The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by ShiroNek0

The bad:
- Blu-ray menu has very obvious banding (lol). Its artistic quality also doesn't come close to JP BD.

FWIW the original menus from the botched discs were reused rather than MediaOCD creating new ones from scratch. Not only do they have the awful banding and compression, but also the messed up brightness. The movie disc menus also lack an option for Stereo audio as well due to this.

[Ccharmanderk]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Magic Knight Rayearth - Discotek Media BD vs Bandai 2005 R2J DVD

I've found that, broadly speaking, I can deal with imperfect black levels and the like in a Blu-ray encode, simply because it's a small defect that's easy to fix with some tweaking on my end. Shout Factory's Blu-ray for The Transformers: The Movie similarly suffered from poor black levels, and I literally had to fight multiple people in the thread for that release who swore that the old MPEG-2 encoded Australian BD was better based on that alone (spoiler: it's nowhere close).

[The Collector FX]

Sooooo who has the best release of Violet Evergarden outside Japan?

Funimation? (US)
Anime Limited? (UK)
Madman? (AU)

[SpaceDandy]

Germany.

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by SpaceDandy

Germany.

Besides Germany. Lol.

[micpp]

Originally Posted by The Collector FX

Sooooo who has the best release of Violet Evergarden outside Japan?

Funimation? (US)
Anime Limited? (UK)
Madman? (AU)

I think it'd be Anime Limited. Funimation and Madman use the same discs I think - and it's just the broadcast versions, and I've heard people not being that impressed with the picture quality. Anime Limited ended up getting MediaOCD to author their discs and included the home video versions

[SpaceDandy]

Originally Posted by The Collector FX

Sooooo who has the best release of Violet Evergarden outside Japan?

Funimation? (US)
Anime Limited? (UK)
Madman? (AU)

---
Besides Germany. Lol.

It's a question to which you already know the answer, don't you? The US/AU release don't even use the video master anyway but the TV/Netflix ones.

[BigOnAnime]

The Madman and FUNimation discs also re-use the same garbage Netflix translation. I'm still incredibly crushed by that news.
https://i.redd.it/9mpucm6jnza01.jpg

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

The Madman and FUNimation discs also re-use the same garbage Netflix translation. I'm still incredibly crushed by that news.
https://i.redd.it/9mpucm6jnza01.jpg

Have an updated version of that comparison. An individual called Kozue Etsuzen (who I believe is this person) is credited for the UK BD subs.

[disneywildcat]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

The Madman and FUNimation discs also re-use the same garbage Netflix translation. I'm still incredibly crushed by that news.
https://i.redd.it/9mpucm6jnza01.jpg

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Have an updated version of that comparison. An individual called Kozue Etsuzen (who I believe is this person) is credited for the UK BD subs.

[Show spoiler]

I got the Anime Limited BD in the mail recently. I did watch Episode 3 with both the BD and Netflix stream side by side. I can’t speak on the literal quality, but the Anime Limited subs don’t differ that much from the Netflix subs. Unlike Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll, where the Funimation/theatrical subs differ drastically (and are likely better) than the Netflix subs, the revised Anime Limited subs don’t appear to be that much better.

The art book from the Anime Limited CE does differs from the Funimation LE art book in terms of content and illustrations. Some of the illustrations such as the character art are larger in the Funimation art book and there is more promotional/background/hand sketch art included in the Funimation version that isn’t included in the Anime Limited version. The Anime Limited book has several “Staff Talk” features discussing the production, while the Funimation book has letters from the Light Novel author commenting on select episodes.

[Dino-Killer 912]

I want to confirm one thing - actually an audio issue than video - other than Zeta Gundam, no other Gundam titles have had their songs replaced for overseas releases, right?

[Schmullus1]

Originally Posted by Dino-Killer 912

I want to confirm one thing - actually an audio issue than video - other than Zeta Gundam, no other Gundam titles have had their songs replaced for overseas releases, right?

The closest to a replacement I know of would be a partial swap on an insert in Destiny's old dub. Episode 39 uses a vocal insert during the climax of the episode in Japanese while the original dub used an instrumental version. I think the remaster replaced the song outright in that scene, so it'll likely be a non-issue on the eventual Destiny HD release.

The only other thing would be omission rather than replacement, which would include the lack of theatrical audio for the MSG Trilogy. I believe 0083 and 08th MS Team also only have the 5.1 remix tracks with altered sound effects and not the original mixes, but it's been a while since I watched either release. That only applies to the JP audio though since the dubs were produced before the JP remixes with the SFX changes.

[NLScavenger]

0083 was a complete redub: not just different sfx, but also re-recorded dialogue.

[NLScavenger]

Space Dandy - Bandai BD vs Anime Limited BD vs Funimation BD

Bandai BD footage / bitrate info provided by doud

Comparison

Bandai BD - episodes 1 & 14


Anime Limited BD - episodes 1 & 14


Funimation BD - episode 1


Bandai BD

Episode 1

AVG: 36001 kbps / MAX: 53987 kbps

Episode 14

AVG: 35999 kbps / MAX: 50518 kbps

Vol. 1 (episodes 1 & 2)

Disc Title: SPACE?DANDY 1
Disc Label: SPACE_DANDY_1
Disc Size: 33,754,003,416 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 14,998,917,120 bytes
Length: 0:48:37.247
Total Bitrate: 41.13 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 36003 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
* Audio: Japanese / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitle: Japanese / 29.478 kbps
Subtitle: English / 38.073 kbps

Vol. 6 (episodes 14 & 15)

Disc Title: SPACE?DANDY 6
Disc Label: SPACE_DANDY_6
Disc Size: 17,028,749,724 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 14,997,184,512 bytes
Length: 0:48:37.247
Total Bitrate: 41.13 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 35993 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
* Audio: Japanese / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitle: Japanese / 32.172 kbps
Subtitle: English / 40.865 kbps

Anime Limited BD

Episode 1

AVG: 23572 kbps / MAX: 59650 kbps

Episode 14

AVG: 21027 kbps / MAX: 55414 kbps

Funimation BD episode 1

AVG: 18999 kbps / MAX:37870 kbps

[Memade]

Originally Posted by ShiroNek0

Violet Evergarden - UK Limited BD (re-authored) vs JP Limited BD

Late to the party but I assume UK limited Violet Evergarden uses the JP blu-ray footage instead of the Netflix footage?

Not familiar with UK anime stores, is this the one on the "alltheanime" website?

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by Memade

Late to the party but I assume UK limited Violet Evergarden uses the JP blu-ray footage instead of the Netflix footage?

Not familiar with UK anime stores, is this the one on the "alltheanime" website?

Yes on both counts.

[BlackCondor93]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Space Dandy - Bandai BD vs Anime Limited BD vs Funimation BD

Bandai BD footage / bitrate info provided by doud

Comparison

Bandai BD - episodes 1 & 14


Anime Limited BD - episodes 1 & 14


Funimation BD - episode 1


Bandai BD

Episode 1

AVG: 36001 kbps / MAX: 53987 kbps

Episode 14

AVG: 35999 kbps / MAX: 50518 kbps

Vol. 1 (episodes 1 & 2)

Disc Title: SPACE?DANDY 1
Disc Label: SPACE_DANDY_1
Disc Size: 33,754,003,416 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 14,998,917,120 bytes
Length: 0:48:37.247
Total Bitrate: 41.13 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 36003 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
* Audio: Japanese / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitle: Japanese / 29.478 kbps
Subtitle: English / 38.073 kbps

Vol. 6 (episodes 14 & 15)

Disc Title: SPACE?DANDY 6
Disc Label: SPACE_DANDY_6
Disc Size: 17,028,749,724 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 14,997,184,512 bytes
Length: 0:48:37.247
Total Bitrate: 41.13 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 35993 kbps / 1080p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /  2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: English / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
* Audio: Japanese / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   448 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitle: Japanese / 32.172 kbps
Subtitle: English / 40.865 kbps

Anime Limited BD

Episode 1

AVG: 23572 kbps / MAX: 59650 kbps

Episode 14

AVG: 21027 kbps / MAX: 55414 kbps

Funimation BD episode 1

AVG: 18999 kbps / MAX:37870 kbps

Interesting. It looks like Funi's BDs removed the Next Episode Previews, while Bandai's and Anime Limited's BDs left them intact.

In comparison to the Anime Limited BDs, where none of the insert songs are subtitled, but songs sung by the characters themselves in the musical episodes are subtitled, did Funi's BDs have the insert songs subtitled?

[NLScavenger]

Originally Posted by BlackCondor93

Interesting. It looks like Funi's BDs removed the Next Episode Previews, while Bandai's and Anime Limited's BDs left them intact.

In comparison to the Anime Limited BDs, where none of the insert songs are subtitled, but songs sung by the characters themselves in the musical episodes are subtitled, did Funi's BDs have the insert songs subtitled?

Funi BD has next episode previews. I only have episode 1 from Funi BD, so I don't know how insert songs are handled.

[v_i]

Originally Posted by Schmullus1

The only other thing would be omission rather than replacement, which would include the lack of theatrical audio for the MSG Trilogy.

As of right now, the only way to watch the wonderful "gunDAMN" dub for the movies is the old AnimeVillage/Bandai VHS tapes. Didn't even make it to DVD.

[Schmullus1]

Originally Posted by v_i

As of right now, the only way to watch the wonderful "gunDAMN" dub for the movies is the old AnimeVillage/Bandai VHS tapes. Didn't even make it to DVD.

Right, I always forget that one isn't readily available, largely since I have those tapes and have the dub attached to my UHD versions.