New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

HTF Anime Discussion Part VII - Page 99

post #2941 of 3082
4/13/05 at 3:52pm
Kong:

Except for the price that Geneon charges their distributors. I agree that they are not responsible for the whole shebang, but they do determine the initial charge to the first of the middlemen.

As for Princess Tutu, is ADV only changing it for the dub, or for the subs as well?

John.
Reply
post #2942 of 3082
4/13/05 at 4:04pm
JohnAD:

Their initial charge is the same as everyone else's to the retail stores. The question is whether or not they placed a MAP on the DVDs rather than a MSRP.

As for Princess Tutu, I read they are doing it for both the sub and the dub. ><* So yeah, even the subs will get the new redone name. ><*
Reply
post #2943 of 3082
4/13/05 at 4:34pm
Actually, Geneon no longer has anything to do with Pioneer. In what I regard as a colossaly bad move, Pioneer sold their very well-regarded but generally low-performing software arm [arms, actually, arms with a global reach... ] to the Japanese advertising giant Dentsu -- hence the name change.
LDC/LDCA/LDCE/whaddayawannacallit was sort of a "loss leader" for Pioneer in the old days, intended to encourage hardware sales by providing software which would really show off the capabilities of the LaserDisc format, including operas, music concerts, "Special Interests" titles with experimental films, interactive features, and so forth, and latterly anime in CAV which they realised would be a serious "Wow!" item. Along the way they picked up an industry-beating reputation for product quality [if with a few quirks] and customer service. Unfortunately, "Geneon" has squandered most of that. I guess Pioneer decided that DVD was well enoguh established that they didn't need the help anymore, but what happens when the next format comes along? Hollywood certainly isn't going to sell the HD 5-inch disc formats. They didn't like the idea of DVD much, and it's for sure they haven't used most of its capabilities; and HiVision will be much worse [see what happened with HiVision LD].
Reply
post #2944 of 3082
4/13/05 at 4:52pm
Well, blu-ray will be coming out soon in the near future. The thing now is whether or not Japan will adopt this new format for their releases for anime (movies I am sure they will). For the domestic USA studios, this will become another renegotiate rights issues if the anime is to be released in the new blu-ray format.

Under the blu-ray, 8 episodes per disc wouldn't be so bad because of the huge capability of uncompressed video and audio to be stored on a huge gig of space. I wouldn't object to the USA using this method of giving out high quality anime at a good price point.

As it currently stands, compressing 8 episodes onto one dual-layered DVD forces each episode to be SVCD quality....which isn't bad but quality in both audio and video really diminishes and it is highly noticeable on the higher end systems.
Reply
post #2945 of 3082
4/13/05 at 8:42pm
Alanna: You don't own Twelve Kingdoms yet? If you like fantasy, well....that's just cream of the crop best fantasy anime there is out there...

John: I'll take my chances w/ Scrapped Princess, I've only ever seen the first disk (when I had downloaded it and now that I own it). So....I've invested now...too late!

Dave:

May is going to be a killer month...too many series wrapping up, too much to collect, too much to buy. Too many TV on DVD too, between the both, I'm broke!!!

I do agree about Geneon, at least...they do tend to charge more, has anyone noticed BB racked their Geneon prices back up to $25/$30 while everything else stayed usually $15-$22? So much for me buying from them!

Stacey
Reply
post #2946 of 3082
4/14/05 at 5:24am
>> has anyone noticed BB racked their Geneon prices back up to $25/$30 while everything else stayed usually $15-$22?

No kidding. In the blink of an eye Gungrave is back to $24.99. Ironically, Gungrave 1 is $14.99 on the website and $29.99 instore LOL! I need this title - hopefully the box set will be under $100.

>> Except for the price that Geneon charges their distributors.

Thats exactly what I've been trying to communicate. My guess is they are charging up to 20% - 25% more to their distributors - and we see it in the discounted price at Best Buy (or PriceGrabber). DVD's are so commoditized - I'm sure these discount retailers are all pricing on margin, not "supply and demand" on a per title basis within Anime. Otherwise there is no way Gungrave would have the same MSRP and the same discounted price as Last Exile.
Reply
post #2947 of 3082
4/14/05 at 8:03am
As it currently stands, compressing 8 episodes onto one dual-layered DVD forces each episode to be SVCD quality...

...which makes them less than watchable to me. Make no mistake, I have no beef against digital technology per se -- my main LD player uses a digital time base corrector, and if I could get D1 or D2 on a 12-inch disc that would be fine by me -- but the picture clarity and lack of fixed pattern noise on my LDs is far easier on my eyes. Of course, if you don't mind compressed NTSC, DVD is a much better deal in monetary terms than LD ever was when it was in production [a few $9.99 Central Park/Image releases excluded], and provides most of the same capabilities with a few new ones.
As I have said before, though, since I can get most of what I want on LD at a good price and am not too particular whether it is translated, I'll stick with what I have. I know I'm missing out on some good newer anime, but if I tried to keep up with everything I would never get anywhere.
Reply
post #2948 of 3082
4/14/05 at 11:56am
Just a comment on Gantz. Someone mentioned 26 episodes? I thought Season 1 was only 13. So does that mean theres a season 2?
Reply
post #2949 of 3082
4/14/05 at 1:39pm
Christopher:

Unfortunately the LD market died out in 1998, so you can get almost any anime up to 1998...probably 1999 at best. But Japan phased out LD when they finally saw the potential of DVDs and what it has to offer and finally got the encoding right rather than treating it like a miniature LD (as early DVD stuff showcase how LD-like they were). All new anime are only on DVD or VHS...since DVD is prohibited from rentals in Japan...so VHS is still going strong because of the rental market.

Andrew:

Yes, it contains both series of Gantz....
Reply
post #2950 of 3082
4/14/05 at 3:19pm
I'm well aware that LD is no longer supported -- but actually, there were releases right up to 2002, and like I said they included most everything I am really interested in right now... and I am not about to pay the price of import DVDs, particularly with the "fringe benefits" of LD. I think the most recent disc in my collection is the 10th anniversary rerelease of Wings of Honneamise, with the remixed 5.1 channel soundtrack. "Boogiepop wa Wawaranai", for instance, and "Cowboy Bebop" are on LD.
Reply
post #2951 of 3082
4/14/05 at 4:13pm
Import DVDs are the same price as LDs used to be. I see no difference in terms of paying for them. However, a lot of people are selling off their old LDs for the DVDs, which is why you have places like Anime Jungle selling them for cheap.... All the hardcore Japanese collectors are finally happy they are getting more room for more anime. LDs are not space efficient in a Japanese apartment.
Reply
post #2952 of 3082
4/14/05 at 6:51pm
Picked up the Arjuna box off eBay for $16. Heard good things about it.
Reply
post #2953 of 3082
4/14/05 at 7:31pm
a lot of people are selling off their old LDs for the DVDs, which is why you have places like Anime Jungle selling them for cheap


Exactly
I only started into the anime hobby in 2000, and I don't believe I ever bought a "new" LD as such; that is, eveything has been either used or closeout. Anyway, I have -- as I have said before -- no interest in debating the relative merits of one round shiny medium over another; I just have a marked personal preference, which I do not expect anyone else to share. Now I am going to put some more playing hours on the Honneamise box...
Reply
post #2954 of 3082
4/14/05 at 8:31pm
I just finished watching the last episode of "Beserk". After enjoying 24 1/2 episodes, I am somewhat upset with what I just experienced. Anyone want to commenserate? Someone please tell me that there are some more episodes that will tie the ending into something meaningful. Or am I just "poop" out of luck? You've probably heard all this before, right?
Reply
post #2955 of 3082
4/14/05 at 10:29pm
OK, animeondvd.com is reporting that Samurai 7 will be released on 8/23. Last I heard, Count of Monte Cristo is supposed to come out in October. the timing isn't great for me - wife is off during summer and new baby due in October - but I think I can get both of those. I am thinking I'll have to skip elfenlied, but we'll see. I think that one is a short series.

Kong: A little late and off-topic, but I hear you on the MMORPG craze. I never did get too into FFXI, but I played City of Heroes for a while and just had my account run out on World of Warcraft. While I might go back to one of those, I'm currently spending my time and money on the PSP. I think with the purchase of MLB today I'm done buying games for now.
Reply
post #2956 of 3082
4/15/05 at 6:27am
Whoa! A new Kiang will be in the house? Congratulations man!

Hmm..

Not much going on here, watched 4/9 of Saber Marionette J Collection 1 again. Great old series with some great seiyuu and interesting premise.

And I am behind on game collecting and have quit FFXI - not enough hours in the day for both anime viewing and a mmorpg...
Reply
post #2957 of 3082
4/15/05 at 7:08am
Denny,

There are no more episodes. I have started reading the manga to flesh out the story but the Manga is up to number 26 and still going. I'm noping that they at least resolve the many questions I had after the Anime finale.
Reply
post #2958 of 3082
4/15/05 at 8:30am
James:

Actually, there is an addendum to that report, and Samurai 7 vol. 1 will be coming out a week earlier than that, 8/16. I'll second Woo's congratulations on your future anime fan .

Denny:

I would recommend picking up the manga. Berserk is based on only part of the manga's story, and unfortunately, I highly doubt more episodes will be forthcoming. That being said, IMHO Berserk has one of the best messed-up (in a good way) endings out there, and I think it's one of the best series ever done.

All:

I finished up the first half of Nadia - The Secret of Blue Water with volume five last night. More interesting twists and turns, and a good cliffhanger at the end of episode 20. Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
We get more indication that Nadia is from Atlantis when she talks to Irion, although I think it was pretty well established when she reads the Atlantean script on the Nautilus' name plate. Jean also comes up with an 'almost' V1, with I thought was pretty funny.


John.
Reply
post #2959 of 3082
4/15/05 at 8:50am
Denny:

Welcome to the boards...

Listen to JohnAD. I mean he is a Sith lord

For Berserk, I'd say go read the manga that's being put out by Dark Horse. Explains what happened much better, and the story is a bit different and continues on from there.

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
Both Guts and Caska are rescued by another being called Skull Knight from the Sacrifice to make Griffith into the Godhand Femto. To sacrifice his Humanity to make himself into a Godhand (very high level demon, I guess) Griffith's sacrifice was the members of the Band of the Hawk. The Brand Guts has on his neck marks him as a sacrifice to the demonworld, and a target for all the demons...


But the main cast is the same, and the manga goes much further than the anime and explains the ending. Plus the first 3 volumes explains pretty clearly what a Behelit does. And has a character NOT in the anime.... I only own up to volume 6, but 7 is probably out... (as I said I am behind). I think the anime only went up to volume 12 or 13, so the clarification is a while in the coming.
Reply
post #2960 of 3082
4/15/05 at 9:25am
Thanks for the kind words guys. It's still pretty early, but we're excited. Just to give you an idea of the kind of brainwashing...influence I've had on my four year-old daughter - If the new baby is a boy she wants to call him Anakin, if it's a girl we're (not so much my wife) liking Terra (of Teen Titans fame). Trinity has also seen a few episodes of RahXephon and likes them, though I think I've decided to wait just a little longer before really immersing her into the world of anime, as limited as my collection allows at least.

JohnAD - I didn't catch that report about S7 moving up a week. I can deal with that. If it had moved up a month...

I have picked up a good amount of anime over the last couple years but I've only made time to watch two series all the way through - RahXephon and X. I'll have to make time to watch more. Darn video games!
Reply
post #2961 of 3082
4/15/05 at 9:55am
Finally finished off Silent Moebius last night. Overall, I thought that it was pretty good, tho things that happen in the second half just seem to be a little too "convienent".

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
Katsumi is preggers with Ralph's baby? Doesn't the ending take place about 6 months after his death?


I wonder if the manga is a little better in this regard. I know it goes on beyond the anime.

Jason
Reply
post #2962 of 3082
4/15/05 at 10:02am
Woo:

LOL.

I did my order to DDD this morning. I ordered the Hand Maid May boxed set, Tenchi in Tokyo vol. 7, and Saiyuki vols. 5-7. They didn't have Tenchi in Tokyo vol. 8 in stock, so I decided to pick up another volume of Saiyuki . Hand Maid May has been sitting on the top of my 'active' list for a while now, but the local store hasn't had it in for at least six months now. X TV has been sitting there for a while, too.

Jason:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
Yeah, but they'd certainly been 'going at it' for some time, so it's not unreasonable. Plus, her time in the Demon world may have altered things, too.


John.
Reply
post #2963 of 3082
4/15/05 at 11:53am
OK, here's a bizarre lil' coaster I picked up at the used media store: animetoonz PRESENTS KIKUKO INOUE. This is a bunch of what I think could be termed dance remixes of anime theme songs, all sung by Ms. Inoue: openings from Kare/Kano, Sailor Moon, Evangelion, Rayearth, Sakua Diaries, Fushigi Yuugi, Cardcaptor Sakura, Aah! Megamisama, Escaflowne, and something I don't recognise called "Crayon Kingdom", and endings from Utena and Kare/Kano. The jacket is hot pink and features the worst cover illustration ever. I don't know who "Jellybean Benitez" is, but he is clearly funny in the head to bankroll this excercise in disturbing the peace. Still, I'm keeping it, if only to prevent some innocent person from being harmed by it.
Reply
post #2964 of 3082
4/15/05 at 12:31pm
Quote:
I just finished watching the last episode of "Beserk". After enjoying 24 1/2 episodes, I am somewhat upset with what I just experienced. Anyone want to commenserate? Someone please tell me that there are some more episodes that will tie the ending into something meaningful. Or am I just "poop" out of luck? You've probably heard all this before, right?


If you need some conclusionary feeling for Berserk, rewatch the first episode. It will make a lot more sense now than it did when you first saw it 6 disks ago.

Yeah it leaves the story open ended, but you get to see what Guts is doing after the ending. The manga apparently keeps going, but I'm not a big manga guy myself.

And as far as Geneon quality going down - I think I agree. I noticed an awful lot of compression noise in the Scrapped Princess DVD release - probably invisible on a smaller display, but on our projector it is VERY noticeable. Pioneer/Geneon used to be the releases you could depend on for good compression without noticeable problems, exempting of course discs with too many episodes on them (Fushigi Yugi comes to mind).
Reply
post #2965 of 3082
4/15/05 at 12:54pm
James Kiang:

Congrats on the incoming bouncing baby!

Funny how Pioneer now had to push their release sooner than what they wanted to give it because of a minor leak of previews that happened to have Gankutsuou on it before the actual official announcement of acquisition. LoL.

But yes, get both. Definitely worth looking into.

As for mmorpg, I tend to move to newer ones. Nothing really can compare to MUDs still because they are still the best IMO. I have move to Matrix Online (MxO) now. Kinda getting tired of it too... LoL...bah, I am getting tired of the whole MMO genre...they are not making it right.


DennyH:

Yeah, when Berserk was licensed into anime, it was up to a certain volume number and story, so that is as far as they went regardless of the new content while Berserk was in production since the scripts were already made out for each episode.
Reply
post #2966 of 3082
4/15/05 at 1:39pm
John,

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
No doubt that Ralph was all over her, I'm just questioning the 6 months. I guess there is something with being possessed by Medium, or she was in some sort of stasis. It wasn't made clear in the show what she was doing in those 6 month. (I also find it strange that no one questions her on her 6 month absence. I'd want to know where she has been all of this time...)


Jason
Reply
post #2967 of 3082
4/15/05 at 1:55pm
Jason:

Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
I'm pretty sure Rally knew where she was. The others probably thought that she just needed some time away to mourn.


John.
Reply
post #2968 of 3082
4/15/05 at 8:07pm
Thank you everyone for your great answers to my questions. I appreciate your help immensely. Next on the list is The Twelve Kingdoms....based on recommendations here.
Reply
post #2969 of 3082
4/16/05 at 12:34pm
I just finished collection 2 of Nadia: Secret of Blue Water. Ugh, the series started out so well, and then goes to hell in a hurry. Well, at least the final 5 episodes got back on track - but it wasn't enough to make me forget the travesty of episodes 25-32.

I will skip Nadia: The Motion Picture. It looks like a turdfest!

At least Irresponsible Captain Tylor didn't jump the shark...good show despite the insanity!
Reply
post #2970 of 3082
4/16/05 at 1:02pm
I believe some of those episodes were subcontracted out, due to GAINAX's inveterate habit of bankruptcy, to somebody who did the animation more cheaply but not as well; but I think your negative reaction is the strongest one yet.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: DVD