Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

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Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by OmegaRockman » Thu Aug 11, 2022 2:29 am

All the episodes have been uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV in several English-speaking territories (sadly the UK and other territories are left out). The video is exactly the same as what was already on Funimation's service for the Japanese version: Dragon BOX footage, but stretched to widescreen for everything after episode 253.

Previously OG DB and GT were uploaded subbed and dubbed to Crunchyroll while Z was dub-only with one of Funimation's cropped remasters (I think it was the Orange Bricks but don't quote me on that). OG DB was also uploaded to VRV, but they only have the dub from Episode 62 and Episode 102 of the Japanese version. It's almost as if they forgot to finish uploading it before it went live and they never bothered to fix it (presumably because VRV is likely to die off before too long; a shame too because the player is really nice and Shout! Factory uploaded a bunch of their tokusatsu series there). The current Z upload seems to be subbed only. You'll hear no complaints from me on that at least.

This is great news for Japanese version fans if you ask me. Having a more convenient way to watch the show is always nice, even if you have it on disc. Plus it makes it easier to recommend the Japanese version to newcomers or folks who have only seen the dub. Still, it's a bummer for that final stretch of episodes (no pun intended). I'd rather have the stretched footage over a bad dub and a bad remaster though. Maybe we can bother them enough to fix it in the future.

Now if only we could get Kai up there I'd finally be content.
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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by MasenkoHA » Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:37 am

Oh thank god. I was debating if I was going to have to buy one of Z's crappy affordable home releases. Crisis averted.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by DBZAOTA482 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:40 am

Finally Crunchyroll is showing some sense.
fadeddreams5 wrote:
DBZGTKOSDH wrote:... Haven't we already gotten these in GT? Goku dies, the DBs go away, and the Namekian DBs most likely won't be used again because of the Evil Dragons.
Goku didn't die in GT. The show sucked him off so much, it was impossible to keep him in the world of the living, so he ascended beyond mortality.
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I always side eye the people who say "Now my kids/today's kids can experience what I did as a child!" Nigga, who gives a fuck about your childhood? You're an adult now and it was at least 15 years ago. Let the kids have their own experience instead of picking at a corpse.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Inkei9001 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:56 am

the buu saga is ether cropped or stretched to 16:9 and many(maybe even most/all) episodes are interlaced video in a progressive container so you can see the interlacing artifacts all over. honestly not watchable to me

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:48 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:37 am Oh thank god. I was debating if I was going to have to buy one of Z's crappy affordable home releases. Crisis averted.
I saw the whole orange brick collection at Wal-Mart about a week ago (I can't believe they still sell this thing) for like $260 or something. Don't you want to see the series the way it was meant to be seen? You get some extra footage on the sides, you know.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by SuperSaiyaManZ94 » Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:53 pm

TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:48 pm
MasenkoHA wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:37 am Oh thank god. I was debating if I was going to have to buy one of Z's crappy affordable home releases. Crisis averted.
I saw the whole orange brick collection at Wal-Mart about a week ago (I can't believe they still sell this thing) for like $260 or something. Don't you want to see the series the way it was meant to be seen? You get some extra footage on the sides, you know.
You k ow, it wouldn't surprise me if the Orange Bricks aren't actually in print any longer but stores are just trying to clear out their stocks. It's been since early 2007 when the S1 set came out.
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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by MasenkoHA » Thu Aug 11, 2022 7:01 pm

TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 4:48 pm
MasenkoHA wrote: Thu Aug 11, 2022 9:37 am Oh thank god. I was debating if I was going to have to buy one of Z's crappy affordable home releases. Crisis averted.
I saw the whole orange brick collection at Wal-Mart about a week ago (I can't believe they still sell this thing) for like $260 or something. Don't you want to see the series the way it was meant to be seen? You get some extra footage on the sides, you know.

I've seen the Orange Bricks go for $15-$20 a pop. I may be bad at math but pretty sure people are gettin ripped off paying $260 for the whole set. And that's not even taking into account that they're the Orange Bricks.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Majin Man 101 » Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:20 pm

If someone out there is wanting to watch the series on Crunchyroll, I would heavily advise against doing so. Boo arc problems aside, with the 16:9 stretch, there is also the absolutely dreadful Dragon Box audio still being used which by this point makes it near unwatchable. There are much better ways out there to watch the show for DB/Z and GT.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by VegettoEX » Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:47 pm

Majin Man 101 wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:20 pm If someone out there is wanting to watch the series on Crunchyroll, I would heavily advise against doing so. Boo arc problems aside, with the 16:9 stretch, there is also the absolutely dreadful Dragon Box audio still being used which by this point makes it near unwatchable. There are much better ways out there to watch the show for DB/Z and GT.
I feel like the advances in overall fan knowledge have perhaps inadvertently veered us in the wrong direction: where everything that's not perfect to an unrealistic level is somehow "unwatchable".

I watched Dragon Ball episodes that tracked off the screen and whose audio garbled to the point of unintelligible levels and whose subtitles were poorly translated in both Chinese and English on-screen at the same time.

The Dragon Box episodes are not "unwatchable". No, they're not the ideal presentation, but they're also not intentional deception by a company to present the show as something it's not (see: cropped and DVNRed).

Toei's mistakes (not holding onto master audio, not properly converting film color spaces) are bothersome and hilarious at worst. Let's not be so absurdly hyperbolic about things, because then you've never going to be able to have actual, reasonable, comprehensive conversations with people who just want to know simple questions about what the heck it is they're watching -- you instead just look like a looney.
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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Majin Man 101 » Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:19 pm

VegettoEX wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:47 pm
Majin Man 101 wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:20 pm If someone out there is wanting to watch the series on Crunchyroll, I would heavily advise against doing so. Boo arc problems aside, with the 16:9 stretch, there is also the absolutely dreadful Dragon Box audio still being used which by this point makes it near unwatchable. There are much better ways out there to watch the show for DB/Z and GT.
I feel like the advances in overall fan knowledge have perhaps inadvertently veered us in the wrong direction: where everything that's not perfect to an unrealistic level is somehow "unwatchable".

I watched Dragon Ball episodes that tracked off the screen and whose audio garbled to the point of unintelligible levels and whose subtitles were poorly translated in both Chinese and English on-screen at the same time.

The Dragon Box episodes are not "unwatchable". No, they're not the ideal presentation, but they're also not intentional deception by a company to present the show as something it's not (see: cropped and DVNRed).

Toei's mistakes (not holding onto master audio, not properly converting film color spaces) are bothersome and hilarious at worst. Let's not be so absurdly hyperbolic about things, because then you've never going to be able to have actual, reasonable, comprehensive conversations with people who just want to know simple questions about what the heck it is they're watching -- you instead just look like a looney.
I think my intention here is to make it known to all that there is no reason that we as fans in 2022 with all that is available, have no further reason to compromise on this series that we all deeply love. While I suppose I was being dramatic by saying the DBOX audio is unwatchable, I was only saying that as a comparison as to what is out there in the wild. I can also understand how some out there will not care about these issues and enjoy the show regardless of the audio/video issues. And I agree with you that’s fine, We all bought the orange bricks and enjoyed them at the time because that was the only way to own the series cheap in 2007 for most fans, even though the video was dreadful.

I’m not in any way trying to ruin someone else’s viewing experience, I do however feel inclined to just let those out there know, (who are interested) that there are finer things in life, and I think all of us deserve the finer things.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Dep » Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:33 am

Majin Man 101 wrote: Mon Aug 15, 2022 1:19 pm
I think my intention here is to make it known.....the video was dreadful.........all of us deserve the finer things.
I can't agree with you more. You are absolutely correct in what you want to convey. There is almost no reason for Dragon Ball fans to not hunt down the best version available and rejoice in its full glory. Everyone deserves this. Although I respect certain fans' decision to be content with whatever physical media they can obtain and enjoy, I still want to experience the Dragon Ball series in the best overall quality possible, and I am confident that the majority of fans would agree if they knew how to obtain it. I am extremely grateful that the Dragon Ball series is available now in better quality in certain aspects and as a better overall package than any of the physical media releases of Dragon Ball worldwide can ever offer, for whatever reason, what neither Toie nor Funimation couldn't provide fans with. I hope the creators who blessed us with this opportunity will be more successful in making their content more popular and reachable among DB fans. Due to forum rules, I can't share more about this must-know thing for Dragon Ball fans. It's a shame that many of fans don't know about this and are not able to enjoy it. The lack of culture around this aspect is disappointing. You just need to pull a few strings to get your hands on the best version of the Dragon Ball series available right now, and that too, for zero cost. No need for you to get milked away by Toie and Funimation again and again. We no longer have to wait to experience Dragon Ball the way we want thanks to the internet and sharing culture.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by ABED » Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:45 am

It feels incredibly odd that anyone talks about "the finer things" in relation to Dragon Ball. It's a cheaply made cartoon from the 80s and 90s. As long as its presentable and in the proper aspect ratio, that's more than enough. I'm with Mike on this issue. I'm not sucking up, he just put what I was thinking into words better than I could.

Does anyone know if GT on crunchyroll has the NEP's?
We all bought the orange bricks and enjoyed them at the time because that was the only way to own the series cheap in 2007 for most fans, even though the video was dreadful.
You make it sound as though we all liked it? Everyone (at least from the hardcore fanbase) acknowledged they were garbage even by standards of the day.
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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Dep » Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:29 am

ABED wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:45 am It feels incredibly odd that anyone talks about "the finer things" in relation to Dragon Ball.
There are finer things, my friend. Finer things that goes beyond just "being presentable and proper aspect ratio". It's a strange thing that some of you want to discard this option outright without even knowing about it first fully. Although I respect your school of thought, you are in the minority, which is countable on fingers regarding this issue. If you explore other DB communities and talk with DB fans all around the world or with potential new fans who want to watch it, regarding the matter of acquiring a better version available in many aspects than any physical media released, they will happily appreciate it. That's a fact, and no one argues a fact.

I know that some people don't want to explore different routes other than buying legal physical media, and I respect that, but my point is that we shouldn't force our opinion on anyone. If we have the privilege and opportunity, then we should let everyone know, we should let everyone have the option and information regarding the versions of the DB series available and the way they can watch it. It's up to everyone to decide how and what they will watch.
Last edited by Dep on Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:14 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by coola » Thu Sep 29, 2022 8:53 am

Honestly, at least like with Star Wars Despecialized Edition, Toei doesn't actively go, and hunt down "broadcast audio" unofficial releases :)
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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:29 am

Dep wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:29 am
ABED wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:45 am It feels incredibly odd that anyone talks about "the finer things" in relation to Dragon Ball.
There are finer things, my brother. Finer things that goes beyond just "being presentable and proper aspect ratio". It's a strange thing that some of you want to discard this option outright without even knowing about it first fully. Although I respect your school of thought, you are in the minority, which is countable on fingers regarding this issue. If you explore other DB communities and talk with DB fans all around the world or with potential new fans who want to watch it, regarding the matter of acquiring a better version available in many aspects than any physical media released, they will happily appreciate it. That's a fact, and no one argues a fact.

I know that some people don't want to explore different routes other than buying legal physical media, and I respect that, but my point is that we shouldn't force our opinion on anyone. If we have the privilege and opportunity, then we should let everyone know, we should let everyone have the option and information regarding the versions of the DB series available and the way they can watch it. It's up to everyone to decide how and what they will watch.
I'll be honest with you. If someone's love for the series is compromised by the fact that it was never released in the most ideal way possible, it truly does suck. However, there are so many people that just don't want to pony up the money for anything. Be it music, movies, shows, video games--many people just want free stuff. And then, they justify it by turning around and telling you that it's because of X, Y, or Z.

Like me--I have shelled out way too much money to support Funimation. I bought every type of release they put out (singles, bricks, Blu-rays, Rock the Dragons, Dragon Boxes, etc.). Do I have less-than-official Dragon Ball media in my collection? Yes I do. Mainly because the true things that I was searching for didn't exist officially (Canadian/UK dub). Does that make me a terrible person? Don't think so.

If you're a fan and are willing to go support the official release but don't want to support a bastardized version of it, so you pirated a better-looking version, does that make you a terrible person? Of course not. If you're the type of person who just doesn't want to spend money on anything and use excuses for why you don't, does that make you a bad person? Of course not--but it makes you dishonest. (I don't mean YOU "you," by the way--I'm generalizing).

I do find it interesting, however, that in "all my travels," the pirated material seems to mostly be using video from the official releases. I haven't come across an unofficial release where the uploader sat there remastering the series. So, it's a little hard to take seriously the people who claim that there's no good official source for them to watch the series and that's why they pirate it, when they're pirating video ripped from an official source.

But now, pirates rejoice, because our new big thing is the broadcast audio. No official release has that! And we can just attach ourselves onto that, pretending like we've never enjoyed the series before now!

As VegettoEX/Mike alluded to, a perfect Dragon Ball release never existed. Much in the same way that a perfect Dragon Ball release was never aired. Nobody ever saw Dragon Ball the way it looked on the cels or straight from the artists' hands. We all either watched Dragon Ball through a TV literally from last century with parts of the image cut off, color alteration, and less-than-ideal sound, or we watched the Dragon Boxes or Funimation's terrible releases. Nobody ever saw a better version of the series. So, it's hard to really justify the neverending search for it.

I think that the biggest gripe with Funimation is that they could have done better and they never even tried to put their best foot forward. That's what's upsetting.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by eledoremassis02 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:19 am

Thats kind of my thing too now. The way Dragon Ball was meant to be seen is not too far off of playing some of KEIs Betamax clips on a crt. Thats it.. I think there is a little more wiggle room for the movies but I feel the same way with the Batman TAS Blurays. While not perfect they are an upgrade over the DVDs but the DVDs offer a more legitimate experience.

Like I've said before, I've gone crazy over finding the best release and there was always somthing small (even if it's as small as a slight color shift). It can make you nut and not enjoy Dragon Ball, and enjoying it is ultimatly what got us here to begin with.

I pop my level is once in a while and am sad it was never completed but at the end of that day I still turn them off mid episode because I've seen the series too much, regardless of how good or bad the restoration is.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:28 am

eledoremassis02 wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:19 am Thats kind of my thing too now. The way Dragon Ball was meant to be seen is not too far off of playing some of KEIs Betamax clips on a crt. Thats it.. I think there is a little more wiggle room for the movies but I feel the same way with the Batman TAS Blurays. While not perfect they are an upgrade over the DVDs but the DVDs offer a more legitimate experience.

Like I've said before, I've gone crazy over finding the best release and there was always somthing small (even if it's as small as a slight color shift). It can make you nut and not enjoy Dragon Ball, and enjoying it is ultimatly what got us here to begin with.

I pop my level is once in a while and am sad it was never completed but at the end of that day I still turn them off mid episode because I've seen the series too much, regardless of how good or bad the restoration is.
Agreed. And it really did take putting the Level sets side-by-side with the 30th anniversary sets for me to see what made the Level sets so good and the 30th anniversary sets so bland. But, in the same core that would make me want to see the "perfect" release, doesn't it bother you also to know that the Level sets were simply the best that Funimation could do based on what they had and if still would't be the "perfect" release?

The only way it could ever be released perfectly, is if Toei takes their film, doesn't crop anything, and just gets rid of scratches and dust. And that's never happening.

But be that as it may, Dragon Ball was intended to be seen on a 1980s'-1990s' TV. So, what is the "perfect release"?
Last edited by TheGreatness25 on Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:38 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by Dep » Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:38 am

TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 9:29 am
Dep wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 7:29 am
ABED wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 6:45 am It feels incredibly odd that anyone talks about "the finer things" in relation to Dragon Ball.
There are finer things, my brother. Finer things that goes beyond just "being presentable.............It's up to everyone to decide how and what they will watch.
I'll be honest with you............That's what's upsetting.
Please don't put your words in my mouth. I didn't even remotely mention many of the things which you are expanding upon to reach an ambiguous conclusion. You are unnecessarily branching the topic and twisting what I wanted to say, but if it's just your opinion, then I respect that.

I don't want to discuss good person or terrible person, Let's keep it simple.

1. There is a better version than any physical media release. Better video quality, better audio quality, multiple hassal free switching and options in a single package. (This is a fact, an objective fact). So, I am just spreading the word so others can consider it too. Whether one is a veteran or first-time watcher, everyone should have the choice to choose.

2. Also, I don't want to donate money to FUNimation because, as much as I have read about their releases and also talked with many fans, analysed their opinions, one thing is clear: either these companies don't know how to do a proper release or they just want to keep milking the cash cow.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:52 am

Dep wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:38 am Please don't put your words in my mouth. I didn't even remotely mention many of the things which you are expanding upon to reach an ambiguous conclusion. You are unnecessarily branching the topic and twisting what I wanted to say, but if it's just your opinion, then I respect that.
My post was not just touching on what you said, but expanded on the topic.

I don't want to discuss good person or terrible person, Let's keep it simple.
Discussing illegal activities naturally brings up this sort of discussion. It wasn't particularly aimed at you.
1. There is a better version than any physical media release. Better video quality, better audio quality, multiple hassal free switching and options in a single package. (This is a fact, an objective fact). So, I am just spreading the word so others can consider it too. Whether one is a veteran or first-time watcher, everyone should have the choice to choose.
Totally objective. And also, while I can admire your legitimate feelings, my point was that a lot of these people "choosing" which version they'd like to consume, use that as an excuse to simply get something for free. Whether they try to justify it to others or to themselves, is irrelevant. I brought up myself as an example where, yes, I choose to seek out a "better version," but it sure isn't because I wouldn't support the official release. If Funimation released it, I'd get it--that's pretty clear from the fact that I got their other releases. However, a lot of people will tell you that they're choosing the "better" quality when they're just choosing the free option.

2. Also, I don't want to donate money to FUNimation because, as much as I have read about their releases and also talked with many fans, analysed their opinions, one thing is clear: either these companies don't know how to do a proper release or they just want to keep milking the cash cow.
That's your prerogative. But, please know that Dragon Ball is a piece of intellectual property that belongs to someone (in this case, many someones). The series isn't a naturally-existing thing that anyone has the right to. So, saying that you're holding out for a better version is the same as saying that you're waiting for a better version of the Mona Lisa--the owners are simply not going to give you a better version with the idea that you either take theirs or leave theirs.

From an IP standpoint, this is the same as you saying that you don't want a GLE Coupé from Mercedes-Benz because they don't make the color you like, so you get one for free off of a guy who stole one and repainted it. OBVIOUSLY, this is a very extreme example, but people often make the mistake of downplaying that intellectual property is still property. And if the property owner isn't making what the consumer wants, doesn't mean that the consumer is entitled to just take the product for free and turn it into what they want. Most people wouldn't do it with a car, they wouldn't do it with a TV, they wouldn't do it with a game console, they wouldn't do it with a piece of jewelry, but they'd do it with IP because it's not tangible and it's way too easy. All you have to do is type it into a search bar. But that doesn't change what it is.

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Re: Dragon Ball Z Subtitled in Japanese Uploaded to Crunchyroll and VRV

Post by eledoremassis02 » Thu Sep 29, 2022 11:28 am

TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:28 am
eledoremassis02 wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 10:19 am Thats kind of my thing too now. The way Dragon Ball was meant to be seen is not too far off of playing some of KEIs Betamax clips on a crt. Thats it.. I think there is a little more wiggle room for the movies but I feel the same way with the Batman TAS Blurays. While not perfect they are an upgrade over the DVDs but the DVDs offer a more legitimate experience.

Like I've said before, I've gone crazy over finding the best release and there was always somthing small (even if it's as small as a slight color shift). It can make you nut and not enjoy Dragon Ball, and enjoying it is ultimatly what got us here to begin with.

I pop my level is once in a while and am sad it was never completed but at the end of that day I still turn them off mid episode because I've seen the series too much, regardless of how good or bad the restoration is.
Agreed. And it really did take putting the Level sets side-by-side with the 30th anniversary sets for me to see what made the Level sets so good and the 30th anniversary sets so bland. But, in the same core that would make me want to see the "perfect" release, doesn't it bother you also to know that the Level sets were simply the best that Funimation could do based on what they had and if still would't be the "perfect" release?

The only way it could ever be released perfectly, is if Toei takes their film, doesn't crop anything, and just gets rid of scratches and dust. And that's never happening.

But be that as it may, Dragon Ball was intended to be seen on a 1980s'-1990s' TV. So, what is the "perfect release"?
I was just thinking how the first time I saw early namek uncut was the orange bricks and it didnt bother me. It was just cool seeing what was cut and watching it in Japanese for the first time and that was by far the worse release lol. Perhaps I'm just not hardcore enough or am just tired but I would like to have that feeling of joy back.

I was talking to a friend about how sometimes the fun is in the what ifs. Dragon Ball was a blast when it was new. Now i've seen it so much that it just isnt the same.

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