The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[dubudavid]

It's the best dang color correction tool I've ever used. We've used it for color work on a good amount of Discotek projects at this point. I've personally not had many issues with it myself.

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by dubudavid

It's the best dang color correction tool I've ever used. We've used it for color work on a good amount of Discotek projects at this point. I've personally not had many issues with it myself.

That's good to hear, when Studio 17 first rolled out I remember the update "being buggy" made the rounds amongst the forums and community.

What format do you color-correct in? RGB or CMYK?

[jsevakis]

LOL, CMYK is only for print!

RGB is generally only used for compositing in video, and basically never downstream of that. Most video is done in YCbCr in rec.601 for SD, rec.709 for HD and SDR UHD. HDR uses bt.2020, which is a different beast entirely.

And yeah, the first release of DaVinci Studio 17 had a few bugs, but there've been a bunch of updates since then. It's still the gold standard for color work, even at the major studio level.

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by jsevakis

LOL, CMYK is only for print!

RGB is generally only used for compositing in video, and basically never downstream of that. Most video is done in YCbCr in rec.601 for SD, rec.709 for HD and SDR UHD. HDR uses bt.2020, which is a different beast entirely.

And yeah, the first release of DaVinci Studio 17 had a few bugs, but there've been a bunch of updates since then. It's still the gold standard for color work, even at the major studio level.

I personally didn't use DaVanci too much before I switched to Adobe but I did find Premier Pro a lot more user friendly and easier to navigate.

And yeah CMYK is generally for print and RGB has a larger gamut but I had to ask.

When you guys are color-correcting, is your monitors gamma set to 2.2 or 2.4? Or do you change it based on if the file is HDR or SDR?

[nissling]

You can use the CMYK color formula to make adjustments in DaVinci. Personally I often stick to YRGB but sometimes I find Lab to be more useful with faded content. The output file will always be in YUV or RGB (in case you're using DPX).

For SDR EOTF should be power law 2.4 with 100 nits white reference. However some colorists opt for power law 2.6 with 80 nits white peak which more closely resembles the old Sony BVM CRTs. These were the absolute standard for any color grading until they were finally replaced by most studios around 2010-12. I had a BVM-A14 in my studio that got used daily until last summer when my boss decided to let it be replaced. It was a darn fine monitor.

For HDR you normally use ST.2084 with no tone mapping.

I'm using DaVinci Resolve Studio for everything in my entire workflow except film restoration, which I do in Phoenix. Much like all other Blackmagic products it is fairly bland in the sense that "it just works" with fairly small customization, but at the same time it also serves all my needs. Bugs are fairly infrequent from my experience and it's overall extremely stable, which is crucial if you're working with the software 8 hours a day like me. I do edits, telecine, synchronization, color timing, DCPs, ProRes masters and all other needed exports in DaVinci.

Premiere on the other hand... You're not getting any crashes? Or bugs? I mean it is infamous for being unstable. If you're used to work with the entire Adobe portfolio then it surely can be a good option as content can easily be transferred between the softwares. For me on the other hand, I feel Premiere has played out its role. It feels outdated and rarely gets new features that stick out. With DaVinci being able to replace all of its features and have a lot more to offer on top of that, I really cannot justify paying 300 dollars per year for Adobe Premiere when DaVinci can either be had for free or for a one-time 300 dollar payment. Just my 2 cents.

However, if I were only interested in color grading then I think I'd opt for Nucoda. It's at a completely different price level and clearly not for beginners but I still find it to be less limited than DaVinci. For HDR it is really neat. However, it is a one-trick pony whereas DaVinci is a Swiss army knife and unlimited duct tape. This makes Nucoda unsuitable for me at the moment.

[NLScavenger]

Metropolis - DE BD vs UK BD vs US BD vs JP BD

Comparison

DE BD footage, bitrate info, mediainfo report were provided by doud. US/JP BD screenshots are from caps-a-holic.

DE BD seems to be slightly sharpened, but that's not unusual for German Koch BD releases since 2019 (see other Koch releases on caps-a-holic).

DE BD


UK BD


US BD


JP BD


DE BD bitrate and mediainfo

General
ID                                       : 0 (0x0)
Complete name                            : E:\[_output\ROBOTIC ANGEL\BDMV\STREAM\00100.m2ts
Format                                   : BDAV
Format/Info                              : Blu-ray Video
File size                                : 32.1 GiB
Duration                                 : 1 h 47 min
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 42.7 Mb/s
Maximum Overall bit rate                 : 48.0 Mb/s

Video
ID                                       : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.1
Format settings                          : CABAC / 3 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 3 frames
Codec ID                                 : 27
Duration                                 : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Maximum bit rate                         : 35.0 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Color range                              : Limited
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

Audio #1
ID                                       : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : DTS XLL
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name                          : DTS-HD Master Audio
Muxing mode                              : Stream extension
Codec ID                                 : 134
Duration                                 : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossless

Audio #2
ID                                       : 4353 (0x1101)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : DTS XLL
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name                          : DTS-HD Master Audio
Muxing mode                              : Stream extension
Codec ID                                 : 134
Duration                                 : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossless

Audio #3
ID                                       : 4354 (0x1102)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : DTS XLL
Format/Info                              : Digital Theater Systems
Commercial name                          : DTS-HD Master Audio
Muxing mode                              : Stream extension
Codec ID                                 : 134
Duration                                 : 1 h 47 min
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 93.750 FPS (512 SPF)
Bit depth                                : 16 bits
Compression mode                         : Lossless

Text #1
ID                                       : 4608 (0x1200)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : PGS
Codec ID                                 : 144
Delay relative to video                  : 15 s 849 ms

Text #2
ID                                       : 4609 (0x1201)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : PGS
Codec ID                                 : 144
Delay relative to video                  : 15 s 849 ms

Text #3
ID                                       : 4610 (0x1202)
Menu ID                                  : 1 (0x1)
Format                                   : PGS
Codec ID                                 : 144
Delay relative to video                  : 15 s 849 ms

[Tylerfan]

Golden Wind Part 1 Standard just got reviewed (still odd part 2 got reviewed first)
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/JoJos...295670/#Review

Also:
Naruto Set 6: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Narut...306885/#Review
Bleach Set 13: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Bleac...303192/#Review

[professorwho]

Violet Evergarden The Movie FR BD/UHD review by Prince_7

Absurd amount of screenshots (like what I do.

[Show spoiler]Don't worry, my upcoming post on Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei will have an absurd amount of shots as well, so stay tuned for that

). Many comparisons between the JP BD, FR BD, JP UHD and FR UHD.

UHD is a 1:1 clone of the JP UHD encode, while the FR BD is a very close match for the JP BD in compression quality due to good x264 settings (

[Show spoiler]although from what little I do know of how x264 works, there's one or two things I'd change that aren't bitrate related

).

[NLScavenger]

FR BD uses theatrical version instead of home video version.

[Ccharmanderk]

Sigh...

Once again, Neil Lumbard showing that he barely watched the show at all before grading. For Hidamari Sketch: Picture Perfect Collection...
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Hidam...251973/#Review

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Hidamari Sketch: Picture Perfect Collection is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release provides an upscaled presentation. For a upscale, the series looks surprisingly good. However, fans should keep expectations in check. The series won't ever be as detailed or crisp as a native high-definition presentation can offer. Color reproduction is solid. The encoding is reasonably well-done as well.

...except that Hoshimittsu, SP and Honeycomb are all native HD and look significantly better as a result. Only the first season and 365 are SD upscales. The grading and review only reflects S1 and -- at best -- 365.

Would it kill him to at least pop in a disc for each season and including relevant screenshots before reviewing? At least then it would be somewhat less disingenuous and inaccurate.

[sagadego]

between that and half assed with the audio and probably rushing through it, i'm not surprised :/

[BigOnAnime]

To think my pending contributions are held up until he reviews stuff, where he likely won't mention what I'm trying to change (Ex: Age ratings, slipcover or slipbox). If a title is set to be reviewed, they want the reviewer to handle those so they can verify if things are correct..

Also again, he got some super basic stuff wrong on Maiden Japan titles.

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Asura Cryin'
The Asura Cryin' review is uh...

It's based off of a light novel written by Gakuto Mikumo that was adapted into an anime...

What's a Maiden Japan?

Distributed by Sentai Filmworks in North America.
...
Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai, Basquash! is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The release has impressive picture-quality. Color reproduction is excellent on the release. The animation looks crisp, clear, and dynamic. The encoding is solid, too. The release looks great and doesn't have much issue with banding. A strong presentation.
...
The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from Sentai Filmworks: Armored Trooper VOTOMS (HD, 1:35), Den-noh Coil (HD, 1:24), Gunparade March (SD, 1:34), and Monochrome Factor (SD, 1:33).
...
Basquash! is a fun basketball-meets-robot anime series. The genre spin is interesting and will appeal to those with an interest in both sports anime and giant robot mechas. As based on the original manga by Shoji Kawamori and Thomas Romain, Basquash! is from the creators of Nadesico and Macross. A compelling concept for science-fiction fans. The release from Sentai Filmworks has a strong video-audio presentation. Recommended.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Basqu...238946/#Review

[Prince_7]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

FR BD uses theatrical version instead of home video version.

Yes, just like Liz and the Blue Bird before. I think it's a common thing with Kyoani movies now.

[omarchafa]

Does anybody have or are there any Lupin III Part 1 Discotek screenshots and comparisons to the JP BD and Netflix version out yet?

[CrashOveride95]

Originally Posted by omarchafa

Does anybody have or are there any Lupin III Part 1 Discotek screenshots and comparisons to the JP BD and Netflix version out yet?

I'll be making some when I get the BD, its currently on its way to me rn

[Tylerfan]

Some more new reviews:
Inuyasha Set 3: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/InuYa...276120/#Review
Mushibugyo - Complete Collection: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Mushi...309864/#Review
Scrapped Princess - Essentials: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Scrap...228163/#Review
Darling in the Franxx - Season One Steelbook: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/DARLI...293343/#Review
Yashahime Part 1 - Standard: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Yasha...305998/#Review
Yashahime Part 1 - Limited: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Yasha...305995/#Review
Negima! + Negima?: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Negim...273873/#Review

Edit: Wait, he finished Inuyasha
Set 5: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/InuYa...285102/#Review
Set 6 (Final): https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/InuYa...289975/#Review

Also Nana: https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Nana-...311926/#Review

[BigOnAnime]

He didn't do basic research again... He watched only part of Negima. I've still not seen Negima and this is irritating to see. What is Negima!?, animated by Shaft?

The animation is produced by Xebec (Broken Blade, BanG Dream!).

[omarchafa]

Originally Posted by professorwho

Violet Evergarden The Movie FR BD/UHD review by Prince_7

Absurd amount of screenshots (like what I do.

[Show spoiler]Don't worry, my upcoming post on Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei will have an absurd amount of shots as well, so stay tuned for that

). Many comparisons between the JP BD, FR BD, JP UHD and FR UHD.

UHD is a 1:1 clone of the JP UHD encode, while the FR BD is a very close match for the JP BD in compression quality due to good x264 settings (

[Show spoiler]although from what little I do know of how x264 works, there's one or two things I'd change that aren't bitrate related

).

The JP BD looked sharper than the FR BD.

Oh and how is the JP UHD then? Is it any good and is the HDR good?

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by omarchafa

The JP BD looked sharper than the FR BD.

Oh and how is the JP UHD then? Is it any good and is the HDR good?

The film is an HDR/DV conversion of the original SDR master, and is kept within SDR nit levels, so it's essentially SDR in an HDR container without the "fake HDR" boosting of some films (Weathering With You in particular). Seeing that the film was composited at scope 2K resolution (2048x858p), there is a slight resolution boost over BD, in addition to superior compression due to the higher bitrate.

Because they "left it alone," it (apparently) looks real nice, and is what I would prefer unless an HDR conversion can be well done and not have any significant drawbacks.

[Prince_7]

There are still a few moments where the UHD goes above 100 nits but those are very rare. The grading in my oppinion is really convincing and the 4K upscale was handled well.
The biggest win for me is the compression, as I said in my review that the blu-ray has some noticable dithering in dark scenes, which the h.265 compression, 10bit colors and 4K resolution help immensly to smooth out.

It just looks overall like a more polished version of what's on the blu-ray.
Also yes the french BD is a bit blurrier, which is probably due to the x264 settings used and perhaps the use of the theatrical master, but you only really notice it when putting both side by side (unlike the difference in aspect ratio which is noticeable due to a thin line at the bottom which is brighter than the rest).