AB Video to release original Dragon Ball on Blu-Ray

[Cold Skin]

It's great that they want to achieve an even greater quality, but really, the quality of the first boxset was already making the experience nicer than ever and is more than enough for the second half of the series!

As long as there's no problem that makes it a lesser quality, having the exact same quality as the first set will already make a very pleasing viewing experience, I hope they'll be content with it if they can't manage to get more in due time.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

Good on them for sticking to their guns and refusing to put out Selecta Vision's substandard Dragon Box upscale, as this shows they actually care about doing a release properly and not just folding to Toei's blind, out of touch demands as other companies releasing the series likely would.

[Scsigs]

I don't think Toei would EVER release broadcast audio for their potential/possible Blu-ray.
They just don't care.

Bro, scroll up. The guy literally said TOEI WAS FINE WITH THE BROADCAST AUDIO BEING USED BY AB GROUPE. The fuck are you talking about?

I can't give sources, but, both an american and french source has confirmed this:

AB didn't get in trouble at all for using the broadcast audio. They were in the process of waiting for masters and then Toei decided nvm just use the SV upscale. AB gang were furious and refuse to release something that garbage. So they just waiting now until something happens that lets them get those masters

From what I understood AB is free to release whatever they want, but they want the prores dbox masters and Toei refuses to give them up. As a result AB has decided not to move forward until they can somehow acquire the masters, as they don’t want to continue using the DVD and absolutely won’t release the shitty upscale by SV

Nothing is officially announced and they likely wont say anything, It’s just on an indefinite hiatus until Toei stops hoarding their masters

They heard and are aware of the drawbacks with Box 1 and don’t want to continue that approach. The issue is they can’t do anything without the masters and Toei is holding them hostage.

[sangofe]

I don't think Toei would EVER release broadcast audio for their potential/possible Blu-ray.
They just don't care.

Bro, scroll up. The guy literally said TOEI WAS FINE WITH THE BROADCAST AUDIO BEING USED BY AB GROUPE. The fuck are you talking about?

I can't give sources, but, both an american and french source has confirmed this:

AB didn't get in trouble at all for using the broadcast audio. They were in the process of waiting for masters and then Toei decided nvm just use the SV upscale. AB gang were furious and refuse to release something that garbage. So they just waiting now until something happens that lets them get those masters

From what I understood AB is free to release whatever they want, but they want the prores dbox masters and Toei refuses to give them up. As a result AB has decided not to move forward until they can somehow acquire the masters, as they don’t want to continue using the DVD and absolutely won’t release the shitty upscale by SV

Nothing is officially announced and they likely wont say anything, It’s just on an indefinite hiatus until Toei stops hoarding their masters

They heard and are aware of the drawbacks with Box 1 and don’t want to continue that approach. The issue is they can’t do anything without the masters and Toei is holding them hostage.

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think PowerPhantom245 commented on what I posted earlier. He literally just wrote that he doesn't think Toei will bother to use the broadcast audio if they should release Dragon Ball on Blu Ray later is how I read it. Not that I understand why he'd write that, but that's how I read it. Now I guess we wait indefinetely to see if there is a competent Dragon Ball release in HD or 4K. I hope the thread doesn't get ancient before there's news.

[Scsigs]

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think PowerPhantom245 commented on what I posted earlier. He literally just wrote that he doesn't think Toei will bother to use the broadcast audio if they should release Dragon Ball on Blu Ray later is how I read it. Not that I understand why he'd write that, but that's how I read it. Now I guess we wait indefinitely to see if there is a competent Dragon Ball release in HD or 4K. I hope the thread doesn't get ancient before there's news.

Ok, I can see that, but I don't see that if they let AB Groupe use it, why they wouldn't use it themselves in a future Japanese HD release.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think PowerPhantom245 commented on what I posted earlier. He literally just wrote that he doesn't think Toei will bother to use the broadcast audio if they should release Dragon Ball on Blu Ray later is how I read it. Not that I understand why he'd write that, but that's how I read it. Now I guess we wait indefinitely to see if there is a competent Dragon Ball release in HD or 4K. I hope the thread doesn't get ancient before there's news.

Ok, I can see that, but I don't see that if they let AB Groupe use it, why they wouldn't use it themselves in a future Japanese HD release.

TOEI is not going to bother seeking out audio from a foreign distributor. They will just use the same poor quality mono track they used for the Dragon Boxes, that is assuming they will release the classic anime series on Blu-Ray, which is looking more and more unlikely as time goes on.

Let's just be grateful things like AB Groupe's Blu-Ray exist as that is likely as good as things will get legally.

[PowerPhantom245]

I don't think Toei would EVER release broadcast audio for their potential/possible Blu-ray.
They just don't care.

Bro, scroll up. The guy literally said TOEI WAS FINE WITH THE BROADCAST AUDIO BEING USED BY AB GROUPE. The fuck are you talking about?

Woah, easy with your attitude bud.
Don't be too hasty. lol

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think PowerPhantom245 commented on what I posted earlier. He literally just wrote that he doesn't think Toei will bother to use the broadcast audio if they should release Dragon Ball on Blu Ray later is how I read it. Not that I understand why he'd write that, but that's how I read it. Now I guess we wait indefinetely to see if there is a competent Dragon Ball release in HD or 4K. I hope the thread doesn't get ancient before there's news.

This.

TOEI is not going to bother seeking out audio from a foreign distributor. They will just use the same poor quality mono track they used for the Dragon Boxes, that is assuming they will release the classic anime series on Blu-Ray, which is looking more and more unlikely as time goes on.

Let's just be grateful things like AB Groupe's Blu-Ray exist as that is likely as good as things will get legally.

It is awkward and bizarre we live in a world, where foreign release has SUPERIOR audio quality than domestic (Japan).

Wait, what masters are we talking about here? I was under the impression Toei didn't have the masters anymore, just that aged-up DBox footage? Can't AB just use DBox and upscale it? Their first release was pretty good, despite the few, almost unnoticeable downsides. I'd take their release over any other every time.

Speaking or "master", isn't film supposed to be the best source?
Toei has the films in the vault, which can be used to remaster it for Blu-ray release (if they ever bother that is).

[sangofe]

Yeah, and honestly, I don't think PowerPhantom245 commented on what I posted earlier. He literally just wrote that he doesn't think Toei will bother to use the broadcast audio if they should release Dragon Ball on Blu Ray later is how I read it. Not that I understand why he'd write that, but that's how I read it. Now I guess we wait indefinitely to see if there is a competent Dragon Ball release in HD or 4K. I hope the thread doesn't get ancient before there's news.

Ok, I can see that, but I don't see that if they let AB Groupe use it, why they wouldn't use it themselves in a future Japanese HD release.

Simply because they don't care what others do, and don't care to bother using it themselves? Toei has had ass releases last few years.

[Milton]

It is awkward and bizarre we live in a world, where foreign release has SUPERIOR audio quality than domestic (Japan).

Especially considering Toei have been focused on preventing reverse importation of their properties for decades.

Out of curiosity, has anyone here purchased the AB Video release and successfully added an English sub track (legally)?

[Shaddy]

I can't give sources, but, both an american and french source has confirmed this:

AB didn't get in trouble at all for using the broadcast audio. They were in the process of waiting for masters and then Toei decided nvm just use the SV upscale. AB gang were furious and refuse to release something that garbage. So they just waiting now until something happens that lets them get those masters

From what I understood AB is free to release whatever they want, but they want the prores dbox masters and Toei refuses to give them up. As a result AB has decided not to move forward until they can somehow acquire the masters, as they don’t want to continue using the DVD and absolutely won’t release the shitty upscale by SV

Nothing is officially announced and they likely wont say anything, It’s just on an indefinite hiatus until Toei stops hoarding their masters

They heard and are aware of the drawbacks with Box 1 and don’t want to continue that approach. The issue is they can’t do anything without the masters and Toei is holding them hostage.

This is interesting and I suppose it shows some integrity but it also kinda sucks? Their upscale, "some drawbacks" as it may have had, was the best any official release of the show has ever looked, and that's with the color correction still having been a bit rushed on top of all that. It's not like they're gonna get a chance to replace the footage on the first one anyway (and if they do, then that might as well happen after a different release completes the set), so keeping it based off the Dragon Boxes but still maintaining the current level of quality doesn't seem like that bad an option, if nothing else but for consistency.

I dunno, feels like waiting and expecting Toei to cooperate on anything is just going to deny us a complete release for...a really really long time, probably. I guess there's always Seed of Might, but they're not exactly big enough to put things out at high-speed either (also, I like the sharper look, sue me).

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Out of curiosity, has anyone here purchased the AB Video release and successfully added an English sub track (legally)?

I'm sure that has been done, but however you slice it, it's not legal according to US DMCA as you would have to break the encryption on the discs by extracting subtitle tracks from an English-friendly release, sync them to the ripped AB discs and then either watch on your computer or burn onto another disc. That said if anyone bought and paid for the respective releases as long as they don't sell these enhanced copies what they do with them at home is their own business.

I guess there's always Seed of Might, but they're not exactly big enough to put things out at high-speed either (also, I like the sharper look, sue me).

They've released their color correction of original Dragon Ball, and GT. The movies have been white balanced but they don't know if they will ever do a complete colour correction on them (they still look incredible though). Z is out next year and then I guess they'll be done with Dragon Ball.

[Shaddy]

They've released their color correction of original Dragon Ball, and GT. The movies have been white balanced but they don't know if they will ever do a complete colour correction on them (they still look incredible though). Z is out next year and then I guess they'll be done with Dragon Ball.

Oh. Somehow I must have missed that. Or memory-holed it? Whatever. Cool either way.

[sangofe]

Out of curiosity, has anyone here purchased the AB Video release and successfully added an English sub track (legally)?

I'm sure that has been done, but however you slice it, it's not legal according to US DMCA as you would have to break the encryption on the discs by extracting subtitle tracks from an English-friendly release, sync them to the ripped AB discs and then either watch on your computer or burn onto another disc. That said if anyone bought and paid for the respective releases as long as they don't sell these enhanced copies what they do with them at home is their own business.

I guess there's always Seed of Might, but they're not exactly big enough to put things out at high-speed either (also, I like the sharper look, sue me).

They've released their color correction of original Dragon Ball, and GT. The movies have been white balanced but they don't know if they will ever do a complete colour correction on them (they still look incredible though). Z is out next year and then I guess they'll be done with Dragon Ball.

I wish there'd be a good upscale of SoM with this situation now.

[Shintoki]

@sangofe @shaddy @dragon ball ireland

as a lurker of the seed of might server, they apparently advise people who want a ''sharp'' look to use some command filters with MPV? i'm not sure it gets set up tho i get the logic, it's like having u up diet-upscale it on your end however u like it instead of them being forced to do it