The Studio Ghibli (JP) Discussion Thread

[Porco Azzurro]

Originally Posted by nusilver

So, continuing on with the Ghibli collection, I watched Only Yesterday tonight -- apparently this is one my wife hadn't seen. When the movie was over, I had to explain to her why I was crying. Ha. I always forget the film ends with The Rose, which was my mom's favorite song and one that we played at her memorial service when she died 11 years ago. Only Yesterday is all about the nostalgia we carry with us through life, but man, that song hits me in the sweet spot every time.

Aw, that's beautiful, I love stories like that. I find Ghibli films in general have an amazing capacity to make one feel nostalgic and emotional, let alone when you associate any part of them with something so personal. It's like you get a perfect blend of sad and happy tears when a Ghibli film sets you off.

[Fabiosugitani]

Originally Posted by Porco Azzurro

Aw, that's beautiful, I love stories like that. I find Ghibli films in general have an amazing capacity to make one feel nostalgic and emotional, let alone when you associate any part of them with something so personal. It's like you get a perfect blend of sad and happy tears when a Ghibli film sets you off.

Yeah, that's my case too.
When I moved to Japan in 91, Totoro and Laputa were the movies I watched at home over and over.

Totoro was the first Japanese movie I ever watched, even not knowing any of the language at the time I was mesmerized by, and quickly learned the theme song.

When I watch them today I can even remember the smells and emotions I went thru that time.

[Girls With Guns]

Originally Posted by nusilver

So... any day now for a Kaguya Blu-ray announcement, right? I'm also crossing my fingers for Umi ga Kikoeru at the same time. I don't know why, but I feel uneasy about the release prospects for that one.

Yeah, I have those similar feelings that we may never see Ocean Waves in the JP series, just for one stupid reason... "oh, but it wasn't a Ghibli theatrical release, so it doesn't belong in this theatrical series" bullcrap. "Besides, no one likes it anyway, so it's not worth the effort to release it in HD, right? On your Mark was so much better, lets plan to release that one in HD instead."

That's why I decided a few months ago to go ahead and order the Ocean Waves JP DVD, together with my pre-order for the Spirited Away and Cagliostro Blu-rays. I'll be getting all 3 titles together on August 6th. I wanted something more physical in my collection than just the fansub for it. The prospect of OW on Blu-ray was one of the primary reasons, if not the primary reason, that I started collecting the JP series over a year ago in the first place. Nothing would make me happier than if we'd get an announcement for OW on blu-ray sometime this year.

[nusilver]

Originally Posted by Girls With Guns

Yeah, I have those similar feelings that we may never see Ocean Waves in the JP series, just for one stupid reason... "oh, but it wasn't a Ghibli theatrical release, so it doesn't belong in this theatrical series" bullcrap. "Besides, no one likes it anyway, so it's not worth the effort to release it in HD, right? On your Mark was so much better, lets plan to release that one in HD instead."

That's why I decided a few months ago to go ahead and order the Ocean Waves JP DVD, together with my pre-order for the Spirited Away and Cagliostro Blu-rays. I'll be getting all 3 titles together on August 6th. I wanted something more physical in my collection than just the fansub for it. The prospect of OW on Blu-ray was one of the primary reasons, if not the primary reason, that I started collecting the JP series over a year ago in the first place. Nothing would make me happier than if we'd get an announcement for OW on blu-ray sometime this year.

I understand! I don't own the DVD anymore -- sold it last year, anticipating a Blu-ray release -- but I still have the region-free DVD9 copy I made of it so I could actually play it on something other than a PC. I watched it this morning, in fact... it still looks pretty great on DVD!

[nusilver]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

all for extremely premium prices? F-that. Ghibli can take my money at the theater, and through other imports instead.

It's not really a premium. The set works out to about $38 USD per disc (at least to the U.S.), which is the going rate for Japanese Ghibli DVDs, and about $22 less than the going rate per an imported Ghibli Blu-ray. Even if you don't count the 2 bonus discs, it's still only $44 per disc, or $16 less than the standard rate.

As I mentioned previously, it's actually a pretty attractive option for someone who just wants all of Miyazaki's films in one fell swoop. Why complain about the price of Japanese media on a forum for colllectors? It's always been this way.

[K-Shaps]

Is there any word yet on Princess Mononoke and the rest of the Miyazaki catalog being released from Disney? I can't afford to spend $70 per movie let alone the $600 for this box set.

On the subject of Mononoke, can someone post screen comparisons with the box set and the standard JP BD?

[deschain]

The mononoke comparisons are on the previous page they're identical.

[manicsounds]

Originally Posted by nusilver

It's not really a premium. The set works out to about $38 USD per disc (at least to the U.S.), which is the going rate for Japanese Ghibli DVDs, and about $22 less than the going rate per an imported Ghibli Blu-ray. Even if you don't count the 2 bonus discs, it's still only $44 per disc, or $16 less than the standard rate.

As I mentioned previously, it's actually a pretty attractive option for someone who just wants all of Miyazaki's films in one fell swoop. Why complain about the price of Japanese media on a forum for colllectors? It's always been this way.

$44 per barebones disc? Not for me... I'll just watch it on TV or a rental would suffice. I may be a collector (considering the amount in my collection) but I won't pay that much for bare titles...

[GenPion]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

$44 per barebones disc? Not for me... I'll just watch it on TV or a rental would suffice. I may be a collector (considering the amount in my collection) but I won't pay that much for bare titles...

If it's any consolation, the standalone releases consist of non-subtitled extras and the discs in the set have increased bit-rates.

[svenge]

Originally Posted by K-Shaps

Is there any word yet on Princess Mononoke and the rest of the Miyazaki catalog being released from Disney? I can't afford to spend $70 per movie let alone the $600 for this box set.

Since you're Stateside (and thus wouldn't need a region-free player for it), you could always get the Region-A Hong Kong BD of Princess Mononoke for ~$40.

Of course it doesn't have the English dub (but does have the original Japanese DTS-HD MA 5.1 audio and English subtitles), so if you're a dub-watcher that might be a deal-breaker...

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Originally Posted by manicsounds

F-that. Ghibli can take my money at the theater, and through other imports instead.

I don't blame you manic! If I lived in Japan like you, and had to pay these insane inflated prices aimed towards collectors, I would probably go about reverse importing everything on BD from the US & UK as well! But you have to understand, there's a different view for some of those here, who are more than willing to pay the premium prices to have their favorite show/film in the best A/V quality available, with unsurpassed bitrates, pristine packaging, and gorgeous design. Japan really knows how to milk their customers, and their pricing scheme may seem crazy, but when we see Japan's Blu-rays we go = and I'm sure it can be seen the other way around for those in Japan who see our dirt cheap movies on Blu-ray compared to their JP prices.

[filmmusic]

Originally Posted by UseY0ur1llusi0n

Japan really knows how to milk their customers, and their pricing scheme may seem crazy, but when we see Japan's Blu-rays we go = and I'm sure it can be seen the other way around for those in Japan who see our dirt cheap movies on Blu-ray compared to their JP prices.

If only they subtitled their series too, and you didn't have to sell your kidney to buy them..
(eg. Heidi, Anne of Green Gables etc.)

[UseY0ur1llusi0n]

Originally Posted by filmmusic

If only they subtitled their series too, and you didn't have to sell your kidney to buy them..
(eg. Heidi, Anne of Green Gables etc.)

Oh man, I've heard those look gorgeous, along with Future Boy Conan. Shame Lupin CoC couldn't be remastered by Bandai Visual. 99% of the time their BD releases are superb, and very much film like.

[Fabiosugitani]

I've been ordering from Amazon.co.jp 2 titles at the time, because my pocket, save on shipping and better shipment package. I order 1 Miyazaki title, 1 non-Miyazaki title.
Ordered Spirited Away with Arrietty together a while a go and they just shipped Arrietty alone and shipping Chihiro right after arriving 2 days apart. What a waste. I hope it gets here intact.

[JohnCarberry]

I just had similar with Spirited Away and The Wind Rises. Ordered both together, but they have just sent The Wind Rises, nearly a month after release but only days before the other release instead of sending both together.

[Girls With Guns]

Originally Posted by Fabiosugitani

I've been ordering from Amazon.co.jp 2 titles at the time, because my pocket, save on shipping and better shipment package. I order 1 Miyazaki title, 1 non-Miyazaki title.
Ordered Spirited Away with Arrietty together a while a go and they just shipped Arrietty alone and shipping Chihiro right after arriving 2 days apart. What a waste. I hope it gets here intact.

What you need to do is, immediately after placing an order having multiple items, with either different pre-order release dates, or along with in-stock items, would be to contact amazon.co.jp through their English contact page, give them the order number, and specifically request they hold all available titles in the order and mark the order for everything to ship together in a box with extra padding, and they will make a note in the order for you. When I contacted them about my Wind Rises damage from shipping in a padded envelope, I also requested that my remaining pre-order of Spirited Away, Cagliostro, and Ocean Waves DVD be held until all are in-stock and then shipped together in one shipment, and they replied that they noted that on my order and will do that. You should be able to use that same process if you wanted to request better packaging for an order of a single fragile item shipping alone - place the order and contact them right away with the order number and your request. You especially need to contact them immediately if ordering in-stock items though, because they ship those out so quickly - sometimes they are out the door within 2 hours of placing your order.

Be aware there is a chance that the items may need to ship from separate warehouses, so shipping them together may not be possible.

[Sinthetic]

First footage of the new TV Series by Goro Miyazaki. The character style with CG really reminds me of Freedom Project.

New Ghibli

Also, 4 DAYS TILL SPIRITED AWAY.

[Fabiosugitani]

Originally Posted by Girls With Guns

What you need to do is, immediately after placing an order having multiple items, with either different pre-order release dates, or along with in-stock items, would be to contact amazon.co.jp through their English contact page, give them the order number, and specifically request they hold all available titles in the order and mark the order for everything to ship together in a box with extra padding, and they will make a note in the order for you. When I contacted them about my Wind Rises damage from shipping in a padded envelope, I also requested that my remaining pre-order of Spirited Away, Cagliostro, and Ocean Waves DVD be held until all are in-stock and then shipped together in one shipment, and they replied that they noted that on my order and will do that. You should be able to use that same process if you wanted to request better packaging for an order of a single fragile item shipping alone - place the order and contact them right away with the order number and your request. You especially need to contact them immediately if ordering in-stock items though, because they ship those out so quickly - sometimes they are out the door within 2 hours of placing your order.

Be aware there is a chance that the items may need to ship from separate warehouses, so shipping them together may not be possible.

thank you, will do that next time!

I'm not really a fan of that CGI face expressions in the video above.

[GC Riot]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

First footage of the new TV Series by Goro Miyazaki. The character style with CG really reminds me of Freedom Project.

New Ghibli

Well... a little underwhelming, I really don't like cel-shading replacing traditional animatino since it always loses the human touch and ends up looking a little stiff, but being riased with Ronja in both book and tv-form, this is still a must-see!

[rickah88]

Originally Posted by Sinthetic

First footage of the new TV Series by Goro Miyazaki. The character style with CG really reminds me of Freedom Project.

New Ghibli




Also, 4 DAYS TILL SPIRITED AWAY.

Not for me...I've got about 1 month's wait, since I ordered this, and the set, with Lupin III.

Must....hold....out....a...little....longer!