"Dragon Ball Z" on Blu-Ray - News & Discussion

[veemonjosh]

And all my hopes of owning a good release of DBZ have been thrown out the window.

Amazing that despite all the strides Funimation has made to escape the image they had in the late 90's/early 00's, the way they treat DBZ is eternally stuck in that mindset.

 

[GingaDaiuchuu]

all the strides Funimation has made to escape the image they had in the late 90's/early 00's

[video=youtube;4HYgAydD6D0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HYgAydD6D0[/video]

 

[veemonjosh]

*snip*

Which is why the rest of my post said "the way they treat DBZ is eternally stuck in that mindset."

 

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Which is why the rest of my post said "the way they treat DBZ is eternally stuck in that mindset."

Yeah I know; I was accentuating your point with the juxtaposition of the description of their normal practices and... that. At least they have done DBZ right as well, though.

 

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

Another possible theory is that they are releasing a gimped release to keep the door open for yet another blu ray release down the line with a "proper" aspect ratio. GOTTA MILK EM ALL

 

[Ishtar]

Another possible theory is that they are releasing a gimped release to keep the door open for yet another blu ray release down the line with a "proper" aspect ratio. GOTTA MILK EM ALL

My own theory is that it's cheaper for FUNi to just re-use the Orange Brick masters or even do a new remaster in 16:9 compared to doing a proper 4:3 one. The film masters FUNi are using are really damaged on the top and bottom. FUNi also might feel that the 4:3 aspect ratio negatively effected sales of both the Level sets and the Dragon Boxes. One of these reasons or a combination of them could be why they asked about it in the survey at all.

 

[GWOtaku]

Something that's come into my head is that they basically have a mind to do Dragon Ball Kai treatment for the entire DBZ series. What I'm having trouble remembering is how Kai's video was in regard to image cropping and how they went about adapting it for HD broadcast and widescreen at the time. I don't remember too many complaints about Kai though....

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

There were some issues with Kai (specifically one of Gokuu's arms being cropped off once), but since the Blu-rays were being released unedited in 4:3 that seemed to be pretty clear evidence Toei was only going through the massive headache of producing four different masters so Fuji TV wouldn't complain.

 

[CNlover]

I would gladly trade in my DBZ Kai Blue-Rays for the original. It just isn't the same.

 

[GWOtaku]

The plot thickens. Check the Amazon listings for Dragon Ball Z season one on Blu-ray. The reference to the 16:9 aspect ratio is gone. The listing now says 1.33:1, i.e. the original 4:3 ratio.

Man, this is just weird now. Know what, NY Comic Con is this week. If I spot someone in the know at the FUNimation booth I think I'll try asking what's up with this thing.

 

[PokemonTVDub]

There were some issues with Kai (specifically one of Gokuu's arms being cropped off once), but since the Blu-rays were being released unedited in 4:3 that seemed to be pretty clear evidence Toei was only going through the massive headache of producing four different masters so Fuji TV wouldn't complain.

Could you provide a screenshot of Goku's cropped arm?

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

Could you provide a screenshot of Goku's cropped arm?

Here is a tiny picture from the Kanzenshuu Episode Guide for Dragon Ball Kai episode #42. Gokuu's arm is visible in Dragon Ball Z.

 

[GWOtaku]

Forget anything you think you know about DBZ on Blu-ray. Word of Adam Sheehan and Justin Rojas at the FUNimation NY Comic Con is that the matter of the aspect ratio is "up in the air", uncertain, etc.

 

[MDawg]

It's ridiculous that they can't get a firm confirmation on their plans. Either it's 4:3 and buyable or 16:9 and worthless.

 

[GWOtaku]

In the end, the fact is there has never actually been an official public announcement about specs. if FUNimation had said anything about the aspect ratio anywhere and then said "well, never mind" that would be something, but that's not quite the case. Solictations are often reliable, but details get filled in and sometimes changes are pretty substantial. At one point Legend of Korra S1 had an early placeholder on Amazon for May at a different price point. Then all that changed and we learned about special features and that it would in fact be on Blu-ray as well as DVD.

At this point, I just shrug and advise that until it's on funimation.com, just don't believe anything 100% about this release.

 

[Ishtar]

What FUNi said at NYCC seemed to be nothing more than a PR Jedi mind trick to calm us down, just because they had yet to make an "official announcement", in regards to their aspect ration decision. Look no further, as FUNimation's own store now lists the Season 1 Blu-Ray, which clearly labels it as "16:9" in the specs and "widescreen" in the description. Oh, and we have a pending cover art, too:

Spoiler

 

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The three in the background are definitely very out of place. Otherwise, a pretty nice piece of artwork. Too bad this also comes with the final official confirmation that these releases are garbage.

 

[KYO'NYUU IMOUTO]

FUNimation would do well to pay Toei to hire a better artist, that cover is horrendous.

 

[Ishtar]

The trailer is now out. Welcome back to 2007, folks.

Edit: And...FUNi took it down.

 

[PokemonTVDub]

They took it down? Was it released earlier than planned?