[JP] Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman BD-Box

[WTK]

Amazon Japan listings:

Amazon Japan exclusive (http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B007XNRX0C) - 62465 yen, 11/28
standard release (http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B007XMUU76) - 54600yen, 11/28


50 episodes, 54600yen, November 2012 | Tatsunoko TV series BD-Box rush trailer (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avEQ0wZwlx0) | Trailer version 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f3UoD0JXyA)

[russ869]

Cool. May check this one out.

[WTK]

Amazon Japan listings:

Amazon Japan exclusive (http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B007XNRX0C) - 62465 yen, 11/28
standard release (http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B007XMUU76) - 54600yen, 11/28

[ObiKenobi]

Did anyone ever pick this up? It seems a bit expensive to dive in without knowing the quality and both versions have 1 star reviews with one seeming to be complaining about the quality (though the translated version from Google is quite awkward). It seems the other is just complaining about price.

[Buster Darkwings]

The 1st episode aired on TV a while back as a promo for the BD box. I assume it used the same master and it seemed fine for what I assume is 16mm (except for the OP which might've been an upscale), but of course JP TV is just 1440x1080i, 15~MBPS MPEG-2. Plus I watched it on my girlfriend's 40" TV rather than my projector, so I'm not sure if I can recommend it or not.

The one Amazon review that talks about the video quality just says it looks "荒い" ("rough") and that it's not much of an upgrade over the DVDs, but take that with a grain of salt since a lot of Japanese (like a lot of Americans) freak out over film grain.

[ObiKenobi]

Yeah, that's kind of what I was assuming the person was saying but the Google Translate version was so awkward that I couldn't tell if it was just it translating it badly. Hmm, since the set seems to not be a limited edition, I'll just wait. Have plenty of other stuff pre-ordered that I want more.

[progress]

I was somehow convinced these were time limited (one year) releases, but right now I can't find anything about this on the site for the Tatsunoko Pro BD boxes. Maybe they changed that some time ago. The last four boxes were delayed by 6 months too, so it wouldn't surprise me.

What is limited however is the booklet you get with the Amazon limited edition. Afaik they include the same booklet with each of the amazon limited boxes, so don't buy two of them in that version.

[ObiKenobi]

Even if they are only in print for one year there's still plenty of time since it was released in late November of last year.

[progress]

One year from the release of the first box, so actually until August or so (for all boxes). But as I said, the last four boxes already were delayed past that deadline, so very likely that cut-off date is no longer valid (or I might be making up things anyway).

[ObiKenobi]

There was only a single BD Box and it was released on November 28th. Where are you getting 4 boxes from?

[progress]

I'm talking about the Tatsunoko Pro set of boxes, the Mirai Keisatsu Urashiman box is part of the set (they all have that blue colored spine). The four boxes that were delayed are Yoroshiku Mekadok, Ougon Senshi Gold Raitan, Genesis Climber Mospeada and Time Bokan.

Here is the site (http://shochiku.co.jp/tatsunoko/index.html).

And come to think of it, I'm not making things up. I distinctly remember reading the boxes would only be made to order, for one year. They were going to do a new batch every two months or so, so in some case you would need to wait a bit until it restocks; not that this would have impacted Amazon stock. I can't find any mention of this anymore on the site, so obviously they changed the release model. Either the boxes are more successful than anticipated, or they're not selling at all so they can't get rid of the first run - I'm hoping for the former.

[ObiKenobi]

Ok. I was referring to only this box and it was released on November 28th. You can even see the release date in the first post which is to the Amazon page which has the same release date. It's also not made to order since Amazon says 6 left with more on the way. Which means there is more stock they can get.

[progress]

When a set of releases is time-limited, they stop producing all boxes at the same time. I know that seems strange because it basically means the last box is only a couple of months in production, but that's how it usually works - by which I mean the release date for this box doesn't really influence any cut-off date (if there still is one).

Amazon just orders up-front what they think they can sell. Their stock is no real indicator for the distribution scheme. It's also the reason why they often have stock when other sellers don't. And sometimes Amazon orders so much that's it's hard to get the release from a (physical) retailer. At least there was a joke about that in a chapter of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. :sdsmiley:

[ObiKenobi]

When a set of releases is time-limited, they stop producing all boxes at the same time. I know that seems strange because it basically means the last box is only a couple of months in production, but that's how it usually works - by which I mean the release date for this box doesn't really influence any cut-off date (if there still is one).

I know how a time-limited release works as I've ordered dozens of such things from Amazon Japan and CDJapan. You don't need to tell me stuff I know about. :)

Amazon just orders up-front what they think they can sell. Their stock is no real indicator for the distribution scheme.

It's actually quite a good indicator. If it was truly a made-to-order set as you claim, which I see no evidence to believe, they would not say "more on the way". That message is saying they can get more from the supplier. For example, the City Hunter DVD Box Set from 2005 that I ordered had it's amount produced made based on pre-orders. When the stock got nearly empty it did not have that message.

Either way since the regular set was marked down by about 30% so I ordered it. So whether it is limited run or not is rather moot for me.

[progress]

"more on the way"
That's what it generally says, which suggests they have items on a truck to their warehouse or something. In my experience the Japanese version ("expecting arrivals") is more accurate.

Anyway, I've seen stuff with an expected shipping in 2 to 6 weeks ship the next day, and on the other hand I have an order waiting right now which is listed as in stock on the product page, but hasn't been restocked for almost a month. So I don't trust the status too much.

[ObiKenobi]

Having just got the box set in and having looked at it the Amazon Japan review that said it wasn't much better than the DVD set must be blind. The DVDs are from a rather poor looking analog master with lots of composite artifacts. They also have quite a bit of compression artifacts. This set is a HUGE improvement in pretty much every way. A handful of screenshots for those interested:

BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/ec84b7242740668) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/4051f0242740764)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/929788242740685) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/73277f242740773)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/ac7cc7242740698) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/0d2fbc242740793)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/77b040242740712) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/fff6e6242740816)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/33a64e242740718) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/047f4c242740832)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/1d20af242740728) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/6460a4242740852)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/5a028c242740736) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9e2196242740874)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/be3f40242740745) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/170f3a242740897)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/343c01242740752) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/9f9c00242740915)
BD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/f97dee242740756) DVD (http://www.imagebam.com/image/556ff5242740932)

The only real complaint I could say is that sometimes you lose a little picture on the top in the BD due to the framing. Though you definitely gain it in other areas.

Definitely a buy if you enjoy the show and got the spare change.

[Buster Darkwings]

Looks pretty good. And yeah, Amazon JP reviewers being blind happens way too often.