I can see it happening.
It would be quite hypocritical for TOEI to do that, considering when they took over in Latin America they were distributing the series through low quality TV rips and not Cloverway's legal masters (which they disposed of not wanting to return them).
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Trachta10 » Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:34 pm

sadly, the lines don't look as good in dark areas

selecta
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AB
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by sangofe » Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:46 pm

Trachta10 wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:34 pm sadly, the lines don't look as good in dark areas

selecta
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AB
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Still better than SV.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by NitroEX » Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:47 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Fri Nov 25, 2022 7:06 pm Now, how can I petition MangaUK or Funimation UK or Crunchyroll UK or whoever the fuck it is to import this to the UK with English subs!
I don't see how that's realistically going to happen though. In the past Manga was averse to working with AB and only wanted Funi's hand-me-downs. Now they're effectively the UK version of Funi/Crunchyroll and would presumably need authorization from the US side to approve something like that. They're bound to just use whatever Toei gives Crunchyroll, which in turn will be passed down to them and released as is. Given their track record, it's very unlikely to see any of them putting as much care into an English release as AB have done with the French one, nevermind use broadcast audio (which I recall being offered to Funi in the past).

I was already against rewarding Funi or Manga with undeserved cash before now, but after seeing this release I'm even more vindicated in never spending money on their releases. It's just further evidence they don't care.
Vegard Aune wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 7:13 am You know what would be the worst thing that could happen right about now? If Toei just didn't realize ahead of time that AB used fan-recordings and once they learn that fact they decide to strike down this release for that reason.

Worst part is I can see it happening.
Yeah, I'm honestly expecting a minority of people with buyer's remorse attempting to ruin this for everyone simply because it's not their favorite US distributor. I guess we'll have to wait and see if AB continues releasing in this fashion or if Toei forces any changes.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:20 pm

NitroEX wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:47 pmNow they're effectively the UK version of Funi/Crunchyroll and would presumably need authorization from the US side to approve something like that.
Apparently Funimation stopped caring what Manga UK did when they bought them because as the parent company all the profits would go to them anyway. I think it would be a more a question of whether TOEI would approve, because they apparently explicitly told Manga UK if they were to release Dragon Ball Z on Blu-Ray they could only use the 2013/14 season sets or 30th anniversary discs. To Manga UK's credit they fixed the subtitling error on Funimation's Super Broly release where Paragus said "My Broly will be killed", and changed to the more accurate "I'll be killed by Broly", and for the Z Blu-Rays they were persuaded to go with the 30th discs over the season sets that came before them.

I think the UK branch of Crunchyroll (once known as Manga UK) would be willing to get the AB remaster, broadcast audio, slap on Funimation's dub, Steve Simmons/Clyde Mandelin subtitles, hire out Visual Data London (as they did for Super Broly) to author the discs but it would take someone with a lot of influence in the community.
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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by Vegard Aune » Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:30 pm

Trachta10 wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:34 pm sadly, the lines don't look as good in dark areas

selecta
[image]

AB
[image]
That... still looks better than Selecta, though? Yeah, I can see that the lines in the shaded portion of his hat are kinda fading into the grain and the color around it, but I'll still take that over the smeary mess that Selecta has.

But yeah, this release obviously isn't perfect. It's an absurdly good upscale of a SD film scan, but... it's still an upscale of an SD film scan. There are going to be parts that didn't come out quite right.

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Re: AB Video to release OG Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

Post by NitroEX » Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:43 pm

Dragon Ball Ireland wrote: Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:20 pm I think the UK branch of Crunchyroll (once known as Manga UK) would be willing to get the AB remaster, broadcast audio, slap on Funimation's dub, Steve Simmons/Clyde Mandelin subtitles, hire out Visual Data London (as they did for Super Broly) to author the discs but it would take someone with a lot of influence in the community.
I don't see that happening. It's too much wishful thinking for me. Unless AB is forced by Toei to share the footage there's just no reason for Manga/Crunchy to get their hands on it. They certainly aren't going to pay AB for it, not when they can save money and get footage from Funi or Toei that's "good enough".

Minor fixes don't give me any more faith that they'd make a definitive release like this.

The best they can do is try to replicate AB's methods but I don't see them putting out anything as good, especially since they wouldn't dare use broadcast audio. The time to shill for these companies is over imo
That... still looks better than Selecta, though? Yeah, I can see that the lines in the shaded portion of his hat are kinda fading into the grain and the color around it, but I'll still take that over the smeary mess that Selecta has.
Agreed. The Selecta image has linework that looks almost vectorized. The lines are clearer and sharper but the detail of the strokes is reduced.

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