Awesome thread. I had wanted to start a thread asking about the differences between the various Golden Boy releases, but wasn't sure it was worth it to waste forum space. But since someone else started this thread, I'm gonna go all out in here...
I recently bought Media Blasters' DVD re-release, and also have some (not all) of the original ADV VHS tapes (subtitled) released long ago. But I don't have the ADV DVD version, so that is why I have many questions.
The Media Blaster's dub is probably the same ADV dub, Zalis is right. Although I've never heard the ADV dub, it's obvious from the voice actors used and the credits on the Media Blasters release, that it's the exact same dub.
But I have questions on many other things.
1) Are the subtitle translations the exact same as on the ADV DVD release? I ask this because they are NOT the same as on the original ADV VHS releases. They look very similar but there are many, many differences in each episode. For example, in the very beginning of Episode 1 -- in the Media Blasters' DVD version Kintaro calls himself an easy-going part-timer or something like that. In the ADV VHS subtitled version, he calls himself a "freeter" in the subtitles. (He also calls himself a "freeter" in the dub, and in the original Japanese dialogue).
Another random example, in the ADV VHS subtitled version in Episode 2 when Naoko is wearing her red swimsuit, when she talks about her place down there she calls it her "pit of passion." She also calls it her "pit of passion" in the dub. But in the Media Blasters' subtitles it is referred to as her "place down there" or something like that. But just to avoid any misconception, the ADV VHS subtitles are still very, very different from the dub.
Yet, at the same time, there is evidence suggesting that the Media Blasters' subtitles may be the same or similar to the ADV DVD versions subtitles (which I've not seen). For example the title of Episode 5 is translated as "B@!!$ to the Wall" in both DVD releases I believe...which is totally not the same as the Japanese title (ADV made it up).
So, to anyone who has the ADV DVD version...what are the subtitles like? Do they match up to the ADV VHS version or the Media Blasters DVD version, or neither?
2) audio quality - On the Media Blaster version, the ENG 5.1 track is ultra loud, the ENG 2.0 track is fairly normal...and the JPN 2.0 track is slightly soft...kind of too soft for my tastes actually. Is the ADV DVD release the same way?
3) The credits. On the ADV VHS version, the intro credits are in English, but the ending credits are in the original Japanese (and they are badly crooked), followed by a translated English credit roll at the end of each episode. In the Media Blasters DVD version, the intro credits are in Japanese, and the ending credits are in the original Japanese as well (and badly crooked, looks the same as the ADV VHS version). A very lengthy (for 3 episodes) translated English credit roll is only placed after all 3 episodes. Zalis seems to be saying that the ADV DVD ending credits are in English by default, is that right?
4) The video quality and bitrate. Is it identical between the ADV and Media Blasters releases? I wish I had the ADV version so I could compare. To me the MB video quality appears to be similar to ADV quality in terms of filesize and bitrate and appearance (from what I know of ADV's other titles) but without a side-by-side comparison I can't be sure. Both Golden Boy discs each barely fit on a single-layer DVD on the Media Blasters' release. Is the same true for the ADV release? (anything less than 4.7 billion bytes or 4.4 "gigabytes" is single-layer)
5) The extras. I hear they are different but I've never seen the ADV DVD version. On the Media Blasters' version the gallery consists of approximately 80 pictures. Approximately 22 are promotional or cover arts, while the remaining are mostly cels of the show (sort of like snapshots, but they are cels not actual screen captures). I hear the ADV galleries are much less but I've never verified this for myself.
There are other minor differences I am curious about as well but let's start with these! And, oh yeah, Golden Boy is a great show. A true anime classic.
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