Solicitation information is starting to get out there for the first season of Dragon Ball Z on Blu-ray, which is coming after the Dragon Ball Z Kai releases previously, and it’s going to be yet another contentious release for fans. The first season set will contain 39 episodes, approximately 925 minutes, across four discs based on initial information for $44.98. The rub? It’ll be widescreen rather than the original full frame aspect ratio the series was created using.
- Remastered HD footage offers the best picture quality to date
- Converted to a modern, 16:9 aspect ratio using pan & scan technology to ensure a frame-by-frame, optimal viewing experience
- Exclusive, never-before-seen artwork is being created specifically for the packaging of all Dragon Ball Z (Blu-ray) releases
The current reasoning is that, besides being preferred by FUNimation for whatever reason (legal, contractual, personal, etc), is that trying to sell full frame Blu-ray releases just doesn’t work with the masses. We’ve seen it happen with some anime releases as of late, notably Patlabor, but the mainstream audiences don’t want it, which is what apparently the bulk of Dragon Ball Z fans are. Of course, we do see some full frame mainstream shows selling quite well overall such as Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation that make note that we’re getting the original work as seen when first presented just in higher quality. But apparently the belief is that Dragon Ball Z fans don’t want that. I suspect that FUNimation has some marketing data to back that up, considering the sales of their orange DVD boxes years ago.
Or maybe they’ll release it full frame once the widescreen sets are out and go for two rounds. After all, you can always sell more Dragon Ball Z, as they’ve proven over the years.
Plot concept: The Saiyans are coming! These ruthless, intergalactic villains carved a path of destruction across the galaxy, and now they’re headed for Earth! The evil Saiyan warlord Vegeta will not rest until he’s seized the wish-granting powers of the Dragon Balls for himself! For the first time ever, the Dragon Ball Z season sets are available on Blu-ray! This epic collection presents the first thirty-nine episodes of the legendary series in remastered, high definition quality and 16:9 aspect ratio using frame by frame, pan and scran technology. An elite team of Capsule Corp. scientists worked around the clock to put the greatest anime in history on the cutting edge of modern technology. You may think you’ve seen all there is to see in the DBZ universe, but you’re wrong. Take home this thirty-nine episode collection today, and fire your next Kamehameha in the brilliance of Blu-ray!
