The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[BigOnAnime]

I see the video quality portions are exactly the same text despite the discs not being the same as Sentai rarely reuses discs.

Arriving on Blu-ray from Sentai Filmworks, Princess Tutu is presented in 1080i MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The release has decent definition and clarity. Though the release doesn't look as impressive as a native progression presentation would (over an interlaced encode) the effort is still decent – if never exceptional overall.

On the bright side, the animation looks nice and clean. Even so, the color reproduction is a bit subdued at times. This is one area where the presentation is not as robust as some audiences may be hoping for. Though not a total disappointment, it is clear that the colors are not as vibrant as many recent high-definition anime productions due to the source-material lacking the same degree of finesse. With interlacing, Princess Tutu also suffers from occasional jaggies.

The SteelBook according to the back cover is supposed to be 1080p while the original release is 1080i... Also they claim the trailers are exactly the same when they most likely are not.

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Sentai Filmworks: Princess Principal (HD, 1:35), Scum's Wish (HD, 1:34), Takunomi (HD, 1:31), and Girls' Last Tour (HD, 1:31).

[BigOnAnime]

There's now reviews for the following:

Maria Holic (2021 release)
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor TV
Vampire Knight
Zillion

A reminder with Vampire Knight, there's an extra on there not on the DVDs, so that's one reason to still get that despite the meh upscale.
https://myanimelist.net/anime/8422/V...ai_no_Portrait

[keitaro]

is Discotek's Twelve Kingdoms better than Media Blasters? I have the BDs from MB.

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by keitaro

is Discotek's Twelve Kingdoms better than Media Blasters? I have the BDs from MB.

I think it's a safe bet that Discoteks looks better. Media Blasters doesn't have the best reputation, especially their Blu Rays. Their most recent release Doomed Megalopolis looks like ass.

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by The Collector FX

I think it's a safe bet that Discoteks looks better. Media Blasters doesn't have the best reputation, especially their Blu Rays. Their most recent release Doomed Megalopolis looks like ass.

Not a great example. Part of the problem with Doomed Megapolis is the fact it doesn't have an HD scan, so that was a MB upscale. The Twelve Kingdoms however is one of the earliest HD anime out there, so both the Media Blasters and Discotek releases are native HD, so nobody had to upscale anything. Anyway, Discotek's should indeed be better.

Originally Posted by keitaro

is Discotek's Twelve Kingdoms better than Media Blasters? I have the BDs from MB.

Should be better, also when searching the thread to see if a comparison was made uh...
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...4#post19023524

If you want to try to compare with the review screenshots...
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...4/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...7/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...1/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...9/#Screenshots

[Ccharmanderk]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

There's now reviews for the following:

Maria Holic (2021 release)
The Irresponsible Captain Tylor TV
Vampire Knight
Zillion

The Zillion review is laughably bad. The restoration there is ugly. I wouldn't give that any higher than a 2/5 myself on a good day.

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Not a great example. Part of the problem with Doomed Megapolis is the fact it doesn't have an HD scan, so that was a MB upscale. The Twelve Kingdoms however is one of the earliest HD anime out there, so both the Media Blasters and Discotek releases are native HD, so nobody had to upscale anything. Anyway, Discotek's should indeed be better.Should be better, also when searching the thread to see if a comparison was made uh...
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...4#post19023524

If you want to try to compare with the review screenshots...
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...4/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...7/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...1/#Screenshots
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-T...9/#Screenshots

Alright, let me rephrase;

Doomed Megalopolis, even it being an upscale is a trainwreck. (and there are good upscales, so it's not like Doomed Megalopolis gets a free pass)

It's not 1999 anymore. Media Blasters is a shit company now. I'm tired of people treating them like their a respectable entity like Sentai, or GKids, or Nozomi, or NIS America.

Media Blasters is garbage. Period. I only have one Blu Ray of theirs and one DVD, that's it...

[TThomas]

Trailers of current Media Blasters releases:

Nana 7 of 7
https://player.vimeo.com/video/648739450

10 Tokyo Warriors
https://player.vimeo.com/video/638815604

Grenadier
https://player.vimeo.com/video/660951729

Otoboku
https://player.vimeo.com/video/660983414

I can't believe it's not Hentai (Very Private Lesson)
https://player.vimeo.com/video/660976532

Shrine of the Morning Mist
https://player.vimeo.com/video/636566379

Jungle De Ikou
https://player.vimeo.com/video/636499380

Whilest the trailers are compressed, they should give an idea on what to expect.

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Not a great example. Part of the problem with Doomed Megapolis is the fact it doesn't have an HD scan, so that was a MB upscale.

Media Blasters claimed they were using a film source and also claimed that they were allowed to include the UK dub.

[Kyle15]

No way on God's green Earth could they convince me Doomed Megalopolis is a film source.
Maybe an ancient scan of said film source, but definitely nothing recent or even close.

[BigOnAnime]

There are some titles where the materials are just in such poor shape, there's not very much that can be done. An upcoming example from Sentai Filmworks is Hareluya II Boy which is upscaled from the LaserDisc masters as the show never got anything but a LaserDisc release in Japan. Every episode on HIDIVE looks awful. Discotek would have done a better job, but there's still not much they can do.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...4#post19625894

Media Blasters for their upscales is mixed like VIZ Media, their track record for actual HD content however is decent, the abomination that is their Moribito Blu-rays aside.

[Ccharmanderk]

Originally Posted by Kyle15

No way on God's green Earth could they convince me Doomed Megalopolis is a film source.
Maybe an ancient scan of said film source, but definitely nothing recent or even close.

It's a transfer that was second cousins with the film source.

[BigOnAnime]

More reviews:

Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 1
Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
Attack on Titan Season 3 (Complete)
Naruto Set 2

There's some redundancy with AOT because FUNimation very rarely makes new discs.

[Bobo1313]

Originally Posted by TThomas

Media Blasters claimed they were using a film source and also claimed that they were allowed to include the UK dub.

He did everything he could to not give a definitive answer when asked.

Question: is this an upscale or real deal film transfer in true hd?

Answer: There own transfer. I trust them.

Question: so it's an upscale then

Answer: If you are talking about DM we did no work to the transfer. They handled from Japan from their elements. So untouched by MB.

[xXx$uicide_Ma$terxXx]

The source was film but it was transferred to tape

[emmet otter]

I don't know if this was mentioned, but i'll just post these anyways.
My displeasement of the 'crapimations' release of Black Lagoon.

I don't know why there are so much gradient/banding issues with this. Its on many of the episodes.

Episode 6 @ 11:28


Episode 4 @ 10:15


Episode @ 10:36


Episode 7 @ 1:38


These shots to me are an anomaly. I don't understand why the 'low res' scan appearance on the outlines if you look closely. Any reason why these are like this?

Episode 11 @ 19:13


Episode 6 @ 7:38


Episode 6 @ 6:22


Episode @ 2:08

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by emmet otter

I don't know if this was mentioned, but i'll just post these anyways.
My displeasement of the 'crapimations' release of Black Lagoon.

I don't know why there are so much gradient/banding issues with this. Its on many of the episodes.

It's largely baked into the source, however it is emphasised in Funi's BD because they encoded it incorrectly with higher gamma levels, so everything is brighter.

Originally Posted by emmet otter

These shots to me are an anomaly. I don't understand why the 'low res' scan appearance on the outlines if you look closely. Any reason why these are like this?

I don't know the answer, but the BDs are obviously upscaled from a SD source, so I assume certain aspects were just composited at various resolutions much like how modern productions are.

[ussjtrunks]

Something is very wrong with ep3 of made in abyss sentais release, I’ve not seen these before any idea what these lines are?

[Naiera]

What’re we looking for?

[Kyle15]

There's literally visible horizontal lines going across both images. They almost look like a video game emulator CRT filter.

[Tylerfan]

Reminds me of a pair of blinds honestly