FLCL - R1 vs. R2J vs. R2J DVD-BOX

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 05 Aug 2007, 13:27

Both are interlaced

R1 Top, R2J Middle, R2J DVD-BOX Bottom

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 05 Aug 2007, 13:31

Thanks. We were under the impression that the R1 was compressed to hell, yet here it looks almost exactly the same (except in cap #5, more compression on Canti on the R1). Care to provide a commentary, Lourdes? Ta.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 05 Aug 2007, 14:14

The problems during the fast manga and action scenes are due to MPEG2 limitations. It's the same reason you see the variation in which is best on a per frame basis duing these types of sequences. Overall the R2J looks better due to having a bit of extra bitrate but there isn't really much in it.
The R2J singles do have LPCM however, and this is clearly better than the Japanese DD on the R1. They also have English subs on volumes 2-5 which use a slightly more literal translation although I only compared several minutes.

I hope to be able to have a look at the R2J DVD-BOX release soon to see if the video is different. It has full English subs and the dub (which is a good one) but the Japanese LPCM is replaced with Dolby Digital.

I'll probably author my own super-edition after I try the DVD-BOX, perhaps with a bit of video fiddling.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 05 Aug 2007, 14:22

The DVD-BOX has a different dub to the one on the R1?

I recall the R1's dub being pretty good. Pop culture references are changed i.e. Haruka makes reference to Rage Against the Machine in episode 5.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 05 Aug 2007, 14:30

No I mean that the dub is a good one compared to most dubs, not that the R2J BOX has a different one. It's a show I'll happily watch dubbed if needs be, quite happy with it after I stop thinking it sounds like a kids cartoon.
It's the subs that are different (R1 ones are also literal and not dubtitles). I'll have to see if the box has the R1 subs or the same as those on the singles. Maybe check to see of the episode one translation fits in with the others if it's not the R1 script.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 06 Aug 2007, 15:54

I had a look at the DVD-BOX, different video transfer but still very similar to the other two. I'll add caps when I have episode 6 in hand. The JP LPCM has indeed been replaced by JP DD2.0 (:x) and the subtitles are now the same as those on the R1's.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 06 Aug 2007, 16:27

So, not worth spending the hefty price tag for the DVD-BOX? The R1 UE would be just as adequate?

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 07 Aug 2007, 07:46

Added the DVD-BOX caps.

Yes you should definitely get the UE over the R2J's. It's less than a third of the price of the DVD-BOX and they're all so close. For my part I think I'll just wait and see if there's ever a HD release before I buy anything. A purchase seems pointless when I want to reauthor anyway.

Kris · Post by **Kris** » 07 Aug 2007, 10:25

R2J Box seems to be the worst of them. Some unnecessary EE and the compression is even slightly worse than the R1.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 07 Aug 2007, 14:25

Kris wrote:R2J Box seems to be the worst of them. Some unnecessary EE and the compression is even slightly worse than the R1.

Agreed (there's the nasty line up top as well, I hate encodes with that). It is still the sharpest but I upscale everything and throw in some extra sharpening anyway.

EvaUnit02 · Post by **EvaUnit02** » 08 Aug 2007, 00:11

You'd think that a transfer taken from a 100% digital source would at least be progressive. I might get the R1 UE eventually, if I do I'll provide caps.

Lourdes wrote: and throw in some extra sharpening anyway.

Ewww.

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 08 Aug 2007, 01:10

The R1 UE has the same transfer as the previous releases.
Something novel I noticed today, only the R1 releases have the Japanese commentary. The R2J's don't have it.

It's quite right for it to be interlaced, that's exactly how it should be - it's not a film.

Kris · Post by **Kris** » 08 Aug 2007, 18:50

But the really dumb thing is of course that they're still working from a 24fps base, only with added 3:2 pulldown (and perhaps some minor editing after that), so it might as well have been film. 30p animation is pretty rare and true 60i animation I don't think I have ever even come across.

Interlacing is the tool of the devil and I will never understand why to this day, with digital sources and HD and so on, studios insist on using it for the majority of new anime DVDs. How difficult can it really be to keep the 24p format all the way from source to finished product without introducing interlacing?

Lourdes · Post by **Lourdes** » 08 Aug 2007, 19:52

I don't really understand the production process. I don't quite understand why they do CG & pans at 30fps - 30fps interlaced 99.999% of the time to boot. What's so difficult about working at 24p?