Is there any advantage in getting import DVDs?

Melanchthon · Post by **Melanchthon** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 5:45 pm

What's the difference in quality between the average R1 DVD and its original Japanese counterpart? Is it worth paying the extra?

Zarxrax · Post by **Zarxrax** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 6:52 pm

R2 dvds are usually better quality... Most of the time, but not always.
Whether or not its worth it is very much up to you. R2 DVDs are extremely expensive compared to R1s. In most cases, the difference in quality isn't extreme. If there is a known case where you know the R2 definately looks way nicer than the R1, then its probably worth it... but generally, I'd say its probably not worth it.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:20 pm

Zarxrax wrote:If there is a known case where you know the R2 definately looks way nicer than the R1, then its probably worth it... but generally, I'd say its probably not worth it.

I'll say right now that one such known case is The End of Evangelion (and Death and Rebirth, if you care about that one).

But of course, most Japanese R2 discs won't have English dub or subtitle tracks. (AnimeonDVD.com has a partial list of exceptions to this.)

BasharOfTheAges · Post by **BasharOfTheAges** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 7:53 pm

A big reason to get the R2s are in the cases where R1s don't exist yet and you really want to make the AMV.

Melanchthon · Post by **Melanchthon** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:00 pm

Scintilla wrote:I'll say right now that one such known case is The End of Evangelion (and Death and Rebirth, if you care about that one).

Funnily enough, that was exactly the one I was thinking of. I need an upgrade from my PAL copy anyway. I'll see what kind of price I can get on it then.

Thanks.

@Bashar
Legitimately, anyway.

devilmaykickass · Post by **devilmaykickass** » Thu Mar 02, 2006 8:00 pm

Some things to keep in mind:

1) The R2 footage has actually been compressed once already in xvid.
2) Neither have been filtered whatsoever.
3) Both were ripped directly from their respective commercial DVD (the R1 was released by Pioneer/Genon).

And also, you can't see it as much in the above shots, but on the R1s the ENTIRE movies are blended/ghosted, as so:

So as you can see, yes, there are those R2s which just make the R1s depressing to look at and infuriate me.

Willen · Post by **Willen** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 2:43 am

Why don't these companies release these better versions? There is definately a market for these. I'm sure some US companies are willing to fork over the cash to distribute them.

My wishlist (no sign of a (re-)release on DVD):

Macross: Do You Remember Love?
Aim for the Top! Gunbuster
Sailor Moon
Sailor Moon R
NGE: Death & Rebirth (I want this in ANAMORPHIC WIDESCREEN, DAMMIT!)
NGE: End of Evangelion (SAME AS ABOVE, DAMMIT!)

My waitlist (these are being re-released):

Oh My Goddess! (OVA) - AnimEigo, R2 re-masters, date unknown
Patlabor Movie 1 - Honneamise (Bandai Visual USA), new company, quality unknown
Patlabor Movie 2 - Honneamise (Bandai Visual USA), new company, quality unknown
Wing of Honneamise - uncomfirmed but probably Honneamise (Bandai Visual USA), new company, quality unknown
My Neighbor Totoro - Buena Vista, 03/07/06 (Finally! Yay, subbed!)

I'm sure I'm forgetting some...

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Back to the original post, most R2 DVDs aren't worth it. Very expensive + shipping + less episodes per disc (most R2 DVDs have only 2 eps per) = hard to justify. On the plus side, you do get more and sometimes better artwork for the DVD keepcases.

Scintilla · Post by **Scintilla** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 2:56 am

I personally would love to see better-quality versions of Kare Kano, RGU, and Now and Then, Here and There, but I don't believe rereleases of any of them are in the works...

Keeper of Hellfire · Post by **Keeper of Hellfire** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:18 am

R2 dvds are usually better quality...

That's a wrong generalization. R2 is whole Asia and Europe, the majority of them use PAL/SECAM, so that the majority of R2 Anime releases suffer at least field blending. The japanese R2's have mostly good quality.

Willen · Post by **Willen** » Fri Mar 03, 2006 3:43 am

Keeper of Hellfire wrote:
R2 dvds are usually better quality...
That's a wrong generalization. R2 is whole Asia and Europe, the majority of them use PAL/SECAM, so that the majority of R2 Anime releases suffer at least field blending. The japanese R2's have mostly good quality.

At least you CAN get Gunbuster in PAL/SECAM R2 DVD, even though the video quality IS crap.