Aaaaand finally, after months and months,

THE PAPRIKA SUPERDUPER FROM FRANCE ARRIVED!!!

Why is this such a big issue? Well, I wrote a series of articles on this set confirming, then denying, then re-confirming English subtitles for this version. When it arrived in June, all versions turned out to have English subs, and the Superduper with the 750 page book was nowhere to be seen… delayed until October.

But now it’s here and I’m baffled. I’ll write a full review of the set on the main site (for reasons of closure, or so both my shrink and my wife say) but for now know this:

Disc 1:
-English, French and Arab subs on the main movie
-Only French subs for the commentary track
-The DTS is fucking amazing, demo quality

Disc 2:
-All documentaries subbed in a slew of languages including English, German and even Dutch

The 750 page book:
-is totally in Japanese, without any translation in either French or English

What?? Four months of delay and they don’t even translate the book? I can imagine not translating the storyboard pages (which forms the vaaaast majority of the book) but the little inserts about the “making-off” ? That’s just daft!

Also included is an envelope with three sketches, signed by Satoshi Kon. Only it’s all printed, even the signature.

This French version is fairly cheap (I paid 45 EURO), the Japanese set looks slightly nicer but has less subs on the extras and is far more expensive. Anyway, about the pimping: the set looks nice and they have toned down the titles so the awesome artwork is not too much covered by them:

Here are the innards: Two Amarays, the book and the envelope.

The innards all opened up:

And there you finally have it!

Suuuuueeeeeet!

Ardvark - October 4, 2007, 3:16pm

Aaaaand finally, after months and months,

Also included is an envelope with three sketches, signed by Satoshi Kon. Only it’s all printed, even the signature.

Lovely set but tis a bit shite the signatures aren’t real!

[quote author="BtoFu" date="1191567776]Lovely set but tis a bit shite the signatures aren’t real!

Agreed…

So they released the French Paprika LE. Good to hear you finally received it Ard! It’s exactly the same as the Japanese LE… Well, almost: the Japanese LE doesn’t come with that envelope.

A little weird that they’d use two completely separate amaray cases for the two discs.  Maybe they’re just doing it to use up leftover Japanese LE boxes, but I’m surprised they’re not combinining discs in one case.—I guess you get more artwork but it looks a little unnecessary.

Found elsewhere in the forum:

panda - October 9, 2007, 11:40pm

Just received the Flash Point DVD in the mail and during the unpackaging process I have taken a few snaps.  It’s the Special Edition 2-disc HK set.  More details/screenshots/high resolution cover scans over the next few days if there’s the demand for it.

Preliminary photos are here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/dreadpirateroberts/sets/72157602347049209/

This is the sort of pictures you can find in the link:

Got my Flash Point limited edition dvd along with Be With You (HK L.E) and Time (Kor. Ed) yesterday, and I love it. It’s a shame though, that they didn’t make the drawer case into a digipak with a sleeve for the postcards, but I can live without it.

Possibly the largest box in my collection (for a single movie,at least):
Curse of the Golden Flower, Hong Kong Limited Collector’s Edition.

The outside is a slipcase…

...which covers a beautiful box…

...which opens to reveal a chessboard…

...of which both sides can be opened…

...so you can finally get to the DVD and all the goodies:

Shame that the chess-pieces are made of cardboard, but the rest of the set looks lovely. It was quite pricey though, and the DVD is the same single disc you get when you bought the cheapo Hong Kong version.

So I basically paid two thirds of the price for a cardboard chessboard and two metal pins! Thankfully ordering it through the Twitch link to Yesasia gave a 5 USD rebate and that box in picture 2 really is lovely-looking.

Ard, replying to an older post of yours, I haven’t been keeping track of this topic…

I just noticed you mention that French LE of Paprika only has French subtitles for the commentary. Are you (and people in general) aware that the Dutch DVD also has the commentary with Dutch, and if I remember correctly, also English subtitles?

(I rented the Dutch DVD a while back, don’t watch much commentaries these days, but I couldn’t resist hearing what Satoshi Kon had to say)

Geert Jan - October 19, 2007, 5:13pm

I just noticed you mention that French LE of Paprika only has French subtitles for the commentary. Are you (and people in general) aware that the Dutch DVD also has the commentary with Dutch, and if I remember correctly, also English subtitles?

Geert Jan,

I’ve been painfully aware of that ever since its release all the way back in June…
But I figured the book would be in French, and I can read that a bit. So I chose the book over the English subs for the commentary…
I’m still glad with the super-duper edition. I collect those, so I’m quite happy. But I’m very disappointed that they didn’t translate the 760 page book.

I’m fully counting on a 1-disc version of Paprika hitting the 8 EUR bucket next year, in which case I’ll snatch it up for the Dutch/English subs on the commentary!

The Hong Kong Limited Edition of “Tekkon Kinkreet” arrived last week, and it might be the best value-for-money in the list! Remember this edition cost me the same (or even less) than importing a region 1 or 2 version of this movie.

Wonderful packaging, two discs, great A/V, and the booklets are both in full-color and classy (even though they’re exclusively in Chinese.
And you get the poster as well…

Pictures!

The outer box:


The inner box with content:


The contents:


The contents opened up:

Smashing, and for less than 25 EUR including P&P;!  :D

Yeah I’m thinking of sticking my R2 UK disc on ebay and grabbing this one even more than I was before!

Very impressive edition, especially for the price.  Very tempting. Must resist. Already got Blu-Ray version and manga.

A Golden Oldie, but still available: The “Dawn of the Dead” Ultimate Edition.

It contains three versions of Romero’s classic: the original theatrical edit, the (longer) director’s cut, and the (shorter, but with music by Goblin)) Italian cut. Also there is a fourth disc with not one, but two kick-ass documentaries about Romero’s “dead” films.

Here are pictures.

The flimsy outer box:


The inner foldout, containing 4 discs and two inlays (including a comic book):

Uncoiling its innards:


All is revealed: