Dragon Ball Z Kai differences

[A Sith Lord?]

Originally Posted by Si1entElegy

The orange boxsets were released in 9 boxsets with the video remastering handled by FUNimation themselves. The biggest problem with this release was the video cropping...DBZ was broadcasted in 4:3 and what FUNi did was made it "widescreen." The top and bottom parts of the video were chopped off and you would gain a small percentage of new footage on the sides. The video also suffers from excessive DNR and in the earlier sets you would see missing outlines here and there. Next episode previews are missing.

The yellow boxsets are the Japanese masters released in 7 sets, each corresponding to the 7 Dragon Balls. The video is true to the original vision though the colors seem a bit muted compared to the orange boxsets. If you want all of the episodes (fillers included!), this is the way to go. Next episode previews are included, but the audio for the English track is missing since they were never recorded in the first place. The packaging is also the selling point because you get a nice box with thick booklets.

The Kai sets is the revised version of DBZ. The video is remastered to 16:9 HD quality with rerecorded dialogue and updated sound effects. New theme songs are featured. The pacing is more faster since filler material is omitted; the episode count goes from the original 291 episodes to 99 revised episodes. This is considered to be the director's cut of the series and follows the manga more closely.

Ok, I'm someone that grew up watching DBZ religiously on Cartoon Network in the late 90's. This was the first version I was exposed to. I've downloaded a bunch of japanese versions but never watched them.

As someone who would love to own the Cartoon Network version (American voices plus Falconer audio), which set would be the best to buy whether blu or DVD?

After reading all these threads, I see Kai is just a director's cut with updated music and voices. I can re-visit that another day.

I'm not a purist like most of you here, but I'm also someone that doesn't mind watching the original intended presentation. I watch Criterion's all the time with the native audio and not english subtitles.

First and foremost, I want to own the Cartoon network edition whether blu-ray or dvd (preferably blu-ray but DVD's I don't mind even upscaling). Is there a set that has BOTH the japanese and american dubs?

Picture quality isn't a dealbreaker for me, as long as I can re-live the nostalgia 85-90%, I'm ok. I know none of these sets are perfect, but I can live with it.

[Thomas Guycott]

The orange brick DVD season sets are, IIRC, the only complete release which includes the original English broadcast soundtrack, although the early Saban episodes were redubbed with the contemporary Funimation cast.

[LegacyCosts]

Watch it with the Japanese tunes, it fits the show much better tonally than Falconer ever could. It'll grow on you...plus the dragonboxes are just so much better than the orange bricks.

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by LegacyCosts

Watch it with the Japanese tunes, it fits the show much better tonally than Falconer ever could. It'll grow on you...plus the dragonboxes are just so much better than the orange bricks.

Personally, I like both in their own seperate ways. I even own the soundtrack cds featuring Faulconer's music.

[TheAnimeLegend]

Originally Posted by MOONPHASE

Personally, I like both in their own seperate ways. I even own the soundtrack cds featuring Faulconer's music.

+1 I own the Soundtrack CDs as well. I like both as well even though I have moved on from the original Z I can't help but sit down and listen to some of the Bruce Faulconer music.