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How much do you like DVD Extras?


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Darksorrow29



Joined: 05 Feb 2007
Posts: 412
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 9:52 am Reply with quote
DVD Extras are nothing new. They've been talked about before in reviews all the time, but how important are they to you? This topic came mind over the weekend. I was watching through my Bluray of Eden of the East and was happy to notice there were a lot of extra features (I must have zoned out when I bought it on tsr). If anyone is unfamiliar, EoE is a relatively short series so I was quite pleased to see it had over 1-2 hours of extra features. I dunno about the rest of you, but I generally enjoy watching director commentary/interviews, seiyuu interviews in particular, and so forth.

Sometimes I feel that enough bonus features help rationalize my decision when it comes to purchasing. I was a big fan of Paprika on bluray, but it was rather expensive. After realizing it has 2-3+ hours of extra features, it made it a lot easier for me ot buy it. If you were to compare the price of an original box set, to say a cheaper viridian or legends, I'd probably pay more for the original box if it had enough bonus features.

Some notable extras that I have enjoyed include :

Gurren Lagann - Yoko's trip to Gainax. I thought it was a lot of fun seeing Yoko's seiyuu walk around through Gainax and seeing how a lot of the animation was done.

School Rumble Complete - Almost every seiyuu from the show is interviewed

Paprika - loads of extra features and interviews. At least 2-3 hours worth. Watching the production and seeing Satoshi Kon's story boards was incredible. The author and director interviews with the seiyuus was very interesting as well.

Ramen Fighter Miki Disc 1 - I've only seen disc 1 so far but I just had to mention the Seiyuu Battle. 10 Minutes of Jenga... I kid you not. I was somewhat puzzled... yet I couldn't turn away.

How about all of you? How important are dvd extras, would you pay a few more dollars for more interviews ? Are you a total completionist, or do you not even watch them? Any shows in particular that have stand out extras?
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einhorn303



Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 1180
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:41 am Reply with quote
I care a lot about DVD extras. It always disappoints me incredibly how many of them are expunged from the R1 releases.

My favorite type of extras are director commentary tracks and audio dramas, but those are nearly always cut for my favorite shows (Strike Witches, the Gurren Lagann movies, etc...urggh).

I'm very willing to pay higher prices for more extras.
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gartholamundi



Joined: 18 Mar 2010
Posts: 316
Location: Gainesville, FL
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 10:59 am Reply with quote
DVD extras, especially director and scriptwriter commentary tracks and interviews. anything to do with concept and creation of the piece. storyboards are great when available, as well as concept sketches for characters, vehicles, and even backgrounds. i drink these down.

actor commentaries not so much, although i've enjoyed some of the stuff from Disney's voice-overs for Ghibli products (though even in those cases it was mainly when i was already interested in the actor, such as Patrick Stewart, etc).

i keep hoping this kind of thing (commentary tracks, director interviews, concept sketches) will find a place in the streaming world.
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poilk92



Joined: 07 Aug 2010
Posts: 433
Location: Long Beach California
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:33 am Reply with quote
They are fantastic. Not only do they give relevance to a market that desperately needs it and making me feel like less of a chump for shelling out cash for something I could probably find streaming on the net, but things like commentary really add to the production as a whole and give you a better understanding of the series
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ailblentyn



Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Posts: 1688
Location: body in Ohio, heart in Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:47 am Reply with quote
I have to agree with gartholamundi, in that directors' and writers' commentaries can be wonderful. (I'm thinking specifically of Oshii's commentaries on the Patlabor OVAs - just fantastic!) But that seiyuu rarely have anything worthwhile to say, and are often used on DVD extras to conduct fawning interviews with creative personnel.

(I regard this as a special case of a general rule I have that actors' commentaries on DVDs of any kind are rarely worth listening to!)
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chefneer



Joined: 27 Aug 2009
Posts: 1686
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:51 am Reply with quote
I like them, I always check to see if a release has them, and I don't mind if they add a little to the cost. The lack of them on many recent releases has been a disapointment.

I don't go for episode commentaries very much, but interviews with production staff and VA's are interesting. I also like anything that has to do with how the show was produced: sketches/art, studio tours, "how we created this effect", etc. I have no skill as an artist, and it always fascinates me to see art being created.

I also like the 'off disk' extras that you rarely see anymore, things like booklets with character bios and backstory that would be included in the DVD case.
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The Holy American Empire



Joined: 06 Jan 2010
Posts: 31
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:52 am Reply with quote
I generally only like the OP and ED without text.
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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
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Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 11:54 am Reply with quote
Having DVD extras adds an additional perk to legally purchasing anime in a disc format instead of hunting down fansubs of said title. You not only get to see behind-the scenes looks and commentary regarding the thoughts and details over how a series/ movie was put together, but also get to also check out some fun stuff like outtakes, cultural facts and omake shorts (depending on the series). Lacking this additional content would make it look no different from hunting down a fansub of the series online, especially if Japanese is the only listening option you have for it.
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ailblentyn



Joined: 28 Mar 2009
Posts: 1688
Location: body in Ohio, heart in Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:11 pm Reply with quote
I just remembered what my most hated kind of DVD extra is: interviews and commentaries with the VAs of the dub/tours of CPMs offices/etc. I'd be interested to learn if anyone is interested, or ever was, in that sort of thing. Certainly not my cup of tea.

I concur as far as clean OP and ED sequences go, that they can be very nice to watch. Though of course there are cases (like Azumanga Daioh, which does have a clean OP on my DVD set) where the point of the layout is lost along with the text!
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Tony K.
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Joined: 18 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 12:13 pm Reply with quote
I love extra features. The especially good ones can add a whole lot of perspective and texture to all aspects of the production itself. In terms of amount, I haven't seen too many TV shows get such treatment outside of some cast/writer interviews and some episode commentaries (usually by the dub actors, which may or may not be serious). But full-length films tend to get a pretty good amount of stuff like making-of, production, or background featurettes. Audio commentaries (by people with actual relevance like the director, producer, or actors directly involved) are especially welcome, but I've yet to personally come across one that's really in-depth (unlike some of the great ones I've heard on Hollywood films like Michael Mann, Antoine Fuqua, or Christopher Nolan).
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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
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Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 1:21 pm Reply with quote
Tony K. wrote:
Audio commentaries (by people with actual relevance like the director, producer, or actors directly involved) are especially welcome, but I've yet to personally come across one that's really in-depth (unlike some of the great ones I've heard on Hollywood films like Michael Mann, Antoine Fuqua, or Christopher Nolan).


The original DVD release of FLCL features a director's commentary from director Kazuya Tsurumaki for each episode of the series which provides insight to scenes that are supposed to either be significant or are around to look cool. Beyond that, I guess you would have a point as many of the episode commentaries I come across for titles on DVD come from the dub cast/ developers either having fun watching an episode, offering their thoughts on voicing a character or their involvement in a series and/ or making a pitch for whatever other projects they are involved in.
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EricDent



Joined: 28 May 2008
Posts: 997
Location: Georgetown, TX
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:22 pm Reply with quote
They are OK, but I don't really care that much about them.
I rarely ever watch them, unless it is something I am truely interested in.

Like for example the previously mentioned School Rumble interviews with the voice actors. They also had one with the creator of the manga, but they never ever show his face...

On Ex-Driver they have a couple of fun ones, where the voice actors race RC cars, and where they race Go-Carts (along with some of the creators & singers as well).

With most newer shows (especially from FUNImation) they rarely even bother with extras. It is usually just a clean close/open & trailers for some of the other FUNImation stuff.
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kimbeey13



Joined: 25 Oct 2006
Posts: 290
Location: NH
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:30 pm Reply with quote
The only DVD extra that I really like to watch is of trailers of different shows. I do listen to the commentary and interviews every now and again, but very rarely. I don't put much thought into what the DVD extras are when purchasing any type of film as the 'main act' is what I am most concerned about.
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TatsuGero23



Joined: 18 Nov 2008
Posts: 1277
Location: Sniper Island, USA (It's in your heart!)
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:35 pm Reply with quote
I would say I do love DVD extras but since they are very lacking in the Anime department, I tend to not care when it comes to Anime. But I see that as more of a resolute because Anime DVDs extras have kinda always sucked in the R1 region so the continued disappointment has made me not care about extras in Anime. Any native R1 movies and TV series with extras, I absolutely enjoy.
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gundam83



Joined: 22 Jun 2010
Posts: 93
Location: Caribbean
PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 2:44 pm Reply with quote
kimbeey13 wrote:
The only DVD extra that I really like to watch is of trailers of different shows. I do listen to the commentary and interviews every now and again, but very rarely. I don't put much thought into what the DVD extras are when purchasing any type of film as the 'main act' is what I am most concerned about.


I'm the same I like watching the trailers for other anime directors commentary or other stuff I would check that out weeks later.
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