The Anime Blu-ray Video Quality Thread

[vincentric]

Apologies if already mentioned, anyone know if the Sentai 2020 steelbook release of Akame Ga Kill contains an improved encode over the older 2016 discs - less banding, higher bitrate, etc.?

[cooperb21]

Originally Posted by vincentric

Apologies if already mentioned, anyone know if the Sentai 2020 steelbook release of Akame Ga Kill contains an improved encode over the older 2016 discs - less banding, higher bitrate, etc.?

I haven't seen a direct comparison, but most sentai re-releaases have all been a direct upgrade. Usually better quality videos and subs. The older the release, bigger the difference and Akame Ga Kill was an old one.

[Mangaranga]

Originally Posted by cooperb21

I haven't seen a direct comparison, but most sentai re-releaases have all been a direct upgrade. Usually better quality videos and subs. The older the release, bigger the difference and Akame Ga Kill was an old one.

The only time they ever really re-encode the video is if it isn't one of their modern post end of 2013/14 encodes. Video wise I can more or less guarantee it'll be exactly the same. The only thing they really update in any of their re-releases, if anything, is the subs. Clannad got some typesetting improvements between the complete collection and the steelbook iirc.

[Ikari]

Originally Posted by NLScavenger

Some BDInfo of Future Boy Conan UK/FR UHD and UK BD

Worth getting? It's really hard to justify the price when comparing it to the bluray set...

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by Ikari

Worth getting? It's really hard to justify the price when comparing it to the bluray set...

You'll be owning a piece of anime history as it's the first ever anime TV series to get a UHD release.

[Prince_7]

Originally Posted by Ikari

Worth getting? It's really hard to justify the price when comparing it to the bluray set...

Absolutly, the UHD looks fantastic

[NLScavenger]

My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission - Periscoop Film NL BD vs Toho JP BD

Comparison (expires on July 19 2024)

NL BD


JP BD


I had sworn off Periscoop Film Blu-ray releases because of their poor track record, but after somebody sent me some footage I decided to buy this release. Turns out to be a pretty decent release with correct colors and gamma. The main difference in picture quality comes from the use of a deband filter on the JP BD, which also adds grain to the image.

The encode was done in x264 with the following settings:

Writing library                          : x264 core 155
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=4 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=8 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=36 / lookahead_threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / slices=4 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / stitchable=1 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=24 / keyint_min=1 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=24 / rc=2pass / mbtree=1 / bitrate=26000 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / vbv_maxrate=34000 / vbv_bufsize=26000 / nal_hrd=vbr / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=3:1.00

Since this is region free and has English subtitles, this might be a viable alternative to the Crunchyroll US/UK/AU release. However, the 24fps framerate suggests that the cinema version was used, just like most of Periscoop Film's anime home video releases (except for Your Name and Promare). I have not been able to verify if there are any changes made to this film's home video version, but regardless, the use of cinema version is not something that should happen.

BDInfo

DISC INFO:

Disc Label:     BDROM
Disc Size:      23,432,299,624 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BDInfo:         0.7.5.8

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00000.MPLS
Length:                 1:44:21.000 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   23,215,835,136 bytes
Total Bitrate:          29.66 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        25877 kbps          1080p / 24 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             Japanese        2196 kbps       5.1 / 48 kHz /  2196 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz /  1509 kbps / 16-bit)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           Dutch           24.397 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         27.477 kbps

[Ikari]

Originally Posted by Prince_7

Absolutly, the UHD looks fantastic

Shame I missed the 30% off preorder period then. The first set is only 20% off now.

[Member-571539]

Devil Hunter Yohko Toho JP BD

via russ869 from The Fandom Post

Screens:

https://i.imgur.com/d3585HW.png
https://i.imgur.com/89LXlH3.png
https://i.imgur.com/4Gse7b1.png
https://i.imgur.com/le0mwIX.png
https://i.imgur.com/0JLo8sL.png
https://i.imgur.com/wg7XR3N.png
https://i.imgur.com/Ob7gNwT.png
https://i.imgur.com/44GgBUR.png

[The Collector FX]

Originally Posted by gloomranger

Devil Hunter Yohko Toho JP BD

via russ869 from The Fandom Post

Looks pretty rough around the edges. I mean there's no ghosting or anything but the image just isn't very crisp, it looks like a really, really good DVD.

[BigOnAnime]

It seems some DNR was applied.

[NLScavenger]

The screenshots are in 1690x950 and the colors are pixelated/aliased because of nearest neighbor scaling of chroma planes. I'm guessing the colors are incorrect too.

[CrashOveride95]

I really don't think it looks that bad, but echoing NL's point these aren't the best reference screenshots

But even then I think this looks great

[DatLOLBoi]

Originally Posted by gloomranger

Devil Hunter Yohko Toho JP BD

via russ869 from The Fandom Post

These look quite nice! Wonder who did grain management on this. Props to them for keeping the details while scrubbing the grain. Thinking I might get this someday soon and take better screenshots as NL and Crash said, these aren't the highest possible quality

[DatLOLBoi]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

It seems some DNR was applied.

Well that's obvious. Basically any and all Blu-rays of film releases have at least *some* DNR applied. Plus this looks pretty good so far.

[professorwho]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

It seems some DNR was applied.

And? That doesn't automatically make it bad. It seems like every time some amount of DNR is visible people here specifically loose their mind.

The caps, while they might not be taken correctly, show a good new scan and competent grain management, so I'd love to see a localised BD in the future using it.

[Show spoiler]I wonder how people will react upon learning that every film based transfer has some level of grain management

[briwas101]

Originally Posted by professorwho

And? That doesn't automatically make it bad. It seems like every time some amount of DNR is visible people here specifically loose their mind.

The caps, while they might not be taken correctly, show a good new scan and competent grain management, so I'd love to see a localised BD in the future using it.

[Show spoiler]I wonder how people will react upon learning that every film based transfer has some level of grain management

Correct. There is minor, tasteful DNR, and then there is *egregious* DNR.
If the masters aren't in good condition then a DNR-free release would often look worse. If the goal is to make the show/movie look as good as possible and as close to the original source as possible then it is perfectly justified to use a *small* amount of DNR.
I think a lot of people just jump on DNR because they feel it makes them look smarter.
"HEY GUISE, IT HAS DNR! DO NOT BUY"

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by professorwho

And? That doesn't automatically make it bad. It seems like every time some amount of DNR is visible people here specifically loose their mind.

The caps, while they might not be taken correctly, show a good new scan and competent grain management, so I'd love to see a localised BD in the future using it.

[Show spoiler]I wonder how people will react upon learning that every film based transfer has some level of grain management

Yes, but it could look a bit better is what I'm saying. It looks good, but it could be better if there was less DNR applied and thus more grain was visible.

Also, hoping said localized Blu-ray is released under ADV Films to celebrate their 30th birthday this year.

[sagadego]

give it to Q tech they'll fix it up XD

[BigOnAnime]

Originally Posted by sagadego

give it to Q tech they'll fix it up XD

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...L._SL1500_.jpg

Yeah, no. Now that's the kind of DNR I hate with a passion and find unwatchable, unless it's like their Dragon Ball Z Kai upscale which looks okay. Q-TEC upscales though are far more destructive to early digipaint shows than cel-animated ones.