6.2 | / 10 |
Users | 3.1 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Exclusive with the PS3 game Street Fighter IV: Collector's Edition.
Starring: Hiroki Takahashi, Yûji Kishi, Fumiko Orikasa, Hiroki Yasumoto, Miyuki SawashiroAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 56% |
Anime | 55% |
Fantasy | 49% |
Foreign | 38% |
Martial arts | 33% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Japanese: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, French, German, Italian, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD, 1 CD)
Region A, C (B untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 0.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The Street Fighter video game series has had a profound impact on the gaming industry, and the newly released Street Fighter 4 has marked a new high in the fighting genre. For those fortunate enough to track down a copy of the Collector's Edition of Street Fighter 4 (there weren't many in my area), Capcom included a supplemental anime film titled Street Fighter 4: The Ties That Bind. While not as entertaining as the prior Street Fighter anime films (including Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie, Street Fighter Alpha, and the sequel Street Fighter Alpha: Generations), The Ties That Bind is still a nice introduction to the new characters that populate the 4th installment of the video game series, and I hope to see more video game studios jump on the bandwagon by including a Blu-ray film along with the game.
"Hadoken!"
Presented in 1080P, The Ties That Bind is encoded using the AVC codec, with a bitrate that hovers around 20 MBPS. This is a transfer that is hard to judge given the subpar animation quality. Black levels don't appear as deep as other animated features, and colors appear subdued, The detail in the animation doesn't exactly push the envelope of high definition, but at least the transfer seems to replicate the source material. I didn't detect any scenes that appeared blurry, though artificial brightening is used in two or three scenes, and tends to force out line detail. Banding was non-existant, which is a given when color gradients aren't present in the animation, and you won't have to worry about the presence of digital artifacting or edge enhancement. Lastly, digital noise was only present in one scene around the 40 minute mark (watch Seth's suit), and wasn't terribly distracting. Overall, I'd say the video presentation is an accurate representation of the animation, which reveals it's low budget roots around every corner.
Although the back of the disc case incorrectly lists the audio tracks as Japanese/English in Dolby Digital 5.1, Capcom has gone the extra mile to include two lossless tracks in Japanese and English, presented in DTS-HD MA 5.1. There are also Dolby Digital 2.0 tracks in Japanese and English, but those with a surround sound system will want to choose their language preference in the lossless tracks (both 2.0 mixes lack complexity, and are muffled next to their lossless brethren). The DTS tracks are crisp, but I was a little disappointed in the lack of surround usage through the majority of the feature. Dialogue driven scenes are front heavy, which is unfortunate given the lack of fight sequences, but when the onscreen action finally reared it's head, my surrounds kicked in to deliver a sufficiently robust experience. The well-balanced volume levels in dialogue and music appeared to be similar, if not identical on both the native Japanese track, and the English dubbed track, so fans of either language option won't feel short-changed. I don't remember any standout scenes that hit my subwoofer and brought a smile to my face, which is disappointing given the missed opportunity to deliver some of the trademark in-game special moves we've all performed on numerous occasions. Couldn't we have been given just one "Sonic Boom" from Guile?
Subtitles are delivered in 5 variations, but the only one which concerned me was the English track(I don't speak French, Italian, or German, and my Spanish is limited to ordering off a menu in a restaurant). Given my preference for watching films in their native language, a high-quality subtitle track is important to me, and I'm pleased to report there was only one occasion where a word was clearly missing.
The special features section on the disc merely contains five trailers for the Street Fighter 4 game, presented in 720P, and afforded a Dolby Digital 2.0 track. I know this is slim, but what can we expect when the film itself is a supplement?
Unlike the typical Blu-ray review, my recommendation here is based solely on whether it is worth the additional money to purchase the Street Fighter 4: Collector's Edition for your PS3. While the animation quality is low-budget, and the story feels a bit contrived, the audio/video quality is an accurate portrayal of the source material, and there will be no question you are watching a Blu-ray instead of a DVD. Personally, I found the extra 20 bucks a worthy price to pay for a package that includes this Blu-ray film, a soundtrack CD, and a Ryu figure (that now stands proudly on my entertainment center). Like I said at the beginning of this review, I hope more studios follow Capcom's lead and create supplemental anime films for release alongside the game, though I'd like to see a higher animation budget in the future.
There is one additional note worth mentioning. If you own a PS3 and an Xbox 360, you should keep in mind the 360 version of the Collector's Edition comes with a hybrid disc of the film, that is reportedly only playable on the 360 (and in a maximum resolution of 720P). I guess that may explain why all of the retail outlets in my area have numerous copies of the Collector's Edition for 360, while the PS3 version is sold out. Bottom line, if your planning on buying the Street Fighter 4 Collector's Edition, and the anime film is important to you, do yourself a favor and track down a copy for your PS3.
2009
2005
2008
1993
1995
Director's Cut
2009
バイオハザード:ディジェネレーション / Biohazard: Degeneration
2008
2010
2001
1990
2007
2015
Extended Edition
2013
2001
1996-1997
ストリートファイターII MOVIE | Includes PG-13 & Unrated Versions
1994
Evangerion shin gekijôban: Jo
2007
2009
2000
1993