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

[ect5150]

I just applied the filters at full strength, so somebody with more experience might be able to use some finesse to get the best of both worlds.

The thing to do next is to take a DBox screenshot of the same frame. Color correct it and upscale and see if it is just as good or worse.

By the way... the black lines on the armor in the crotch guard are missing. It's too much filtering at that point.

Spoiler:

[final_flash]

Also, here's this
http://www.screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/57745 (move mouse in and out of picture to see dfference)

The first thing i noticed about the new set is the jagged edge, water paint looking backgrounds. They're pretty bad. Not to mention the flat (no depth) look, the bleached bright colors, and the inconsistent weird colors of the characters. This is the best release of DBZ yet

[Jabberwock xeno]

Not happy with what I'm seeing thus far. A shame, if not for it being widescreen, this would probably be my definitive release.

Are there any comparisons that compare the orange bricks, the dragon boxes, the level blu rays, and these? With kai as well would be a bonus.

And what's this I hear about artifacts? Did the image get messed up in some scenes like with the bricks?

Look, I understand most people hate this release or whatever but constantly bringing up reasons why you hate it, is what really irks me. Ok we get it you don't like no need to go on and on about it, it becomes rather annoying.

Except new problems are coming up as more people actually spend their money on this product. Firs there was the cropping, and then the grain, and then the colors, and then the awkward digital pans, and then the zoomed in Zenkai Power ending footage, and then the tears in the film, and then the shaking. I wouldn't call that "going on and on".

Woah, that's a lot of issues. The cropping and zoomed in ending is self explanatory, but can I have details on the rest?

I'd hate to annoy you with it

Don't worry about it. I was overreacting I suppose. Guess I was just tired, though it is kinda embarrassing, really.
-SNIP-
Hulu's definitely looks worse, though Raditz is a tad more yellow in the OB than in the Blu-ray, though everything else is about the same color wise.

How come these are all in the same aspect ratio?

[dbboxkaifan]

Also, here's this
http://www.screenshotcomparison.com/comparison/57745

That's interesting, the filtered version sort of looks better because it gets rid of the water paint-ish that's seen on the screen though it's not sharp and removes some detail too.

I know that what I'm about to post next has nothing to do with Dragon Ball Z but if DBZ was remastered like the Cowboy Bebop Blu-rays (with all detail, in 4x3 AR and not too grainy) it would terminate all future unnecessary remasters done by FUNimation or whomever.

Spoiler:

These BDs (1080i) are available already in UK but FUNimation's going to release them later this year, so US CB fans will be able to enjoy this awesomeness too.

[Metalwario64]

I know that what I'm about to post next has nothing to do with Dragon Ball Z but if DBZ was remastered like the Cowboy Bebop Blu-rays (with all detail, in 4x3 AR and not too grainy) it would terminate all future unnecessary remasters done by FUNimation or whomever.

That's true, but the thing is the Level Sets were basically that equivalent though, though they can never look as good as the Bebop remaster being that Dragon Ball was shot on 16mm film which is going to be grainy no matter what, or otherwise look obviously filtered, whereas I'm guessing Bebop is 35mm. Only the movies would be able to compare.

[Daimo-Rukiri]

Wasn't Bebop high profile back in the day? And it's also the only anime I prefer in English...

[Jabberwock xeno]

I actually like that picture. From the pictures you all have been posting, I think I want to get this set. I only have Vol. 5,6,7 of the Dragon Boxes. Hopefully, they will re-issue them, but this doesn't look bad to me. I love my Kai blu rays, but they don't look that great to me. As long as it looks good and I get the amazing story, I think I'll be happy. Although, I hope this is better quality than the DVD movie packs, I bought them, and was disappointed in the coloring. To each their own, I guess! I'm really excited to finally get the Manga in color, but I want to read it when the whole story is complete.

Dude, that picture i posted is not from the new season sets. Its an DNR level set picture that you liked.

DNR level set

Spoiler:

BD season set

Spoiler:

I personally like the little bit blurry level set pic better then the overly sharp, flat looking BD season set pic.

So the bottom is the new release?

[final_flash]

DNR level set

Spoiler:

BD season set

Spoiler:

I personally like the little bit blurry level set pic better then the overly sharp, flat looking BD season set pic.

So the bottom is the new release?

Yes the bottom is the new Blu ray season set

[dbboxkaifan]

That really is too red or say, pinky.

The colours, brightness, saturation and etc can be tweaked and it does improve the video experience but honestly the damn customers shouldn't have to do this as this is the job of the people who're remastering it!

Untouched Season 1 BD screenshot:



Edited with the simple tools of Paint.net:

[lansing]

very disappointed on this release.

First it makes no sense to make a 16:9 version by actually cropping the video because any modern TV should be able to do it on its own. It was just plain dumb.
And what were the reasons behind messing up the brightness and saturation? What references do they based on?

And whoever that's in charge of picture quality is a f**ing noob. Even a normal viewer can see that their noise reduction filter sucks and everything was turned into a painting. On top of that, the pictures were way oversharpened to a point that blended lines were turning into sharp edges.


From the season 2 trailer, I'm pretty sure that they're going back to the orange brick remaster, since the level set remaster ended at episode 34. They're just hopeless.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Season 3 has been listed on the FUNImation store if anyone is interested. Listed for 1/4/14.

[dbboxkaifan]

Season 3 has been listed on the FUNImation store if anyone is interested. Listed for 1/4/14.

One thing that's really cool about this collection is that once all BDs are put next to each other they'll make a long picture based on all arcs.

But going back to the picture quality of Season 2 the trailer has showed that the footage will be sacrificed by too much brightness and even if you try to lower it down, it won't do much good any more at this point.

Original Shot


Tweaked Shot


Although this edited doesn't look much better than the authentic it still manages to be an improvement.

By the way, for Season 8 & 9 it's probably better just to get them on DVD.

[Ajay]

Lowering the brightness and contrast doesn't bring back all the detail that's been crushed by the initial process.

Look at the eye behind the scouter - all the detail is gone.

[final_flash]

very disappointed on this release.

First it makes no sense to make a 16:9 version by actually cropping the video because any modern TV should be able to do it on its own. It was just plain dumb.
And what were the reasons behind messing up the brightness and saturation? What references do they based on?

And whoever that's in charge of picture quality is a f**ing noob. Even a normal viewer can see that their noise reduction filter sucks and everything was turned into a painting. On top of that, the pictures were way oversharpened to a point that blended lines were turning into sharp edges.


From the season 2 trailer, I'm pretty sure that they're going back to the orange brick remaster, since the level set remaster ended at episode 34. They're just hopeless.

Actually TVs dont crop the picture. They stretch a 4:3 picture to 16:9 which will make the characters look fat. The cropping is one of the only things this release does good. They OB used center cropping which was automatically the center of the pic. The Blu ray set use selective cropping where they pick and chose how they crop it. So important parts of the scene don't get cut out. But every thing else you are right about.

[dbboxkaifan]

Actually TVs dont crop the picture. They stretch a 4:3 picture to 16:9 which will make the characters look fat. The cropping is one of the only things this release does good. They OB used center cropping which was automatically the center of the pic. The Blu ray set use selective cropping where they pick and chose how they crop it. So important parts of the scene don't get cut out. But every thing else you are right about.

TVs can zoom in and stretch, although stretching seems a feature exclusive for DVDs only because I haven't been able to done it for Blu-rays on my PS3s.

Stretching a 4x3 AR picture on an HDTV is not a good idea.

[Haseowolf]

very disappointed on this release.

First it makes no sense to make a 16:9 version by actually cropping the video because any modern TV should be able to do it on its own. It was just plain dumb.
And what were the reasons behind messing up the brightness and saturation? What references do they based on?

And whoever that's in charge of picture quality is a f**ing noob. Even a normal viewer can see that their noise reduction filter sucks and everything was turned into a painting. On top of that, the pictures were way oversharpened to a point that blended lines were turning into sharp edges.


From the season 2 trailer, I'm pretty sure that they're going back to the orange brick remaster, since the level set remaster ended at episode 34. They're just hopeless.

Actually TVs dont crop the picture. They stretch a 4:3 picture to 16:9 which will make the characters look fat. The cropping is one of the only things this release does good. They OB used center cropping which was automatically the center of the pic. The Blu ray set use selective cropping where they pick and chose how they crop it. So important parts of the scene don't get cut out. But every thing else you are right about.

There are stretch modes, but also zoom modes that zoom the image to where there are no black bars while keeping the same ratio. And while the Season BDs do have selective cropping there are instances that would be better to be selective, but much of it is center cropped. Kai's DVD and TV broadcast in Japan was selectively cropped and they were much more aggressive about it.

[falle]

TVs can zoom in and stretch, although stretching seems a feature exclusive for DVDs only because I haven't been able to done it for Blu-rays on my PS3s.

Stretching a 4x3 AR picture on an HDTV is not a good idea.

That's because you simply can't stretch a 1:33.1 frame on a BD.

[falle]

There are stretch modes, but also zoom modes that zoom the image to where there are no black bars while keeping the same ratio. And while the Season BDs do have selective cropping there are instances that would be better to be selective, but much of it is center cropped. Kai's DVD and TV broadcast in Japan was selectively cropped and they were much more aggressive about it.

The problem with zooming is that you lose a great portion of picture quality/definition. I can't recommend my worst enemy to zoom

[Puto]

Umm... except that's what FUNimation are doing anyway, they're just doing it before putting it on the disc.

[falle]

Umm... except that's what FUNimation are doing anyway, they're just doing it before putting it on the disc.

Not really, no. They use 16mm film which is about 2K across when scanned. 16mm is 1.37:1 and when they cut off the top and bottom, you more or less have a 1920x1080p picture to fill the entire HDTV.