Help with the TV Special releases

[ShonenKnife]

OK, I've been through the archives, and the DVD guide on the site doesn't really answer my question, but I've been looking for any information on what releases of the TV Specials would be best to buy. I've wanted to buy them for a good while, but have held of for fear of wanting to replace them later, similar to the whole orange brick fiasco.

Specifically, I'm after whichever of the western releases are most faithful to the original japanese release (japanese titles, eyecatches, etc.) and aren't the DVNR'd, widescreen versions we got in conjunction with the season sets. I found a small review on Amazon.com that says the latest single releases are in 4:3, but I'd rather hear from you guys before making my mind up.

Any information will be appreciated. Thanks.

(Sorry if this should be in questions, ain't too sure.)

[xzero]

The 2-disc release that fit into the recent movie re-releases had the best picture, but it was 16:9, which I assume you don't want. I thought the new singles with the white background were just the same discs as the double releases put out separately, which means they would be 16:9, but I'm not sure.

If you're buying for the Japanese version alone, until there's a Dragonbox version (which is a definite possibility down the road), the original single is probably still the best. It's 4:3, though the picture isn't perfect. I don't think there's been an American release with eyecatchers as of yet since Trunks and Bardock are treated as "movies" domestically.

In sum, the answer is that unless or until there's a Dragonbox release, you're going to have to compromise something. You can probably get the original singles really cheap at this point, but when it's all said and done, any option should run you $10 - $15 for both.

[VegettoEX]

The original single-disc releases from 2000-2001 were 4:3, standard definition (obviously!), and the standard contrast/sharpening of the time (that is to say, nothing drastic... enough to somewhat compensate for their poor masters), and at a pretty low bitrate. Just like all their DBZ discs of the time, they had branching angles on the discs that preserved the original Japanese title cards and ending credits. The eyecatches are removed in these discs; for the most part they just cut straight to the next scene, but in the Trunks TV special, the eyecatch right after Trunks slams his hands into the ground after transforming has their weird, circular cross-dissolve into the scene that came after the eyecatch.



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As we move into the later releases, it's important to keep in mind that the TV specials -- while clearly having higher budgets and production values -- were produced the same way as the TV series (16 mm film), as opposed to what the movies had (35 mm film)*. In a nutshell, the movies' format can capture higher amounts of detail (that's putting it in really low layman's terms!). Whereas FUNimation's "Double Feature" remastering of the movies, particularly in the high-def realm, wasn't "bad" compared to what they did with the standard TV series a la the "Orange Bricks"... well, the TV Specials are basically the same thing as the TV series. Even with DVNR and such turned down, you've still got crappy remastering with crappy source material.

The "Double Feature" version of the TV specials from 2008 (DVD/Blu-ray) is cropped to 16:9. That's the extent of my in-depth familiarity with them on a very specific level, so someone who actually owns it will have to chime in. I'm assuming they moved into FUNimation's standard of the (current) time, and only have English title cards (no branching angles anymore).



* Did I get this right?

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From what I understand, the single-disc releases of them from 2009 removed the old broadcast audio track (dub + dub music), leaving only the original Japanese audio track and the "new" English track (dub + JP score). Otherwise, it's the same as the "Double Feature" version, just split into two, cheap, individual DVDs.

[xzero]

Damn . . . Mike's post looks so much sexier than mine

Anyway, I wanted to pop back with a quick update. This is as official as I can get: some guy on Amazon who apparently bought the Trunks re-release single last year posted a review confirming that it is the same as the double disc set version, which means last year's singles are, in fact, individual versions of the same. This assumes, of course, that you trust some guy on Amazon

[Puto]

The double feature has the eyecatches, but it's cropped to 16:9. The single is in 4:3, but it has no eyecatches. It's a lose-lose situation.

Though, if you understand Spanish, and can play R2PAL stuff, you could buy the spanish release :P. It has the eyecatches *and* it's 4:3, and uses Dragon Box masters to boot.

[jjgp1112]

Also, the Double Features have a much better remastering job than the Season sets. The grain is still there and while this is subjective, the colors are very good. They're not overly bright like the first 3 season sets, and they're not overly dark like the later sets.

[ShonenKnife]

Thanks a bunch guys. It does seem apparent that I'll need to make some kind of compromise.
I'll go with the latest singles for the time being.

And I have to stop being so damn picky. Maybe I've hanging out at places like this is rubbing off on me.

[.:PoetikaL:.]

The double features have the original Japanese title cards. That can be confirmed.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

If you like, I searched for my dissection I did about the Bardock disc...

http://daizex.fanboyreview.net/viewtopi ... 1617&hilit

[Metalwario64]

Also, the Double Features have a much better remastering job than the Season sets. The grain is still there and while this is subjective, the colors are very good. They're not overly bright like the first 3 season sets, and they're not overly dark like the later sets.

That's pretty much how I'd describe the remastering.

It's a shame that the specials were cropped, because otherwise the double features would undeniably be a better release than the old singles.

[pjay]

That's a shame that they're cropped, both of the specials look spectacular on the Region 2 Dragon Box Special Discs. So hopefully we will get them as part of the Region 1 Dragon Box's.