NoSurprises
Hunter
Since it cropped up in one of the other threads. Only very recently have I acquired a 4k player (I've had a 4k TV for a while now, it's not exactly a newer model so it doesn't support fancy stuff like Dolby Vision, but it does a fine job of HDR). I've always been kinda sceptical of 4k releases, as if you showed me an image with no context, I probably couldn't tell you if it came from an upscaled 1080p source or a 4k source.
But down the rabbit hole of 4k discs I went anyway, spending time trying to figure out which releases are actually worth it, and have actually found stuff like Leon/The Fifth Element to be pretty brilliant in 4k (the mix of slightly sharper visuals and HDR really do improve those movies for me). I've also purchased the 4k release of 1995's Ghost in the Shell, which I've found to be a not insignificant upgrade over my previous Blu-ray copy. I've not picked up anything beyond Ghost in the Shell yet, since this stuff is prohibitively expensive, and for the majority of folks, probably not worth the extra price of admission.
Anime is a bit odd in 4k, since nothing actually seems to be created at that resolution, meaning (almost?) all newer releases will be upscales with the added benefit of HDR. Older titles that were transferred to film appear to fair a bit better in this arena, as new 4k scans of the original masters have the potential to give those films a new lease on life.
Anyway, below is a list of English friendly 4k anime I've found so far, as well as their (current) price from CDJapan (shipping/customs not included):
(As of 20/01/2020)
Akira - £73 (4k scan of 35mm + HDR)
Ghost in The Shell - £73 (4k scan of 35mm + HDR)
Ghost In The Shell Innocence - £73 (Upscale +HDR)
Ghost In The Shell & Innocence Double Pack - £96
Gundam Thunderbolt December Sky - £60 (Upscale +HDR)
Gundam Thunderbolt Bandit Flower - £67 (Upscale +HDR)
Mary and The Witch's Flower - £78 (Upscale +HDR)
Weathering With You - £84 (Upscale +HDR)
Your Name - £90 (Upscale +HDR)
It's worth noting that CDJapan is probably not the best price for this stuff, and that it's definitely worth shopping around.
Let me know if there's anything I've missed and I'll add it to the list. I'd also be interested to know if anyone has had any experience with any of these titles in 4k?
But down the rabbit hole of 4k discs I went anyway, spending time trying to figure out which releases are actually worth it, and have actually found stuff like Leon/The Fifth Element to be pretty brilliant in 4k (the mix of slightly sharper visuals and HDR really do improve those movies for me). I've also purchased the 4k release of 1995's Ghost in the Shell, which I've found to be a not insignificant upgrade over my previous Blu-ray copy. I've not picked up anything beyond Ghost in the Shell yet, since this stuff is prohibitively expensive, and for the majority of folks, probably not worth the extra price of admission.
Anime is a bit odd in 4k, since nothing actually seems to be created at that resolution, meaning (almost?) all newer releases will be upscales with the added benefit of HDR. Older titles that were transferred to film appear to fair a bit better in this arena, as new 4k scans of the original masters have the potential to give those films a new lease on life.
Anyway, below is a list of English friendly 4k anime I've found so far, as well as their (current) price from CDJapan (shipping/customs not included):
(As of 20/01/2020)
Akira - £73 (4k scan of 35mm + HDR)
Ghost in The Shell - £73 (4k scan of 35mm + HDR)
Ghost In The Shell Innocence - £73 (Upscale +HDR)
Ghost In The Shell & Innocence Double Pack - £96
Gundam Thunderbolt December Sky - £60 (Upscale +HDR)
Gundam Thunderbolt Bandit Flower - £67 (Upscale +HDR)
Mary and The Witch's Flower - £78 (Upscale +HDR)
Weathering With You - £84 (Upscale +HDR)
Your Name - £90 (Upscale +HDR)
It's worth noting that CDJapan is probably not the best price for this stuff, and that it's definitely worth shopping around.
Let me know if there's anything I've missed and I'll add it to the list. I'd also be interested to know if anyone has had any experience with any of these titles in 4k?
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