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

[Daimo-Rukiri]

This whole aspect ratio issue is getting to the point where if FUNimation really wants to save some money, just slap your raw, untouched, 4:3 stuff onto a Blu-Ray disc and call it a day. It won't look amazing, but it'll satisfy people who want the intact 4:3 ratio, and the super-casual consumer who buys it because "OOOOH DBZ H-DEE BLOO-RAYE!"

Even raw looks great!

[theoriginalbilis]

I was also thinking of these options lately as well:

Option 1: Have the 4:3 version in HD, and then the same episodes in 16:9 in standard-definition on the same disc. It won't take up significantly more space on a Blu-Ray disc, and everyone gets the version they want. Especially the 16:9 fans, who most likely wouldn't know it was in SD unless they read it or were told.

Option 2: Have the 16:9 versions in HD, but the 4:3 versions of those episodes in standard-definition on the same disc. This is easily the less preferable option, but at least we'd be getting the full-frame aspect ratio in some capacity.

[Ajay]

It won't take up significantly more space on a Blu-Ray disc, and everyone gets the version they want.

It's a nice idea but to keep the number of episodes and quality high enough, SD content would take up at least 9GB per disc. That'll end up with them having to use more discs and thus making the product pricier - the very thing that stopped us buying the Level Sets in the first place.

[theoriginalbilis]

It won't take up significantly more space on a Blu-Ray disc, and everyone gets the version they want.

It's a nice idea but to keep the numbers of episodes and quality high enough, SD content would take up at least 9GB per disc. That'll end up with them having to use more discs and thus making the product pricier - the very thing that stopped up buying the Level Sets in the first place.

True that, sir.

Looks like we'll be getting one or the other, and each side of the debate will have to deal one way or the other.

[Kendamu]

This whole aspect ratio issue is getting to the point where if FUNimation really wants to save some money, just slap your raw, untouched, 4:3 stuff onto a Blu-Ray disc and call it a day. It won't look amazing, but it'll satisfy people who want the intact 4:3 ratio, and the super-casual consumer who buys it because "OOOOH DBZ H-DEE BLOO-RAYE!"

I've been saying the same thing myself. If the raw footage they showed us in that old featurette is representative of the quality of the entire series, don't bother remastering it. Just crop out the majority of the damage and call it a day.

Raw frame
4:3 frame

Perfectly serviceable.

[Puto]

Thing is, some frames also have damage at the top (typically a whole lotta glue) so you can't just crop the bottom alone, you have to crop the top too.

[KingofWisdom]

Well, the RightStuf description for the set was updated.

"For the first time ever, the Dragon Ball Z season sets are available on Blu-ray! This epic collection presents the first thirty-nine episodes in remastered, high-definition quality and 16:9 aspect ratio using frame by frame, pan and scan technology, and features two English tracks (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music).

Contains episodes 1-39."

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827 ... 9680/4/0/0

[Daimo-Rukiri]

Well, the RightStuf description for the set was updated.

"For the first time ever, the Dragon Ball Z season sets are available on Blu-ray! This epic collection presents the first thirty-nine episodes in remastered, high-definition quality and 16:9 aspect ratio using frame by frame, pan and scan technology, and features two English tracks (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music).

Contains episodes 1-39."

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827 ... 9680/4/0/0

That's been saying 16x9 for a week, it removed 16x9 from the list and only says it in the description.

[Kendamu]

Thing is, some frames also have damage at the top (typically a whole lotta glue) so you can't just crop the bottom alone, you have to crop the top too.

I totally get that. I'm just using the material provided to show an example. If there's damage at the top you trim a little off the top. You're not going to always get a Dragon Box sized frame out of it, but it is a perfectly serviceable release that looks a lot more like the original broadcast than a widescreen presentation ever would.

When the show was originally being animated the people involved probably didn't think that the entire area of the frame was going to end up on television. Because of that a large amount of the damage on the vertical edges of the frame can be avoided while giving us a decent release similar to the Blue Bricks or the Green Bricks. Not all of the damage will be completely avoided and I totally understand. The method I used would take care of a great deal of the damage and would make restoration a lot less expensive in any case. It wouldn't be a problem, either, because not even the DBox has ALL of the vertical area of the original frame on display.

I'm mostly just discussing this for the sake of fun. I would prefer something closer to the original presentation if that is at all possible. If it ends up being a widescreen presentation then it might be serviceable if they handle it with care. It doesn't mean I would buy it but I wouldn't be actively trying to turn people away from it either. What REALLY angered me in 2007 was how crappy the colors were. If there's one thing people need to be worrying about more then anything it's the colors.

[KingofWisdom]

It's not an official poll, though.

Well, the desperate side of me is hoping that whatever cheaper remastering process they've gone with will be good enough for a 4:3 release to genuinely be considered. I'd like to replace my orange bricks.

[Daimo-Rukiri]

Thing is, some frames also have damage at the top (typically a whole lotta glue) so you can't just crop the bottom alone, you have to crop the top too.

I totally get that. I'm just using the material provided to show an example. If there's damage at the top you trim a little off the top. You're not going to always get a Dragon Box sized frame out of it, but it is a perfectly serviceable release that looks a lot more like the original broadcast than a widescreen presentation ever would.

When the show was originally being animated the people involved probably didn't think that the entire area of the frame was going to end up on television. Because of that a large amount of the damage on the vertical edges of the frame can be avoided while giving us a decent release similar to the Blue Bricks or the Green Bricks. Not all of the damage will be completely avoided and I totally understand. The method I used would take care of a great deal of the damage and would make restoration a lot less expensive in any case. It wouldn't be a problem, either, because not even the DBox has ALL of the vertical area of the original frame on display.

I'm mostly just discussing this for the sake of fun. I would prefer something closer to the original presentation if that is at all possible. If it ends up being a widescreen presentation then it might be serviceable if they handle it with care. It doesn't mean I would buy it but I wouldn't be actively trying to turn people away from it either. What REALLY angered me in 2007 was how crappy the colors were. If there's one thing people need to be worrying about more then anything it's the colors.

I bought the season sets back in the day, but the colors were okay for season 1 just a tad to bright but it got real in season 2 with everything turned up high... Some scenes did look better but overall no, just no.
The levels to me were a tad dark but jesus it's easy to turn up the brightness, I turned it down for the dboxes.
If we get what we did in the levels but sadly selectively cropped I can live with the release as I have the dboxes if I want full frame.

I'm not picky and the aspect ratio didn't bother me in 2007, the over contrast and brightness did which is why I sold them.

I wonder if Toei/Funi would collaborate with an HD restoration? for the 30th anniversary?

[superrayman3]

I wonder if Toei/Funi would collaborate with an HD restoration? for the 30th anniversary?

I highly doubt it, Toei doesn't seem to like the idea of working with foreign companies to do anything aside from licensing ,so if Toei does a 30th anniversary restoration of the series for HD they're probably going to do it on their own, and if they do hopefully they'll do the smart thing and seek out home recordings that contain the original broadcast audio and properly color correct the damned footage this time (honestly it pisses me off to no end how little Toei seems to care about their work and properly preserving their history).

[dbboxkaifan]

Well, the RightStuf description for the set was updated.

"For the first time ever, the Dragon Ball Z season sets are available on Blu-ray! This epic collection presents the first thirty-nine episodes in remastered, high-definition quality and 16:9 aspect ratio using frame by frame, pan and scan technology, and features two English tracks (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music).

Contains episodes 1-39."

Your price: $33.74

Special Features: Textless Opening Song, Textless Closing Song, U.S. Trailer.

Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827 ... 9680/4/0/0

The price seems reasonable enough but I'm going to wait and see what the true picture quality of these DBZ Blu-rays will be like. I'd expect FUNimation to be smarter than to release the Orange Bricks on Blu-ray.

[Fizzer]

Well, the RightStuf description for the set was updated.

"For the first time ever, the Dragon Ball Z season sets are available on Blu-ray! This epic collection presents the first thirty-nine episodes in remastered, high-definition quality and 16:9 aspect ratio using frame by frame, pan and scan technology, and features two English tracks (U.S. English broadcast version, English dialogue with Japanese music).

Contains episodes 1-39."

Your price: $33.74

Special Features: Textless Opening Song, Textless Closing Song, U.S. Trailer.

Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827 ... 9680/4/0/0

The price seems reasonable enough but I'm going to wait and see what the true picture quality of these DBZ Blu-rays will be like. I'd expect FUNimation to be smarter than to release the Orange Bricks on Blu-ray.

The thing is, that would be smart. That's probably how to achieve the biggest profit margin.

[sbk]

Can't they just add a 16:9 option that crops the 4:3 footage for the ignorant viewers instead of ruining it for everyone?

[JulieYBM]

Can't they just add a 16:9 option that crops the 4:3 footage for the ignorant viewers instead of ruining it for everyone?

It's called the zoom button on everyone's remote.

[Kendamu]

Can't they just add a 16:9 option that crops the 4:3 footage for the ignorant viewers instead of ruining it for everyone?

In order to keep the video quality high and the disc count low (thus making the price low) they can't encode both a 16:9 and a 4:3 version together on the same set. We just have to hope that FUNimation does the right thing.

[B]

I guess this is part where I scratch my head in confusion about why the 2007 remastering process ever took place and why FUNimation couldn't have just slapped whatever was on the "Ultimate Uncut" Edition onto the Orange Bricks. That's the root of all this, it seems.

[KingofWisdom]

I guess someone thought the idea of widescreen DBZ was neat.

[dprez]

I guess this is part where I scratch my head in confusion about why the 2007 remastering process ever took place and why FUNimation couldn't have just slapped whatever was on the "Ultimate Uncut" Edition onto the Orange Bricks. That's the root of all this, it seems.

Yea, I guess they tried to make it better but failed miserably or just didn't have the same masters. I still hold hopes that this has decently better quality than the Orange bricks. We can only hope everyone else buys this (aside from those who truly need it to complete their collection like some here who lack certain Dragon Boxes) so Funi has the funds for a better future release.