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Region 4 Winners and Losers

Region 4 Winners and Losers

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Explanatory Notes
Additions or corrections (Please refer to the Explanatory Notes before emailing an addition or correction to this listing)
Title Best
Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (Zatôichi to Yôjinbô) (Zatoichi 20)R1

    The US Region 1 comes from AnimEigo and is the source of the transfer used in Region 4. The Region 1 is slightly sharper and more vivid than the Region 4. It has the same film artefacts and the same aliasing and edge enhancement artefacts. Unlike the Region 4, the Region 1 has a stereo soundtrack. I would not call the stereo mix a brilliant one, but it does have some slight directional effects, with dialogue placed in the soundstage according to their position in the frame. The disc has a trailer for the Lone Wolf and Cub series, character biographies and some useful liner notes, which are duplicated on a thick paper insert.

    The UK Region 2 is from ArtsMagic, and was apparently sourced from the master used by AnimEigo for their VHS release. I have not seen this disc, but based on other similar releases by this company I would rule it out of contention.

    The Hong Kong All Regions release from Mei Ah is, as you would expect from this company when it comes to their Japanese film releases, of inferior quality. While it is 16x9 enhanced, it is not nearly as sharp as the Region 4, and it has poor colour as well, based on the screen caps I have seen. It also lacks English subtitles.

    There is a Japanese Region 2 disc, of which I know nothing except that it does not have English subtitles.

    I would have to recommend the Region 1 release ahead of the Region 4, but the Region 4 is not so bad, and if you don't want to go to the expense of getting the US version the Region 4 is acceptable.