Japanese website AV Watch has official details on the Blu-Ray release of Ponyo in Japan. Studio Ghibli's latest feature film will be released on December 8, and will include standard and deluxe packages.
The standard-edition Ponyo will include English subtitles, but no English soundtrack. The Disney dub will not be included. No significant extras will be included, either, apart from what is available on the standard DVD. This BD will retail for 7,140 Yen ($77 USD).
The deluxe-edition Ponyo will include the extensive making-of documentary, and the Joe Hisaishi in Budokon live concert disc. The extras will not include English subtitles. This BD will retail for 19,110 Yen ($205 USD).
No official announcement has been made on Ponyo's DVD and Blu-Ray release in the United States. Both are expected to be released before the end of the year. Ghibli Blog will report on the latest developments.
Edit (2:50pm): I'd like to add one important point. Asian Blu-Ray is reporting that the Japanese Ponyo Blu-Ray will include multiple language soundtracks, including the English-language dub. I would expect this, given that Studio Ghibli includes the American soundtracks whenever possible. The Mononoke DVD even includes eight soundstracks on a seperate disc. If the John Lasseter Disney dub is not included on the Blu-Ray, I'll be shocked.
9 comments:
I cannot wait! What are the odds that we'll get a bonus disc with any of the documentary on it? That is too much to ask for I'm sure.
The otaku-level pricing of that deluxe set may be a bit for me, but I wouldn't mind the regular BD release anyway if I plan to get one (first I'll have to get a Blu-Ray player too).
I would love to see the making-of documentary brought to the States. Our only evidence that suggests such is that issue of Previews Magazine, which is a trade industry magazine. They had listed a DVD, standard BD, and deluxe BD for release on October 29.
There has yet to be any official word, but there was the recent announcement of new Ghibli DVDs in the US. These reissues (Laputa, Totoro, Kiki) were supposed to accompany Ponyo. But there's still no word.
Right now, all we can do is cross our fingers. If that documentary isn't released in the West, the fansub community will tackle it eventually, just as they did with the Mononoke doc.
A making-of Ponyo special does sound good. I liked the one for 'Spirited Away', how they showed the animators, Miyazaki's comments, the Japanese voice actors as well as the English voice actors and dub writers. But it seems that was a one-time thing for a US Ghibli DVD (though I don't own them all so maybe I'm mistaken). I don't remember 'Howl' having a documentary like that though.. wonder why.
There were some behing-the-scenes features on the deluxe Howl DVD from Japan, showing off the CGI effects and such. Mononoke was really the only one to feature an extensive, hours-long making-of documentary of the entire production.
When it comes time to upgrade the Mononoke DVD and bring it to Blu-Ray - assuming Disney ever touches that movie again - I would love to see the "How Mononoke Was Born" doc included.
The Ghibli DVDs don't have too many features in Japan, besides the trailers and storyboards. The US versions are even more pared-down, which is a shame.
I thought Miramax had the rights for Mononoke in the US. Personally I would prefer a Disney DVD for Princess Mononoke, They seem to put much more effort than Miramax.
Disney put Mononoke under the Miramax banner because of its more adult nature. That's why I'm wondering if we'll ever see Mononoke reissued again. They don't want that movie anywhere near the Disney umbrella.
The whole Mononoke saga in the US was a bit of a soap opera.
I really wouldn't care about whose label is on the box, just as long as we get the box.
Thank you for bringing this wonderful news... now I won't be able to sleep until December in eager anticipation.... I haven't bought the DVD as, after watching a few BluRays, the DVD quality is just not good enough... to many compression artefacts.
For those hungry for Ghibli extras, may I direct you to this small torrent:
http://www.bakabt.com/torrent/143498/Hayao_Miyazaki_and_Studio_Ghibli_Extras_Collection.html
It has most of what's available on DVDs and it is constantly growing. And for Howl, there is a making of and an interview from the Norwegian DVD, which I translated to English.
I know how you feel Daniel about Mononoke. I was only glad it got released at all, and if they do re-release it in a better edition, it would be worth it.
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