There is a new statement from the German publisher on Facebook. Maybe some of you are interested in it, as it mentions the UK/US publishers AL and GKIDS.
Dear Community,
Thank you for your patience. We take your feedback very seriously and have thoroughly examined all feedback received (direct messages, comments, e-mails, reviews) on the NEON GENESIS EVANGELION LIMITED COLLECTOR'S EDITION. In the following we would like to give you detailed feedback and hope to be able to answer your questions. We would like to point out at the outset that complex technical issues are involved which may require more in-depth knowledge of audio and video technology. Please read the following information carefully and, if necessary, contact us exclusively via the e-mail address set up for this purpose
nge-reklamation@leoninestudios.com.
Complaint Disc 6 Asset "Episode:25' Air" regarding faulty encoding and unstable frame rate.
The encoding and the source "Episode:25' Air" (hereinafter also referred to as asset) was viewed in detail by our technical service provider and subjected to various inspection processes. The delivered video material is unfortunately not ideal (however, it is the only existing source material of this asset), as it was delivered as 29.97i + 29.97 telecine (with partly changing cadence) material with various double or triple frames. This means that the source material already contains double or triple frames, which already leads to judder in the source, which can be perceived to varying degrees depending on the playback chain. Due to the standard conversion of the sequence necessary for publication in Europe (i.e. a different frame rate), already existing jerkiness may be additionally amplified depending on the playback chain.
Due to complaints from customers/buyers of the Blu-ray release, the source file was additionally converted again on a test basis with different codecs and checked by a technician and the quality check team in the test studio under ideal conditions. The asset or individual scenes were viewed and compared with different setups alternating with the existing or published encoding - the result was that the new encodings did not improve the user experience.
In addition, it was examined why the jerking that was complained about occurs more strongly with "Episode:25' Air" than with "Episode:26' My pure heart for you". As a result, the source of episode 26' has a continuous cadence and does not contain any real interlaced. Despite the conversion to 23.976p that was also carried out, the effect of jerkiness is therefore less noticeable in episode:26'.
The source files used for all assets are the only officially permitted materials that may be used worldwide for the purpose of a DVD and Blu-ray release. The Japanese licensor has assured us several times that this is the best possible existing material.
Finally, it should be noted that the complaint about the Japanese release is only less conspicuous because the release or disc authoring corresponds to the technical TV standard NTSC customary there (note: which is why a conversion of the frame rate for the offending asset episode:25' is not necessary). The licence agreement stipulates that the authoring of the German disc masters is to be implemented in accordance with the established specifications of the European region (in simple terms: not NTSC).
Complaint Disc 6 Audio format AC3
All extras on disc are in AC3 (Dolby Digital) by default on our anime releases - regardless of whether it's a standalone extras disc or the extras are integrated on the main disc in addition to the main film or episodes. We will take your feedback as an opportunity to handle this differently from the standard for highlight releases in the future, if necessary.
Complaint Discs fall out of the media holder
As many of you know, our packaging concept was designed in cooperation with the UK/US publisher. The packaging concept in laserdisc format is intended to honour the retro character of the series and envisages dispensing with classic plastic trays to give the packaging a high-quality feel. We can understand your annoyance with the discs falling out and would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any complications. The disc holder is not optimal, we want to admit that openly and honestly. We have therefore decided not to use such a disc holder in the future. In this case, a great deal of dexterity is required to place the disc neatly on the foam rubber-like holder. After some assembly tests, we can give you the tip to first carefully place the disc with the ring hole on the holder. By then continuously rotating the disc and exerting slight pressure on it, you can fix it firmly on the holder.
Complaint (fallen out) Discs are scratched and playability is impaired.
As optical storage media, DVDs and Blu-rays are subject to environmental influences that can impair playability - this naturally includes scratches. It should be noted that not every scratch affects playability. Should one or more of your discs be so badly damaged that playability is no longer guaranteed, we will of course offer you an exchange of the disc(s). Please send the disc(s) in question including a short description of the defect (e.g. disc cannot be played because it is scratched) + the desired shipping address for the replacement disc(s) (no packing stations) to the following postal address:
LEONINE Distribution
Anime - NGE Complaint
Taunusstr. 21
80807 Munich
Important: There is no time limit for the complaint. So if you find out in weeks or months that there are playback problems, you can still complain then. We will check all submissions for playability and if the disc(s) are playable, we will return the disc(s) to you. We ask you to refrain from asking questions during the check, as this prolongs the processing time. As a rule, you should receive your replacement disc(s) within 10 working days.
Complaint Disc holder falls off or is stuck on incorrectly
We were able to verify the complaint in individual cases within the scope of random checks and would like to apologise for the inconvenience caused. The manufacturer is currently investigating why the adhesive strength of some brackets is so weak. We recommend that you fix any holders that may have fallen off in the appropriate place with a strong adhesive. If one or more disc holders have been positioned so incorrectly that it is not possible to insert the disc at all, please submit a complaint, including a photo, by e-mail to
nge-reklamation@leoninestudios.com.
Complaint Artcard creased, box dented, booklet page torn, or similar.
If individual components of the edition show clear defects, we ask you to start a complaint including a photo by e-mail
nge-reklamation@leoninestudios.com. We will do our best to enable you to exchange individual components as quickly as possible.
We hope that our detailed answers have provided some clarity. We would also like to thank you for your constructive and objective criticism. It is and always has been our aim to bring a product of the best possible quality to the market. We will do our best to process your complaints quickly and promptly and to find a solution to your satisfaction.
Best regards
Your LEONINE Anime Team
