Thoughts on Anime Blu-ray and possibly 3D

Just bought all the new Ghibli Blu-ray releases,

Castle in the Sky
Whisper of the Heart
Arrietty
Nausicaa (Miyazaki film and not Ghibli)

I have to say it took long enough. They still have yet to release Totoro and few others yet and thats just the Ghibli films. Anime on Blu-ray in general is taking way too long in my opinion and the part that sucks is that when they finally do release them they increase the cost by 1/3 of its original asking price which is pretty standard for most movies but with anime prices already being so high it can really hurt the wallet sometimes. The only part that helps is selling the original version on eBay and using some of that money towards the blu-ray version lol.

Anyways, the thing Im looking forward to and hope that it doesnt take as long as the blu-ray releases is some 3D anime. I know its just a gimmick but I have to say that I would LOVE to see Akira or Ghost in the Shell in 3D just to name a few.

I'd love to hear someone elses thoughts on either anime blu-ray or the possibilty of 3D.

 

I definitely look forward to get all of Ghibli films on blu-ray... already have several in DVD. I don't care about 3D, but I do hope they include additional extras (within the disc) as well as better quality and more languages.

 

Porco Rosso is coming soon if i recall correctly, supposed to be having a limited theatrical run with the cleaned up new transfer followed by BD

 

I agree, more languages would be a plus.

It really takes almost no extra room on the disc, so whether a specific country speaks a language or not they should just include any dubs they have regardless.

As for more extras, its kind of hit and miss. Some blu-rays have more extras than the dvd counterparts but not all of them. But as for the quality, I really notice a difference, especially on some of the more dated ones like Nausicaa, looks great on a 50" TV.

 

I was just wondering about that one actualy.

That would be awesome, gotta love the Porc

 

I have Akira and both GitS movies on BD. Akira looks incredible for an 80s anime, but what annoys me is that the GitS BD is version 2.0 with those ugly CGI scenes instead of the great original animation, and the original version is only on the disc as a crappy-looking SD transfer. GitS 2.0 still looks gorgeous, though, as does GitS 2: Innocence...although honestly, it's not that good of a movie.

 

Thanks for heads up on the Akira BD, Ive actually looking for a copy myself but for some bloody reason its been hard as hell to find whether it be on eBay or an actually anime site. I just sold my copy of Akira on Laserdisc the other day along with my Ghost in the Shell. They were cool to own as a collectors item but horrible to watch and Im moving so it was just time to let them go.

 

yeah I downloaded the GITS bluray when it first came out and immediately deleted it, really shoddy upscale transfer with a ton of noise, is Akira available in north america or only as an import?

 

I think the DVD is but not the Blu-ray which for such awell known anime REALLY blows my mind.

I just bought FF VII Advent Children on Blu-ray and I must say that the picture quality and sound are both awesome IMO (The price didnt hurt either at $12). I also bought Redline but Ive only just previewed it so I dont know how good the storyline is but from what I saw it looked pretty good and the car sounds were like being at an actually race, so Im looking forward to actually sitting down and watching the whole thing.

Ive got Origin: Spirits from the Past BD and Cowboy Bebop the Movie BD in the postal system right now, cant wait to receive them.

 

As anyone seen the Bubblegum Crisis BluRay discs? I have the DVD set and DVD set of Bubblegum Crash as well. The DVDs look OK but I don't want to pay a load of cash for the BluRays if they're the same as the DVDs without any clean up.

Yakumo

 

I dont believe its been released yet but as far as whether or not it will be worth picking up when it is released, all I can say is that I am yet to be disappointed by any anime BD's Ive picked up. Ive never bought an overseas BD release yet, only NTSC so thats all I have to compare to but the visuals and the sound on each of my anime BDs are better than there DVD versions. Like Ive said before though that it will depend on your TV size and whether or not extras mean alot to you because there isnt always alot of "new" extras on the BD vs the DVD. Like your standard movies though lots of times they wait to release a collectors edition to add the new extras to, anything they can do to make more money right

 

By the way, anyone seen the anime series Fractale on either DVD or Blu-Ray?

Im looking at picking it up on Blu-ray but its $50 plus dollars and I just want to know whether the storyline/show is any good first.

 

Tekkon Kinkreet on Blu-ray is really good.

 

it's on BluRay in Japan but the price is nuts as with many Japanese Bluray discs. I was looking at it on Amazon japan the othere day really itching to press the order button. Another I'd love to get on BluRay (if it makes it to BluRay) is the entire Maison Ikokku series and specials. I have them all on original DVD (ex-rental discs) and while they do look fantasic you only get 4 shows per DVD so it takes almost 30 DVD discs for everything!!!

 

I don't really buy that much anime on DVD but what ones I have bought in Japan are pure Japanese with no English dub (Thank God) or English Subtitles. That's not to say there aren't any though. Japanese anime DVDs I own are:

Bubblegum Crisis 1 - 7 (I also own the US Animeigo set)
Gunbuster set
Masion Ikokku 1 - 97 and specials and Movie
Dominion 1 - 4 ( 1 and 2 in the west)
New Dominion
Mermaid Forest & Scar

and a few others. They're all pure Japanese though. Well, they may have Japanese subtitles but that's no use to msot of us.

I've never heard of Hajime no Ippo but I'm sure if it's popular then it maybe available for rental at least.

 

Calm down, calm down. At least you don't have it on Laserdisc as you would require special training to pick up the box set.

 

Hehehe, yeah. I've seen the Masion Ikokku Laser Disc sets. You'd need a shelf made out of re-enforced steel just to display them.

 

Yes, the Akira Blu-ray is available in North America.

 

Do you know where to find a copy because all the major retail stores Ive been to dont have it?

I cant even find an NTSC version of it on eBay.