Funimation's 30th anniversary collectible home video release

[KBABZ]

The 30th Anniversary Box Set will be released in the UK. Limited to 750 units and sold exclusively via the FUNimation UK store.

https://www.mangauk.com/dragon-ball-z-o ... ay-box-set

I was briefly tempted by the correct regioning until I remembered the filters and the colour grading. -sigh-

[LostTimeLord]

Sold exclusively via the FUNimation UK store.

Apparently it's the only thing that's sold on the Funi UK Store. Weird that they're not selling it through ShopManga.
If the American set's $350, that works out to £280, making the UK set slightly more expensive. I suppose that makes sense when you consider that we never got the initial BD seasons.

[Robo4900]

Guys, I know this set is being produced already, but get the word out anyway -- don't let people make an ill-informed poor choice, make it known how awful this release is.

The Shit Bricks, as I've taken to calling them, should go down in history as one of the poorest-selling releases of the franchise.

[PremiumSalt]

Yay, now the UK can suffer too! (sarcasm)

Out of curiosity, were people outside the US able to buy the initial run they did? Because if so, I'll admit to being a bit curious how it sells though, since I'd imagine anyone in the UK who wanted one (for whatever reason) bit the bullet and imported on from the US sale.

[KBABZ]

The Shit Bricks, as I've taken to calling them, should go down in history as one of the poorest-selling releases of the franchise.

Well, I mean, it's a very limited run, so if you wanted to go all 2005 Funimation marketing spin you could easily argue that they barely managed to sell over 4,000 copies.

[Robo4900]

The Shit Bricks, as I've taken to calling them, should go down in history as one of the poorest-selling releases of the franchise.

Well, I mean, it's a very limited run, so if you wanted to go all 2005 Funimation marketing spin you could easily argue that they barely managed to sell over 4,000 copies.

The limit was nearly double what they actually sold. As far as Dragon Ball releases are concerned, the sets sold abysmally. And let's see if we can get the same result this time too.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

The Shit Bricks, as I've taken to calling them, should go down in history as one of the poorest-selling releases of the franchise.

Well, I mean, it's a very limited run, so if you wanted to go all 2005 Funimation marketing spin you could easily argue that they barely managed to sell over 4,000 copies.

The limit was nearly double what they actually sold. As far as Dragon Ball releases are concerned, the sets sold abysmally. And let's see if we can get the same result this time too.

I think the backlash from several months ago contributed a good deal to that, as the 30th set is more or less the Season BD's albeit this time not cropped to fake widescreen. They only just barely managed to get to the miminum pre order range at best during that window of time. So needless to say i don't see in any reasonable way how that could be called a success, the results speak for themselves that FUNi wasn't able to move this whole thing like they thought and lo and behold the numbers weren't glowing. I think that definitely is a sign more people are coming around and seeing this garbage for what it really is.

[Robo4900]

Well, I mean, it's a very limited run, so if you wanted to go all 2005 Funimation marketing spin you could easily argue that they barely managed to sell over 4,000 copies.

The limit was nearly double what they actually sold. As far as Dragon Ball releases are concerned, the sets sold abysmally. And let's see if we can get the same result this time too.

I think the backlash from several months ago contributed a good deal to that, as the 30th set is more or less the Season BD's albeit this time not cropped to fake widescreen. They only just barely managed to get to the miminum pre order range at best during that window of time. So needless to say i don't see in any reasonable way how that could be called a success, the results speak for themselves that FUNi wasn't able to move this whole thing like they thought and lo and behold the numbers weren't glowing. I think that definitely is a sign more people are coming around and seeing this garbage for what it really is.

Yes. So now we just need to try to continue the outcry for the UK preorder window.

[KBABZ]

I think the backlash from several months ago contributed a good deal to that, as the 30th set is more or less the Season BD's albeit this time not cropped to fake widescreen. They only just barely managed to get to the miminum pre order range at best during that window of time. So needless to say i don't see in any reasonable way how that could be called a success, the results speak for themselves that FUNi wasn't able to move this whole thing like they thought and lo and behold the numbers weren't glowing. I think that definitely is a sign more people are coming around and seeing this garbage for what it really is.

I feel it was a variety of factors and the backlash over them being uncropped Blu-Bricks was but one of them. I think the price was a severely limiting factor (it got over 3,000 votes but not at all close to the cap of 6,000), which was due to the set being created as a Collector's item. Those will always sell in limited numbers, but including the statue (made from an existing statue with different arms) and the super-premium packaging I felt was going a bit overboard. Including a Goku statue isn't special or unique, there's literally a guy in Japan who quit his job to keep up with the amount of Goku statues for his collection!

Unfortunately Funimation doesn't see the value in putting in the money nessecary to justify a full new release. I don't blame them because DBZ pushes 300 episodes, but they're in an awkward spot now because the Blu-Bricks are imperfect and have room for improvement, but they can't really advance on it because by this stage anyone who wants them has either bought them or decided to stream it.

I don't really see the UK set selling as well "to scale" with the US version. If I'm right in thinking the US Black Brick got 4,000 out of a 6,000 signature cap, then for the UK set it'd have to sell about 560 copies. The UK has 12% the population of the US and the UK sets numbers have been scaled down accordingly (to 12.5%, assuming 750 is the ceiling and not the required number), but some niggle is just telling me it'll be harder.

[Robo4900]

I think the backlash from several months ago contributed a good deal to that, as the 30th set is more or less the Season BD's albeit this time not cropped to fake widescreen. They only just barely managed to get to the miminum pre order range at best during that window of time. So needless to say i don't see in any reasonable way how that could be called a success, the results speak for themselves that FUNi wasn't able to move this whole thing like they thought and lo and behold the numbers weren't glowing. I think that definitely is a sign more people are coming around and seeing this garbage for what it really is.

I feel it was a variety of factors and the backlash over them being uncropped Blu-Bricks was but one of them. I think the price was a severely limiting factor (it got over 3,000 votes but not at all close to the cap of 6,000), which was due to the set being created as a Collector's item. Those will always sell in limited numbers, but including the statue (made from an existing statue with different arms) and the super-premium packaging I felt was going a bit overboard. Including a Goku statue isn't special or unique, there's literally a guy in Japan who quit his job to keep up with the amount of Goku statues for his collection!

The thing about the price and the pitching of it as a "Collectors' item" is it specifically targets the hardcore fans. The precise fans who will not tolerate shit like this godawful pile of crap they crapped out for next to nothing and call a 30th anniversary boxset.

And make no mistake, the high pricetag is nothing about production costs, this set will have been the cheapest release of Dragon Ball they've ever produced in terms of actual contents. They're milking Dragon Ball for all it's worth, and this set was their attempt to cash in on a higher-paying crowd by billing this crap as a premium product.

And the only way we're gonna show them that we're not gonna take this is by making sure no one buys that insult of a release in this second window for a UK audience.

[KBABZ]

The thing about the price and the pitching of it as a "Collectors' item" is it specifically targets the hardcore fans. The precise fans who will not tolerate shit like this godawful pile of crap they crapped out for next to nothing and call a 30th anniversary boxset.

Yeah. Any Kanzenshuu-type fan will have either bought the Dragon Box footage in some fashion (either the original articles or the singles), succumbed to the Blu-Bricks, compromised with Kai or went with the MUCH more inexpensive streaming option. Uncropped Blu Bricks with a high price tag and nice packaging that sends the wrong message to Funi is not a compelling reason for the only remaining market to buy one. The only people who would are YouTubers who are "hardcore" enough about their version of the show to buy it anyways (yet apparently are not hardcore enough to know that the picture is still rubbish).

[90sDBZ]

For £300 I'll have to say thanks but no thanks. I'd have preferred them to put out the previous Season Blu-rays, as at least they wouldn't be such a ridiculous price. The recent Batman TAS Collectors Edition Blu-ray wasn't anywhere near this expensive (episode count taken into consideration), and that had a good remaster.

If they end up repackaging these further down the line at a much cheaper price, I might be tempted.

[TheBigBoy]

Quality be damned, these are absolutely going to sell out lol

If for no other reason than 4000 Youtubers doing unboxing videos or whatever. Shameful!

[Tylerman29]

These discs are pretty snazzy

can't wait to see the others.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

These discs are pretty snazzy

can't wait to see the others.

I immediately noticed that the two particular images there of kid Gohan and Dende are the same ones that were on the FUNi Dragon Box discs, only this time with more of their bodies visible. In fact all those other pieces of character artwork i have seen used numerous times previously with other products.

[KBABZ]

These discs are pretty snazzy

can't wait to see the others.

I immediately noticed that the two particular images there of kid Gohan and Dende are the same ones that were on the FUNi Dragon Box discs, only this time with more of their bodies visible. In fact all those other pieces of character artwork i have seen used numerous times previously with other products.

Yeah, that's not surprising for me at all; Funi have reused a LOT of artwork over the years. For example, the art of Vegeta crushing his Scouter was used as a wallpaper for the Level Sets, and then again for Kai. The classic image of Shenron has been used for the spineart of the Blue Bricks as well as for the Credits page on the Kai DVDs. And so on.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

These discs are pretty snazzy

can't wait to see the others.

I immediately noticed that the two particular images there of kid Gohan and Dende are the same ones that were on the FUNi Dragon Box discs, only this time with more of their bodies visible. In fact all those other pieces of character artwork i have seen used numerous times previously with other products.

Yeah, that's not surprising for me at all; Funi have reused a LOT of artwork over the years. For example, the art of Vegeta crushing his Scouter was used as a wallpaper for the Level Sets, and then again for Kai. The classic image of Shenron has been used for the spineart of the Blue Bricks as well as for the Credits page on the Kai DVDs. And so on.

I know right, like for instance there's that one specific image of Goku in the charge forward/flying position which they have recycled many times over for numerous things. On the back of the domestic Dragon Box Z volume 1 DVD book cases, the first Box 1 disc, the back cover of the Kai Part 1 DVD/BD case and way back in the day on the menu screen for The Legacy of Goku.

[SuperSaiyanPan]

These discs are pretty snazzy

can't wait to see the others.

Those discs are so beautiful! Especially the Garlic Jr one

[Scsigs]

Legally-speaking, the reuse of some of the pictures isn't surprising. FUNi HAS to use artwork provided to them by Toei as the licensers of their content. Every licenser has to. MAYBE they can create their own if approved by Toei, but they HAVE to use what Toei provides. The fact that they didn't commission Toei to make them new artwork is bad, but I'm not surprised. FUNi don't wanna spend ANY good amount of time or money into producing masters for every episode that they can use over & over again. They'd rather either use masters Toei provides or cheap out & make shit remasters that get only some fraction of a percent better over time & continue to treat the show that put them on the map as a company like shit.

Like I always keep in your mind, put your money towards something you WANT or NEED to support. This isn't worth your time. Support the releases FUNi puts out that are actually GOOD & show them where the money is & keep telling them when they fuck up, otherwise they won't do what we want them to do & give use good releases. Every other release of every other series or movie they have have objectively good releases, so support those instead of this. I know we all know these things by now, but it's good to have a refresher every now & then.

[mecha3000]

So, since Funimation will probably never put out the Dragon Boxes or quality like them ever again and I was too young and broke to secure any of them - Is this the best way for me to try and own the entire series in the best quality?

Dragon Ball Z Kai Parts Seasons 1-4 (as early Z doesn't exist uncut besides incomplete Ultimate Uncut/Level Sets and terrible Orange Bricks so fuck it)
Dragon Ball Z Buu Saga Singles

I didn't include TFC because I heard they have a green tint and ruin the image by having it in 16:9. Kai was also rescored with some Kikuchi soundtracks so I can kind of get an authentic Z-experience through those (even if I am missing out on the REAL experience of filler as well as Cha-La and Zenkai Power, but I always like We Gotta Power and We Were Angels better anyway). The Buu Saga singles also aren't extremely hard to track down online and have the original 4:3 aspect ratio with both the dub and sub. I also didn't really like Kai 2.0 too much anyway so Z's Buu Saga is right up my alley anyway. Kai 1.0 was also edited for modern Japanese guidelines, but whatever - Better image quality is better image quality, right (despite the redrawn scenes for the more damaged frames)? Pretty sad I gotta resort to organizing my collection this way, but I was burned by what I thought would be my chance as a now adult to join in on the fun with the cool kids and finally have a DBOX quality release with the 30th blu-ray.

So, is this the most ideal for someone who can't acquire the DBoxes?

EDIT: Or should I just subscribe to the "Well, I missed the boat of elite DBZ fans who secured the DBoxes so I'll just pick up the 2014 Blu-rays to own Z in its entirety" mindset?