Blu-ray Association Preps for PS3 in Japan

    August 29, 2006

While we're expecting some sizable announcements for US-centric releases both in hardware and software in the next two weeks between various events, there is a lot of info for the Japanese launch now out via Watch Impress. The Blu-ray launch in Japan, coming some eight months after HD DVDs launch, is aimed to work around the PlayStation 3 launch as its expected to have a million players for sale there (though anyone who was involved in the PS2 launch or the Xbox 360 launch will know how it really goes). A lot of information and pictures can be found throughout this thread at AVS Forum but anime fans and fans of Japanese releases in general will be interested in some of these launch slate titles from Sony Music Entertainment on 11/22/2006:

CHEMISTRY - Title undecided 6,615Yen

SOULHEAD - SOULHEAD Tour 2006 "Naked" 5,565 Yen

MIKA NAKASHIMA LET'S MUSIC TOUR 2005 6,090 Yen

The Jazz Trio/Hanku Jones - Legend of Jazz at Tokyo 6,615 Yen

Ken Hirai 10th Anniversary Tour - Final at Saitama Super Arena 6,615 Yen

BLOOD THE LAST VAMPIRE - Digital Master Edition 5,040 Yen

And yeah, there's a new edition of Blood apparently. While the previous Japanese release had subtitles to it, there's a chance that they won't be present here as current HD DVD releases of live action films that previously had subtitles haven't had them on that format upgrade. Sony Music Entertainment though has a better chance of retaining what was on the previous versions as Sony has been working to sell its releases in numerous regions. Current US releases from Sony on Blu-ray are having their artwork changed with Korean text and being sold in Korea as they already included Korean subtitles for example.