Swing Girls & Water Boys (Japan - Toho) info & impressions

[kannisto]

Received these 2 today.

Swing Girls (Japan - Toho) (24-Oct-2008)
Amazon JP HMV JP Yesasia
Audio: Japanese
Subtitles: English, Japanese
Region: Free
Notes: spec@kakaku.com

Swing Girls case pics:


BD-50
Video: MPEG-4 / AVC
Audio: LPCM 5.1 and TrueHD 5.1
Subs: Optional English and Japanese

PQ looks excellent (and bitrate is constantly howering around 36 mbps).

Region Free:

Summary for drive G: (AnyDVD 6.4.7.6)
HL-DT-ST BD-REGGW-H20N XL03 [serial no removed]
Drive (Hardware) Region: 2

Media is a Blu-Ray disc.

Total size: 18943840 sectors (36999 MBytes)
Video Blu-ray label: SWING_GIRLS_BD
Media is AACS protected!
Removed AACS copy protection!
Blu-ray disc is region free!
Removed UOPs!

Water Boys (Japan - Toho) (24-Oct-2008)
Amazon JP HMV JP Yesasia
Audio: Japanese
Subtitles: English, Japanese
Region: Free
Notes: spec@kakaku.com

Water Boys case pics:


BD-25
Video: MPEG-4 / AVC
Audio: LPCM 2.0 and TrueHD 5.1
Subs: Optional English and Japanese

PQ looks solid at a glance, perhaps a bit less detailed than Swing Girls.

Region free:

Summary for drive G: (AnyDVD 6.4.7.6)
HL-DT-ST BD-REGGW-H20N XL03 [serial no removed]
Drive (Hardware) Region: 2

Media is a Blu-Ray disc.

Total size: 11563520 sectors (22585 MBytes)
Video Blu-ray label: WATER BOYS BD
Media is AACS protected!
Removed AACS copy protection!
Blu-ray disc is region free!
Removed UOPs!

[Clueless_Monkey]

Ver nice
I guess this kind of package only comes with the first press edition?

[kannisto]

Ver nice
I guess this kind of package only comes with the first press edition?

Yeah, the packaging was a nice surprise for me, I just learned about it when I opened up my package from Amazon JP during my lunch break I'm not sure if they are going to change the packaging in later printings, might be.

EDIT:
Yeah the paper on the front of the packaging seems to say that these special packages are going to be used on first print edition only.

In the case pics, the first 2 on the left are the front and back of the outer case before I opened it and next 2 are the front and back of the inner "book case" and the last one is the inner case open. The outer plastic wrapper has a flap that can be opened and closed again so the outer plastic sheet can be kept to protect the contents

There are some booklets inside the cases too, I didn't have much time to check them yet as I came back to work from lunch break. I'll post more impressions on the discs later when I've had time to check them in more detail and to watch the movies.

[Jester217300]

I love Amazon.co.jp shipping Today I got Swing Girls, Patlabor 1, 2, 3, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence, Ghost in the Shell SAC Trilogy, & Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. I'm anxious to check out Swing Girls tonight.

[kannisto]

I did a BD Info scan on Swing Girls:

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
Swing Girls                                                     AVC     1:44:47 36,924,143,616  38,781,973,736  46.98   35.99   LPCM 5.1 4608Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)          Dolby TrueHD 5.1 2197Kbps (48kHz/24-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Title:     SWING_GIRLS_BD
Disc Size:      38,781,973,736 bytes
Protection:     AACS
BD-Java:        No

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:           00000.mpls
Size:           36,924,143,616 bytes
Length:         1:44:47 (h:m:s)
Total Bitrate:  46.98 Mbps
Description:    

FILES:

Name            Size            Length          Time In         Time Out        
----            ----            ------          -------         --------        
00000.M2TS      36,924,143,616  1:44:47.281     0:00:00.000     1:44:47.281     

VIDEO:

Codec               Bitrate         Description     
-----               -------         -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video    35985 kbps      1080p / 23.976fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
LPCM Audio                      Japanese        4608 kbps       5.1 / 48kHz / 16-bit / 4608kbps
Dolby TrueHD Audio              Japanese        2197 kbps       5.1 / 48kHz / 24-bit / 2197kbps (AC3 Core: 5.1 / 48kHz / 640kbps)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           English         23.583 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           Japanese        26.510 kbps                     

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time            Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          ----            ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:06:08.618     35,795 kbps     44,867 kbps     00:00:09.509    37,668 kbps     00:00:05.505    36,370 kbps     00:05:20.654    186,621 bytes   409,288 bytes   00:00:10.052    
2               0:06:08.618     0:04:44.743     36,114 kbps     39,074 kbps     00:07:18.647    36,717 kbps     00:06:50.827    36,432 kbps     00:06:45.822    188,281 bytes   445,878 bytes   00:08:07.070    
3               0:10:53.361     0:02:49.711     36,168 kbps     40,050 kbps     00:13:36.524    36,936 kbps     00:13:32.520    36,539 kbps     00:13:27.515    188,561 bytes   453,383 bytes   00:13:37.233    
4               0:13:43.072     0:04:03.410     36,069 kbps     38,421 kbps     00:15:03.486    36,506 kbps     00:13:52.457    36,335 kbps     00:14:15.188    188,047 bytes   344,231 bytes   00:13:54.751    
5               0:17:46.482     0:04:24.014     36,050 kbps     38,774 kbps     00:20:36.944    36,512 kbps     00:20:32.982    36,342 kbps     00:20:27.977    187,947 bytes   358,475 bytes   00:22:02.905    
6               0:22:10.496     0:02:17.929     36,091 kbps     37,791 kbps     00:23:19.273    36,611 kbps     00:23:43.839    36,351 kbps     00:23:08.596    188,163 bytes   425,356 bytes   00:23:20.274    
7               0:24:28.425     0:04:46.161     36,120 kbps     38,580 kbps     00:27:14.675    36,670 kbps     00:27:10.629    36,407 kbps     00:27:05.582    188,311 bytes   470,374 bytes   00:24:28.467    
8               0:29:14.586     0:04:28.477     36,079 kbps     38,696 kbps     00:29:34.856    36,606 kbps     00:29:30.769    36,404 kbps     00:29:25.764    188,102 bytes   449,954 bytes   00:29:15.629    
9               0:33:43.063     0:02:27.689     36,026 kbps     39,381 kbps     00:34:33.530    36,650 kbps     00:34:29.567    36,420 kbps     00:34:10.882    187,821 bytes   411,351 bytes   00:33:43.104    
10              0:36:10.752     0:05:41.675     36,097 kbps     38,313 kbps     00:41:32.824    36,584 kbps     00:38:02.280    36,369 kbps     00:38:43.112    188,194 bytes   421,357 bytes   00:38:49.661    
11              0:41:52.427     0:01:20.747     36,112 kbps     36,995 kbps     00:42:06.774    36,370 kbps     00:42:02.061    36,278 kbps     00:41:57.056    188,274 bytes   303,314 bytes   00:42:58.159    
12              0:43:13.174     0:04:05.954     36,085 kbps     38,737 kbps     00:44:08.688    36,729 kbps     00:44:04.684    36,320 kbps     00:44:41.429    188,129 bytes   387,753 bytes   00:43:58.219    
13              0:47:19.128     0:03:27.582     36,090 kbps     40,792 kbps     00:49:31.302    36,909 kbps     00:49:27.298    36,577 kbps     00:49:22.209    188,156 bytes   479,589 bytes   00:49:16.287    
14              0:50:46.710     0:01:51.278     36,126 kbps     37,989 kbps     00:51:31.088    36,556 kbps     00:51:00.683    36,292 kbps     00:51:29.378    188,342 bytes   369,135 bytes   00:51:05.521    
15              0:52:37.988     0:03:56.361     36,071 kbps     39,691 kbps     00:56:31.388    36,676 kbps     00:54:04.283    36,394 kbps     00:55:19.191    188,058 bytes   426,844 bytes   00:54:48.577    
16              0:56:34.349     0:02:25.771     36,066 kbps     39,983 kbps     00:56:40.689    36,869 kbps     00:57:56.139    36,517 kbps     00:57:54.513    188,032 bytes   470,937 bytes   00:57:13.555    
17              0:59:00.120     0:02:08.003     36,102 kbps     38,798 kbps     00:59:23.602    36,700 kbps     00:59:19.556    36,410 kbps     01:00:36.550    188,218 bytes   456,195 bytes   01:00:54.901    
18              1:01:08.123     0:02:57.802     36,076 kbps     38,419 kbps     01:01:57.422    36,591 kbps     01:01:13.879    36,398 kbps     01:03:26.302    188,085 bytes   383,482 bytes   01:03:10.078    
19              1:04:05.925     0:02:04.917     36,155 kbps     38,663 kbps     01:04:27.530    36,762 kbps     01:04:24.694    36,454 kbps     01:04:19.731    188,496 bytes   339,170 bytes   01:04:28.364    
20              1:06:10.842     0:02:52.047     36,106 kbps     39,127 kbps     01:07:34.676    36,714 kbps     01:07:30.630    36,540 kbps     01:07:34.801    188,242 bytes   452,030 bytes   01:07:35.551    
21              1:09:02.889     0:02:01.371     36,029 kbps     39,705 kbps     01:09:46.057    37,154 kbps     01:10:56.711    36,663 kbps     01:10:51.747    187,838 bytes   412,867 bytes   01:09:46.724    
22              1:11:04.260     0:01:40.100     36,036 kbps     38,550 kbps     01:11:21.777    36,686 kbps     01:11:17.773    36,410 kbps     01:11:12.810    187,875 bytes   341,142 bytes   01:11:55.102    
23              1:12:44.360     0:03:00.514     36,075 kbps     38,553 kbps     01:14:40.309    36,587 kbps     01:15:16.512    36,374 kbps     01:15:11.507    188,080 bytes   414,790 bytes   01:14:42.103    
24              1:15:44.874     0:07:37.332     36,139 kbps     38,085 kbps     01:18:40.799    36,527 kbps     01:20:33.537    36,399 kbps     01:19:11.372    188,411 bytes   372,272 bytes   01:21:02.566    
25              1:23:22.206     0:05:22.989     36,038 kbps     40,045 kbps     01:28:02.652    36,899 kbps     01:27:58.648    36,443 kbps     01:26:59.214    187,885 bytes   354,477 bytes   01:26:03.033    
26              1:28:45.195     0:04:36.526     35,787 kbps     38,451 kbps     01:30:14.367    36,616 kbps     01:30:10.280    36,394 kbps     01:30:05.358    186,578 bytes   401,938 bytes   01:32:25.957    
27              1:33:21.721     0:01:47.983     35,851 kbps     38,708 kbps     01:34:59.402    36,568 kbps     01:34:26.077    36,338 kbps     01:33:27.435    186,909 bytes   425,710 bytes   01:35:03.740    
28              1:35:09.704     0:01:54.406     35,798 kbps     42,927 kbps     01:36:03.299    37,366 kbps     01:35:59.295    36,717 kbps     01:35:54.290    186,635 bytes   357,400 bytes   01:35:16.544    
29              1:37:04.110     0:04:35.609     35,776 kbps     40,159 kbps     01:41:36.841    36,756 kbps     01:39:00.810    36,409 kbps     01:39:53.362    186,519 bytes   404,048 bytes   01:41:35.464    
30              1:41:39.719     0:03:07.562     34,379 kbps     39,636 kbps     01:43:08.099    36,349 kbps     01:43:26.283    36,143 kbps     01:41:42.263    179,235 bytes   607,234 bytes   01:44:22.923    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Lang. Code      Lang. Name      Seconds         Bytes           Packets         Bitrate         
----            ---             ----            -----           ----------      ----------      -------         -----           -------         -------         
00000.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                             6287.28         28,281,000,450  153,788,747     35,985          
00000.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x80            LPCM            jpn             Japanese        6287.28         3,621,473,280   20,119,296      4,608           
00000.M2TS      4353 (0x1101)   0x83            TrueHD          jpn             Japanese        6287.28         2,229,980,188   17,968,164      2,837           
00000.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             jpn             Japanese        6287.28         20,834,118      120,025         27              
00000.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             eng             English         6287.28         18,534,336      106,359         24

[kannisto]

Some screencaps of Swing Girls. It looks quite filmlike, not necessarily high-def demo disc look but pretty fine in my view and probably pretty transparent to the source.

Caps were taken with Nero 8 ShowTime (playing .m2ts file) and converted from BMP to JPEG at best quality setting available using Total Image Converter, since I just got the converter and it's still on a free trial period (didn't buy it yet), it's adding a text to converted images but it doesn't really overlap with the video image area. I'll probably buy it as it seems nice and can do batch conversions.

[ahsoka]

Thanks! Judging from your pictures, this version of SG is a great improvement over the DVD version.
IMO it's a very entertaining movie.
The "Making Of" is interesting to watch seeing the actors struggling learning to play their instruments like they do in the movie. On the DVD extras disc there are also 7 "Side Stories" (short films related to the main movie). If these extras are included on the BD it would be interesting to know if they are in HD?

[kannisto]

Unfortunately it seems those extras are not included in the BD version. Extras include only 3 promotional trailers for Swing Girls and one for the upcoming movie Happy Flight. All of those extras / trailers seem to be encoded in 1080i.

I couldn't watch the movie yet except for some peeks, hopefully I can watch it tonight. Looks like a very fun movie.

[kannisto]

I watched Swing Girls last night and really enjoyed it. It's a playful feel good movie with lots of humour and nice music, and the script is pretty tightly focused and has good pacing. The actors were all excellent and felt very natural in their parts, as if they didn't need to act but just be themselves. It was easy to be pulled into the story and to root for the characters.

I think the PQ shined especially in the final part of the movie with glowing colors. AQ was very good as well, though I had to watch it with the 640 kbps DD core of the TrueHD track due to lack of lossless setup.

In some outdoor scenes during the summer season it felt some of the outdoor scenes had a bit too bright contrast with slightly blown out whites, but that wasn't really distracting.

(I noticed the little sister was playing Space Channel part 2 in the movie, I used to play that with my wife too Rez that was created by the same gamedesigner team was a personal favorite of mine.)

Overall, a very good movie and presentation, highly recommended.

The movie has some similarities with "The School of Rock" in terms of general storyline. Both seem to have been released on the same year. I enjoyed both of them pretty much.

[MisterKIKI]

Didn't have my finger on the pulse and I can't believe this is the second time I missed out on a Waterboys first press editions.

I checked CDJapan and both Swing Girls and Waterboys First Press are indicated as sold out and I'm finding it hard to deduce the edition from the other websites.

Internet is a bit slow here in Saudi Arabia. Can anyone comment on how good Amazon.co.jp, HMV.co.jp are with confirming what version I get if I e-mail them first? (Provided I can find a contact).

[kannisto]

Didn't have my finger on the pulse and I can't believe this is the second time I missed out on a Waterboys first press editions.

I checked CDJapan and both Swing Girls and Waterboys First Press are indicated as sold out and I'm finding it hard to deduce the edition from the other websites.

Internet is a bit slow here in Saudi Arabia. Can anyone comment on how good Amazon.co.jp, HMV.co.jp are with confirming what version I get if I e-mail them first? (Provided I can find a contact).

I think if you ordered them now from Amazon or HMV JP you'd pretty much certainly get these first press editions. I haven't seen any other editions in any B&M stores yet and I doubt they would have sold out the whole first edition in 3 weeks.

Whether the shops would be able to confirm to you by an e-mail query is another matter, I've never contacted Amazon JP or HMV by e-mail myself. I'm not sure how good they are with customer service in English either but I guess they should have somebody who can read & write in English.

[MisterKIKI]

I think if you ordered them now from Amazon or HMV JP you'd pretty much certainly get these first press editions. I haven't seen any other editions in any B&M stores yet and I doubt they would have sold out the whole first edition in 3 weeks.

Thanks for confirming. Amazon had them in stock, so First Press availabilty in B&M stores gave me that nudge to finally order the discs from them (it's only giving me express international shipping though. I'm crawling through the pags to see if I can adjust that).

CDJapan did kindly respond (one of the few who still seem to send specific responses to e-mails). It'll take them a few days to order from suppliers and ship, so they could not guarantee First Press. Thanks again.

[kannisto]

Amazon JP only has international express shipping nowadays, for some reason they dropped the international standard shipping option 1-2 years ago. It's a bit expensive especially for small orders. HMV Japan would be cheaper with regards to shipping.

[MisterKIKI]

... and so I went for HMV.co.jp (fickle mind). Will report back when I receive them. 21st November is the estimate. Glad I came across this forum. I will need to keep my eye out for interesting titles.

UPDATE Nov 22nd: Thought I'd update, rather than post. The discs finally arrived. They appear to be the digipak versions (I can only see red x's, so I can't compare). Took 6 days to arrive in Saudi Arabia via EMS and no customs charges. Thanks for the HMV.co.jp recommendation as it saved me a fair bit!

[dvddesign]

I'm getting these from a friend who lives in Yamagata. Thanks for posting this info. I was blind buying these thinking there weren't any english subtitles at all, and now I'm actually kinda psyched to get to see these again.

It's kinda tricky to get him to order stuff for me since I want subtitles on my Japanese stuff, and Amazon really doesn't ever post full details of their discs. I had to check on 4 other websites to find out that the cheaper GITS2.0 Blu Ray actually DOES have subtitles. Amazon is kinda sketchy on the exact details and I rarely trust Amazon's english reviews on the Japanese site.