![]() ![]() The review of this Blu-ray disc was made possible by your referral purchases on CDJapan. ![]() The series may be box-set-only for a continued Blu-ray release, but Volume 1 released on 18 September 2009 for ¥3,045 lets us dive right in without a major financial commitment. With all of the production questions and answers finally squared away, the home release gives us another opportunity to revisit the so-called “refreshed” version of the series and give it another look over in its “true” quality. The Blu-ray release, however, would contain the original, full-frame, 4:3 aspect ratio! Unfortunately, the DVD release would be the same cropped 16:9 aspect ratio as the TV broadcast, though in standard definition due to the nature of the format. The show was indeed being produced in 4:3, but was being cropped for television broadcast in Japan. It was not until the announcement of the home release that we learned the true story behind the aspect ratio. During this time, our inside source at the Philippines branch of Toei Animation stood by their statements that they were not cropping the series in their area of production, and yet the TV broadcast was clearly widescreen. Despite being “remastered” and cleaned-up for a high definition broadcast, there is nothing inherent about the term “high definition” that must define it as “widescreen”, and with the series originally being a “full-frame” 4:3 aspect ratio, this seemed like a strange take on its production. Perhaps most controversially, especially coming off of FUNimation’s faux-“remastered” DVD season box sets for Dragon Ball Z, was that the series was broadcast in a cropped 16:9 aspect ratio. The “refreshed” series began airing on 05 April 2009. There are occasional newly-animated scenes, though they are essentially traced on top of the existing footage (either to replace damaged film, to “enhance” the special effects, or for any variety of reasons we have yet to comprehend). It would be a condensed, newly voice acted (though primarily with the same cast), and newly scored version of the series using the exact same footage from twenty years prior. ![]() In early 2009 we learned that in celebration of the 20th anniversary of Dragon Ball Z, the series would be receiving a “refreshed” treatment to be aired on television. Our respective “Tidbit” on the matter takes you through the story, but a crash course for the purpose of reviewing it may be necessary. ![]() Dragon Ball Kai had a production and release history far more complicated than it perhaps should have needed or deserved. ![]()
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