The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[alvarez468]

maybe someone can help me out with a question. i noticed there has been a new release of spice and wolf back in January and i was wondering if they used the JP HD Materials this time around or even on the previous re-releases?

[jala12]

Does the newly released Re:Zero complete set use the corrected discs?

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by alvarez468

maybe someone can help me out with a question. i noticed there has been a new release of spice and wolf back in January and i was wondering if they used the JP HD Materials this time around or even on the previous re-releases?

Chances are very high that FUNimation just re-used the same discs from the Anime Classics set which were most likely the same discs from the original Blu-ray releases. FUNimation very, very rarely makes new discs. Also looking at the back covers and seeing "SD Remaster", seems they're still using their same upscale that wasn't very good rather than the HD materials from the JP Blu-ray Box that came out years before their release.
https://derf9v1xhwwx1.cloudfront.net...lassic_1_2.jpg
https://derf9v1xhwwx1.cloudfront.net...ssics_back.jpg

The Classics set likely has the same audio problems from the original S2 release as well.

Originally Posted by Sensuifu

I did an audio check (S2) and the results were interesting. Looking at the phase analysis and listening to it in realtime, the dialogue part of the dub audio is indeed in mono. However, other parts (op/ed, bgm, backing/fx tracks) seem to be in stereo (possibly dual-mono).

The problem is the mix. While some parts are in stereo, the dialogue ruins the stereo separation by attenuating the rest of the soundtrack because it runs a bit hot. In other words, the dialogue's volume level is louder than the rest of the audio track, so that means all the nuances and miscellaneous sounds beside the spoken dialogue is drowned out (not surprising since they're likely only using 2.0 sources). Because they've encoded this as a 5.1 track, everything is now focused onto the Center Channel. This means any channel separation will be slightly, if not barely audible once downmixed to the center. I'd chalk this up as a mono release.

As far as the JP audio track goes- as suspected, it runs an average of 7-10dB below the dub track. The thin sound is partially due to a lack of bass management/equalization and the volume level being below normal. Though the phase analysis shows stereo separation compared to the dub and has better dynamics even with the lower volume.

https://fandompost.vbulletin.net/for...ge6#post119710

[NLScavenger]

Pop Team Epic TV Special - King Records BD (JP)

Screencaps made in MPV (chroma upscaling: Lanczos 3 taps+anti-ringing)

Blue Dragon ver.


Vermilion Bird ver.


White Tiger ver.


Black Tortoise ver.


All four versions use the same three audio commentary tracks.

BDInfo disc #1 - Blue Dragon

Disc Label: BD_VIDEO
Disc Size: 29,625,641,664 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00002.MPLS
Size: 14,672,541,696 bytes
Length: 0:47:28.845
Total Bitrate: 41.20 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29995 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit

BDInfo disc #1 - Vermilion Bird

Disc Label: BD_VIDEO
Disc Size: 29,625,641,664 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00003.MPLS
Size: 14,666,563,584 bytes
Length: 0:47:28.845
Total Bitrate: 41.19 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29979 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit

BDInfo disc #2 - White Tiger

Disc Label: BD_VIDEO
Disc Size: 31,593,954,248 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00002.MPLS
Size: 14,673,389,568 bytes
Length: 0:47:28.845
Total Bitrate: 41.21 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29998 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit

BDInfo disc #2 - Black Tortoise

Disc Label: BD_VIDEO
Disc Size: 31,593,954,248 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00003.MPLS
Size: 14,669,015,040 bytes
Length: 0:47:28.845
Total Bitrate: 41.19 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29986 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit

[alvarez468]

Was there a difference between the regular and LE version of A Silent Voice like the maquia sets?

[BigOnAnime]

There should be as Nozomi was the distributor for the LE, and there's more video extras on the disc, while the RE had Shout! Factory as the distributor and there's less video extras. There were no hardsubs for A Silent Voice on either release unlike Maquia. I've got both releases, so I could possibly do a comparison sometime once I learn how to get caps for Blu-ray releases.

[MrSniper1401]

So several months back I discovered that in the last episode of AoT S3 Pt 1, both on the blu-ray and uncut video stream on their streaming service, Funimation accidentally left in Japanese Kanji subtitles that were not present in the broadcast version of the video stream. I contacted their customer support to report the issue (August/September of last year), got a response that they would look into it and after many months of no word, i contacted them again and today i finally got a response saying the following:

"Our development team is aware of the issue you reported. However, there is nothing scheduled to fix the subtitle issue. It may be fixed in future batches for this home video, but there is no guarantee."

While the issue is definitely not the worst mistake in the world, it's disappointing that their QC allowed this to slip by, but it's even more disappointing that this is their response to an oversight they've made

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by MrSniper1401

While the issue is definitely not the worst mistake in the world, it's disappointing that their QC allowed this to slip by, but it's even more disappointing that this is their response to an oversight they've made

Assuming you're referring to the subtitles in the latter half of the episode when they're eating, it is more than likely the case that there weren't provided creditless versions of these scenes, or more simply that they just flat out don't exist. I haven't checked the FuniNow stream, but they're also present on the CR stream as well as Japanese BD. Usually the only creditless materials they'd receive would be the OP/ED sequences so they can do their crappy English credit versions to splice into each episode.

[MrSniper1401]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Assuming you're referring to the subtitles in the latter half of the episode when they're eating, it is more than likely the case that there weren't provided creditless versions of these scenes, or more simply that they just flat out don't exist. I haven't checked the FuniNow stream, but they're also present on the CR stream as well as Japanese BD. Usually the only creditless materials they'd receive would be the OP/ED sequences so they can do their crappy English credit versions to splice into each episode.

Possibly, but the broadcast version of the same episode on FuniNow does not have the issue which I would assume is the same version used by CR unless CR updates their stream to the BD master versions now? Regardless I'm pretty sure Funimation would have the capability to remove them. Does not seem like a difficult thing for them to do unless I'm being ingnorant.

[NLScavenger]

Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: The Afterglow of Zeon - Nozomi / Anime Limited UK BD

I made a backup of this totally pointless compilation movie, but I forgot to take screencaps of it. The screencaps were made in MPV with the default bilinear chroma upscaling setting (same setting that was used for the Stardust Memory caps)

Screenshots


Stardust Memory OVA for comparison sake


BDInfo

Disc Title: Gundam 0083 BD3
Disc Label: GUNDAM0083BD3
Disc Size: 30,377,496,761 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 29,607,816,768 bytes
Length: 1:59:01.926
Total Bitrate: 33.17 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 29900 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitle: English / 44.769 kbps

Audio is mixed in Dolby Surround.

[Huggybearr]

Originally Posted by jala12

Does the newly released Re:Zero complete set use the corrected discs?

I just got my set today and the banding is incredibly bad. It shows almost the entire time and gets extremely bad during dark scenes. But you can even see it during the daylight scenes. I thought they had fixed this, or were the fixed versions also having banding, just not as bad as before? Like I'm not someone who normally notices this issues, but it's really distracting on this one.

[themp3000]

The fixed versions had it “not so bad but still bad” if I recall. I know the only way to tell the difference was the disc art. But I’m not 100% sure.

[Raye]

Dang it, that sucks. I was looking forward to getting the complete collection of Re:zero just because it’s one of my favorite anime in recent years but if the banding is that noticeable and even on the supposed revised discs then I guess I’ll either pass or wait for a dirt cheap deal. I thought FUNi’s release of Stein’s;Gate looked pretty awful, and I’m no videophile by any means.

[BigOnAnime]

Kamisama Kiss S2 is another show that looks like garbage on Blu-ray and is plagued with banding. The Blu-rays look exactly like the streams in the thread linked below. The banding is so bad you can easily see it even on bright scenes.
https://twitter.com/BigOnAnime/statu...77595954438144

Apparently it was a problem with how TMS delivered the materials, I heard from someone that's worked on Discotek stuff that Discotek had similar problems on other shows, but they fixed it before the discs came out.

[PissedOffPeoN]

Re zero is fixed the banding must be the source or funimation fault for the dak scenes i have both discs and the opening scene with him in the convenient store has a ton of banding on his cloths and it is not there at all, so it must be the new discs. I got the desuyo blu ray source they did and there is still banding on the dark scenes so it is a source thing.. ala animated cant be prevented.

[Kyle15]

Originally Posted by PissedOffPeoN

Re zero is fixed the banding must be the source or funimation fault for the dak scenes i have both discs and the opening scene with him in the convenient store has a ton of banding on his cloths and it is not there at all, so it must be the new discs. I got the desuyo blu ray source they did and there is still banding on the dark scenes so it is a source thing.. ala animated cant be prevented.

The Japanese release ain't like that tho, it's not the animation.

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

The Japanese release ain't like that tho, it's not the animation.

White Fox productions seem to have inherent excessive banding in the source files, however the Japanese home video releases for titles such as Re:Zero and the Steins;Gate franchise appear to make use of a deband filter so it looks significantly less shit. As far as I'm aware, MP3DOM is the only official encoder outside of Japan who's interested in addressing things like this for home video, as everyone else including Funimation just encode the source they receive as is. Combined with their naff encoding it's why you get stuff which really doesn't look so hot, although the original release of Re:Zero was really something special due to the licensor providing Funimation and @Anime with truly awful masters. From what I understand it took a fair bit of back and forth to get a good master for that show, and the fixed Part 1 discs went through many revisions before being finalised.

[professorwho]

I believe Justin has de-banded at least one title, but he never said which.

[Girls With Guns]

Speaking of Justin, I just got my replacement disc for City Hunter Shinjuku Private Eye in the mail - the postman knocked on the front door and told me I owe $2.60 for postage due, lol - Justin!!

No biggie, I just paid it, well worth it to get the fixed disc!

[PissedOffPeoN]

Is there still banding in dark scenes on the Japanese .. like the scene with that giant in the bar when he dies there's banding on his body.