Jesmaster
08-08-01, 08:49 PM
I'm surprised... there isn't much discussion about the Akira DVD here, just people saying that they got it. So I guess I'll start things off....
I got the beautiful tin Akira DVD at the mall a week ago and I got to watch it a few days ago so let me put some of my opinions
Video
-----
First of all the video quality is amazing! This is not the old VHS tape I remember seeing! The restoration was a complete success and despite being over a decade old this movie wows me in terms of animation and detail then even some of the better stuff released now.
A definite show-off disc, probably one of the best Region 1 DVD video transfers other than Princess Mononoke.
Sound
-----
Ah how beautiful it is! First of all Akira's soundtrack just plain rules! It fits the movie so much I can't even describe it. Tetsuo's theme is one of my favorites, being used in nearly all of his psychic rampages, it always fits the scene! Of course, this release on DVD has the sound quality beefed up in all regards, I watched the Japanese version and the sound boomed throw my surround setup! Unfortunately my home theater system does not have DD 5.1 (plan to get it soon though, have to buy a DVD player with a 5.1 decoder) but I know the dub is in 5.1 as well as the menus but even hearing it in normal DD is a treat for the ears. I haven't watched the new dub yet but I may check it out later. I have seen the old dub but do not remember it to compare.
Packaging
---------
Common, could it get any better than this?!? Awsome dark metallic case, opens easily but the discs are a little tough to get out. Gotta push and lift, push and lift. Thats my only minor complaint in this area.
Presentation
------------
These menus simply rock! They are anamorphic and I am 95% sure that they are in DD 5.1. Either way the menus load fast, have cool effects and allow you to easily browse through all the material on the discs.
Extras
------
I BREIFLY checked out the extras disc. I watched a few of the movie/TV trailers and commercials, they are subbed and are really neat. There is a HUGE glossary of terms used in the movie with detailed explinations. There is a 14min piece on the restoration of the movie, split into video/sound/new dub. There are also interviews with the dub voice actors and the japanese director(his name escapes me at the moment). There are also over 4000 stills to check out, you can also listen to the soundtrack via buttons skipping to the exact moment in the moive where the soundtrack plays. Also there is a HUGE making of Akira video, it is in japanese and it is subbed. That is all the extras I was able to think of off the top of my head, there may be more that I forgot about. Either way the extras DVD is PACKED!
Content
-------
It has been a long time since I saw Akira on VHS. I really didn't remember too much of the movie but one thing I did remember was that it was kind of confusing. When I popped in this DVD and watched the subbed version, the translation was much better and it was so much easier to understand what was going on! I enjoyed the moive 100 times more than when I saw it on VHS. This movie is jammed packed action, mystery, politics and everything else that makes a movie enjoyable and deep. The setting for one is very well done. We are in a world of anarchy and it is potrayed through cult factions, terrorists, biker gangs, secret experiments and many other things. One main meaning of this movie that I find intriguing is what happens when those who are picked on obtain great power, we see this through Tetsuo who admires his friend Kaneda but always ends up being rescued by him and begins to hate him for that. Things get very interesting when Tetsuo starts to come in to power... no matter how much changes, some things stay the same. Due to spoilers I leave it at that.
Overall
-------
One of, if not the best Region 1 DVD release so far. Akira is a classic and should be watched by all anime fans. If you have only seen the old dub of Akira you have NOT seen Akira! This is the best this movie will ever look and sound so I say you should throw down the money to buy this, it is well worth the purchase.
...so says Jesmaster
http://anime.haproductions.com
I got the beautiful tin Akira DVD at the mall a week ago and I got to watch it a few days ago so let me put some of my opinions
Video
-----
First of all the video quality is amazing! This is not the old VHS tape I remember seeing! The restoration was a complete success and despite being over a decade old this movie wows me in terms of animation and detail then even some of the better stuff released now.
A definite show-off disc, probably one of the best Region 1 DVD video transfers other than Princess Mononoke.
Sound
-----
Ah how beautiful it is! First of all Akira's soundtrack just plain rules! It fits the movie so much I can't even describe it. Tetsuo's theme is one of my favorites, being used in nearly all of his psychic rampages, it always fits the scene! Of course, this release on DVD has the sound quality beefed up in all regards, I watched the Japanese version and the sound boomed throw my surround setup! Unfortunately my home theater system does not have DD 5.1 (plan to get it soon though, have to buy a DVD player with a 5.1 decoder) but I know the dub is in 5.1 as well as the menus but even hearing it in normal DD is a treat for the ears. I haven't watched the new dub yet but I may check it out later. I have seen the old dub but do not remember it to compare.
Packaging
---------
Common, could it get any better than this?!? Awsome dark metallic case, opens easily but the discs are a little tough to get out. Gotta push and lift, push and lift. Thats my only minor complaint in this area.
Presentation
------------
These menus simply rock! They are anamorphic and I am 95% sure that they are in DD 5.1. Either way the menus load fast, have cool effects and allow you to easily browse through all the material on the discs.
Extras
------
I BREIFLY checked out the extras disc. I watched a few of the movie/TV trailers and commercials, they are subbed and are really neat. There is a HUGE glossary of terms used in the movie with detailed explinations. There is a 14min piece on the restoration of the movie, split into video/sound/new dub. There are also interviews with the dub voice actors and the japanese director(his name escapes me at the moment). There are also over 4000 stills to check out, you can also listen to the soundtrack via buttons skipping to the exact moment in the moive where the soundtrack plays. Also there is a HUGE making of Akira video, it is in japanese and it is subbed. That is all the extras I was able to think of off the top of my head, there may be more that I forgot about. Either way the extras DVD is PACKED!
Content
-------
It has been a long time since I saw Akira on VHS. I really didn't remember too much of the movie but one thing I did remember was that it was kind of confusing. When I popped in this DVD and watched the subbed version, the translation was much better and it was so much easier to understand what was going on! I enjoyed the moive 100 times more than when I saw it on VHS. This movie is jammed packed action, mystery, politics and everything else that makes a movie enjoyable and deep. The setting for one is very well done. We are in a world of anarchy and it is potrayed through cult factions, terrorists, biker gangs, secret experiments and many other things. One main meaning of this movie that I find intriguing is what happens when those who are picked on obtain great power, we see this through Tetsuo who admires his friend Kaneda but always ends up being rescued by him and begins to hate him for that. Things get very interesting when Tetsuo starts to come in to power... no matter how much changes, some things stay the same. Due to spoilers I leave it at that.
Overall
-------
One of, if not the best Region 1 DVD release so far. Akira is a classic and should be watched by all anime fans. If you have only seen the old dub of Akira you have NOT seen Akira! This is the best this movie will ever look and sound so I say you should throw down the money to buy this, it is well worth the purchase.
...so says Jesmaster
http://anime.haproductions.com