Comparisons of Same Company Anime Blu-ray Releases

[SpazeBlue]

Each new entry is compared to the last release.


5 Centimeters per Second

[Show spoiler]2017:

.

2021:

-Logo of old distributor removed

Best Release: 2021


Appleseed

[Show spoiler]2010:

-VC-1
-Lossy Audio

2015 Selects:

-AVC
-Lossless Audio
-Smaller and improved subs

Best Release: 2015 Selects


Children Who Chase Lost Voices

[Show spoiler]2012:

-A lot of banding and blocking artifacts
-Incorrect brightness

2016 Sentai Selects:

-Banding is massively reduced
-Correct brightness
-Improved compression
-Errors fixed
-Extras moved to their own separate disc
-Smaller subtitles

Best Release: 2016 Sentai Selects


Clannad

[Show spoiler]2011/2012:

-Incorrect gamma
-Poor compression

2017:

-Correct gamma
-Much better compression
-Newly rendered subtitles
-Typesetting changes.
-HIDIVE ad instead of The Anime Network ad
-The video extras of each season are moved to their last disc
-Different Sentai logo animation and trailers

2020:

-Disc Credits added to bonus features
-Copyright at the end of the credit roll for every single episode
-Different Sentai logo animation and trailers
-"Collector's Edition" added below the Clannad logo on each disc.

Best Release: 2017/2020


ef

[Show spoiler]2012 Complete Collections:

-Severe banding
-Not great compression
-Noticeable compression artifacts in menus
-Huge subs

2014 Complete Series:

-Smaller subtitles

2020 Collector's Edition:

-Unknown

Best Release: 2014 for the improved subtitles. The 2020 release may be better, but it is currently unknown.


Elfen Lied

[Show spoiler]2013 Complete Collection:

-Muffled voices and sound effects on the show's dub track

2019 Steelbook:

-Muffled audio problem fixed
-Improved video quality
-Higher bitrate
-Improved subtitles
-Episodes split more evenly between the two discs
-Music added to menu
-Different FBI warnings
-Different ADV Films logo
-No ads
-CD soundtrack

2021:

-Standard case
-Drops soundtrack

Best Release: 2019


Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone

[Show spoiler]Original Printing:

-Digipak in a slipbox

Later Printings:

-Fly Me to the Moon extras removed
-Eventually changed to a standard slipcover

Best Release: Original Printing


Flying Witch

[Show spoiler]2017 Complete Collection:

.

2020 Complete Collection:

-Possibly improved subtitles
-Different menus
-Different English staff credits

Best Release: 2020


The Garden of Words

[Show spoiler]2013:

-Huge subs

2020:

-Smaller subs
-Adds Spanish audio and subtitles
-A couple lines in the Japanese commentary tweaked
-Adds one missing translated caption from the film

Best Release: 2020


Gatchaman

[Show spoiler]2013 Complete Collection:

-Incorrect black level on all episodes
-Bonus features stretched to widescreen

2019 Collector's Edition:

-Extras have the correct aspect ratio
-Includes movie
-Art Book

Best Release: 2019 Collector's Edition

Grave of the Fireflies

[Show spoiler]2012:

-JP credits, then English credits

2020 Steelbook:

-English credits only
-Smaller subtitles
-Menu now has music
-Different Sentai logo
-Different ads
-Different production credits

Best Release: 2020 Steelbook


High School of the Dead

[Show spoiler]2011 Complete Collection:

-Banding
-Large subtitles
-Incorrect brightness

2014 Collector's Edition:

-Improved brightness
-Improved color
-Improved line detail
-Less banding
-Macroblocking
-Smaller subtitles
-Subtitle improvements
-DVDs added
-Special Book
-OVA included
-Different Sentai logo

Best Release: 2014 Collector's Edition for best overall quality


Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere

[Show spoiler]2012-2013 Season Sets:

-Half of Episode 7 is horribly pixelated

2016 Complete Collection:

-4 discs to 3
-Episode 7 fixed

Best Release: 2016 Complete Collection


Is This a Zombie?

[Show spoiler]2014 Anime Classics:

.

2019 Seasons 1&2 Bundle:

-Drops the DVDs which included the first OVA

Best Release: 2014 Anime Classics


Lucky Star

[Show spoiler]2016 Complete Series:

.

2019 Essentials:

-Drops the DVDs which contained exclusive extras

Best Release: 2016 Complete Series


Needless

[Show spoiler]2011 Collections:

-VC-1

2012 Complete Collection:

-AVC
-4 discs to 3 discs

Best Release: 2012 Complete Collection


Nichijou

[Show spoiler]2017:

.

2019:

-English dub added
-Episodes split more evenly between the discs
-DVDs removed
-FUNimation digital copy included

2020:

.

Best Release: 2019/2020


Ninja Scroll

[Show spoiler]2012:

-Incorrectly brightened

2015:

-Proper brightness/contrast
-Smaller subtitles
-Different disc credits

Best Release: 2015


Patlabor

[Show spoiler]Patlabor OVA:

-Big yellow subtitles
-Subtitles constantly go outside the 4:3 frame, and with a lot of the dialogue going so fast or overlapping it makes it difficult to follow at times
-Typos

2018 Complete Collection:

-Slipbox
-Smaller anti-aliased subs
-TV errors fixed

2020 Complete Collection:

-Slipcover

Best Release: 2018/2020 Complete Collections


Samurai Champloo

[Show spoiler]2009:

-DNR

2011:

-Grain retained

2019:

-FUNimation digital copy included

Best Release: 2011/2019


Sankarea: Undying Love

[Show spoiler]2013:

-Accidentally uses the TV broadcast masters

2015:

-Proper episodes

2019 Essentials:

.

Best release: 2015 (Or 2019 if it uses the newer discs)


Summer Wars

[Show spoiler]2011:

.

2013:

-DVDs added

2016 Hosoda Collection:

-Making-of Booklet added
-UV code added

2018 Mamoru Hosoda Movie Collection:

-New menus
-Booklet & DVDs dropped
-UV code swapped for FUNimation code

Best Release: 2016 Hosoda Collection


The Boy and the Beast

[Show spoiler]2016:

-UV code

2017 Hosoda Collection:

-More extras
-Making-of Booklet added

2018 Mamoru Hosoda Movie Collection:

-New menus
-Booklet & DVDs dropped
-UV code swapped for FUNimation code

Best Release: 2017 Hosoda Collection


The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

[Show spoiler]2016:

-UV code

2016 Hosoda Collection:

-Making-of Booklet added

2018 Mamoru Hosoda Movie Collection:

-New menus
-DVDs dropped which included exclusive extras
-Booklet dropped
-UV code added

Best Release: 2016 Hosoda Collection


Wolf Children

[Show spoiler]2013:

.

2017 Hosoda Collection:

-UV code
-Making-of Booklet added

2018 Mamoru Hosoda Movie Collection:

-New menus
-Different disc credits
-Booklet & DVDs dropped
-UV code swapped for FUNimation code

Best Release: 2017 Hosoda Collection

[SpazeBlue]

Reserved #1

[SpazeBlue]

Reserved #2

[professorwho]

Samurai Champloo: first FUNi BD is a DNR mess, but every release after it starting with the Anime Classics version retains the grain structure

There’s a ton of Sentai releases with re-done subtitles and/or a new dub, but I’ll let everyone else mention them as there’s too many for me to mention

[Tylerfan]

Nichijou: the 2019 reissue includes a new english dub that the original 2017 release did not have

[BigOnAnime]

-Blue Gender: The Anime Classics release dropped the disc count from 8 to 4, and got rid of the alternate-angles which significantly improved the video quality. In addition, the movie is also on a new disc rather than the original one.
-Evangelion 1.11: You Are (Not) Alone: FUNimation removed the Fly Me to the Moon extras from the later print runs, and not long after, the later print runs came in standard Blu-ray/DVD cases with a slipcover as opposed to a shiny digipak in a shiny slipbox.
-Fruits Basket: The 2011 Collector's Edition moved the video extras from the prior 4 disc releases to a new 5th disc which improved video quality. This 5th disc was not included in the 2014 Anime Classics release.
-My-Hime: Volumes 1-4 were authored by The Ocean Group. After complaints about the discs not working properly in many DVD players, DVD authoring was moved to SpeeDVD for Volumes 5-7, with Volumes 1-4 being reauthored for the Anime Legends release.
https://imgur.com/a/zpxURzl
-Rosario + Vampire: The included DVDs in the 2017 combo pack are NOT the original 2011 discs. The credit rolls are the same, and all that seems to be different really is the disc credits.
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...13161880260614
-Sankarea: The original print run accidentally used the TV broadcast masters. This was fixed on the 2015 release.
-Summer Wars: The Mamoru Hosoda Collection release used brand new discs.
https://twitter.com/DumbCerb/status/1315914311802523648
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...12422436339712
-The Boy and the Beast: The Mamoru Hosoda Collection release has new discs.
https://twitter.com/DumbCerb/status/1315917219092664325
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...17485376495616
-The Girl Who Leapt Through Time: The regular combo pack and the Mamoru Hosoda Collection feature different menus, but should otherwise be completely identical.
https://twitter.com/DumbCerb/status/1315915771713814528
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...20009516941312
-Trigun: The original Geneon singles used the Episode 1 opening on all the episodes. This mistake was rectified on the Remix singles and tins, which also added a new 5.1 audio track. FUNimation's 2010 DVD release repeated Geneon's mistake of using the Episode 1 opening on all the episodes, and this was rectified on the 2013 Anime Classics release.
-Wolf Children: The Mamoru Hosoda Collection has brand new discs. However, while the included DVD has new menus, the disc credits at the end of the disc are identical to the original DVD. The Blu-ray has new disc credits however.
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...69236691005441

[Bobo1313]

The 2015 re-release of Ninja Scroll lowered the brightness, not sure the proper term, from the 2012 release.

[BigOnAnime]

It also has smaller subtitles and changed English staff credits.

[SpazeBlue]

Here's this thread for DVDs: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=337315

And done.

[TThomas]

Nichijou 2020 has a Digital Copy? at least there is a sticker claiming so on the packaging
they only changed the artwork and removed the Slipcover
2019+2020 removed the DVDs

To Love Ru, SNAFU, Golden Time, Kämpfer and Waiting in the Summer got new dubbed releases from Sentai. And almost every Sentai or Maiden Japan title, that got a new release, got new discs with minor improvements.

Lupin III Part IV and Wizard of Oz: Dub & Sub sold seperately

Does someone know, which version Madman used for Sankarea?

[starsteam]

My copy of Evangelion 1.11 is a digipack but is missing those two extras.

Edit: I see BigOnAnime brought this up already

[BigOnAnime]

Yeah, even when it was still coming in a digipak the extras were removed, only the very first print run has the extras.

[SpazeBlue]

Originally Posted by TThomas

Nichijou 2020 has a Digital Copy? at least there is a sticker claiming so on the packaging
they only changed the artwork and removed the Slipcover

Didn't see it had one when I first checked it. Fixed.

Originally Posted by starsteam

My copy of Evangelion 1.11 is a digipack but is missing those two extras.

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Yeah, even when it was still coming in a digipak the extras were removed

Missed that bit. Fixed

[GeoffOliver]

Sentai redid the Gatchaman discs for the collector’s edition reissue, with the bonus features no longer stretched to widescreen, and there’s probably other small changes too (new logo, tinkered subtitles, etc). It’s not enough for me to double dip, so I don’t own it.

The Highschool of the Dead discs were also redone for its collectors boxset with the newer Sentai logo, and Drifters of the Dead is included on the final disc with the rest of the episodes.

The new Grave of the Fireflies disc having English credits is almost certainly a Ghibli requirement, as it’s very inconsistent with Sentai’s usual practice. The GKIDS Fathom Events screening I attended (which used Sentai’s dub) also had the English credits IIRC.

[BigOnAnime]

Sentai has begun to use English translated credit rolls more with movies, like Space Brothers #0 uses English-translated credits rather than leaving the Japanese credits alone.

BTW, something to note with Elfen Lied, the muffled audio issue affected the dub only on the TV series, the OVA was never affected by that issue.

[Tylerfan]

Small one for Lucky Star: the Essentials re-release gets rid of the DVD's, which in turn (from what I have heard) ends up causing the DVD only extras to get dropped

[BigOnAnime]

From the thread linked in my signature...

The following extras from the FUNimation combo pack release are missing from the Essentials release. These extras were only on the 4th and 5th DVD discs that aren't in the Blu-ray-only Essentials release.

If you want a bigger omission for Is this a Zombie?...

The first OVA is missing from the Essentials release as it was only on the second DVD disc in the DVD LE and the Anime Classics combo pack

[ryayan855]

How about differences between the two blu-ray releases of Flying Witch?

[MOONPHASE]

Hard to say if this one really counts but back when Funimation was Distributing the Geneon DVDs after Geneon USA went under, Shakugan no Shana Season 1 had an OVA episode which is missing in Funimation’s own Blu-ray and DVD.

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by ryayan855

How about differences between the two blu-ray releases of Flying Witch?

Should have improved subtitles, though I don't know much of an improvement there'd be as it was originally translated by Jake Jung (it was his very first project for Sentai though). Then of course different menus, changes to the English staff credits, and Ryan Anthony likely helped Joel McCray author it as he's been credited for "Disc Authoring" with Joel McCray since around June 2020 or so. Basically every Sentai release from late 2014 to then was solely authored by Joel McCray. Note that ANN is missing a ton of info as people weren't entering stuff. I'd fix those entries, but HIDIVE cutoff the credits on anything that was released sub-only prior to 2017.

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

Hard to say if this one really counts but back when Funimation was Distributing the Geneon DVDs after Geneon USA went under, Shakugan no Shana Season 1 had an OVA episode which is missing in Funimation’s own Blu-ray and DVD.

FUNimation's Blu-rays for Shakugan no Shana S1 are also inferior to the Geneon DVDs. They have smeared lines because they used the trash Japanese upscale, and they even feature more banding than the Geneon DVDs (banding seems to be in the source).
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Shaku...3/#Screenshots