Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 Blu-ray Movie Review

Dragon Ball Z returns in the original 4:3 aspect ratio.

One of the best action-adventure anime series of all time, Dragon Ball Z returns once more with the 30^th anniversary edition. The series remains one of my favorites (since childhood) and manages to entertain with outstanding action sequences and fun characters. The saga is one that no anime fan should miss out on. Dragon Ball Z is a classic anime full of action-packed fun.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 continues the journey. The set contains episodes 220-253 of the beloved anime series. These episodes focus on two sagas: the Babidi arc and the Majin Buu saga. These storylines test the heroes strengths and abilities as the world needs saving – once more. With the diabolical Babidi threatening all of humanity, can our heroes save the day and prevent total annihilation? Then the greatest threat to date arrives when Buu enters the stage.

The 30^th Anniversary Edition contains the complete eighth season in the original 4:3 full-frame aspect ratio. Featuring a stunning steelbook design, the 30^th anniversary release is a terrific value proposition for die-hard fans of the anime franchise. The collection is jam-packed for enthusiasts.

Time for some fun!

The Buu saga is one of the most debated action sagas to be explored in the Dragon Ball Z franchise. The character can be a surprise – in more ways than one. Sometimes the goofy element on display seems far-fetched compared to the Cell saga and the comedic play is a lot different than the more serious villain moments throughout the series. Regardless, the Buu saga still has plenty to offer.

The animation on Dragon Ball Z is one of the best elements of the series. The epic fight scenes are outstanding in their intricacy and design. The hand-drawn animation easily draws one in to the experience and makes the series all the more enjoyable. The line-art, background-art, and cool character designs are part of the DNA of the show. The legacy of Dragon Ball Z is largely due to everything invested in to the production by the team of talented animators.

Then there's the epic score composed by Shunsuke Kikuchi (Dragon Ball). The original Japanese soundtrack adds to the epic experience. The score swells with drama and excitement and never manages to lose steam. The music by Kikuchi is an entertaining blast and it makes the anime irresistible. An outstanding effort.

There are few anime series as entertaining and action-packed as Dragon Ball Z. The legacy of the action-packed series will live on forever as it is one of the most groundbreaking achievements in animation the medium has seen. Few series manage to have as many compelling action scenes. Masterful and epic, Dragon Ball Z is an anime classic.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Funimation Entertainment, Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. The presentation is the result of the 30^th anniversary celebration of Dragon Ball Z. Funimation decided to return to the original masters and assemble a brand new restoration. A significant upgrade over the previous cropped, 1:78-1 widescreen transfers.

Having Dragon Ball Z in the original aspect ratio is a true treat and something that cannot go understated. The widescreen framing utilized on several of the previous sets (the original Blu-ray season sets and the orange brick DVD collections) was horrendous and jarring. The framing often managed to take me out of the experience on the past masters and I hated seeing chopped off footage: certainly a travesty that was downright sacrilegious to the original animation and to the efforts of the animators. The new masters offer Dragon Ball Z in high-definition in the original aspect ratio, at last.

The color reproduction is significantly improved as well. Previous editions on Blu-ray had boosted colors and the changes to the original animation made it look as though the series was displayed in torch-mode television-settings by default. Unlike those unfaithful editions, Dragon Ball Z looks so much more natural via the 30^th anniversary masters. The colors are robust without ever looking false and over-exaggerated.

There is one area in which the remastering isn't perfect. Funimation utilized digital-noise-reduction (DNR) to the image and sometimes it can be a minor distraction. The animation doesn't retain all naturally-filmic film-grain. For myself, I always prefer grain to be left untouched. However, the application of DNR is debated with animation – some feel it better reflects the original cells.

While not a flawless presentation, Dragon Ball Z is once-more available in the proper aspect ratio and fans can finally enjoy the series as intended. Toss out the badly-mastered 1.78:1 editions and replace them with these OAR releases – or jump in for the first-time. The 30^th anniversary remaster is worth checking out.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround sound (featuring the original Japanese music), English Dolby TrueHD 2.0 stereo (featuring the U.S. Music score), and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 mono (with English subtitles). The English dub audio is impressive and the addition of the original Japanese music as an option for dub-fans in terrific. The original Japanese language audio isn't quite as crisp in regards to fidelity (and this makes sense as the dubs were produced many years apart) but is still a great inclusion for those wanting to watch in the original language.

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The eighth season of Dragon Ball Z features a stunning collectors edition steelbook with iconic art-work of Vegeta. The illustration looks outstanding. The steelbook design is impressive in-hand and is certainly epic. The package design is top-notch and the print quality doesn't disappoint. The print is shimmery and has a semi-holographic style that will remind collectors of holographic trading cards. The release looks outstanding. Fans will be pleased with the steelbook and will be thrilled to own it.

Inside Dragon Ball Z: Interview with Kyle Hebert (HD, 25:48)

Inside Dragon Ball Z: Interview with Kara Edwards (HD, 27:06)

Dragon Ball Z: Coming to America (HD, 28:21)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:51)

Textless Closing Song (HD, 1:39)

Dragon Ball Z: Season 8 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The penultimate season of Dragon Ball Z, Season 8 begins the epic Buu saga. The action-packed adventure continues. The 30^th anniversary edition remasters are a joy – to see the series in the original aspect ratio after years of the only in-print version being a cropped 1.78:1 widescreen presentation is a revelation. Fans will be thrilled. The collectible steelbook is beautiful as well. Recommended.