Episode #0266 (24 July 2011)

[VegettoEX]

Episode #0266 (download MP3) (rss feed) (subscribe in iTunes)
52:00; 96 kbps, mono; 36.0 MB

Episode #0266! VegettoEX and Hujio discuss FUNimation's recent announcement that the DBZ TV series is coming to Blu-ray this year. Will this be another fiasco using 2007's orange brick masters, or does FUNimation have something else up its sleeve? How will these products compare to everything else that is out there, including other versions of these same episodes sitting alongside them on store shelves? Also, who exactly will these new sets be aimed at, especially with Dragon Box releases coming to a close? Referenced sites:

• "Ultimate Tenkaichi" Trailer 3 @ YouTube
• DBZ TV Blu-ray Announcement @ funimation.com

Obviously there's the potential for a lot of cross-over discussion between this thread and the main on-going thread in the "General Franchise Discussion" area, so I guess I'd point everyone over there for your general discussion about the topic matter, and direct responses/questions/comments regarding what Heath and I talked about in this particular podcast episode here in this thread. Just keeps it all nice and clean and easily archived/searchable.

Of course folks like Marc and Corey will show up in the future regarding these releases... this is just kind of a preview topic for it ^_~.

[Zestanor]

All I've had to say I've said in the Blu-ray thread, but Borders is closing?! No! I love Borders.

[PuppetDoctor]

I forgot I posted a comment on Facebook so that was a surprise.

I really enjoyed this podcast and glad you made this news into a topic. My thoughts have been said in the Blu-ray thread also.

I think that Mike's theory might be right with why Funimation is releasing this set so closely after the Dragon Boxes but I still think there is to much on the market.

I remember a few years ago when reading on a different site while the Orange Bricks were being released a few people saying they wouldn't buy the Dragon Ball Z series until it came out on Blu-ray so there may be a market for this release. But this was also before Dragon Ball Kai on Blu-ray so who knows if these same people are still interested in buying DBZ on Blu-ray.

[kenisu3000]

I'm out of the loop. Does this mean they're not putting out movie Dragon Boxes this year?

[CashmanX]

I'm out of the loop. Does this mean they're not putting out movie Dragon Boxes this year?

We don't know for sure, but it doesn't seem they will.

[Captain Awesome]

Great show guys, there's something to be said about laid-back episodes, with all the blu-ray shenanigans I think a nice reasonable detached approach was the only way our heads weren't going to implode out of fanboy rage.

And my post making it into the podcast made my day .

[VegettoEX]

there's something to be said about laid-back episodes, with all the blu-ray shenanigans I think a nice reasonable detached approach was the only way our heads weren't going to implode out of fanboy rage.

Yeah, that's pretty much the route I wanted to take with it. I hope -- and I'm pretty sure -- we got the point across that even if the sets end up being another debacle, we're at the point where it actually doesn't affect us beyond what Gaffer was speaking to (marketing and perception of the franchise).

[Gotham22]

FUNimation sure focuses on Z a lot. You have the uncut singles, UUE, Z Season Sets and the Z Dragon Boxes. I guess you can count Kai if you want to or not.
I wish FUNimation would focus on DB or GT more like put out the Dragon Boxes for those two series.

The whole thing with FUNImation and Faulconer maybe both sides worked everything out which could explain why FUN would be using the Faulconer music for the Z Blu-rays.

[Kendamu]

If you make the DBZ Checklist you're talking about, I work at Best Buy. If you can make it in the form of a flowchart, it would be a real help.

[.:PoetikaL:.]

Regarding the discussion of the Ulitmate Uncut Editions: The 67-68 episodes (whatever the number was), all aired on Cartoon Network in it's uncut glory. The time at which it aired was 10:30 P.M. if I remember correctly because I watched all the episodes when they aired. (In all honesty, I couldn't tell if you said that they did or didn't air the first 67-68 on television.)

[MetaMoss]

I like the laid-backness of this episode, but at the same time I was first listening to this while laboring in a orchard at 5:30 in the morning, so I thought to myself, "Stupid bastards drinking coffee and talking about another retard FUNi thing while I'm working my butt off." Then I realize that was Sunday morning for you, and it would be around 8:30 for you (7:30 for Heath) at the time I was listening, so I calmed down. Damn I was tired that day. Great discussion about another DBZ release. I think the next release will be 3D Blu-Ray, then HVD (Holographic Versatile Disk, currently in testing phases) in 4K resolution, then a new release when HVD reaches its maximum (theoretically being over 5 terabytes) at 8K resolution, then we'll have the special-edition for the HoloRoom(TM), followed by a version for video brain implants. I think we'll have a release for DBZ non-stop until at least 2030. At least.

[Sun-Wukong]

Regarding the discussion of the Ulitmate Uncut Editions: The 67-68 episodes (whatever the number was), all aired on Cartoon Network in it's uncut glory. The time at which it aired was 10:30 P.M. if I remember correctly because I watched all the episodes when they aired.

Yeah, the very last half-hour before Adult Swim came on, but still uncut.

[Ashura]

This was good discussion, even if it was a bit one sided. The one thing I found funny, though, is that Q-Tec got a pass from you guys when talking about the remastering of Dragonball Kai. It's interesting to note that those guys actually have a worse track record in handling anime cleanup to Bluray than Funimation does.

http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showpost.php ... stcount=36

Kai is sort of the /one/ title they've actually done a halfway decent job on. Bluesub Six is a good example of how most of their other stuff looks, but they also did quite a number on Blue Seed and 3x3 Eyes.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/3241/blueseed.png
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9350/yaku1.jpg
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/3007/pai1x.jpg
http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/4536/yakupai.jpg
http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/1374/pai2.jpg

To be honest... other than the orange bricks, Funimation has a very good track record as of the current time. One of the two big ones people complained about was even just remastered.

[Chuquita]

This news is part of what's convinced me to pre-order DBox 7 the closer it gets to its release date. I'm actually kind of worried that once they start these new sets (even though it's Blu-ray) the DBoxes will go out of print forever and we'll be left with only Orange Brick footage or Kai. >_>

As for the new Blu-ray sets themselves; I'm kind of in the same boat in that it doesn't really affect me that much and I'm with you in hoping for a Jump Tour Special release date at Otakon.

[Hujio]

This was good discussion, even if it was a bit one sided. The one thing I found funny, though, is that Q-Tec got a pass from you guys when talking about the remastering of Dragonball Kai. It's interesting to note that those guys actually have a worse track record in handling anime cleanup to Bluray than Funimation does.

Yeah, depending on the topic we can be a bit one sided. Although it's not like we hide it, so I think it's somewhat expected from our listeners. Anyway, I'm not so sure we gave Q-TEC a completely free pass. I recall us complaining about it a bit, and I'm pretty sure I said I stilled preferred the Dragon Boxes over Kai. Now I will admit that their remastering isn't that great, but it still isn't absolutely horrible.

To be honest... other than the orange bricks, Funimation has a very good track record as of the current time. One of the two big ones people complained about was even just remastered.

The biggest thing is that we had no DragonBall track record for Q-TEC to go off of, and honestly, it didn't turn out too bad, luckily. It is a bit blurry at times, but still, not completely un-watchable. The difference being we know exactly what FUNimation's track record is with DragonBall remastering -- not good. In fact, we even know exactly what the Orange Brick remasters look like. You can even compare Kai with the Orange Bricks for yourself.


Steve Franko -- DragonBall Z Episode 30


Q-TEC -- DragonBall Kai Episode 13

In the end though, Dragon Boxes. Nuff said.

[VegettoEX]

I guess I'm just curious what other "side" there even *is* with regard to this topic.

Indiscriminate blind purchasers...? How would that even be interesting to listen to?

[Ashura]

Oh yeah, I know you guys are pretty one sided on of a lot of things; it's one of the reasons I listen. There's usually this sway between the facts and then hilarity like the whole Bluma conversation that I find enjoyable, though. And the facts part is the point; you guys usually DO state most of the facts pretty thoroughly -- even if it's a bit begrudging and goes against a point you're trying to make -- and I think you missed some you could've brought up here.

What I mean by other side is that Funimation has shown that they're not actually that bad at handling Bluray after their first few releases. A lot of their early stuff showed signs of the Orange Brick syndrome, and then they fixed that as they further got into Blus and got even further fan feedback. I think bringing this up just would've been a valid point.

I understand that sometimes they treat Dragon Ball differently, but there are some other bits of hope out there that this won't be a complete and utter trainwreck. My point with bringing up the Q-Tec thing is that, hey, those guys have a track record too... and Kai's the one half decent thing they've done. If someone were look at them with such narrow vision of just their work on Kai, people might get the impression that they do a decent job which is overall not the case when it comes to them remastering old anime.

And trust me, I'm not trying to say Q-Tec did a worse job than the Orange Brick Job. I'm just saying that, if those guys -- the worst of the worst -- can get better, or at least accidentally shit a half rainbow... maybe Funi can do a decent job as well. Funi's actually shown a high competence with 99% of the Blus they've released, and I think that's a valid point to bring up. It would actually be abnormal for this to be absolutely terrible if you look at their whole picture, and not just their Dragon Ball picture.

I also think there's been enough time between the 2007 masters and now, that, just by the simple act of them making so many Blus and learning the ins-and-outs that they realize there's a vast gap between the orange brick masters and what would fly on the format. I don't think their engineers are suddenly going to forget everything they've learned in the last few years just because they've never applied this to DB before. I think right now they're armed with more tools to succeed and a better perception of how HD works vs. then.

Mind you, I'm hoping for the best, praying for the worst here. I'm not naive enough to think that sight unseen this will be amazing, but I do think there's so little information for and against that I don't think the pitchforks (mostly referring to the thread, not you guys here) are needed until they start releasing previews or at least the actual product details.

[Gotham22]

This news is part of what's convinced me to pre-order DBox 7 the closer it gets to its release date. I'm actually kind of worried that once they start these new sets (even though it's Blu-ray) the DBoxes will go out of print forever and we'll be left with only Orange Brick footage or Kai. >_>

As for the new Blu-ray sets themselves; I'm kind of in the same boat in that it doesn't really affect me that much and I'm with you in hoping for a Jump Tour Special release date at Otakon.

Isn't that the point anyways. They were meant to be limited.

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

Another great episode. Just wondering though, will we hear Julian again in the near future?

[Hujio]

I also think there's been enough time between the 2007 masters and now, that, just by the simple act of them making so many Blus and learning the ins-and-outs that they realize there's a vast gap between the orange brick masters and what would fly on the format. I don't think their engineers are suddenly going to forget everything they've learned in the last few years just because they've never applied this to DB before. I think right now they're armed with more tools to succeed and a better perception of how HD works vs. then.

Well, all of your points are based on the assumption that they're creating a new HD master for the Blu-rays. Our discussion on the podcast went under the assumption that they're using the same HD master as the Orange Bricks, as that's really how it looks at the moment. That's great if they've learned how to do it better, but it didn't really apply to the our discussion. I do wish they would do a new transfer because I do think they could do a better job now, but I just don't think that's actually the case.

Mind you, I'm hoping for the best, praying for the worst here. I'm not naive enough to think that sight unseen this will be amazing, but I do think there's so little information for and against that I don't think the pitchforks (mostly referring to the thread, not you guys here) are needed until they start releasing previews or at least the actual product details.

Why are you praying for the worst? Do you really want it to be bad?