Nodame Cantabile S1 R3 Korea

[Innova]

I went to the yesasia site and they just listed an upcoming release for this show. Sony Pictures is releasing the first season. Specs are Japanese, Korean, and English audio with English subs as well.

[The Alaskan Assassin]

I went to the yesasia site and they just listed an upcoming release for this show. Sony Pictures is releasing the first season. Specs are Japanese, Korean, and English audio with English subs as well.

You mean this awesome link (http://www.yesasia.com/us/nodame-cantabile-season-1-dvd-6-disc-english-subtitled-korea-version/1021143681-0-0-0-en/info.html)?

[Draneor]

So the publisher for R3 Korea is still Sony? I'd love to have Nodame, but I don't know enough about the Korean DVD market to avoid bootlegers and other shady publishers. And if it is still Sony, why do the specifications differ from Taiwan to Korea (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=94819&highlight=Nodame)?

[WTK]

So the publisher for R3 Korea is still Sony? I'd love to have Nodame, but I don't know enough about the Korean DVD market to avoid bootlegers and other shady publishers. And if it is still Sony, why do the specifications differ from Taiwan to Korea (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=94819&highlight=Nodame)?
I kind feel the same way as well. I'm not familiar with Korean DVD releases at all. Regardless, I'm interested in this particular release.

[something]

I went to the yesasia site and they just listed an upcoming release for this show. Sony Pictures is releasing the first season. Specs are Japanese, Korean, and English audio with English subs as well.
Nodame with English subs for $65 and free S&H? I'm game. Although whether the subs will be any good is, as always, the question. But whatever, one less show to buy in R1, not that I even expect it'll get licensed.

I'd order now but talk of boots gives me pause. Is there any reason to fear that? I'm trying to find a Sony page for Korean releases or whatever to see if it's listed, but that's outside my area of expertise so I don't know where to find it. The top hits for "Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nodame" in google are from this thread. :sd:

[Draneor]

Is there any reason to fear that?

If it is published by Sony, probably not. Although I don't get why the Taiwan and Korea versions have different language options for both dubs and subs. I could understand if Sony was just going to print one version for all of R3, but a Thai dub for Taiwan but not Japanese? Malay subtitles for Korea? Perhaps Sony is making two versions for different areas of R3, but I'd prefer to have some confirmation other than YesAsia. Of course, it doesn't help that I can't read Korean at all.

Really, I'm just overly cautious by nature.

[something]

If it is published by Sony, probably not. Although I don't get why the Taiwan and Korea versions have different language options for both dubs and subs. I could understand if Sony was just going to print one version for all of R3, but a Thai dub for Taiwan but not Japanese? Malay subtitles for Korea? Perhaps Sony is making two versions for different areas of R3, but I'd prefer to have some confirmation other than YesAsia. Of course, it doesn't help that I can't read Korean at all.

Really, I'm just overly cautious by nature.
No, you're right, it does sound odd. Well, I guess it does anyway, but what the heck do I know about R3? :sd:

It's not like I need to order it right this second so I'll wait and see.

[dormcat]

YESASIA also has R3TW (http://www.yesasia.com/us/%E4%BA%A4%E9%9F%BF%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%A2%E5%8 B%95%E7%95%AB-01-dvd-%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E7%89%88/1020689868-0-0-0-en/info.html) and R3HK (http://www.yesasia.com/us/%E4%BA%A4%E9%9F%BF%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%A2%E5%8 B%95%E7%95%AB%E7%89%88-dvd-%E7%AC%AC1%E8%BC%AF-%E7%AC%AC1-4%E9%9B%86-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%89%88/1020767486-0-0-0-en/info.html) available now. Sadly, R3TW still has that weird and ridiculous "Language: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai" and "Subtitles: English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Thai, French, Portuguese" on the specification. Some said (http://www.prowaremedia.com.tw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=141328#141328) that Deltamac (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=7624) is the distributor; I'll verify the information once the DVD hits brick'n'mortar stores.

[The Alaskan Assassin]

YESASIA also has R3TW (http://www.yesasia.com/us/%E4%BA%A4%E9%9F%BF%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%A2%E5%8 B%95%E7%95%AB-01-dvd-%E5%8F%B0%E7%81%A3%E7%89%88/1020689868-0-0-0-en/info.html) and R3HK (http://www.yesasia.com/us/%E4%BA%A4%E9%9F%BF%E6%83%85%E4%BA%BA%E5%A4%A2%E5%8 B%95%E7%95%AB%E7%89%88-dvd-%E7%AC%AC1%E8%BC%AF-%E7%AC%AC1-4%E9%9B%86-%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF%E7%89%88/1020767486-0-0-0-en/info.html) available now. Sadly, R3TW still has that weird and ridiculous "Language: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai" and "Subtitles: English, Traditional Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Thai, French, Portuguese" on the specification. Some said (http://www.prowaremedia.com.tw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=141328#141328) that Deltamac (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=7624) is the distributor; I'll verify the information once the DVD hits brick'n'mortar stores.

oh thank god.
Is it typical to have that many languages from "Deltamac"?

[dormcat]

Is it typical to have that many languages from "Deltamac"?
No it's not, but I suspect Animax just put every subtitle they've broadcasted inside. Deltamac is much more well-known with live-action movies; perhaps they've also got the license for live-action movie and dorama of Nodame Cantabile.

The backcover image is now available (http://tw.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/auction/f11366799).

Languages: English, Japanese, Korean (Dolby 2.0)
Subtitles: (Traditional) Chinese, English, Cantonese, Korean, Thai, Indonesian, Malaysian
MSRP: NT$450

Now I think it's worth buying as long as the video quality is acceptable.

[Draneor]

So the R3 TW release does have a Japanese audio track. Thanks for confirming that, Dormcat. I'll probably go with it then.

[something]

So the R3 TW release does have a Japanese audio track. Thanks for confirming that, Dormcat. I'll probably go with it then.
It looks like it would cost quite a bit more than the Korean version ($100 vs about $65) so I think I'll end up going with the Korean, assuming it's okay. Are R3KR releases in general known to be lower quality? I know R3TW is supposed to be pretty much just like R2. So unless there's some particularly compelling reason to shell out $35 more...

(Speaking of R3 releases for shows that aired in the noitaminA slot... js mall got my H&C DVDs in stock right quick and I just paid the S&H, yay)

[Draneor]

Are R3KR releases in general known to be lower quality? I know R3TW is supposed to be pretty much just like R2. So unless there's some particularly compelling reason to shell out $35 more...

I don't know about the video quality, but some Korean licensees have done some questionable releases (http://www.mania.com/aodvb/showthread.php?t=72077&highlight=Korea) in the past. Due to my utter unfamiliarity with the Korean anime market, I generally avoid it entirely to play it safe. Now, if I could get confirmation that it was a Sony release, I would consider it.

[boogiecat]

Seems like they'll use the Animax Asia english dubs on the english audio for this one.

[something]

Ah heck with it, I ordered the R3TW. A $35 difference is nothing to sneeze at but neither is it so huge that I'd want to risk buying from a market I know even less about than R3TW. I figure the subtitles will be the same on both too. And $100 for 6 volumes of a 2 cour show is almost exactly what I'd pay for 6 $30msrp singles in a 40% TRSI sale + GA discount, so... not bad at all with free S&H.

Though I do pay $1.50 more than I should since they accidentally have Vol. 2 listed as being out 8/11 instead of 9/11 like all the other volumes, so it has no discount, I guess. =P I wonder why they're releasing six singles all on the same date instead of putting them in a set or whatever. Is that common?

[sailor53]

I went ahead and pre-ordered the R3TW volume 01 of the series. I never seen the series before so I decided to just get one volume for now. I hope its good.

[rg4619]

I'll check out the Korean release then.

Hopefully, Sony produced the masters for each territory (which they do for some marquis DVD releases) and merely left distribution to local companies.

[dormcat]

Saw the real thing tonight. All six volumes are now available; specs are just like I wrote in the previous post.

Similar to Metropolis, Cowboy Bebop movie, and FF7: Advent Children, Nodame Cantabile was produced by Sony in a centralized manner; district licensees (such as Deltamac) only act as distributors. According to the retailer, Taiwanese fans don't quite like this type of distribution, yet all previous titles were movies, so we'll have to wait and see how Nodame Cantabile performs.

[something]

Similar to Metropolis, Cowboy Bebop movie, and FF7: Advent Children, Nodame Cantabile was produced by Sony in a centralized manner; district licensees (such as Deltamac) only act as distributors. According to the retailer, Taiwanese fans don't quite like this type of distribution, yet all previous titles were movies, so we'll have to wait and see how Nodame Cantabile performs.
Ah, so I could have saved money with the R3K. Well, still could if I cancel and reorder I guess but meh.

And they don't like it? Does it lack anything they usually expect to get...? Seems pretty sweet to me (lots of options, all released at once).

[dormcat]

And they don't like it? Does it lack anything they usually expect to get...? Seems pretty sweet to me (lots of options, all released at once).
I don't own any of them so I don't know if there's any lacking in audio/video quality, but the package of Metropolis only has a small piece of translated info on the spine (which can be easily lost after taking the shrink wrap off); all other labeling are in ENGLISH. Giving the fact that Taiwanese anime fans have BELOW AVERAGE English proficiency I wouldn't be surprised they'd rather ignore the cheap-looking packages of those titles.

FF7: Advent Children has another problem (http://blog.yam.com/inlo/article/2031911): its notoriously-translated subtitles that filled with mistakes, some of them were outright hilarious. Cowboy Bebop movie has been aired on HBO again and again in ENGLISH DUB, which might give local fans a wrong impression that it is dub-only. Furthermore, Bebop's "made-for-Western-fans" style almost assured its doom; unlike its dominance in the West, very few local fans have ever heard of its existence.

[something]

I don't own any of them so I don't know if there's any lacking in audio/video quality, but the package of Metropolis only has a small piece of translated info on the spine (which can be easily lost after taking the shrink wrap off); all other labeling are in ENGLISH. Giving the fact that Taiwanese anime fans have BELOW AVERAGE English proficiency I wouldn't be surprised they'd rather ignore the cheap-looking packages of those titles.
FF7: Advent Children has another problem (http://blog.yam.com/inlo/article/2031911): its notoriously-translated subtitles that filled with mistakes, some of them were outright hilarious. Cowboy Bebop movie has been aired on HBO again and again in ENGLISH DUB, which might give local fans a wrong impression that it is dub-only.
Releasing a physical product with package information in a language the customers don't even speak... :sd: Very odd.

Well, hopefully Nodame fares okay.

[Draneor]

Nodame has been posted to JSDVD Mall (http://mall.jsdvd.com/advanced_search_result.php?categories_id=&osCsid=6f000255074a0830d732d8a407b5ed4d&inc_subcat=1&keywords=Nodame&x=0&y=0), by the way. NT$ 2280 ($70 plus shipping). It might be a little cheaper than YesAsia.

[boogiecat]

Nodame has been posted to JSDVD Mall (http://mall.jsdvd.com/advanced_search_result.php?categories_id=&osCsid=6f000255074a0830d732d8a407b5ed4d&inc_subcat=1&keywords=Nodame&x=0&y=0), by the way. NT$ 2280 ($70 plus shipping). It might be a little cheaper than YesAsia.

Looks like they've got that also the english audio which came from Animax Asia..Hmm seems like im gonna buy this one..Thanks for the info BTW!!

[something]

Nodame has been posted to JSDVD Mall (http://mall.jsdvd.com/advanced_search_result.php?categories_id=&osCsid=6f000255074a0830d732d8a407b5ed4d&inc_subcat=1&keywords=Nodame&x=0&y=0), by the way. NT$ 2280 ($70 plus shipping). It might be a little cheaper than YesAsia.
Hrm. I could save about $13 if I cancel and reorder with JS Mall. Will have to decide if I care enough about $13 to do so.

Edit: Guess I do, just sent yesasia the request to cancel. Will order from JS Mall once YesAsia confirms.

[something]

Edit: Guess I do, just sent yesasia the request to cancel. Will order from JS Mall once YesAsia confirms.
Saved $13 and should be getting it faster too. YesAsia was estimating it'd ship out on 9/17. Well, I ordered from JS Mall late on the 10th, it went into packaging yesterday, and I just for prompted to (and did) pay the shipping fee about an hour ago. My last package from JS Mall was airmail and took about a week and a half so I used the same for this. Not bad at all.

[dormcat]

Someone pressed (http://www.prowaremedia.com.tw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=141613#141613) the panic button. Basically, the translation of traditional Chinese subtitles is as awful as FF7:AC. :angry:

[something]

Someone pressed (http://www.prowaremedia.com.tw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=141613#141613) the panic button. Basically, the translation of traditional Chinese subtitles is as awful as FF7:AC. :angry:
Any idea if the English subtitles are subsequently translated from those bad Chinese subs? Rather hoping it was an entirely separate process and they're not treating it like a low quality J>C>E fansub group...

[danhawk]

so i should stick with the tw verision?

[something]

so i should stick with the tw verision?
The assumption is that they'll all be the same thing, I think.

[danhawk]

so i should stick with the tw verision?
The assumption is that they'll all be the same thing, I think.
that kinda sucks. yet to see this show is it pretty easy to get through. I doubt it can be as bad as zome of the gundam subtitle tracks that i have seen.

[something]

that kinda sucks. yet to see this show is it pretty easy to get through. I doubt it can be as bad as zome of the gundam subtitle tracks that i have seen.
Well, are you going to be reading the Chinese subtitles or the English? I think dormcat's comment was aimed at the Chinese. We haven't heard much on the quality of the English subtitles.

However JS Mall shipped mine on the 14th so I'll have it in another 7-10 days I imagine, at which point I'll probably try to watch an episode and see how the subtitles are.

[danhawk]

that kinda sucks. yet to see this show is it pretty easy to get through. I doubt it can be as bad as zome of the gundam subtitle tracks that i have seen.
Well, are you going to be reading the Chinese subtitles or the English? I think dormcat's comment was aimed at the Chinese. We haven't heard much on the quality of the English subtitles.

However JS Mall shipped mine on the 14th so I'll have it in another 7-10 days I imagine, at which point I'll probably try to watch an episode and see how the subtitles are.
sounds good. i cant read any Chinese, so it is about the English subs.

[Draneor]

However JS Mall shipped mine on the 14th so I'll have it in another 7-10 days I imagine, at which point I'll probably try to watch an episode and see how the subtitles are.

I look forward to your review.^^

[boogiecat]

AFAIK its also available in english audio(the one that Animax Asia used) but I prefer this one on english subs..Oh well we'll look forward on a review on this one!

[something]

Checking out episode one now for the R3TW version. Some random impressions follow.

Subs/translation:
- OP and ED are subtitled.
- The subtitles are roughly the same size as R1 DVDs. Maybe slightly smaller, but either way the size is fine. I like subs slightly smaller than R1 norm anyway.
- Font color is gray with black outline instead of yellow. I've always preferred gray and set my default softsubs in KMPlayer to gray as well, so thumbs up.
- The subtitles as a whole are centered, and multiple lines are centered as well. This as opposed to the Haruhi R2s, which were centered as a whole but multiple lines were left justified in the center, if that makes sense. I of course prefer Nodame's method.
- Multiple speakers indicated with dashes at the start of each line, rather than color changes.
- Grammar hasn't presented any problems. Sentences flow naturally.
- Haven't noticed a typo yet (12 minutes in).
- I know fuckall about music but as far as I can tell they're leaving the musical terms in correctly. Someone who has a clue about such things would need to confirm that.

- OP and ED are only available in English, at least on disc 1, i.e. no parallel English/romaji like most fansubs, or alternating English/romaji by episode like most DVDs. Not sure how the other language tracks handle it.
- Way more "quotation marks" than I'm used to seeing in subtitles (whether R1 or fansub), in some places that I guess make sense (when translating on screen text), and others that make no sense at all.
- Japanese names altered to Western order. Unfortunate but expected.
- "Gyabo!" became "Gulp"? Now I'm worried they'll try to make up "translations" to go along with every one of her nonsensical utterances.
- Honorifics are either mangled or ignored, depending on the one in question. I can stomach -sensei becoming Professor, at least where they're actually referring to their music teachers. Fine. But Chiaki-sama became "Master" "Chiaki", quotation marks included. I don't understand the quotation marks and much prefer -sama be left alone. However what is really going to be murder for me is that Chiaki-senpai becomes Mr. Chiaki, and I'm guessing it'll affect all uses of that honorific. It's like every 6th word out of Nodame's mouth and that's just about the most awkward way they could have handled it. The only thing I dislike more than missing honorifics is poorly approximated honorifics.
- Finally a noticed typo/grammar mistake, "And I almost given up" should be "And I'd almost given up", at 19:23 in. But that's only one all episode, not bad.

Packaging:
- The packaging is standard clear keepcases with disc hubs that hold the discs firmly.
- The cover is reversible, but you only get a spine on the default side. The inside is one full sheet image.
- There's a half-insert facing out by default that covers the back and wraps around the spine with the Chinese information. If you remove that, you see that the cover beneath is the same thing, but in English. Bit hard to explain since I haven't seen this before.

Other:
- Only one chapter stop per episode. o_O What the hell? That practice died out in R1 years ago.
- Video quality seems perfectly fine to me. I won't trot out the various technical terms because they mean nothing to me.
- Audio seems okay too. Maybe the OP sounded a little muffled, I suppose. But the OP starts out a bit weird in general and I didn't notice any problems in the episode itself.

All in all it'll be watchable for most, and the price is quite reasonable. But the "-senpai" issue is enough for me to stick with the version I've already seen if I ever decide to rewatch this show. Nice to have the whole first season on DVD with grammatically correct English subtitles for $87 though.

[WTK]

Checking out episode one now for the R3TW version. Some random impressions follow.
Thanks for posting this. I decided to order the Korean release and it shipped today as well. I guess I will compare to what you listed here.

[WTK]

I got the R3 Korea release today. I wasn't expecting a thinpak release (housed in a flimsy artbox, a tiny bit studier than the FUNi variety). The three clear thinpaks contained no reversible artwork. Vol.1 used the Vol.1 R3TW cover, Vol.2 used the Vol.2 R3TW cover, and Vol.3 used the Vol.4 R3TW cover.

[halo]

I just got my Korean set in and the first thing I notice is ... wtf the dub isn't bad?!?! It might even be almost good. I've yet to find any credits but this is certainly an American studio dub. I just skipped around and can't exactly say I recognized anyone but the young Chiaki in the beginning of ep. 1 sounded a lot like Brianne Siddall; I'm not really up on the English dub scene much anymore though. It's enough to make me notice the lack of a song/sign subtitle track.

Other than that it's a nice set if you don't mind a FUNimation style 3 dual disc slim cases in a cheap cardboard box. It's good enough for me.

[boogiecat]

That english dubs came from Animax Asia AFAIK(someone posted a clip of the english dubs on Dailymotion.com).And maybe its an American dubs..

[Innocent Bystander]

So, how are the English subs on the Korean release?

[rg4619]

So, how are the English subs on the Korean release?

They're the same as the ones on the Taiwanese release.

[LelouchLamperouge]

Hate to commit some thread necromancy here, but it looks and sounds legit, but sounds too good to be true. (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8h-49-en-70-3u22-4-6.html)

If its legit, that is a darn good deal.

[WTK]

Hate to commit some thread necromancy here, but it looks and sounds legit, but sounds too good to be true. (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8h-49-en-70-3u22-4-6.html)

If its legit, that is a darn good deal.
YesAsia.com seems to have the same HK listing (http://www.yesasia.com/us/nodame-cantabile-dvd-vol-1-6-hong-kong-version/1022745909-0-0-0-en/info.html). However they are listing it without English sub or dub.

[ZenErik]

I have always wanted to check out this series, but it looks like it'll never see the light of day over here.

Hmmm. The only problem is that I don't have a region free DVD player. Is the PS3 easy to make region free?

[LelouchLamperouge]

Hate to commit some thread necromancy here, but it looks and sounds legit, but sounds too good to be true. (http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-8h-49-en-70-3u22-4-6.html)

If its legit, that is a darn good deal.
YesAsia.com seems to have the same HK listing (http://www.yesasia.com/us/nodame-cantabile-dvd-vol-1-6-hong-kong-version/1022745909-0-0-0-en/info.html). However they are listing it without English sub or dub.

Buyoyo.com (which claims to be the top retailer for Asian entertainment) has this listed for the set:
(280504-D5)
Nodame Cantabile (Vol. 1 - 6) [DVD]
(Date: 2010-05-30)
Price($): HK$196 (USD$ 25.3)
Publisher:ERA Movies Ltd.
Region Code : 3
Video: NTSC
Audio: English / Thai / Japanese : Dolby Digital 2.0
Subtitle: Chinese (Traditional) / English / Korean / Thai
Disc No: 6

[WTK]

Buyoyo.com (which claims to be the top retailer for Asian entertainment) has this listed for the set:
YesAsia.com botched its listing. I also found a ERA promo flyer (http://attach.getjetso.com/forum/attachments/month_1005/20100524_a152d0151fb26fdb6995xJqtvhxqo6OQ.jpg?name =Nodame.jpg).