Region 4 Winners and Losers

     The Region 2 Japanese two disc release includes 5 trailers and TV spots, a range of cast and crew profiles (with interviews) including actors Tadanobu Asano, Reiko Hashimoto, Kyoko Koizumi, Hiroshi Abe, Ittoku Hishibe, Yumi Asou, Kanji Tsuda, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Jai West, Yoshiyoshi Arakawa, Vinne Jones, Tomokazu Miura, Shinichi Chiba , writer Taku Tada and director Gen Sekiguchi. The second disc includes a “Making of” (28:21), 4 Deleted Scenes (7:52), a conversation between the writer and the director (30:41), more extensive interviews with actors Tadanobu Asano (6:09), Reika Hashimoto (8:11), Hiroshi Abe (7:00) and Yoshiyoshi (7:48), premiere footage (11:41), Survive Style in International Film Festivals (13:20), plus CM TV spots. There are English subtitles for the feature and extras. The report I’ve read indicates that the film is not 16x9 enhanced but I am unable to confirm this. That release is of course also in the NTSC format.

     The Region 2 UK PAL release has similar video and audio to ours (although it includes a Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0 track as well as the dts and 5.1) plus the “Making Of” (28:22), trailer (1:31) and a montage of other films.

     I currently cannot find a Region 1 release of the film. On the basis of the extras above it would seem the Region 2 Japanese version is the one of choice.