Dragon Ball Z "Seasons" On Blu-ray: News & Discussion

[dbboxkaifan]

I'm sure if the Dragon Box was on every store shelf for the same MSRP, that not many people would choose to get the Season Sets

Not quite sure that'd be the reality of it because people who've bought the OBs mentioned countless times that it has the music they grew up with, i.e, US Music and not the original Japanese so I'd expect for those to be returned for refund or for the Orange Bricks.

A couple years ago when I didn't know about DBZ's Dragon Box on DVD I downloaded the episodes and it had the American Music which annoyed me because that wasn't the music I grew up with. Same applies to them.

[B]

That's not exactly true. The Orange Bricks are the ones with more love rather than the Dragon Boxes, if the OBs were so detested then why does it keep getting 5 star reviews on Amazon?

Because you can buy nearly 40 episodes for less than $20. It has nothing to do with the quality of the picture, so FUNimation should just leave it alone for once. The DRAGONBOX footage is just sitting there in the vault. Mass produce it, put in a brick at a low cost, it sells, because it is DBZ.

Disgusting fact: I Googled "dragon ball season " to back up my claim, and that Amazon link is the first result. I was typing so fast I forgot the "1" and it still came up.

EDIT: You know one other thing that just makes this situation worse? The DRAGONBOX masters are the default in Japan. The actual "DRAGONBOX" with the frills and nice packaging and scouter toy were limited edition, but today, in 2013, if you wanted Dragon Ball Z DVD #40, you're getting the show in the best quality you can expect of something of its age. That option is getting smaller and smaller everyday overseas as FUNimation's DBOX whithers away to absurd $400 price ranges.

[Im insaneFromEarth]

That's not exactly true. The Orange Bricks are the ones with more love rather than the Dragon Boxes, if the OBs were so detested then why does it keep getting 5 star reviews on Amazon?

Because you can buy nearly 40 episodes for less than $20. It has nothing to do with the quality of the picture, so FUNimation should just leave it alone for once. The DRAGONBOX footage is just sitting there in the vault. Mass produce it, put in a brick at a low cost, it sells, because it is DBZ.

Disgusting fact: I Googled "dragon ball season " to back up my claim, and that Amazon link is the first result. I was typing so fast I forgot the "1" and it still came up.

EDIT: You know one other thing that just makes this situation worse? The DRAGONBOX masters are the default in Japan. The actual "DRAGONBOX" with the frills and nice packaging and scouter toy were limited edition, but today, in 2013, if you wanted Dragon Ball Z DVD #40, you're getting the show in the best quality you can expect of something of its age. That option is getting smaller and smaller everyday overseas as FUNimation's DBOX whithers away to absurd $400 price ranges.

Can they do that with the Dragon boxes? I thought they could only do so many. I would love it if they would, I didn't even know about them until it was out of print.

[dbboxkaifan]

49 Volumes each 2,000 YEN (not the exact price) comes down to 98,000 which in Dollars is $980 or Pounds £608.

Compare that to these DBZ Blu-rays which run for more or less $25 and since there'll be nine volumes it'll be $225 (£139). Even if I didn't own the Dragon Box Z collection I'd still go with the DBZ Blu-rays because they're a lot cheaper and I couldn't see myself buying 49 DVDs.

Edit: On the Japanese Amazon they have the Orange Bricks and there's some five star reviews for it - http://www.amazon.co.jp/Dragon-Ball-Sea ... =pd_cp_d_2

[ect5150]

Edit: On the Japanese Amazon they have the Orange Bricks and there's some five star reviews for it - http://www.amazon.co.jp/Dragon-Ball-Sea ... =pd_cp_d_2

A total of five 4-star reviews out of 8 total reviews doesn't exactly make for a representative sample. Your argument holds better quoting the US website.

Funny enough, when I Google-Translate the top 1-star review on Amazon.JP is says something along the lines of "You put up with it because a reasonable price ... but is unavoidable because the American version."

Which is what many people here point to. The Orange Bricks sell well due to the price point. It'll be the same with the new Blurays, not because of superior quality.

[Roland_ELoG]

Even if a person buys the Remastered set without knowing about the cropping issue, there's no way they won't notice. Like when somebody starts talking even though most of them is off screen.

What I wonder about is the 1080p transfer that was made for the Remastered box sets several years ago. It seems more likely that that version would be reused, which would obviate the "precise reframing." Unless they're making ANOTHER 1080p film transfer? I mean jeez, the films going to rot away if you keep doing that.

[kei17]

You could buy the DVDs and stretch the picture to fill the screen.

Automated crop =/= Proper crop

The problem here is that FUNi is not in a position to decide what's really "proper."

[KingofWisdom]

I think I'm honestly more offended with this release than the orange bricks. The orange bricks may look like crap, but that's the quality of remaster FUNimation can afford for a release from beginning to end. It's not like the bricks aren't still widely available either. These Blu-Ray seasons won't be any significant step up. Give us more Level sets, Dragon Boxes, or nothing at all.

[Im insaneFromEarth]

I think I'm honestly more offended with this release than the orange bricks. The orange bricks may look like crap, but that's the quality of remaster FUNimation can afford for a release from beginning to end. It's not like the bricks aren't still widely available either. These Blu-Ray seasons won't be any significant step up. Give us more Level sets, Dragon Boxes, or nothing at all.

Tell me about it. I love the Level sets. I'm still upset that I didn't know about the Dragon Boxes until they were out of print =( IT seems like the younger people get DBZ the way they want it, and not the way its meant to be. I just don't get it.

[samuraix123]

Hey can I go off topic for just a tiny second I didn't want to make another topic. But I have plans on saving up for this http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Battle-Blu ... f+the+gods
I should get it paid off in 3 or 4 months. it should stay at the price between 80 to 100 bucks right? because anymore than that and I'll pass even though I want it bad in my collection.

[Metalwario64]

I think I'm honestly more offended with this release than the orange bricks. The orange bricks may look like crap, but that's the quality of remaster FUNimation can afford for a release from beginning to end. It's not like the bricks aren't still widely available either. These Blu-Ray seasons won't be any significant step up. Give us more Level sets, Dragon Boxes, or nothing at all.

I honestly think the orange bricks are better. Sure the lines disappear, but at least in stills they look better and more natural than these vectorized messes. Seasons Six and up are vastly superior to the new Blu-rays due to the toned down DVNR.

[TheOverlyMadHatter]

I think I'm honestly more offended with this release than the orange bricks. The orange bricks may look like crap, but that's the quality of remaster FUNimation can afford for a release from beginning to end. It's not like the bricks aren't still widely available either. These Blu-Ray seasons won't be any significant step up. Give us more Level sets, Dragon Boxes, or nothing at all.

Agreed. Not only does it look worse, but now, it's no longer a first-time offense. The Orange Bricks had the excuse of being a somewhat experimental release (despite being advertised as the "definitive way" to watch DBZ), what with cropping deal being new to series. What's even more inexcusable is that FUNi pretty much admitted to it being a mistake by NEVER repeating it again. Not with DB, DBGT, the Dragon Boxes, Kai, or Level the sets... until now, that is. It's just a strange step back. Again, hopefully this means we get a Dragon Box after this storm's over, but I wouldn't get my hopes up over that.

The casual audience that thinks 4:3=/=HD isn't helping matters at all, since they're the (big) numbers.

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

Hey can I go off topic for just a tiny second I didn't want to make another topic. But I have plans on saving up for this http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Battle-Blu ... f+the+gods
I should get it paid off in 3 or 4 months. it should stay at the price between 80 to 100 bucks right? because anymore than that and I'll pass even though I want it bad in my collection.

http://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtop ... =7&t=20803
Pretty sure you've even mentioned picking that up in this thread (the one I linked, not the thread you're reading this message in) before.

On a side note, I'd suggest picking that up from CD Japan. Right now it doesn't look like there are any new copies available on the listing you posted.

[Roland_ELoG]

Hey can I go off topic for just a tiny second I didn't want to make another topic. But I have plans on saving up for this http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Battle-Blu ... f+the+gods
I should get it paid off in 3 or 4 months. it should stay at the price between 80 to 100 bucks right? because anymore than that and I'll pass even though I want it bad in my collection.

Hot damn! But... my Japanese skills are worthless. They should revoke my degree. I'd never be able to enjoy the movie to it's full extent.

On topic. This being the second offense makes it less bad. If a dog poops on the rug you have to tell them right away that it's not okay. If you don't do that immediately, and instead say, buy thousands of DVDs from the dog, it'll just do it again.

[KingofWisdom]

Sure, FUNimation wants money, but it's still like being spit in the face. You can say, "But you don't have to buy it!" (and I won't), but I also don't have the Dragon Boxes. I can't sit back and laugh it off. It's an indirect taunt. The orange bricks gave us a consistent way to watch the show, quality notwithstanding. This is the most blatant "Bitch, give me money!" release yet. I hope the people at FUNi are ashamed that DBZ is being cropped and faux-remastered again. Because they should be. I want fans to be discouraged by the negative reviews, because those who are willing to listen don't deserve to be suckered into buying this subpar release. It just blows my mind that a franchise as popular as Dragon Ball is plagued by such horrendous home video releases. What will they do next? Have Gen Fukunaga crap in a box and sell it as a Dragon Ball product? Oh, but don't get mad, the profits will go toward the next Dragon Box!

[Metalwario64]

Felt like making these:




At the rate of cropping and increasingly destroying the detail, I'm sure this is where things will end up when we get to 8K or something like that.

[KingofWisdom]

That's perfect.

[Kojiro Sasaki]

Something about cropping (it fits also to this topic):



1. 4:3
2. 16:9
3. Proper ***(Unfortunately, round corners are not HD, so we will never see a release like this...)

They cannot properly frame the top or the bottom of the image without showing round corners. They will definitely not show them. What does it mean?

*** - I used bad word. I meant that if you want to see everything that was shot on film, this is the only way to see it. So this is "proper", but only for me

[Im insaneFromEarth]

Felt like making these:




At the rate of cropping and increasingly destroying the detail, I'm sure this is where things will end up when we get to 8K or something like that.

LOL, thank god I will be dead.

[B]

49 Volumes each 2,000 YEN (not the exact price) comes down to 98,000 which in Dollars is $980 or Pounds £608.

Compare that to these DBZ Blu-rays which run for more or less $25 and since there'll be nine volumes it'll be $225 (£139). Even if I didn't own the Dragon Box Z collection I'd still go with the DBZ Blu-rays because they're a lot cheaper and I couldn't see myself buying 49 DVDs.

My point was the R2 singles are 4:3 and properly remastered. That option is disappearing at an alarming rate over here in R1.