i've been doing some browsing on various websites that sells anime dvds and some
questions came to my mind. this may sound kind of dumb but how are the two
different, in terms of censorship, cuts, edits, etc.? which is better in your
opinion?
i'm curious, cuz i have not bought any imports before. i sometimes see
"uncut" labels on domestic dvds and that gets me wondering "is
this the original...how many versions are there?" please share your
thoughts or comments here. i'd like to hear 'em all. an example would be
appreciated as well.
Well, anything domestic is liable to all sorts of edits, be it visual or script.
Even an uncut anime dvd with a subtitle track can still be "edited" in
someone's eyes if the translation isn't translated perfectly word for word. The
import however typically doesn't have subtitles at all; it's a Japanese DVD for
a Japanese audience, so they don't need a translation for their own language. As
for content, they really should be the same, unless it's a specific case like a
"broadcast version" DVD. As for quality, I believe Japanese DVD's have
a better visual/audio quality than our DVD's typically because since they put
less episodes per disc, they have less data compression. Won't do you much good
unless you can understand Japanese however, but there are plenty of people that
collect import DVD's because of their higher quality and better packaging for
simply that reason.
I agree with sonryu for the most part, except for the cutting of domestic
releases. Domestic releases usually don't cut anything out at all and in fact
usually they fish around for the actual directors cuts of various shows. If they
do cut out material, you know about it long before it actually releases (IE
Naruto). I prefer domestic releases simply because I get much more bang for my
buck. $20 for 4 episodes or $50-60 for 2 episodes... easy.
wait, you both are saying import dvds have less episodes on each disc? i've
always thought of it the other way around. domestics have less episodes per
disc...or am i wrong? hmm ok here take a look at this website i've found ThisIsAnime. clearly here, the imports stuffs in more episodes
than the domestics. if it'll help, look for a title that is licensed, then check
both versions. the price for imports are alot cheaper compared to the domestics
alot. as you can see here, you can practically get a whole season worth of anime
for the same price of a 4 episode domestic dvd...or have i been deceived by such
place? and as for quality wise, this would mean the domestic dvds have higher
quality compared to the imports according to what sonryu said. confusing
the only domestic anime i've found to be cut is Naruto cause it was converted
for use by Cartoon Network so it had to be edited for US tv, they take out a lot
of the blood and cussing not to mention there is no origional japanese dialogue
or subtitles on the disk, just previews and the episodes. so i guess all i can
say is choose carefully, it's better to have an uncut version with wierd
subtitles than an edited version in English
well there are to different kinds imports there are the Hong Kong imports that
are really cheap and have really bad subtitles. and then there are the actural
japanese dvds that cost alot of money. one dvd with about 5 episodes on it is
about $50 to 60 bucks! well I would say to buy the domestics boxsets they always
have more things than the imports.
@ angelicdemonIII
yeah that's what i decided in the end. knowing those cheap imports are more than
likely bootlegs, the subtitles wouldn't be real and the video would probably be
crappy quality anyways. getting the actual japanese dvds wouldn't help either
cuz i can't understand jap
guess i'll stick to domestics.
Basicly if you buy an original from import (Japan) you don't have english
subtitles and you're coocked if you dont't speak fluent japanese :P So domestic
is the only thing that is left for a normal anime fan that want's to buy a
serie. Depending on the domestic company that relases it, if it will be slightly
different from the original (cuted i.e.) or not.
i've been doing some browsing on various websites that sells anime dvds and some questions came to my mind. this may sound kind of dumb but how are the two different, in terms of censorship, cuts, edits, etc.? which is better in your opinion?
i'm curious, cuz i have not bought any imports before. i sometimes see "uncut" labels on domestic dvds and that gets me wondering "is this the original...how many versions are there?" please share your thoughts or comments here. i'd like to hear 'em all. an example would be appreciated as well.
Well, anything domestic is liable to all sorts of edits, be it visual or script. Even an uncut anime dvd with a subtitle track can still be "edited" in someone's eyes if the translation isn't translated perfectly word for word. The import however typically doesn't have subtitles at all; it's a Japanese DVD for a Japanese audience, so they don't need a translation for their own language. As for content, they really should be the same, unless it's a specific case like a "broadcast version" DVD. As for quality, I believe Japanese DVD's have a better visual/audio quality than our DVD's typically because since they put less episodes per disc, they have less data compression. Won't do you much good unless you can understand Japanese however, but there are plenty of people that collect import DVD's because of their higher quality and better packaging for simply that reason.
I agree with sonryu for the most part, except for the cutting of domestic releases. Domestic releases usually don't cut anything out at all and in fact usually they fish around for the actual directors cuts of various shows. If they do cut out material, you know about it long before it actually releases (IE Naruto). I prefer domestic releases simply because I get much more bang for my buck. $20 for 4 episodes or $50-60 for 2 episodes... easy.
wait, you both are saying import dvds have less episodes on each disc? i've always thought of it the other way around. domestics have less episodes per disc...or am i wrong? hmm ok here take a look at this website i've found ThisIsAnime. clearly here, the imports stuffs in more episodes than the domestics. if it'll help, look for a title that is licensed, then check both versions. the price for imports are alot cheaper compared to the domestics alot. as you can see here, you can practically get a whole season worth of anime for the same price of a 4 episode domestic dvd...or have i been deceived by such place? and as for quality wise, this would mean the domestic dvds have higher quality compared to the imports according to what sonryu said. confusing
the only domestic anime i've found to be cut is Naruto cause it was converted for use by Cartoon Network so it had to be edited for US tv, they take out a lot of the blood and cussing not to mention there is no origional japanese dialogue or subtitles on the disk, just previews and the episodes. so i guess all i can say is choose carefully, it's better to have an uncut version with wierd subtitles than an edited version in English
well there are to different kinds imports there are the Hong Kong imports that are really cheap and have really bad subtitles. and then there are the actural japanese dvds that cost alot of money. one dvd with about 5 episodes on it is about $50 to 60 bucks! well I would say to buy the domestics boxsets they always have more things than the imports.
@ angelicdemonIII
yeah that's what i decided in the end. knowing those cheap imports are more than likely bootlegs, the subtitles wouldn't be real and the video would probably be crappy quality anyways. getting the actual japanese dvds wouldn't help either cuz i can't understand jap
guess i'll stick to domestics.
Basicly if you buy an original from import (Japan) you don't have english subtitles and you're coocked if you dont't speak fluent japanese :P So domestic is the only thing that is left for a normal anime fan that want's to buy a serie. Depending on the domestic company that relases it, if it will be slightly different from the original (cuted i.e.) or not.