Dragon Ball Z to be redone in HD

[Chris]

You misunderstand. It's not being reanimated.

It's the SAME footage, just condensed into 100 episodes, expanded into true widescreen while being upped to HD quality. Only some of the effects will be reanimated, apparently. The voice work, however, will be done.

 

[BCVM22]

Do you suppose Toei realizes this will render obsolete the joke regarding how many Saiyans it takes to change it a lightbulb?*

*[spoil]Only one, but it will take at least eight episodes.[/spoil]

 

[BlitzBlast]

Oh goodie. SO we don't have to watch the so-called 'episode' that revolved around Piccolo and Cell staring at each other?

Cause I remember that.

Me: Oh! DBZ is on!
*The staring contest ensues*
Me: Eh, this was like 2 pages in the manga. They'll start fighting soon.
*Staring continues*
Me: HOW LONG WILL THEY DO THIS?!
*They prepare to fight*
Me: Okay, this will be interesting.
*Episode ends*
Me: -_-

But I did see the redone Saiyan arc. It sucked. They totally killed the over 9000 scene.

I mean, the original had the guy scream it, but this one just has Vegeta not put any emphasis into it at all.

 

[SonicSSJX the Hedgehog]

You misunderstand. It's not being reanimated.

It's the SAME footage, just condensed into 100 episodes, expanded into true widescreen while being upped to HD quality. Only some of the effects will be reanimated, apparently. The voice work, however, will be done.

Awww. Oh well. That'll be kind of hard editing stuff to make things connect to fit the plot. But I guess it's possible.

I mean, the original had the guy scream it, but this one just has Vegeta not put any emphasis into it at all.

Too bad that scream Brian gave was trying too hard, the scream wasn't necessary. His voice fit for the early Saiyan saga Vegeta because he was drawn awful, but other than that Saga. Nah.

 

[BCVM22]

That'll be kind of hard editing stuff to make things connect to fit the plot.

How do you figure that? It won't be difficult at all. Eliminating all of the filler (non-manga based) episodes takes out a pretty decent chunk on its own. Beyond that, all they have to do is determine where and how to place the major events and battles relative to this new 100-episode timeline and then determine how much footage and time they need/want between them. That might be hard if it were some two-bit fan editor trying to do this, but when it's the original production house and their team of animators and editors working with the original episode masters, it's not hard at all, at least not in the sense you're thinking. That's what they get paid for, after all.

 

[SonicSSJX the Hedgehog]

How do you figure that? It won't be difficult at all. Eliminating all of the filler (non-manga based) episodes takes out a pretty decent chunk on its own. Beyond that, all they have to do is determine where and how to place the major events and battles relative to this new 100-episode timeline and then determine how much footage and time they need/want between them. That might be hard if it were some two-bit fan editor trying to do this, but when it's the original production house and their team of animators and editors working with the original episode masters, it's not hard at all, at least not in the sense you're thinking. That's what they get paid for, after all.

I did add "It's possible" in that quote. lol.

 

[SBaby]

You misunderstand. It's not being reanimated.

It's the SAME footage, just condensed into 100 episodes, expanded into true widescreen while being upped to HD quality. Only some of the effects will be reanimated, apparently. The voice work, however, will be done.

Thank you. It's more like a remastering than a reanimation. All they're doing is cleaning the footage and making it look a bit brighter with current technology. It's not a remake.

I saw a blog posted by SSJGozar where he compares different versions of DBZ (like Funimation and Dragon Box) to this new remastering. It's also got a 15-second trailer for those that are interested, so you can see what it'll look like.

http://dragonball-kai.blogspot.com/

So yeah, that's about it. As you can see, it's not a major cosmetic change (and it's certainly not a remake or reanimation like some people seem to think it is), although they did crop it for widescreen (groan). But as he said, it looks like they did it selectively enough so nothing major was lost in any frame. So it isn't as bad as some of the other widescreen versions that have been released.

And yes, the remastered/refreshed series is going to be called, Dragonball Kai. Just putting that out now so you can get it all out of your systems right away.

 

[Shishioken]

Now imagine the Freeza saga.

-No fake Namek
-No stopping on a space ship of kids orphaned becaused of Freeza
-No Bulma's wacky adventures with giant crabs. No Blueberry or Raspberry, either.
-No Freeza killing random Namekians outside of the Great Elder's house.
-No Gurd remembering an argument he had with a tail-less Vegeta prior to his arrival on Earth.
-Several minutes of transformations are gone.
-No flashbacks of arguments and insults between Dodoria and Zarbon against Vegeta, Nappa and Raditz. No Vegeta knowing that Freeza destroyed Planet Vegeta before Dodoria tells him.
-Namek blows up in less than 20 episodes. Possibly 2 or 3, tops.
-No Ginyu Special Corps. on Kaio's planet; especially no Yamcha easily defeating ReaCoom.

Best of all...

NO GARLIC JR. ARC!

*Claps*

Yeah, even being a more-or-less long-"retired" watcher of the series in both the anime and manga (moreso the former), this news doesn't sound fairly vexing, or anything. It is a bit of a shame that the entire thing isn't being re-animated whole in B2/3 or Son Goku and His Friends style, or things like that, but a severe (if not complete) cut-down of the filler and the great seiyuu cast making a return does sound like it'll be a decent experience. I'm actually looking forward to it, almost; around-100 episodes will mean an approximate 4 (or less) episodes covering a volume of the original manga, and if some of the decent filler (like, say, Vegeta's flashback during the final fight against the Original Buu) is kept, that means that the completely canon portions will flow all the faster. Hopefully some of the awful animation mistakes and changed fights such as Vegeta vs. Zarbon (rematch) will be turned upside-down (and the REALLY stupid shit like the additions to some of the Ginyu crap, or 12-minute powerups, and such be all but removed), but we'll only know with time, I'd guess.

I've still got that question over whether DB (cut-down, to, say, sixty episodes, perhaps?) or the movies will enjoy the same treatment, because barring the stupid DBZ ones such as movies 2-4, 6-8, 10-13, (let alone *shudder* GT) some of those can actually be a fairly good watch (mostly for ol' times' sake, but w/e), and Toei would be a fool to keep those out of the picture.

Thank you. It's more like a remastering than a reanimation. All they're doing is cleaning the footage and making it look a bit brighter with current technology. It's not a remake.

I saw a blog posted by SSJGozar where he compares different versions of DBZ (like Funimation and Dragon Box) to this new remastering. It's also got a 15-second trailer for those that are interested, so you can see what it'll look like.

http://dragonball-kai.blogspot.com/

So yeah, that's about it. As you can see, it's not a major cosmetic change (and it's certainly not a remake or reanimation like some people seem to think it is), although they did crop it for widescreen (groan). But as he said, it looks like they did it selectively enough so nothing major was lost in any frame. So it isn't as bad as some of the other widescreen versions that have been released.

And yes, the remastered/refreshed series is going to be called, Dragonball Kai. Just putting that out now so you can get it all out of your systems right away.

Now that's some degree of "looking too much into it" for a fifteen-second clip, for sure...

 

[ClearMetalVoltar]

"sigh" instead of just creating a whole new dragonball series,theyre going to stall and remaster the same anime weve seen 100's of times. what great news! "sigh"

 

[Shishioken]

Yes, we saw how horridly it turned out the last time in '96, so how would it be any different (for the better) for another series with practically no Akira involvement? Toei doesn't have its infamy for screwing hundreds of scenes from no more than twelve episodes (whether it be animation/coloring, fight scenes, powerups, appearances, plot, etc.) and for downright bland scriptwriting, for nothing, you know. With the Z series and its predecessor they did have an excuse, being that the manga was still being written and released alongside the anime, but if it turned out awful as-is with ten out of their 13 Z movies and every freaking episode of GT and filler (that and fight lengtheners! >_>), a new series, well around 13 years after the manga's worst story arc finished, with zilch Birdman participation... would sound no better than the worst of fanfictions.

Even their Jump Festa special with Toriyama behind the story and script hardly gelled that well. I give it "points" for the opening animation, and it had creative moments that we'd never have expected the forgetful man to actually remember and implement, but all in all, I can't say that it was more than okay at best, so how are we going to expect something even worth watching for an episode or two, from the ones behind Mr. Popo>>Chibi Trunks and Goten, Yamucha>>>Olibu, and SS Goku>/=/<<Paikuhan>>>>>>>>>Comple Cell, among countless other things? They're hardly "stalling" right now for anything; it's just the best option that they have, right now. Would you like to have those disasterous plot points from the SB2 game fill up your TV screen, instead?

 

[Chris]

Why would you want a new series? Dragon Ball is officially over. GT was proof that making a new series wouldn't help prolong the series' life for very long. GT also officially ended it all.

 

[Kamex]

Wonder if Funimation will dub DBKai... and if CN would air it.

 

[Skiks]

"sigh" instead of just creating a whole new dragonball series,theyre going to stall and remaster the same anime weve seen 100's of times. what great news! "sigh"

Too bad this is actually something to be excited for since now you can watch the entirety of dbz without going over 100 or so eps. Filler moment being cut out is always a plus no matter what anime it is.

 

[youssef20138]

Well seeing as DB was one of the greatest Anime's in history I wouldnt be suprised to see it on tv again. I did wonder why they stopped showing it.

 

[dragon-dark-master]

I wouldnt be surprissed if they relesed annother DBZ series, at the end of every series rthey make it seam pretty final, then they just make another, i think they have done enough, and should let it sleep after they re-do it.

 

[Shishioken]

Well seeing as DB was one of the greatest Anime's in history I wouldnt be suprised to see it on tv again. I did wonder why they stopped showing it.

Not only would I starkly disagree with the bolded portion, but did you think it out that, that might have to do with the second series itself being two decades old with the first having been around for 23 years, nearly 25 if going by the manga?

 

[youssef20138]

Not only would I starkly disagree with the bolded portion, but did you think it out that, that might have to do with the second series itself being two decades old with the first having been around for 23 years, nearly 25 if going by the manga?

The actual reason I said its one of the greatest in history is because DBZ was one of the main reasons people watch anime.

 

[PokemonBluev]

DBGT Is also in process of being remastered, But I dont think they remastered Dragonball

And if you havnt already Seen, You can check out Dragonball AF Starting here

Dragonball AF

 

[youssef20138]

Dragonball AF

That was fan made adn isnt the original work of Akira Toriyama. Kid has great drawing skills though.

 

[Shishioken]

Popularity-wise, that's arguable. So is its "influence" on other series. But most of them are shounen and more often than not, rather... crappy. Hellsing (if you count that), I believe, is about the only "seinen" manga to come from an author who liked Db, if I recall correctly. All the other ones are things like One Piece, Naruto, Blech, Black Cat, Excel Saga, things like that.

And the only real remastering that either pre-"Z" or GT/movies have seen are in their Dragon Box releases, dude.