The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[peppapigstan]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Mobile Fighter G Gundam - USA/UK BD vs JPN BD
Comparison
Screenshot gallery

pretty meh transfer imo, the 35mm NCOP/ED looks too clean to where you can some smudging and the actual show looks smudged despite the presence of grain (which would be fake), maybe it's just that some 16mm shows look inherently soft and some don't, but who knows

[peppapigstan]

Space Battleship Yamato (1977 Compilation movie)- Bandai UHD (tonemapped)


BDInfo:

Quick Summary: 
Disc Title: SPACE CRUISER YAMATO 4K REMASTER
Disc Label: SPACE_CRUISER_YAMATO_UHD
Disc Size: 93,899,025,065 bytes
Protection: AACS2
Playlist: 00001.MPLS
Size: 70,667,046,912 bytes
Length: 2:15:17.150
Total Bitrate: 69.65 Mbps
Video: MPEG-H HEVC Video / 61931 kbps / 2160p / 23.976 fps / 16:9 / Main 10 @ Level 5.1 @ High / 10 bits / HDR10 / BT.2020 
maxCLL: 412 cd/m^2 
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Audio: Japanese / LPCM Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitle: Japanese / 31.805 kbps

Personal Thoughts:
Another Bandai UHD release of a cel-era anime, this time they had IMAGICA scan the original negatives and do the restoration work! This transfer looks brighter compared to the other Bandai UHD anime releases, but this movie did get the DNR treatment and it's on the heavier side. Fear not, there's still a semblance of grain, texture, and clarity but since this is a compilation movie (well a compilation movie of a show done on 35mm but there's still generational loss even if the movie's source is a negative) the image is soft regardless. However, this still looks good in terms of color if you're not a fan of the softer image. The next movie on the other hand...

Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato (1978 movie)- Bandai UHD (tonemapped)


BDInfo:

(similar specs to the first movie, will only list the differences): 
Size: 80.4 GB 
Length: 2 h 31 min 
Total Bitrate: 75.8 Mbps

Personal Thoughts:
This transfer reminds me of the Mazinger Z Movie Collection UHD's but done less carefully, from a viewing distance it looks fine, but looking up close, it's weird to see. The HDR is the same as the last movie quality-wise and it's a OCN scan by IMAGICA. I wonder if Bandai/the original creators wanted the DNR for these movies. Going forward, I will continue to be cautious of any Bandai UHD releases for cel-era anime.

[Mangaranga]

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/In-Sp...288935/#Review

In/Spectre Blu-ray, Video Quality 4/5

Released on Blu-ray by VIZ Media, In/Spectre is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition video presentation looks impressive and there are a lot of elements at play that will impress anime fans. The crisp and colorful art provides the series with its distinct animation style. The encoding on the release also highlights the series aesthetic with bold colors and good detail.

There is absolutely no way the reviewer actually watched the BD. What a clown.
I can only assume that the "lot of elements at play that will impress anime fans" line refers to the incorrect gamma, obscene levels of blocking, banding and just absolutely awful compression it suffers from.

[PGW]

All of Neil Lumbard's reviews read like they've been AI generated from a press release. I usually don't read them because I find them so useless.

[stalepie]

How does Space Adventure Cobra fare on UHD? Does it look different from the regular Blu-Ray? Just more grain?

[BoopityBoop]

Originally Posted by stalepie

How does Space Adventure Cobra fare on UHD? Does it look different from the regular Blu-Ray? Just more grain?

Less grain, it has pretty heavy DNR. I've heard the HDR is quite good, though.

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by PGW

All of Neil Lumbard's reviews read like they've been AI generated from a press release. I usually don't read them because I find them so useless.

He has a tendency to overuse the word "fans" a lot. Also, his reviews where he mentions "streaming" are reading especially poorly. His newer reviews are reading worse than his older ones, even though they also seem to be copy/paste from a template.

You don't need to compare every single Blu-ray to streaming, including stuff that isn't even streaming at all (Ex: Why mention streaming for the Nanoha movies? They're currently NOT legally streaming anywhere here.). You're writing for a website named Blu-ray.com. Who visits this site? Not people who primarily stream, you're not going to convert people or save the industry. I understand you're upset about the landscape, I am too, but streaming is not the devil, the companies foolishly pushing digital-only for control are. Also the primary convenience of streaming is cost, it's exponentially cheaper, not everyone can afford to spend thousands of dollars per year on Blu-rays they might not even like, or don't want to own forever and have to spend time selling later.

When I'm reading a review on Blu-ray.com, I want to read about the Blu-ray release itself, not how it compares to streaming, even if it's not even legally streaming at all. You're also making it sound like there's no such thing as a bad Blu-ray disc and the only reason Blu-ray is good is because it's not streaming. That is doing the format a disservice.

There is also a lack of 5 minutes of research at times. Like claiming the 4th Nanoha movie is the second one (fun fact, Reflection originally was going to have "3rd" in the title), or that World Trigger originally premiered on Disney+ in Japan in 2014...5 years before Disney+ ever launched. No, really.

World Trigger: Season 1 brings the action and spectacle of alien invasion series to the forefront. The series was originally streamed on Disney+ (where the series premiered in Japan). The anime has an impressive aesthetic with production by the acclaimed studio Toei Animation (Digimon: Data Squad, Dragon Ball). Created by Daisuke Ashihara, World Trigger: Season 1 provides a mighty punch of action and excitement for action-anime fans.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/World...288626/#Review

It actually aired on multiple TV stations at the same time.
https://cal.syoboi.jp/tid/3540/time
http://anison.info/data/program/17575.html
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83...80%81%E5%B1%80

Lastly, he doesn't always do it, and this is a nitpick I have with pretty much everyone that has reviewed anime for this site, but I don't like when people try to make it sound like the publishers here are skimping on extras. Most anime releases, even Japanese ones do not have extensive making of features and such on the disc. If you want to know more about the production, you have to read interviews in anime magazines or booklets, which these days tend to come here only if the release gets a premium release, though Aniplex USA often cuts out the meaty parts of the booklets out.

When we did get a good amount of extras back in the day, there were more about the American side of production rather than the Japanese. Publishers are usually including everything there is, aside from the Japanese commentary tracks which are a pain to license and translate (you have to do everything by ear), and thus very rarely come here.

About the only times I've seen us missing extras was there was some JP event extra for Absolute Duo we didn't get, and the making of extras for Chu2koi season 1 and Sound! Euphonium are missing. Clean OP/ED and commercials are basically all there is for video extras on most anime releases even in Japan going all the way back to the DVD days.

Almost forgot but, what is with skipping stuff? He skipped season 5 of My Hero Academia entirely and went straight to season 6, and reviewed only the second half of Ranking of Kings.

Sorry for the rant, but I've been more frustrated as of late.

[Tylerfan]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Sorry for the rant, but I've been more frustrated as of late.

Here, ease yourself

Bob James - Angela (Theme from 'Taxi') (audio) - YouTube

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/In-Sp...288935/#Review



There is absolutely no way the reviewer actually watched the BD. What a clown.
I can only assume that the "lot of elements at play that will impress anime fans" line refers to the incorrect gamma, obscene levels of blocking, banding and just absolutely awful compression it suffers from.

Holy shit...
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...935&position=5
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...935&position=7
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...935&position=8
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...935&position=9
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...35&position=10
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...35&position=11
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...35&position=13
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...35&position=14
https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/scree...35&position=15

I'm not the best at spotting stuff, incorrect gamma especially if I have nothing to compare it to, but this just looks atrocious, especially the two shots I put for. I have no intention on owning this on Blu-ray as what little I saw I did not care for, but just yeesh at how bad this looks.

Willing to bet if he ever reviews Kamisama Kiss S2, he'd give it a similar score instead of a 1/5 or 2/5 as that release is plagued with banding even in bright scenes.

[jala12]

Is it true that the Viz Jujutsu Kaisen blu-ray quality is worse than CR streaming?

[Naiera]

Yeah, something like that.

Definitely worth going UK with that one.

[AreaFive]

Originally Posted by jala12

Is it true that the Viz Jujutsu Kaisen blu-ray quality is worse than CR streaming?

From what I remember, the UK version has significantly better subs as well.

[jala12]

Is the UK version region free?

[Member-571539]

Originally Posted by jala12

Is the UK version region free?

No, it’s Region B only. It would be a great time to invest in a region free Blu-ray player, so you can import from around the world and watch anything you want.

[FullmetalClover]

Originally Posted by jala12

Is it true that the Viz Jujutsu Kaisen blu-ray quality is worse than CR streaming?

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

https://slow.pics/c/KJJ3USuQ

The third screenshot really highlights the difference in quality. I assume Part 2 isn't any better. At least Crunchyroll should release Season 2 themselves instead of Viz.

[jala12]

Originally Posted by FullmetalClover

The third screenshot really highlights the difference in quality. I assume Part 2 isn't any better. At least Crunchyroll should release Season 2 themselves instead of Viz.

Damn, that's pretty bad. Kind of defeats the purpose of the BD if the streaming version beats it out.

[SpazeBlue]

Originally Posted by jala12

Damn, that's pretty bad. Kind of defeats the purpose of the BD if the streaming version beats it out.

Neil would have a heart attack.

[BigOnAnime]

But there's no such thing as a Blu-ray that looks worse than a stream, it's always better automatically. Heck, Blu-ray is always better than DVD!

How it started.

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Re:Zero: Season 2 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The Blu-ray release has decent picture-quality. The release has a somewhat soft appearance and this appears to be source related. The animation looks a bit soft in spots and is not as robust or crisp as some might wish to experience. The animation simply doesn't look as breathtaking as one might envision. This is an underwhelming aspect of the release – even though the release is still impressive on other areas.

Certainly, the encode is decent enough even if the source animation could have used some better production elements in terms of clarity and sharpness. The encode also has some banding that is cumbersome at times. The animation would have looked better with some sharper imagery and the underwhelming elements make this a presentation that simply doesn't stand out as well. A decent presentation but one that could be better if the art style was more robust. Despite some quirks, the presentation is decent and still deserves a solid score as the softness appears to be source- related for the program.

Though the video presentation is a bit underwhelming because of the soft source, the video quality is still going to be superior to streaming video platforms. Viewers should remember that streaming video services only provide heavily compressed data streams with lower bit-rates and inferior encoding methods. In order to eek out the absolute best presentation quality possible, one will want to opt for the Blu-ray disc experience – even if the disc version only offers a marginal improvement for a presentation like this one, it is still superior – and something that adds an enormous amount of value for fans.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Re:Ze...340348/#Review

How's it going.

Released on Blu-ray by VIZ Media, Levius is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the streaming aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The high-definition visuals are underwhelming to say the least. The transfer could look a lot better than it does. The encode looks similar to what I would expect to find from Netflix streaming. There is a ton of banding on the release. The image looks too compressed at times. The image doesn't have as crisp or detailed video as one might hope to find. Underwhelming. An average quality transfer at best. For those considering a purchase to get a superior presentation, it isn't going to impress and the release could be a lot better looking.

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Leviu...329841/#Review

I burst out laughing when I read that review.

In a perfect world, Blu-ray would always beat out streaming and DVD, but we don't live in a perfect world. Hopefully more people accept that reality, and put a bit more effort in when reviewing something.

[Mangaranga]

Jojo Stone Ocean is another safe pickup from Viz.

Same as GW Part 2 and Kishibe Rohan, so decent encode, correct colour space and 16bit DTS-HD MA audio. It does have an oddity to it in that it retains the post OP/ED blank sponsor segments for broadcast which are not present on the JP BD, but I don't immediately have any reason to suspect it's using an inferior master (no dimming and episode 1 syncs up correctly to the JP BD). I'm also not sure if there were actually any animation changes made for the BD to begin with, as fixes were already made between the Netflix and TV Broadcast version.

Edit: It has the fixes from the Japanese BD, however there's barely any of them and they aren't major by any means.

[Gowho]

Originally Posted by Mangaranga

Jojo Stone Ocean is another safe pickup from Viz.

Same as GW Part 2 and Kishibe Rohan, so decent encode, correct colour space and 16bit DTS-HD MA audio. It does have an oddity to it in that it retains the post OP/ED blank sponsor segments for broadcast which are not present on the JP BD, but I don't immediately have any reason to suspect it's using an inferior master (no dimming and episode 1 syncs up correctly to the JP BD). I'm also not sure if there were actually any animation changes made for the BD to begin with, as fixes were already made between the Netflix and TV Broadcast version.

Edit: It has the fixes from the Japanese BD, however there's barely any of them and they aren't major by any means.

Sounds a lot like Sailor Moon Crystal which used the 2015 TV broadcast version (Japanese Blu-ray with sponsor cards added in).