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[Naked Snake]

Reviews on IGNDVD:

Index page http://dvd.ign.com/articles/582/582743p1.html

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind DVD review http://dvd.ign.com/articles/582/582646p1.html


The Movie
The reviewer's favorite animated film. Period.
10/10


The Video
Miyazaki may have lavished on the details of this movie, but Disney's video producers sure didn't.
4/10


The Audio
Very good 2-channel sound, comparable for both English and the original Japanese.
7/10


The Extras
A great movie deserves more.
5/10


Overall Score (not an average) 6

Porco Rosso DVD review http://dvd.ign.com/articles/582/582716p1.html

The Movie
Vastly entertaining, but falls flat emotionally.
8/10


The Video
Slipshod digital work, though the colors look good.
4/10


The Audio
Well-done two-channel mix.
7/10


The Extras
Far too little.
4/10


Overall Score (not an average) 6

Fuck you Disney, for screwing up the video transfer and skimping on the extras. They held on the distribution rights for 9 years to give us this?

 

[speedpop]

Haha yeah FUCK YOU DISNEY!

I'm collecting the Madman versions (Australian main anime distributer) but we're using Disney's dub. Hopefully, since Madman are quite the perfectionists, especially when it comes to Ghibli since they dealt with them personally rather than through Buena Vista, the video transfer will be great.

I'm not expecting a huge truckload of extra's, but I'd love if they were able to grab a "making of" extra. The one that they put on for Spirited Away's C.E. was amazing.

edit: Still I love the shit out of Nausicaa manga, never seen the anime.. and Porco Rosso is my favourite Miyazaki film thus far.

 

[Mike Works]

ARGH, are you FUCKING SERIOUS?

Okay, so what should I do? Where can I find the best version of Porco Rosso for a fair price?

 

[explodet]

KHAAAAAAAAAAAN

 

[Flynn]

The article is sorta unclear but aren't they implying that Howl's Moving Castle has a February release date?

It should surprise no one that Miyazaki's newest film, Howl's Moving Castle, will begin its theatrical run at that time.

EDIT: I looked around, Box Office Mojo is reporting a tentative June date.

 

[SpoonyBard]

Haha yeah FUCK YOU DISNEY!

I'm collecting the Madman versions (Australian main anime distributer) but we're using Disney's dub. Hopefully, since Madman are quite the perfectionists, especially when it comes to Ghibli since they dealt with them personally rather than through Buena Vista, the video transfer will be great.

Phew, PAL land is saved.

 

[Naked Snake]

Where can I get the Madman versions online? But I always worry about NTSC->PAL conversions with DVDs, supposedly something usually goes wrong in the process, I forgot the technical details about it...

 

[SpoonyBard]

"Where can I get the Madman versions online?"

It seems like Porco Rosso, Nausicaa and The Cat Return are released sometime in March in Australia. You can order them from http://www.ezydvd.com.au for example.


"But I always worry about NTSC->PAL conversions with DVDs, supposedly something usually goes wrong in the process, I forgot the technical details about it..."


That's only an issue if the source material is video, with film the PAL version should be much better than NTSC. Of course some anime releases are still shitty NTSC video conversions, but these big movie releases should be from high quality film source.

 

[SentientStone]

Those reviews don't seem to positive. :/

To be fair though, this guy rated Castle in the Sky much lower than what another reviewer gave out last year. So maybe the problem is not too bad for the new releases (maybe...)?

Last year's review
http://dvd.ign.com/articles/391/391224p1.html

I might just pick up the R3 DVD for Porco Rosso if the video quality is better for that version.

 

[Naked Snake]

For what it's worth, the review says that the problems with the video will only be a big issue if you have an HDTV set... It should look mostly fine on normal TVs.

 

[Jotaro]

Pre-ordered them and I cannot really cancel them (dvdsoon.com, or dvdlate, they charge as soon as the order is made, well, you know).

At least I will have the magnificient french dub for Porco Rosso (with Jean Reno as the pig), if I recall correctly Miyazaki liked the french dub better then the original japanese dub.

 

[DrForester]

I cant imagine theese woudl be any different than the Japanese DVD's. Disney handles their DVD releases in Japan as well, and at least with their last batch, pretty much copied the R2 extra's.

 

[SuperPac]

The new Miyazakis looked fine to me, but then again I have a 27" trinitron that's several years old. Perhaps they messed with the video this time to put more extras on the first discs? Each one's pretty jammed.

I disagree with his assessment of the English dub. Personally, I think the dub's great. Easily my favorite next to Kiki's Delivery Service.

And this guy's on crack if he thinks the extras are that poor.

 

[BuddyC]

Disappointing as this may be, I'll still be buying both. At least they didn't fuck up the subtitles, a la Ghost in the Shell 2.

 

[ThirstyFly]

I'm already sold. These are my two personal fave Miyazaki films.

Hopefully there's no subtitle typos like the last batch of Disney/Miyazaki discs.

 

[Asbel]

edit: Still I love the shit out of Nausicaa manga, never seen the anime.. and Porco Rosso is my favourite Miyazaki film thus far.

I'm disappointed in the video transfer but I'll still bite. Nausicca is still a great movie. I read the manga first too and the anime is like getting just The Fellowship of the Ring movie, well done on it's own (with changes for closure), but there's so much more to tell.

 

[MetatronM]

I only take solace in the fact that people reviewing the video quality on DVDs tend to be nitpicky jackasses.


And if those captures that they have throughout the review are ripped from the Disney DVD, then it looks fine to me.

 

[number386]

Considering disney botched the theatrical release of princess mononoke, and spirited away. The cynic in me thinks disney wanted them to fail to avoid competition later on. Not to mention casting james van der beek, in castle in the sky for pazu, I knew these DVD versions will end up in the shitter.

 

[Diomedeskun]

Laputa, Spirited Away, and Kiki DVDs were fine for me, so I won't cancel my order. I would like more extras perhaps, but I really just care about the movies, so it's not really a problem.

 

[MetatronM]

Considering disney botched the theatrical release of princess mononoke, and spirited away. The cynic in me thinks disney wanted them to fail to avoid competition later on. Not to mention casting james van der beek, in castle in the sky for pazu, I knew these DVD versions will end up in the shitter.

What was so botched about Spirited Away's theatrical release? I seem to remember it getting released in about 2000 theaters, making a fair bit of money (as far as anime movies are concerned) and being a perfectly fine dub. And, oh yeah, it won an Oscar (over Lilo and Stitch).

I think people want to think that Disney is mistreating these films just so they can have something to complain about.




And James van der Beek was fine as Pazu. It was Anna Paquin and her ever-changing accent that was the problem in the Laputa dub.

 

[number386]

What was so botched about Spirited Away's theatrical release? I seem to remember it getting released in about 2000 theaters, making a fair bit of money (as far as anime movies are concerned) and being a perfectly fine dub. And, oh yeah, it won an Oscar (over Lilo and Stitch).

I think people want to think that Disney is mistreating these films just so they can have something to complain about.

Spirited away barely topped 3 million sure for an anime it's ok but miyazaki is not your typical anime fare. If properly advertised it could and should of done much better.

I dont know maybe I have a van der beek biased, but I hate his voice, I cant comment on anna paquin, and I guess I shouldn't have commented on van der beeks as I have yet to watch the subbed, as I am a strictly dubbed whenever applicable.

 

[MASB]

Disney promises lavish on behind-the-scenes material for a relatively inconsequential movie like Bambi, yet can't be bothered to dig up a single outside expert to provide insight about Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind.

While I agree there should be more extras, this guy certainly isn't an animation expert if he says stuff like that about Bambi.

 

[SuperPac]

While I agree there should be more extras, this guy certainly isn't an animation expert if he says stuff like that about Bambi.

Haha. Also, Disney created Bambi and they can make original extras to put in a huge, awesome special edition. They didn't produce the Miyazaki movies so all the extras are contingent on what Ghibli gives them to work with. You can't really harp on them when they give us the same extras that're on the R2 DVDs plus a featurette on the dub.

 

[Mike Works]

So what's the deal, should I just get the Disney produced copy of Porco when it hits then?

 

[Flynn]

My issue with Disney, and lots of US studios, is why buy the rights to a movie and settle for the shitty little grosses that they get. If Disney put even an ounce of their marketing muscle into the Miyazaki movies they'd be raking in the dough.

 

[Lil' Dice]

Execs know nothing, and care less about fans of anime. They're not concerned with a DVD's picture/sound quality, but rather with minimizing costs and maximizing profits. In this case: Spend next to nothing on the localization of the DVD to ensure a higher profit margin.

 

[Tunesmith]

HK import = ace!

 

[SpoonyBard]

Eh, the HK versions don't have very good video quality and all the extras are all in chinese only, with no English subtitles...

 

[mrklaw]

buy the Japanese versions? they all have English subs.

 

[Tsubaki]

buy the Japanese versions? they all have English subs.

And extremely inexpensive, for Japanese releases. Though I'm sure most people would still curse its price. I think the 3800 yen price is a steal myself.

 

[FortNinety]

Considering disney botched the theatrical release of princess mononoke, and spirited away. The cynic in me thinks disney wanted them to fail to avoid competition later on.

Sorry, but such conspiracy mode of thinking just doesn't cut it in the real world anymore.

My issue with Disney, and lots of US studios, is why buy the rights to a movie and settle for the shitty little grosses that they get. If Disney put even an ounce of their marketing muscle into the Miyazaki movies they'd be raking in the dough.

Now that's a sensible criticism.

Question, how does this HK collection compare with the official Disney releases?

 

[distantmantra]

Question, how does this HK collection compare with the official Disney releases?

It's a bootleg, so the video quality is nowhere near the level of the DVDs, and I'm sure the subtitles would rank in the Engrish category.

 

[FortNinety]

It's a bootleg, so the video quality is nowhere near the level of the DVDs, and I'm sure the subtitles would rank in the Engrish category.

Well considering how good the original Japanese video quality was (or so I've heard) and how bad the Disney versions are (or so I've heard), I wondering how it compared.

 

[CO_Andy]

I haven't seen too many Miyazaki movies, but doing some research, it seems the America versions of Mononoke and Spirited Away are better.

Well, i won't say completely better. There are pros and cons to each, but generally the American versions are better because they didn't suffer from a yellowish coloring like in the japanese releases.

 

[heavy liquid]

I haven't seen too many Miyazaki movies, but doing some research, it seems the America versions of Mononoke and Spirited Away are better.

I don't remember about Mononoke, but you're right about Spirited Away. The Japanese Spirited Away DVD had a red tint to the picture that was later corrected for the NA release.

 

[Flynn]

Question, how does this HK collection compare with the official Disney releases?

I have that collection. The quality is passable at best and the subtitles are better than you'd imagine, though they tend to get left behind or even forgotten from time to time. The set is a decent stopgap for the rarer titles until the official release hit shelves. I've since bought all the legal versions and am fairly happy with them.

Any of these versions beats the nth-generation fansub tapes I had beforel DVDs became popular.

 

[Crazymoogle]

(*mentally tuning out ghibli disney releases until a release date for Whisper of the Heart is announced*)

 

[levious]

I thought Disney was big on putting 5.1 sound in all their releases now. Even that muskateers movie had one.

 

[FortNinety]

Intead of starting a new thread, I might as well ask it here... anybody here have the original Japanese DVDs? I hear Studio Ghibli came out with some really sweet DVDs loaded with extras, though I hear they were a limited edition thing. Does anybody have any extra info on this? Pics maybe?

 

[Gantz]

*Hugs his studio ghibli boxset* :lol

 

[speedpop]

Intead of starting a new thread, I might as well ask it here... anybody here have the original Japanese DVDs? I hear Studio Ghibli came out with some really sweet DVDs loaded with extras, though I hear they were a limited edition thing. Does anybody have any extra info on this? Pics maybe?

I have seen them at retail, don't own them because they were quite pricey. Not too sure about the Limited Edition thing though.. but as far as the Spirited Away Collector's Edition DVD for Australia, there was a bucketload of extra's and a great easter egg on the 2nd disc that showed snippets every Ghibli film in about 10 mins. Sort of led me to disappointment when I viewed the extra's for Mononoke, Laputa and Kiki as there was nothing like it.

 

[DrForester]

(*mentally tuning out ghibli disney releases until a release date for Whisper of the Heart is announced*)

They've done the dub for whispers of the heart, the rumor is there are licencing issues with the Country Road song and thats's the hold up.

 

[Lil' Dice]

Call me when they release an R1 DVD of "Future Boy Conan"....

 

[Naked Snake]

Call me when they release an R1 DVD of "Future Boy Conan"....

FUCK YES! Best anime ever!

 

[speedpop]

Call me when they release an R1 DVD of "Future Boy Conan"....

I was SOOOOO tempted to grab the HK DVDs the other day. SO CLOSE.

 

[mrklaw]

Intead of starting a new thread, I might as well ask it here... anybody here have the original Japanese DVDs? I hear Studio Ghibli came out with some really sweet DVDs loaded with extras, though I hear they were a limited edition thing. Does anybody have any extra info on this? Pics maybe?

All of my Ghibli stuff is original Japanese. Pretty good packages, mostly 2-disc stuff, but all the extras are Japanese only - no English dub or subs. All the main movies have at least English subs, and some have a dub too.

I so far have Mononoke, Nausicaa, Totoro, Porco Rosso, Sprited away, Lauputa, Kiki's delivery service

I haven't tried Whisper of the Heart - is that worth picking up? Its out in Japan I think.

 

[TheDrowningMan]

Spirited away barely topped 3 million sure for an anime it's ok but miyazaki is not your typical anime fare. If properly advertised it could and should of done much better.

It grossed $10m in the US. A small chunk of the $275m worldwide gross, yes, but in US box office terms not bad for the type of movie that it is.

 

[speedpop]

All of my Ghibli stuff is original Japanese.

Out of curiousity, does the Porco Rosso release contain the dub that was done years ago before Disney picked it up? If so I'd probably be inclined to import just because the English voice acting was above par than most. Plus Marco's voice actor was cool in a way.

 

[mrklaw]

it has an English dub, and its one of the slightly older releases, so it might have the one you are talking about.

 

[FortNinety]

All of my Ghibli stuff is original Japanese. Pretty good packages, mostly 2-disc stuff, but all the extras are Japanese only - no English dub or subs. All the main movies have at least English subs, and some have a dub too.

What are the extras precisely?